The U.S and Japanese Ideas of Policing

Police officers share a set of attitudes, norms and values that are very essential in their extremely tough working environment. It is these set of values and attitudes that constitute what is referred to as the policing culture. The police culture has been dynamic in recent times due to philosophical and organizational changes that have completely eroded the conventional meaning of police culture.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The U.S and Japanese Ideas of Policing specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The policing culture is very difficult to understand because personal characteristics of officers are completely different from their occupational characteristics. Conventional wisdom portrays a completely different notion about the outlook of police officers. The policing culture varies from one country to another because each country has its unique structures and code of conduct of the police. This paper w ill examine the similarities and differences between the policing culture in the U.S and Japan. The policing culture is very broad and it consists of both the organizational and the occupational culture. The modern policing culture in the U.S and Japan has been inherited in order to maintain historical legacies (Dammer, 2010). Routines like parades and saluting are part of the policing culture that has been around for a very long time. Police officers in the U.S and Japan are expected to be physically and mentally strong at all times. This policing norm makes the officers to be reliable and always ready for action when called upon (Gains, 2011). The American and Japanese police officers have a similar mentality when it comes to masculinity. Feminine traits such as gentleness and sensitivity are not part of the policing culture. Police officers encounter criminals in the course of their duty, and they are therefore expected to be very vigilant (Gains, 2011). The masculine culture is slowly fading due to the inclusion of women in both the American and Japanese police forces. Group solidarity is another policing culture common in the U.S and Japan police forces. The police have a tendency of isolating themselves from the general public. Police solidarity motivates the officers while at the time increases efficiency in their line of duty. The culture of solidarity comes naturally within the police force because the officers share similar fates, challenges and histories (Gains, 2011). The culture of group solidarity is sometimes abused by officers because they use it to cover for fellow officers in case of misconduct (Dammer, 2010). The solidarity culture is very common in almost all police forces across the world including Japan and America.Advertising Looking for research paper on public administration? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Japan is a politically stable country with the majority of its department s being corrupt free. The police force in Japan is forbidden from corruption and involvement in local politics (Dammer, 2010). It is this sense of integrity that has led to a more efficient police force without having regular police rotation. A good number of departments in the U.S are corrupt and therefore rotation is meant to restrain the police force from being involved in corruption and local politics. Uniforms are part of the police culture that is meant to give them identity and legality when dealing with citizens. The culture of uniforms is very common in both the U.S and the Japanese policing culture (Das, 2003). The number of policemen in Japan is small compared to the number of police officers in the U.S. Despite their small number, the Japanese police force is more effective and efficient because the Japanese police have a culture of maintaining a close relationship with the citizens (Das, 2003). Apart from law enforcement and crime prevention, the Japanese police are als o involved in resolving domestic disputes. The U.S police are only involved in law enforcement and crime prevention. It is this culture of maintaining a close relationship with the public that has considerably reduced the Japanese government’s spending on correction facilities, courts and police (Dammer, 2010). The situation is completely different in the U.S because the U.S Government spends a lot of money on security including massive recruitment of the police every year (Das, 2003). The policing ideas in Japan are very different from the ones used in the U.S because Japan has a homogenous culture that promotes peaceful co-existence. The homogenous culture in Japan gives their police force an easy time in doing their job because the police do not have to deal with racial and cultural conflicts (Dammer, 2010). The Japanese police encounter very few hate and racial violence crimes compared to their U.S counterparts. The fact that the Japanese police force comes from one race makes it easy for the officers to work together because their cultural and occupational norms are very similar (Dammer, 2010). The American police force consists of officers from different races and this may lead to ideological differences within the police force. Maintaining law and order in a multi-racial community is a difficult call for the police officers because they have to come up with special tactics for each culture. The Japanese society is associated with politeness and this is also replicated in their police force. The situation is very different in America where the police are known to be aggressive with politeness and gentleness not being part of their vocabulary (Dammer, 2010). The aggressive nature of the U.S police force is attributed the type of environment that they operate in.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The U.S and Japanese Ideas of Policing specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Crim e is very prevalent in the U.S compared to Japan, and this makes police officers to use some excessive force when bringing some situations under control. The structured nature of the Japanese society enables police officers to develop a good relationship with the public. The Japanese culture lays much emphasis on groups where every person belonging to a particular group is expected to guard the interests of the group (Dammer, 2010). The actions of every group member are supposed to affect the group in a positive way. The group philosophy is strictly followed in Japan right from the family level to places of work. The Japanese police officers are able to solve many problems because of the positive group influence (Dammer, 2010). The U.S police force lacks this form of positive peer pressure that is advantageous to the Japanese police force. According to the Japanese culture, peer pressure that leads people to doing good things is what brings development to the community. There are qu ite a number of factors that make policing ideas and culture in Japan to be different from those in the U.S. To begin with, Japan has strong gun control laws compared to the U.S (Gains, 2011). The size of American population is almost twice the population of Japan. Enforcing law and preventing crime in a very populous country like the U.S needs special police tactics and ideas. Some of the most prevalent crimes in the U.S compared to Japan include drugs and firearm crimes. Bravery and secrecy are essential elements of the police culture. Brotherhood and solidarity build the working personality of the police force in Japan and America (Gains, 2011). Authoritarianism is embedded in the culture of the U.S police force. There are situations where the police feel overwhelmed because they are expected to play many roles with some of the roles being beyond their knowledge. The value system of police officers depends on the kind of training that the officers receive. The training of police officers in the U.S puts much emphasis on crime prevention than maintaining a good relationship with the public. It is a great challenge to harmonize the police culture in the U.S because of the sociological and anthropological differences within the police force (Gains, 2011). In conclusion, the policing culture in Japan and America has a fair share of similarities and differences. The homogenous nature of the Japanese culture is what makes policing in Japan to be much easy compared to the U.S. Solidarity and brotherhood are some of the universal elements of the police culture in many police forces across the world.Advertising Looking for research paper on public administration? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The police are always associated with aggressiveness and brutality especial during violent situations. The Japanese police force has a different approach to policing that involves building good relationships with the public. The aggressive nature of the American police force has been influenced to a large extent by the high number of crimes that take place in the U.S. The American police are completely isolated from the public as a way of maintaining their secrecy. Social, cultural and racial orientation of country has a great influence on the country’s policing culture. Japan has the most effective policing system compared to the U.S because of its homogenous cultural orientation. References Dammer, H., (2010). Comparative criminal justice systems. New York, NY: Cengage Learning. Das, D., (2003). Police mission: Challenges and responses. New York, NY: Scarecrow Press. Gains, L., (2011). Policing in America. New York, NY: Elsevier. This research paper on The U.S and Japanese Ideas of Policing was written and submitted by user Violet D. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

