The Characters Of The Epic Hero And Beowulf - 788 Words

Celebrated and celebritized by the people, heros are typically perceived in epic poems as larger than life characters with extraordinary characteristics who defeat evil and represent good. On the other hand, villains, seen as ravenous, heartless, beasts terrorize the helpless people for no reason are not sympathized. Displaying this common outlook on the â€Å"hero† and â€Å"villain† is the epic poem, Beowulf, where the readers view the main character, Beowulf, as a brave warrior who sets out to defeat the harmful and destructive Grendel. On the other hand, John Gardner’s Grendel takes a different outlook on the epic poem where the reader sympathizes Grendel after comprehending his life, lack of self esteem, and watches him fall the victim of†¦show more content†¦Throughout the novel,the reader is able to see Grendel’s self deprecating thoughts about how â€Å"[he] fool[s] [himself] with thoughts that [he’s] more noble, than pointless, ri diculous monster crouched in the shadows† (Gardner 6). Grendel has a clear lack of self esteem where he feels like a â€Å"pointless, ridiculous monster crouched in the shadows† and for that reason he attacks people out of insecurity in an attempt to make himself feel more superior. On the other hand, Grendel thoroughly covers his insecurities to all those who cannot understand his personal thoughts because the readers of the epic poem Beowulf have little to no sympathy for him as they seem him as a â€Å"shadow-stalker,stealthy, and swift† instead of a hurt, rejected, and mentally ill individual (704). Grendel achieves his goal to be perceived as evil and powerful, but as a reader of the epic poem, Beowulf, the reader is not able to see his insecurity and brokenness. In the end of both the poem and the novel, the reader witnesses the battle between Grendel and Beowulf and as a result of the different point of views displayed by the authors the readers empathize the characters differently. During the battle in Grendel, the main character Grendel describing his losing battle says, â€Å"He smashes me against [the wall], breaks open my forehead†¦Ã¢â‚¬  but not only does beowulf defeat Grendel, but he tries to humiliate him byShow MoreRelatedCharacter Analysis Of Beowulf As An Epic Hero765 Words   |  4 PagesA hero is the central figure who has superior qualities and risks personal danger to pursue a quest. Beowulf is a great epic hero because he performs many brave deeds such as risking his life for the greater good of society, and is significant and glorified by all people. Beowulf boasts and boasts about all of his great doings, but in the end he proves to everyone that he is as great as he claims to be. First, Beowulf shows that he will do anything for the fame, glory, and the greater good of societyRead MoreComparing Beowulf, The Wanderer, And The 13th Warrior1731 Words   |  7 Pagesalways reappears is What is an epic hero? Or better yet an epic hero in Anglo Saxon culture. I believe there is more to being a hero than just being strong or intelligent. An epic hero in my eyes is oneself who comes to portray the beliefs of the society in which the tale/story is depicted. A few great examples of the Anglo Saxon epic hero are the literary characters in Beowulf, The Wanderer, and The 13th Warrior. These are all outstanding examples of Anglo-Saxon epic heroes because they all cameRead MoreComparing Beowulf And Grendel And Beowulf1702 Words   |  7 Pagestranslated, Beowulf has represented one of the finest examples of heroic poetry. As a tale reflecting the noble deeds of a hero, it uniquely expresses the cultural values of the Anglo-Saxons from whom it originated since heroes oft en do reflect the best of what their culture deems worthwhile. However, modern adaptations of this work express a different set of cultural values; values unique to modern society. When comparing the translated poem, Beowulf, to the 2005 motion picture, Beowulf and GrendelRead MoreBeowulf s Heroic Qualities That Convey His Nobility And Courage887 Words   |  4 Pages Beowulf exemplifies heroic qualities that convey his nobility and courage. The poem named Beowulf has no known author. The author of the poem is known to be a Anglo-Saxon poet. The poem, Beowulf, is an Old English epic poem. The character, Beowulf, is a noble hero who offered to help King Hrothgar by fighting a demon named Grendal. He fought many enemies before and while becoming a king. Beowulf is a loyal and noble hero to the people of Geats and Danes. Epic heroes are defined with specificRead MoreThe Epic Of Beowulf By William Shakespeare939 Words   |  4 Pagesactually writing things down. These epics would be passed from one another through verbal communication and were based around different aspects of life for a someone of Anglo-Saxon descent. The story Beowulf is a perfect example of how Anglo-Saxons based their stories around their beliefs on how a hero should behave. Around the time the story was first told, people were often terrified of the horrible things in the world. The character Beowulf was built around how a hero would be represented in theseRead MoreBeowulf, The Epic Hero1373 Words   |  6 Pages 2015 Beowulf, The Epic Hero In Anglo Saxon times, Beowulf is considered a well known epic hero. â€Å"Epic heroes are literary characters from ancient mythology and other stories, which were written down in the form of long, narrative epic poems. The hero is the main character, or protagonist of the poem†(Epic Hero: Definition, Characteristics Examples.). The epic hero usually battles for accomplishments to a set of tasks to complete important goals. Beowulf is described as an epic hero becauseRead MoreBeowulf : An Epic Hero978 Words   |  4 Pages Beowulf is a character that exudes the qualities of an epic hero. Throughout this epic, Beowulf is seen as a hero to many and a major threat to the evils he encounters. The values of the Anglo-Saxons, who would have read and admired this poem, included loyalty, bravery, and honor. Beowulf’s character exemplifies all of these qualities to the highest degree. The values and traditions of the original composers of this story cause Beowulf’s character to be the perfect example of an Anglo-SaxonRead MoreExamples Of The Epic Hero Of Beowulf846 Words   |  4 PagesThe Ultimate Hero What does it take for one to be considered an epic hero? According to dictionary.com, â€Å"an epic hero is defined as a brave and noble character in an epic poem, admired for great achievements or affected by grand events.† The unknown author, an Anglo-Saxon poet, of the epic poem Beowulf reveals that Beowulf was easily the most legendary hero of all time. In this heroic poem, Beowulf accomplishes many great achievements and is affected by a handful of great events. Beowulf is the grandestRead MoreEpic Hero In Beowulf885 Words   |  4 PagesA character that conquers evil, exemplifies bravery and is personified as a cultural legend can be considered an epic hero. An epic hero is someone who is noble and brave and accomplishes heroic acts that define their legacy while suffering an internal conflict. An embodiment of an ideal epic hero is Beowulf from the epic Beowulf who sets an unmatched example as an epic hero due to the fact that he displays a great deal of bravery, overc omes evil, and stands as a cultural legend while fighting withRead MoreBeowulf And The Epic Of Gilgamesh1667 Words   |  7 Pagestoday’s society, a hero is viewed as someone who embodies the characteristics of selflessness, courage, honesty, and integrity. The same characteristics were essential to be thought of as a hero 3,000 years ago as well. Two of the most widely known epic poems of their time were Beowulf and The Epic of Gilgamesh. Both Beowulf and Gilgamesh embody traits known exclusively of a hero. The poem of Beowulf and The Epic Gilgamesh both showcase the characteristics required of being an epic, in that they include

