English as a Global Language

English as a global language English is spoken in most parts of the world, for instance in Great Britain, the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and in many more countries. Moreover in African states English serves as main form of communication. English is, after the Chinese one, the language most people speak and it is the most popular second language and foreign language pupils learn in school. The English language is often named as a â€Å"killer language† that wipes out smaller languages and their cultures by exclusive use (f. e. media, economy). English is not popular because of its linguistic properties but there are conscious, co-ordinated promotion programmes. But if there are so many speaking the same language there remains the question of human’s diversity – concerning biological, cultural and political matters. We also have to take into consideration, that English as a global language is also linked to social costs, because the teaching and accommodat ion of the languages for immigrant minorities is rather irrational. Language policy in the post-colonial situation: There are a lot of colonial states with multilingual character because of the imperialist powers in the 19th and 20th century. In Africa, for example, there are no attempts to use any African language in high-status functions, they are not even taught in schools. The period during colonialism changed a lot in the world’s history and following development, and colonialism make us think about cheap rawmaterials and workers the imperialist powers wanted to gain, but we often forget about something else, which an African statesman expresses in his speech: The real aim of colonialism was to control the people’s _wealth†¦ but) economic and political control can never be complete or effective without mental control. To control a people’s culture is to control their tools of self-definition in relationship to others. For colonialism, this involved two aspects of the same process: the destruction or the deliberate undervaluing of a people’s culture, their art, dances, religions, history, geography, education, orature and literature, and the conscious elevation of the language of the coloniser. The domination of a people’s language by the languages of the colonising nations was crucial to the domination of the mental universe of the colonised. Ngugi wa Thiong’o (extract from his famous essay on â€Å"The language of African literature†) But there are several arguments for the demand of the adoption of the ex-colonial languages as official ones. First, regarded politically, the choice of any indigenous language would destabilise African states which are multilingual. A second argument would be, that the continue use of the ex-colonial language is rather â€Å"practical† because in the end it was accepted by the majority. From having been the language of the oppressor, English, for instance, became the language of national unity and national liberation. There was a sense (economically and technically) in ex-colonial languages, because then they are linked to their â€Å"mother country† and the language-infrastructure delivers a pool of skills, like as prorate books, dictionaries, registers, etc. It would be useless to imitate and duplicate in any of African languages. But these arguments were not often used in cultural discussions, because the European languages often affect as superior to the indigenous â€Å"vernaculars†. The development seems to be inevitable because with the problem of unemployment, the ability to speak English is very important, but English can’t be blamed for the developments demanding an international lingua franca to facilitate a world wide exchange of knowledge everyone can understand. Killer languages were always introduced by those who were in control of power. The USA with the strongest currency the Dollar, shows that it is not coincidental that English is the leading candidate as a global language. Because of the English predominance in the industrial world, more and more peoples will have to join in and the question remains if they are able to keep their own identities. There is no danger if regional groups manage to keep their own language for internal communication, but in less developed countries the members of small linguistic groups have to change to a language of a higher rank in the language hierarchy. Because that way they are more flexible and the chances in world-wide competition are bigger. In Australia parents even force their children to speak English instead of their own indigenous mother tongue, because they want to provide them better chances for their future. Shortly, you can say that by surviving in a capitalistic system of competition many peoples are forced to support a process which destroys their own culture. In Countries of GB’s old colonial empire (e. g. : Australia, USA, Canada, New Zealand) the native populations were either killed or enslaved, and the Anglo- Saxon culture and language were adopted. This seemed to be a natural process. In Africa the new system of additive bilingualism shall be introduced now. That means that the 1st language maintains and a second one is added. This system developed out of the Bantu Education, which inforced black schoolchildren to learn English with the help of a racist curriculum (Stundenplan). But African children rebelled which is called the_ Soweto Uprising of 1976_, by now. This truly baneful legacy of Apartheid and a lack of will amongst most of the political leadership are the main reasons why there is no successful policy of multilingualism and multilingualistic education in Africa yet. On contrary, there’s really a language problem like in India and other former colonies. The leaders followed the French or English only (or mainly) language policies after formal independence from the colonial rule. Most of these countries returned to their mother – tongue within. Prof. Alexander Neville thinks, that if additive bilingualism is carried out systematically but flexibly, there should be a high level of literacy in Africa in the course of the next century (1 African language and at least some fluency in English for all Africans). African schools could normalise (competent language teachers like most countries of the world). We think this is a rather optimistic view. But what is the right way to learn a language? In the Internet Research there are some conditions quoted as important to learn a 2nd language: Teachers‘ language proficiency Teachers‘ competence as teachers (understand and overcome pupils‘ problems) Exposure to the language outside the classroom Adequate textbooks and material There’s a need for one or two world languages in the fields of trade, technology and diplomacy. But there’s a global tension between this need on one hand, and the national and regional need for a language in which the history and treasures of the cultures of the world‘s diverse peoples, are captured, on the other hand. Nowadays, as English is the lingua franca of the EU, massive efforts of translation and interpretation have to be taken. A lingua franca and Multilingualism should stand side by side, forming a common language policy. Changes in the Teaching of English David Crystal (Author of „English as a Global Languageâ€Å") thinks that English became the world language not because of any intrinsic linguistic qualities, but because at significant moments in history it happened to be ‘in the right place at the right time'. â€Å"The Future of English? by Graddol, suggests that English is at a turning point in its development as an international language: it has become a global language at a time when the world itself is undergoing rapid change. Indeed, English is very much a part of the process of transformation, which is creating a more closely interconnected world in which people and machines talk easily to each other from one country to any other in the world. It is clear that mo re and more people learning English as a foreign language do so in order to communicate with other non-native speakers of English. This marks a significant change in the nature and purpose of teaching and learning English around the world, which has hitherto been built on the idea of teaching a native speaker model of English (usually British or American) to allow communication between the learner and native speakers. If you consider, that the number of people speaking English as a second language will soon outnumber the one of those speaking it as a first tongue, you will understand, that also the way of teaching English has to change. Therefor new methods of English Language teaching (ELT) have been developed to be able to teach also the diverse and changing contexts in which English will be used in the future. There are courses on the Internet and special groups, where English teachers from all over the world discuss about the new challenge of their profession. Diana and Julia Brugger Opinions: What makes a global language? Why is English a leading candidate? Will it hold this position? A few years ago I travelled around Europe with a friend. Although we knew only a little French, we were able to travel with no problem. Everyone we encountered, with a few exceptions, spoke English. It was comforting to be able to communicate with others when we were lost, needed help or just wanted to talk. Personally, I think a universal language would benefit most people. I agree, however, that one should not replace native languages. Native languages are symbols of culture, the past and its people. From what we have learned so far I think a universal language would have maybe eliminated some of the oppression and subordination some peoples faced at the hands of colonisers. Cheryl Fonda Undoubtedly, the English language is a powerful tool and has been a dominant force in suppressing the colonies during Imperialism. Fortunately, Pakistan ( my native country) which was under British rule did not let go of it's native language despite British influence. English remains the official language, but we have our own national language called Urdu, which is quite dominant. Shandana *Khanzada* (Pakistan) I guess from the heading of this posting that we would assume that English would be a great candidate for this universal language. I do feel that it might eliminate some tension if everyone had access to a certain universal language and couldn't be exploited as easily. However, most diplomats and such already speak English. It is the poor of every nation that don't have access to English education, so the hierarchy still continues. The universal language would cause exploitation of poor by the rich. The only difference is that it would not be a nation exploiting another but people of a nation exploiting there own countrymen. Wesley Edwards We as English speakers take a lot for granted†¦ when it comes to languages we are very self-centred. True a universal language would make business and politics much easier, but each language carries much of a culture. If you have ever tried translating poetry from one language to another you know how words don't have exact translations and almost all subtleties are lost. Think about even within the English language†¦ each dialect ( southern, Midwest, New England) has its own character. Elizabeth Nelson A universal language sounds great in theory but the work that implementing it would entail is overwhelming to say the least. I too have travelled to other countries and have felt very lucky when others know English and were able to help me. —Americans should really know other languages well considering the resources we have here, but the truth of the matter is that we do not. I think a universal language would be more convenient but it would eventually wipe out certain difference among us that serve as positive vehicles for learning and experience. Laura Sykes