Hong Kong Identity

Identity Politic: July 1st, 2003 Protest Agenda 1. Introduction †¢ 1. 1. What is identity politic †¢ 1. 2. Political events that have affected HK Identity 2. July1st, 2003 protest 3. Conclusion 1. 1. What is Identity Politic †¢ Identity politics: Identity as a politic †¢ Development of identity politic †¢ Past v. s Present Introduction July 1st Protest Conclusion 1. 2. Political events that affected HK Identity Tiananmen Square After WWI: Refugee Identity Mistrust of Chinese Government Article 23 After 1960: Local HK Identity 1997 Handover 2013Introduction July 1st Protest Conclusion 2. July1st, 2003 protest †¢ Annual protest led by Civil Human Rights Front †¢ Article 23 †¢ The Hong Kong SAR shall enact laws on its own to prohibit any act of treason, secession, sedition, subversion against the Central People's Government, or theft of state secrets, to prohibit foreign political organizations or bodies from conducting political activities in the Region, and to prohibit political organizations or bodies of the Region from establishing ties with foreign political organizations or bodiesIntroduction July 1st Protest Conclusion Concerns Pros †¢ British government also had repressive acts †¢ e. g Society Ordinance and the Public Order Ordinance Cons †¢ Police is allowed to enter houses and arrest people without warrant/evidence †¢ No freedom of speech †¢ Violation of Article 23 can result in a life term in a prison †¢ Any organization can be banned by PRC Conclusion Introduction July 1st Protest HK people identityIdentity of general HK people †¢ Pragmatism †¢ Individualism †¢ Narrowing gap between HK people/ mainlanders: ambitious, adaptable, practical and clever †¢ Widening gap between HK people/ mainlanders : valuing free speech, press freedom, privacy and equality Introduction July 1st Protest Conclusion HK people identity Parties that affect HK people identity HK people iden tity British colonial period rule of law, democracy, freedom of speech Chinese Government formal education, flag-raising ceremonies visits to the mainland IntroductionJuly 1st Protest Conclusion Identity illustrated by July 1st, 2003 †¢ Widening gap †¢ Antagonism vs. Pragmatic Nationalism and Liberalized Nationalism †¢ Cosmopolitan identity: HK’s dream, opportunities in society, has affected to local’s commitment to democracy Introduction July 1st Protest Conclusion 3. Conclusion †¢ Evident that Article 23 politic widened the gap of â€Å"issue in rights of HK people† ex. Free speech, press freedom, valuing privacy, valuing equality †¢ But still the trend is that people feel less gap with mainlanders †¢ ainland’s characteristic change †¢ HK people affected by mainland government’s media, education, and ceremonies. †¢ No identity is perfectly coherent; there is inconsistencies Introduction July 1st Protest Con clusion Questions to discuss †¢ What are the evolving features of the local political identity, culture and participation †¢ What is the essence of the conflicts between the local and national identities of HK people? †¢ What are the reasons for the rise of new activism, and what is its impact? Introduction July 1st Protest Conclusion

Mass Communication History Essay

Mass communication is the study of how we get information to the greatest number of people as quickly and effectively as possible. This broad-based area of study has evolved from print and broadcast journalism to today’s Internet-connected social media community. As opportunities to communicate to larger audiences grew, universities started offering programs to help students learn how to best communicate with the masses. Basic to the study of mass communications is examining the important and memorable events that emerged along the way Communication to an Immediate Audience People and societies have been communicating with each other since the time of cave drawings and drums. Ancient cultures, such as the Chinese and Romans, communicated through plays and art works. The beginnings of print media were seen in China where movable clay type was invented in 1041. Monks and holy men copied the Bible by hand, but mass media really took off around 1439 whenJohannes Gutenberg‘s invention of movable type allowed the mass production and distribution of books. Although newspapers began in the early 1600s, many American colonists still relied on the town crier as their sole source of information. Communication Spreads to the Masses Digital History focuses on the period from 1880 -1920 as leading the rise of mass communication, with the introduction of the mass market newspapers featuring comic strips, fashion pages, sports news, and women’s pages. National mass circulation magazines, such as Ladies’ Home Journal, also began to appear at that time. Frank Doubleday started organizing book tours to make and promote bestsellers. Thomas Edison introduced us to the wonders of music with his phonograph. Advertising became popular in the late 1800s when the National Biscuit Company, which later became Nabisco, spent the unheard-of sum of one million dollars on a national advertising campaign. Others (like Campbell Soups, Heinz, and Quaker Oats) quickly followed suit in communicating their products’ benefits to the buying public. At the same time, schools of higher learning were beginning to realize that they needed to instruct students on these communication techniques. Although known more for its business degrees, The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania offered the first communications courses in 1893. The University opened an official school of communications 60 years later. However, Otterbein College in Westerville, Ohio is distinctly known for having the first communications program. Their program, which was founded in 1906, began awarding degrees in 1909. A Rapid Rise Communication programs at schools first focused on writing, publishing, and newspaper journalism. As photography, radio, and movies became part of the mainstream media, universities had to work hard to bring their programs up to date. In 1903, the movie The Great Train Robbery began to show the ability of the motion picture to tell a story. Marconi introduced wireless communications in 1895, which lead to commercial radio broadcasting in 1920 and television broadcasts in 1939. By 1922, movies had become so popular that they sold up to 40 million tickets a week. Walt Disney himself said, â€Å"Of all of our inventions for mass communication, pictures still speak the most universally understood language.† The first doctoral degree in mass communication was conveyed by the University of Iowa’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication in 1948. After World War II, class offerings in mass communication started growing dramatically as students looked for information on communicating through media such as magazines, radio, and television. A Bold New World of Mass Communication In the digital age, the possibilities for mass communication are growing even larger. Since the first commercial communication satellite was launched in 1960, communication possibilities have expanded to include Internet, social media, blogs, RSS feeds, podcasts, online video, and mobile media. In the 1990s, schools started offering courses in online communications. In 2007, Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communication introduced a digital newsroom to train the news reporters of the future. A degree in mass communication can take you in many directions—business, advertising, acting, journalism, public relations, government, and international relations—and into the future. But you have to take the first step and start by getting solid fundamentals offered in advanced degree programs. Examples of Major Corporations Deploying Mass Media Strategies Mass Media Strategies Make a Marketing Difference The study of mass communication can lead you in many exciting career  directions—politics, corporate marketing, charitable work, and more. Many organizations effectively utilize mass media strategies to get their message out to their target audiences. Savvy politicians are using social mass media strategies to reach today’s highly-connected generation of voters. Some mass media strategists are now using their knowledge and abilities to fight for change and equality in the world. The following examples highlight where a degree in mass communication could take you. Ford Fuses Mass Media Strategies to Sell the Fusion When Ford Motor Company introduced its new Ford Fusion in 2005, the manufacturer wanted to move from its traditional Taurus-driving family appeal to attracting younger, hipper drivers. The â€Å"Life in Drive† mass media strategy fused traditional television advertising with an online â€Å"Photo Fusion† interactive component to build awareness. The campaign helped Ford sell more than 23,000 Fusions in just three months and motivated the company to increase production quantities to meet demand. Olympus Uses Mass Media Strategies to Climb to the Top Olympus Imaging used an innovative â€Å"augmented reality† campaign to motivate prospective customers to try out a simulated version of their new portable digital camera. They relied on a mass media strategy to drive consumers to a website for an interactive tutorial and simulated product â€Å"test drive.† Olympus quickly managed to get a version of their product into the hands of over 50,000 potential buyers without ever asking them to walk into a store. In addition, a contest which motivated enthusiastic visitors to share their experience through social networks spread the news even further. Green Mass Media Strategies Help Book Authors See Green Results Similar to the results that can be seen in product marketing, a mass media strategy can also be effective in book marketing. When Shel Horowitz, a green marketing consultant, and his co-author, Jay Conrad, wanted to promote their book, Guerrilla Marketing Goes Green, they combined traditional media, social marketing, and green guerilla marketing elements to achieve success. The book was published in January 2010; three months later it was number one on Amazon’s environmental list. Using Social Mass Media Strategies to Become President Perhaps the best example of using today’s social mass media outlets to raise money, generate awareness, and build momentum is the Barack Obama Campaign for president in 2008. Through his campaign’s unprecedented use of social mass media, over 30 million dollars was raised by thousands of individuals and groups that were motivated to work on his behalf. Voters can count on seeing more of this effective use of mass media strategies in the 2012 presidential election campaign as traditional media costs soar and it becomes more difficult than ever before to reach a targeted voting audience. Using Mass Media Strategies to Effect Positive Change in the World Mass media strategies can also play a part in developing global strategic communications. The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women has effectively used a combination of community mobilization, outreach, and mass media to provide education, reduce violence, and develop initiatives to promote gender equality in developing countries around the world. In the United States, the Family Violence Prevention Fund used a mass media public service announcements strategy to promote the availability of a â€Å"Coaching Boys into Men† program that provided sports coaches with a â€Å"playbook† on how to talk to their teams about domestic violence. As more mass media opportunities are becoming available to promote products, services, and ideas, more mass media marketers will be needed to help develop and direct these campaigns. You can start building your knowledge and insight into the world of mass media with an online degree in mass communication. This program can give you an understanding of the various mass media strategies that are av ailable today and provide you with knowledge to help you make informed decisions in a world where mass integrated communication can make a massive difference.

