Locative Media and Communication by Physical Implementation

Locative media are devices and systems that enable communication by physical implementation in a particular location. The contents of locative media are however not restricted to a specific location. Social interactions are greatly facilitated by the different types of digital locative media available.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Locative Media and Communication by Physical Implementation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Different kinds of environments are enhanced by the detailed explanations and analysis done by the location based media. The interaction between technology and various places is facilitated by the location based media. Locative media projects enhance the use of technology in locating physical places. Locative media is emerging to be one of the most popular digital technologies in the contemporary world (Eckardt 34). The locative media do not necessarily need to be location oriented b ut the content has to be bound to a particular location. This paper will extensively discuss the role of urban screens in promoting urban interactions. Urban screens are digital interfaces for passing information to the urban society. The digital displays include projection boards, plasma screens and LED signs. The screens facilitate the creation of a public space which is a viable platform for economic growth and cultural exchanges (Barber 34). The digital nature of the screens makes them perfect platforms for virtual interactions. The urban screens movement has been growing at a very first rate in recent times and many cities across the world are investing in the initiative. The urban screens initiative has quite a number of long term objectives that have the potential of transforming the public space to fit in the current digital era (Gauthier 67). The experimental visualization zones are some of the fundamental elements of the urban screens initiatives. Outdoor screens have a gr eat potential in transforming the way of life in urban centers both socially and economically.Advertising Looking for research paper on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The urban screens movement aims at providing digital screens for commercial and social purposes. This initiative presents a public space full of cultural content because of the suitable opportunity the screens provides for artists to exhibit there products. The other objective of urban screens is to establish a link between public space and architecture using the digital technology. The urban screens are supposed to provide a balance between modern innovations and culture. The public screens necessitate the revival of traditional art back to the public space through visual media. The urban screens provide interactive opportunities for the citizens to actively participate in screen projects (Gauthier 123). Urban screens promote communication amon g different stakeholders like urban architects, artists, the government and culture custodians. Urban screens are very useful in networking and exchange of content. Urban screen influence the interaction between people and their surrounding through technology (Gauthier 123). The urban space provides a good platform for social interactions and enables the public to easily share encounters in different aspects of life. The digital screen provides a perfect interface for people to relate with their environment in a very non-traditional manner. The urban screens act as a facilitator of all the interactions and socializing in the city. The users have an opportunity to even play active games with the digital interface (Webb 26). The social interactions are promoted by the spatial mechanisms provided by the public. The public arena provides a stage for breaking social and cultural boundaries. The digital platform and the people form a combination of social, spatial and digital systems that forms the basis for designing interactions.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Locative Media and Communication by Physical Implementation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The space created by digital media and the urban space are integrated by the public arena. The individual aspects of a place should be considered in forming a platform for sharing social, cultural and economic encounters (Webb 26). There is a strong relationship between spacial and syntactical properties of a place and the encounters to be shared. Different locations differ in terms of visibility, accessibility and the rate of pedestrian flow. The physical aspects of a place have a great influence on the general movement of people and social encounters. The public social installations promote awareness on various issues and at the same time establish rich relationships (Webb 37). Installing public screens in different locations with dif ferent social orientations can lead to diversity in terms of behavior. The urban screens project incorporates technological artifacts in the public context. Ubiquitous computing method is widely used in facilitating the urban screens project. Social places like restaurants provide a platform for social interaction. This is a perfect analogy of how the urban screens work (Webb 37). The digital layer connects with the urban environment to try and avoid the pervasive technologies present in urban areas. Ubiquitous computing systems play a very crucial role in establishing space structures and social behavior in urban areas. The designers of digital media such as digital urban screens use the existing knowledge and new technological innovations to create an interface that facilitates sharing of encounters. Urban screens provide a platform for interactive play that provides the people staying in urban centers with a variety of interesting outdoor experiences (Barber 142). The initiative has a special feature known as the boundary function which facilitates informal interaction by enabling people to talk to the people standing next to them within the public space. The technology of urban screens can enable users with camera phones to access some vital information about their area. This is normally facilitated by placing a bar-coded signage in some urban locations. This form of digital media presents the user with the relevant content about their location (Barber 145).Advertising Looking for research paper on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The goal of the games developed in the urban space is to give those living in cities a wonderful experience. Designers are constantly looking for new ways of improving interactions and sharing of information using the digital media. These new experiences help a great deal in understanding the social behavior in the city. The urban screens are used to augment the basic physical and social behaviors in the city. The digital media can now be activated using body gestures and movements instead of the commonly used portable devices (Barber 145).The user shadow is used as a body-input interaction which integrates the technological interface with the urban space. By using the gestures, the users can playfully navigate the digital media as they learn more about the events taking place in their location. This appears like an engaging installation where the users can manipulate the media to get the information they want about current events (Gauthier 123). The designers can design persuasive media in an attempt to formulate new physical and social behavior. Persuasive systems in urban screens can alter the social environment and completely change the way of socializing in the city. The digital technology used in the urban screens project is supposed to revolutionalize social interactions in urban centers and possibly facilitate the creation of new social patterns. Social practices in a particular urban space are easily understood using the urban screens initiative. Different approaches are used when designing new digital technologies to be applied in the urban screens project (Gauthier 140). There are some challenges in implementing the urban screens project. These challenges and limitations have to be understood in advance for the designers to be in a better position of dealing with them. Installing urban screens in a particular location or city is a very elaborate process and all the steps must be followed for effective installation and application. The designer shoul d first of all try to understand the urban space of the city. This is normally done using the space syntax method. The method views cities as systems of space and the analysis of the city design and architecture forms the basis of understanding the urban space of a city. The movement of people within the city defines the accessibility of all the spaces in the city (Gauthier 167). The space syntax method bases it analysis on topological distance between different spaces and does not consider the metric distance. Space syntax method considers space as a very basic aspect of all human activities. All human activities are done in space which makes space to be a very fundamental variable in trying to understand a city before the installation of urban screens. Visual fields and human interactions describe the experience of space. Human behavior can be defined according to the manner in which they use space. The geometric language is used to describe the relationship between space and huma n behavior (Webb 172). The space syntax method is normally applied by designers who need to understand the urban space configuration. There is a correlation between the number of people in an urban place and the spatial analysis done using the syntax method. The space syntax methodology tries to find out the reasons for absence and presence of people in the city streets and investigates the spatial structure of the city. The spatial configuration of the city has a major influence on how the people flow within the city. The movement of people within the city is determined by the use of the urban grid (Webb 172). People preferences and behavior in cities can easily be determined using qualitative observation methods. The relationship between the spatial design and behavior is established by the quantitative analysis of the spatial morphology of the city. The syntax method helps the designers to determine the possible impact of urban screens on human behavior and shared experiences. In the space syntax methodology, the city map is used to design a graph representing the spatial orientation of the city (Barber 156). The graph is the analyzed according to the links and nodes representing the flow of people in the city. The next step is the definition of the area by using the quantitative spatial analysis method. The degree of social interactions and behavior is determined by analyzing the data collected about human behavior in the city (Barber 156). Empirical studies are done by selecting the strategic areas within the city. After comprehensively experimenting the three locations, digital screens are then implemented to encourage strangers, observers and friends to playfully use technology in sharing different experiences about life. By experimenting, the designers are in a better position to fully understand the role of social and digital interactions in improving the various aspects of the city. Through the experiments, the designers are also able to establish th e affordability of the urban screens project. The introduction of a digital platform in an urban center requires a critical analysis of the design and the available digital media for installing the project (Webb 141). The interconnection between the digital layer and the spatial design of the city plays a major role in determining how effective the digital platforms will be. The integration of the urban screens within the built in environment relies heavily on the space concept. The components of space include the physical location, values and the social protocol (Webb 150). The final stage in implementing the urban screens project is the actual implementation of the prototype. The urban screens can be implemented as portable digital screens in different locations within the city. The digital screens can also be augmented as interactive installations. The digital screens are made up of LED Layers and pressure pad layers with the LED layer being the first. The role of the layers is t o receive and send user inputs to the computation system made of special programs. The layers are also involved in processing outputs (Barber 157). The screens are characterized by blinking lights that give the screens an urban outlook. The blinking lights are dynamically generated in patterns. The patterns are arranged according to the movement of pedestrians. The pattern of moving people is detected by the pressure pads. In conclusion, urban screen have greatly transformed social interactions and enhanced information sharing in cities. Urban screens are used as digital platforms for social interactions and culture exhibition. Apart from enhancing social interactions in cities, urban screens are also greatly used to inform the people about different events within the city. Digital media plays a very fundamental role in stimulating social interactions. The urban space defines the behavior of people within the city. Works Cited Barber, Stephen. Projected Cities. New York: Reaktion Bo oks, 2002. Print. Eckardt, Frank. Mediocity: Situation, Practice and Encounters. New York: Frank Timme, 2008. Print. Gauthier, Jean-Mac. Building Interactive Worlds in 3D: Virtual Sets and pre-visualization of Games, Film and Web. New York: Focal Press, 2005. Print. Webb, Andrew. Cities in Transition: The Moving Image and the Modern Metropolis. New York: Wallflower Press, 2008. Print. This research paper on Locative Media and Communication by Physical Implementation was written and submitted by user Nakia 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.