English as a Global Language English as a global language English is spoken in most parts of the world, for instance in Great Britain, the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and in many more countries. Moreover in African states English serves as main form of communication. English is, after the Chinese one, the language most people speak and it is the most popular second language and foreign language pupils learn in school. The English language is often named as a â€Å"killer language† that wipes out smaller languages and their cultures by exclusive use (f. e. media, economy). English is not popular because of its linguistic properties but there are conscious, co-ordinated promotion programmes. But if there are so many speaking the same language there remains the question of human’s diversity – concerning biological, cultural and political matters. We also have to take into consideration, that English as a global language is also linked to social costs, because the teaching and accommodat ion of the languages for immigrant minorities is rather irrational. Language policy in the post-colonial situation: There are a lot of colonial states with multilingual character because of the imperialist powers in the 19th and 20th century. In Africa, for example, there are no attempts to use any African language in high-status functions, they are not even taught in schools. The period during colonialism changed a lot in the world’s history and following development, and colonialism make us think about cheap rawmaterials and workers the imperialist powers wanted to gain, but we often forget about something else, which an African statesman expresses in his speech: The real aim of colonialism was to control the people’s _wealth†¦ but) economic and political control can never be complete or effective without mental control. To control a people’s culture is to control their tools of self-definition in relationship to others. For colonialism, this involved two aspects of the same process: the destruction or the deliberate undervaluing of a people’s culture, their art, dances, religions, history, geography, education, orature and literature, and the conscious elevation of the language of the coloniser. The domination of a people’s language by the languages of the colonising nations was crucial to the domination of the mental universe of the colonised. Ngugi wa Thiong’o (extract from his famous essay on â€Å"The language of African literature†) But there are several arguments for the demand of the adoption of the ex-colonial languages as official ones. First, regarded politically, the choice of any indigenous language would destabilise African states which are multilingual. A second argument would be, that the continue use of the ex-colonial language is rather â€Å"practical† because in the end it was accepted by the majority. From having been the language of the oppressor, English, for instance, became the language of national unity and national liberation. There was a sense (economically and technically) in ex-colonial languages, because then they are linked to their â€Å"mother country† and the language-infrastructure delivers a pool of skills, like as prorate books, dictionaries, registers, etc. It would be useless to imitate and duplicate in any of African languages. But these arguments were not often used in cultural discussions, because the European languages often affect as superior to the indigenous â€Å"vernaculars†. The development seems to be inevitable because with the problem of unemployment, the ability to speak English is very important, but English can’t be blamed for the developments demanding an international lingua franca to facilitate a world wide exchange of knowledge everyone can understand. Killer languages were always introduced by those who were in control of power. The USA with the strongest currency the Dollar, shows that it is not coincidental that English is the leading candidate as a global language. Because of the English predominance in the industrial world, more and more peoples will have to join in and the question remains if they are able to keep their own identities. There is no danger if regional groups manage to keep their own language for internal communication, but in less developed countries the members of small linguistic groups have to change to a language of a higher rank in the language hierarchy. Because that way they are more flexible and the chances in world-wide competition are bigger. In Australia parents even force their children to speak English instead of their own indigenous mother tongue, because they want to provide them better chances for their future. Shortly, you can say that by surviving in a capitalistic system of competition many peoples are forced to support a process which destroys their own culture. In Countries of GB’s old colonial empire (e. g. : Australia, USA, Canada, New Zealand) the native populations were either killed or enslaved, and the Anglo- Saxon culture and language were adopted. This seemed to be a natural process. In Africa the new system of additive bilingualism shall be introduced now. That means that the 1st language maintains and a second one is added. This system developed out of the Bantu Education, which inforced black schoolchildren to learn English with the help of a racist curriculum (Stundenplan). But African children rebelled which is called the_ Soweto Uprising of 1976_, by now. This truly baneful legacy of Apartheid and a lack of will amongst most of the political leadership are the main reasons why there is no successful policy of multilingualism and multilingualistic education in Africa yet. On contrary, there’s really a language problem like in India and other former colonies. The leaders followed the French or English only (or mainly) language policies after formal independence from the colonial rule. Most of these countries returned to their mother – tongue within. Prof. Alexander Neville thinks, that if additive bilingualism is carried out systematically but flexibly, there should be a high level of literacy in Africa in the course of the next century (1 African language and at least some fluency in English for all Africans). African schools could normalise (competent language teachers like most countries of the world). We think this is a rather optimistic view. But what is the right way to learn a language? In the Internet Research there are some conditions quoted as important to learn a 2nd language: Teachers‘ language proficiency Teachers‘ competence as teachers (understand and overcome pupils‘ problems) Exposure to the language outside the classroom Adequate textbooks and material There’s a need for one or two world languages in the fields of trade, technology and diplomacy. But there’s a global tension between this need on one hand, and the national and regional need for a language in which the history and treasures of the cultures of the world‘s diverse peoples, are captured, on the other hand. Nowadays, as English is the lingua franca of the EU, massive efforts of translation and interpretation have to be taken. A lingua franca and Multilingualism should stand side by side, forming a common language policy. Changes in the Teaching of English David Crystal (Author of „English as a Global Languageâ€Å") thinks that English became the world language not because of any intrinsic linguistic qualities, but because at significant moments in history it happened to be ‘in the right place at the right time'. â€Å"The Future of English? by Graddol, suggests that English is at a turning point in its development as an international language: it has become a global language at a time when the world itself is undergoing rapid change. Indeed, English is very much a part of the process of transformation, which is creating a more closely interconnected world in which people and machines talk easily to each other from one country to any other in the world. It is clear that mo re and more people learning English as a foreign language do so in order to communicate with other non-native speakers of English. This marks a significant change in the nature and purpose of teaching and learning English around the world, which has hitherto been built on the idea of teaching a native speaker model of English (usually British or American) to allow communication between the learner and native speakers. If you consider, that the number of people speaking English as a second language will soon outnumber the one of those speaking it as a first tongue, you will understand, that also the way of teaching English has to change. Therefor new methods of English Language teaching (ELT) have been developed to be able to teach also the diverse and changing contexts in which English will be used in the future. There are courses on the Internet and special groups, where English teachers from all over the world discuss about the new challenge of their profession. Diana and Julia Brugger Opinions: What makes a global language? Why is English a leading candidate? Will it hold this position? A few years ago I travelled around Europe with a friend. Although we knew only a little French, we were able to travel with no problem. Everyone we encountered, with a few exceptions, spoke English. It was comforting to be able to communicate with others when we were lost, needed help or just wanted to talk. Personally, I think a universal language would benefit most people. I agree, however, that one should not replace native languages. Native languages are symbols of culture, the past and its people. From what we have learned so far I think a universal language would have maybe eliminated some of the oppression and subordination some peoples faced at the hands of colonisers. Cheryl Fonda Undoubtedly, the English language is a powerful tool and has been a dominant force in suppressing the colonies during Imperialism. Fortunately, Pakistan ( my native country) which was under British rule did not let go of it's native language despite British influence. English remains the official language, but we have our own national language called Urdu, which is quite dominant. Shandana *Khanzada* (Pakistan) I guess from the heading of this posting that we would assume that English would be a great candidate for this universal language. I do feel that it might eliminate some tension if everyone had access to a certain universal language and couldn't be exploited as easily. However, most diplomats and such already speak English. It is the poor of every nation that don't have access to English education, so the hierarchy still continues. The universal language would cause exploitation of poor by the rich. The only difference is that it would not be a nation exploiting another but people of a nation exploiting there own countrymen. Wesley Edwards We as English speakers take a lot for granted†¦ when it comes to languages we are very self-centred. True a universal language would make business and politics much easier, but each language carries much of a culture. If you have ever tried translating poetry from one language to another you know how words don't have exact translations and almost all subtleties are lost. Think about even within the English language†¦ each dialect ( southern, Midwest, New England) has its own character. Elizabeth Nelson A universal language sounds great in theory but the work that implementing it would entail is overwhelming to say the least. I too have travelled to other countries and have felt very lucky when others know English and were able to help me. —Americans should really know other languages well considering the resources we have here, but the truth of the matter is that we do not. I think a universal language would be more convenient but it would eventually wipe out certain difference among us that serve as positive vehicles for learning and experience. Laura Sykes