Liberal Democracy vs Social Democracy Essay

Abstract The essay to follow will discuss what is meant by liberal democracy. The term will be defined and further discussed. In addition, it will be contrasted with that of a socialist democracy. This democratic system will be defined in political terms with reference to valid examples as too will liberal democracy. The following essay is based on a contrast between liberal and socialist democracy from a political perspective. An analysis of the terms, concepts and the question will then follow. In addition, reference will be made to current examples such as that of the USA, Great Britain, and Chile as evidence for each type of democracy that is being examined. Furthermore, key issues that will be discussed in this paper consist of democracy as a whole, negative and positive freedom within a liberal democracy, and the failure of socialism in the third world. Furthermore this essay will prove that Sweden is not a socialist democracy. In order to contrast liberal and socialist democracy one must first hold an understanding of what each term means. In order to go about understanding these terms, it is important to first understand what democracy. In simple terms, democracy can be defined as the rule of the people. A democracy is about the people who come together to decide on laws. And according to Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address of 1863, democracy links government to the people as he stated that democracy is a â€Å"government of the people, by the people, and for the people† (Heywood, 2014). Universal suffrage plays a role in deciding these laws. This term is understood as the right of almost all adults to vote in political elections. Depending on the country, there are different requirements which have to be fulfilled. In the Philippines, citizens have to be at least eighteen years of age, and have to have resided in the Philippines for at least one year and in the region wherein they wish to vote, for at least six months prior to the election (Castillo, 2011). There is not always collective decision-making within every democracy. Zimbabwe for one claims to be a â€Å"democracy† based on the will of the people with a leader who claims to a monopoly of ideological wisdom but there isn’t collective decision making. Whereas it really is a totalitarian democracy in which there is absolute dictatorship that pretends to be a democracy. Also here, which is a republic version of democracy, where you elect representatives to make decisions on your behalf. The scope of a democracy defines what should fall under the sovereignty of life, and divides the liberals from the socialists. Heywood (2013) states that liberalism is â€Å"the ideology of the industrialized West†. By this Heywood means that liberalism is a classical ideology that supports social progression and the changing of laws through reform rather than through a revolution. The individual is the primary focus of liberalism, not of revolution. Consequently we can understand liberal democracy as a modern form of governance that denies that popular rule is the ultimate political rule. Leaders are elected by the collective to govern the entity on behalf of the community. In South Africa not all leaders declare voted for by the collective due to the fact that there are provisional elections that are only open to those citizens residing in that province, such as you could not vote in Cape Town if you live in Gauteng. But you choose to vote for an overall party during the ele ctions based on the rule of the law and therefore the election is free and fair (Yufo, 2008). Great Britain is an example of a state which has a liberal democracy even though it is also a monarchy (Evolution News, 2014). It is considered a laissez-faire liberalism in that the Government are free to do as they choose for up to 5 years before the next free and fair democratic election The British declaration political settlement of 1688 is evidence that Great Britain became the first liberal state in 1614. Another liberal democratic state is the United States of America according to the American Declaration of Independence of 1776 as freedoms such as that of thought, speech, association and religion are all basic liberties that take priority over popular rule (Gutmann, 1993). Liberal freedom within this democracy is a characteristic of negative freedom as individuals are equally free and protected from collective decisions. Negative freedom has no external constraints on the individual or the collective due to the freedoms available to them and the fact that there is no interference in decision-making and a lack of forces which prevent individuals from doing as they please. Although in South Africa, government has implemented the â€Å"Secrecy Bill†. This bill is somewhat a farewell to democracy, as the freedom of speech is no longer a right, as both citizens and the media have been censored by government. The purpose of the secrecy bill is to protect state information (SABC, 2013) and many people would argue that this silencing is due to the self-interest of politicians that are involved in activities such as corruption. Laws such as this contradict democratic freedoms such as that of speech. Positive freedom can be defined as having some control over your decisions. This is an autonomous state which gives you as the individual an education for example in order for you to reach your full potential. The government also provides grants and subsidies to assist individuals in achieving this potential. The formation of free and compulsory education, public health systems limit the freedom of the capitalists to exploit workers, but give worker the opp ortunity to develop as human beings. Positive freedom has been built up due to the struggle of the working class which in which the legislation limited the hours of work per day, per person and abolished child labor (Marxist, 2014). In the words of J.S Mill â€Å"the only freedom which deserves the name is that of pursuing our own good in our own way† and this is exactly what Liberal democracy aims at achieving as American and Great Britain citizens have individual and property rights which are both a principle of classical liberalism (Heywood, 2014, p32). Socialist democracy in essence is a modern version of socialism. All these notions were integrated but there are small distinctions between them. Social democracy takes some of its principles from socialism such as free enterprise and the focus on societal framework. Whereas capitalism, private enterprise and maximization of life opportunities are more democracy than socialism. In theory South Africa is an example of democracy as the constitution states that RDP housing is provided by government (Rabbani, 1994), due to the fact that government provide grants and education in order to correct the ills of Apartheid. Socialism, by definition, is a system marked by the â€Å"common ownership of the means of production (Legon, 2013). Having said so, we can simply understand it is a democracy that uses socialist reforms in their referendum. It is pivotal to make this distinction between socialism and socialist democracy as they are not the same concept and often the two terms are confused. A social democracy is a government that uses democratic process but also consists of characteristics that resemble those of a socialist society as mentioned in the above. Social democrats generally are committed to acting for the common good. In a government that is a social democracy, the government plays an active role in regulating certain political and economic conditions (Jablonsky, 2014). A socialist democracy is a Marxist organisation which believes that the poverty and misery and the oppression and exploitation that marks their society is the result of control of the world’s wealth and productive resources by a tiny class that exploits the vast majority of society. This leads to humanity crippled by the reality an d ideology of capitalist society. In the Soviet Union, China, Vietnam and Eastern Europe socialist democracy is the dominant system. The trouble of the people in liberal democratic countries is not as wretched as it is in socialist countries, due to the fact that in communist countries, political and economic system are imposed on society by party officials therefore resulting in untold human suffering and severe psycho-economic exploitation. Both liberal democracy and socialist democracy may be considered forms of political democracy because these systems are based on economic and political centralization (Evolution news, 2014). Many would argue that socialism has failed and that the Cuban economy is a disaster and when Cuba found itself caught in disagreement therefore facing both the merciless US blockade and enduring the suspension of all trade with the former members of the socialist bloc–, leaders of the Cuban revolution told the people: â€Å"either we stand our ground or we lose everything we have ach ieved under socialism† (Legon, 2013). This brings us to discuss the failure of socialist democracy in third world countries. This democracy promised prosperity, equality and security. Yet it is evident that it rather delivered poverty, misery and autocracy. Equality was achieved only in the sense that everyone was equal in his or her misery. Socialism is now a bankrupt, discredited, and flawed nineteenth century theory that has failed miserably in countries around the world (Perry, 2014). We can agree that Socialism has collapsed because of its failure to operate under a competitive, profit- and-loss system of bookkeeping. A profit system is a very effective monitoring tool which frequently assesses the economic performance of every enterprise (Perry, 2014). The firms that are the most efficient and most successful at serving the public interest are rewarded with profits. Evidence of a socialist democracy can be seen in Chile as their changeover to democracy has still not been achieved. After a decade of non-combatant rule, the state remains under the military dictatorship’s 1980 constitution. According to the writings of Alejandro Reuss â€Å"The president has made sure to not aggravate the still-powerful Armed Forces. He has insisted that his relations with the Armed Forces are â€Å"excellent and that they can work together for Chile†. The Chilean Socialist leader Ricardo Lagos has declared that Chileans should stop worrying about the past, concentra ting instead on their future together (Reuss, 2001). The above clearly proves that socialism has failed in the third world. The question of whether Sweden is or is not a socialist democracy has risen many times before in the past within the left internationally, with regards to the politics and economy of the Nordic state or if Sweden is an alternative to neo-liberal capitalism (Olsson, 2009). Sweden has never been a socialist society as it is based merely on public ownership of production, workers’ control and management, social equality and a democratic plan of production which are characteristics of a socialist entity according to Olsson (2009). Neither has Sweden been a ‘mixed economy’. In fact it is one of the most well off country’s to date. It is evident that the social democrats and the trade union movement in Sweden are â€Å"facing a historic crisis as they have lost roots, influence and support, with no prospect of regaining their old ground as their policy and methods mean further attacks on what is left of the general welfare system. The social democratic party has become an empty shell† (Olsson, 2009) but that doesn’t change the fact that Sweden is not a socialist democracy. In conclusion, there is a major contrast between liberal democracy and social democracy. Evidently a liberalist democracy is built on the foundations of organic social solidarity with private ownership of production, empirical (demonstrable, verifiable reasoning), scientific, reflective and constructivism. The pursuit of the greatest possible welfare for all is a major view of liberal democracy. It considers the State as an association like any other, generally managed no better and no more efficient than others and wishes the abolition of all monopolies as well as the disappearance of classes and that there should be no more proletariats (Lesigne, 1887). Liberals wish to leave each in possession of its own and desires everybody to be a proprietor. The latter promises liberty and makes the State the employee of the citizen. Whereas socialist democracy is based on collective ownership of the means of production, political restrictions, and is dogmatic, meaning that the government is i nclined to lay down principles as undeniably true as well as being destructive. Socialist democracy wishes for the governed class to become the governing class and that that there should be none but proletariats. The most obvious distinction is that socialist democracy wishes to take everything and all positions away from everyone and impound them (Lesigne, 1887). The greatest contrast between both democracies is that liberal democracy is the future, while socialist democracy is the past. Bibliography 1.Gutmann, A (1993). a companion to contemporary political philosophy. 2nd ed. Australia: Blackwell Publishing. p413. 2.Heywood, A. (2013). Political Ideas and Ideologies. In: Heywood, A Politics. 4th ed. United Kingdom: Palgrave Macmillan. 31, 32. 3.Kuttner,R. (2005). Liberalism, Socialism, and Democracy. Available: http://prospect.org/article/liberalism-socialism-and-democracy. Last accessed 13 March 2014. 4.Legon E D. (2013). Cuba and the Alleged Failure of Socialism. Available: http://www.havanatimes.org/?p=99148. Last accessed 17 March 2014. 5.Lesigne, E (1887). Liberty V. p5. 6.Olsson, P. (2009). Sweden Is Sweden Socialist?. Available: http://www.socialistworld.net/doc/3752. Last accessed 15 March 2014. 7.Perry, M. (2014). Why Socialism Failed. Available: http://spruce.flint.umich.edu/~mjperry/socialism.htm. Last accessed 15 March 2014. 8.Rabbani, F. (1994). SA: ANC’S RECONSTRUCTION & DEVELOPMENT PLAN. Available: http://www.africa.upenn.edu/Govern_Political/ANC_Recon.html. Last accessed 16 March 2014. 9.Reuss, A. (2001). Thirty Years of Chilean Socialism. Available: http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/South_America/30Years_ChileanSocialism.html. Last accessed 15 March 2014. 10.SABC. (2013). National Assembly approves Info Bill. Available: http://www.sabc.co.za/news/a/8612bb8041cd7c3e8bd9cb5393638296/National-Assembly-approves-Info-Bill-20131211. Last accessed 16 March 2014. 11.Unknown. (2009). Political Liberalism. Available: http://www.123helpme.com/preview.asp?id=74492. Last accessed 13 March 2014. 12.Unknown. (2014). Liberal Democracy. Available: http://evolutionnews.co.nz/liberal-democracy/. Last accessed 16 March 2014. Unknown. (1688). Bill of Rights [1688]. Available: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/aep/WillandMarSess2/1/2/introduction. Last accessed 17 March 2014. 13.Unknown. (1776). The Declaration of Independence. Available: http://www.ushistory.org/DECLARATION/DOCUMENT/index.htm. Last accessed 17 March 2014 14.Unknown. (2014). Glossary of terms : FR. Available: http://www.marxists.org/glossary/terms/f/r.htm. Last accessed 16 March 2014. 15.Yufo. (2008). http://www.studymode.com/essays/Liberal-Democracy-140567.html?utm_campaign=transactionalEmail&utm_source=sendgrid&utm_medium=email. Available: http://www.studymode.com/essays/Liberal-Democracy-140567.html?utm_campaign=transactionalEmail&utm_source=sendgrid&utm_medium=email. Last accessed 17 March 2014.