How to Start the Semester Right - Grad Student Study Advice

How to Start the Semester Right - Grad Student Study Advice The most effective way to ensure success in classes learning and getting good grades is to prepare early and often. Most students recognize the value of preparation in ensuring excellent class performance. Prepare for each class, each test, each assignment. Preparation, however, begins before the first reading assignment and first class. Prepare for the semester and youll be off to a great start. So, how do you start the semester right? Start on the first day of class. Get into the proper mindset by following these three tips. Plan to work. Colleges - and faculty - expect you to put in a significant amount of time over the course of the semester. At the undergraduate level, a 3 credit course generally meets for 45 hours during the semester. In most cases, you are expected to put in 1 to 3 hours for every hour of class time. So, for a class that meets 2.5 hours a week, that means you should plan to spend 2.5 to 7.5 hours outside of class preparing for class and studying the material each week. You likely wont spend the maximum time on every class every week - its a big time commitment! But recognize that some classes will require relatively little prep and others may require additional hours of work. In addition, the amount of time you spend in each class will vary during the semester. Get a head start. This one is simple: Begin early. Then follow the class syllabus and read ahead. Try to stay one reading assignment ahead of the class. Why read ahead? First, this permits you to see the big picture. Readings tend to build on each other and sometimes you may not realize that you dont understand a particular concept until you encounter a more advanced concept. Second, reading ahead gives you wiggle room. Life sometimes gets in the way and we fall behind in reading. Reading ahead permits you to miss a day and still be prepared for class. Likewise, start papers early. Papers nearly always take longer to write than we anticipate, whether its because we cant find sources, have a hard time understanding them, or suffer from writers block. Start early so that you wont feel pressed for time. Mentally Prepare. Get your head in the right place. The first day and week of classes can be overwhelming with new lists of reading assignments, papers, exams, and presentations. Take the time to map out your semester. Write down all classes, due dates, exam dates in your calendar.   Think about how you will organize your time to prepare and get it all done. Plan time off and time for fun. Think about how you will maintain motivation over the semester - how will you reward your successes? By mentally preparing for the semester ahead you put yourself in the position to excel.

Metropolitan Growth in Canada 1991-2001 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Metropolitan Growth in Canada 1991-2001 - Essay Example In actual sense, Montreal and Toronto alone received 60% of new incomers into the cities’ demographic structures. In the 1991 census, Toronto and Montreal had a cumulative population of approximately 7 million members. In 1996, the population rose by 6.4% to approximately 7.87 million people. Other cities which accommodated more than 1 million people in 1991, 1996 and 2001 census include Calgary and Edmonton, both in the district of Alberta. In addition, Ottawa, which lies at the south eastern district of Quebec, accommodated approximately 1.2 million people. These urban centers comprise of members deriving their ancestral roots from different ethnic backgrounds. Montreal comprised mainly of European and African immigrants while Toronto and Vancouver accommodates majority of Asian immigrants. According to Simmons and Larry (2003), the ethnic difference of a city’s population plays a significant role in determining the key economic activity adopted by citizens. In this c ase, immigrants from Europe have substantial economic strength and financial capabilities compared to African immigrants. In this case, Europeans in Montreal lives in the inner-city neighborhoods with high social status. On the other hand, African immigrants tend to reside on the outskirt characterized with affordable housings and cheap social amenities. With respect to ethnic and social differences, economic activities and educational achievements influence the population level of incomes; hence the observed employment patterns across the society. However, the general increase in Canada’s urban population influences the rate of employment. The changing patterns on Canada’s population seem to exert substantial influence on the nation’s economic and social aspects. According to the bulletin research article, the observed trends within different cities are playing a role in creating new forms of divides within the society. Simmons and Larry (2003) states that some of the notable trends in social and economic aspect of the society include patterns of employment rate as compared to population growth over a period of ten years. Statistics obtained from census results shows different trends in respective cities, all of which falls under the list of 25 most populated metropolitan areas in Canada. According to Simmons and Larry (2003), emerging differences in economic strengths across the population determines the general welfare of Canadians, especially on aspects like health, living styles and housing environment. Continued degradation of economic patterns may lead to worsening of the general health welfare and society’s well-being. On the other hand, improvement of economic activities, which translates to positive changes in employment patterns, leads to a healthy society with decent and affordable housing. In an effort to objectively determine the relationship between population growth and employment rates, we will acknowledge the stati stical element of correlation coefficient. Prior to appraising its application, we will evaluate the actual change in population and corresponding shifts in employment rates among members of the selected urban areas. As an illustration, statistics shows that in a period of five years, Quebec’s city of St John experienced a 1.28% increase in its population. However, the population increase received a corresponding increase in employment rate by approximately 9 percent. On the other han

Individual reflective report. PR as a profession Assignment

Individual reflective report. PR as a profession - Assignment Example Their role expects them to check constantly the reliability or rather truthfulness and accuracy of any information before releasing it to the public (Robert 2003, p389). This shows that they have the good of the pubic at heart. Releasing of unreliable information would further bring about conflicts and innocent people may come to harm. Thus to be a public relations practitioner, one has top be very accurate and clear in their task as it a lot depends on their efficiency. In addition to the above information, public relations practitioner is also expected to display or rather reveal any information concerning acts of malpractice as well as unprofessional conduct. This is what is required of them when they follow the CIPR principles. Hence one is required to be true to their job description and avoid any wrongful act which would undermine the effectiveness of the CIPR code of conduct. Practitioners are thus called upon to be their own watchdogs as well as of others and are encouraged t o bring to light any illegal acts. Misleading clients is taken as a serious offense as it shows lack of professionalism and a sign of poor work ethics (Straughan 2004, p55). More so the code of conduct is broken when one decides wrongly manipulate their position. Due to occurrence of such instances practitioners are thus warned against engaging in such kind of behaviour. It does not show their integrity and honesty. Capacity, capability and competence By being a person with capacity, capability and competence leads to enhanced professionalism and promotion of good work ethics. A practitioner is called upon to display all the three characteristics so as to be effective in their work. Capacity basically entails that one is up to task and they have the required skills to foresee the successful completion of that specific task. Therefore, with reference to this, a public relations practitioner is required to be at full capacity, upright and has clear and innovative thinking which can gr eatly impact their performance. Being capable is more or less the same as being a person with capacity. A capable person is one who can engage in a task with the correct mindset and hence propel its effective completion. Competence entails one being always on time or rather on schedule and taking their work with the serious that it deserves. Abiding by the CIP code of conduct is covered under competence. A public relations practitioner is expected to know that professional capacity and capability has limitations. An individual cannot have the capacity and capability to tackle any task that they are assigned to. At times they need help from other employees who happen to be more skilled than they are in that specific task. The basic thing is a display of realism whereby the practitioner shows good professionalism by accepting to delegate work to other employees who have the right skills and resources for a specific task. In addition to this, they are also required to promote team work by collaborating with their colleagues so as to foster competition of a certain project. By displaying such characteristics at work, a practitioner would be abiding by the requirements of the CIPR code of conduct. In addition to this, good work ethics is also displayed. Transparency and avoiding conflicts of interest This principle which is under the CPIR code of conduct entails that any practitioner has the responsibility to disclose to