Marketing Emotiv

Emotiv Case BACKGROUND: By October 2007, Emotiv Systems Inc. had developed a mind reading device called EPOC, which had the ability to process brain signals in order to measure 30 different mental states. Founded in 2003 (with $1 million in startup money from four partners and $17 million in additional financing mainly from Technology Venture Partners and Epicure Capital Partners), the company's research and development team incorporated existing electroencephalography technologies to introduce a relatively inexpensive and effective cognitive and emotional recognition system.Management at Emotiv believed that video gaming applications represented a solid opportunity for the EPOC technology. EPOC would allow gaming users to move onscreen objects or support secondary features using their thought patterns. With the product ready to launch, the company had to decide how to market EPOC. Emotiv wanted to launch the product in 12 to 14 months, in time for the 2008 holiday season.Although it s new product was generating much interest across the gaming industry, it had yet to secure a partnership for the sale and marketing of EPOC with one of the three major video gaming consoles (Sony PlayStation3, Microsoft Xbox 360, and Nintendo Wii). The Nintendo Wii seemed like a perfect fit. The Wii was established to provide interactive movement games for casual users. Thought games seemed like the next natural step for Nintendo. In addition, Wii had a leading 42. 1% share of the gaming market in the United States. Partnering with the leader would certainly give Emotiv more exposure.However, the Wii was not compatible with the EPOC system because it lacked the computational power the run the advanced EPOC system. It would also have made sense for Sony to jump on board with Emotiv, as it was attempting to turn around plummeting sales. However, poor interorganizational conflict within Sony slowed talks between the two companies. Sony's European division did offer Emotiv a contract f or a dumped down version of EPOC, but that was never really a viable option for Emotiv (it would have hurt Emotiv's image and consumer perceptions of EOPC).Microsoft was highly interested, but did not want to be a first mover on the new technology. It wanted to wait for the EPOC to prove its popularity and worth. To further add to Emotiv's problems, there were no games incorporating EPOC yet. It would be very expensive for Emotiv to produce games internally, and the Electronic Arts (the leading gaming manufacturer) had a wait-and-see approach similar to that of Microsoft. It was now time for Emotiv to make decisions on its marketing strategy. Should it wait until it locked in a major gaming partner to launch EPOC?Or should it launch in the PC gaming market? Emotiv also faced many questions related to the price, distribution, and promotion of EPOC. Their choice and the success of the marketing plan would affect the future profitability of the company. RECOMMENDATION: My recommendatio n would be for Emotiv to initially enter to PC gaming market. Even though it was less lucrative than the console gaming market (only a fifth of the size) and continuing to lose market share, the PC market was easier to enter because games featuring EPOC would be relatively simple to produce.By merely releasing compatibility codes, independent users could easily build EPOC applications into new or existing games, representing a stark difference from the cumbersome game development process in the console market. The wide availability of titles would help promote adoption of the new technology and add to customers' perceived value of the product. Even if the company was able to immediately find a console partner, sales may be low due to a scarcity of games for EPOC. I believe Emotiv should price EPOC at the highest price point advised by retailers, which was $399. Emotiv should create an exclusive product and brand.From its price to its distribution to its positioning statement, the co mpany should portray that EPOC gives users a high customer value. On the distribution front, EPOC should be sold on its own website and at specialty electronics retailers such as Brookstone, which is known for offering the latest and most innovative high-tech gizmos. I think a positing statement that would indicate high value and resonate with consumers is â€Å"Imagine the Unimaginable. † (See Exhibit 1 for the ad containing this positioning statement). The statement conveys that EPOC offers a unique experience.This is important because a distinct user experience is the key point of difference that separates EPOC from other products. Brand value is often created through usage and the customer's overall experience. Thus, I would suggest Emotiv produce one game showcasing the best that EPOC has to offer. The game could be bungled in the sale of the EPOC, giving users an initial application and tutorial for the device. The company had a $2. 5 million offer from Demiurge Studios to develop a PC game to give the user a demonstration of the capabilities of mind-controlled interactivity.The game would feature a martial arts master lifting rocks or walking on water using the user's thoughts. Once the company had its EPOC headset and game ready to launch, it should begin to distribute these items to various influential opinion leaders. Distribution to employees at tech magazines and tech television stations would be ideal. Favorable reviews by sources such as PC Magazine as well as G4 TV and Tech TV would quickly spread word about EPOC. Advertising could also be done using these same mediums. The niche hard-core gamers segment routinely follows these media outlets.Therefore, it would make sense to concentrate on these sources. EPOC also had favorable reviews at industry tradeshows. To gain more exposure, I would advise Emotiv to continue to appear at various tradeshows across the nation, and maybe even host their own conference. The high-profile 2008 Game Devel oper's Conference was five months away. Emotiv should use the event to demonstrate their breakthrough product and create enthusiasm by announcing a launch date. The holiday season would be strategic time to launch, as discretionary consumer spending increases during that time.Management's plan was to release EPOC for the 2008 holiday season, and I would encourage Emotiv to stick with that idea. As the company generates attention and increases awareness for EPOC, it will likely gain a partnership with a major console as they had been seeking. At that time, Emotiv could move from the niche hard-gamers segment to a mass marketing strategy that would also target casual gamers that play for entertainment and fun. The inroads created by their initial strategy can help the company achieve this goal. BASIS FOR RECOMMENDATION: The PC gaming market provides a solid first step or the company. There are significantly fewer barriers to entry in this market. Customers in the PC gaming market tend to be hard-core gamers that spend thousands of dollars upgrading their computers. As such, hard-core gamers would likely be the early adopters of EPOC anyway. In fact, the prospect of a brain computer interface was already creating buzz and generating excitement in online hard-core gamer blogs. I feel that the hard-core gamer segment is a strong target segment, and natural first step for EPOC. Gaming for hard-core users is a lifestyle.They use video games and peripherals for the experience and seek as much reality as possible. EPOC fits this group's needs perfectly, and provides substantial customer value. Thus, a high price tag would be warranted. The price skimming would give Emotiv more flexibility as it eventually moves into the mass market. From a cost benefit standpoint, the move is an optimal strategy. The PC market generates higher margins because the company does not have to pay royalties to console partners. The fee in the console market is usually between 3% and 4% of sa les.Selling the EPOC in Brookstone is a good strategy to target customer looking for the next cool gadget (Brookstone would attract this type of customer), but the company would also be able to negotiate much better terms than the 35% margins that Best Buy demands. Emotiv should be able to exploit hard-core gamers due to the concentrated nature of that market. Adverting costs would be kept minimal, as ads in tech magazines and on television stations command much lower rates than would primetime placements to target the mass market.At a price of $399, the company would need to sell 213,399 units by the end of 2009 in order the breakeven (See Exhibit 2 for a full breakeven analysis). This seems like an attainable sales level for the company. With time, I believe EPOC will become popular enough to move to the mass market. Following the successful launch of EPOC, Microsoft, Sony, and Electronic Arts would be more willing to work with Emotiv. The pace at which the industry adopts EPOC de pends on many factors. An opportunity for the company to accelerate the conversion from niche to mass markets would be a partnership with an influential company like Apple.Their products are widely recognized as being highly innovative. An iPad app that supported the EPOC system could drive sales, making EPOC mainstream quicker. (See Exhibit 3 for a full SWOT analysis for Emotiv). Once the EPOC technology is adopted by the major consoles, I believe its growth can be similar to that of Guitar Hero. Like Guitar Hero, EPOC is an add-on device that creates an interactive experience for the user. The video game industry is rapidly changing, and casual fans are increasingly demanding the kind of games that EPOC can provide.An optimistic sales forecast once the EPOC reaches the mass market could be estimated with an analogy to Guitar Hero (See Exhibit 4 for an optimistic EPOC sales forecast by analogy to Guitar Hero sales). Once EPOC becomes mainstream, sales could quickly increase to more than one million units annually. Although advertising expenses, distribution costs, and royalties paid to console and video game manufacturers would increase, the company would realize a cost savings for manufacturing. After one million units, the incremental cost per unit drops from $110 to $60.ASSUMPTIONS AND UNCERTAINTIES: In the breakeven analysis, I assumed that Brookstone would receive a 20% margin on the sale of EPOC, significantly lower than the 35% margin that Best Buy demands. I am assuming that hard-core gamers will pay an elevated price for a product that provides mainly secondary features, as hard-core gamers usually play fast-paced shooting games that have less of a need for EPOC in the main features of the game. There is also a huge assumption that EPOC will be successful enough to encourage a console maker to adopt the technology.Finally, comparing EPOC to Guitar Hero would be the best case scenario for Emotiv. Casual gamers are harder to reach than hard-core gamers . They could be highly price sensitive (EPOC will be priced at $399 compared to Guitar Hero's $99 price) and expensive to attract (because they are more fragmented and ad space on primetime television would be more costly). EPOC will also have to compete with demand for newer versions of Guitar Hero, which could cut into its sales. ACTION STEPS: Emotiv should immediately contact Demiurge Studios, so it can have the tutorial game ready as soon as possible.Emotiv should showcase EPOC at the 2008 Game Developer's Conference in March 2008. At this point, it should distribute the headset and game to influential opinion leaders across the gaming industry. Hopefully this will create buzz for the release of EPOC. The release should be slighly ahead of the holiday shopping season, in early November 2008. As sales build, the company should continue to target a partnership with a console maker and game producer. By the beginning of 2010, they should have won a contract and be positioned to mas s market EPOC.At this point, their marketing strategy would change. The increased demand facilitated by the console market will give the company higher revenues and profits, giving it more financial flexibility to advertise on primetime television and distribute its products in Best Buy stores. In time, perhaps the company could use its talented research and development team to build even more advanced devices for the gaming market, or even expand the distribution of EPOC for other uses, including applications in the medical, military, market research, and business sectors. See Exhibit 5 for a complete time line for Emotiv). Exhibit 1. Print advertisement for EPOC using its positioning statement. Imagine the Unimaginable Emotiv's EPOC Exhibit 2. Breakeven analysis for years one (2008) and two (2009). Fixed Costs| | | Startup investment | | $1,000,000 | Additional financing used *** | | +$9,500,000 | Cost to produce video martial arts games| | +$2,500,000 | Expected operating expense s for 2008 | | +$11,086,000 | Expected operating expenses for 2009| | +$20,557,000 | Expected total fixed costs| | $44,643,000 | | | Contribution| | | Price | | $399 | Retailers Margins (Price * 20%)| | -$79. 80 | Emotiv's Revenues| | $319. 20 | Cost of Goods Sold| | | (Manufacturing Cost is $110 per unit for the first million units produced)| -$110 | Total contribution per unit | | $209. 20 | | | | | | | Breakeven (fixed costs/contribution)| | 213,399| | | | | | | ***| | | Additional financing raised | $17,000,000 | | Capital still on hand| $7,500,000 | | Additional financing used | $9,500,000 | | Exhibit 3. SWOT analysis for Emotiv.Strengths * Superior quality * Emotiv's EPOC was the best mind- reading device on the market * Technological leader * Its research and development team was highly experienced and innovative, giving the company the ability to continue to improve EPOC and perhaps develop another product in order to move into another gaming category or market segment| Weak nesses * EPOC could be inconsistent * The human mind works differently on different days and times, which can confuse the algorithm behind EPOC * The EPOC is not compatible with the Nintendo Wii, hurting its growth chances since Wii has a leading market share in the console market * No games are currently available for EPOC, which could slow adoption rates by decreasing the value customers receive from the product | Opportunities * Efficiently target hard-core gamers since they are a concentrated group that would likely have an high interest in EPOC and act as early adopters of the technology * Eventually target the mass market once gaming console companies realize the value of the EPOC, allowing the company to experience robust sales similar to those of Guitar Hero * Could increase penetration rate sooner if an innovative leader such as Apple accepts ts technology | Threats * Although EPOC was the most advanced mind-reading device on the market, Emotiv still faced the threat of com petition from other firms * NeuroSky and OCZ Technology were both developing mind-reading devices (although inferior to EPOC) that could be marketing for video gaming applications, which could cut into its market share * Consumers may have unjustifiably high expectations from EPOC (someone once asked if it could move objects in real space), which could lead to customer disappointment and bad reviews| Exhibit 4. Sales Forecast for 2011 once EPOC is mass marketed to all video game players. Under an optimistic scenario, sales of EPOC will mirror sales of Guitar Hero. Exhibit 5. Time line for Emotiv. OCTOBER 2007: Sign a $2. 5 million contract with Demiurge Studios to develop a PC game to be sold with EPOC that demonstrates the capabilities of mind-controlled interactivity. MARCH 2008: Appear at the 2008 Game Developer's Conference. Showcase EPOC and announce that it will be released in November 2008.APRIL 2008: Begin creating buzz for EPOC's launch by sending headsets and the accompany ing PC game to influential opinion leaders at Tech TV and PC magazine. OCTOBER 2008: Create more consumer awareness through advertisements. Target hard-core video game players by running ads on Tech TV and in PC magazine. NOVEMBER 2008: Launch EPOC in time for the start of the 2008 holiday season. Commence its distribution agreement with Brookstone. MARCH 2009: Wait for sales figure for the fourth quarter. Then resume talks with Sony, Microsoft, and Electronic Arts for a partnership to market EPOC. Show them sales statistics for EPOC, which could help demonstrate the success and popularity of the product. JANUARY 2010: Hopefully sign a contract with one of the major console makers.OCTOBER 2010: Prepare to release EPOC for a gaming console. Start advertising on primetime television to capture the mass market. NOVEMBER 2010: Release EPOC for a gaming console in time for the start of the 2010 holiday season. Expand distribution to include Best Buy. MARCH 2011: Conduct research on EPOC upgrades. NOVEMBER 2012: Introduce a new and improved EPOC 2 model. If consumers are satisfied with the first model, repeat sales volume will be high. MARCH 2013: Begin research to expand its product line beyond video games, perhaps for medical, military, market research, or business applications. NOVEMBER 2015: Launch a new product in a new sector. Similar essay: Reed Supermarkets: a New Wave of Competitors