War On Drugs Essays - Drug Culture, Drug Control Law, Euphoriants

War On Drugs Essays - Drug Culture, Drug Control Law, Euphoriants War On Drugs War On Drugs This is supposed to be a free country. I don't see that it would harm you or anybody else if someone smokes a few joints a week in moderation. What is the harm done to you? Is this enough to take fathers and mothers away from children? I know I'm not the sharpest knife in the draw but to say that drug users might abuse the stuff and cause problems for their family or neighbors is not very far from saying that because you have a knife in your kitchen draw that you might choose to use it to cause trouble for you family or neighbors. Please tell me, by what reason should marijuana be illegal and please speak from first hand experience if you can. Isn't twenty years of doing the same thing long enough? Isn't it time to step back, gather accurate information and objectively consider alternatives? Wasn't there an objective once? Distinguish between soft and hard drugs like Holland did and reduce actual drug crime by 75%, actual crime, not just prohibition violations. Treat addiction as a health problem, instead of a crime-just like alcohol is treated-and you reduce HIV infection and decrease the costs to society. I am a very opened minded person and have listened to a lot of opinions and read a lot of articles on this subject. It seems that anything we find that stimulates us or alters our state of mind in some way is a stamped as a drug. How can we take something like cocaine, which is so addictive some people have to go to a hospital to get off it and many people have died from overdoses, and put it in the same catagorize as marijuana, a part of a plant which nobody has ever overdosed from. From my perspective, the government has no reason to make marijuana illegal, except that it acts as a stitch. I will get to that in a minute. If it were legal, I really doubt we would have as much drug dealing and drug deal related deaths and crimes. It could be treated like alcohol, same rules, maybe more, but we could have an age limit and everything. (Its (marijuana) defiantly much safer than alcohol I don't know anybody in the right mind who could argue with that. Alcohol is one of the biggest killers in the world, who do you ever here on the news dying of marijuana use? Sure it may cause long cancer, but you can eat it too. Sure somebody might be too high to drive but make rules against it. Its too bad we couldn't replace alcohol with marijuana. I would much rather see people in my family as well as my parents smoke pot than drink alcohol. I could go on and on with this forever. You probably are getting the impression that I am a pot head but believe me I am not. This subject just irritates me how we can serve alcohol which makes people violent and go home and beat their wives in front of their kids but the government can't sell a part of a plant that makes people at ease. I feel I'm getting off subject so I'm gonna get back to my point. But, if it were legal, a lot of marijuana dealers who base most or all of their business on marijuana would turn to other drugs such as crack to base their business upon. That is what I mean by the stitch. Because we all know how crack changed the inner cities of America. Crack definitely increase the number of street gangs, deaths, and crimes of all kinds in this country and we all know crack is made from cocaine. So what I am saying, is that instead of trying to shoot at all drugs at once, only go after cocaine. Forget marijuana, make it legal, the government sure made a profit from cigarettes and alcohol. Make a profit from marijuana. Use the profits to fight the war on cocaine and heroin. Because you know when the cocaine supply is weakening, so is the crack. Most of the crack sold on our streets is made inside our country by

Analysis Of Barn Burning By William Faulkner Essay -- William Faulkner,

Faulkner shows the feelings of Sartoris by vividly describing the setting. The second to last paragraph starts off by saying, â€Å"At midnight he was sitting on the crest of the hill† (169). By providing the time of â€Å"midnight,† it shows a new chapter for Sartoris. The time of midnight represents a new day, and for the main character, a new day is symbolic of a new beginning. Also, Sartoris is described as â€Å"sitting on the crest.† A crest is a high point. The use of this word means two things: going up the hill is over and going down hill is beginning. Symbolically, going uphill was escaping his past. It was difficult for Sartoris to have to deal with the history he had with his family. Faulkner showing that Sartoris’s next step of going downhill is a foreshadowing that his life is going to be easier than before. Close to the bottom of the last paragraph, Faulkner says, â€Å"he went down the hill, towards the dark woods within which ... ... middle of paper ... ...d now. The last line states, â€Å"he did not look back† (169). Faulkner using this quote as the last sentence shows Sartoris’s determination to progress without reverting back to his past. Faulkner’s writing is very symbolic. Sartoris’s physical feelings also describe his mental and emotional states. Sartoris lived the first part of his childhood in fear of his father. In the final two paragraphs, Faulkner is presenting the moment Sartoris breaks away from being consumed by his father’s shadow and the fear of his father. Faulkner’s description of the setting is symbolic of how Sartoris feels about earning his freedom. Sartoris’s feelings about his freedom and brighter future are expressed through the shift from a dark tone to a hopeful one. The symbolism of Sartoris’s physical actions is a way Faulkner shows how Sartoris was feeling emotional upon obtaining his freedom.