Property Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Property - Essay Example It is in this scenario that the concept of property development & management comes into the picture, which provides the developer with a rigid framework for the effective development of a property. The present report will evaluate the viability of developing a small office site in a suburban London town location. All along, the report will concentrate on the information gathered on the property and will attempt to assess the viability of developing the property based on a series of valuations, funding proposals and elevations of the completed scheme. The report will initially consider, outline and assess the various important factors that will influence the decision to build and develop the property. The report therefore, would emphasize on planning the development of the property in the context of urban development, construction, quantity surveying, and design & property development. The report would then list out all the factors governing the development of the small office site and would proceed with discussing the development appraisal that was initiated as a major constituent of the property development scheme and will also model the cash flow involved. Therefore, the report would evaluate the viability of the small office site property development proposal on the whole. FACTORS AFFECTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROPERTY The concept of property development especially with regards to commercial spaces has been a subject of constant debate and a plethora of literature is available in this regard. Among the literature available, major topics of discussion have been focusing on evaluating commercial property sites on the basis of nearness to the target customer base & urban centres, location of transport facilities, the government legislation and the political situation etc. The current section will aim to outline the basic set of factors that were currently prevalent at the small office cite in suburban London.The first and the foremost factor that influenced the development of the small office site were the availability of the land, and the presence of other critical facilities. Even though the land was available, it was important to assess whether the quality of the soil was good enough for construction purposes. A civil engineer who conducted surveys of the land and certified that the proposed site was suitable evaluated the land. In addition it was also important to determine the nearness of the property to hotels and cafeterias for the purposes of the employees who would be working in the office site. It was additionally important to determine the availability of drinking water in the area. Fortunately, the area was quite populated and as such, both these needs were not a problem at all. The area was abundant with hotels and the local water department ensured a constant supply of clean drinking water. Thus, the prime concern under the property development scheme was to assess the proposed site for its physical suitability for development.The next major consideration under this was to dig into the legal restrictions of the area. This was important as certain areas had a different pattern of construction norms and adhering to the law of the land was extremely important. For this, the help

Periodontal Therapy Evaluation

Periodontal Therapy Evaluation Chapter One: Introduction The objectives of periodontal therapy as stated by the American Academy of Periodontology official guidelines are natural dentition preservation; periodontal health maintenance and improvement, comfort, esthetics, and function; and replacements provision where indicated. (Guidelines for periodontal therapy .J Periodontol 1998) Therefore, the reduction of bacterial deposits and calculus on tooth surface is one of the objectives of periodontal therapy. (Axelsson et al, 1991) This objective can be achieved with hand scalers and curettes or ultrasonic scaling instruments. (Drisko, 1998) Many clinical studies showed no difference between ultrasonic/sonic and manual procedures when treating chronic periodontitis. (Tunkel et al, 2002) Total removal of subgingival calculus with hand or ultrasonic instruments or even periodontal surgery is not possible even with periodontal surgery. (Buchanan et al., 1987; Kepic et al., 1990). While Aleo et al. (1974) demonstrated the presence of bacterial endotoxins on diseased roots; Hatfield Baumhammers (1971) first described the cytotoxic effect of diseased root surfaces in cell cultures. The former workers also detected that human gingival fibroblasts did not adhere in vitro to a root surface contaminated with LPS in 1975. Therefore, it was determined that the removal of the affected cementum was critical to the success of periodontal therapy. Nakib et al. (1982), however, in another in vitro study failed to demonstrate penetration of endotoxins into root cement of either periodontally healthy or diseased teeth. As a result, they considered intended excessive removal of cementum was not acceptable in treatment, which was reinforced by other workers findings. Also Eide et al. (1983, 1984) found that the thin cuticle seen on diseased root surfaces that was most likely stemmed from the inflammatory exudate and could mineralize so these cytotoxic substances can be incorporated. Hughes Smales (1986) and Hughes et al. (1988) also did not approve the removal of substantial amounts of cementum, as LPS was detected by immunohistochemical techniques only on the cementum surface. Interestingly, Moore et al. (1986) demonstrated that virtually all the LPS associated with periodontally involved root surfaces could be removed just by rinsing and brushing. The root cementum has been studied for the presence of endotoxins as well as bacteria themselves. Hence for example Daly et al. (1982) observed in a histological study stainable bacteria in the cementum. They have showed that for a root surface to be free of contamination, cementum must be removed. Bacteria were also detected by Adriaens et al. (1988) in both the cementum and within the dentinal tubules. These authors as a result suggested the administration of chemotherapeutics to mechanical therapy in the treatment of periodontitis was required. Schroeder Rateitschak-Pliiss (1983) sanctioned the findings of Daly et al. (1982) of resorption lacimae in the cementum showing defects of 30-80 /im in depth. Likewise they found that extensive root planing was essential to remove bacterial accumulation niches. From a clinical point of view the motive for the extensive removal of root surface material has been questioned recently. Nyman et al. (1986) disclosed in beagle dogs that for an effective treatment of periodontitis the removal of so-called diseased cementum was not needed. The roots, following flap elevation, were instrumented with curettes and a diamond bur on one side of the jaw and on the contralateral side were only cleaned with interdental rubber tips and rubber cups by means of a low abrasive polishing paste. The healing, which was assessed histometrically, was alike with both treatments and was distinguished by a junctional epithelium with subjacent non-inflamed connective tissue. Nyman et al. (1988) in a subsequent study in humans, compared results in which the root surface polishing was accompanied by calculus removal but not cementum and similar healing was again seen. Blomlof et al. (1987), in another investigation on monkeys, found new attachment to the teeth treated with detergents rather than scaling. The effects of root scaling in an in vitro model system (Lie Meyer 1977) have been studied using SEM methods and limited to semi-quantitative assessments with the Loss of Tooth Substance Index (LTSI) score. Others have tried to determine the loss of substance from the micrometer screw recordings in the light microscope, after focusing twice (Allen Rhoads 1963). The ultrasonic instrument, in a corresponding in vitro model, caused loss of tooth substance of about 250 pm and of about 50 /im after the curette use. Berkstein et al. (1987) measured the diameter of the dental root with a micrometer caliper before and after single treatment with the curette, detecting a loss of substance of about 27 pxn. The effectiveness of the procedures of root planing can be studied in two different ways. The first one, In vivo studies, by evaluating healing of tissues around the treated teeth, and the other one, in vitro studies, directly following extraction of teeth after SRP in order to observe the characteristics and cleanliness of the root planed surfaces (Kepic et al, 1990). The stereomicroscope has been used by many authors to assess the residual calculus after extraction of the root planed teeth. However, to achieve a precise study to accurately evaluate root planed surfaces, scanning electron microscope (SEM) is a prerequisite (Rateitschak-Plà ¼ss et al, 1992). Many studies, concerning both microbiological and clinical aspects, have reported beneficial results from mechanical therapy (O’ Leary et al 1986; Ash et al, 1964; Sbordone, 1990). The hand instruments, ever since, were the first choice of clinicians. These instruments believed to produce a smooth root surface; yet, considerable manual dexterity is essential for their effective operation. Also, they are so time consuming and do not have the capability of reaching deeper root surface where pockets are more than 4 mm deep (Waerhaug, 1978; Rabbani et al, 1981 ). Ultrasonic tips were formerly designed for gross scaling and supragingival calculus and stains removal. Currently, modifications have been made to these power driven instruments to have longer working lengths and smaller diameter tips, thus providing better access to deep probing sites and more effective subgingival instrumentation. Ultrasonic instruments are easy to use; yet, it is often challenging to achieve a smooth and calculus free root surface (Moskow, 1972; Jones, 1972). Studies assessing variations in the magnitude of root surface changes created by hand, sonic, and ultrasonic instruments are lacking (Walmsley et al, 2008; Oda et al, 2004; Kocher et al, 2002). Bearing in mind manual and ultrasonic scalers, some reports show that manual scalers remove more root substance (Jacobson et al, 1994), while others showed that ultrasonic scalers do so (Oda et al, 2004). Concurrently, roughness of root surface after instrumentation is one of the most described changes in the literature. The relationship between the design of the tip, applied force, angulations and ultrasonic scaler type has been reviewed and all of these variables appear to explain the roughness of instrumented root surfaces (Flemmig et al, 1998). Ribeiro et al (2006) revealed that scaling with universal ultrasonic tips and diamond-coated sonic produced similar root surface roughness, which was more than that produced by hand curettes. Furthermore, another study by (Casarin et al, 2006) showed a positive influence of the ultrasonic scaler power settings on the roughness of the surface after instrumentation. As reported by those authors, more increased roughness was noted with greater settings of power. Lie and Leknes (1985) assessed the variations produced at different power settings by means of a subjective and controversial method, the Roughness Loss of Tooth Substance Index (RLTSI). The RLTSI assesses roughness and substance loss concurrently. Nevertheless, the loss of tooth substance with the use of a specific instrument cannot be straightway correlated with the root surface roughness (Kocher, 2002; Schmidlin et al, 2001), requiring a separate evaluation (Schmidlin et al, 2001).