Prosthetic Dentistry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Prosthetic Dentistry - Essay Example Several chemical denture cleansers are commercially available. Since MRSA isolate of Staphylococcus aureus is resistant to penicillin's, including methicillin, we investigated the bactericidal effects of two different denture-cleansing agents including Milton (composed of 2% sodium hypochlorite, Ceuta Healthcare, Bournemouth, UK) and Perform (composed of Potassium Peroxomonosulphate, Sodium Benzoate, Tartaric Acid, Schlke and Mayr UK Ltd., Sheffield, UK) on the growth of MRSA 16 on the denture surface acrylic and visco-gel. Results from a 10 minute exposure to cleanser, Milton and perform, on the survival of MRSA 16 biofilms at 3, 24 and 72 hours of growth suggest a significant decrease in the survival of MRSA 16 on acrylic surface at all time points viz., 3, 24 and 72 hours of growth, as assessed by colony forming units per ml of cell suspension from this surface (Figure 2). ... While there seems to be some recovery of growth at 24 and 72 hours after the initial decrease in survival at 3 hours using Milton for 10 minutes, Perform was very efficient in almost complete eradication of MRSA at 72 hours post treatment. Table 1 MRSA % kill 3 hours 24 hours 72 hours Milton 10 min 99.97 99.88 99.95 Perform 10 min 99.97 99.90 100.00 Effect of denture cleansers Milton and Perform on growth of MRSA 16 on visco-gel: Results from a 10 minute exposure to cleanser, Milton and perform, on the survival of MRSA 16 biofilms at 3, 24 and 72 hours of growth suggest a significant decrease in the survival of MRSA 16 on visco-gel surface at all time points viz., 3, 24 and 72 hours of growth, as assessed by colony forming units per ml of cell suspension from this surface (Figure 3). Perform was more effective in decreasing the survival of the cells at 3 and 24 hours. However, both the reagents were similarly effective at 72 hours of growth of MRSA 16 on visco-gel (Figure 3). Calculation of percent cell killing by these cleanser as seen in Table 2 clearly shows that these agents, particularly, Perform, are very effective in controlling the MRSA 16 strain. Table 2 MRSA % kill 3 hours 24 hours 72 hours Milton 10 min 42.86 68.11 99.58 Perform 10 min 99.81 99.34 99.53 Discussion: The ultimate goal of dental prosthetics is the development of surface material that is bactericidal and least supportive of growth of any type of bacteria, particularly, that of super bug, MRSA 15 and 16. Our experiments to identify such an ideal surface lead to identification of molliplast as a denture surface that is least supportive of the growth of MRSA

IDENTIFY AND DISCUSS THE FOUR THEORETICAL EXPLANATIONS FOT THE Essay

IDENTIFY AND DISCUSS THE FOUR THEORETICAL EXPLANATIONS FOT THE POTENTIAL CAUSES OF PEDOPHILIA - Essay Example These explanations include emotional congruence, blockage, sexual arousal, and disinhibition theories (Bartol & Bartol, 2014). The underlying pillar of theories of emotional congruence is the assumption that pedophiles exhibit childish emotional interests and as such prefer an environment that suits children. Theories of emotional congruence try to figure out why a person would find it emotionally pleasing to relate sexually with a child. These theories highlight the existence of a match between the emotional needs of an adult and the features of a child. Most emotional congruence theories have a psychoanalytic background and center around arrested psychological development where pedophiles see themselves as children. The arrested psychological development perspective explains why pedophiles exhibit emotional pleasure when relating with children. Another perspective of emotional congruence theories argues that due to loss of efficacy and low self-esteem, pedophiles fancy social relations with children as it makes them feel powerful and exert control over the relationship (Bartol & Bartol, 2014). Sexual arousal theories try to find out why some physical characteristics of children sexually arouse pedophiles. Pedophiles tend to generate sexual arousal from certain characteristics of children that a normal man would not generate. Penile tumescence measures sexual arousal to sexual fantasies of children. One group of these theories argues that it is a normal childhood experience to engage in sexual play with playmates. However, pedophiles find the childhood experience to be more emotionally pleasing than adult sexual experiences. Consequently, the pedophile may dislike adult sexual contact and in the process end up masturbating while fantasizing on the pleasant childhood sexual experiences. Masturbation not only becomes an avenue of releasing sexual tension but also strengthens the attraction to children. In the end,

Economy of Hong Kong Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Economy of Hong Kong - Research Paper Example Hong Kong has played a crucial role not only in Asia’s economic system but also linked to the western. British successfully prospered Hong Kong’s economy and several impacts has brought into through this development which could be said as a path to Hong Kong’s Modernization. The role of Opium War in Hong Kong’s economic development During the start of the 19th century, Hong Kong did not show any indication that it would later become a world trade center in Asia. The country was way beyond in terms of economic development. Unlike today, China was not interested into foreign trade so Hong Kong dwelled mostly on farming and fishing. This did not last until British ocean-going ships discovered Hong Kong as useful for â€Å"unloading and loading cargo to be barged up the Pearl River to Canton† (Liu). During that time, there was a trade imbalance between the western countries and china because china had more to offer than it needed in return. Because of the on-going trade imbalance, the British had to think of ways to prevent it. One of the solutions that they thought of is to illegally import opium to China. Opium was used for medicinal purposes in China toward the end of the 15th century (Tho’Mas). It was used to cure dysentery, cholera, and other diseases. However, it was in 1729 when the Chinese imperial government had found out of the detrimental effects of opium smoking. The opium sale had been banned since 1729 and its importation had been illegal until 1820 (Liu). The British saw this as an opportunity to offset the trade imbalance. According to Liu, the illegal opium trade thrived in Canton where they imported 40,000 chests of opium to China annually. The British and the US have made a good fortune in this illegal trade. "This illicit massive transfer of wealth from China, one of the world's richest and largest economies at the time, played a key role in financing the economic development of Europe and North America in the 1800s." (Liu) As the British continue the opium trade, the Qing dynasty ordered to stop the Opium trade by assigning troops in Canton and demanded that the British troops turn over their opium contraband. More than 20,000 chests of opium were surrendered by the British after six weeks (Liu). This happening encouraged British traders to occupy since

The Controversy of Ordination of Bill Johnson Essay

The Controversy of Ordination of Bill Johnson - Essay Example In my opinion, an ordination of Bill Johnson was controversial due to his open acknowledgment of the gay in the society despite his position in the church. During this time, the gay persons experienced utter marginalization because of lacking any acceptance in society. The gay was struggling for acceptance even in religious places like the church. A large number of gay individuals that come up during the gay parade was also controversial. This parade takes place in a church compound, a place that signifies purity and holiness. Another controversial feature evident during the ordination of Billy Johnson is the support by different seminary groups that he has served for twenty-five years drawing their reference from the birth of gay rights that occurred in the 1960s – 1970s (Gaustad & Schmidt 398). The youth groups of that particular church express their support by attending Billy’s ordination. To my opinion, this is an indication of the transformation of religion under influence of the young persons. Acceptance of homosexuality is driven by two factors, the religion, and young individuals. I feel that the young individuals are seeking for recognition despite the opposition they face in society. In addition, the young individuals represent other marginalized individuals that have no support to champion their acknowledgment. The church offers a suitable medium that shows expression of the marginalized in society. I feel that the acknowledgment of the gay persons pioneered by Bill Johnson is important to show the liberal nature of the church. Despite opposition from other institutions to recognize the gay individuals, the church under the influence of Bill Johnson expresses recognition of the gay to show that the church is not bound to any form of discrimination.

W8-IP Project Portfolio management and Project Plan Assignment

W8-IP Project Portfolio management and Project Plan - Assignment Example Frozen Food Company was established to respond to opportunity of a unique and healthy market. The aim of this report is to develop and implement the processes for project portfolio management in the Frozen Food Company. This would allow the company to select the projects that yield maximum profit and are best aligned with the business strategy. The funded projects would enhance the company’s mission of providing the nutritious food to its customers and increasing the living standards of the society. The company also aims at reduction of pollution to maintain and sustain a safe environment both for customers and its employees. 1. Introduction Frozen Food Company, a multi-national company specializing in frozen foods, cereals and tin packed foods, is organized into various strategic business units that are aligned with the corporate business strategy of the company in a fast moving consumer goods sector. The company is maintaining its operations globally with mission of â€Å"c hange and innovation† and has the strategy to develop a new range of products ahead of time before the competitors. The company also aims at reduction of pollution to maintain and sustain a safe environment both for customers and its employees. Frozen Food Company can achieve this through the creation of an effective project portfolio and strategic business units (Kerzner 2010). This study would be conducted in one of the strategic business units of the company to create an effective project portfolio. 2. Aim and Objectives Selection of the right project aligned with the business strategy is an important aspect of the business from the view point of profitability. No organization has unlimited resources and thus it becomes crucial to manage its scarce for optimal utilization to achieve maximum benefit from the operations of its strategic business units. In the given problem scenario, it is essential to analyze the projects and select the most appropriate to create an effective portfolio that is aligned with organizational strategy and maximizes the profitability through optimal utilization of resources (Kerzner 2010) and is the aim of this report. 3. Scope of the Project This project focuses on measuring how the firm will increase its shareholders growth through evaluating the revenue growth, expectations, operating margin and asset efficiency. Focus on the SBU known as Frozen Food Company that specialized in Vegetables & Chicken Cutlets, Chicken Nuggets, Parathas, Chicken Rolls, French Fries and Burger Patties. This scope will be limited in order to focus on the objectives effectively. Following activites would be the part of this project report Recognizing portfolios available in the company Selecting a portfolio Managing the portfolio The above activities will be carried out using the

To My Father Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

To My Father - Essay Example To the world, my dad is a war hero. He is sick right now but I know the world prays for him. I want him to get up from the bed. My dad is a hero to me more than anybody. He picks me up when I’m down; he lifts me up when I have no hope from others. My friends, my siblings, they can leave me on my own but not my dad, he loves me too much.Had my dad lived an ordinary man’s life and not went to the gulf war; he would still be my hero. I gave him my Medal of Honor when I was a little kid and I cut my knee on the stool nail and he came to the rescue; picked me up, cleaned the wound, wiped the blood. There was something special about his touch, the moment he put his around the wound, the pain went away.I was fine even before he put the antiseptic that stung so bad, but it was alright because my dad was there. My hero means everything to me, he took care of me when I was growing up, now I try to do the same when he is growing old. He needs me more than ever, I try to live up to the standards but I know even if I sacrifice my whole life for him, I can never return the favor.Who tells their old parents, when they keep asking the same thing over and over again, each time with a gentler smile than before? No one. But he kept responding to me when I kept asking about the world, over and over again, he never frowned. Now I ask myself, can I do the same? Dad, I’m sure you can fight this illness the way you fought for the American people. You are the bravest of the brave and I salute you.