Gun Control, A Real Solution To Gun Violence Analysis

Gun Control, A Real Solution to Gun Violence? Analysis of the Film Bowling for Columbine One important issue that has raised over the past two decades is the gun control debate, whether gun control is a real solution to decrease the violence in the country or not. While some groups defend that restricting the laws regarding to gun possession, will decrease the statistics of gun murders in the country, other groups pro-gun rights not only sustain these measures will not make any significant change on those numbers but also, these measures attempt to violate the second amendment which allows people the right to possess arms. Michael Moore’s film Bowling for Columbine approach this issue with a particular point of view, arguing the problem†¦show more content†¦But the larger point Michael Moore tries to explain is, the reason why there are 11,127 deaths by guns in the United States, and in other developed countries, like Canada, are significantly less. He went to the tow n where the Columbine shooting took place and he found out that near Columbine, in Littleton, there was the Lockheed Martin Corp, the world’s largest weapon maker. He then alludes that maybe the presence of a weapon’s manufactory in the town is somehow connected to the reasons of the shooting in Columbine High School, insinuating the production of weapons in that town probably made the people more susceptible to violence. Continuing on the search for the answer to the high number of deaths by guns in America, Moore presents some of the reasons people taught were the cause of this shooting. At the time, people blamed violent videogames, violent movies, South Park, Punk music, and even, Marylin Manson. Michael Moore discredited all these arguments, claiming all these cultural aspects are present in other countries, like Germany, Canada, or Japan, in the same amount or even more, and they do not have as much violence and deaths by guns like America. Decided to found the answer to this question, Moore examines whether the aspects like poverty or ethnicity (black people population), where significant to this issue. He discarded these aspects, saying that countries, like Canada, had more rates of unemployment than the United States. On the aspect of ethnicity,Show MoreRelatedGun Control And The Possession Of Guns1247 Words   |  5 PagesGun Control is more like a ban on the possession of guns and other arms. Laws and Policies are defined to reduce the concept of gun possession from society. The efforts are made in wake of a real threat to the lives of many people and also to control illegal activities like terrorism, robberies and killings. Those times are long gone when a gun was possessed in an order to keep the flocks of animals arranged or to guard the cultivated lands. Now the guns are becoming a real threat to human life.Read MoreThinking Analysis : Gun Laws Essay701 Words   |  3 PagesDualistic Thinking Analysis: Gun Laws Thomas Jefferson said, Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety. Gun control laws are, still to this day, a huge issue in the United States. There is constant debate on how we solve this problem. With multiple arguments on solutions to this topic, many gray-zones follow. What makes this subject hard to tackle is that it â€Å"revolves around three major talking points: a sociological, anRead MoreGuns Dont Kill People, Criminals Kill People Essay1476 Words   |  6 Pages In America, gun control has been a source of debate for decades. Recently, an increase in the frequency of mass shootings has caused the country to become extremely polarized in relation to the issue. America is often described as having a gun culture as a result of firearms being engrained in its history and perhaps, consequently, has among the highest rates of gun-related crime as well as gun ownership rates, among developed nations. There exists an abundance of scholarly work done in an effortRead MoreGun Control and Regulation Essay1716 Words   |  7 PagesGun Control and Regulation The idea of gun control and regulation is becoming more and more popular throughout the U.S., although it may still bring up resistance among some people. Guns are sort of a foundation of American culture. This countrys freedom was won over bloody and heroic wars with guns. Guns are portrayed throughout television, movies, and video games. Guns are a popular symbol of power, control, authority, dominance, and can be associated with security and defenseRead MoreGun Violence Essay1234 Words   |  5 Pages Violence has become a major health issue in the society. Workplace violence is one of the areas that continues to witness a rise. This takes various forms, inclusive are bullying and active gun shooter incidents. This paper will discuss this problem in relation to Nursing. Article Discussion Sadly, gun violence has become a part of everyday life in the United States. Hardly can a week go by without one or more reported incidents of gun violence in schools, nightclubs, work place, churches, andRead MoreThe Use Of Crime And Gun Control Policies2052 Words   |  9 Pagesdebating about gun control. Topics ranging from firearm restrictions to background checks have been heavily discussed by both emotion and logic, by both gun supporters and gun control activists, and it seems like there is no middle ground for both parties to agree on. Crime rates influence guns demanded for self-protection, and guns demanded by criminals depend upon guns held by law-abiding citizens. Comparative-static analysis is used to investigate the effects of crime and gun control policies. TheRead MoreImplementing Gun Safety On School Classrooms2429 Words   |  10 Pages2014 Implementing Gun Safety in School Classrooms Nine year old Aaron Schmitt had been rummaging around in his dad’s closet and found a shiny new toy. He was enthralled with his find. As he felt the cold metal in his hand, he thought of the fun he could have playing a game of cops and robbers. Aaron spun the gun around in his hand wanting to show it to his friends. He knew he should ask for permission from his parents to take the gun but he figured his dad would never realize the gun was missing. HeRead MoreSchool Violence2187 Words   |  9 PagesSchool Violence Violence in schools has spread widely throughout the nation. School violence is a big problem we are facing now. This has caused many problems among students, families’ faculty of schools and residents of the community. School violence includes gang activity, locker thefts, bullying and intimidation, gun use, assault, and drugs. In my paper I will discuss the reasons why violence in schools exists, describeRead MoreEssay about Analysis of the Television Show The Simpsons1176 Words   |  5 PagesAnalysis of the Television Show The Simpsons The specific children’s series that I will be discussing is entitled â€Å"The Simpson’s†. The main characters consist of Homer, Marge, Lisa, Bart, and Maggie Simpson. They reside in a town called Springfield, one that is typical of an American suburb. Some other characters which appear on a regular basis are Mr. Burns, the owner of the Springfield chemical plant, his assistant Weiland Smithers, the Flanders family, which resides right next door to theRead MoreMovie Analysis : Bowling For Columbine3653 Words   |  15 PagesThe Moral dilemma presented in the film, Bowling for Columbine, directed and written by Michael Moore, is shown as the basis of the entire film, plot and characterization, which is the relentless reality of America s love affair with guns, violence and death as a way to resolve problems. Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold the two students that led the Columbine shooting on April 20th 1999, in Littleton Colorado led introverted lifestyles and care less attitudes that nobody would think twice about, making

Factors Affecting Marriage Decision

Question: Discuss about factors affecting marriage decision. Answer: Marriage decisions are influenced by several factors in society. First is the social norms associated with marriage. Marriage decision depends on the type of society and family values in which a person lives. Often female are discriminated in backward countries leading to early child marriage while in advanced countries marriage is delayed due to career goals. Marriage depends on existing marriage laws in particular countries. Different countries have different marriage age and restrictions. Some can't marry unless they attain a legal age. In some countries, same-sex marriage is allowed while in some it is prohibited. Social status influences the way individual plan their marriage decision. Any person who is economically sound plans their marriage in a grand way while those who are poor marry in cost effective way (Jensen, Robert). The parent-child relationship is crucial to raising a child. Depending on the family type, nature of the child and their values differ. A child raised in the joint family while a one living with just parents or single parents have different moral and social values instilled in them. The social and economic status of parents helps in good upbringing and education of the child. Maintaining a jovial atmosphere at home and friendly attitude with a child will help a child to develop into a confident and responsible citizen (Oppenheimer, Valerie Kincade). References: Jensen, Robert. "Do labor market opportunities affect young women's work and family decisions? Experimental evidence from India."The Quarterly Journal of Economics(2012): qjs002. Oppenheimer, Valerie Kincade.Work and the family: A study in social demography. Elsevier, 2013.

Pros and Cons of Advertising free essay sample

‘Whether we like it or not we have got it, and we are likely to go on having it. ’ Thus Mr. Taplin in a book which has just been published entitled Advertising: a new approach. Mr. Taplin was formerly the editor of one of our distinguished and irreverent contemporaries: now he bears the striking title of Research Fellow in Advertising and Promotional Activity at the London School of Economics. Whether or not his approach is new, his poet is unique: and his attitude to his subject is, on the whole, approving. Not that he is unaware that the art of advertising has from time to time met with a certain amount of criticism. For example, in a recent number of The Listener Mr. Farneaux Jordan, reviewing recent guidebooks, made some rather gratuitous and perhaps insufficiently considered remarks about advertising to the effect that ‘a fool and his money are soon parted’ and so on. We will write a custom essay sample on Pros and Cons of Advertising or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It is not our habit to censor our contributors’ opinions, but naturally those who practice the profession of advertising were offended when they got round to reading this. After all, like all people who take their own business seriously, advertisers are extremely sensitive men and women. If one has no met them in real life, one has surely seen them in films. Struggling with that just word or gem-like phrase that makes all the difference between tasty copy and mere copy-tasting. They are well aware that their work is often maligned. Mr. Taplin quotes a sentence from a book on economics by a Professor K. E Boulding: ‘There is a strong presumption that most competitive advertising is a social waste. ’ In Mr. Taplin, however, the profession has found a careful apologist. He brings his fire down on the critics of advertising from many different angles and levels. He reminds us, in a forthright way that the newspaper industry would be ‘decimated’ and ‘whole industries collapse and general depression be set off’ if there were no such things as advertisements. But Mr. Taplin is no mere pragmatist. He is not afraid of philosophical argument. ‘The public discussion of advertising is shot through with moral arguments,’ he says, ‘not to say shot to pieces by them. . . oral questions will keep breaking in. . . ’ But Mr. Taplin reminds us that the art of persuasion is an old and noble one; people like being persuaded: indeed they like paying to be persuaded. Also he emphasizes that the profession itself has its own code. It might perhaps be said, on the other side, that in these days of consumers’ council and their like which exist both in this country and the United States of America, the claims put forward by advertisers are liable to be carefully scrutinized and can , if they are unjustified, to some extent be publically expose. Mr.Taplin is breezy and about consumers’ council(it is difficult to them in his index) and rather critical of Mr Priestley’s ‘Admass’ and Professor Galbraith’s Affluent Society. And he tells us, in effect, that if people like to pay more for their soaps and aspirins when they are presented to them with siren’s songs, well, they get a good deal of pleasure out of it, don’t they? But whichever one looks at advertising, as he says, ‘we have got it, and we are likely to go on having it. ’ And whatever the pros and cons may be, those of us who are journalists at least have reason to be grateful for it.