Privacy in work :: essays research papers

The Privacy of the individual is the most important right. It supports human dignity and other values such as freedom of association and freedom of speech. It has become one of the most important human rights of the modern age. Privacy is recognized around the world in various regions and cultures. Almost every country in the world includes a right of privacy in its constitution. Without privacy, the democratic system that we know would not exist. According to the Australian Privacy Charter â€Å"A free and democratic society requires respect for the autonomy of individuals, and limits on the power of both state and private organizations to intrude on that autonomy. The government we have today maintains and organizes our society. The elements of control are often viewed as violations of privacy. These elements are meant to protect us from irresponsible people and from hurting themselves. The laws that are in place still give privacy without invading personal lives or maybe they do invade in our lives? For some people violating into their personal life doesn’t mean anything but for other people it’s a huge problem. â€Å"Privacy is only violated when people feel they are being violated† â€Å"If people feel comfortable in their environment then privacy is not a worry† Privacy in the workplace is also becoming a problem. In American, more and more employers are monitoring their workers at job. In fact, according to the American Management Association, nearly tree quarters of U.S. companies now electronically monitor employees in several ways. Your employer can monitor your Internet usage, what sites you visit, how often, and for how long, as with e-mail. Telephone can also be a threat. If you are on the phone at work, your boss can listen in; your voice mail is also subject to monitoring. Employers own the phone system, so they can generally monitor it as they see well. Your boss can keep a record of the numbers you dial and how long you talk, and can listen to your voice mail messages, although there are some laws preventing companies from listening to employees personal calls. Furthermore Privacy can be divided into the following separate but related concepts: First of all we have the information Privacy or Data protection, which involves the establishment of rules governing the collection and handling of personal data such as credit information, and medical and government records. The second one is the Bodily privacy, which concerns the protection of people's physical selves against invasive procedures such as genetic tests, drug testing and cavity searches.