In My Own Work Setting Essay Example for Free

In My Own Work Setting Essay In my own work setting we have health and safety policy, child protection/safe guarding, fire safety,first aid, security ,confidentiality. In the regards of health and safety in my work setting I report any issues to Rachel Hancocks(manager) or Paul Hancocks(deputy manager). All staff have there own responsibilities to health and safety in the workplace as well. A risk assessment is the determination of the value of a risk in any working environment and a recognised hazard. In my work setting the team leader of every session does a risk assessment on the working environment. Outcome 2 A safe a challenging environment is important because we as careers have to provide a positive and safe environment to allow the child to grow in a positive manner. Although children also need challenges inn there environment so that they can develop their own skills ,personality and also become independent this is depending on the medical needs of the child or young person. A hazard is something that can cause harm to anybody such as electricity and different chemicals. Whereas a risk is the rating that shows that somebody will get hurt by the hazard. Most risks are calculated in categories of low medium and high Potential hazards to health ,safety and security in my own working environment are:- Stairs Boiler Plug sockets Keyboard wire Doors All these are controlled by risk assessments and regular staff training What is the risk? Who might be harmed and how? What is being done to manage the risk? What else could be done to manage the risk? Who will do this? When will this be done? Date completed Access to the upstairs to extension Children falling down the stairs A safety gate has been placed at the bottom of the stairs that is secured by a chubb lock Staff t monitor childrens whereabouts.Escort children down the stairs All staff  ongoing Outcome 3 There are different non medical incidents and emergencies that may occur in my work settings such as, fires ,floods and electricity failure. The actions that I would take in response to a fire are make sure that all the staff and service users(those able to) know were all the fire exits are an how to get them making sure that everybody knows where the fire assembly point is. I would make sure that all staff and service users are accounted for I would do this my taking the signing in book for both staff and services users to the fire assembly point. The actions that I would take in the response to a security incident is make sure the service user was back inside the building inform management and the rest of the staff do an indecent report and a full risk assessment on the incident and service user. The actions I would take in response to an emergency incident are do as the emergency services tell me to do so make sure that the management are aware of the situations wait for the emergency services to arrive then do a full  incident report and record the accident if this was the case in the accident book. Outcome 4 The signs and symptoms which may indicate that a child or young person is unwell are :- High temperature/fever Vomiting Running nose Aching Lethargic Diarrhoea Headache Rashes The signs and symptoms which may indicate to a child or young person being injured are :- Crying Bruising Cuts Headaches Swelling to any area of the body Redness to the skin. The circumstances in which a child or young person may need urgent medical attention are:- Persistent vomiting Skin rashes Dehydration Severe open wounds Head injuries Burns Poisoning Choking Depressive responsiveness Unconscious Persistent pain In the event of a child or young person that required urgent medical attention I would inform the management team I would phone the emergency services or get another member of staff to do so whilst I was still with the child or young person. Inform the parent/career of the service user of the situation assist the emergency services of all the information that is needed of the service user to insure that they et the right treatment. After the event I would fill in an incident report as well as an accident form. Outcome 5 The reporting procedures for any accidents that happen in my working environment are the accident book gets filled in no matter how small or large the accident may be and passed to the management team. When any incidents occur no matter how large or small a full incident report needs to be completed in detail and passed on to the management team. Any emergencies that occur such as an injury medical assistance would be called the accident book would be filled in and also a full incident report would be written all of which the management team would receive straight after they have been filled out. If there was any illness eg. Sickness and diarrhoea the management would be informed and they would contact the parents or emergency contact if the parent wasn’t available and would ask for them to be collected as in my work setting there are many service uses have different immune systems. Outcome 6 The procedures for infection control in my own work settings are whilst assisting or changing a service user would be protective gloves and aprons but also washing hands correctly after the toilet visit. Waste is disposed of appropriately Outcome 7 in my setting we do not receive,administrate or store medication however this would be kept securely and would only be instruction of the parents.

Should television be Switched Essay Example for Free

Should television be Switched Essay TV or not TV? -Thats the question. We may not all be Hamlet, but we all struggle with our own existential issues and since television plays a major role in our existence it becomes an issue. The days are long past when we could consider TV to be an innocent, innocuous part of daily life or a casual baby-sitter. It is a powerful, persuasive teacher and a primary companion for children, many of whom spend more time in front of the television than in school. Considering that some members of the average family watch more than seven hours of television per day, it is not surprising that contemporary research indicates that human development and behaviour are affected by television to a degree far exceeding earlier judgments. Unfortunately, this medium, which has been used for much good, has increasingly been misused. The number of programmes and commercials that conflict with gospel standards are steadily rising, and few viewers demonstrate enough self-discipline to resist. Some of us dont even realize what hidden messages were receiving-and little by little we subconsciously come to accept them as normal or appropriate. There is a large body of research that documents the way in which exposure to television influences children generally, and much of this relates to the effects of exposure to violent content in programming. Children who view programmes where violence is very realistic, frequently repeated or left unpunished, are more likely to imitate what they observe on television. The impact of television violence may be immediately evident in a childs behaviour or it may surface years later. Children who spend their time alone will learn behaviour from television, which is considered to be acceptable. Several studies have also highlighted that children may become immune to violence, gradually accepting it as a way to solve problems. Young children are very impressionable, and it follows that they see things on television, and at the movies, that they may consider as normal. For example, Americans accept that there is a tremendous amount of violent crime in their country. They hardly flinch when they hear about horrific murders; theyve heard it all before. However, in the UK we still find it horrific when someone holds a shootout at a school or murders a child. This is because we dont come across it very often. Unfortunately though, because of the amount of detail in newer films, we are beginning to get used to violence. Take for example the recent film, Hannibal starring Anthony Hopkins, where the consuming of a human brain is featured in graphic detail and the exploitation of cannibalism is continued throughout the film. How then can parents compete with the film industrys glamorisation of violence? Violence is becoming part of our society, and some of it must be attributed to the amount of violence that we are subjected to in the media. As well as an influencing effect on behaviour, television has a significant impact on self-image and overall health and well being of a person, despite claims that there are advertisement campaigns promoting a healthy diet and exercise. However in perspective, ninety eight percent of the time, commercials are glamorising the sedentary lifestyle with promotion of junk food and new technological advances that mean you can stay in the comfort of your own home and use the television or internet to do your weekly shopping. The effects of commercialism cannot be underestimated. Children are besieged by manipulative commercial messages day in and day out, on TV, and even at school. Companies hire psychologists to help them target children and manipulate them; we call this the art of whine-making. Perhaps the mobile phone is the biggest example of discontent among teenagers as every seventeen days on average there is a new model on the shelves. The bombardment of commercial messages has created a sense of chronic dissatisfaction in children and, many psychologists think, has contributed to the increase in teenage depression. With the technological and social development in the world, television hasnt fallen behind and companies seem to have left no stone unturned; every taboo is consistently addressed in day to day viewing. Intense and disturbing imagery, including scenes of extreme violence but including other extreme taboos such as cannibalism, were once found only in films of extreme violence. More and more, these images are appearing on television and satellite broadcast. Particularly for children and teens, these images have an effect that can best be described as a reduced version of post-traumatic stress disorder. The intense and disturbing images return unbidden and at times obsessively since the children have little ability to process and sublimate the images. However a lack of respect and courtesy is a serious national problem and sixty per cent of people have stated that it is getting worse. This relates to increased aggressiveness, lack of consideration of others and public vulgarity, all types of behaviours that are normalized by increasingly vulgar and rude television shows. Take for example the notorious Jerry Springer Show where there is uncalled for language that is consistently unsuitable and features that are far from ordinary. Firstly, the guests language is censored because of daytime viewing and because of this it is extremely hard to make out what is being said, as there seems to be more bleeps than actual words. Next in question are the discussion topics featuring occurrences that are extraordinary, some are actually so unbelievable that they become humorous. It is unquestionable that television has shaped and accelerated this trend, rather than simply reflecting it, as television executives are fond of claiming. Rude and vulgar behaviour on television regiments the behaviour and breaks down the social barriers that help children understand when certain behaviour is appropriate and not appropriate. Unfortunately, television doesnt have to be violent or vulgar to have a negative effect. Excessive television watching of any description has clear psychological and physiological effects on people. The Couch Potato Syndrome demonstrates that the benign television content decreases childrens creativity and imagination, decreases physical activity and thus increases obesity. Each year the average child watches approximately twenty two thousand commercials-five thousand of them for food products, the majority of which are high-calorie, high-sugar, low-nutrition items and meals portrayed on prime-time television are anything but balanced and far from relaxed. On TV, snacking is almost as common as breakfast, lunch, and dinner combined. During daytime weekend childrens programs, snacking comprises forty five percent of all eating events, while regular meals constitute only twenty four percent. Fruits are chosen as snacks on television only four to five percent of the time. Clearly, TV does not promote good eating habits. Adding to this affluence and power are common themes of some of the most popular shows on current prime-time television. Some programs consistently glamorise materialism and glorify products. With high-fashion wardrobes, luxurious estates, and insatiable appetites for wealth, these TV characters portray the false idea that greed brings gratification and Life-styles portrayed on these programs often promote self-satisfaction rather than sacrifice, greed instead of charity, and conceit rather than humility. Perhaps the most harmful messages TV brings into our homes relate to intimate physical relations. In the past several years, there has been a marked increase in the frequency of flirtatious behaviour and sexual innuendos on TV. Storylines and settings that include revealing or enticing apparel and explicit camera angles are on the increase. Moreover, references to intimate physical relations on TV, whether verbally insinuated or contextually implied, occur most often between unmarried partners-five times more frequently than between married couples. References to such relations with prostitutes come in second. Together, references to sexual conduct between unmarried partners and with prostitutes account for about seventy percent of all references to intimate physical conduct on television. Television is undoubtedly a sex educator of children and a potentially powerful one. Contemporary television entertainment is saturated with lessons that are likely to have an impact on young viewers sexual development and behaviour. The notorious soap, Coronation Street, is thought to be suitable for family viewing, yet a teenage pregnancy, a few years ago was aired and the particular girl has apparently benefited from it and at present is living with her boyfriend, to whom she is expecting a child and who she is blissfully unaware of the fact that he is a homosexual. In this particular instant, three taboos are referenced and broken at once; living together before marriage, pregnancy before marriage and the exploitation of homosexual tendencies and behaviour. When asked, my grandmother said that television had definitely developed but, in doing so took a wrong turn. She told me, I would have never dreamed of two teenagers having relations outside marriage, let alone watching the actual process, during family time viewing. It definitely seems that the television industry needs to sort their act out in order to ensure that not too much over exaggeration is broadcasted daily on the TV screen. So why in effect is television portrayed as having a positive influence to any extent on someones life? The only depiction of television in a good light is the broadcasting of childrens television programmes aimed at those between the ages of two and five. However, even at this, companies are negligent and inconsiderate. Programmes of such description are usually aired at unsociable hours of the morning or night as they dont make for high viewing interests and thus companies lose out, so how can a child view a beneficial programme when its broadcasted at times when a child cant watch it? However it has also been proven that such educational programmes also have a negative effect on children. Programmes like the Teletubbies and Boo-Bahs have been shown to cause a steady rise in speech impediments, as proper vocabulary has not been demonstrated, with Eh-Ho replacing hello. Hence the underlying, negative aspects outweigh even issues that are supposed to be in favour of television. Excessive TV viewing is a behaviour pattern acquired by frequent repetition that sometimes becomes involuntary. For many families, watching television is more than a habit; its a dependency, marked by withdrawal and dysfunction when the TV set is not available. It is becoming a pattern that requires diligent effort to break. In effect, when taken to excess, the impact television has on a person is undoubtedly pessimistic; it certainly can give someone a thoroughly dull mind and a huge waistline.

