The Rising of the Moon

The Rising of the Moon was a very interesting play. The setting takes place on a dock at night. There is very little lighting on the dock and the only object on the dock is a barrel. We start with three policeman, a Sargent and two regular officers. The two regular officers are posting fliers of an escaped prisoner. There is a reward mentioned on the fliers which is substantial and the officers talk about this and the possibility of a promotion for the one who brings in the fugitive.The two regular police officers leave the Sargent alone on the dock to go about posting more fliers. The Sargent staying to thwart a possible escape route for the escapee. Enter the ragged man posing as a ballad singer. He tries to walk past the Sargent but is stopped and asked his business. He explains that he wants to sell songs to sailors as they return to their ships from leave. A conversation ensues between them.As I was reading the play I first thought that the two main characters (the police Sargen t and the ragged man) may have know one another. It was when the ragged man began to sing the ballad â€Å"Granuaile† (pronounced graw nya wail) and I found that it was a patriotic ballad that it struck me that the whole meaning was rebellion against English rule. The police Sargent Irish working to keep law and order for England. The ragged man Irish patriot or rebel. During their vebal exchanges the ragged man confesses that he is indeed the wanted criminal.He removes his disguise handing it to the Sargent (the disguise performs the entire journey towards the discovery of the Sargent's â€Å"true† identity underneath his mask of law and duty; the use and exchange of the disguise are similar to the exchanges of identity between the Irish man representing British rule and the Irish man representing the rebellion. [Marina, June, 2005] ) At the very moment the two regular officers are heard returning the ragged man hides behind the barrel the only thing between escape or imprisonment.The officers coming near with a lamp are stopped by the Sargent and he tells them he would rather be alone bidding them to leave as their noise may scare the wanted man. A kind of tug of war ensues about leaving the lamp, the officers want to leave it and the Sargent does not want it. It swings back and forth the Sargent afraid that the man behind the barrel might be exposed. The Sargent bellows â€Å"Be off the two of you, yourselves and your lantern! † They leave. The ragged man raises from behind the barrel thanks the Sargent, tells him he owes he one in return, waves his hand and disappears into the night.The Sargent second guessing himself says, â€Å"A hundred pounds reward! a hundred pounds! I wonder, now, am I a great a fool as I think I am? † I think not, he gave in to his national pride and deep down he regrets it not! Bravo! There were four main points in this drama. The rising of the moon: Was it night that was being emphasized? Was it to make the escape easier? Was it a symbol for the darkness of the British occupation? Or the darkness in the lives of the Sargent and the ragged man. The barrel: A large barrel, was it only a place to hide behind? Or the symbol of the road to freedom or imprisonment.The ballet â€Å"Granuaile†: A patriotic song based on â€Å"one of the most remarkable women in Irish history†. (BabyNamesofIreland. com) The disguise: The hat and the wig. Is the Sargent really fooled. Is it a symbol for the mask that the Sargent is hiding behind? On the rising of the moon, I believe this is the rising from oppression from British rule. The ragged man at the end of the play tells the Sargent, â€Å"Maybe I'll be able to do as much for you when the small rise up and the big fall down†¦ when we all change places at the rising of the moon. † The barrel is where the ragged man hides behind when the other two policemen come back.I believe it was not only hiding the ragged man but the Sar gent's true inner feelings of patriotism. The ballet unites the two as Irishman and as they share a pipe the Sargent corrects the ragged man when he miss sung some lyrics and the Sargent corrected him. The disguise performs the entire journey towards the discovery of the Sargent's â€Å"true† identity underneath his mask of law and duty; the use and exchange of the disguise are similar to the exchanges of identity between the Irish man representing British rule and the Irish man representing the rebellion. (Marina, June 2005)