The Effects of Pornography Within Society

The history of pornography has been dated back to prehistoric times. The actual word is derived from the Greek language. The date of when the word pornographic was first used in Greek is not known but a related word â€Å"pornography† meaning â€Å"someone writing of harlots† was used in a writing called Depositories of Athenians. In the French language the word â€Å"Pornographic† was in used during the sass. The word did not enter the English language as the familiar word until 1857 or as a French import in New Orleans in 1842. Rossini, 2007) It is believed that the people of ancient societies felt it was not worthy to preserve pornography because it was customary in their society. Even though the early history of pornography is unclear there is artwork from many ancient civilizations like ancient Greece, Ancient India, and Rome where erotic pictures often appeared in religious context. (Godson) In ancient Greece the idea of pornography was very different from ours. Even though the Greeks had artwork such as paintings and pictures that depicted nudity, they were more tolerant and have different views on what was considered to be immoral and obscene.There were prostitutes that were used where the women were used and raped against their will and the men who raped them would become their husband. This was all considered to be k under the Goddess Aphrodite. There were also religious ceremonies where a woman and her partner would perform sex in public to help the crops grow. (Klutz, 2009) In ancient India nudity in art was acceptable in southern India. In Junta, India there are sculptures and pictures that depict this type of art. Historical evidence showed that most countries that are in tropical climates have people who do not wear clothes other than for fashion.The need to cover the upper halve of the body was unnecessary, only in certain parts of ancient India was the upper halve of the body dressed with precious stones or gold while the w omen would wear expensive silks and shares (Godson) In Ancient Roman society the role of pornography in society was portrayed in the form of art and in writings such as poetry. Some of the poetry that depicted pornography was in Odes to Piraeus showed descriptions of intimate sexual relationships and Catcalls and Ovid who wrote about a cruel and demanding mistress.Roman pornography was different from the Greeks because there was no entailment value and reasoning behind the porn that was depicted. Roman pornography was considered to be more towards annalistic portrayals and being purely sexual. The sexual drive for the Romans were very strong and one of their mottos was to divide and conquer in the bedroom as well as in the battlefield. (Scarping, 2012) The different forms of pornography are in writings, images, sculptures like art. In 18th-century Europe, pornography became a way for protest for people against royalty and other aristocrats.During the 20th century, restrictions on po rnography were more relaxed throughout much of Europe and North America, Hough regulations remained strict in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. In our modern culture viewing pornography in private may be considered to be offensive but there are still laws that restricts the viewing of certain types of pornography such as child porn Oinks, 2014). Depending on the culture pornography is viewed in different ways. For instance people may look at pornographic images as a religious aspect while in another culture pornography may be considered to be more erotic.Some may feel that it is completely absurd. The different parts of the world have different ways that pornography is incorporated into their societies. The perspective against pornography brings up an important issue that includes violence against women, men, and children. They also cite issues of demutualization of sex, addiction, health concerns, and relationship issues. The demutualization of sex has been linked to the overwhelm ing amount of pornography that is available for the consumer.It has been shown in studies that the amount of porn available on the Internet is directly related to the way humans hunter-gatherer brains work and the novelty of viewing person after person in a sexual encounter. This fast paced viewing overload dads to spending more time alone, voyeurism, constant novelty, and the need for shock and surprise. These types of ‘sexual encounters' leave out some important aspects of real relationships such as pheromones, emotional connection, being touched, and interacting with another person.One can easily see how this could lead to the inability to have meaningful sexual relationships due to the gradual demutualization of sex as well as being desensitizing to sexual violence. (Tessellated, 2012) A study done on the effects of pornography confirmed the idea that there is a link between high consumption of pornography and the prediction of sexual aggression. They studied the percentag e of sexual perpetration, perspectives on intimate relationships, and beliefs of the rape myth (the rape myth is belief that belittles rape and tends to blame the victim for the crime).In every area of this meta- analysis they found that exposure to pornography increases the risk for an individual to commit sexual offenses, experience struggles with intimate relationships, and have higher acceptance rates of the rape myth. â€Å"Another meta-analysis examined 30 different studies with a total of 2,040 participants and concluded that exposure to pornography increases behavioral aggression†¦ He researchers conclude that a connection between exposure to pornography and subsequent behavioral aggression exists† (Allen, Deadlines, Breezes, 1995).The sexual aggression quantities are four times higher in an individual who consumes pornography habitually. The health effects that have been associated with Internet pornography addiction include social anxiety, depression, performan ce anxiety, and erectile dysfunction. ADD, COD, social anxiety, depression, and performance anxiety are thought to be possible precursors to the addiction and can be reversed by changing their behaviors. In a study done called, â€Å"Predicting compulsive Internet use: it's all about sex! † they found that out of all the activities on the Internet, porn has the highest addictive rate.They believe this is due to the brains reward circuit and how it drives us towards natural rewards like food, close personal relationships, and sex. These drives produce the secretion of dopamine and if too much dopamine is released it can override our natural satiation mechanisms. For instance, with excess high calorie food consumption, an individual ‘s ability to feel full' becomes harder to satisfy and major health concerns an ensue. In comparison to natural reward addictions, unnatural rewards like drugs or alcohol only make addicts of about 10% of users.The more the consumption over ti me, the more the dopamine surges; this then causes the binge mechanism that causes Delta-Foss to accumulate. The build up of Delta-Foss creates the cravings for more and alters the brain with a cycle of binging and craving. If this cycle continues, the brain will have structural changes that result in a numbed pleasure response, overexcited reactions to porn, and diminished self-control. In a study done with roomer Internet porn addicts, they found that these changes in the brain can reverse back to normal once the behavior is under control.The number one reason men try to stop their consumption of porn is directly related to erectile dysfunction and sexual performance. In these cases, the Delta-Foss build up and structural changes cause the erectile dysfunction. (Tessellated, 2012) The perspectives that support pornography are some of the following: it can facilitate healthy views on sex, reduce crime or aggression, and be economically beneficial. A study, done at the Pacific Cente r for Sex and Society at the University ofHawaii, looked at the sexual violence rates in countries where pornography is legalized. They found that with the increased popularity and consumption of pornography, that rates of sexual violence were reduced. The study concluded that this could be evidence that viewing pornography can provide a ‘catharsis' for individuals who have predispositions of hostile behavior. (Pappas, 2012, Para. 4) In a Danish study done with more than 600 men and women aged 18-30, they found that that the overall consensus was that viewing pornography had a positive effect on their lives.They stated that it was beneficial for ‘sexual knowledge, attitudes toward ex, perceptions of the opposite sex, healthy sex lives, and general quality of life' (Langley, 2012, Para. 4). The economical benefits of pornography include its extensive revenue and employment. In the United States, Internet porn acquires $2. 84 billion each year, and worldwide it brings in $ 4. 9 billion. (â€Å"Porn Addiction Statistics,† n. D) The sociological implications that are intertwined with sociology are the following: Economy Although there are benefits economically, there is a decline in Jobs because of the amount that is available for free.This as a result brings a downfall in the economy of the pornographic industry. The top adult entertainment companies include Vivid Entertainment in the United States, Playboy also in the United States, Airstreams in the Netherlands and Freeness Films in Brazil. Some of the major porn producing nations are Russia, Spain, Germany, and Japan. According to topdressings. Com, in 2006 the countries that had the largest revenue from the porn is the US $13. 33 billion, South Korea had $25. 73 billion, China had $27. 40 billion, and Japan $19. 8 billion. (Cruz, 2010) The porn industry is a major part of the world economy, creating employment and large-scale revenue. According to topdressings. Com, there is over 3,000 spent every second on pornography across the world. However, it is difficult to estimate the accurate statistics for the entire industry as a large part of the industry operates underground. (Cruz, 2010) There is a problem with the pornography being watch at work. Companies are losing money on the how much time their employees spend watching at work.According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics on March 30, 2012 a study that looked at how much money was being lost because employees of an undisclosed employer. There was about 28% of people using the computers to look up porn and showed an average of $23. 3 per hour by 1 hour and 38 minutes of watching porn came up with $38 a month and $456 a year per employee. If the 132 million people who were reported as workers in March 2012 and divided to represent the 28% of people who watch porn at work ended up with 37 million people who watch porn at work causing an annual productivity loss for companies around $16. Billion. (Godliest, 2012) The re is a lot of money being spent on pornography. Some hotel chains have pornography delivered to them by one of two major distribution companies, which are Lodgment and On Command. The hotel chains have reported that there is a 5%- 0% in profit Just from pornography purchases. On the Internet search engines like Yahoo made money off selling ads and links to porn websites. The price for getting a website listed that did not have porn on it was about $200 where porn sites were $600.Yahoo had suffered a lot of criticism about a sex shop that was opened up in 2001 but closed in January 2002 because there was legal action taken against them Patrick Truman a former Chief of Justice for child exploitation and obscenity section. (Herd, 2002) On the Internet there are websites that are very popular for their pornography. The top websites are Pronoun which gets 2. Billion views monthly page views, Weaponry getting 2. 1 billion, Tube 8 getting 970 million, compared too website like Wisped whic h gets about 8 million page views monthly.The actual amount of money that porn companies are really making is not easy to find because the info is not traded in public. Although there are estimates that show since 2006 out of $3. 62 billion in rentals and video sales, pornography created $2. 84 billion. The industry is headed in a whole new direction from renting videos to digital video streaming. (Rosen, 2013) Although there is so much money being produce by this industry there re some problems that arise with all the new technologies that come along with it. The bootlegging or pirating of porn that is copy written and sold takes away from the money that can be created.The increase of free porn websites also makes it more convenient (Rosen, 2013) for someone to get hold of pornographic material in way that doesn't cost them anything but a computer and a internet connection. All of these factors play an important role in the economy of the pornographic industry. (Rosen, 2013) Famili es Pornography can have a negative impact on families and children. It can affect all members of the family. Pornography can cause a lack of interest in the conjugal relations between spouses. Couples affected by one spouse's addiction usually experience a loss of interest in sexual intercourse and good family relations.Pornography can be a gateway to infidelity and is often a main cause for divorce. Pornography can cause Just as much pain and devastation to a marriage or family as actual infidelity. It can cause divorce or separation from which deep psychological and emotional ramifications could arise for the victimized spouse and children. Children of families who are broken apart from pornography grow up with a countermanding of sexuality and can develop trust and relationship issues of their own. Children can experience traumas related to encounters with their parents' pornographic material. A study of adolescents revealed that viewing sexually explicit internet materials signi ficantly increased their uncertainties about sexuality, and it can lower their self-esteem and bring about feelings of loneliness and depression. † (Fagan) When a child lives in a home where an adult is consuming pornography, there is a risk of the child suffering from a decreased amount of time ND attention from that parent leading to emotional and psychological issues. The child is also at an increased risk of encountering pornographic material that he or she may not be sexually mature to enough to view.It is not Just the person with the addiction or compulsion of watching pornography who suffers from the negative effects it can cause. The entire family involved can be effected and is at risk for the detrimental results that can occur. Health The are many health implications that come along with the use of pornography ranging from mental and psychiatric to medical and physical health risks. The most prevalent being the psychological effects porn can have on consumers and the ir families. Some psychologists refer to the over-use of pornography an addiction while others call it a compulsion.Either way it is labeled; too much porn can have psychological ramifications that lead to serious mental health issues. Another health risk for individuals who consume pornography is an increased likelihood to engage in risky sexual behaviors that are portrayed in various films and photographs. People may not understand that the behaviors seen in pornography are acted out in a enthroned setting and attempt to reenact such behaviors in dangerous ways. Pornography does not exactly promote safe sex concerns and may cause people overlook the importance of using protection against sexually transmitted diseases.Pornography can cause people to engage in sexual activity with numerous partners because they have been desensitizing to the importance of having one meaningful partner. They seek fulfillment in many different partners and this can lead to easy spread of sexually tran smitted infections. The lack of use of protection and the involvement of numerous partners can lead to the easy spread of sexually reanimated infections. Physical injuries can occur from individuals and couples reenacting what they observe in pornography. Some people use pornography as a sort of training video.Inexperienced couples and individuals try to act out scenarios and end up physically injuring themselves. Thirty- three percent of Americans each year suffers from physical injuries during sexual activity. A portion of those incidents occurs because of pornographic influence. All of these are important health implications that need to be considered. The numerous amounts of research that have been done on the effects of orangeroot conclude with conflicting outcomes. The data found in one study can be completely different from another study.Paul Wright, who has studied sex in the media and is the assistant professor of telecommunications at Indiana University said, â€Å"It's v ery easy if you want to support one side or the other, to pull a particular study†¦ Anybody can support one side or another by simply isolating a particular study and talking about it†(Pappas, 2012, Para. 1). This misalignment of information makes the topic a still heated debate. The discrepancies on the studies have to do tit the lack of a control group. (Tessellated, 2012) Pornography has been a part of society almost as long as society itself.It affects different cultures in various ways in both positive and negative aspects. It is a sociological aspect that has been under heated debate for the different implications that are involved in the topic. There are many negative attributes that come along with pornography that have adverse affects on society but there are positives that come along with it as well. While the negative seems to outweigh the positive, pornography is an industry that is here to stay for the mime being. There is not enough scientific research to pr ove that it is unhealthy enough to remove or ban it.However, there is enough information to show it is a subject that needs to be addressed and the risks need to be made known. If proper knowledge of the consequences of pornography are more commonly known, the amount of people affected in a negative way might be significantly reduced. Work Cited: Allen, M. , Deadlines, D. , and Breezes, K. â€Å"A Meta-Analysis Summarizing the Effects of Pornography II,† Human Communication Research, Volvo. 22, Number 2 (December, 1995): up. 258-283. Fagan, P. F. (n. D. ). The Effects of Pornography on Individuals, Marriage, Families, and Children.