Enterprise Culture in the Organization and Strategy Essay

Enterprise Culture in the Organization and Strategy - Essay Example Change is inevitable and is the only constant factor that can keep on happening from time to time. Industrial environments change with time, courtesy to a number of macroeconomic factors like the buyer’s power, the influence of technology, political environments and most obviously the performance of the global economy (Grant, 2005, p. 272). To stay ahead in the global competition and sustain itself in the marketplace, global corporations as well as small and medium enterprises have to respond to these changing business environment and are increasingly trying to inculcate innovation among the products and services that they are offering to other business or to the end consumers. Product Innovation for companies offering products in the open market is very essential to survive in the competitive global war zone. Innovation can be radical or incremental in nature. A quick glance at the evolution of today’s highly popular digitized cameras will explain the two concepts in t he most perfect manner. Radical innovation happened when old Polaroid cameras were replaced by companies with the highly advanced digital cameras. Companies to keep up with fast pace of consumer demands and in order to cater to whims and fancies of consumers, due to their increased buying power have started to have an entire division of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, which will be responsible for providing necessary innovations and modifications within the product offerings by staying within the boundaries of the organization or even trying to develop something on their own, which will be in line with the mother organization’s needs, requirements and objectives. Many a times, it has been found out by various studies that radical and even incremental innovations have happened on the shoulders of an entrepreneurship effort of someone within the organization or even outside the organization. Large corporations and even small and medium enterprises are increasingly encouraging entrepreneurship and motivating current or even ex employees of organization to don the hat of an entrepreneur and work under the company’s brand name, while developing, promoting and marketing their own brands or ventures. Even many a times, it has been noticed that ex employees of large organizations after working in the organization for a lot of years, and developing the required skills, insights and expertise leave the organization in an effort to do something on their own or even to pursue their hobbies or dreams, which people can identify as zeal of an entrepreneurship drive of the individual. Companies are increasingly recognizing employees, who are giving the extra effort to push things forward and trying to being a change agent. Basically, a certain clan of people in each and every organization, who generally put in the shoes of an entrepreneur within the job role, he or she is assigned to by the company. When these groups of highly self motivated people are willing to try something on

Speech in Cyberspace and Internet Governance Essay

Speech in Cyberspace and Internet Governance - Essay Example In the situation, of Langdon versus Google, among others (Pd f), the plaintiff charged Google, Microsoft plus Yahoo for their letdown to run ads. These allied to the plaintiff's Web sites, which ostensibly exposed fraud committed by North Carolina administration officials and reported carnage supposedly done by the Chinese regime. The plaintiff quarrelled that the denial of the defendants dishonoured his foremost amendment plus other legal rights (Sinrod, 2007). What's more, the plaintiff alleged that all through Internet search engines are preserved by private firms, they fundamentally are public mediums, like malls with shopping centers, moreover, so are subject to the 1st amendment. The arbiter blew that tiff out of the water, stipulating that the plaintiff botched to appropriately affirm a claim for breach of his open speech rights in the 1st amendment, specifically given that the defendants are concealed, for-profit firms, not subject to legitimate free speech guarantees. The co urt judged "false" the plaintiff's squabble that someway the defendants were governmental "nation actors" who were required to defend the plaintiff's freedom of speech. In his ruling, the arbiter noted that the United States highest Court earlier had ruled that personal services that have been united to the public, like shopping hubs, do not offer a usual forum for the public to convey their views. The jury’s verdict with revere to the plaintiff's falsified speech rights is not terribly startling. The fraction of the judgment I found most appealing was the jury’s decision that the defendant’s search engines have 1st amendment privileges not to run the plaintiff's advertisements. Google squabbled in the protection of the dispute that, to run the plaintiff's ads, as called for, would oblige Google to talk in a way deemed suitable by the plaintiff; however, it would stop Google from talking in manners that the plaintiff would not appreciate. In a will, Google did n ot desire to be controlled by someone else as to the speech content it sends. Definitely, visualize a world wherever the law obligated they post whichever third-party substance. Over instant, the search engines plus Information Service Providers would mislay their ability to safeguard the uniqueness of the spots they seek to uphold (Knight, 2002, web). Bibliography Sinrod, J. 2007. Perspective: The freedom to disallow speech in cyberspace. Retrieved on November 3, 2011, from Knight, D. 2002. Writer and Editor of Science Fiction, Retrieved on November 3, 2011, from DQ2 Internet governance is the advancement and application by administrations, the private sector as well as the general public, in their particular roles, of shared ideologies, norms, rules, resolution making protocols, and programs that outline the progress and use of internet, (Pizzaleo, 2009, web).  

Eastern Catholic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Eastern Catholic - Essay Example It also has jurisdiction over the churches in Greek. The Eastern Catholic Church in the Middle East uses autocephalous governing body known as the Patriarch of Antioch. This body resides in Damascus, Syria and heads Arab Christians. It also heads in Iraq, Lebanon and other churches in the Middle East. Other patriarchs include: Patriarch of Alexandria, Serbia, Georgia, Jerusalem, Bulgaria and Romania. The early church of Antioch was very diverse and developed into numerous churches. The liturgical setting of the Antioch church mainly came from the St. James Liturgy despite other liturgies developed later. Having jurisdiction in a large area, the Patriarch of Antioch also covered the modern Israel, Jordan, Palestine and certain parts in south Turkey (O’Mahony & Loosely, 2009). Moreover, the Syrian and Aramaic languages dominated before Islam came. Today, the Antioch church has spread into the Persian Empire also known as Iran. It has also spread its branches in India and China. Therefore, the Middle East Antioch church has widened into the south. The Middle East Catholic church can also be analyzed using the various the religious seven dimensions also known as the Ninian Smart. The seven religious dimensions include: rituals, experimental and emotional, narrative or mythic, ethical and legal. Moreover, doctrinal and philosophical, material, social and institutional dimensions also from the religious dimensions of the Catholic Church. These dimensions describe the various aspects in which the Eastern Catholic religion operates. To begin with, rituals refer to the ceremonies used in the Catholic Church that can either be private or public. The rituals represent traditions that should be followed and how sacraments should be celebrated in the Catholic Church. As Churches spread and grew, sacraments were celebrated in line with individual cultures and as they were received or

Essay on International business finance report

On International business finance report - Essay Example REPORT TO IBF Respected Directors, IBF London (U.K) Introduction IBF Supplies Plc is a London based large manufacturer and distributor of office supplies. A recent forecast shows decline has been shown in the demand for office supplies in the UK. At the same time it is anticipates a strong demand for office supplies in Eastern Europe, Asia and Africa over the next several years. Hence, executives of IBF have started exploring the overseas markets and are planning to establish foreign subsidiaries in new markets. Before entering the market certain aspects are to be considered. These aspects include: Financial and non-financial factors The potential risks and possible external strategies to manage such risks. Other strategies available other than establishing a foreign subsidiary Financial and non-financial factors First of all it is to be made sure that whether the selected countries are going to produce the desired results or not. It is a good thing that IBF has anticipated a strong demand in Eastern Europe, Asia and Africa for the type of goods it manufactures but again a detailed research needs to be done before taking any final decision. Developing a foreign subsidiary means establishing company’s branch outside the country to run as a separate entity than IBF the parent company itself.  There are a lot of things that need to be considered like the political stability of these selected countries, their legal systems, the fiscal policies, the monetary policies, availability of labor that is skilled, logistics infrastructure etc (Terpstra and Sarathy 2001). It is a good thing that IBF has a proactive approach but still there are a lot of things that are of utmost importance before any final decision can be taken. The financial situation of the company happens to be one very important factor to be considered before IBF can take any decision. The tax bracket is to be kept in mind before actually deciding to expand the business to a new area. The net wor th and the objectives of the company happen to be of critical importance. The level of risk that the company can afford to take is also a point of significant importance. While considering the financial factors, IBF needs to take a decision regarding choosing one of the two financing techniques or may be both the techniques. These two financing techniques are debt and equity financing. If IBF chooses debt financing to raise funds it means that the company will borrow money from another source like bank. IBF will have to return the loan with interest and it can be short term or long term. The other way is that of equity financing. In this way IBF can raise finance by selling off its business part to some other party like the investors or the venture capitalists. The company need to decide whether it is going to be generating funds locally or by the parent company. A detailed PESTEL Analysis is required that includes things like political factors etc. The forecasting regarding the exc hange rates and the taxation agreement needs to be done before taking any final decision. It is to be kept in mind that these foreign subsidiaries are going to be exposed to volatility of exchange rates. IBF will need to evaluate its risk associated with exchange of foreign currency through monitoring