China U.S Business Partner

China and the united States. Which of the two would you prefer to do business In and why? No one will criticize stating that the U. S. And China are the most influential countries In the current global Industry. What happens In the economic market In one of both countries directly reflect to the world economy. Even though they both have the substantial economic strength, they have nothing in common; the history, the way they have been developed, the impression that they show to the world, etc. Are all deferent. The way of becoming powerful countries are not easy to analyses with Just few theories.However. One of the important theories Is the difference in their regime which started to affect since sass. After World War II ends, the political regimes in both countries can be simple; China is socialist and the U. S. Is democratic. However, the world economy had kept changing. Now, things are different. The U. S. Has sucked to capitalism which Is reserved for democracy. On the other han d, China changed as time went by. It is arguable that communism or socialism would be automatic failure. Nevertheless, it is obvious that communism and socialism has closed or limited economic market which will demand one country the death sentence.According to Farley and Moss, the journalists of Society & Science, in 1979, legislative reforms in China started the global trade within limited areas in Sheehan, Aisha, Shannon, and Examine. Now, the most markets in China are opened to visitors although there are strict policies (2009) and the current status of China is pre-modern, pre-capitalist, and feudal' (Mining', 2009). ‘Feudal system' was originally created In Middle Age which refers to the political, social, and military system related to the relationship between landlord and vassal (Dictionary. Com unabridged). A Journalist, Mining comments thatChina Is not yet fully liberal and also In capitalism. In the society, this means ‘uncivilized. ‘ Considering all fac tors, China Is on the preemptively capitalist step In the concepts of Marxism which is the step to the civilized and liberal country. Acknowledged from the current China's economic strength in the world, the I OFF Any changes in business policies in one country affect companies in numerous ways in various sizes. The changed policies can be helpful and they also can give tremendous damages to the company. Since China and the U. S have different political regime, they have many similar polices but there are more differences.It is hard to decide which country is better to start a business if one has a chance. There are many factors that affect the decision to run a business such as the type and size of company, the current markets status, the government policies and etc. The sample example can be the manufacturing company and it is better to open the company in China because of the current possible crisis status in the U. S. , governments' taxation to the manufacture companies for high GAP, cheap labors for lots of handy Jobs, First of all, China currently has more stable economy than the U. S. Has. There wasGlobal Financial Crisis in the U. S. Which has commonly believed to have started in July 2007. The reasons are from complex matters. One definite factor is the sub- prime crisis from housing bubble and to overcome the crisis, the U. S. Government submitted $700 billion rescue proposal (Canasta, 2009). On Septet. 29, 2008, DOD Jones Industrial Average ends up down 777 points which was worst point loss in the history (Gibson, 2008). This collapse in the U. S. Economy influenced all other countries in the world. However, China is the only country who had a positive number of GAP in the ear of 2008 (Fordham, 2009).Even though, the U. S. Incredibly overcame the crisis in short period of time, there always is a possibility for another crisis and unstable economy. China has the highest GAP increase rate for decades. The U. S. Already has high GAP and definitely has better environment to run a business. China has lower GAP than the U. S. And it is a firm theory that lower GAP country has higher GAP growth rate. GHz, a Journalist of Journal of Economic Perspective, summarized that for decades, China is the only country who has two digit industrial growth rate (2012).These easily think as there are more chances to success in business and the higher chances make the environments change. Among countries, the developing country normally seizes the initiative. At the last 620 meeting in 2010, the U. S. Had to step back and give away few from China, especially on policies of currency changes, labors, and the U. S. Diplomacy which made better environments running a business in China than the U. S (Moronic, 2010). Higher growth rate country is better to starting a business than countries with low growth rate countries. Also, China has better taxation policies than the U. S. Has.Not only cheap labors help the company higher profits and chances of success , it is the government policies that helps running a business in China. China waives taxes from double tax to double taxes under numerous conditions. The conditions are very complicated but the big pictures of the tax waive condition is that the company must exports everything that are imported which means manufactured products with components from outside of China cannot be sold in China (Sharked, 2012). Taxes are very important issues to businesses from foreign countries and these waives helps a lot who wanted to start business in China.