War Trash

War Trash Introduction War Trash is a fictional novel written by Ha Jin and published in 2004. The novel is about the predicaments of North Koreans and Chinese POWs during the Korean War. The author uses Yu Yuan to narrate the experience of POWs in the camps. War Trash is basically set in a prisoner of war camp located in South Korea.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on War Trash specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The camp hosts both North Korean and Chinese soldiers captured by the American and South Korean army. The author dwells mainly on dissimilar thoughts held by the Chinese and North Korean POWs in relation to their native countries. Ha Jin uses Yu Yuan (the narrator) to reveal the narrator’s unique perception about his life and duties. He is also used in the novel to depict his principles of fairness, friendship, love as well as respect (Whipple 1). Results There are several themes that emerge from this novel . The struggle between political ideologies (communism versus democracy) is one such theme. For example, the pro-communist camp used propaganda to force POWs to be repatriated back to North Korea and China. On the other hand, the pro-Nationalist camp employs similar strategy to compel POWs to be taken to Taiwan, an island claimed to be democratic and free. For example, the North Korean POWs are enticed by the pro-Nationalist camp to accept repatriation to Taiwan where they will enjoy free life than one offered in their native North Korea country. The relevance of this theme is also highlighted by YU Yuan. We learn that he is a victim of ridicule back at home because of his close ties with the Nationalist camp. In addition, Yuan is unable to get any gainful employment (Amend 5). This novel uses Yu Yuan’s personal view to describe the major issues of the Korean War. The major theme of War Trash is that the North Koreans and Chinese supported each other to thwart effort by South Koreans to capture Manchuria. North Koreans, either Communist or Nationalist was merely fodder for the war and would lose everything irrespective of their choices. The novel also uses Yu Yuan to describe how it is very difficult to find a path for a â€Å"good† person to live in especially if the society is corrupted. Yuan (the main character) felt responsible for his fiancà ©e and mother and decided go back to China although he was not a communist. However, according to the society, it is better to die than be captured by the enemy. He would thus be treated as a traitor to the Communist cause if he went home. Nonetheless, Yu Yuan sacrifices himself and opted to go home to take care of his mother (Amend 5).Advertising Looking for research paper on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Deception is another theme that emerges from this novel. Both side of the political divide lied to POWs. For example, the North Korean prisoners were promised by the Nationalists side a better and free life if they chose to be repatriated to Taiwan. But we learn from Yuan that this is a lie. Just like Yuan, the North Korean prisoner would receive cold reception in Taiwan due to their close ties with Communism. On the same note, if they opted to go back to their native country (North Korea), they would also be seen as traitors because they accepted to be captured by the enemy rather than die. In nutshell, both sides deceived the prisoners and everybody was used as a pawn. Thus, all characters in the novel are â€Å"war trash† (Reed Business Information1). We also learn from the novel that it is very had to find a path for a â€Å"good† person to live in a society that is corrupted. For example, the citizens living in both North Korea and mainland China are â€Å"corrupted† by Communism ideologies. Although Yuan and other POWs served their country with dedication during the war, they are accused of treason and treated as outcasts when they arrive home. The society cannot appreciate the fact that Yuan (being a good person) has decided to return home to take care of his mother. Traditionally, the Chinese and North Koreans value close family ties and young people are expected to take care of their aging family members. This is the main reason why Yuan decides to return home. However, instead of receiving praise from his members of the society for fulfilling his obligation, he is seen as a traitor (Whipple 4). Critical Review of War Trash War Trash is basically a by-product of creative imagination as well as extensive research (Yee 1). In spite of the fact that there exist some resemblance between Ha Jin (the author) and Yu Yuan (his narrator), the entire story is purely fictional. If the author feels the â€Å"full weight of the tattoo,† he does so only in his mind and soul because the tattoo is on the belly of Yu Yuan (the narrator) and not h is (Jin 5). In spite of the fact that War Trash evokes memories of a key historical occasion that affects both Yu Yuan as well as the readers, it is imperative to note that the major themes presented in this novel are not entirely about Korea, United States or China. On the contrary, the novel dwells on issues such as war and humanity which have universal appeal (Wong 5). The first chapter of the novel introduces Yu Yuan (the narrator) who happens to be a student at the Huangpu Military Academy. It is at this time (1949) when the Communist Party assumes control of China. Yu Yuan and other students at the academy willingly acknowledge the new government given their disgust of the defunct corruption-riddled Nationalist regime.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on War Trash specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More After his graduation from the military academy, Yu Yuan is posted to the head offices of the 180th Division, a unit mainly responsible for regional reconstruction. However, in 1951, the division is assigned new duties and instructed to initiates military plans to invade South Korea. After extensive training for weeks, the division finally enters Korea. While they are in Korea, the division comes under heavy attacks by America warplanes. In face of dwindling supplies of water and food and pounded by air and artillery attacks from all angles, the division disintegrates as some members of the North Korean and Chinese forces surrender. Later on, Yu Yuan joins Commissar Pei and spent his time reading Uncle Tom’s Cabin in to enhance his English skills and teach some English words to his withered counterparts. One day, the group is attacked and Yuan gets injured in the grenade explosion (Shy 3). Yu Yuan wakes up in a POW hospital and discovers that his left femur was badly injured in the grenade explosion. After undergoing several surgeries at the hospital, Yu Yuan receives news that his in jured leg will recover. Yu Yuan is taken through several physiotherapy sessions by Major Greene (a female medical doctor) to help him recover. During these sessions, Yu Yuan takes her through calligraphic lessons which she ignored to study while in a Shanghai school. He later comes into contact with Commissar Pei in a nearby compound. Pei instructs him to develop close ties with Dr. Greene in order to solicit information about the ongoing peace talks at Panmunjom. However, Yu Yuan is informed by the doctor that he is among the POWs to be transferred to Koje Island where most of the North Korean as well as Chinese prisoners of war are being held in captivity by the American forces (Shy 3). Ha Jin gives a vivid account of what transpires at the POWs camps. The struggles that emerge between American guards and their POW; between North Korean prisoners and their Chinese counterparts; and among Chinese prisoners who desire to go home and those who do not are described in somewhat spare p rose.Advertising Looking for research paper on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Nonetheless, the author is able to capitalize on the chronological events of the Korean War as a background to depict a rather multifaceted condition of love, frailty, aspiration, as well as human tragedy presented from the narrator’s (Yu Yuan) personal viewpoint (Wong 6). Following his capture, Yu Yuan is taken to Pusan city where he is registered as a prisoner of war. Yu Yuan assumes a fake identity so as to conceal his military rank from his captors. Later on, his captors transfer him to Guh-Jae-Do Island where most of the captured prisoners are held. Yu Yuan is not happy to be in the pro-Nationalist camp. This is not because of his political ideology but rather he craves to be repatriated to China, his native country, in order to be with his mother as well as his fiancà ©e. If he chooses to go to Taiwan, his credibility in China would be irreparably damaged thereby making such a return unfeasible. Although his relationship with Huangpu grants him some level of comfort, h e is immediately captured by the pro-Nationalist group and tattooed with an English phrase Fuck Communism when he states his desire to be repatriated to Mainland China, his native country (Yee 3). The value of Yu Yuan to his captors increases after his capture. It is worthy to mention that the narrator was a cadet at Huangpu Military Academy even before the Communists assumed power in 1949. In addition, Yu Yuan is extremely valued by the Chinese for is exceptional skills in the English language. He was consequently drafted as an interpreter and played key roles during the negotiations with the Americans. Yu Yuan’s propensity to keep his own counsel as well as his military and academic background alienates him from his fellow prisoners who are being enticed to either defect to what is claimed as Free China (Taiwan, an island protected by American) or go back to their native country. Most of the prisoners at the camp desire to be repatriated to their homeland for ideological or financial reasons (Wong 6). However, Yu