The identities shaped by online games -- World of Warcraft Dissertation

The identities shaped by online games -- World of Warcraft - Dissertation Example The emergence of online identities is not a completely new concept. People have been creating public identities with the purpose of achieving goals throughout human existence (Wallen 1998, p. 52). However, the nature of the online persona is somewhat unique in that it is done with the intention of representing an ‘otherness’ through character and skills that would not be possible in the real world. Exploring the nature of this creation provides for a greater understanding of the concept of identity. Watslawik and Born (2007, p. 2) state that â€Å"ego psychoanalytical theory places the individual within a more or less nurturing social context, as contrast with the more confrontive view of classical theory wherein the individual is seen more as contesting society†. The nature of human interaction, according to Erikson’s theory, is in finding communities in which nurture is the primary benefit. While an individual seeks a community in which shared values and beliefs are experienced, or in the case of game play, shared goals, eventually it is the sense of nurture that is built that will provide the attraction to a community (Watslawik and Born 2007). The following literature review will focus on the identity as it is positioned in an online environment as a created and semi-controlled entity. This will be discussed through the created and controlled aspect, as well as how that control is not complete as the social dynamic and the real life characteristics begin to come through to the online identity. Avatar as it Becomes Part of the Community Individual and the Avatar The nature of identity is the result of a tension between conformity and individuality. In seeking to find an identity, the individual must find a position between these two oppositional forces in order to find both acceptance and individuation. This phenomenon creates an internal conflict within which the individual seeks to find a sense of self and the acceptance of self by the community (Jackson 1984, p. 203). Through following group norms, the individual seeks to find positive interaction within the context of group identification and personal differentiation. The sense of self is defined through social identities that are evolved through group behaviours and attitudes, with the individual identity evolving through perceptions and evaluations of social situations (Korostelina 2007, p. 36). Human existence has been framed through the formation of identity within the concept of race. According to Smedley (1998), the concept of race as an identifying factor has only emerged since the 17th century. Before that time culture and kinship were the ways in which people were grouped. Where in the past, occupation and city of origin identified an individual in a ethnic way, the idea of physical differences having the power to inform the identity is relatively new. In the game of World of Warcraft, actual species differences are developed in which race become s a very important aspect of the identity of the character (Hammer and Kellner 2009, p. 597). In choosing a race, the player makes the initial step towards creating an association within the game. However,

A Risk Management Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

A Risk Management Policy - Essay Example To determine the full extent of an organization’s vulnerability to security breaches, a risk assessment should be undertaken to gather comprehensive information and data prior to designing the risk management policy. Due to the fast pace of technology, attack tools frequently change parallel with updates in software increasing the probabilities of security risks. In this particular case, the organization faced the following types of threats: unauthorized access from the internal personnel and confidentiality breach as a result of infiltration by a hacker or an attacker. The assessment indicates weakness in their overall information security system and policies requiring the revisions and enforcement in risk management. Proposed Management Risk Policies To address the risk on information being stolen by inside personnel, the following measures are recommended: (1) strengthen company policies on recruitment and screening new IT applicants and present IT personnel to include background checking in terms of past work experiences, credentials and qualifications; (2) a code of discipline must be incorporated in the policies to contain sanctions for violations and infractions of policies, particularly on confidentiality of information, to wit: reprimand for initial violations, warning for subsequent infractions, suspension without pay, expulsion, outright firing, as required; (3) a classification of both hardware and software systems according to crucial importance must immediately be made to determine authorized and trust users depending on lengths of service and roles and responsibilities; (4) codes and personal access numbers must be assigned; and (5) a rotation of critical authorized employees must be implemented as a check and balanc e mechanism, concurrent with regular monitoring and audits of critical and crucial confidential areas. To address the hacker or attacker from infiltrating the system, the following courses of action are suggested: â€Å"(1) apply software security, (2) control use of administrative privileges, (3) control access based on the need to know, (4) continuous vulnerability testing and remediation, (5) install anti-Malware defenses, (6) limit and control ports,

Managing People, and Marketing sections Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Managing People, and Marketing sections - Essay Example Cummins Westport Inc. manufactures in China with Dong Feng Engine Co. They are headquartered in Indiana, Columbus USA and have 500 Distributor locations, they have a presence in 131 countries and have 24200 employees worldwide. Cummins has been providing CNG, Diesel and other engines to Bus manufacturers. Their basic product line is manufacturing of electric generators powered either by diesel or even by LPG. Due to the lucrative margins in the CNG bus manufacturing market, Cummins is evaluating the possibility of launching their own CNG bus. Their long term vision is to diversify into the production of alternate fuel heavy vehicles. They believe they have the necessary market intelligence, technical experience and knowledge, manufacturing edge and the brand â€Å"Cummins† has a repute of quality and reliability in the engine & generator market. However, there are pitfalls in this seemingly lucrative opportunity including the marketing of the new product and its launch and most importantly the human resource aspects including how to motivate employees? Finding the right leadership? And team friction. As identified by the management of Cummins in their brief to Creative Chaos, they would like to explore the CNG bus market manufacturing potential in which they already operate and are well-known for their high quality and reliable CNG engines that they manufacture. The only difference is that this time they want to manufacture & assemble the complete bus. However, the current market for CNG buses in USA is waning and has reached saturation. This is a statement supported by the following facts: A high number of Alternative Fuel Vehicles made available every year include the E 85 type vehicles (hybrid technology). CNG vehicles comprise of a very small number(AFDC Alternate Fuel Development council) It has been observed that from the year 2002, when the CNG buses manufactured were as many as 1200,the number of CNG buses

Baker and McKenzie Law Firm in Worldwide Markets Research Paper - 1

Baker and McKenzie Law Firm in Worldwide Markets - Research Paper Example Baker and McKenzie is an American law firm based in Chicago city. The firm has a total of 3774 attorneys, 1349 partners, and 2425 associates (Baker and McKenzie 1). Baker and McKenzie law firm tops the list of the most successful law firms in the United States. The firm is renowned to have redefined the worldwide law firm of the 20th century in order to meet the global economic challenges of the 21st century. The 3774 lawyers are located in over 70 offices worldwide. The firm has a unique way of working, thinking and behaving. The function across borders and they deal with a wide variety of issues as well as practices (Baker and McKenzie 1). Baker and McKenzie law firm understands the economic challenges facing the globe, and for that reason, it has been of the forefront of matters since the firm’s opening in 1949. Laws that work in Baker and McKenzie law firm include financial litigation, product liability, aviation law, capital markets, bankruptcy, business and industry, com mercial law, insolvency, intellectual property, international law, international trade, and investment law. The firm also deals with consumer law, contracts, copyright, corporate governance, and corporate law among others (Baker and McKenzie 1). The firm has advised leading companies on matters of today’s incorporated world market. Baker and McKenzie law firm has cultivated the tradition, commercial simplicity, and technical, as well as interpersonal skills, vital to offer world-class service tailored to the needs of world-class customers globally.

A Brothers Love Essay Example for Free

A Brothers Love Essay When you compare Louis Erdrichs story The Red Convertible and James Baldwins story Sonnys Blues, they seem like completely different stories. The Red Convertible is about two brothers, Lyman and Henry, who grow up on a Native American reservation in North Dakota. The two brothers share a strong bond that is personified through their love for a certain red car that they share. They go through an amazing Journey and discover a lot about each other. On the other hand, Sonnys Blues is also about two brothers, however their Journey goes a completely different oute than Lyman and Henrys. In Sonnys Blues, the narrator and his little brother, Sonny, start out as distant and forgotten family members. Through Sonnys love for music, and his older brothers gradual acceptance, the two grow a stronger bond than ever before. Although the two are indeed about different topics, there are some parallels to recognize as well. The Red Convertible and Sonnys Blues are alike for many reasons, but the most prominent similarity is the theme of brotherhood. For instance, in Sonnys Blues, the dynamic between the two brothers changes from eing completely distant to finally understanding each other, despite their differences. The growth of a relationship is an important factor in true brotherhood. An example of the two brothers taking a step in the right direction is when they meet after Sonny is let out of prison. It has been a while since they have spoken last, and the older brother narrates, miet, when he smiled, when we shook hands, the baby brother Id never known looked out from the depths of his private life, like an animal waiting to be coaxed into the light. (Baldwin, 312) The other brother is realizing that e has never really known his baby brother because his true self was always buried beneath the mask of his drug addiction. We can see here that the other brother is seeing that Sonny is trying to let himself into the light, or trying to finally get himself to a better place in life. The turning point in the story where Sonnys love for music gets truly understood by his brother, is at the end of the story when he is playing his gig. The older brother states, For, while the tale of how we suffer, and how we are delighted, and how we may triumph is never new, it always must be heard. There isnt any other tale to tell, its the only light weve got in all this darkness. (Baldwin, 324) This statement by Sonnys older brother shows that he has finally opened up his heart to accept that his little brother is getting better and expressing himself through music. Like in Sonnys Blues, Henry and Lyman go through a similar Journey in The Red Convertible, where they discover their own Journey through brotherhood. Unlike Sonnys progression of his relationship with his brother, Henry and Lymans relationship starts out ver y strong but dies out in the end. Although the two stories have different outcomes, the core theme of brotherhood is the same. In The Red Convertible, Henry and Lyman are best friends, and spend every moment hanging out with each other. They are inseparable, until Henrys decision to Join the army for three years tears them apart. When Henry returns, Lyman is concerned as he remembers the times wed sat still for the whole afternoon, Henry always had a Joke, then, too, and now you couldnt get him to laugh (Erdrich, 74). Lyman is realizing that his brother nas changed and is disassociated wit n his tormer selt. Lyman is pain stricken because the strength of their brotherhood was slipping through his fingers. Overall, both stories express the motivation and strength that a brotherhood can give. Despite their similarities in overall theme, the two stories are different regarding the symbols that connect the brothers. In Sonnys Blues, the factor that allowed Sonny and his brother to break the barrier between them was his music. Living in Harlem, there isnt many ways to express yourself or let yourself be heard, so music was an escape. Through Sonnys infatuation with music, his brother was able o see beyond his drug addiction and begin to start the re-birth of their relationship. At the end of the story, Sonnys brother was watching him play, But Just before they started playing again, Sonny sipped from it and looked toward me, and nodded (Baldwin, 326). At this point, it is as if Sonnys brother accepted him through the music and finally feels that connection that only brothers can share. Music is a central symbol in Sonnys Blues and creates a stepping stone for the two brothers relationship to grow. On the other hand, we have The Red Convertible, which has a uch different object that directs the story. In The Red Convertible, Henry and Lymans relationship is driven by their love for their red car they had bought together. The red flashy car resembles the boys resilient and carefree view on life, and the strength of the bond they shared in the beginning of the story. However, after Henry returns from Vietnam, he is a changed man and according to Lyman, The change was no good. (Erdrich, 72) Lyman hopes that the car might bring the old Henry back somehow (Erdrich, 75), but is let down when Henry shows no interest in he car. Ironically, Henry ends up destroying the car which, symbolically, destroys the relationship between the two brothers as well. Like the music in Sonnys Blues, the red car in The Red Convertible was a symbol for the change in the brothers relationship. The relationship between two brothers can be transitive, whether it starts distant and grow close like in Sonnys Blues, or the other way around as we saw in The Red Convertible. While each story may have different symbols and storylines, we still see the theme of both the true nature of brotherhood.