CHOOSE ONE QUESTIONS FROM THE 5 QUESTIONS ON THE INSTRUCTION LIST Essay

CHOOSE ONE QUESTIONS FROM THE 5 QUESTIONS ON THE INSTRUCTION LIST - Essay Example The opinion of economists have varied on this issue regarding the considerable of the GDP is the appropriate measure to understand the well-being of the nation. While most of the economists have relied on this economic indicator as the main determinant of the standard of living, the others have differed stating that the other intangible and tangible factors like education, health as well as ecological environment to be important factors as well. Simon Kuznets who framed the term GDP even warned that the measure is not an appropriate indicator of the well-being of the nation (Kuznets, 1934). Thus is clear that the GDP was never devised to measure the well-being of nations. With the occurrence of the Bretton Woods conference this measure started being used widely in most of the nations of the world since 1944. GDP as an economic indicator The Gross Domestic Product of a country is the sum of the goods and services of the country taken at the market value. In order to understand the con cept of GDP it is important to know how the GDP of a nation is arrived at (Landefeld, 2008). There are a variety of ways in which the GDP of a country can be measured. The product approach measures GDP by summing the total production of all the enterprises during a definite span of time. Thus the value added of all the final products in a year minus the sum of the value added of the intermediate products gives the GDP of the economy. On the other hand, the expenditure approach considers the sum of the aggregate consumption expenditure, investment expenditure, government expenditure as well as the net exports of the economy. The circular flow diagram provides an idea about the income and expenditure flow in the economy that takes place involving the individuals, firms as well as the government. Therefore GDP measures the flow of the goods and the services that takes place in an economy. The income approach however calculates the sum of the total income of the individuals the firms as well as the government in the economy. From the various approaches it is clear that during the calculation of the GDP the monetary values are taken and hence no other intangible aspect could be captured by the GDP. In all these cases only the computation of the However in most cases it is considered that if the economic condition of the people improves the people of the economy would be better off. Thus it is not an ideal measure of the standard of living of the economy. Defects in GDP as a measure of the well-being of the economy The economic system is a subsystem of a larger system that drives the world. There are ecological, political as well as social systems which are intertwined. The effects of each of these systems influence each other and one cannot be thought of independently without thinking about the other. The economic system in a society can run only in connection with the other systems and depends on the other systems to a large extent. For example, in order to carry out the production in a factory system it is important to take the help of the natural resources as well as the human capital. Along with that the incorporation of the knowhow is also important. Hence the entire economic activity of production needs the intangible resources along with the tangible resources.

World Hunger Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

World Hunger - Essay Example Poor people do not have ample resources such as land, tools and money that are needed for growth and consistently purchase food for regular nourishment ("Hunger Facts"). Another reason cited for world hunger is the persistence of drought particularly in the African region. According to the UN Chronicle, drought is the single most common cause of severe food shortages in African developing nations that experience the driest seasons. This condition is compounded by the prevalence of poverty and political turmoil in these countries. As mentioned, political strife or armed conflicts are also regarded to cause world hunger. Wars disrupt agricultural production, which is the primary source of food ("Hunger Facts"). It should be noted that based on studies conducted by Food First, there is sufficient agricultural capacity on earth to feed the all people ("Wikipedia"). However, problems relative to hunger arise because of the disruption in distribution networks. For instance, should there be wars the distribution of food aid and imports is restricted, thus, hunger results.