Application of Separation of Powers in India

Application of Separation of Powers in India APPLICATION OF SEPARATION OF POWERS IN INDIA Separation of powers in Indian context: Doctrine of separation of powers is structural rather than functional. In India not only there is a ‘functional overlapping’ but there is ‘personnel overlapping’ also. A proposal of incorporation of the doctrine of separation of powers was proposed in the constituent assembly and the Constitutional history of India exhibits that the framers of the Indian constitution had no sympathy with the doctrine. In India separation of powers has not been awarded a Constitutional status. The doctrine of separation of powers is a part of the doctrine of basic structure of the Indian constitution although it isnt explicitly noted in it and consequently, no law and amendment can be surpassed violating it. The functions of various organs of the state have been diligently defined by the makers of the constitution. Parliamentary form of governance is followed in India. In Indian Constitution it is expressly mentioned that the executive power of the Union and of a state is vested by the constitution in the President and the Governor, respectively by articles 53(1) and 154(1), but there is no corresponding provision vesting the legislative and judicial powers in any organ. So accordingly it has been held that there is no strict separation of powers. Although prima facie it appears that our constitution has based itself upon doctrine of separation of powers. The Indian constitution has not entirely incorporated the doctrine of separation of powers but has taken a lot from the concept and kept it as a guiding force. The theory of separation of power has just been used as a guiding principle to separate the powers only to that extent to which it alienates the organs of the government from each other. In India fusion and not rigidity of separation of power is followed. The legislature or the executive cannot interfere with the judicial functions of the judiciary as it is independent in its field. The conduct of any judge cannot be discussed in the Parliament as per the Constitution. The High Court and the Supreme Court has been given the power of judicial review and they can declare any law passed by the Parliament as unconstitutional. The judges of the Supreme Court are appointed by the President in consultation with Chief Justice Of India and the judges of the Supreme Court. The power to formulate Rules for efficient conduct of business vests with the Supreme Court. Article 50 of the Constitution puts an obligation over the state to take steps to separate the judiciary from the executive. But since it’s a Directive Principle of State Policy, therefore it’s unenforceable. In a similar way certain constitutional provisions provide powers, privileges and immunities to MP’s, immunity from judicial scrutiny into the proceedings of the house, etc. Such provisions are thereby making legislature independent, in a way. The President is conferred with the executive power as it is provided in the Constitution. The Constitution enumerates the powers and functions of the President. The President and the Governor are immune from civil and criminal liabilities. Separation of Power- Parliament Executive India, since it is a parliamentary form of government, therefore it is based upon intimate contact and close co-ordination among the legislative and executive wings. However, the executive power vests in the President but, in reality he is only the formal head and that, the real head is the Prime Minister along with his Council of Ministers. The reading of the article 74(1) makes it clear that the executive head has to act in accordance with the aid and advice given by the cabinet. Generally the legislature is the repository of the legislative power but, under some specified circumstances President is also empowered to exercise legislative functions. Like while issuing an ordinance, framing rules and regulations relating to public service matters, formulating law while proclamation of emergency is in force. These were some instances of the executive head becoming the repository of legislative functioning. President performs judicial functions also like while assenting to death senten ces. Separation of Power- Parliament Judiciary Parliament can also exercise judicial functions, like in the matter of the breach of its privilege. In case of impeaching the President both the houses take active participation and decide the charges. Judiciary also performs various administrative functions when it has to supervise all the subordinate courts below. It exercises legislative power also when it formulates the rules regarding their own procedure for the conduct and disposal of cases. Executive functions of the legislature The legislature is prone to perform the following executive functions: a special role is played by the legislature in the executive field, especially in the parliamentary form of government. As a matter of fact, the life of the executive in a cabinet form of government is totally dependent on the will of the legislature. It is the legislature which elects the executive from itself. After election, the executive has to be responsible to the legislature. If the legislature expresses its no-confidence in the executive, the latter must resign. Thus, from birth to its death, the executive is tied to the chariot-wheel of the legislature. Legislative functions of the executive The executive also performs some legislative functions as noted below: In a parliamentary system of government the chief executive like the Queen of England and the President of India summons and prorogues the legislature. The authority can dissolve the lower house and order for fresh elections. It is a practice in almost all the countries of the world to refer the bill passed by the legislature to the chief executive for approval. Unless the chief executive okays the bill, it cannot be law. The chief executive can withhold his assent which is called the veto power of the executive over the legislature. When the legislature is in recess, some urgent laws can be made by the chief executive by promulgating ordinances which will have the force of law. The life of an ordinance varies from state to state. It is a short-term measure. This is a direct legislative fiat of the executive. In a parliamentary form of government the executive has a mass of legislative spade-work. It is the executive that initiates a bill in the legislature. So in a cabinet government a minister initiates bills in the legislature. A bill sponsored by a private member has little scope of success in the absence of direct patronage from the ministers. Thus we find that the Prasar Bharati Bill to ensure autonomy to the All India Radio and the Doordarshan was piloted by the Minister for Information and broadcasting in the V. P. Singh Government. The executive makes what is called delegated legislation. The legislature cannot make the minutest details of all laws. It frames only the broad laws. The minor aspect of the legislation is done by the rule-making powers of the executive. These rules and regulations which have the same force as law is the exclusive legislative domain of the executive. The executive also shares the legislative functions of the nature of financial legislations like the budget and theFinance Act. In India, no money bill can be introduced in the legislature without the prior approval of the President. Thus all three organs act as a check and balance to each other and work in coordination and cooperation to make our parliamentary system of governance work. India being an extremely large and diverse country needs a system like this where all organs are responsible to each other as well as coordinated to each other, otherwise making governance possible becomes a very rigid and difficult task. JUDICIAL PRONOUNCEMENTS In Keshavanand Bharti case (1973), the Supreme Court held that the amending power of the Parliament is subject to the basic features of the constitution. So, any amendment violating the basic features will be held unconstitutional. This scheme cannot be altered by even resorting to Art.368 of the constitution. In Ram Jawaya v. Punjab (1955) case, the Supreme Court held up the observation that the executive is derived from the legislature and is dependent on it for its legitimacy. Cabinet ministers in India both executive and legislative functions. Art. 74(1) gives the upper hand to the cabinet ministers over the executive by making their aid and advice mandatory for the President, who is the formal head of the State. In Indira Nehri Gandhi v. Raj Narain (1975) case, the Supreme Court held that adjudication of a dispute is a judicial function and parliament cannot even under constitutional amending power is competent to exercise this function. In Swaran Singh case (1998) the Supreme Court declared the Governor’s pardon of a convict unconstitutional. In subsequent judgments, the Supreme Court upheld the rulings of the Keshavananda Bharti case regarding the non-amend ability of the basic features of the Constitution and strict adherence to the doctrine of separation of powers.