Environmental Issues For The Countries Of Asia Environmental Sciences Essay

Environmental Issues For The Countries Of Asia Environmental Sciences Essay Asia and its various countries have considerable environmental issues which are cause for concern if not managed effectively. Most of these issues stem from the introduction of capitalism, which has meant rapid industrialisation at a pace difficult to keep up with. Environmental issues arising from capitalism are exploitation of land and natural resources, with devastating effects. Rapid population growth has seen an increase in air pollution and has also been a major issue in developing countries. This paper will look at some of the important environmental issues in Japan, China and Indonesia. It will also look at what governments and transnational organisations have done to address them. Currently, environmental issues are population, water eutrophication, air pollution, waste management, nature conservation, chemical management and international co-operation for environmental conservation  [1]  . Japan currently has one of the worlds highest life expectancies at 81.25 and ranked at the 10th most populated country with 127 million in 2006  [2]  . It has been anticipated that due to falling birth-rates the population will be lower in the long term, yet the current ageing population will rise from 6% to 15% by 2025  [3]  . One issue is how the smaller, younger working generations will support the larger ageing generations  [4]  and what plans the government has in store to address these issues. From an environmental viewpoint, on one hand the workforce and younger generations contribute to the economy, and so balance out their own greater energy consumption. However it is thought that the older generation will ultimately consume more energy via the residential sector  [5]  . Another issue is how to keep Japans modest natural resources for e.g. land, air and water healthy for future generations  [6]  to enjoy. Lake Biwa provides a good example of water eutrophication. Post Second World War economic activities led to economic growth of Japan  [7]  . Due to no knowledge of water quality management, contamination from local industry and agricultural runoff led to rapid and intense pollution and deterioration of many water systems e.g. Lake Biwas plankton biomass, red and bluegreen algae blooms and eventual high rate of eutrophication  [8]  .The introduction of wastewater treatment, banning of certain detergents containing polyphosphates and construction of wetlands to support drainage by local government and community efforts led to a halt in degradation  [9]  . At the same time as Lake Biwa, Minamata Bay was being poisoned. Minamata Disease was not discovered until it was realised that approximately 4000 victims  [10]  had in common the fact they had all eaten fish from the Minamata Bay. After years of testing, along with protests from the Nippon Chisso Company who had a defective production process for acetaldehyde, it was finally determined that massive amounts of mercury had been dumped into the bay by the same company, and had caused much suffering and death  [11]  . Industrialisation has caused air pollution to be a major issue in Japan. In the 1950s and 60s it experienced levels of pollution 3-5 times higher than current national ambient air quality standards  [12]  hence very high rates of asthma and other respiratory illnesses  [13]   Japans population, limited resources and past environmental experiences have meant moving toward more sustainable development. The government has recognised the need to address these problems. The Millennium Project is one strategy whereby the government is committed to achieving set Millennium Development Goals to help reverse international problems of poverty and sustainable development  [14]  . Concurrently, ESRI (Economic and Social Research Institute) began a study called A study on Economic Social Structure in the 21st Century, which manages issues of ageing impact on the environment. Strict regulations; strong monitoring abilities; overhauling of relevant legislative framework; setting new standards and monetary assistance for research on sustainable technologies have been effective in the implementation of environmental policy  [15]  . Family policy was implemented in the shape of pension reform; the introduction of the LTCI (Long Term Care Insurance) and its reform in 2005  [16]  and Health Policy  [17]  . All are all ways in which the government and transnational organisations have attempted to address the environmental problems. China According to Thavasi and Ramakrishna, China represents 20% of the global population with 1.3 billion people. There is no doubt that the urbanisation of the Chinese population and environmental issues are directly connected. The link between population growth, the need for economic growth and energy consumption unfortunately overlaps with agriculture, natural resources and industrial activities. This overlap is has a negative impact upon human health and the immediate environment, and according to Bannister is irreparable in the medium term  [18]  . Many would agree that air pollution is one of Chinas major environmental issues and is determined by some to be one of the leading causes of death. It is caused mainly by burning of fossil fuels for electricity production and transport  [19]  . The transport sector has grown in conjunction with the population over recent decades. The consumption of petroleum for transport increased on an average 6.7% a year between 1990 and 2002. Although China was a primary producer of petroleum, they began importing in 1996 as consumption outweighed produce. By 2007 Chinas net oil imports including crude and refined petroleum products had increased rapidly at an astonishing rate of 22 percent annually, reaching 197 million tonnes in 2007  [20]  . About 90% of the fuel used to generate electricity from consists of coal, making thermal power stations a major source of concentrated pollution. This pollution consists of primary particles and S0à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ emissions, of which China is classified as 99 in the world based on its C0à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ emissions per capita  [21]  . Larger power plants are more efficient in terms of coal use than smaller plants because they have higher combustion efficiency, so less coal is needed to create the same amount of power. Also, the taller smoke stacks of the larger power plants disperse pollution over a much larger area making them appear less damaging per ton than the smaller plants, whose pollution is spread over a more concentrated area  [22]  . Government strategies have been to close down the smaller plants, limit mining of high -sulphur coal and encourage encourage high stacks on power plants. These strategies were not enough to keep emissions below the emission standards. In 2004 the government implemented a decree to raise fees for sulphur emissions. All new plants will install desulphurisation and older plants will install over time  [23]  . Most recently, the government plan to reduce sulphur emissions is to install (FGD) flue gas desulphurisation so that by2010, emissions will be reduced by 6 000 million tons  [24]  . With the exception of cement manufacturing which is spread throughout urban and rural areas, heavy industry such as chemical manufacturing plants and large iron and steel mills were a major part of Chinas economy in the past. By means of government policy of the time, these plants and mills were built close to cities to create employment and increase economy  [25]  . Human exposure to these and other air pollutants can cause health issues such as respiratory illnesses, chronic bronchitis, skin and eye irritation, chronic and obstructive pulmonary disease, pulmonary heart disease, asthma and lung cancer  [26]   Water quality has also been affected by industry. Population growth led to expansion of cities and industry. This resulted in a large increase of freshwater aqua cultural fishing, more dumped industrial waste, agricultural runoff, and sewerage which has caused rapid decline of Chinas water supply and similar to Japan, the worsening eutrophication of lakes  [27]  . Between 2000 and 2005, an increase from 30% to 45% in wastewater treatment should have seen a slowing down of eutrophication. However, due to the mentioned expansion, the amount of wastewater entering the lakes continues to increase accordingly. The four trophic states of a lake are ogliotrophic being most pure, mesotrophic, eutrophic and hypereutrophic being virtually dead. To reach the hypereutrophic state could take thousands of years if at all. However the waste continually enters the lakes at such a rate that it has caused some like Dianche Lake, to change from eutrophic to hypereutrophic in less than 20 years  [28]  . Measures implemented by the government to reduce water pollution include building more wastewater plants and sewer collection systems, promoting clean production in factories, control of types and quantities of pesticides used, and more environmentally friendly methods of irrigation. Research on economical technologies into prevention of damage from fertilisers is also being conducted by the government in conjunction with local communities  [29]  . South-east Asia The most important pressures on Japans environment today originate from transport, agriculture, industry and, particularly, the growth of energy demand and private final consumption. Priority environmental issues include urban air pollution (NOx, suspended particulate matter, toxics), waste management, water eutrophication, nature conservation, climate change, chemical management and international co-operation for environmental conservation. The Ministry of the Environment was established in 2001, 30 years after the Japan Environment Agency (which it replaced), with extended or strengthened environmental responsibilities such as waste management, international environmental co-operation. http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/0/16/2110703.pdf Environmental performance review of Japan:summary and conclusions

Childrens Learning :: Language Learning Essays

Linguistics is the scientific study of language. It endeavours to answer the question – what is language and how is it represented in the mind? Language is a system of symbols and rules; exclusive in its form to human beings that enables us to communicate. Symbols are things that stand for other things: words, either written or spoken, are symbols and the rules specify how words are ordered to form sentences. Language symbols are arbitrary, with no necessary connection between the symbol, be it word or gesture, and the object or idea to which it refers. For example, if one wanted to construct a new word for ‘tree’, they could use almost any legitimate combination of sounds that are not already being used for other purposes. However, symbols must be used systematically for effective communication to occur. The arbitrary symbol system must be shared; for communication to take place at least two people must have access to the system. There are a number of dimensions to language acquisition and development and each stage occurs chronologically. These are as follows:  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Phonology – study of the sound patterns of language. It is concerned with how sounds or ‘phonemes’ are organised and examines what happens to speech sounds when they are combined to form words and how these sounds interact with each other. It endeavours to explain what these phonological processes are in terms of formal rules.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Semantics – is our knowledge of word meanings and how we acquire vocabulary. The semantic component is made up of morphemes, the smallest units of meaning that may be combined with each other to make up words. For example, the word ‘paper’ and ‘s’ are two morphemes that make up the word ‘papers’.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Syntax – syntax is the study of sentence structure. It attempts to describe what is grammatical in a particular language in terms of rules. These rules detail an underlying structure and a transformational process. The underlying structure for English, for example, would have a subject-verb-object sentence order (‘James kicked the football’) and the transformational process would allow an alteration of the word order, which could produce something like ‘the football was kicked by James.’ The syntactic component consists of the rules that enable us to combine morphemes into sentences. As soon as a child uses two morphemes together as in ‘more juice’, he or she is using a syntactic rule about how morphemes are combined to convey meaning.