Popular College Interview Questions to Score Your Admission

The 10 College Interview Questions To Prepare For As you’re applying for college, there’s a chance to leave a good impression and show the admission committee that you will add value to the institution. Giving unique and impressive answers to college interview questions will interest the person interviewing you, so they will talk to you, ask about your dreams, and discuss how you plan on achieving them. Colleges encourage students to talk with an admission representative so they can ask questions related to college-life as well as express themselves and discuss their ambitions. These representatives will consider these answers when they’re reading the rest of students’ admission papers. The 10 Most Typical College Interview Questions As you’re getting ready for your college admission phase, you must be well-prepared. Every minute you spend preparing will provide you with data and information that make the job a lot easier. Admission for college and university is very competitive because there are hundreds of students competing for the same seat and opportunity. Prove that you’re special and have what it takes to succeed as a college student. In addition to learning how to write a good college application essay, you should revise some college interview questions to have impressive answers ready. Here are some typical college admission interview questions that most students hear when they’re applying for a university or college. Why did you choose this college or university? This classical question is one of the most common ones that students are likely to hear. The answer should involve some referral to the programs offered by the institution. Do they offer a special drama program? Are you interested in their baseball team? The answer should make sense. Who are you? In a college interview, the representative wants to know who you really are. Avoid clichà ©s and make sure you refer to past experiences. Why this major? While you might not have explained this in your application personal statement, you can talk about your academic goals in the interview. Talk about academic topics that interest you and how you plan on using this major to reach your professional goals. Where do you want to be in 10 years? Grad school interview questions show how ambitious you are. An interviewer will ask about how you view your future and where you’ll be in 10 years. Discuss a plan and not just wishes that aren’t based on hard work. Talk about an experience that left a great impact on you. We normally experience growth as the years go by. Talk about a special experience that changed your views about the world. It can be a movie, a book, or an encounter with a special person that left a great impression on your life. What academic strength do you have? Use a unique story to support your claims. Don’t say that you’re smart or hardworking. Make sure not to brag because you should be honest. What activities are you interested in? As you’re studying how to prep for an interview, you shouldn’t ignore extracurricular activities. College and university life isn’t just about studying lessons. It’s a full social experience that will have an impact on your future as an adult. Don’t worry if you think that you’re not interested in the most popular activities. Show the committee representative that you’re a unique person with special features. What weaknesses did you face at school, and how did you overcome them? Again, honesty is appreciated, but consider keeping some information to yourself. You don’t have to tell the representative that you’ve used an admission essays guide to write the college admission essay, right? Who’s your role model in real life? Try to choose someone you know on a personal level, rather than a famous historical figure. It’s easier to relate to that person’s life and explain why and how it affected yours. Do you have any questions? Asking questions shows that you’ve done enough research about the college or university. Take this opportunity and discuss any important questions like the most critical tips new students should know. College Interview Questions From Top Universities Every college or university has a set of questions that the admission committee usually asks. Harvard: They will probably ask you why you want to study at Harvard. Then after a few general questions, students are usually asked a tricky question. For example, one about the most negative experience they faced at school. UPenn: The first question is usually, â€Å"Can you tell me a little about yourself?† This is an ice-breaker and is usually followed by more challenging ones. Columbia: The representative usually asks students about their short and long-term goals. Students should elaborate and share their passion. Yale: As one of the most famous schools, Yale representatives pursue the most special students to join their institution. They will ask what you do for fun, and why did you stick to a certain interest. MIT: There is no right or wrong answer here. The representative will probably ask about the challenges you think are unique to MIT students. Boston College: You’ll be asked about the most and least courses you loved in school. You can also talk about an achievement that made you feel extremely satisfied. Princeton: Students will be asked about what they like to do when they’re not in class. The representative will also ask about a mistake and how you learned from it. How To Prepare For A College Interview? The time you spend preparing for college interview isn’t wasted. You’re getting ready for the most important phase of your life and every word you say should count. Your interviewer expects a few questions that show that you’re really interested. Practice answering the most common questions with a friend or an ex-graduate so you can be ready with impressive answers. What To Wear To A College Interview? Most young people feel confused about the right college interview outfit. It should be simple yet elegant without attracting too much attention. For men, business casual attire works perfectly. This means that they should wear long-sleeved shirts with dress pants or khakis. They can also wear a jacket and tie. If the interviewer states that it’s casual, you can wear your tailored jeans, but nothing ripped or too edgy. For women, tailored suits work well. If you’re wearing a dress, it should have sleeves or you can top it with a blazer. The skirt shouldn’t be too short or tight. Avoid wearing flip flops and sandals. What To Bring To A College Interview? Do you have a document that shows some of your accomplishments? An award? Bring these in addition to two copies of your resume for the interview. Bring a notebook and a pen to take notes when necessary. Sometimes, the college will provide students with a list of things they should bring to the interview like a list of the AP exams you’ve taken or plan to take, a previous portfolio of artwork and designs, or a performance video. Hold all of these items in a neat bag. College Interview Tips There’s no need to panic as you’re getting ready for the interview. This is your chance to realize your potential, and you should be happy to grab it. Arrive ahead of time. It’s better to be early than late. Enjoy the conversation. Don’t try to memorize some questions and answers as this leaves a bad impression. Keep some information to yourself. It’s not wise to tell the representative that you’ve hired a write my college application essay service to finish your assignment. Be yourself. No one is judging you. Practice with friends and family. How To Answer Unexpected Questions? Did your interviewer throw an unexpected question at your way? Don’t panic. Here’s what you should do if you’re not given one of the common college interview questions. Calm down to give yourself a chance to think about a good answer. Ask questions for more clarification. Ask the interviewer to rephrase. Tell your interviewer something that you actually know. It’s OK if you don’t have all the answers. Students join college or university to learn more about academic topics and life. Are you nervous about your college interview? Practicing several questions will make the job easier. Your interviewer’s aim isn’t to fail you or deprive you of your dreams, but they want to learn more about you. Be yourself, and don’t hesitate to speak up!

Free Essays on Opening My Red Window

Opening My Red Window As I look out my â€Å"window pane,† my image and preconceptions of China are limited and vague. In order to understand and experience what it is that China represents I believe it is necessary to push aside my current views and open that window to witness China’s full potential. Often times my view is blurred by the images of China I have seen as a child and young adult. My personal windowpane is one of vagueness and preconceptions. These vague preconceptions are due to the small encounters I have experienced with China as a youth in America. The many faint scratches are small and numerous, often times hard to see with the naked eye. Most of these scratches are from the folklore that I have heard as a child about the fascinating and strange world across the ocean. These include things and people such as Marco Polo, Confuscious, The Great Wall, and other ancient tales that come from thousands of miles away to bring us a slightly blurred vision of a far off land. Deeper scratches, or marks, that have influenced my visions of China are that of a communist or Red China. As a young child, in an America that was just getting out of the Cold War with Russia, I saw images of China on the news and in the paper that were of a country that was militaristic and evilly communist. These young images also show a picture of an old man on signs and pictures throughout the country with people parading and chanting about him around the streets. Even in the classroom we learned that Russia was now our friend yet China was still an evil communist country to be feared and hated. There were also tales of young babies being murdered by the government because they were not the proper sex or they were not the first-born child. Through all of this I have seen the changes of a new China in recent years that create marks of a free and more democratic country. All of these scratches and marks create a window that is fog... Free Essays on Opening My Red Window Free Essays on Opening My Red Window Opening My Red Window As I look out my â€Å"window pane,† my image and preconceptions of China are limited and vague. In order to understand and experience what it is that China represents I believe it is necessary to push aside my current views and open that window to witness China’s full potential. Often times my view is blurred by the images of China I have seen as a child and young adult. My personal windowpane is one of vagueness and preconceptions. These vague preconceptions are due to the small encounters I have experienced with China as a youth in America. The many faint scratches are small and numerous, often times hard to see with the naked eye. Most of these scratches are from the folklore that I have heard as a child about the fascinating and strange world across the ocean. These include things and people such as Marco Polo, Confuscious, The Great Wall, and other ancient tales that come from thousands of miles away to bring us a slightly blurred vision of a far off land. Deeper scratches, or marks, that have influenced my visions of China are that of a communist or Red China. As a young child, in an America that was just getting out of the Cold War with Russia, I saw images of China on the news and in the paper that were of a country that was militaristic and evilly communist. These young images also show a picture of an old man on signs and pictures throughout the country with people parading and chanting about him around the streets. Even in the classroom we learned that Russia was now our friend yet China was still an evil communist country to be feared and hated. There were also tales of young babies being murdered by the government because they were not the proper sex or they were not the first-born child. Through all of this I have seen the changes of a new China in recent years that create marks of a free and more democratic country. All of these scratches and marks create a window that is fog...

English as an Academic Language in the UAE Research Paper

English as an Academic Language in the UAE - Research Paper Example Language education in such states is largely governed by Anglo-American undergraduate academic structures and language books. The general term employed to refer to the teaching of English language as a foreign language is ELT or English Language Teaching. Since the 1950s, ELT has expanded exponentially in order to provide quality English language education not only in Europe but in Asian countries as well. Today, English is a ‘world language’ and therefore the primary concern of ELT professionalism is to not only concentrate on the provision of world class linguistic skills but also to promote other pedagogical aspects of English language. Unfortunately, ELT has a number of political, cultural and social ramifications, some of which pose serious obstacles in the continuation of English language education in some of the prominent Asian countries such as the United Arab Emirates. (Wodak, R., & Corson, D.1997). The research paper concentrates on some of the major political, social and cultural issues surrounding the teaching of English at undergraduate level. Development of ELT: ELT professionalism evolved on the basis of diverse sources. One such source was the development of educational programs focusing on adult foreign language learning throughout the European countries and UAE. Another valuable source in the development of ELT was the exponential growth of anthropological and structural linguistics in the United States of America. Moreover, the influence of anthropological and structural linguistics development has not only been limited to the territorial boundaries of the United States but has also permeated and influenced the educational system of United Arab Emirates. The third most important source in the development of ELT professionalism was the education in British colonial states. An important aspect of ELT development in colonial states was: first, the development was a perfect reflection of the events that happened in the metropolis, an d second, it simply failed to address the cultural, political and social educational needs of the inhabitants of the vast British Empire. Thus, the colonized people were more or less treated as puppets loyal to the British officials. However, certain factors posed obstacles in the development of ELT professionalism. One such factor was the development of other European languages such as French. (Wodak, R., & Corson, D.1997). During the time the cold war broke out, Americans used English as an efficient and non-armed way to spread their influence. The federal government allocated a substantial amount of funds to be utilized in the development of English education around the world. The extent of American involvement in the development of English education can be analyzed by the fact that by 1949, more than 40 American agencies were dedicated to spread English education worldwide. Furthermore, US Information Agency together with many foundations such as Ford and Rockefeller played a de cisive role in the establishment of TESOL worldwide and also to include diverse resources in the profession of ELT. By the mid 1960’s, Ford and Rockefeller were involved in more than 38 countries to incorporate TESOL as an academic discipline. ELT professionalism basically involves traditional classroom activities including curriculum development, testing methods and teacher training programs.(Wodak, R., & Cors