Defamation Laws: Freedom of Expression

Defamation Laws: Freedom of Expression It is often claimed that defamation law has a chilling effect on freedom of expression. What is problematic with this claim? Defamation requires an alleged fact which is false and which harms the reputation of another person (Dent Kenyon, 2004). The statement claims that the right to freedom of expression is restricted when people are less likely to express what they think. Defamation law can limit the ability to reporters to inform on issue of safety or other public interests that is serious and imminent, so it is often claimed that the chilling effect to freedom of speech may occur through legal sanction or social disapprobation. However, this claim is problematic because defamation law cannot restrict freedom of expression. This essay is going to argue whether defamation as a concept in society is a good thing and its limitations according to freedom of speech. The first part of the essay will provide the negative impact and limitation on freedom of expression through defamation law. Then it will move to the argument that defamation law cannot restrict freedom of expression and get evidence from Joel Feinberg in order to explain that defamation does not include a right to defame. Finally it will provide the example of South Korean defamation law in order to discuss the justification for freedom of expression. Freedom of expression is designed to protect legitimate interests including reputation, so everyone should have a right to hold opinion without interference. The right includes freedom to seek, receive and use information (Dent, C. Kenyon, 2004). Defamation is something that has being invented to protect peoples ability to stand up and face the world. It is the protection of reputation and the prevention of unjust allegations that lower the esteem in which people are held in society. Defamation laws necessarily represent an interference with the right to freedom of expression. The illegitimacy of the use of defamation laws is to maintain public order or to protect public interests (Feinberg, 1990). The limitation on freedom of expression is whether it includes defamation and some kind of right to defame or not. People assume that freedom of expression might include a right to defame, but The chilling effect of defamation law on freedom of expression means that people are less likely to say what they think. It also makes people more restrained. That is a negative impact. The threat of sanction effectively stops free expression, but such sanction cannot be justified, in light of the adequacy of non-criminal sanction in redressing any harm to individuals reputation (Feinberg, 1990, p.234). Defamation law is abused by the powerful to limit criticism and to arrest public debate. This is problematic. However, people should show self-restraint and caution about what they say about other people. According to Feinberg (1990), freedom of expression has never included a right to defame. He claims that Australian legislation is needed to justify defamation law truth and public interest. He talks about the moral concerns of defamation, and why people should care about defamation as an issue at all. He is concerned about whether or not truth is a sufficient argument for defaming another person (Feinberg, 1990). For example, people can harm somebody and still be speaking the truth. The truth and public interest is close to the Australian use of defamation. The court defense of qualified protection may come closer to general public interest coverage. (Dent Kenyon, p.10)People can harm somebodys reputation, even by telling the truth. As Feinberg (1990) states, Having ones interests violated is harm that is distinct from the feeling that comes from knowing your interest have been harm, this means that the action of defamation is different from what the individual may feel themselves about being defamed. There is no reason to assume that, but assume publish the idea about them regardless whether or not that the truth. It is possible to defame someone with truth, truth can harm unjustly. Joel Feinberg considers the uncontroversial harm such as defamation (Feinberg, 1990, p.256) Defamation law is protecting an interest and based on the legal term harm, which is not necessary about the physical harm. It generally about harm to somebodys interest. People have a human right to maintain their interest and free speech. However, it is problematic that there should be a crime of defamation. The conviction seems to be anomalous. People have a right with respect to the criminal law to say false and damaging things to others (Feinberg, 1990, p.253). It is an independent legal right to defame. Feinberg (1990) also claims that there is no legal right to defame in our legal system, but rather a clear legal duty not to defame found only in the tort law branch of the system (p.253) There is legislation to protect people and maintain privacy. Moreover, Feinberg (1990) suggests that we need an offense principle that can act as a guide to public censure. According to Feinberg, the offense principle commits us to the view that when public conduct causes offense to someone. (p.26) Feinberg suggested many rules and factors that needs to be considered and taken into account in order to value whether the offense needs to be restricted ( Feinberg, 1990). He claims that something can be truth, but not legally defame another person. People still can harm others with the truth. Feinberg claims that a person can be harmed though not affected by the harm. Australia defamation law places considerable restraint on the media. There are some undesirable outcomes about the law and the widespread misperception about the impact of media communication. Firstly, harm to reputation is consistently overrated, to the unjust advantage of the plaintiff.(Article 19, 2000) This make unnecessary and unintentional presumes to silence harmless speech. S econdly, defamation law can perpetuate socially regressive and exclusionary attitudes (Baker, 2008). To determine the chilling effect of defamation law Baker has interviewed and surveyed journalists and editors to discuss the extent of the influence of defamation law on media content. His work has examined media products in order to consider the existence of any chilling effect. Baker finds a considerable chilling effect on the Australian media. Media production practices in this relation differ between Australia and US legal system. The American defamation law is broader than Australian law, it only covers truth. In the defamation law of America, truth is a complete defense which will reduce the defendants liability (P.254). The US Supreme Court has said that common law defenses relying on truth are insufficient to protect public debate, because the critic of official conduct to guarantee the truth of its factual assertions inevitably leads to self-censorship. Truth remains a complete defense in the US (Dent Kenyon, p.3). However, it is hard to justify defamation even on the basic truth. There really is no right to defame. Some country has a stronger defamation law on the internet. For example, the defamation law of South Korea does not protect freedom of expression as a transcendent value. Its reputational interests are sensed in relation to the group to which they belong (Youm, 2004, p.1). The Korean courts have balanced the right to free speech and free press against the right to protect everyone reputation differently. Defamation on the web has emerged as a pressing legal issue in Korea. According to the law of Korea, reputation is guaranteed as a constitutional right of individuals to protection from an abuse of freedom of expression (Youm, 2004, p.7). Korean citizens can be arrested and detained for publishing articles on the internet or gossip site. They are arrested for distributing false information and are accused of impeding public interest under the law of Korea. Restriction on freedom of expression have been imposed not only on journalists, it also restricts people expressing their opinion on the internet (Youm, 2004, p.11). But defamation law is problematic in Korea because the punishment of internet libel does not provide any defenses for libel through internet communication similar to what the criminal code recognizes in publication of truthful defamation for the public interest (Youm, 2004, p.4). Defamation laws may fail to attack an appropriate balance between freedom of expression and reputation for a number of reasons. People just want to express their feelings, and bring in a public interest. However it is problematic that defamation laws are justified at all. Similar with the laws in some other countries, Korean law prohibits unjustifiable defamation. If some people just want to express their feelings on Facebook, it is hard to justify. Justification or proof of truth has been recognized as an absolute defense against a claim of defamation. Proof of truth is either always or almost always a full defense. The defense of truth is qualified (Youm, 2004, p.9). In conclusion, the above illustrated the chilling effect of defamation law. The chilling effect of defamation law on freedom of expression is that people are less likely to say what they think. It also makes people show restrained and caution. I think that defamation is something that is immoral, but I do not think it should be illegal. Defamation is supposed to protect reputation from unfair attack. Defamation is a fundamental of protection of peoples ability to stand up and face the world. It is objectionable is to obstruct free speech and protect powerful people from investigation (Dent, C. Kenyon, 2004). It is possible to defame someone with truth. Truth can still harm unjustly. However, we cannot make the distinction between what is representation and action, because there is a distinction between the act and the rest of the world. People can assault somebody by causing others to form an adverse opinion of a person or cause panic with words. People can do a lot of harm with wor ds. The harm principle is a restriction on other peoples actions.

Elie Wiesels Survival in Night Essay -- essays research papers

Night Elie Wiesel writes about his personal experience of the Holocaust in his memoir, Night. He is a Jewish man who is sent to a concentration camp, controlled by an infamous dictator, Hitler. Elie is stripped away everything that belongs to him. All that he has worked for in his life is taken away from him instantly. He is even separated from his mother and sister. On the other side of this he is fortunate to survive and tell his story. He describes the immense cruel treatment that he receives from the Nazis. Even after all of the brutal treatment and atrocities he experiences he does not hate the world and everything in it, along with not becoming a brute. In Night, he informs his reader of many examples on how a myriad of good people turn into brutes. They see horrific actions, therefore, they cannot help by becoming a brute. They experience their innocent family members being burned alive, innocent people dieing from starvation due to a minuscule proportion of food, and innocent people going to take a shower and not coming out because truly, it is a gas chamber and all f...