Post-apartheid Segregation in South Africa Essay example -- South Afri

All men should be treated as equal. However, some people think they are superior to the others. For almost fifty years, South Africans were segregated by apartheid, a system that separated South Africans by their skin colors. The purpose behind this system was to separate the colored people from the whites in favor of white minority to have power over the black majority. Many people had to move out of their homes in designated â€Å"White† areas even though they already settled in the areas before the system was established. This system officially came to end in mid 1990’s when Nelson Mandela came to power. However, the remnants of apartheid still exist in South Africa. Thus I decided to investigate the causes of segregation in South Africa. Apartheid started in when the Group Areas Act was introduced in 1950. This law drove the black people from the designated â€Å"White† areas in order to attain more perfect segregation. According to Outcast Cape Town by John Western it stated, â€Å"up to 1 in 10 Capetonians (nearly all mixed-race â€Å"Coloureds†) were ejected from their homes, in order to achieve a more perfect segregation† (Western, 1981,1996). Consequently, so many people lost their homes where they lived for their whole lifetime and had to move out to the outskirts of the cities. The government officials claimed that the law was to prevent any racial conflicts. Western stated, â€Å"†¦ segregation is in the interest of all, is enshrined in the â€Å"friction theory†¦ the belief is simply that any contact between the races inevitably produces conflict† (Western, 1981, 1996). It’s a pretty good allegation for introducing the law by saying that â€Å"we want peace amo ng every people†. However, in truth, the law only benefited the white minority. The g... ...riority." New York Times, March 23, 2012. https://blackboard.syr.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-3178578-dt-content-rid-8098063_1/courses/33750.1142/Polgreen 2012.pdf (accessed March 5, 2014). Teppo, A, and M Houssay-Holzschuch. "Revolution for Liberalism." Canadian Review African Studies. (2013). https://blackboard.syr.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-3178564-dt-content-rid-8098064_1/courses/33750.1142/Teppo and Houssay-Holzschuch 2013.pdf (accessed March 4, 2014). Tony, Samara. "Cape Town After Apartheid Crime And Governance in the Divided City." (2011). https://blackboard.syr.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-3178520-dt-content-rid-8098076_1/courses/33750.1142/Samara 2011.pdf (accessed March 5, 2014). Western, John. "Outcast Cape Town." (1981, 1996). https://blackboard.syr.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-3178075-dt-content-rid-8094165_1/courses/33750.1142/Western_excerpts.pdf (accessed March 5, 2014).

ph levels Essay -- essays research papers

Introduction: In 1909 S.P.L. Sorensen published a paper in Biochem Z in which he discussed the effect of H1+ ions on the activity of enzymes. In the paper he invented the term pH to describe this effect and defined it as the -log[H1+ ]. In 1924 Sorensen realized that the pH of a solution is a function of the "activity" of the H1+ ion not the concentration and published a second paper on the subject. A better definition would be pH=-log[aH1+ ], where aH1+ denotes the activity of the H1+ ion. The activity of an ion is a function of many variables of which concentration is one. It is unfortunate that chemistry texts use a definition for pH that has been obsolete for over 50 years. Because of the difficulty in accurately measuring the activity of the H1+ ion for most solutions the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) and the National Bureau of Standards (NBS) has defined pH as the reading on a pH meter that has been standardized against standard buffers. The following equation is used to calculate the pH of all solutions: The activity of the H1+ ion is determined as accurately as possible for the standard solutions used. The identity of these solutions vary from one authority to another, but all give the same values of pH to  ± 0.005 pH unit. The historical definition of pH is correct for those solutions that are so dilute and so pure the H1+ ions are not influenced by anything but the solvent molecules (usually water). In most solutions the pH ...

Problems with Drinking and driving Essay

Driving under the influence, driving while intoxicated, drunken driving, drunk driving, operating under the influence, drinking and driving, or impaired driving is the crime of driving a motor vehicle while impaired by alcohol or other drugs including those prescribed by physicians. In the case of alcohol, a drunk driver’s level of intoxication is typically determined by a measurement of blood alcohol content or BAC. A BAC measurement in excess of a specific threshold level, such as 0.05% or 0.08%, defines the criminal offense with no need to prove impairment. In some jurisdictions, there is an aggravated category of the offense at a higher BAC level, such as 0.12%. In most countries, anyone who is convicted of injuring or killing someone while under the influence of alcohol or other drugs can be heavily fined in addition to being given a lengthy prison sentence. In the United States, DUI and alcohol-related crashes produce an estimated $45 billion in damages every year. In some U.S. and German studies BAC level 0.01-0.03% predicted a lower crash risk than BAC 0%, Blood alcohol content With the advent of a scientific test for blood alcohol content, enforcement regimes moved to pinning culpability for the offense to strict liability based on driving while having more than a prescribed amount of blood alcohol, although this does not preclude the simultaneous existence of the older subjective tests. BAC is most conveniently measured as a simple percent of alcohol in the blood by weight. Research shows an exponential increase of the relative risk for a crash with a linear increase of BAC as shown in the illustration. BAC does not depend on any units of measurement. In Europe it is usually expressed as milligrams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood. However, 100 milliliters of blood weighs essentially the same as 100 milliliters of water, which weighs precisely 100 grams. Thus, for all practical purposes, this is the same as the simple dimensionless BAC measured as a percent. The per mille measurement, which is equal to ten times the percentage value, is used in Den mark, Germany, Finland, Norway and Sweden. The validity of the testing equipment/methods and mathematical relationships for the measurement of breath and blood alcohol have been criticized. Driving while consuming alcohol may be illegal within a jurisdiction. In some it is illegal for an open container of an alcoholic beverage to be in the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle or  in some specific area of that compartment. There have been cases of drivers being convicted of a DUI when they were not observed driving after being proven in court they had been driving while under the influence. In the case of an accident, insurance may be automatically declared invalid, i.e. the drunk driver is fully responsible for damages. Within the American system, citation for driving under the influence also causes a major spike in car insurance premiums—94.1% in the first year, and still 63.5% higher by the third year. The German model serves to reduce the number of accidents by identifying unfit drivers and removing them from until their fitness to drive has been established again. The Medical Psychological Assessment works for a prognosis of the fitness for drive in future, has an interdisciplinary basic approach and offers the chance of individual rehabilitation to the offender. George Smith, a London Taxi cab driver, ended up being the first person to be convicted of driving while intoxicated, on September 10, 1897. He was fined 25 shillings, which is . BAC and risks Studies show that a high BAC increases the risk of accidents whereas it is not clear of a BAC of 0.01%-0.05% slightly increases or decreases the risk. One study suggests that already a BAC of 0.04-0.05% would slightly increase the risk whereas some studies suggest that a BAC of 0.01-0.04% would slightly lower the risk, possibly due to the drivers being more cautious. Both the influential study by Borkenstein et al. and the empirical German data on the 1990s demonstrated that the risk of accident is lower or the same for drivers with a BAC of 0.04% or less than for drivers with a BAC of 0%. For a BAC of 0.15% the risk is 25-fold. The 0.08% BAC limit in Germany and the limits in many other countries were set based on the study by Borkenstein et al. Wuerzburg University researchers showed that all extra accidents caused by alcohol were due to at least 0.06% BAC, 96% of them due to BAC above 0.08%, and 79% due to BAC above 0,12%. In their study based on the 1990s German data, the effect of alcohol was higher for almost all BAC levels than in Borkenstein et al. Also in the Grand Rapids study by Alsop, 0.01-0.03% BAC lead to a mere 80%-96% crash risk, possibly due to extra caution. Many employers or occupations have their own rules and BAC limits; for example, the United States Federal Railroad Administration has a 0.04%  limit for train crew. Certain large corporations have their own rules; for example, Union Pacific Railroad has their own BAC limit of 0.02% that, if violated during a random test or a for-cause test—for example, after a traffic accident—can result in termination of employment with no chance of future re-hire. Some jurisdictions have multiple levels of BAC for different categories of drivers; for example, the state of California has a general 0.08% BAC limit, a lower limit of 0.04% for commercial operators, and a limit of 0.01% for drivers who are under 21 or on probation for pr evious DUI offenses. Many states in the U.S. and the Federal government of Canada have adopted truth in sentencing laws that enforce strict guidelines on sentencing, differing from previous practice where prison time was reduced or suspended after sentencing had been issued. Some jurisdictions have judicial guidelines requiring a mandatory minimum sentence. DUI convictions can result in multi-year jail terms and other penalties ranging from expensive fees to forfeiture of one’s license plates and vehicle. Some jurisdictions require that drivers convicted of DUI offenses use special license plates that are easily distinguishable from regular plates. These plates are known in popular parlance as â€Å"party plates† or â€Å"whiskey plates†. The specific criminal offense may be called, depending on the jurisdiction, driving under the influence, driving under the influence of intoxicants, driving while intoxicated, â€Å"operating vehicle under the influence of alcohol or other drugsâ⠂¬ , operating under the influence operating while intoxicated, operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, driving under the combined influence of alcohol and/or other drugs, driving under the influence per se or drunk in charge . Many such laws apply also to motorcycling, boating, piloting aircraft, use of motile farm equipment such as tractors and combines, riding horses or driving a horse-drawn vehicle, or bicycling, possibly with different BAC level than driving. In some jurisdictions there are separate charges depending on the vehicle used, such as BWI, which may carry a lighter sentence. In the United States, local law enforcement agencies made 1,467,300 arrests nationwide for driving under the influence of alcohol in 1996, compared to 1.9 million such arrests during the peak year in 1983. In 1997 an estimated 513,200 DWI offenders were in prison or jail, down from 593,000 in 1990 and up from 270,100 in 1986. Drunk in charge  In British law it is a criminal offence to be drunk in charge of a motor vehicle. The definition depends on such things being in or near the vehicle, and having access to a means of starting the vehicle’s engine and driving it away. Health care, working, and prescription drugs If a worker who drives has a health condition which can be treated with opioids, then that person’s doctor should be told that driving is a part of the worker’s duties and the employer should be told that the worker could be treated with opioids. Workers should not use impairing substances while driving or operating heavy machinery like forklift trucks or cranes. If the worker is to drive, then the health care provider should not give them opioids. If the worker is to take opioids, then their employer should assign them work which is appropriate for their impaired state and not encourage them to use safety sensitive equipment.

Promote Equality Essay

Promote Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Work with Children and Young People 1.1 Identify the current legislation and codes of practice relevant to the promotion of equality and valuing of diversity The current codes of practice relevant to the promotion of equality and valuing of diversity are as follows:- Every Child Matters 2003 and Children Act 2004 updated in 2010 Help Children Achieve More – Organisations and agencies involved with children between birth and 19 years should ensure children to be Safe, Healthy, Enjoy and Achieve, Economic well-being and Positive contribution. Equality Act 2010 – Anti-discrimination legislation. To reinforce inclusion of any child regardless of disability or race.  SEN code of Practice 2001- The Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001. Strengthened the rights of parents and SEN children to a main stream education.  Human Rights Act 1998 – Highlighted the principle that all humans have the same rights and should be treated equally.  UN Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989 leads on from the Human Rights Act and sets out the rights of all children to be treated equally and fairly and without discrimination. 1.2 Explain the importance of promoting the rights of all children and young people to participation and equality of access It is important to promote the rights of all children and young adults to participation and equality of access for the reasons of:- A. Human Rights All children have a right to learn and play together. Children should not be discriminated against for any reason. Inclusion is concerned with improving schools for staff as well as pupils. B. Equal Opportunities in education Children do better in inclusive settings, both academically and socially. Children should not need to be separated to achieve adequate educational provision. Inclusive education is a more efficient use of educational resources. C. Social Opportunities Inclusion in education is one aspect of inclusion in society. Children need to be involved and integrated with all of their peers. 1.3 Explain the importance and benefits of valuing and promoting cultural diversity in work with children and young people The benefits of valuing and promoting cultural diversity are that children will grow up in an environment which values cultural diversity and enables us to learn from one another. Children will also become used to finding out about other cultures and beliefs from an early age. In this way they will not grow up thinking that their own culture is the same as everyone else’s. Children from all backgrounds need to know that their culture and status is valued to help them feel settled and secure. This then contributes to their being able to learn. If they feel isolated or anxious, it is more likely that learning will be difficult for them.