Soviet American Relations 1929 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Soviet American Relations 1929 - Essay Example No incident in examining a history of relations between these two powers is independent of other events that occurred prior to or during any such dialogue. To understand the context in which it is written demands an understanding of the milieu of the era. In order to facilitate this, I will first examine briefly the period prior to the Litvinov/Stimson communications from both the American and the Soviet perspective. At the culmination of World War One the United States engulfed itself in what is frequently termed as "Isolationism". The term infers that foreign policy dictated that the United States not concern itself with outside influence and concentrate instead on building a solid national base. This idea of isolation although embraced by many simply was not the case, nor was it the United State's intention during the 1920's. After World War One many American's felt that, although the Allies were victorious, the reasons for American involvement in the war were politically motivated rather than in the United State's best interest. More so, the loss of life suffered during the war intensified this feeling. Although not implicitly stated, many, at the time, felt that the United State's involvement was, in effect, to help the British government save face and retain their position as a global power. Although the United States did in many respects remove itself from direct intervention in the world relations, it was far from isolating itself. Much focus was placed on internal strengthening and development within the country, but at the same time America was still a key figure in world diplomacy and politics. The greatest contention between the United States and the Soviet Union at this time was the fall of the Russian government and the establishment of a Marxist's doctrine in what became the Soviet Union. After World War One Germany and the Soviet Union were virtually 'social outcasts' within the world political scene. Dialogue between the Soviet Union and the United States at the conclusion of the war was further strained by the Soviet Union's realization that American prisoners of war held by the Soviet government could be used as bargaining leverage to gain the United States' legitimization of the new Soviet government. Having previously negotiated for exchange of prisoners w ith the Soviet Union, the United States was unwilling to relent to these pressures when the Soviet government withdrew from the agreement and steadfastly refused to acknowledge its world legitimacy. Instead, the United States turned to Britain and France to assist in the negotiation for release of all three countries prisoners of war. The United States although politically refusing to recognize the Soviet Union as a sovereign nation - did so after World War One as it built, developed and strengthened economic ties. The national agenda of the era was to fabricate a strong economic base within the United States, but foreign investment including investment in the Soviet Union was prevalent by American industry during this period. During such times, as steadfastly as the United States refused to acknowledge the new communistic creation of the Soviet Union,

Two radio and two television genres Essay Example for Free

Two radio and two television genres Essay In at least one point in the day, every-one finds themselves tuned into one broadcast station or another, be it radio or television Be it for entertainment, relaxation, to be informed or merely a means of escapism. For whichever reasons it is, radio and television play an active role in our everyday life whether we are aware of it or not. Using South African examples, this assignment seeks to discuss two radio and two television genres. It is virtually impossible to discuss the issue genre before defining this term. Both the Oxford dictionary as well as Creeber (2001), defines genre as type or kind. Genres allow for the types or kinds of things to be categorised. For example in radio broadcasting, there are various different programs aired, such as talk shows, music shows, news broadcasts, drama shows and so on. Each of these shows are categorised into a particular genre based on their characteristics. The two radio genres that will be discussed are talk shows and music shows. The phenomenon of genre is not exclusive to radio and television alone. In fact according to Greeber, it [genre] has played an important role in the study of literature, theatre, film, television and other art and media forms (Creeber, G: 2001 pg.1). Radio-Talk Genre Radio stations like SAFM and 702 are almost entirely dedicated to the genre of talk show however almost every radio station incorporates this genre if not at least for a few minutes. The success of talk shows lie in participation by the audience. The audience is urged to call into the radio station and either view their opinion on the topic of discussion or pose questions to either an officiator or a panel. On SAFM for example, there was a program entitled The Life and Times of Dr. Bayers Nordea. The show was as the title implies, discussing and talking about Dr. Nordeas life. The show hosted family, colleagues and friends, who spoke about his life. Listeners also got the opportunity to add their comments, thoughts, as well as pose questions to the panel. The show was also officiated by the host or disk jockey (D.J) of the show, who not only directed most of the discussion, but also made sure that the show, ran smoothly. The nature of talk shows is such that the audience phones in either agreeing or disagreeing to the topic or question being discussed. This opens the door for others to voice their opinions. According to Barnard (2000), phone-in encourages a free flow of opinion and conversation within the safety of an artificially created community (Barnard, S: 2000). With out this element, the talk show would be deemed unsuccessful. Talk shows do not follow a particular protocol, meaning that any topic can be addressed. The mere action of a D.J. posing a question relating to any topic and receiving feedback from the audience constitutes the genre of talk show to be exercised. As any topic makes way for talk shows, it is common to find small inserts of talk show, even within a primarily music radio station. Highfeld Stereo is an example of a South African music radio station. It is common to find a situation where a D.J. poses a question and opens the lines to receive feedback. The D.J is thus officiating a talk show, within a music show. Listeners of talk shows however, are required to concentrate on the discussion if they are to understand what is being discussed, thus ones attention cannot divert from one thing to another. For example, one cannot talk to a friend on the phone, as well as remain focused on the discussion. Radio-Music Genre Although there is audience participation in the music genre, it differs from that of the talk genre. Regarding music radio, the audience is urged to call in to send dedications to friends or loved ones, choose songs they wish to hear, or vote for their favourite song rather than voice their opinions on a matter. Music as a genre is not so clear-cut like talk shows. Within the music genres, there are sub-genres, where by music is categorised according to style. Rock, rave, hip-hop and pop would all be examples of sub-genres of the music genre. The music genre requires less attention from the listener to be focused on the show. Namely, the listener can do various other activities without loosing out on the entertainment. For example, while driving a car and focusing on the road, or while working at ones desk, one can continue to listen to his or her favourite song and not be side tracked. Unlike the talk genre where if one was driving a car and focusing on the road they would more than likely loose track of what was being discussed-alternatively, they would possibly have an accident. As the genre implies, the emphasis in music shows is in fact music. Therefore it is common to find very little talking by the D.J. and more music being played. The show usually consists of popular songs in the specific sub-genre being aired. This genre also usually has a top 40 show, where the 40 most popular songs are aired. This is commonly known as contempory hit radio (Tomaselli/de Villiers: 1998). 5FM radio station for example has the Coca-Cola Top 40 music show which is aired every Sunday morning from 10:00- 14:00. Other radio stations like East Coast Radio host the Top 10 at 10 show, which airs the 10 most popular songs every Tuesday night at 22:00. These songs which make it onto the top 10 or top 40 lists, are songs which have been voted for by the public. Jacaranda FM in contrast to the mainstream radio stations of say 5FM for example would air music of a different sub-genre, however one would still find the most popular tracks of that specific sub-genre being aired, as well as top 10 shows occurring. In the music genre, the D.Js primary job is to play music and possible talk a little bit about the artist of the track, rather than being an officiator or a mediator of discussion, as is found in talk radio. Television-Documentary Genre As the term documentary implies, these shows are usually fact based and require research to be done on the particular topic being showed. Events are documented by a team of researchers and aired to the public. An example of a documentary would be found in the SABC 2 show 50/50. This is a documentary program that focuses on various aspects of the wild life. Documentaries however could focus on a variety of topics, including an event, person or idea. As the emphasis of documentaries is on information, enlightenment and facts, viewers usually watch documentaries as a means of being informed, rather than being entertained. The nature of documentaries is such that each episode is fully formed and has a definite conclusion even if left as an enquiry for the viewer to think about what they have just viewed. This allows the viewer to evaluate their knowledge of the topic against that of the show. Documentaries are also not usually serial form, as would be the case in a sitcom for example. Rather, they tend to be self-contained episodes with definite endings. Documentaries usually also adopt a narrative structure psychological relationship of the viewers to the program. The viewer is often addressed directly, in order to persuade the actual person watching at home that he or she is the you to whom the addresser is speaking (Allen,C: 1992 pg. 118). This also keeps the viewer interested in the show as well making them feel as if they actively involved in what is going on. Due to the fact that documentaries are not entertainment focused and are rather a means of transferring information, events, people or animals being documented are portrayed as realistically as possible. Animals, which are filmed in the 50/50 program, for example are filmed in their natural environments, rather than in zoos, in order to give the viewer the most realistic experience. As they are based on real occurrences, documentaries, unlike entertainment programmes such as sitcoms, do not focus as much on a specific plot. Television-Soap Opera As soap operas were originally targeted at the female audience (Brown, M: 1994), it is not surprising to find that many of the central characters within this genre are women. More importantly, they are strong, powerful and influential characters, rather than the stereotype housewife women. SABC 3 airs the soap opera Isidingo. Charel de Villiers and Leigh Haynes are two examples of strong, powerful and ambitious characters that play central roles in the show. It is important for these kinds of characters to exist, in order for the audience to which the show is targeted at to be able to relate. They [women] recognise some of there own identity in this product created by the media (Brown, M: 1994). People watch soap operas for a number of reasons. The fact that they are entertaining, allows the viewer to unwind, relax or escape from the stresses from every day life, for the duration of the show, as the audience get lost in the reality of the program (Anderson, M: 2004). Viewers could also be using the decision-making techniques and outcomes of the soap opera to work through their own issues (Anderson, M: 2004). Isidingo is an example of a program that deals with AIDS-an issue that the whole of South Africa is facing; it also provides solutions in the form of Nandipe-a married women infected with HIV. Her positive attitude allows her to live a productive life. Viewers may see Nandipe as a role model. Those viewers infected with HIV may in fact even echo her actions in order to try and increase productivity in their own lives. Characters in soap operas are usually found in the form of multiple characters (Brown, M: 1994) meaning that characters emphasize the group over the individual (Brown, M: 1994 pg 53), thus many people can relate to one specific character. This also makes way for viewers to find similarities between themselves and various other characters rather than one particular character. Brown believes that rather than relating to characters in soap operas, viewers implicate themselves to various characters, meaning that the viewer will see similarities between a particular character, or even characters, but when the character acts in a way that the viewer does not agree with, or feel comfortable with, the viewer will distance him or herself from the character (Brown, M: 1994). Soap operas adopt a visualization style, which gets the viewer to focus and identify with a specific character (Brown, M: 1994 pg. 53). On a radio talk show for example, a TV viewer called in with the opinion that the Isidingo villianess, Cherel de Villiers should be punished, as if the viewer could not differentiate between reality fiction. (Anderson, M: 2004). Apparently actors who play villainous characters are shunned offset by the public (Anderson, M: 2004). It is not only the relatable characters and entertaining style of soap operas that keep the audience hooked. It is also the continuous open-ended nature of episodes, set in the present and containing a number of alternating story lines which gives the audience sense of continuous pleasure (Brown, M: 1994, pg. 58). The fact that soap operas resists narrative closure, meaning that the story is continuous and never ending, means there is always hope for the future (Anderson, M: 2004). Thus viewers will continue to watch future episodes in order to come closer to seeing what will happen at the end (which never really comes). John Davies (1984)suggests about soap opera viewers that once hooked, they vacillate between their need to know, or the pleasure of anticipation that keeps viewers watching (Brown, M: 1994). In discussing two radio and two television genres with reference to two South African examples, it is evident that the complexities and intricacies of various broadcasts and genres are not as simple as one would imagine. As seen above, various genres and broadcasts draw in different audiences, and evoke various different responses in the viewer or listener. As technology continues to move forward, where will these broadcasts find themselves in the future? For now though, radio and television will continue to play an active part in almost all of our lives. BIBLIOGRAPHY Allen, Robert C. 1992. Televisions modes of address the social context of T.V. viewing. In Channels of Discourse, reassembled. 2nd ed. Edited by Robert C. Allen. London: Routledge. Anderson, Muff. Soapies mirror SAs soul. Mail Guardian. 24 March 2004. Barnard, S. 2000. Studying Radio. New York: Arnold Hodder. Brown, Mary Ellen. 1994.Ch. 3: Soap opera and womens talk: The pleasure of resistance. Thousand Oaks: Sage. Creeber, G. (ed.). 2001. Introduction: What is genre? In Creeber, G (ed),The television genre book. London: British Film Institute, 1-7. Teer-Tomaselli, R and de Villiers, C. 1998. Radio: Theatre of the Mind. In De Beer, A (ed). Mass media toward the Millennium. Pretoria: Van Schaik, 147-175.