Fire Protection Engineering in the 21st Century Essay Example for Free

Fire Protection Engineering in the 21st Century Essay Abstract Fire protection engineering is the application of scientific and engineering principles to protect people, their property, and their environment from the destructive effects of fire. Fire protection engineers are involved in almost all aspects of fire safety and fire prevention. Among their function is the design, review and recommendation of fire prevention systems, which has two classifications: active and passive. Active fire protection systems react to conditions created by fire, such as increase in temperature or smoke, and act to extinguish the flame. Passive fire protection systems are incorporated in the structural design of the building to prevent spread of fire or smoke, and to prevent structural collapse. Fire protection engineers also adhere to building and fire safety codes. They also participate in the development of these codes, as well as review and enforce them. Fire protection engineers also predict fire behavior by simulating fire conditions through modeling. By this process, certain characteristics of the fire can be predicted. Models may simulate the development of a fire inside an enclosure, look at activation times of output systems such as thermal and smoke detectors, simulate egress situations, or measure the ability of a building to withstand fire. Risk assessments are also done by fire protection engineers and involve hazard analysis, consequence analysis and likelihood analysis. Fire investigation nowadays also involves fire protection engineers that can construct the scene before and during the fire. Fire Engineering 5 I. Introduction Fire protection engineering, the application of scientific and engineering principles to protect people, their property and their environment from fires, is used interchangeably with fire engineering and fire safety engineering. Although this paper uses â€Å"fire protection engineering† to simplify terminologies, it should also be understood that it likewise refers to the two latter terms, except in instances wherein there is a need for differentiation. Several centuries ago, the primary aim of fire protection engineering is to prevent fires, which in those days, has the possibility to devastate entire cities (Hurley 2006). In the 1900’s, the objective of fire protection engineering is to contain a fire in its building of origin. As technology advances, this objective has evolved to containing the fire in the room or object of origin. Towards the end of the twentieth century however, fire protection engineering has evolved to become a professional discipline having its own set of principles (Lucht 1989 cited in Hurley 2006). II. Professional Definition of Fire Protection Engineering Fire protection engineering is the employment of science and technology to protect people and their environment from destructive fires. Some of these principles include design of fire protection systems, analysis of fire hazards, carrying out of risk assessment, fire modeling and post-fire investigation and analysis. Fire protection engineers also review fire protection systems, participate in third-party review of fire protection designs, as well as participate in development of codes that would protect life and property from fire. Furthermore, they may also be called upon to interpret and enforce existing building and fire codes (Koffel 2003). During the design phase of a building, fire protection engineers may work with architects and other engineers to ensure a fire-safe structure. They make Fire Engineering 6 recommendations for cost-effective fire protection solutions to guarantee that the building and its occupants are adequately protected (Society of Fire Protection Engineers 2008). According to a roundtable discussion by fire protection engineers from all over the globe regarding the international practice of fire protection engineering, such a description is true of fire protection engineers in the United States wherein fire protection engineering and fire safety engineering is taken to be the same. According to Koffel (2003), who facilitated the discussion, such a broad definition is differentiated in Australia where fire protection engineers and fire safety engineers offer distinct services. Fire protection engineers are those that design active fire protection systems such as sprinklers, and fire detection and alarm systems according to the appropriate standards. This task is usually done by mechanical engineers who have specialized in active fire protection systems. The design of passive fire protection systems, which are usually incorporated as part of the structural design of a building, is specified by structural engineers and architects. Fire safety engineers, on the other hand, are those that develop fire safety strategies for a building or facility. The same is true in the United Kingdom where â€Å"fire protection engineering† is not a common term. That term is also generally used for those who design and install active fire protection systems. Fire safety engineers are those that assist in the design of buildings and structures in order to meet the life safety requirements of the law. Such requirements in the design include means of escape, structural fire resistance, internal and external fire spread, fire spread through cavities and internal openings, and access and facilities for fire service. Let it be reiterated, however, that for the rest of the paper, fire protection engineering refers to the broad description used in the United States. By training, education and experience, a fire protection engineer is expected to be familiar with the nature and characteristics of fire, analyze how fire starts, how it grows and Fire Engineering 7 affect people, buildings and property, and how it can be detected, controlled and extinguished (Hurley 2006; Society of Fire Protection Engineers 2008). Furthermore, they should be able to anticipate the behavior of buildings, structure and apparatus so as to better prevent life and property from fire. III. Fire Protection Systems In the event of a fire in a building, the protection of the occupants as well as of property is accomplished by a combination of active and passive means. Active fire protection systems are only used when fire is already present. Such systems are usually activated by a combination of sensors or mechanical means (Evans et al. 2005). A sprinkler system, a smoke alarm and a fire defence are just a few examples of active fire protection systems. Passive fire protection systems, on the other hand, insulate a structure by increasing its fire resistance. These systems become an integral part of the building layout and construction materials, and include (but not limited to) compartmentation and fire barriers, stairways for rapid evacuation, and spray-on fire proofing. Both systems are complimentary, not competitive (Cafco International 2007). The law recognises them as being able to (and should) work together to ensure safety in the event of fire. A. Active Fire Protection Systems The most common active fire protection systems used inside buildings are fire alarm systems, smoke control systems, water sprinklers, and portable fire extinguishers and hose reels. Each of these will be discussed in detail in the succeeding discussion. A. 1 Fire Detection and Alarm Systems The purpose fire alarm systems is to detect fires, alert the occupants, send for emergency rescue, and provide information that will facilitate emergency response (Evans et al. 2005). These systems have several main functions depending on the fire scenario, the type Fire Engineering 8 of building, the number of occupants and criticality of content and mission (Artim 2007). First, they provide a means to recognize a developing fire, either by manual or automatic means. Second, they notify building occupants to the fire condition and the necessity of evacuation. Third, they may also transmit signal to emergency responders such as the fire station to alert them of the building’s condition. They may also be used to shut down electrical and air handling equipment, and may be used to set off automatic suppression systems. The control panel is considered the fundamental component of any fire detection and alarm system. Its function is to monitor the â€Å"input† devices, such as the components that detect smoke and fire and then activates the alarm â€Å"outputs† such as horns, bells, warning lights, emergency telephone dialers, and building controls (Artim 2007). Although human beings are excellent fire detectors as they are normally equipped with senses that can detect smoke, heat, flame and odor, they can, in some cases, become an unreliable detection method. A person may not be present during the fire, may not raise an alarm effectively or may not be in perfect health to perceive fire signals. It is for these reasons that automatic fire detectors have been developed. There are many kinds of automatic fire detectors; the most commonly used are thermal detectors, smoke detectors and flame detectors.

Mother Daughter Relationships - Understanding Mothers and Daughters in Amy Tans Joy Luck Club :: Joy Luck Club Essays

Understanding the Mothers and Daughters of The Joy Luck Club  Ã‚   Amy Tan's novel, The Joy Luck Club explores a variety of mother-daughter relationships between the characters, and at some level, relationships between friends, lovers, and even enemies.   The mother-daughter relationships are most likely the different aspects of Amy Tan's relationship with her mother, and perhaps, some parts are entirely figments of her imagination.   Therefore, Amy Tan believes that ramification of cultures and tradition between a family can be burdensome and cause the family tree to fall apart.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   From the beginning of the novel, we hear Suyuan Woo tell the story of "The Joy Luck Club," a group started by some Chinese women during World War II.   June explains while remembering the memories of her mother, " 'We feasted, we laughed, we played games, lost and won, we told the best stories...we could hope to be lucky.   That hope was our only joy,' " (12).   The mothers grew up during perilous times in China.   They were raised to never forget an important outlook of their life, which was, "to desire nothing, to swallow other people's misery, to eat [their] own bitterness" (241).   For many years, the mother did not tell their daughters their stories until they were sure that their fractious offspring would listen.   By then, it is almost too late to make them understand their heritage that their mother left behind in China.   It seems that their family's legacy cannot seize their imaginations after years, decades, and ce nturies of blissfulness and sorrow.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Through the eyes of the daughters, we can also see the continuation of the mother's stories, how they learned to cope in America.   With this, Amy Tan touches on an obscure, little discussed issue, which is the divergence of Chinese culture through American children born of Chinese immigrant parents.   The Chinese-American daughters try their best to become "Americanized," at the same time, casting off their heritage while their mothers watch in dismay.   For example, after the piano talent show fiasco, a quarrel breaks out between June and Suyuan.   June does not have the blind obedience "to desire nothing...to eat [her] own bitterness."   She says to herself, " 'I didn't have to do what my mother said anymore.   I wasn't her slave.   This wasn't China' " (152).   Unbeknownst to June, Suyuan only hopes and wants the best for her daughter.   She explains, " 'Only one kind of daughter can live in this house.