Social Learning Theory Psychology

In the field of Psychology, learning theories are there to attempt to explain how people think and what factors ultimately influence their behavior (ETR, 2007). There are various types of learning theories which all include different concepts and approaches to distinguish an understanding of human behavior and thought (ETR, 2007). The social learning theory (SLT) is just one of many theories which fall under the category of learning theories.The social learning theory, which is also commonly known as social cognitive theory, is justified in the belief that human behavior is determined by a triangular effect relationship between environmental influences, cognitive factors, and behavior (ETR, 2007). To have a proper understanding of the social learning theory, one needs to have been adequately briefed in the major contributors of the theory, a thorough description of what the theory entails, assumptions about the theory, and the developmental process and practice which has previously a nd currently taken place. Accomplishment is socially judged by ill defined criteria so that one has to rely on others to find out how one is doing (Kearsley, 2008). † This was stated by Albert Bandura, who is one of the two major contributors to the social learning theory. Bandura was born the youngest and only male of six siblings on December 4, 1925, in Mundare, Canada (Pajares, 2004). Fast-forwarding through his childhood, Bandura eventually found himself attending the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. His happening to fall into psychology was simply a fluke for him, for he was planning to get a degree in the biological sciences (Pajares, 2004). Bandura carpooled with peers to school who were all majors in engineering and pre-med, which entailed them to have early morning classes (Pajares, 2004). To fill his workload, Bandura had an open-morning spot to fill on his roster, which is where he fell into an introduction to psychology course (Pajares, 2004). He was instantly intrigued, which led him on his path to becoming one of the great contributors to this field. In 1949, he graduated with the Bolocan Award in psychology from the University of British Columbia (Pajares, 2004). His next task was to knock down graduate school, where he attended at the University of Iowa and received his Ph. D. in clinical psychology in 1952 (Pajares, 2004). Starting already in 1953, Bandura found himself teaching at Stanford University where he came across a well-educated student by the name of Richard Walters (Pajares, 2004). The two found themselves equally interested in the studies of explaining antisocial aggression in young males who came from wholesome households in upper-class residential areas in comparison to demonstrating that multiple opposing conditions may lead to behavioral problems (Pajares, 2004). This particular study led Bandura and Walters to co-write a book, Adolescent Aggression, in 1959 (Pajares, 2004). From there, Bandura wrote a chain of numerous books dealing with the social learning theory. Later he became a found member and elected President of the American Psychological Association in 1973 (Pajares, 2004). The second major contributor to the social learning theory came from a man by the name of Lev Vygotsky. Vygotsky was a Russian psychologist who was born in 1896 (Gallagher, 1999). Vygotsky was said to be a connoisseur of literature and philosophy (Gallagher, 1999). He attended the University of Moscow, where he studied and received a degree in law (Gallagher, 1999). It was not until 1924 when Vygotsky became interested in psychology (Gallagher, 1999). He had written a paper, The Psychology of Art, in 1925 which he used primarily in his thesis at the Moscow Institute of Psychology. Between the years of 1924-1934, before his death due to Tuberculosis, is when all his psychology work was practiced (Gallagher, 1999). In those 10 years of research and study of psychology, Vygotsky became an active follower of the sociocultural theory which suggests that development of a child relies on interaction with people and the tools or resources that the culture provides to help form their personal view of the world (Gallagher, 1999). The social learning theory (SLT), among others, is one of the most commonly used models currently. SLT is not a horribly complex model, for it is based around the interactions made from one another through observations, imitations, and modeling (Learning, 2008). Due to the fact that the SLT encompasses attention, memory, and motivation, it is said to be a bridge for psychologists between behaviorists and cognitive learning (Learning, 2008). The SLT focuses on the prospect that people learn through observing other people’s behaviors, attitudes, and outcomes of those behaviors observed (Learning, 2008). The social learning theory has three basic principles which make the breakdown of the theory very clear. The first principle is that people can learn through observation (Boeree, 2006). Bandura had conducted a well-known experiment known as the â€Å"Bobo Doll Study† (Boeree, 2006). In this study, Bandura had a set of dolls to which adult figures would interact with, in terms of gentle and/or aggressive behavior while children observed. Later, children were let into the room and were allowed to play with the same set of dolls that the adults had previously used. From observational learning, the children themselves inflicted the same type of behavior that the adults previously did. The children who observed a gentle act toward the Bobo doll reacted in the same way to pursue a more calm and loving affect toward the doll. In contrast, the children who observed aggressive behavior toward the Bobo doll also copied the same behavior of aggression toward the doll (Boeree, 2006). Bandura came up with three basic models of observational learning through conducting this study (Boeree, 2006). The first model is a live model. This involves an actual human individual who is acting out or demonstrating a particular behavior (Boeree, 2006). The second model is the verbal instructional approach. This involves giving the description and directions to acting out a certain behavior (Boeree, 2006). The third and last model is the symbolic model. This encompasses real of fictional characters. These characters are set to display behaviors in books, television, movies, or online media (Boeree, 2006). The second of the three basic principles is mental states are important to learning (Boeree, 2006). In greater detail, this involves and contributes to intrinsic reinforcement. Bandura was the contributor to this that previously noted that external, environmental reinforcement was not the only factor to influence learning and behavior (Boeree, 2006). This is where the idea of intrinsic reinforcement comes into place. This type of reinforcement is internal, which can include feelings of satisfaction, pride, and sense of accomplishment (Boeree, 2006). This is how the term of â€Å"social cognitive theory† correlates directly with the social learning theory. These types of reinforcements emphasize the internal thoughts and cognitions to help cooperate with theories of cognitive development (Boeree, 2006). The last of the three basic principles is that learning does not necessarily lead to change in behavior (Boeree, 2006). This means that observational learning does not define all observed behaviors; not all behaviors must be and are acting on (Boeree, 2006). One can learn something through observation without demonstrating the new information attained. These three main principles paved the way for more of Bandura’s work in the SLT, and the introduction to specific modeling process. The modeling process consists of four primary steps which lead to the development of understanding social learning theory. The first step is known by the word of â€Å"Attention† (Learning, 2008). This concept states that in order for an individual to learn, they have to be paying attention. It is possible for distractions of course, but anything that distracts one is going to ultimately have a negative effect on the observational learning taking place (Learning, 2008). A few examples of distractions could include being sleepy, groggy, sick, nervous, drugged, or even â€Å"hyper† in a sense can affect the learning process. All of those feelings can be competing factors with one’s attention span. Likewise, for something that may be of interest to the subject, full attention could be put into place and more dedication to observing and absorbing new information could happen (Learning, 2008). The second step is known as â€Å"Retention† (Learning, 2008). Retention is known as the storing process of observational learning. The ability or lack of to store or remember information plays an important role in the learning process (Learning, 2008). Retention, just like attention, can be affected by many different factors as well. This is also where imagery and language come into play. One is able to store information in terms of verbal knowledge or imagery knowledge, depending on the subject and situation. Later, one is expected to â€Å"bring up† the previously observed information if retention was successful (Learning, 2008). No need to say that retaining information is a vital aspect to observational learning. Third on the list of steps for the social learning model is â€Å"Reproduction† (Learning, 2008). This is where the performance of information retained is put into place. Once one has actually gone thorough attention and retained the proper information necessary, it is expected that one can perform the behavior initially learned (Learning, 2008). Of course, there are limitations to the ability of being able to perform certain tasks. For example, one can watch an Olympic gold medalist do an entire gymnastic tumbling routine on the mat, but may not have the ability to flex their body that particular way and be able to perform some of the stunts observed. This is why there is a leniency for the ability to perform tasks for the purpose that further practice may be needed (Learning, 2008). With a combination of practice of the learned behavior and continuous observation of the behavior, the performance level may have improvement and further skill advancement. The final of the four proper steps is â€Å"Motivation† (Learning, 2008). In order for most observational learning to be successful to any state, motivation is crucial to imitate the modeled behavior (Learning, 2008). There are several factors that Bandura stated to be a vital part in the motivational factor of the observed behavior performance. Reinforcement and punishment are key concepts in motivation levels (Learning, 2008). Past reinforcement, such as a reward after a proper outtake of the behavior, can motivate one to imitate the new observed behavior. In contrast, past punishment can be the same type of motivator. One who was punished previously for not conducting the observed behavior properly will make one want to conduct the new behavior successfully because they are aware of the consequences if not done properly (Learning, 2008). Also, promised reinforcements or punishments can do the same type of influence. A promised reinforcement, such as a treat, could make one strive to perform the task correctly. On the other hand, a promised punishment, such as a threat, can give the same affect (Learning, 2008).