Scopolamine (Burundanga) Properties and Uses

Scopolamine (Burundanga) Properties and Uses INTRODUCTION What if one day you wake up in a bathtub with your organs cut off, and you cannot remember anything. On the other hand, maybe you are on a street, showing a young woman the directions, and the next thing you know is you are in the middle of nowhere, without your belongings or money. You might find those stories are crazy and unbelievable, but in Colombia, these are daily experience. The drug named Scopolamine (Burundanga) is the real criminal hidden behind the scenes. With just a small dose of this extract, the victims will lose their free will and obey everything the criminal told them to do. â€Å"Every year in Colombia there are hundreds of reported cases of the criminal use of Burundanga (Nick, 2012)[i]. Not only in Colombia, but also recently in Asia, there are sights of Scopolamine in many crimes with a rising frequency. This research will show you the dark side of Scopolamine and solutions to help you protect yourself from this deadly weapon. More than that, it also evaluates the potential of these solutions. DEFINITION What is Scopolamine? Scopolamine is also known as Burundanga or Devil’s Breath (on the streets of Colombia). This chemical is purified from the wild plant called Borrachero, which can be found in Bogota, Colombia. Its name The Devil’s Breath originates from the fact that with just a single breath, it can cause you hallucinations, give you weird dreams. Scopolamine turns the victims into a zombie-like state, similar to a kind of hypnosis. Those suffering from Scopolamine hallucinations will do whatever the others tell them to do. Under its effect, â€Å"Scopolamine blocks neurotransmitters that carry information to the part of the brain that stores short-term memory† said Dr. Camilo Uribe, a leading expert on the drug at San Jose University Hospital (John, 2013)[ii]. In another word, the victims’ memory won’t be created, â€Å"it makes people quite passive and easier to intimidate and control† (Nick, 2012). Because of its feature, the drug is used to treat from mo tion sickness, anesthesia in operation, laboring to the tremors of Parkinson’s disease. But normally, Scopolamine is more famous on the street, along with its horror stories. SITUATION Scopolamine crime Scopolamine crimes are so famed that it has its own verb to define burundangear. This kind of crime has existed so long a time worldwide, especially in Colombia. â€Å"Last year, Colombian police reported nearly 1.200 cases of people victimized by criminals using scopolamine and other so-called zombie drugs† (John, 2013). The recent documentary of VICE has revealed stories about people being raped, robbed, and even stolen their organs. Demencia Black- a drug dealer claim that he can drug someone within a second by blowing the drug into someone face. Scopolamine is usually slipped into the targeted victim’s drinks or blown in the face of the passengers, because the drug is colorless, tasteless and odorless. Stories about Scopolamine are endless. Cases involve Scopolamine Carolina-a victim is still terrified about her experience with Scopolamine. There was a man approached her on the street and asked for directions, but since it was close by, she decided to walk him there. Later, they went out for a drink together. Afterward, she can only remember taking him to her apartment and helping him ransack the place. She said that it was painful to lose the money but she was quite lucky, because she could have been raped or worse (VICE, 2012)[iii]. In China, Scopolamine gives a big hand in human organ trading. Once I read about a girl who died because of a missing kidney. She went out for a drink in the middle of the night and she met some new friends. They partied all night and suddenly she felt dizzy and unconscious. In her blurry mind, she woke up, felt pain and found out she was in a bloody bathtub full of ice. There was a note said that she needed to call 911 immediately because her kidney had been cut off. She died on the way to the hospital. Fabian Yà ¡Ãƒ ±ez a journalist of Bogotà ¡s City TV claim that there are deaths, kidnappings†¦every night in Colombia and the Colombian are used to those crimes. â€Å"In this context, Scopolamine cases seem quite normal† (Nick, 2012) PROBLEM Circumstances cause up the problem Scopolamine itself is not devilish, but in human hands (especially in the villains) it becomes the Devil’s Breath. It is our rapacity, jealousy, enmity†¦ that turns Scopolamine into a deadly weapon. Look at Jessica Maria (a 21 years old prostitute) who has been using Scopolamine to rob her clients since she was 15. She had a rough child hood on the street so she has to fight every day to survive. Jessica said, â€Å"Everything about Scopolamine has to do about hurting people†, she hurts people because she has been hurt before and as her life was torn apart so she does not have to care anymore. (VICE, 2012) Effect on the society Every day, these kinds of crimes created a bunch of problems for the society. First of all, physical impact is concerned. Scopolamine is really poisoned because it has diversifying effects on human. With a small dose, Scopolamine can stop the brain from recording memory and if it is used consecutively, it can cause brain damage. Demencia Black said that 1 gram of Scopolamine is almost identical to 1 gram of cocaine, but with only 1 gram of Scopolamine, you can kill up to 10 people (VICE, 2012). If you have lager dose, it will make your heart beat faster; you will be more agitated and hostile. There are a lot of cases which the criminals were backfired and be attacked by their own victims. Over dose, it is fatal. Take an example as Luis Eduardo and his friend story. They were having party at a hotel and then the girls came. The next thing Luis could remember was waking up on a bench in a park so he went back to his hotel, but the employee claimed that Luis had took some people to his room and they had grabbed everything. About his friend, his body was found in another place; he died as a result of high tolerance. Secondly, when the victims are under the drug effect, they intend to follow every command, even to carry out crimes. â€Å"I can give you a gun and tell you to go kill someone and you will do it† (John, 2013). Thirdly, the victims cannot remember the process of a crime or face recognition when they arrive at the hospital or a report station; making it hard to track down the criminals. Fourthly, Colombia tourism is suffering a lot from this. VICE states that Colombia now is one of the highest kidnapping rates in the world. On the streets, in bars, at home, in the midnight or daylight†¦ wherever you go, whenever you are, you can be burundangeared. â€Å"In Bogota and Cali, Burundanga is given to unsuspecting visitors in chewing gum, chocolate, drinks or dusted on pieces of paper† (Yukio, 2012)[iv]. Finally yet importantly, because of these kind of crimes people will soon doubt at each other. You cannot trust anyone and aound you is not safe anymore since everyone can drug you or may be kill you with this kind of stuff. As we can see, crimes caused by Scopolamine are dangerous and have strong consequences on the society from many aspects. Solutions to this problem are necessary and more urgent day by day. SOLUTION Difficulty in eradicating problem Even though Scopolamine crimes are serious and cause losses of human and material; however, it is hard to eradicate this complex. Originating from Colombia – kingdom of crimes and drugs – it is almost impossible to banned or wipe out Scopolamine because there will always be another undersurface lines provide it. More than that, Scopolamine is purified from a wild plant which grows everywhere in Colombia and some countries include Vietnam. That is the reason why Scopolamine is so pure and cheap, and can be easily found. More than that, Scopolamine is legal in most of the countries around the world because it plays an important part in medical purpose; therefore, it is hard to punish who stores or uses Scopolamine. Preventing tips Most of the solutions for Scopolamine crimes are showing people how to protect themselves from this deadly drug. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada warn the travelers to avoid going to the countryside of Colombia while The Government of Canada suggests the tourist going to bars with their companies and be careful of foods or drinks, always keep them under your observation. (Yukio, 2012) Adolf Thopil (2014)[v] wrote an article about Scopolamine on the Tecsys blog, he has shared some general safety tips for tourists who want to travel around Colombia. First, try not to be an eye-catching object by not showing expensive jewelry or fancy smartphone and only use electronic devices when you really need them. Second, when you need to use a cab, bring along your map and make sure the driver is taking you to the right place. However, if there is another one in the car, do not take it no matter what. Third, never go out alone, especially on an empty street or parks at night. The next thing you should always remind yourself is limit your contact, particularly with someone you do not know before. When strangers offer you something such as foods, drinks, even just a handshake, try your best to avoid those because some criminals may smear the drug on their skin or poison the food. The important part is when you are at the ATM, be careful if there is someone there before you, and not ever count the money outside the booth. These advices might sound easy and unnecessary but they sure will save you from getting into chaos. EVALUATE Solutions for Scopolamine are not much and most of them cannot solve the problem from its root. The Government of many nations, international websites, journals or even experts’ recommendation is only mention about warning, preparing for the people to protect them from dangers. The advantages are people will be aware of this kind of crimes and they can learn how to keep themselves out of troubles. For example, in Vietnam, people who have been through the situation choose to spread theirs words by mouth or on the internet to alert each other. This method turns out very helpful since people with real experience will have a full view and point out the necessary part. Nevertheless, the disadvantage is those solutions are only temporary, they are not the real way out. Keeping the people away from the crimes does not mean that the crimes are gone. Those crimes will be more delicate by time and eventually the preventing tips will not be useful anymore. But then again I have to agree with Adolf Thopil’s advices because even though you already have a lot of real solution to face or to solve Scopolamine problems, why not try to prevent them at the first place? If you are not an easy target, the criminal will not have a chance to drug you. CONCLUTION To sum up, this research paper shows you the real face of Scopolamine, how dangerous it is and giving you some safety tips so that you can protect yourself from this kind of crime. REFERENCES [i] Nick, O. (2012) Burundanga Republic [Online] Available from http://www.theglobalmail.org/feature/burundanga-republic/115/ [Accessed : 3rd December,2014] [ii] John, O. (2013) ‘Devil’s breath’ could be world’s scariest drug [Online] Available from http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2013/09/02/devils_breath_could_be_worlds_scariest_drug.html [Accessed : 2nd December 2014] [iii] VICE. (2012) Colombian Devil’s Breath [Online] Available from http://www.vice.com/video/colombian-devil-s-breath-1-of-2 [Accessed : 30th November 2014] [iv] Yukio, S. (2012) Is Scopolamine the world’s scariest drug? [Online] Available from : http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/324779 [Accessed : 10th December, 2014] v Adolf, T. (2014) The world’s most dangerous drug. [Online] Available from http://blog.tecsys.in/the-worlds-most-dangerous-drug.html [Accessed : 12th December 2014] Martin, D. (1998). HIV Drug Book. [Online] Second edition. USA: Pocket Books. Pp 235-237. Available from : http://books.google.com.vn/books?id=v8itp3BnM9gCpg=PA235lpg=PA235dq=scopolamine+booksource=blots=jSNfWSKKbKsig=6AzqkiRn4uIjSiISeBFFW1a4kZYhl=visa=Xei=CBV-VLroPJbc8AXkhoCwDAved=0CFkQ6AEwCA#v=onepageq=scopolamine%20bookf=false [Accessed 30th November 2014] [v]