Graffiti

One common objection is that graffiti is not art because it is vandalism and hence a criminal act. While it is true that it can be vandalism and a criminal act, these facts would not seem to have a bearing on its status of being art. The mere fact that something is illegal or classified as vandalism hardly seems sufficient to make something fall outside of the realm of art. After all, imagine a state in which music was a criminal act and labeled as a vandalism of the public sound space. It would hardly follow that music would thus cease to be art. As such, this objection fails.The reasons and values for why one might engage in graffiti art are as varied as the artists who produce it. A chief reason is the prospect of fame and recognition of one's artistic talent. Graffiti is also a form of self expression. The art as â€Å"writing† is a creative method of communicating with other writers and the general public. What it communicates is the artist's identity, expression, and ide as. Judgments are based solely on one's artistic ability. This type of communication is of value because it links people regardless of cultural, lingual, or racial differences in way that nothing else can.In addition, producing graffiti art with a crew builds team work in that the crew works together for the accomplishment of a common goal. The feeling of this achievement in league with others is of value to the artist In addition, graffiti art is not a spontaneous activity like tagging in the form of fancy scribble. The completion of a piece or a production involves a great deal of imagination, planning, and effort. The graffitist first does a sketch. Then he or she plans out characters and selects colors.Next, the artist selects his or her â€Å"canvas† or surface and does a preliminary outline, followed by a filling in of colors and ornamentation, and then the final outline is completed. Graffiti can also be analyzed according to the elements of lines, color, and structure s that are present in the work in order to produce a narrative about it. Another significant reason why graffiti art can be viewed as art is by considering the producer's intention. Graffitists intend their work to be apprehended as art that can communicate feelings and ideas to the audience.This is in line with Tolstoy's mandate that art must allow people to express ideas and share in each other's feelings via the artwork. Plus, graffiti art has a function of not only communicating to others, but it also beautifies the community by appearing on areas that normally would be eyesores, such as a wall in a vacant lot or an abandoned building. Furthermore, all of the aesthetic properties and criteria from the base element of color to the complex issue of artist intention which are ascribed to other works in order to characterize them as art can all be found in examples of spraycan art.The only difference between those works in a gallery or museum and graffiti art in terms of how and why the latter is not readily accepted as art is due to its location and presentation. Indeed the issues of location and presentation are the most significant obstacles to a wholehearted acceptance of spraycan art as art. Graffiti art cannot be disregarded simply because it is not presented in the conventional location and manner, i. e. , framed and placed in a museum or gallery. The location of it on a wall or subway without permission only makes it unsolicited art.As such, it can be called vandalism, but again, this does not disqualify it as art. Rather the categorization of graffiti art as unsolicited art that is vandalism only justifies a removal of it from the surface. On the other hand, the vandalism aspect of graffiti art can be considered as a uniqueness and not a detracting feature of the art form because as vandalism, graffiti art is very temporary. A piece which might be sixty feet long, twelve feet high, and take twenty to thirty cans of paint and at least eight hours to pr oduce might be gone in a matter of minutes.We are not used to art approaching us outside of conventional settings such as a museum. Instead of the audience going to view the art form, spraycan art reaches out to the viewer; sometimes in a startling manner. One can only imagine how shocking and surprising it might have been to see a colorful train moving swiftly through the dingy stations and drab boroughs of New York City. Spraycan art is an art form that is completely open to the public because it is not hemmed in by the confines or â€Å"laws† of the gallery system or the museum. Perhaps, this is its only crime.In summary, some forms of graffiti become art according to four criteria. First, graffiti art is separated from everyday graffiti markings by the artist's intention to produce a work of art. Second, graffiti art has an established history of development in style and technique. Third, graffiti art even has been recognized by the art world. A fourth criterion is that t he public response to graffiti art indicates that it is art. Whether or not all of the public agrees that graffiti art is good, bad, or extremely valuable is a different discussion about evaluation and not whether or not graffiti art is art.The evaluative concerns actually play more into where, when, and how graffiti art should be displayed. The above criteria are defensible in so much as they have been used to legitimize other artistic forms. However, what appears to be the most significant answer to describing how and why graffiti art is art is the notion of understanding where the artist and the audience synchronize in agreement about a particular work being an example of art. It is a matter of comprehending what makes a creation art for the artist and what makes this same creation art for the audience.When and according to what criteria that these two viewpoints coincide is what thoroughly determines graffiti art as art. And like other art forms, graffiti art is definitively art when both the artist and the audience agree on the works ability to provide maximal aesthetic satisfaction. While it is almost impossible to formulate a theory of necessary conditions or rules specifying when graffiti art is art, I think it is sufficient to draw on already established aesthetic theories and criteria to point out that some forms of graffiti do qualify as art.Therefore, graffiti in the form of spraycan art is art. It has form, color, and other base properties as well as an arrangement of these elements into structures that qualify it aesthetically as being art. Just doing something with spraypaint might make it graffiti, but it does not necessarily qualify it as art or graffiti art. In addition, when the spraycan art is analyzed according to the artist's intention and value to audience, there is even more evidence to suggest that it is genuine art.The only obstacle that has hindered the general acceptance of graffiti art is its location and presentation. However, the instances of acceptance of graffiti art by the art world shows that conventional methods of presentation are not all that matters in determining if something is art. And graffiti art is not to be disqualified as art simply because it might appear unsolicited. In short, graffiti in the form of spray can art is art like any other work that might be found in a gallery or a museum.