Explore Joe Gargery’s role in Great Expectations Essay

In Great Expectations, Joe acts as a father figure to Pip, when he is in fact his brother-in-law, as Joe married Pip’s sister, Mrs Joe Gargery. We are introduced to Joe as a â€Å"mild, good-natured, sweet-tempered, easy-going, foolish, dear fellow†. Pip describes him as a kind and gentle man, making the reader immediately like him. â€Å"Good-natured† and â€Å"sweet-tempered† give Joe an endearing quality, so the reader is drawn to him. However, â€Å"foolish† introduces a potentially negative side to his character, like he is stupid, although this too could be considered endearing. Perhaps Dickens does this so that we can understand Joe’s actions better, or at least don’t view him too negatively when he can’t protect Pip from Mrs Joe. In contrast to his gentle personality, he is a blacksmith, and therefore a strong man. Pip thinks of him â€Å"like the steam-hammer, that can crush a man or pat an egg shell†. He is likening Joe to a machine in the forge, giving Joe a sense of power. Although, â€Å"crush† is quite a violent word, suggesting Joe to be violent, which he definitely is not. Perhaps Dickens included this detail to make us respect Joe, which is important for later on in the novel, so we don’t just view him as a â€Å"sweet-tempered† man. But there is a sense of this good natured man in the word â€Å"pat†, it could potentially have paternal connotations. Perhaps this links to the image of the egg shell as well, as it is a fragile protector of life. Furthermore Joe could almost be seen as the protector of Pip’s life, as he saves him several times. Also egg shells can be strong, but have weak sides if they are put under stress, just like Joe has a weak side  œ he can’t protect Joe from Mrs Joe Gargery. As well as this, there is the idea that Joe is in control, in the words â€Å"can† and â€Å"or†, he can choose which side of himself to be, strong or gentle. This is a very adult concept, but Joe can sometimes be very childlike. Joe can’t deal with the idea of death, despite being a strong blacksmith. When Pip asks Joe if Miss Havisham died, he eventually replies â€Å"she ain’t living†. This is a very backward way of saying it, a way we don’t normally use, showing Joe’s childish innocence. He avoids the subject of death again, when Pip asks him if he had heard of Magwitch’s death. Even though Joe never knew him personally, he avoids saying the words, instead he says he heard â€Å"something or another in a general way in that direction†. The vagueness of this statement is almost humorous, he can’t even just say â€Å"yes†. Joe is unable to confirm a person’s death, he just brushes over the subject, not fully acknowledging or possibly understanding it, like a child would. Another way Dickens portrays this childishness is through making Joe illiterate. Pip writes him a letter, and all he can read is his name: â€Å"Why, here’s three Js, and three Os, and three J-O, Joes, in it, Pip!† The exclamation mark at the end implies he is excited and proud that he has managed to read, and that he is wanting Pip to recognise his achievement, like a child would want their father too. This childishness makes Joe a lovable character, the reader wants to see him do well. Perhaps it also makes Pip’s behaviour towards him seem worse, from the reader’s perspective, as Joe is such an innocent character. Whilst Joe may not have great knowledge or academic skills, he possesses something most of the other characters don’t have, self-knowledge, he recognises he is illiterate and ‘stupid’. He tells Pip on two separate occasions that he is â€Å"most awful dull†. He is accepting of himself, he knows he is not the cleverest, in fact â€Å"awful† suggests that he thinks he is very stupid. Moreover, â€Å"dull† could imply many things, not only that he is stupid, but also that he isn’t sharp. Perhaps this is a reference to him being a black smith, that he is like one of his hammers, only good for physically things, he’s not sharp witted or clever. â€Å"Dull† could also intimate that he thinks he is boring, perhaps why he struggles to talk to, or be in the presence of people in a higher class to himself, because he considers himself boring and unworthy. But this ‘dullness’ does not stop him from being wise. Throughout the novel, Joe gives Pip many pieces of advice, for example â€Å"if you can’t get to be oncommon through going straight, you’ll never get to do it through going crooked†. Joe, even though he is perhaps the most uneducated character (shown in the wording of the sentence) he can sometimes be the most wise and honourable. Because of this he acts as a hidden role model for Pip. Not only is he honourable and wise, he understands his place: â€Å"I am wrong out of the forge† he tells Pip at their awkward reunion. Dickens suggests (through Joe) that people should stay in their class, and not aspire or try to move up; he argues for social immobility. Joe tells Pip that if he ever came back to the forge he’d â€Å"see Joe the blacksmith, there, at the old anvil, in the old burnt apron, sticking to the old work.† Joe labels himself â€Å"the blacksmith† implying that he believes it is all he is good at. The repetition of â€Å"old† makes him seem experienced, as he has been doing it a long time. There is also the idea that he clings or latches onto his work, in the word â€Å"sticking†, he fixes himself onto it so much that it has become how he defines himself. The fact that he feels himself â€Å"wrong† when not in the forge could be the reason why he can’t talk to Miss Havisham: â€Å"Joe†¦persisted in addressing me.† It is like he cannot deal with the formality of he occasion, as he feels he doesn’t belong there. Dickens humiliates Joe here, presenting him as a shy and awkward character, making the reader sympathise with him. This is another negative quality, helping to balance out the character of Joe. Joe also finds it difficult to deal with Pip when he is a ‘gentleman’. When Pip is ill, and needing Joe’s help, Joe is happy to call him Pip and treat him like he did when he was younger. But as soon as Pip starts getting better and gaining strength, Joe reverts to calling him â€Å"Sir†: â€Å"I shall be happy fur to see you able, sir†. This could show Joe’s insecurity, that when he is no longer sure if Pip needs him, he becomes very polite, and address Pip as if he is in a higher class again. However, Joe does treat everyone equally, for example when Magwitch confesses about stealing the pie, Joe says that whatever he has done, â€Å"we wouldn’t have you starved to death for it, poor miserable fellow-creature.† This shows how Joe views the world, and the people on it, that we are all of the same kind, and all have the same rights. As well as this, â€Å"creature† implies that Joe believes humans are animals, perhaps why he struggles with classes and formalities. This may relate to the fact that Joe never shows a real desire to learn to read or write, because he thinks we are animals that just do physical things, such as make things, like a blacksmith does. â€Å"Poor† also implies that Joe sympathises with the convict, despite knowing it was his own fault that he is in the position he is in, showing that Joe is very forgiving, which the reader respects him for. Joe shows this forgiveness on a number of occasions, for example, when he tells Pip about his abusive father, and how he came after him and his mother. He tells Pip it was because his â€Å"father were that good in his hart that he couldn’t abear to be without us.† One could argue that this was Joe’s innocent view on the world, and that he couldn’t accept that someone would deliberately want to hurt someone else. But, more likely, it is Joe forgiving his father for what he did. Forgiveness (or the lack of it) is a common theme throughout the novel, but Joe seems to be one of the only one who offers it readily. Not only does Joe forgive his father for abusing him, but also Mrs Joe. He tells Pip that she is a â€Å"fine figure of a woman†. This is somewhat ironic as Mrs Joe has no feminine qualities, not even a female name. It also shows Joe’s respect, if not affection, for Mrs Joe, despite her treating him so badly. For example she regularly abuses him: â€Å"she knocked his head for a little while against the wall behind him.† Joe puts up with her, although he could easily fight back. The image if almost comic, especially the phrase â€Å"for a little while†, it makes it sound like she is just casually doing it for the sake of it. It could also link to the phrase ‘knock some sense into him’, perhaps this is what Mrs Joe is trying to do? At any rate Joe is submissive, showing his selflessness, as he lets her do it so she doesn’t hurt Pip as much (as he explains later). The reader pities Joe, as he is such a kind man, married to an abusive woma n, who takes advantage of his kindness. Joe is very loyal to Pip, and is always there when he needs him. One of Joe’s ‘catch-phrases’ is â€Å"ever the best of friends†. â€Å"Ever† shows his loyalty towards Pip, and gives a sense of stability, he gives Pip something to come back to. As if to prove this loyalty, he pays of Pip’s debts. This is such a big gesture as Joe is the poorest of all men. The moral and emotional image of debt appears a lot throughout the novel, perhaps because debt was a personal issue for Dickens. His family were imprisoned for debt, therefore stopping Dickens’ education, and he bailed his father out many times. In the novel, Pip becomes Joe’s debtor, an image of ownership, like Joe owns Pip. One could argue that this was to do with Joe’s insecurity, and that he needs something solid to connect him to Pip. However, throughout the book, Joe has been completely selfless, so this act could just another example of Joe’s kindness. Ther e are also religious overtones to this, he is doing a Christian deed. There are several religious links associated with Joe, for example, Joe takes in Pip a a child â€Å"God bless the poor little child, there’s room for him at the forge.† This could be a reference to the Nativity story, when the innkeepers turn Mary away. Add this to the Christian deeds he does (like paying off Pip’s debt), give Joe an almost saint-like quality. But Dickens needs to balance the character, otherwise we may just view him as a perfect religious figure and would then find it hard to view him as a realistic role model for Pip. So Dickens makes Joe childish, innocent, illiterate and also includes some comedy moments. For example, when Joe has learned to write, he writes a letter to Biddy. Dickens writes this in a very comedic way, possibly overly so. Joe â€Å"constantly dipped his pen into space, and seemed satisfied with the result†, it is almost mocking him. As well as this, it is written like a performance for Pip, but throughout the novel Joe has been the only one who can’t act (e.g. he can’t deal with formal situations and pretend to be something he is not) or pretend. So why does Dickens include these humorous details? Possibly it could be to balance out Joe as a character, for if he was just a religious prophet, he would lose his power in the novel. Or alternatively, it could be to lighten the mood and relieve the tension between Pip and Joe. Or perhaps it is to show Joe fulfilling his mother’s expectations, of Joe being a â€Å"scholar†, to show that it can be done. This may provide hope for the reader, that Pip might be able to fulfill his own expectat ions eventually. Although that wouldn’t explain why it is so over the top. Some characters only see this side of Joe, the awkward, clown-like side. Pip says that Jaggers â€Å"recognised in Joe the village idiot and me his keeper.† Jaggers doesn’t understand Joe, he doesn’t know about Joe’s forgiving, loyal nature, he just sees an â€Å"idiot†. This could be reinforcing our first introduction to Joe, where he is described as foolish. Again this could be to balance the character of Joe, rather then make the reader view him negatively, as we know Joe is a very wise character. Jaggers believes this because Joe cries when he tells him about Pip’s expectations, and has to be comforted by Pip. Joe demonstrates many female tendencies throughout the novel, especially when he is caring for Pip at the end of the book, â€Å"Joe had actually laid his head down on the pillow at my side.† This is ironic considering his strength. Perhaps he is compensating for Mrs Joe’s lack of femininity, or he is filling in the gap left by her death, showing Joe to be a father figure for Pip. Ultimately, Joe is the only true father to Pip, he gives him â€Å"the wealth of his great nature†, which is more than Magwitch ever did. He may not have a lot of money, but he is a true gentleman in character. Ironically, the poorest of all the men is the most gentlemanly. Moreover, Pip eventually comes to realise this: â€Å"there was a simple dignity in him.† Now, whilst he is recognising Joe’s dignity, he doesn’t sound very respectful. The tone sounds quite patronising, and â€Å"simple† implies stupidity. Overall, Joe is the only constant in the book, he can’t act, he can’t pretend to be something he is not, he doesn’t change for anyone – â€Å"whoever came about me, still settled down into Joe.† Even the use of the word â€Å"settled† gives the idea of stability and constants, Joe is always there for Pip. He acts as a role model for Pip, and the other characters, even if they don’t realise it. But he does have his negative qualities, he is childish and awkward. However, this gives him more power in the book, as the reader can relate to him, and not just view him as a religious saint-like figure.