Uncle Tom’s Cabin

The book Uncle Tom’s Cabin, which was first published between 1851 and 1852, was written by a renowned anti-slavery crusader and author, Harriet Beecher Stow and it was received with acclamation and was also considered a masterpiece in its time. The author is accredited for writing a book that has been said to be a major contributor of the Civil War. The author herself grew up witnessing the passionate slavery debates and thus she held tight to her abolitionist ideologies. From the onset of the book it is clear that the author generally writes to convince the Northern readership on the need to end slavery. She exposes the horrors of the ongoing slavery that was predominant in the south. Stowe does not shy away from expressing her religious views by emphasizing the importance of Christian love in order to tackle oppression. The author also in this book also propels her feminist’s views and thus portrays women as an equal gender in the society. One of the strengths that the book harbors is the impact it had on the society and also the understanding that one gains of the factors that led to the war. However, a weakness of the book can be found on the author herself since it can be argued that the author’s limited experience of life in the southern area made her to have an inaccurate description of the region. However, looking at the strengths of the book it is easier to see how they outweigh the weaknesses. The book is hailed as one that captures the wild imagination of many Americans and its rich historical context of the events that led to the civil war portrays the book in good light.

Confidentiality, Multiple Relationships, Conflict of Interest Essay

You are a counseling psychologist. One day, a 19 year old daughter had knocked on your office door and asked for some advice. You notice that she is Lily, your nephew. She is almost crying when she entered your room. It is important to note that this nephew of yours had become an intern in your clinic 6 months ago. This made you hesitant to accept her in your counsel. However, you decide to let her in. After some 10 minutes of just crying, she told you that she was raped by her boyfriend one week before that consultation. Upon hearing that, she urgently told you that you don’t want to tell that to her parents, meaning your sister (you and her mother are sisters). She decided not to pursue any criminal charges against her boyfriend and will just leave and forget the issue. She still loves her boyfriend and decided to stick with him despite the crime. She told you that she only consults you because she just wants someone who is professional that she can share her burden who can guarantee that the secret will not be told on other people. You suddenly remember that you already met her boyfriend in one family affair. At that time, you have a feeling inside that that guy has some mental abnormality. Subtlety, you are against their relationship. At this moment, you are undecided about the issue. You are unsure if you are going to keep the confidentiality of the case of your client which turned to be a former intern in your clinic and at the same time your nephew.

Free Essays on Judging A Book By Its Cover

such as Ambiguous Gender, Transvestites and Homosexuality are introduced and force them to disregard our past misconceptions of gender and sexuality and redefine them. So what makes up a â€Å"Man† and what makes up a â€Å"Woman†? More importantly, are the two sexes as opposite as black and white or is there a gray area in-between which society has been ignoring this whole time? The Webster Dictionary defines a male as being the â€Å"sex that produces germ cells which fertilize the eggs of a female†. I don’t agree one bit. What about those men that have been dealt the unfortunate hand of cancer or some other situation that enables them to produce sperm? Are they any less then the man who impregnates several women a year? Likewise, a woman who cannot produce a mature egg is no less a woman then the one who has produced millions of eggs. Some think that perhaps it is the personality that determines if one is a man or woman; one who chooses to act like a woman is a woman. If that were true then an individual who may have a penis and testicles that choose to dress in a dress and be nurturing and emotional would be a woman†¦ that doesn’t seem Klaib 2 right either. Rather, it is combination of physical, emotional and spiritual factors that determines the sex. Society cannot determine what someone will identify himself or herself as. It is that individual that should determine whether society would identify them as a... Free Essays on Judging A Book By Its Cover Free Essays on Judging A Book By Its Cover Judging A Book By Its Cover Beginning as early as birth, children are taught to judge a book by its cover and yet they are told otherwise. They are taught that boys like blue and boys go pee- pee in the room with the stick figure wearing the pants. Whereas girls like pink and they wear the dresses. As they hit adolescents they learn that the Moms have breasts and the Dads have penises. However, as they begin to experience the â€Å"real world† they quickly realize that those lines aren’t so clear. Words such as Ambiguous Gender, Transvestites and Homosexuality are introduced and force them to disregard our past misconceptions of gender and sexuality and redefine them. So what makes up a â€Å"Man† and what makes up a â€Å"Woman†? More importantly, are the two sexes as opposite as black and white or is there a gray area in-between which society has been ignoring this whole time? The Webster Dictionary defines a male as being the â€Å"sex that produces germ cells which fertilize the eggs of a female†. I don’t agree one bit. What about those men that have been dealt the unfortunate hand of cancer or some other situation that enables them to produce sperm? Are they any less then the man who impregnates several women a year? Likewise, a woman who cannot produce a mature egg is no less a woman then the one who has produced millions of eggs. Some think that perhaps it is the personality that determines if one is a man or woman; one who chooses to act like a woman is a woman. If that were true then an individual who may have a penis and testicles that choose to dress in a dress and be nurturing and emotional would be a woman†¦ that doesn’t seem Klaib 2 right either. Rather, it is combination of physical, emotional and spiritual factors that determines the sex. Society cannot determine what someone will identify himself or herself as. It is that individual that should determine whether society would identify them as a...