Pan’s Labrynth †Captain’s Task Essay

â€Å"Leave us now, my honest guards. Go and nag the pathetic cook to make me something appetizing for my lunch. Now, back to you Mercedes, I have always thought you were someone I could trust, someone I could rely on.† Mercedes cowered helplessly against the stony wall as the Captain slowly shadowed over her. His beady black eyes glared ferociously at her as he spoke, â€Å"You and me, we had a special trust, what happened?† His face filled with concern. He then turned around, with his back facing towards her, poured 2 generous glasses of alcohol in and put them on a tray. Mercedes took the hidden knife from her neatly pleated dress and cut the tight rope from her tiny hands. â€Å"I grew up and realised what a ruthless, greedy pig you are.† She replied bluntly. The Captain’s face flushed a bright red. His horrifically big eyes bulged out of their sockets as he struggled to keep his big hands off of Mercedes’ petite face. â€Å"In all my life, I have never seen a women disrespect a man so acutely.† Mercedes stared at his back for several minutes before springing into action. â€Å"I have hated you ever since I met you. You make me sick. How could such a man treat his family like a group of cockroaches? Only a fool would act the way you do.† â€Å"Listen here you spiteful little rodent. I am a well respected man and if you want to live, my sweet, I suggest you start changing your atrocious attitude towards me.† Swiftly, Mercedes rapidly ran and lunged towards the Captain’s back without a second thought. â€Å"This is from your wife.† She whispered. She stabbed him in the top right of his back. â€Å"This is from Ofelia.† She said with her voice raised slightly louder and stabbed hard at the bottom left of his back. â€Å"And this is from me!† She shouted from the top of her lungs. By now, she turned the Captain around and slit his mouth from the right side. His shirt was a bright scarlet shade, and his back and mouth leaked with fresh blood. The Captain was silent for a split second, as the blood glistened from his face, but then he replied, â€Å"You can run, my sweet, but you can’t hide. I will get you, you stupid pathetic runt, if it’s the last thing I do.† Mercedes, petrified, backed out of the old dusty barn and stumbled straight past the 2 guards from earlier. â€Å"Hey, you!† One of the guards shouted. Mercedes knew he was shouting for her, but her heart told her to keep running. As she ran tiredly up the hill, the Captain had caught up. â€Å"GET HER YOU USELESS PARASITES!† Within 2 minutes of the Captain’s screaming catastrophe, there were 20 men on horses charging up the hill for Mercedes. â€Å"I will kill that Captain, even if I have to die trying.† Mercedes whispered to herself. Mercedes ran and ran, faster and faster, as the hill got steeper and steeper. She came to an abrupt hold as the hill began to flatten. The Captain was right; there was no-where she could hide. â€Å"Hello my pretty, what a surprise to see you up here?† Cooed the first guard on a huge horse twice the size of her. He was also armed with several ferocious guns. â€Å"If you come any closer, just watch†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Whispered Mercedes. She was shaking with fear. She had the knife in line with her delicate throat. â€Å"Don’t do it, Bonita, you’ll regret it†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Murmured the first guard. â€Å"Just let her kill herself, she’s useless anyway† Advised the second guard. There were now 20 huge brawny horses circled around her. Mercedes could hear her head thumping intensely. Out of nowhere, all 20 of the guards were shot off their horses one by one. One minute the empty hill-top was surrounded with tough guards on great big horses, and the next minute, every single guard was shot down from their horses. Mercedes felt as shaky as a leaf. Then, out of the empty surroundings, her brother, Juan, and his army slowly wafted towards her. â€Å"Oh Mercedes! I was so worried about you.† Mercedes turned around and playfully hit her muscular brother. â€Å"Don’t you ever scare me like that again! I was petrified. I never knew where you were, of where you were staying, how you were eating.† â€Å"Don’t worry sis’, I had the whole thing planned out. We were going to attack the stupid Captain anyway, so we thought why not now, and just when my baby sis’ needed me too!† Mercedes’ brother sniggered with laughter with the alongside rebels. Mercedes blushed a shade of rosy pink. Suddenly, one of the quieter ones from the group decided to speak up. â€Å"Sir, when are we going to attack again?† He piped Mercedes and her brother both looked at each other. â€Å"Well, Son, we have just finished attacking, so we shall just wait and see.† By now, Juan was sitting on the bare ground smoking a cigar, with his incredibly long legs up and resting on a huge rock. â€Å"How many times have I told you to stop smoking!† Screeched Mercedes. â€Å"HEY! I’m the one who just saved your life, give me a break! I do the hero thing for once, ad I still get told off!† Juan took a long puff on the cigar, and the passed it onto another rebel. â€Å"Look, I don’t want you getting hurt, so make sure you take care of yourself. I won’t always be there to look after you, so remember that.† Mercedes stood straight, smoothed her creased up dress and gave her brother a hug. â€Å"I will go and finish my duty, and you go finish yours, ok?† â€Å"Si, si, mi hermana, I will succeed. Do not worry,† Reassured Mercedes’ brother. Slowly, Mercedes walked off into the sunset, where a huge mission awaited her. She and her brother would just have to wait and see what would happen.