Childhood Obesity Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Childhood Obesity - Term Paper Example Obesity prevalence is brought by poor nutritional eating habits exposing the parents of the affected children to unavoidable consequences resulting to either social stigmatization or medical related problems (Preedy &Watson, 2012). The prevalence of obesity and related condition is said to have risen rapidly amongst the children aged between 5 and 16. Despite this rate, treatment and prevention have always remained vital steps to curtail this menace (Ferry, 2011). Stake of the community health in controlling prevalence of obesity The main objective of the community health is to explore adequate mechanism of reducing obesity in children and adolescence. A number of considerations have been put in place by the health workers to ensure that the fight against such conditions is put under control. Some of the values that need to be embraced are community involvement and empowerment. All the members of the society should be sensitized about the articulate nature of obesity amongst the chil dren. Therefore, communities should be empowered to have a response to the childhood obesity while emphasizing on the environmental risks, which exploits the health of a child. Ironically, most of the food advertisements are usually directed towards the perspective of the children. Parents and the society as a whole should participate in an active role of educating children about the prospects of positive food advertisements. ... For adequate provision of comprehensive effort to curtail the prevalence of obesity, the collaborative effort must involve partisans at all levels of the society, community, organizational, interpersonal and individual. Causes of obesity In America, nearly two out of five children are either of excessive weight or are obese. There are several reasons as to the prevalent increase of obesity even though most of them can actually be controlled through slight adjustments in lifestyle changes. However, among the dominant causes of obesity includes poor nutrition. Insufficient nutrition accustomed by many Americans has been found to contain too much calories and less nutrition responsible for the development of body structures. Moreover, inadequate exercise is also considered as a major contribution of the body towards obesity. Absence of actual balance of the amount of calories that are believed to stagnate in the body after consumption may lead to radical gain in body weight. Therefore, a recommendable exercise of approximately 20 minutes daily is considered adequate to enhance distribution of fatty acids within the body (Smith, 1999). Another contributing factor is health illiteracy. Inadequate education both at the community level and the institutional levels concerning the measures of controlling obesity has never been up to date. For instance, some mothers may not be actually aware that, they are capable of eradicating obesity. In addition, some suffer from inability of translating the nutritional components of food substances. It is, however, considered of no use to consume a definite amount of food if there is no clear

Evidence based paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Evidence based paper - Essay Example This is an even greater challenge for new nurses who are not yet familiar with the physicians’ handwritings, making them more prone to mistakes. Computers should replace handwritten prescriptions. Doctor’s orders and prescriptions should be given through a computer so that they will be more understandable. This can reduce confusion and mistakes, making the delivery of healthcare faster and more efficient. It can also serve as a better way of keeping track of doctor’s orders since computers make it easier to compile data and save them to a hard drive as opposed to keeping the orders in a clipboard or a folder. Computers can be more beneficial than just reducing mistakes. There are many advantages to using computers in giving orders and prescriptions. Computer-inputted orders and prescriptions are clear and easy to understand; the files can be saved more securely than a physical copy; the files can be shared easily between departments. For example, when a doctor orders a new drug to a patient, once it is noted on the computer, the nurse can forward the new drug orders to the pharmacy so that they can provide the new drug immediately. Documentation becomes easier due to computers, freeing up more time for the nurses to take care of patients. This new speed and efficiency from being able to understand and manage prescriptions better translates into better patient care that can make a difference for the patient’s health and can prevent many accidents involving medication errors from happening. The downside to computers would be cost and reliability. The cost to place a computer and to maintain it in every area of the hospital is significant, and it would also need a powerful backup power supply in case power runs out, which could cripple the whole care process since the computers, with all the patients’ data, cannot be accessed. The ultimate goal of digitizing prescriptions is the

Human Resources Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Human Resources Development - Essay Example ge of branded products, â€Å"backwards expansion† strategy (saturating the target’s rural market first), innovative marketing strategy and most important of all, human resource management. Walton, from the very beginning, believed that happy and satisfied employees performed well and were responsible for happy customers. Wal-Mart’s success in human resource management is keeping their workforce of 1.3 million or more from unionizing. In addition to that, Wal-Mart has achieved a very good retention rate of their employees and has also ensured discipline and uniformity in an organization that has been growing at such a rapid pace. Wal-Mart’s distinctive human resource management policies can be listed and analyzed as follows: (1) Recruitment: In the realm of employee recruitment, Wal-Mart has targeted college students to add to their workforce.   Wal-Mart achieves this recruitment by fanning out over 80 college campuses. While they are at these colleges, they are also able to expand their demographics by looking at minority fraternities and sororities, which brings all types of people from different backgrounds, races, and genders together in the Wal-Mart family.   Having a wide variety demographic for a workforce, only serves to attract more people to seek employment with Wal-Mart because they are able to show that they have a very open hiring process. (2) Training and Development: Beyond recruitment, Wal-Mart has taken an additional step with college students by offering management training for college students while they are still in school so they are more developed and prepared upon their graduation. This program serves the purpose of making college students consider careers with Wal-Mart, and over the last few years, the program has had immense success.   The company is also highly committed towards employee development and improving their career prospects. It has a policy of recruiting more than seventy percent of its personnel in managerial

Leadership and Communication Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Leadership and Communication - Research Paper Example This research paper is developed utilizing an interplay of factors which shape leadership development. The researcher discusses leadership, that enables people to go beyond the confines of mediocrity and tread into the realm of excellence. In the process, it induces people to define their desires and to pursue them with passion. Ultimately, leadership transforms potential into reality. In any organization, especially in the academe, the influence of leadership in its operations of has evolved from a simple theoretical framework to the complex structure we have today. The development of leadership theories and communication opened a whole spectrum of information which enhanced the interaction and interrelationships among personnel. In conclusion, the researcher states that the ways to solve human resources problems depend on factors that currently influence the workforce. An examination of these factors would assist the leader and decision maker in arriving at the most appropriate sol ution. At NCO Academy, the problem that was discussed and ensued between the administrators and the instructors necessitated a review and assessment of each set of personnel’s position and role in the academe. By realizing that each personnel’s active contribution to organizational goals, the rift between them would be properly addressed. It just requires the keen governance of NCO Academy’s leaders to steer the organization into an efficiently operating academe focused in the achievement of its organizational goals.