Its More Than a Video Is a Social Movement Essay Example

Its More Than a Video Is a Social Movement Essay Example Its More Than a Video Is a Social Movement Essay Its More Than a Video Is a Social Movement Essay It’s more than a video: it’s a social media movement In this paper, I would like to discuss the elements that made the KONY 2012 the most viral video in the history, with over 76 million views in one week. I will also discuss how social media has played a significant role in this campaign and the elements that promoted the engagement of young people worldwide. With 76 million viewers in one week, the Kony 2012 campaign designed by Invisible Children has caused a movement. While millions of people have collaborated so far with this initiative by buying 500,00 â€Å"Action Kits† and/or sharing this video through their social media, others have criticized it affirming that campaigns like these give young people a false sense of accomplishment and discourage real engagement in social issues (Ojalvo, 2012). But what made this campaign so attractive for 76 million viewers? What made them click? â€Å"if you want to get and hold someone’s attention, tell a story† (Weinschenk, 2009, p. 112). According to the website, â€Å"Invisible Children uses film, creativity and social action to end the use of child soldiers in Joseph Kony’s rebel war and restore LRA-affected communities in Central Africa to peace and prosperity. † To achieve this mission they are trying to: 1. Make the world aware of the LRA. This includes making documentary films and touring them around the world so that they are seen for free by millions of people, 2. Channel energy from viewers of IC films into large-scale advocacy campaigns to stop the LRA and protect civilians, and 3. Operate programs on the ground in LRA-affected areas that provides protection, rehabilitation and development assistance (Invisible Children, n. d. ). Invisible Children began his â€Å"National Tour† campaign in 2005, with 29 college-age students who traveled throughout US, to raise awareness in local schools and communities. However, it was from a video launched a week ago that this organization became popular worldwide. According to Mr. Keesey, â€Å"[The video] is connected to a really deep, thoughtful very intentional and strategic campaign. The purpose of the web campaign was to introduce new people to the terror inflicted by LRA. Those people could then take their awareness to their political leader† (Invisible Children, 2012). The inspiring current of cyber idealism among the under-25’s is a phenomenon that Cohen (2012) describes a one that has triggered a quite unique social validation movement. Accorrding to Haslam, McGarty, Turner (1996), people are more likely to be persuaded and positively influenced by others with whom they recognize a shared identity. With the help of Facebook and Twitter, Jason Russell’s video has become the most viral video in history, and succeeded in promoting (as it is explained on the webpage) the involvement of celebrities like Angeline Jolie, Ben Affleck, and Ellen DeGeneres. Angeline Jolie, who has been named a Goodwill Ambassador to the United Nations said during an event to mark International Women’s Day â€Å" I don’t know anyone who does not hate Kony† (Child, 2012). Ben Affleck also commented on the website of his humanitarian organization Eastern Congo Initiative, â€Å"Joseph Kony must be caught. His lieutenants must be brought to justice and the LRA abductees still in the bush – fighting against their will must be rescued and rehabilitated†. Ellen DeGeneres, who has over 4. 5 million twitter followers, has also made a comment about the KONY 2012 saying, â€Å"I am talking about it, I hope you are too†. Justin Bieber, Rihanna and Oprah have also made comments supporting this cause and engaging his fans to â€Å"retweet† this video. What this campaign has caused is what Gentile et al (2009) defined as â€Å"beneficial† behavior, for being associated with generally kind, altruistic individuals. In the website, the program Schools for Schools talks about how US schools compete against each other, to see which one gathered more money to help build schools in Northern Uganda. This had generated among US students a largely unconscious feeling called by Weinschenk (2009), Reciprocity, because representatives from the winner school also had the opportunity to travel to Northern Uganda to share with local students and promote intercultural exchange. Persuasion and reciprocity are also concepts well used in the campaign. Part of the original video’s purpose is to engage the audience to buy the â€Å"action kit†. As described in the web page: â€Å"People will think you are and advocate of awesome. Everything you’ll need to take part in our KONY 2012 campaign is included in this kit: an official campaign + T-shirt + KONY bracelet + action guide + Stickers + Button + Posters† (Invisible Children, 2012). This Action Kit will be used on the night of April 20th, in the â€Å"cover the night† activity, where the goal is to post 1,000,000 campaign posters, signs and stickers around the US. Due the enormous success of the video, 500,000 Action Kits, T-shirts and CDs where sold in a matter of days and are no longer available. As a result, followers turned to social media to ask when they will have more. As Weinschenk (2009) says, if there is limited availability of something, we assume it is more valuable and we want it even more. According to the Visible Measures Blog (2012), until today, Kony 2012 had generated 112 million views and over 860,000 comments. The views come from 750 clips across the web most coming from video responses to the campaign. There are even translated subtitled versions of the documentary popping up in Spanish, Italian, French and Chinese. The more reviewers there are, the more powerful the impact of social validation will be (Weinschenk, 2009). Jason Russell presents the story using a narrative form in 1st person; that captures the audience’s attention by using a language that is easily understood. The video can be divided into 3 parts. In the first part, he stimulates mostly the mid brain. By using phrases like â€Å"because he was born, he matters† â€Å"I want him to live in a better world†, Jason shows his â€Å"personas† as Weinschenk (2009) calls them, so you can be clear of his motivations, values and relationships. In order for us to engage with his motive, he focuses on showing his son Gavin as a happy American boy who is enjoying his childhood, so when later you see boys â€Å"living in fear† your middle brain will generate angry and sadness. For the second part of the video, he continues to engage the mid brain, by narrating the story of Jacob, a survivor of the LRA-Abduction. Jacob talks about his brother and how he wants to dye because the does not likes the way Ugandan boys live. During this part, Jason narrates how boys like Jacob are forced to fight, abuse girls, mutilate and in some cases kill members of their own families. He presents pictures of mutilated kids and boys sleeping on the floor. He also presents people who have been engaged to the â€Å"National Tour† movement. The music, during this part of the video is low, with a sad tone and no lyrics. In this second part, the old brain is stimulated with images and phrases like â€Å"fear†, â€Å"in danger†, â€Å"afraid†, â€Å"abducted† and â€Å"sex slaves†. Jason also starts using the â€Å"You† word in phrases like â€Å"this is not only about me and you, is about changing the course of human history† and â€Å"We Build a community around the idea that where you live should not determine whether you live†. This is also incorporated in a later video of Jason, where he is thanking the audience for the response and the forwarding abilities of those who shared the video in the first days. The clearly states: â€Å"This is not our movement, it is a name, I mean it is Invisible Children, but it is your movement, you started this, with your donations, and we are here to serve you, it is much bigger than me†. During the TONY 2012 video, our new brain is again stimulated when Jason explains his Gavin, who is Joseph Kony. Gavin uses simple phrases like â€Å"he is bad†, â€Å"they should stop him†, which reinforces the main idea of the video. Later, Jason includes the declaration of the Head prosecutor of Int. crimes court, who explains how the ICC is trying to indict Joseph Kony for: Abduction, slavery, abuses and homicide enforces the reason for this video. In the third part of the video, again the three brains are engaged. The music changes to energize the images. Our brains are built to process pictures, and we think in pictures, so presenting information as pictures is the most effective way to present information to people† (Weinschenk, 2009, p. 116). Jason introduces the programs they have been working in Northern Uganda, and thousands of college-age collaborators participating in intercultural meetings where they are helping a cause while having fun. Since Jason does not want us to stay with the sad part of the story in our minds; in this last part, the tries to move the audience from feeling sad and angry, to get active and cooperate by: 1. Sharing the video on Facebook and Twitter, 2. Purchasing the action kit, 3. Donate to the cause. Is in this part of the video, where Jason incorporates some marketing concepts that were explained in Weinschenk book: Deals: if you donate a â€Å"few bucks a month†, you can have the action kit for â€Å"free†. The bracelet has a unique number that you can register in the KONY 2012 webpage to have more information about the movement. Community is a concept reinforced several times on the video. Phrases like â€Å"a bunch of little’s can make a lot of difference†, â€Å"The first time this action was taken, because the people demand it† â€Å"Not only for Ugandan people but for everyone† makes you feel that his video is part of something bigger. As a result, the reaction you can see in many people celebrating the response from President Obama, of sending soldiers to work with Uganda’s army, gives the impression of a worldwide network that have worked hard to make this cause of public interest. It presents how through social media, the community have shared what they are doing in each city, and how they are getting ready for the night of april 20th. As Weinschenk (2009) refers, the cooperation between individuals in a group, allows it to grow and support each other. According to Green Brock (2002), narrative persuasion addresses occur because an individual is â€Å"transported† into the narrative world. KONY 2012, has successfully maintained 70 million people watching a 30 minute documentary, ensuring what Walt Disney said many years ago: audiences can maintain the attention for more than 2 minutes if the material presented is appealing enough. This narrative persuasion and the use of simple language (that even a four year old kid can understand) is what makes it a catchy video for all ages. Using the Mass Interpersonal Persuasion (Weinschenk, 2009, p. 131), Jason made and excellent campaign, that evokes strong emotions and leads people to completely agree on his cause. The fact that this video has been shared mostly by teenagers from 13-17 years old (Rode, 2012), does makes a point that although they have not been in the past targeted by CSR campaigns, they do have the power to spread the word faster than other age groups. Just like in Egypt, social media is giving youth voice and determining a political agenda and helping them discover their untapped power. As a result of this successful campaign, many have discussed whether this video will continue to evoke social change. According to Ruge (2012), editor of CNN â€Å"KONY 2012, cemented the legitimacy of social media for global engagement, but missed an opportunity to empower the many Ugandan and Central African voices newly visible with the advent of mobile technology and social media tools on the continent†. Other journalists such as Christiane Amanpour (the Chief international corresponding for CNN) affirms that â€Å"what’s really important is that this 52 million and counting view’s will hopefully not just sensitized people about war criminals like Joseph Kony but in general try to get society on board to really press the governments to do something about this war crimes†. Regarding all the critics, the Facebook page told his more than 3 million fans: â€Å"Whether you’re criticizing Invisible Children or not, it is not about us. I think that everyone can agree that this violence needs to stop and children should not be forced to fight† (Facebook/invisiblechildren, 2012). This page also encourages people to leave comments on the wall, promoting ideas, asking questions. What cannot be argued, is that those 750,000 people who have shared the video, and those 500,000 who bought the Action Kit have developed ownership for this cause, and that for years, this movement will be studied not because it moved people to buy bracelets or donate a few dollars, but because it moved the masses, and made us realize the great power social media can have when used correctly. Reference: Affleck, B. (2012). A message from ECI founder Ben Affleck on KONY 2012. Retrieved from: easterncongo. org/news-perspectives/ Child, B. (2012). Kony 2012: Angelina Jolie calls for Ugandan warlord’s arrest. Retrieved from: guardian. co. uk/film/2012/mar/12/kony-2012-angelina-jolie CNN. (2012). Amanpour: Kony film helps to educate. Retrieved from: www. cnn. com/video/#/video/world/2012/03/09/uganda-kony-film-amanporut-reax. cnn Giles, D. C. (2003). Media Psychology. Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Haslam, S. A. , McGarty. C. , Turner, J. C. (1996). Whats social about social cognition? Research on socially shared cognition in small groups. (pp. 29-56)Thousand Oaks, CA, US: Sage Publications, IncNye, Judith L. (Ed); Brower, Aaron M. (Ed), (1996). xxxiii, 398 pp. Harris, C. (2011) â€Å"Walden University and Harris Interactive Release Report on the Future of Social Change†, Professional Services Close-Up, Sept. 23, 2011. Invisible children, (2012). Thank you, Kony 2012 Supporters. Retrieved from: http://vimeo. com/38344284 Invisible Children webpage: www. invisiblechildren. com Ojalvo, H. (2012). Do social media campaigns like Kony 2012 stunt or stimulate real change? Retrieved from: http://learning. blogs. nytimes. com/2012/03/13/do-social-media-campaigns-like-kony-2012-stunt-or-stimulate-real-change/ Paine, K. (2007). How to Measure Social Media Relations: The More things change, the more they remain the same. Retrieved from: instituteforpr. org/wp-content/uploads/How_to_Measure_Blogs. pdf Rode, M. 2012). South Africa: Five lessons brands can learn from Kony 2012. Retrieved from: http://allafrica. com/stories/201203141089. html. Ruge, TMS. (2012). Opinion: Why Kony 2012 created the wrong buzz. Retrieved from: www. cnn. com/2012/03/12/world/africa/kony-2012-tms-opinion/index. html Update: Kony social video campaign tops 100 million views. (2012). Visible measures. Retrieved from: http://corp. visiblemeasures. com/news-and-events/blog/ Weinschenk, S. M. (2009 ). Neuro Web Design: What Makes Them Click? Berkeley: New Riders.