Digestive System Essay -- essays research papers

Purpose The digestive system prepares food for use by hundreds of millions of body cells. Food when eaten cannot reach cells (because it cannot pass through the intestinal walls to the bloodstream and, if it could would not be in a useful chemical state. The gut modifies food physically and chemically and disposes of unusable waste. Physical and chemical modification (digestion) depends on exocrine and endocrine secretions and controlled movement of food through the digestive tract. Mouth Mouth Food enters the digestive system via the mouth or oral cavity, mucous membrane lined. The lips (labia) protect its outer opening, cheeks form lateral walls, hard palate and soft palate form anterior/posterior roof. Communication with nasal cavity behind soft palate. Floor is muscular tongue. Tongue has bony attachments (styloid process, hyoid bone) attached to floor of mouth by frenulum. Posterior exit from mouth guarded by a ring of palatine/lingual tonsils. Enlargement sore throat, tonsillitis. Food is first processed (bitten off) by teeth, especially the anterior incisors. Suitably sized portions then retained in closed mouth and chewed or masticated (especially by cheek teeth, premolars, molars) aided by saliva Ducted salivary glands open at various points into mouth. This process involves teeth (muscles of mastication move jaws) and tongue (extrinsic and intrinsic muscles). Mechanical breakdown, plus some chemical (ptyalin, enzyme in saliva). Taste buds allow appreciation, also sample potential hazards (chemicals, toxins) Swallowing In leaving the mouth a bolus of food must cross the respiratory tract (trachea is anterior to oesophagus) by a complicated mechanism known as swallowing or deglutination which empties the mouth and ensures that food does not enter the windpipe. Swallowing involves co-ordinated activity of tongue, soft palate pharynx and oesophagus. The first (buccal) phase is voluntary, food being forced into the pharynx by the tongue. After this the process is reflex. The tongue blocks the mouth, soft palate closes off the nose and the larynx rises so that the epiglottis closes off the trachea. Food thus moves into the pharynx and onwards by peristalsis aided by gravity. If we try to talk whilst swallowing food may enter the respiratory passages and a cough reflex expels the bolus. Oesophagus The oesophagus (about 10") is the first part of the... ...a mixture of mucus and serous fluids, each produced to various extent in various glands. Also contains salivary amylase, (starts to break down starch) (antibacterial) and antibodies. In some mammals (and snakes!) saliva may be poisonous, quieting down living prey. Pancreas Endocrine and exocrine gland. Exocrine part produces many enzymes which enter the duodenum via the pancreatic duct. Endocrine part produces insulin, blood sugar regulator. Liver and gallbladder Bile, a watery greenish fluid is produced by the liver and secreted via the hepatic duct and cystic duct to the gall bladder for storage, and thence on demand via the common bile duct to an opening near the pancreatic duct in the duodenum. It contains bile salts, bile pigments (mainly bilerubin, essentially the non-iron part of hemoglobin) cholesterol and phospholipids. Bile salts and phosholipds emulsify fats, the rest are just being excreted. Gallstones are usually cholesterol based, may block the hepatic or common bile ducts causing pain, jaundice. Liver Multi functional: important in this context since the capillaries of the small intestine drain fat and other nutrient rich lymph into it via the hepatic portal system.

Education in the Philippines Essay

During the period of colonization by the United States, Education in the Philippines changed radically, modeled on the system of Education in the United States of the time. After theSecond World War, changes in the US system were no longer automatically reflected in the Philippines, which has since moved in various directions of its own. Filipino children may enter public school at about age four, starting from Nursery up to Kindergarten. At about seven years of age, children enter elementary school (6 to 7 years). This may be followed by secondary school (4 years). Students may then sit for College Entrance Examinations (CEE), after which they may enter tertiary institutions (3 to 5 years). Other types of schools do exist, such as Private schools, Preparatory schools, International schools, Laboratory High Schools and Science High Schools. Several ethnic groups, includingChinese, British, Americans, and Japanese operate their own schools. Elementary schooling is compulsory, but 24% of Filipinos of the relevant age group do not attend, usually due to absence of any school in their area, education being offered in foreign languages only, or financial distress. In July 2009 DepEd acted to overcome the foreign language problem by ordering all elementary schools to move towards mother-tongue based learning initially. The order allows two alternative three-year bridging plans. Depending on the bridging plan adopted, the Filipino and English languages are to be phased in as the language of instruction for other subjects beginning in the third and fourth grades Secondary schooling is of four years duration only. Although secondary schooling is compulsory, some Philippine news media have reported that since the 2000s, many Filipino students who began studying at private high schools, are forced to transfer to public high schools because of increasing cost of living and private school fees and financial distress. Many public elementary/high schools in the country are already overcrowded. The school year in the Philippines starts in June of one year and ends in March of the next, with a two-month summer break for April and May, one week of semestral break (the last week of October), and a week or two of Christmas break. History and development Earlier times Further information: Ancient Philippine scripts In pre-Spanish times, education was informal unstructured in some areas. Children were provided more vocational training and less academics (3 Rs) by their parents and in the houses of tribal tutors. When the Spanish arrived in Manila, though, they were surprised to find a population with a literacy rate using a system of writing known as baybayin which was higher than the literacy rate of Madrid. Spanish period Main article: Philippines education during Spanish rule Under the Spanish, education indigenous population was initially left to religious orders, with primary education being overseen by parish friars who generally tolerated the teaching of only religious topics. The friars, recognizing the value of a literate indigenous population, built printing presses to product material in Bambayin. The friars, generally poorly educated themselves, were especially hostile to local population, termed indios learning to speak and read Spanish, which would have made available access to the same body of knowledge the friars had. Secular education was completely neglected; with only one public primary school operating in Manila as late as 1830. A 1714 royal decree creating secular universities was never implemented. A 1702 decree creating seminaries for natives was implemented only in 1772. Access to education by the Filipinos was later liberalized through the enactment of the Educational Decree of 1863 which provided for the establishment of at least one primary school for boys and girls in each town under the responsibility of the municipal government; and the establishment of a normal school for male teachers under the supervision of the Jesuits. Primary instruction was secularized and free and the teaching of Spanish was compulsory. In 1866, the total population of the Philippines was only 4,411,261. The total public schools was 841 for boys and 833 for girls and the total number of children attending these schools was 135,098 for boys and 95,260 for girls. In 1892, the number of schools had increased to 2,137, 1,087 of which were for boys and 1,050 for girls. By 1898, enrollment in schools at all levels exceeded 200,000 students. First Republic. The defeat of Spain by American forces paved the way for Aguinaldo’s Republic under a Revolutionary Government. The schools maintained by Spain for more than three centuries were closed for the time being but were reopened on August 29, 1898 by the Secretary of Interior. The Burgos Institute in Malolos, the Military Academy of Malolos, and the Literary University of the Philippines were established. A system of free and compulsory elementary education was established by the Malolos Constitution. American period Main article: Philippines education during American rule. Further information: Thomasites An adequate secularized and free public school system was established during the first decade of American rule upon the recommendation of the Schurman Commission. Free primary instruction that trained the people for the duties of citizenship and avocation was enforced by the Taft Commission per instructions of President William McKinley. Chaplains and non-commissioned officers were assigned to teach using English as the medium of instruction. A highly centralized public school system was installed in 1901 by the Philippine Commission by virtue of Act No. 74. The implementation of this Act created a heavy shortage of teachers so the Philippine Commission authorized the Secretary of Public Instruction to bring to the Philippines more than 1,000 teachers from the United States called the Thomasites between 1901 to 1902. These teachers were scattered throughout the islands to establish barangay schools. [7]The same law established the Philippine Normal School (now the Philippine Normal University) to train Filipino teachers for the public schools. The high school system supported by provincial governments, special educational institutions, school of arts and trades, an agricultural school, and commerce and marine institutes were established in 1902 by the Philippine Commission. In 1908, the Philippine Legislature approved Act No. 1870 which created theUniversity of the Philippines. The Reorganization Act of 1916 provided the Filipinization of all department secretaries except the Secretary of Public Instruction. Two decades later, enrollment in elementary schools was about 1 million from a total of 150,000 students in 1901. [7] After World War II In 1947, by virtue of Executive Order No. 94, the Department of Instruction was changed to â€Å"Department of Education. † During this period, the regulation and supervision of public and private schools belonged to the Bureau of Public and Private Schools. Marcos era In 1972, the Department of Education became the Department of Education and Culture by Proclamation 1081. Following a referendum of all barangays in the Philippines from 10–15 January 1973, on 17 January 1973 President Marcos ratified the 1973 Constitution by Proclamation 1102. The 1973 Constitution set out the three fundamental aims of education in the Philippines, to: ? foster love of country; ?teach the duties of citizenship; and ?develop moral character, self discipline, and scientific, technological and vocational efficiency. On 24 September 1972, by PD No 1, the Department of Education, Culture and Sports was decentralized with decision-making shared among thirteen regional offices. In 1978, by PD No 1397, the Department of Education and Culture became the Ministry of Education and Culture. The Education Act of 1982 provided for an integrated system of education covering both formal and nonformal education at all levels. Section 29 of the Act sought to upgrade education institutions’ standards to achieve quality education, through voluntary accreditation for schools, colleges, and universities. Sections 16 & 17 upgraded the obligations and qualifications required for teachers and administrators. Section 41 provided for government financial assistance to private schools. The Act also created the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports. Fifth Republic On 2 February 1987, a new Constitution for the Philippines was ratified. Section 3, Article XIV of the 1987 Constitution contains the ten fundamental aims of education in the Philippines. In 1987 by virtue of Executive Order No. 117, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports, became the Department of Education, Culture and Sports . The structure of DECS as embodied in EO No. 117 remained practically unchanged until 1994. On 26 May 1988 Congress enacted Republic Act 6655, the Free Public Secondary Education Act of 1988, which manndated free public secondary education commencing in the school year 1988-1989. On 26 May 1988 Congress enacted RA 6655 which made free public secondary education to become a reality. On 3 February 1992, Congress enacted Republic Act 7323, which provided that students aged 15 to 25 may be employed during summer or Christmas vacation with a salary not lower than the minimum wage. 60% of the wage is to be paid by the employer and 40% by the government. On 3 February 1992, Congress enacted RA 7323 which provided that students aged 15 to 25 may be employed during summer or Christmas vacation with a salary not lower than the minimum wage. 60% of the wage is to be paid by the employer and 40% by the government. The Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM) report of 1991 recommended the division of DECS into three parts. On 18 May 1994, Congress passed Republic Act 7722, the Higher Education Act of 1994, creating the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), which assumed the functions of the Bureau of Higher Education, and supervises tertiary degree programs. On 25 August 1994, Congress passed Republic Act 7796, the Technical Education and Skills Development Act of 1994, creating the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), which absorbed the Bureau of Technical-Vocational Education plus the National Manpower and Youth Council, and supervises non-degree technical-vocational programs. [17] DECS retained responsibility for all elementary and secondary education. This threefold division became known as the trifocal system of education in the Philippines. The trifocal education system of the Philippines. In August 2001, Republic Act 9155, otherwise called the Governance of Basic Education Act, was passed transforming the name of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS) to the Department of Education (DepEd) and redefining the role of field offices (regional offices, division offices, district offices and schools). RA 9155 provides the overall framework for (i) school head empowerment by strengthening their leadership roles and (ii) school-based management within the context of transparency and local accountability. The goal of basic education is to provide the school age population and young adults with skills, knowledge, and values to become caring, self-reliant, productive and patriotic citizens. [8] In January 2009, DepEd signed a memorandum of agreement with the United States Agency for International Development to seal $86 million assistance to Philippine education, particularly the access to quality education in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), and the Western and Central Mindanao regions.