Lactate & Enzymes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Lactate & Enzymes - Essay Example If pyruvate does not break down, it usually turns into lactate. When pyruvate is produced, the muscle cell will try to use it for aerobic energy. However, if the cell does not have the capacity to use all the pyruvate produced, it will be changed chemically to lactate. Some cells have a large capacity to use pyruvate for aerobic energy while others have very little. With training, many cells can adapt to use more pyruvate and, thus, produce less lactate. Lactate is present in our system at rest and as we go about our every day activities, although at low levels. However, as exercise or work activity increases in intensity, large amounts of pyruvate are produced very quickly. Because pyruvate can be produced quickly, not all of it may be used for aerobic energy. The surplus pyruvate will turn into lactate. This is why lactate is such a significant marker for training. When it is produced, it is a sign that aerobic energy is limited during the activity. There is a different reason why more lactate is produced as exercise intensity increases. As exercise increases, extra muscle fibers will be recruited. These fibers are used infrequently at rest or in light activity. Fast twitch fibers are not very good at turning pyruvate into aerobic energy. Hence, a lot of this pyruvate turns into lactate. Lactate is a major metabolic intermediate. Its fate depends on the conditions of the cell. In aerobic oxidation of glucose, glucose is converted to pyruvate, which is then converted to acetylSCoA (or AcetylCoA), a high-energy thioester. Under anaerobic conditions, pyruvate is reduced to lactate to regenerate the NAD + needed in Step 6 of glycolysis to keep glycolysis pathway going. 3. Which enzyme is responsible for lactate production Write out the equation for this reaction. Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH) is an enzyme responsible for lactate production, which is present in varieties or organisms including plants and animals. This will catalyse the inter-conversion of pyruvate and lactate with concomitant inter-conversion of NADH and NAD+. As it can also catalyze the oxidation of hydroxybutyrate, occasionally called Hydroxybutyrate Dehydrogenase (HBD). Or D(-)Lactate + -NAD + Hydrazine LDH> Pyruvate Hydrazone + -NADH Abbreviations used: -NAD = -Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide, Oxidized Form -NADH = -Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide, Reduced Form LDH = D-Lactic Dehydrogenase 4. The student decided to use this enzyme to measure blood lactate levels. He reasoned that if he could produce reaction conditions that allowed the enzyme to metabolise all the lactate present, he would be able to calculate the lactate content of his sample by reading the change in absorbance at 340nm. Explain the reasoning behind this idea. LDH catalyzes the reduction of pyruvate to L-lactate with concomitant oxidation of NADH2 to NAD. Since the oxidation of NADH2 is directly proportional to the reduction of pyruvate in equimolar amounts, the LDH activity can be calculated from the rate of decrease in absorbance at 340 nm (334 nm or 365 nm). 5. In order to obtain suitable conditions for an assay to measure plasma lactate levels, the student chose a buffer containing 1.5% (w/v) hydrazine. Hydrazine reacts covalently with pyruvate to form a hydrazone: CH3 CH3 | | C=O + NH2.NH2 C=N.NH2+H20 |

Can terrorism ever be morally justified Research Paper

Can terrorism ever be morally justified - Research Paper Example The demands could be socio-economic or political. According to Igor Primoratz, terrorism can be defined as: ‘The deliberate use of violence, or threat of its use, against innocent people, with the aim of intimidating some other people into a course of action they otherwise would not take’ (Primoratz, 2011). These definitions however, form more of a general perspective to this whole idea, are simply unsatisfactory. They don’t delve into the root cause and what the ultimate objectives are behind these motives, but rather focus on what is done. The issue in its entirety is far more subtle. Virtually, in every historical era and society, there have been extremists who have used terror as their tactics to advance their cause. Of thousands of such groups that exist or have existed, the validity of their cause is often questioned. However, one element has remained consistent throughout the time, and that is their belief of being denied all the resources and opportunity to advance their cause through conventional means and that terrorism is the only way to voice their concerns and give them relief (Vague, 2007). Some studies suggest that poverty and one’s perception of unfairness and moral debauchery of Western capitalism play an integral part in forming these terrorists. Not only because they have had no other means to make their opinions heard, but also to show their hopelessness and frustration towards their oppressors.