Sexuality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sexuality - Essay Example This does not mean that the Americans agree on which kind of sex education would be the best. Fifteen percent of the Americans believe that schools should only teach abstinence but not the use of condoms and other contraception. Forty-six percent believe that a better approach would be â€Å"abstinence-plus†. On the other hand, thirty-six percent believe abstinence is not the most important factor and sex education should focus on how to teach adolescents how to make responsible decisions concerning sex (Sex Education in America, 2004). Evangelical or born-again Christians differ in opinions in reference to this topic. Twelve percent said sex education should not be taught in schools while four percent were non-evangelicals. Forty nine percent of evangelicals and twenty-one percent non-evangelical think that government should fund abstinence-only programs instead of funding more comprehensive sex education (Sex Education in America, 2004). Bleakly, Hennessy &Fishbein (2006) examined the USA public ´s opinion on sex education in schools to find out their preferences aligned with those of policymakers and research scientists. They used a cross-sectional survey from July 2005 through January 2006. The researchers randomly selected a nationally representative sample of 1096 USA adults from 18 to 83 years. They used 3 different types of sex education in schools: Abstinence only, comprehensive sex education, and condom instruction. According to their findings, approximately eighty-two percent of the respondents support the programs that teach students abstinence and other methods to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases (STD) while 68.5% supported how to properly use condoms. The lowest percentage was obtained for the abstinence-only sex education with 36% supporting it and the highest level of opposition (approximately 50% across the 3 program options. Self-identified conservative, liberal, and moderate respondents supported the

The first paper will be an individual evaluation of the importance of Essay

The first paper will be an individual evaluation of the importance of being a learned person in a 21st century socioeconomic soc - Essay Example The words is normally used for individuals holding bachelors, masters and PhD degrees but have varied knowledge in other important subject matters of society. This is differed from an educated person who depicts characteristics like having a college or high school diploma. The educated person displays civilized behaviors representing his or her stay at school. The educated individual understands the moral civic and social responsibilities. In simple terms, they hold some unique capabilities that uneducated individuals do not have. Society usually consists of both of these individuals and the uneducated people. This essay therefore, seeks to explain the role of critical thinking and being a learned person in the society. It focusses this on commerce in a society with modern technology. Critical thinking is an integral characteristic of a learned person. Being a leaned individual in a society comes with numerous responsibilities. Learned individuals are regarded as the light of the soc iety and their opinion counts in every issue affecting society. These include opinions on technology, politics, philosophy and commerce. The definition of critical thinking is the intellectual practice of conceptualizing, scrutinizing and applying skills as a framework to action and belief. It includes analyzing the sources of information too. In its unique form, it bases on conventional values that govern subject matter divisions. This definition is important since society includes different fields and subject matter that are of contention. This as a character of learned individuals improves society’s understanding of these contentious issues. Critical thinking is totally different from being augmentative. It also does not mean the character of criticizing fellow individuals in society. In a modern society, critical thinking abilities are used in revealing bad reasoning and fallacies. The economy in a society is a main issue that requires critical thinking to enhance. Critic al thinking plays the important part in constructive task forming and cooperative reasoning. Through these characteristics, the commerce in the society grows. Commerce is a section of any business that concerns itself with exchange of goods and services (Dyer 5). This entails all the direct and indirect activities that facilitate the exchange. In a modern society, commerce gets enhancements from over the edge technology. The development of technology cannot be attributed to any other thing that learned individuals. Through critical thing, the learned individuals develop new ways of making business more efficient and faster. They develop new accounting methods, business development strategies and future research. Learned individuals in the field of computer science have such technological tasks in the society. Critical thinking helps the society to strengthen existing arguments on commerce, acquire knowledge and improve theories. This is achievable through initiation of learned perso ns in the field of business and commerce. The society employs critical thinking to improve work practices and progress social organizations. The society consists of populations with wants. These include secondary and basic wants, which are never ending. Social welfares are promoted in the society through commerce. This is to the sense that the innumerable wants of people in the society are met. For this wants to be met critical thinking is

Difference between healthy people and unhealthy people Essay

Difference between healthy people and unhealthy people - Essay Example Nordqvist (2009) states that the word ‘health’ has been derived from an old word ‘hale’ that means ‘well being’. Health is the state of a human being in which his body is functioning at the best level without any disease or irregularity. World Health Organization (as cited in Nordqvist, 2009) defines health as â€Å"a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity†. Thus, there are two conditions that define health for a person: body and mind’s perfection, and absence of disease. In order to better understand the difference between healthy and unhealthy people, it is important to give the reader an idea regarding the characteristics of healthy and unhealthy people. People who are blessed with perfect health and do not suffer from disease or abnormality, are regarded as healthy people. But health is not just confined to bodily health; it also includes a normal brain and soul. When the body is functioning properly producing, for example, the right kind of hormones at the right time, the brain is also working normally, and the thoughts are normal too, then that person is a healthy person. Staying healthy is an art that pays. Contrarily, unhealthy people are those who are not blessed with health, physical or mental. They are either suffering from a disease that shows, or if they are perfectly normal bodily, then they insist on staying unhealthy when they possess negative thoughts for themselves and for others which are harmful in nature. Thus, physical and mental disorders account for a person’s unhealthiness. A relationship is a state in which two or more people connect with each other. Healthy people tend to maintain healthy relationships because they are themselves happy which enables them to socialize with people (Center for Yong Women’s Health, 2010). This increases their acceptance in the society. People want to meet them

Internet and television Essay Example for Free

Internet and television Essay Internet and television are changing the face of political discourse. In his book, Amusing Ourselves To Death Neil Postman gives candid details of how television has shaped political conversation in the last 20 years but this has been overcome by the advent of internet technology. Television has changed much since 1987 in addition to advancements such as HDTV, DVR. News can be watched 24 hours across many networks. For example cable subscribers are able to watch over 1000 channels with the click of a button. Advertising has grown tremendously as ads jam programs in the form of product endorsements and normal commercials. The internet is not excluded from this change because it offers the users a simple way of accessing news and communication with many people all over the world. Each of these mediums represents a new era in which people try to become politically enlightened while at the same time minimizing the quantity of information they are able to consume (Postman, 13) Political discourse and the media have been changing over the years. Hume observes that, â€Å"the television commercial is a primary instrument of political discourse† (Hume, 27). This is true in the current media although some other instruments like The Daily Show are gaining political importance. Political programs should be placed on the same platform as political commercials instead of using them as the main source of political discourse. Although the commercials have a good impact this is reduced by the video recorders that give user the ability to navigate commercials to view programs that they like most. Internet has become a threat to the television since it is easy to get information easier using the internet. â€Å"Young people don’t buy newspapers or watch the evening news-even or perhaps especially, with cute Katie Couric reading it to them. Blogs are more fun to read and sometimes more reliable† (Leonard, 10). Bloggers have the ability to put emphasis on political candidates, policies and actions that have taken place. As such blogging offers the citizens a chance to comment on stories in a manner that permits freedom of expression. The media has continued to change political discourse significantly though television, internet and advertising. Currently advertisements, blogs and the 24 hour news and internet have a big impact on political discourse. According to a survey done by Pew Internet it was observed that â€Å"15% of all American adults say the internet was the primary source for campaign news during the election, up from 7% in the mid-term election of 2002? (Leonard, 2). Therefore, the Internet is a strong force in the changing shape of political discourse. The information that people find and share over the internet shapes their opinions and can assist them in becoming better citizens. Political information can be shared in a way that ties the emotions of the participants but the internet helps the people to form their own opinions. Hume posits, â€Å"new technology may facilitate a new type of citizenship commitment that combines exchange of information and evaluation, in which emotion and experience are not discounted but an accepted part of the processes of opinion formation† (2006, p. 305). In summary, political dialogue in the media has been transformed significantly by the new media. The availability of internet has helped people write blogs, surf for information that could not be easily found through conventional means. Television commercial as well as comedy programs are still abundant in the political discourse. Ellen Hume give a good summary of political discourse and its relationship with the media by saying, â€Å"The old media deliver the old politics† (1998, p. 207). From this observation one can conclude that the new media will give rise to new politics and continue to change everything as we know it now. Works cited Hume How novel technologies are changing the news. In C. Harper (Ed. ), What’s Next in mass communication. Original York: St. Martin’s Press. 1998 Leonard, M. ‘Fake’ news is as good as the real thing . Herald Times, p. B2. , E. 2007. Postman, N. Amusing ourselves to death. New York: Penguin books. 1985