To what extent do the mass media influence their audience Research Paper Example

To what extent do the mass media influence their audience Research Paper Example To what extent do the mass media influence their audience Paper To what extent do the mass media influence their audience Paper Essay Topic: Sociology It is generally believed that daily newspapers, television, radio, films, the Internet, or any form of message communication that is targeted at a large audience has an influence on behaviour, (Moore 1996) but to what extent? How much influence do the mass media really have on society and the individuals within a society that have now become a media loyal audience? (Moore 1996) and how do people gauge the extent of this influence? The aim of this essay is to look at the theories of the mass media effects. Such effect theories as the hypodermic-syringe model, the cultural effects theory, the two-step flow model, and the uses and gratification theory, and then determine from these theories the true extent of the mass media influence upon society. The Hypodermic-syringe model, that is also referred to as the silver bullet model (Schramm Porter 1982) is the idea that the mass media are so powerful that they can inject their messages into the audience. Or that, like a magic bullet, they can be precisely targeted at an audience, who irresistibly fall down when hit by the bullet. In brief, it is the idea that the makers of media messages can get people to do whatever they want them to do. (Schramm Porter 1982) Whilst it could be argued that no media analyst holds such a view today, it remains popular amongst the public and the media moralists. For instance, in the aftermath of the murder of a young child, Jamie Bulger, in the United Kingdom in 1993 by two young boys, the video of childs play 3, in which a similar kind of murder was to be seen, was evoked as a cause of the murder. Macionis Plummer 1998 p593) Whilst it is possible to say that the film may have played a part, along with other factors, it cannot be said to have simply caused the two boys to murder the young child. (Macionis Plummer 1998) Another factor was that the senior police officers that interviewed the two young boys at the time agreed that there was no evidence that either child had even seen the video of childs play 3. (J. Petley 1994) Many theorists believe that it is really more of a folk belief than a model. Chapman 2000) It could be argued that methodologically, the model is very weak because it ignores the fact that social characteristics of audiences differ in terms of class, age, gender and ethnicity. (Chapman 2000) But still the theory that people are passively injected with media messages crops up repeatedly in the popular media whenever there is an unusual or grotesque crime, which they can somehow link to supposedly excessive media violence or sex and which is then typically taken up by politicians who call for greater control of media output. If it applies at all, then probably only in the rare circumstances where all competing messages are rigorously excluded, such as in a totalitarian state. Nazi Germany being a prime example, where Dr Joseph Goebbels centrally controlled the mass media, and in doing so, he influenced a country into believing that Adolf Hitler was the saviour of Germany. (Wistrich 1997) As you read through the various approaches however, it could be argued that a rather weaker version of the hypodermic syringe model underlies many of them, notably in the cultural effects approach. The cultural effects approach or the mass-culture theory, as it is otherwise known implies that some of the media audience will accept media messages rather uncritically and in other cases resist media messages. (Haralambos Holborn 2000) Clearly this suggests not only different types of media messages but also the idea of different audiences. (Haralambos Holborn 2000) It could be argued that the media actually target these different audiences, these cultures, and effect the way these people look upon the world. The idea is that the mass media have created a mass culture in society, but, at the same time, they have the effect of maintaining cultural individuality. (Burton 2002) The idea that the mass media has created a mass culture in society is particularly associated with Marxism. (Chapman 2000) Marxists argue that the once popular cultures or folk cultures used to be the product of the family and revolved around such activities as folk music, dancing, folk tales and carnivals, but now, in a capitalist society, they argue that it is no longer a product of the family but more down to mass production, or more commonly, the mass media. Chapman 2000) It is seen by Marxists, such as Marcuse in particular that people have become passive recipients of culture rather than actively participating in it. (Chapman 2000) Marcuse believed that people consequently absorb mentally, such things as violent images from movies or television, and then, just as any advertising is seen to do, it gives an appeti te for things that the viewer cannot have, and therefore fuels crimes. (Chapman 2000) Although Marxists such as Marcuse have argued that this type of popular culture is responsible for stifling creativity, imagination and critical thought in society, (Chapman 2000) a number of the mass-culture arguments have come from other directions. Pluralists argue that the pre-industrial folk culture has been over romanticised by the Marxist critics and they also argue that the mass media in modern society has also had a positive effect on people. They claim that literacy has been encouraged, and knowledge and awareness of the world around them has been encouraged. They claim that people have much more choice of cultural products and opinions than they ever had before. (Chapman 2000) In many ways, the mass-culture theory, or the cultural effects approach is similar to the hypodermic-syringe model of media effects and like that model, it is also difficult to prove an effect. (Chapman 2000) It is generally believed that a more acceptable approach is the two-step flow theory for understanding the influence that the mass media have on their audience. The two-step flow model is slightly different to the previous two methods, in that it suggests that people are not influenced directly by the media. It implies that people interpret media messages through a framework of attitudes that they acquire from primary groups or opinion leaders. It was first recognised by Paul Lazarsfeld, along with Bernard Berelson and Hazel Gaudet (Lazarsfeld, Berelson, Gaudet 1948) in The Peoples Choice, a paper analyzing the voters decision-making processes during an early nineteenth century presidential election campaign. Lazarsfeld found that voters, who already knew how they were going to vote in the election, had read and listened to more campaign material than the people who still did not know how they would vote. (Lazarsfeld, Berelson, Gaudet 1948) The researchers found that voters who made a decision late in the campaign were not likely to be influenced by the media, but rather by opinion leaders who swayed their vote. It as been suggested that these so called opinion leaders are not a general characteristic of a person, but rather, limited to specific issues. It is seen that, any Individual, who acts as the opinion leader on one issue, may not be considered influential in regard to another issue. (Burton 2002) Their research was originally based on something like the simplistic hypodermic syringe model of media influence. However, their investigations suggested that media effects were minimal, that the conception of a mass audience was inadequate and misguided and that social influences had a major effect on the process of opinion formation and limited the medias effect. (Burton 2002) As with the other two methods, it could also be argued that the two-step flow method also has its arguments. One being that the Influence, if any, or be it a small amount of influence, tended to be straight across a particular social economic class, except that in the higher social classes there was a tendency for people to find opinion leaders in the next class up. No opinion leader was an opinion leader in all aspects of life. (Burton 2002) For example, a car mechanic in the local pub may not use the media much at all because hes always working late. Nevertheless, he knows a lot about cars and so what the rest of those in the pub know from the media about different makes of car will be influenced by his views. Similarly, a Politics lecturer for example, may not use the media anything like as much as his or her students do, but the lecturers reading and viewing is targeted on political issues. Together with the lecturers broad knowledge of political theory and history, which is likely to make the lecturer the opinion leader as far as the Politics class is concerned. Allowing for the differences from one class to another and from one subject area to another, people could probably recognize in opinion leaders the characteristics which Lazarsfeld suggested, in particular that opinion leaders will be more active users of the mass media than others, (Burton 2002) As a result of this theory, attention began to turn from the question of what the media do to the audience to what the audience do with the media, or, the uses and gratifications theory The uses and gratifications theory focuses on the active use made of the media by the audience itself, to seek gratification of a variety of needs. (Chapman 2000) The standard saying is that, where effects research asks, What do the media do to audiences? the uses and gratifications approach asks, What do audiences do with the media? (Chapman 2000) In this theory, it is said that audiences use the media to gratify needs. The needs being most commonly identified as surveillance, such as monitoring whats going on in the world, or, personal relationships, family interaction, or just to escape from a normal routine. (Chapman 2000) Readers of a newspaper for example, might open the paper, turn past the hard news and head straight for the gossip section, or to the stars section because they need entertainment. Also, as with television, one person might understand their favourite soap opera because their favourite character holds power, and they relate it to their own needs for power. Another person may understand the same soap opera as being mainly about love and understanding because they have strong needs for security and choose to bring out those aspects of the story in their minds. (Burton 2002) But as with all the theories, the uses and gratifications theory also holds arguments. The biggest argument directed at the Uses and Gratifications theory, is that it is seen as being non-theoretical. Other arguments are that it is seen as being vague in key concepts, and being nothing more than a data-collecting strategy. However it is still the most modern theory to date. (ODonnell G, 1994) After looking at the theories of mass media effects, to actually determine the mass media influence upon their audience is no easy task. It could be argued that modern theories of the mass media effect, such as the two-step flow theory or the uses and gratification theory show that people are more likely to reinforce existing attitudes and behavior than to change them. It could be argued that peoples existing attitudes act as a protective net preventing any direct effect at all. It could be said that the media has most influence when an audience lacks knowledge and clear opinions, as with the hypodermic-syringe model or the cultural effects theory. (ODonnell G, 1994) Even so, after looking at these theories, there is no overwhelming evidence that the mass media actually influences its audience at all. However, there is more evidence, to suggest that the audience actually influences the mass media. (Chapman 2000)