The Battle as the Main Substance Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Battle as the Main Substance - Assignment Example The following are the arguments that support this position. The battle analysis method was developed by the US Army Command and General Staff College to provide a format by which any military professional may find insight from historical battles and campaigns, in order to help deepen his or her understanding of warfare. It is intended to be a general guide for military personnel to ensure that significant actions or factors that affect the outcome of a battle or military operation are not overlooked (University of Southern Mississippi ROTC, p. 51). It is comprised of the following checklist: First, define the subject. This involves determining what, where, when, who and why about the study that is being undertaken. It is important to ascertain the date of the battle, its location, and the adversaries involved. This step involves looking for good sources of information such as books, articles, the Internet, and so forth. Second, set the stage (review the setting). From the mass of data, the information is reduced to the essentials among which are the strategic factors, the operational settings, and the tactical situation. In the latter, it is helpful to be guided by the OAKOC (observation and fields of fire, avenues of approach, key and decisive terrain, obstacles, and cover and concealment). Thirdly, describe the action. This step in the battle analysis is the main substance of what people consider military history. The battle should be studied chronologically, with the importance of progression of events derived in the analysis. First, the opening moves of the opposing forces in the battle should be examined, to determine which side gained the early advantage over the other. Detail should then be drawn for the major phases and the key events and decisions that turned the battle in favor of either side. Finally, the outcome should be stated: which party won the battle; what the objective was and whether the objective was attained or not; and what the long-term repercussions of the battle had been. Fourth, draw lessons learned (assess the significance). Lastly, the significance of the encounter should be assessed. This comprises the most important aspect of battle analysis. In this step, the information derived about the action is analyzed to yield important lessons for t he future. It involves relating causes of why something happened, to the effects of these events. The insights derived therein called the â€Å"constants of war† form part of the timeless lessons useful in future encounters (USM-ROTC, n.d.).  