How Is The Theme Of Deception Apparent in “Much Ado About Nothing”

The theme of deception is ever-present throughout ‘Much Ado About Nothing'; the majority of the plot is based upon purposeful deception, some malevolent while others benign. The play itself, although set in Messina, Italy seems to echo the culture of Elizabethan society in which William Shakespeare lived; the importance of honour and pride at that time induced the need for the people to uphold this status through the constant deception of those around them, whether this was with appearances or words. Shakespeare creates a world where deception is used throughout the play and on many occasions it was intended for desirable effects; deception for positive effect is known as benevolent deception. One of the first instances where the gap between appearance and reality is portrayed is in the first dialogue of the play. The messenger has come to give news of the return of the men from a battle and speaks of how Claudio was ‘doing in the figure of a lamb, the feats of a lion'. This illustrates the gap between the appearance of Claudio and the reality of Claudio, of how he exceeds the expectations of his age by his actions on a battlefield, and demonstrates how he deceives those around him of his true capabilities. Shakespeare also uses clever word play with the use of an alliterative pattern where the sounds of ‘Figure of a Lamb' are echoed in ‘Feats of a Lion', which offers balance syntax to the line and is typical of Shakespearean blank verse. Although this is an instance where Claudio is deceiving others; this is, however, not prevalent, at all, throughout the rest of the play, instead Claudio is the one who appears to be subject to the most deception due to his gullibility and short-sightedness. One example of Claudio's foolishness is when Don John deceives him into believing that Don Pedro is wooing Hero for himself where in fact he is doing it on Claudio's behalf; this is also ironic since at the same time Claudio is attempting to deceive Don John and Borachio that he is Benedick, they however have not fallen for it. This quick reaction to the lies fed to him by Don John makes plain his temperament and emotion driven mentality. Moreover, the fact that at that moment in time there are three layers of deception occurring simultaneously typifies the amount of deception there is in the play. Claudio is further deceived, along with Don Pedro, by Don John when he shows them Hero's apparent disloyalty and ‘immoral' nature. In Act 3, Scene 2 Don John approaches Don Pedro and Claudio in order to ‘warn' them of Hero's disloyalty. The second line he speaks since he entered their circle includes sibilance, ‘†¦ leisure served, I would speak with you. ‘ which creates an image not too unlike the hissing of a snake before it attacks. There is also a lot of repetition and carefully constructed dialogue in this exchange on Don John's part; for example, in reply to Don Pedro he says ‘ I know not that, when he knows what I know'. This repetition of ‘know' places emphasis on knowledge, and how people's judgments and actions differ when they know a certain thing. Another point to be made regarding this dialogue and the theme of ‘fitting' is when Don John comments on how it would ‘better fit your honour' to not marry Hero, one interpretation of this phrase could include its connotations and implicit links to sex. Claudio's ‘honour' is in reference to his penis; a man's penis, in ancient civilisations such as the Inca, was considered as the symbol of his stature and honour in society and this ideal is not yet lost even in the modern-age. Don John also says how it would ‘better fit' his ‘honour' to change his mind, denoting how Hero's sexual organ is not fit for his ‘honour' since she has apparently fornicated. Instead of questioning why Don John, previously known for his wicked deeds, is so willing to help, he instead believes him with no questions further demonstrating his infuriating naivety. Furthermore, of the three consecutive deception scenes this one is considerably shorter. I believe that Shakespeare has done this with the intention to emphasise the drastic change in Don Pedro's position; this also raises questions Don Pedro's integrity as a leader. A man of his position would form reasoned opinions through facts and logic however in this case he has seemed to change his opinion at a whim. This is also one of the points where Shakespeare raises questions about society; in this case he questions the power structure of society by showing how Don Pedro is so easily fooled. In contrast to the character of Claudio, Benedick is portrayed as more of a calm and reasoning character, which has meant that he is rarely deceived in the play. This dissimilarity between the two is portrayed in Act 1 Scene 1 when Claudio states how ‘in mine eye' Hero is the ‘sweetest lady' that he has ever seen, speaking of an idealised love which is evident with his exaggerations; Benedick however is able to ‘see without spectacles' signifying how he is not fooled by appearances and this becomes important later in the development of the play as Benedick eventually becomes the voice of reason among the chaos which soon plays out. The comment that Benedick makes about how he can see clearly ‘without spectacles' seems to be proven when Hero is shamed by the Princes; he demonstrates how he realises the truth of the situation because he believes that ‘their wisdoms be misled in this' and that the ‘practice of it lives' in Don John, the bastard brother of Don Pedro. Nonetheless, despite Benedick's wisdom and astuteness he also falls victim to some benevolent deception himself. A particularly complex example of deception occurs as Leonato, Claudio, and Don Pedro act as if Beatrice is head over heels in love with Benedick so that the eavesdropping Benedick will overhear it and believe it. Luring Benedick into this trap, Leonato ironically dismisses the idea that perhaps Beatrice hides her desire for Benedick, as he and the others disguise this love themselves. This scene includes links to other themes including the gap between the appearance of a situation and the reality, an example of this is when Benedick states how he would think it to be a ‘gull' but does not think so because the ‘white-bearded fellow speaks it' indicating how he is deceived by the appearance of Leonato because he believes that ‘knavery', which itself has connotations of youth, could not hide itself in such ‘ Another character in the Shakespeare's play ‘Much Ado About Nothing' who is strongly involved with the theme of deception is Don John, the Bastard brother of Don Pedro. Don John's character can be accurately described as Machiavellian since he deceives and manipulates others simply for personal gain. One of the most interesting lines that Don John utters is in fact his very first in the play when he is introduced to Leonato; he thanks Leonato for his hospitality and says the he is ‘not a man of many words'. This could be seen as irony since it is exactly his words that cause the slandering and public shaming of the innocent Hero. Don John's constant malevolent deception seems not just reserved for others since there are occasional occurrences of self-deception; during a conversation with Conrade he claims that he is a ‘plain-dealing villain' which in itself is an oxymoron and furthermore seems a direct contradiction to his actions in which he is very far from ‘plain-dealing', instead he deals in conspiracy, deceit and betrayal. This may be interpreted as an indication to the possible fact that Don John does not realise the extent of his actions nor the pain, strife and hurt that he causes. This ignorance of his actions may be understood, by some, as ‘innocence' and that he is not as malicious as his actions make him appear to be. This suggestion is further iterated in the following lines: The speech has echoes of Shylocks' speech in Act 3 Scene 1 of the Shakespearean comedy ‘The Merchant Of Venice'; in that emotive speech by Shylock the audience was expected to feel sympathy towards Shylock, in the same way Shakespeare encourages the audience to rethink their snap judgements of Don John, perhaps not to change their opinion of him but to at least judge him fairly. It would seem at first that Don John is simply a deceiver and is not deceived but if we were to analyse more deeply we would realise that he is self deceiving all throughout the play. There are many indications to his self-deception, such as his claim that he is nothing more than a ‘plain-dealing villain' and again the fact that he believes that he ‘cannot hide' what he is, furthermore, he claims that he would rather be disdained than to ‘rob love from any' which is precisely what he does in regards to Claudio and Hero, this yet another clue to his self deception. His repeated self-deception is not caused by his own physical senses (i. e. he cannot believe his eyes or ears) but rather his own reasoning deceives him in order to protect his ego. Don John's brother, Don Pedro the Prince of Arragon is a legitimate child and already wins over the affections of the audience; first by the fact that he is a Prince which gives a person instant respect and admiration and secondly because, in contrast to his brother, he is a child born inside wedlock and therefore is considered as a first class citizen as opposed to his brother, Don John the Bastard. Although, his perception as this exalted being is put into question when he is involved, along with Claudio, in the public shaming of the innocent Hero. The audience, however, may tolerate this since he was a victim of Don John's deception too and therefore wasn't truly malicious in his deeds in contrast to his brother. Benedick himself recognises this, knowing the Prince personally he knew it was out of character and the Don Pedro's ‘wisdoms be misled' and that the ‘practice of it lives in John the Bastard'. The Prince of Arragon is not heavily involved in deception and therefore maintains his stature of respect in the audience's eyes, also by the fact that he is not often deceived portrays his understanding and wisdom. An additional character in William Shakespeare's ‘Much Ado About Nothing' who has interesting links to the theme of deception is the niece of Leonato, cousin to Hero, Beatrice the orphan. By having no parents in her life she has a kind of free reign in regards to her public behaviour and is able to act frivolously and with more controversy than her counterpart Hero. And with this free reign she uses it often to comment on Benedick's apparent deception of others. She makes innumerable comments on how Signor Benedick of Padua is not how he appears; according to her ‘he wears his faith but as the fashion of his hat' pointing out how he is ever changing like fashions. Beatrice, as I mentioned before, makes many remarks regarding Benedick's deception including in the first scene of the play when she calls him no less than a ‘stuffed man', meaning that he is superficial and that he has nothing within him i. e. no character or verity. A further observation that I made regarding Beatrice's regular implicit accusations of Benedick's infidelity and deception may be interpreted as a sub-conscious confession, on her part, for the feelings for Benedick which she has hidden and with which she has deceived all by. In conclusion, as we can see, deception, facades, foolishness and the like were nothing but the social graces of that Messinian world and this fashion is echoed in the essence of William Shakespeare's ‘Much Ado About Nothing'. The justification for the innumerable amount of deception includes the upholding of one's honour and status among several other reasons. Through this play Shakespeare portrays how deceit is not inherently evil, but something that can be used as a means to good or bad ends.