Yan wishes to go back to his homeland for a different reason. He merely wants to be repatriated to his native country to be with his fiancà ©e Julan as well as take care of his aging mother. This isolation enables Yu Yuan to watch unfolding events around him with an objective mind unlike many other prisoners who are deeply blinded by ideological commitments. This alienation also bolsters Yu Yuan’s tendency to pay no attention to labels such friend or foe, soldier or officer, Chinese or American. It is against this background that he impulsively attempts to help the desolate and the desperate prisoners in the camps irrespective of their labels-be they animals (such as the dog Blackie) or the young Shanmin, a fellow prisoner of war (Wong 6). The author also gives a vivid description of the inhumane conditions experienced by North Koreans POW at the camp. Ha Jin describes how prisoners spent most of their time in the camp. Most of them a re bored and depressed. In addition, they spent most of their time gambling and fighting especially over food. Moreover, the anti-Communist leaders single out those prisoners who decline to sign up for the supposed Free China (Taiwan Island) for special abuse. These conditions are further aggravated by the overcrowding in the pro-Communist tents which restricts movement. Prisoners held in the pro-Communist compound are given half the food rations offered to prisoners held in the Anti-Communist camps. The head of the anti-Communist compound is known as Liu Tai, a former Nationalist army sergeant who gave in to the American army at the first opportunity. Liu has a personal guard who intimidates prisoners in the camp. In fact, he is commonly referred to as Little Caesar by the Americans. The prisoners are also denied freedom of expression. This is illustrated by Bai Dajian, a young inmate at the compound. When Dajian cynically condemns the criminal ineptitude of their Communist leaders in the war, Yu Yuan tells him to shut up because spies are everywhere (Shy 4). Following his enrollment in the Communist camp, Yu is suspected for his close association with both the pro-Nationalists as well as Huangpu. Nonetheless, he is able to win the trust of his superiors due to his knowledge of English language. The conditions at the Communist camp are much better and the POWs initiate plans for a possible confrontation. Nonetheless, they cannot match up with their counterparts in the North Korean camp who posses immense local knowledge due to their constant interactions with their Pyongyang capital. Ultimately, the North Korean camp enlists support from the Chinese camp in order to capture General Bell (the leader of all the POW camps). Yu Yuan is selected by Commissar Pei, the Chinese camp leader, to facilitate the meetings between these two camps. The Chinese pro-Communist camp amasses information and relay it to the North Korean camp. This information is used to entice Ge neral Bell to attend concession meetings then capture him (Wong 7). Later on, the POWs are transferred to better camps on the island of Cheju. Nonetheless, prisoners are unable to organize any meaningful resistance since the camps on Cheju Island are well managed and security is top-notch. To complicate the matter, Commissar Pei is detached from the rest of prisoners. As a result, prisoners feel cut off from their native country and are concerned that they will be subjected to unfair treatment when they go back to mainland China. Nevertheless, given the inventive communication methods developed at the new camp, Pei is able to convey instructions to hoist locally-produced Chinese flags to commemorate national day. In spite of the fact that this move invigorates prisoners, it turns out to be counter-productive as confrontations ensue and many prisoners die in the ensuing skirmishes (Yee 6). The author employs a colorful narration style to portray the American attacks on North Korean l ines, the terrible fatalities, the starvation conditions that compel men to survive on water and flour for prolonged periods and their sense of desertion by their regime. For example, when Yu Yuan is injured in a grenade explosion, he is taken hostage and assigned to a prisoners of war camp where both the North Korean and mainland officers control some sections of it. It is also worthy to note that the entire camp is controlled by the Americans. Han Jin enlivens the proceedings in the camp as officers attempt to maintain order while the prisoners try to conceal their true identity. This is attributed to the fact that Chinese prisoners fear the impending backlash when they return to mainland China. Yu Yuan, just like other North Korean prisoners in the camp, is powerlessly coalesced by the forces of destiny, always striving to remain alive, always striving to comply with orders from his captors (irrespective of the fact that his captors mistreat North Korean and Chinese troops). As t he war comes to an end, new problems emerge. Yu Yuan is undecided on whether to go back home or opt for Taiwan where will be censured for his close ties with the Communist side (Whipple 4). Results and discussions Character Analysis Yu Yuan symbolizes a powerless individual who is part of a system that does not respect the wellbeing of individuals. Although Yuan wishes to return to his mother and fiancà ©e, he is worried about the way the society will treat him. Just like other North Korean and Chinese POWs described in War Trash, Yuan is evidently dejected and readers sympathize with him in spite of the fact that his personal character arises from his intrinsic character. Although War Trash portrays a whole culture, it does not dwell on love story, an aspect that joins other war novels and creates a link with readers. Nonetheless, War Trash stands out as a captivating and satisfying novel for readers who crave to learn about the influence of culture on behavior (Whipple 6). The au thor employs the historical background of the Korean War to present a vivid description of the characters in the War Trash. The characters are depicted as discrete social types: the feeble ones who lose hope and die; the collaborators; and the leaders who are undeniably motivated by a goal bigger than themselves. The creativity of the author is manifested by his characters in the novel: Yuan, the various North Korean Nationalists, American soldiers and Commissar Pei are extremely individualized. Nevertheless, they all mirror something of the social type. In other words, these characters depict the discrete marks of their social histories. All these characters- the intellectual jerked by revolution and war, the illiterate peasant enlisted into the army, the criminals, the coward who gives in or dies under pressure, the political elites inspired by higher ideologies, are all incarcerate in the POW camps. The real individual attributes and social type of a given character are interlace d together generating neither a fantastic phantom nor a stereotype. These types of characters exist even today. Yu Yuan inquires from an American prison priest why prisoners at the camp receive unequal treatment yet they are all sinners. The chaplain respond by saying that this is the way things should be carried out since Communist is wicked. It is worthy to note that this theme is very relevant today because if Islam was to replace Communism in any American camp today, it is highly likely that the same scene will replay itself (English 5). The novel also talks about the difficulties North Korean (and China) citizens experience as a result of political unrest. Often, the entire lives of the characters depicted in War Trash are determined by political commotions over which they had no control. War Trash poses salient questions on whether a person can truly live a free and good life in the society. The novel is about Yu Yuan who is valued by his Communist army and his captors because for his knowledge of English language. Although his does not subscribe to Communist Ideology, he must choose either to be repatriated to mainland China or Taiwan. Both choices have consequences. Nonetheless, he opts for China in order to be able to take care of his mother. It is also worthy note that the North Korean POWs have no value to the Communist Party who vilified them after the war ended irrespective of the numerous acts of loyalty they showed. Their only crime was that they were captured by the enemy (Reed Business Information 2). War Trash proceeds to reveal that devotion to a goal bigger than an individual is precisely how the characters regain self-respect. Yu Yuan is a moderately non-political individual. However, the sadism and hypocrisy of the Nationalist side makes him an active resister under Stalinist regime. It is worthy to note that this was the prevailing spirit during the war. Both the North Korean and Chinese people were against national and foreign tormenter s. War Trash reveals the manner in which these social processes take place in a prisoners of war camp. The novel uses great compassion to describe the feelings of unfair treatment and injustice that Yu Yuan and other inmates experience. They are subjected to poor conditions, torture, beatings and even some of their fellow inmates are killed. Nonetheless, they are able to affirm themselves as complete humans (Amend 76). Amend, Allison. Multicultural Voices: Asian-American Writers. New York: InfoBase Publishing, 2010. Print. English, Sandy. â€Å"Novel About POWs Wins PEN/Faulkner Award.† 2005. Web. Jin Ha. War Trash: A novel. New York: Pantheon Books, 2004. Print. Reed Business Information. â€Å"Editorial Reviews.† 2009. Web. Shy, John. â€Å"Ha Jin’s War Trash: Novel as Historical Evidence.† 2005. Web. Whipple, Mary. â€Å"Seeing the World through Books.† 2011. Web. Wong, C. Timothy. â€Å"A Review of War Trash: A Novel.† 2006. Web. Yee, D anny. â€Å"Danny Yee’s Book Reviews.† 2008. Web.