The Importance of Sex Education in Todays Schools Essay Example for Free

The Importance of Sex Education in Todays Schools Essay What did you learn about in school today honey? Oh, we did some proofs in Geometry, practiced past tense verbs in Spanish, and learned about sexually transmitted diseases in Health class. Suddenly, all goes silent, and the subject is quickly changed to something else. One of the most controversial issues facing todays schools is whether or not sexual education, or sex ed, should continue to be taught to children. On one hand, some argue that it should, because children need to be properly educated on this topic and the potential consequences that can result from it. However, many others oppose this viewpoint, arguing that sex ed is a personal subject for parents to discuss with their children, and therefore does not belong in an academic setting. While both of these viewpoints have their strengths as well as their limitations, it is extremely important for sex ed to continue to be taught in todays schools. Not only will students be properly educated on how to prevent negative sexual outcomes, such as sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and unintended pregnancies, but also on the wide range of topics related to sexual health, such as communication, relationships, and decision-making. Overall, sex education has both physical as well as emotional benefits for school-aged children. Of course, there are several reasonable objections to sexuality education curriculum being taught in todays schools. First, it is argued that  sexuality is an inappropriate topic to be taught in schools, for schools are a place to learn typical academic subjects such as Math, Science, or English. In addition, those who are against sex ed assert that sex is a personal matter and should only be taught to children by their parents. In other words, it is the parents responsibility to provide sexuality education for their own children (Goldman 5). This would be a reasonable point to make. After all, parents are the first and most readily accessible of all the teachers from whom children learn (Goldman 6). Further, children consistently report that they want to receive information from their parents regarding sex (Goldman 6), suggesting that they would rather learn about sexual activity from their parents than from teachers. Finally, opponents of sexuality education curriculum argue that teaching this topic in schools essentially condones teenage sex, and thus will result in more teens engaging in sexual activity. However, these opposing positions have their limitations. Researchers point out that sex ed is after all, an academic subject, so it is appropriate that it is included in schools curriculum (Hamilton, Sanders, and Anderman 3). Sex ed is not a class taught on its own, but rather a component of schools health classes. The problem is, people mistakenly believe that sex ed only refers to sexual behavior, such as sexual intercourse, and not the full array of topics that comprise sexuality (Implementing, par. 4). These topics include information on:  abstinence, body image, contraception, gender, human growth and development, human reproduction, pregnancy, relationships, safer sex (prevention of sexually transmitted infections), sexual attitudes and values, sexual anatomy and physiology, sexual behavior, sexual health, sexual orientation, and sexual pleasure. (Implementing, par. 4) From this information, it can be concluded that sex ed does not just discuss sexual activity as critics claim. Rather, it teaches students about several important life topics regarding sexual health and human relationships. The argument that parents should be the sole educators on sexuality has its  limitations as well. The fact is, not all parents are talking to their children about sex. A nationally representative survey commissioned by the Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) and the Center for Latino Adolescent and Family Health (CLAFH) revealed that 57% of parents either feel only slightly comfortable or uncomfortable talking to their children about sex and sexual health (Parents, par. 6). Also, additional research has shown that many parents do not provide relevant, timely, developmentally appropriate or even enough sexuality education for their own children, and the education they do provide is perceived by their children as infrequent and of poor quality (Goldman 6). So even if parents are talking to their children about sex, they may not be giving their children a proper or complete education. A study conducted on the salience and utility of school sexuality education for young men found that for most young men, school sex education appeared to be the only substantive source of information they had received on sexual matters (Goldman 8). Finally, if parents really feel that they are the best educators regarding sexuality and do not want schools teaching their children this topic, they have the right to pull their children out of the program. According to the California Department of Education, the law recognizes that parents have the ultimate responsibility for teaching their children about human sexuality and may choose to withdraw their children from this instruction (California Department of Education #15). Schools are required to notify parents at the beginning of the school year about planned comprehensive sexual health education and HIV/AIDS prevention education and give parents the opportunity to review materials as well as the opportunity to request in writing that their child not participate in the instruction (California Department of Education #15). In closing, sexual education is a vital component in todays academic curriculum, for it may be the only source from which some children receive accurate information regarding sexual health. Finally, there is the false belief that providing comprehensive sexual education in schools endorses sexual activity and will lead to more teenagers having sex. However, research shows just the opposite: knowledge of sexuality is much more likely to lead to informed decision making, delayed sexual intercourse, responsible interpersonal behavior, and  self-protection strategies (Goldman 7). In addition, a study that examined sex education in California public schools revealed that curriculum-based, comprehensive sexuality education, which involves instruction that includes a focus on abstinence, as well as inclusive information about contraception and sexually transmitted diseases, has been shown to delay sexual activity (Combellick and Brindis 3). The belief that teaching children about sexual education endorses premarital sex is erroneous because school-based sex education has been shown to delay, rather than hasten, the onset of sexual activity (Goldman 7). It can now be seen tha t these three common objections to sexual education curriculum being included in todays schools have their limitations. Comprehensive sexual education programs can greatly benefit school-aged children. With this curriculum in place, children will receive a complete education on the risks associated with sex, such as sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and unintentional pregnancies, and how to avoid these outcomes. This knowledge has been shown to decrease the number of unintentional teenage pregnancies as well as STDs. One study revealed that teenagers who received a comprehensive sex education were significantly less likely to report a teen pregnancy compared to those who received no sex education (Kohler, Manhart, and Lafferty). According to the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS), this likelihood is about 50 percent lower, a tremendous finding. In addition, school-based sex education efficiently reduces the incidence of negative sexual outcomes as well as increases teenagers intentions to adopt safer sex behaviors (Kumar, Lim, Langford, Seabrook, Speechley, and Linch; Goldman 7). Thus, sexual education programs can play a tremendous role in reducing the number of teenage pregnancies and STD cases. In addition, sex education programs are necessary in todays schools because children are undergoing sexual development at much younger ages than in previous generations. Over the past decade or so, the age at which children start puberty has gone down considerably. According to WebMD.com, American boys are starting puberty at an average age of ten; two years earlier than the average age from twenty years ago (DeNoon par. 1). Similarly, girls tend  to start puberty around age eleven, but some can start as young as eight or nine years old (Watson). With the onset of puberty, children undergo many hormonal and physical changes that they may not fully understand without proper instruction. Furthermore, adolescence, defined as the ages between 10 and 19 years (Goldman 4), is a crucial stage in sexual development as well as for learning about healthy sexuality (Kumar; Goldman 20). In Goldmans study, surveyed children viewed puberty and its implications for the maturation of human development as a major part of their body, self-identity, and social and interpersonal norms (20). In other words, children are aware of the important role puberty plays in their physical, emotional, and social development. Thus, sexual education should remain a part of todays schools curriculum, so children will continue to be fully educated on the rapid physical and emotional changes they are undergoing. However, as is the case with all arguments, this position has its limitations. Students being educated about sexuality at school may feel like they do not need to discuss this topic with their parents. As a result, sexual education programs could indirectly discourage students from talking to their parents about sex. Additionally, even if schools are teaching comprehensive sexual education programs, some students may not retain all of the information they receive. One study found that a majority of the surveyed adolescents demonstrated significant gaps in sexual knowledge even though they had successfully completed their high school sex ed requirements (Kumar et al.). Finally, despite the fact that 22 states require public schools to teach sex ed, the United States still has the highest teen birth rate in the industrialized world: three out of ten girls in the U.S. will become pregnant at least once before their 20th birthday (State). In addition, about nine million cases of STDs occur among teenagers and young adults in the United States every year (Weinstock) even though 33 states require HIV/AIDS instruction in schools (State). However, these limitations do not take into account that 28 U.S. states do not require sexual education to be taught in public schools. As a result, not all students are receiving a complete education on sexuality, which includes instruction on how to prevent pregnancies and STDs. After all, only  about five percent of young people in the United States get a complete and comprehensive sexuality education (Goldman 19). In addition, only 14% of school districts in the U.S. permit comprehensive sexuality education to be offered to students (Goldman 15). Therefore, the high number of teen pregnancies and STD cases in the U.S. could be attributed to a lack of comprehensive sex education programs, not an overabundance of them. Overall, sexual education programs are an integral component of school-aged childrens academic curriculum, as much as the public has come to realize. More than 90% of parents of junior high and high school students believe that it is important for sex ed to be taught in the classroom (Facts #10). Moreover, teachers, parents, and students all agree that schools should provide quality sex ed, including knowledge, skills, and values, that will enable school-aged children to make timely choices and thought-out decisions for themselves (Goldman 20). Thus, it can be seen that sex education is already a widely supported component of elementary and secondary academic curriculum. Finally, sex education should continue to be taught in schools because it educates children on many important life skills. Sexuality has several different topics associated with it, such as human development, relationships, communication and decision making (Siecus par. 5.). When people think of sex ed, they generally do not think of these life skills. However, sex involves numerous life decisions, from choosing to abstain to choosing a birth control method. In addition, communication and relationships are an integral part of sexuality, because it is a union that involves two separate people. Plus, students who received a comprehensive sex education were more likely to report having better communication with their parents (Hamilton 5). Due to this wide array of topics covered, it is no wonder that high school sexual education classes received the highest average rating of usefulness among all listed sources (Kumar et al.). Sex education programs truly benefit todays school-age children in countless ways. There is no doubt that sex education in todays schools is a controversial  issue, however, it must continue to be taught. Children who do not receive proper instruction on this topic at home need a place where they can receive accurate information regarding sexuality. Furthermore, this academic subject will help students learn the skills necessary to make informed decisions regarding their sexual health and avoid negative sexual outcomes. Finally, it is so important for sex education to be taught in schools so that developing children can learn about their changing bodies as well as numerous important life skills. Sex education should no longer be viewed as an inappropriate topic to be taught in schools, but rather as an essential component of school-aged childrens education. Works Cited California Department of Education. Frequently Asked Questions. _CDE.CA.GOV._ California Department of Education, 19 Sep. 2013. Web. 3 Nov. 2013. Combellick, Sarah, MPH and Claire Brindis, DrPh. Uneven Progress: Sex Education in California Public Schools. _Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health,_ Nov. 2011. Web. 3 Nov. 2013. DeNoon, Daniel J. Earlier Puberty: Age 9 or 10 for Average U.S. Boy. _Children.WebMD.com._ WebMD LLC., 12 Oct. 2012. Web. 5 Nov. 2013. Goldman, Juliette D. G. Responding To Parental Objections To School Sexuality Education: A Selection Of 12 Objections. _Sex Education_ 8.4 (2008): 415-438. _Education Research Complete_. Web. 2 Nov. 2013 Hamilton, Rashea, Megan Sanders, and Eric M. Anderman. The Multiple Choices Of Sex Education. _Phi Delta Kappan_ 94.5 (2013): 34-39. _ERIC_. Web. 1 Nov. 2013. Kohler, Pamela, et al., Abstinence-Only and Comprehensive Sex Education and the Initiation of Sexual Activity and Teen Pregnancy, _Journal of Adolescent Health_ 42.4 (March 2008); 344-351. Web. 4 Nov. 2013. Kumar, Maya M., et al. Sexual Knowledge Of Canadian Adolescents After Completion Of High School Sexual Education Requirements. _Paediatrics Child Health (1205-7088)_ 18.2 (2013): 74-80. _Academic Search Complete._ Web. 1 Nov. 2013. National Conference of State Legislatures. State Policies on Sex Education in Schools. National Conference of State Legislatures, 1 July 2013. Web. 6 Nov. 2013. Planned Parenthood. _Implementing Sex Education._ Planned Parenthood Federation of America Inc, 2013. Web. 3 Nov. 2013. Planned Parenthood. _New Poll: Parents are Talking With Their Kids About Sex but Often Not Tackling Harder Issues._ Planned Parenthood Federation of America Inc, 3 Oct. 2011. Web. 3 Nov 2013. _Support the Real Education for Healthy Youth Act._ Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States, n.d. Web. 4 Nov. 2013. Watson, Stephanie. Dealing with Early Puberty. _Teens.WebMD.com._ WebMD LLC., 17 Nov. 2011. Web. 5 Nov. 2013. Weinstock, H., et al., Sexually Transmitted Diseases Among American Youth: Incidence and Prevalence Estimates, 2000, _Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health_, 2004, 36(1):6-10. Web. 7 Nov. 2013