Same Sex Marriages Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Same Sex Marriages - Research Paper Example Emotional understanding takes place between two persons when they start believing each other. Love, care, and trust are those key factors that play an important role in creating and maintaining affectionate feelings in the minds of the individuals involved in the relationship. However, one thing, which must me mentioned, is that feelings of love and care are not gender specific. It is not necessary that these feelings always arise between the individuals belonging to opposite genders. Sometimes the feelings of love and care also arise between the individuals belonging to the same gender. Those feelings become the reason for any two individuals from the same gender to get involved in a relationship between each other, which is referred to as same sex marriage. The government of the United States of America does not allow same sex marriages. The government of America believes that marriage is a sacred relationship, which should always involve the individuals from the opposite sexes whereas gay or lesbian marriages result in destroying the basic sprit of the relationship of marriage. â€Å"The biggest problem affecting same sex marriage is geography† (Dunn). However, in some states of America, courts have allowed people to do same sex marriages. Some of those states include Massachusetts, Vermont, and Connecticut. The courts of these states declared that marriage is a civil right, so gays and lesbians also possess this right (Cahill 4). In these states, although people belonging to same sexes are allowed to get tied in marital relationships with each other, yet their marriages or living status as a couple is not very much accepted by the majority of the US population. One of the major problems, which the same sex marriage couples face, is the discouraging behavior of the societies. Majority of people usually do not encourage same sex marriages because they think that such marriages are just for the fulfillment of sexual desires instead of making

The Ryan Air Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Ryan Air - Case Study Example This was an organic growth model. The airline makes money by reducing its costs at every point. This is the reason that despite a drop in yields of 14 percent, it still achieved margins of over 20 percent as they carried 47% more passengers. The airline has strong sales promotions and heavy discounting. The airline owns rather than leases aircrafts but has been considering leasing at least one-third of its fleet due to changes in the market conditions. It also makes money by oil hedging but since the oil prices were expected to decline in the year under study, Ryanair decided not to hedge in 2004. To cope with the falling ticket prices, the airline hope to generate revenue by providing ancillary services such as satellite television and internet services, arcade games on rented laptops and screening favorite movies on television. They also earn through advertising on their website. However, despite the low fares, the airline’s load factor stared declining and its share price had declined substantially. This requires that Ryanair reconsider its strategy and take decisions based on facts and figures. Ryanair has registered revenue growth in 2004 over 2003 but the net profit has declined by 14% during the same period (Appendix A). The airline has been consistently registering profits for 26 quarters but the profits have declined in 2004 which has been primarily due to escalating fuel costs. The number of aircrafts operated commensurate with traffic growth as is evident from Appendix B. The net profits have declined as also the earnings per share (Appendix C) which has given the airline an adverse reputation with investors. The balance sheet shows that the equity base has declined while its total liabilities have increased. Economical – low impact because again being within Europe, which has a stable economy and stable consumers. Denomination is Euro is another positive factor contributing to economic stability. Outside of