Crime and Violence essays

Crime and Violence essays Crime and Violence in television has been an issue since the beginning of popular media. Many people think that a lot of Crime and Violence go hand in hand with shows and movies seen on television. The section of the paper will discuss TV violence and how it effects young viewers. American children watch an average of three to fours hours of television daily. Television can be a powerful influence in developing value systems and shaping behavior. Unfortunately, much of today's television programming is violent. Hundreds of studies of the effects of TV violence on children and teenagers have found that children may: Become "immune" to the horror of violence; Gradually accept violence as a way to solve problems; Imitate the violence they observe on television; and Identify with certain characters, victims and/or victimizers Children follow what they see done. If they see something done on TV portrayed in a good light, or at least in a way that is not very detrimental, then they feel like it may be a good thing. If they respect the person or people in what they see, then they would want to emulate them. This can be good, if children are not barraged with violent act after violent act. According to an American Psychological Association task force report on television and American society (Huston, et al., 1992), by the time the average child leaves elementary school, he or she will have witnessed at least 8,000 murders and more than 100,000 other assorted acts of violence on television. Studies have been done to show that children that watch violent shows are more likely to behave violent in their adult life than without violent shows. Children that watch these shows are unable to distinguish right from wrong in real life when comparing it to a world where the rules of real life do not fully apply. The differences between the real and the fictional are hard for a young child to see, ...

At&t in China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

At&t in China - Essay Example AT&T also needed to reconsider how its decentralized organizational structure could serve as a barrier in China where product pricing are mixed up with other factors in sealing contracts. Another barrier to be faced with a long-term view was that telecoms sector in China would probably remain a heavy regulated industry for a long-time. Like media and utilities, the telecoms industry is a sector that Chinese authorities would not trust wholly into the hands of foreigners because of its national security implications. It must be assumed that since AT&T already signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) in February 1993 with the Chinese authorities allowing AT&T to offer its broad array of services in the country albeit jointly with the Chinese government meant that at even with the regulated aspect of the telecom industry, the company had been given room to negotiate terms in their undertakings. And even when the United States threatened to tie China's human rights record to the renewal of its Most Favored Nation Status - AT&T, being the America's biggest telecom firm was at an opportune time to use it to leverage its influence on the US government and use it to negotiate some favorable terms from the Chinese government. To be able to compete in China, AT&T needed to address three fronts so as to keep up with the challenge - first, the heavy regulated aspect of the Chinese telecommunicat... whose focus is to provide direct telephone services as could be seen in its primary operations in the United States was a challenge in China where providing actual telephone services was closed off to foreign companies. It must then re-focus on manufacturing and systems and network infrastructure build-up for the state enterprise agencies responsible for purchase of telecom equipment at least for the short term while actual provision of telephone services were yet closed off. The decision of whether to embark on a national manufacturing strategy must be deferred according to the set-up of the telecom industry in China, where economic decision making had been decentralized to the local government units.1 AT&T could focus building manufacturing plants on targeted locations based on which provinces or regions offer the best deals in terms of market access, tax breaks, availability of manpower, availability of competitive facilities and utilities, etc. But first it must explore venues to establish joint ventures with local Chinese companies especially in the field of 5ESS switch manufacturing, VLSI manufacturing, network management expertise, R&D with Bell Labs, optical transmission manufacturing, wireless manufacturing, customer premises equipment manufacturing, training, systems integration, and network service offerings.2 The strategy of having local Chinese partners would greatly help a foreign company such as AT&T to smoothen relationships with Chinese telecom regulators. Local partners would also offer valuable insights into the unique aspects of the Chinese market, with the special note that AT&T in 1993 had very few years of experience in terms of international or global strategizing. The importance of local partners takes an even more importance as the foreign

Conflict Diamonds Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Conflict Diamonds - Essay Example These wars till date have caused a loss of around 3.7 million lives. Now that the war in Sierra Leone and Angola are over, and DRC is also cooling down, the problem of conflict diamonds still exist (Seigel, 133; Conflict Diamonds: Did someone die for that diamond). In 1992, the UN Security Council took steps to solve the problem, but was a failure. In 1993, embargo was imposed on arms trade and diamond exports by the UN Security Council. In 1997, military takeover in Sierra Leone and collapse of Lome’ peace agreement in 2000 showed the same picture. In 2000, an embargo on diamond export from Sierra Nevada was also proposed, but all these did little to solve the crisis situation in these African countries. Causes and Impacts The direct impact of the ‘conflict diamonds’ situation can be seen as the two main problems that need to be discussed here - one is the refugee problem and the other being the child soldiers. The source of this ongoing refugee problem started f rom December 1989 with a rebellion between Liberia and Ivory Coast. It was reported that by March 1990, almost 84,000 Liberians had sought refuge in the neighboring country of Guinea, which was where most fleeing people would seek shelter. When talks of negotiation broke off between the governments of both these countries, a fierce rebellion triggered in Liberia in June 1990, and the refugees were now starting to take shelter in Sierra Leone in large numbers. Most people residing in the common area of border like that of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone started crossing the borders in the form of refugees. These refugees, instead of taking the longer routes, came through the shortest of the ways as crow flies to attend to periodic churches and with alibi of businesses. One major problem was that these refugees, instead of living in the refugee camps started cohabiting in local areas with local people. Land provided to them by the local authorities was used to settle down by construc ting rough unplanned houses as the neighboring areas started becoming overcrowded. Initially, there was co-operation from the host country, but tensions started arising when their numbers started multiplying. Even in some areas, the number of refugees exceeded the number of local people. Tensions started elevating when the rural Liberian refugees could not quite cope up with the urban styles of dressing and mind-set. The tensions were elevated further when there were reduction of already very little resources, mainly due to sloth reaction of the aid agencies. The hosts were never prepared to share their impoverished resources (Magbaily Fyle, 37-47). The second and graver problem arising from the conflict of blood diamond is the increase in the size of child soldiers. According to United Nations (UN), number of child soldiers increased from 200,000 to 300,000 during the period ranging from 1988 to 2002. The increasing use of child soldiers are a slur in the face of the wide claims of various international laws that claim to exert their influence in shielding children from both forceful and voluntary deployment in civil wars throughout Africa. The Liberian war of 1989-1995 shows not the state’s army, but an incredible proportion of children among the rebels. Some conflicts also show a different trend of deploying more child soldiers by the government itself. In Africa, by