Translatability and Poetic Translation Essay Example for Free

Translatability and Poetic Translation Essay Translation used to be considered an inter-language transfer of meaning, which is the point of departure for research and study. Many earlier definitions demonstrate this, using source language and target language as their technical terms. Moreover, translation theories strictly confined themselves within the sphere of linguistics. For many years the popular trend in the translation circles had been perfect faithfulness to the original both in content and in form and it had been regarded as the iron criterion as if from the holy Bible for translators to observe. The godly status and the impossible idealistic belief were not altered until new thoughts arose with the respect of consideration of target readers, the unavoidable translator subjectivity and the purpose and function of translations. This thesis, starting to look from new angles such as the accommodation to target cultural conventions, the translators consciousness of linguistic and cultural adaptations to make it easy for readers to understand translated works without too much pain and effort, and translation as a purposeful endeavor. Translation is then understood as a much more complicated activity with a much broader scope. Translation of poetry was, and still is by some, believed as impossibility for any unfaithful elements would have been taken as failure, be it content or form. The arguments include linguistic elements and cultural elements. Most importantly the myth of untranslatability looks upon poetry as beauty itself which is untouchable for once it is touched it is destroyed. But as translation of poetry has never been stagnant though sometimes vigorous and sometimes not, there is strong evidence in both translation history and present day practice that poetic translation, a literary form as distinguished from fiction, drama, and prose, is translatable. Poetry itself serves a purpose, be it an illusive matter, and aesthetics can be reproduced in another language and culture if accommodation is made. It would be highly likely that the target readers would obtain rather similar if not the same aesthetic pleasure reading the translation as would the source readers reading the original poem. And this is, I believe, the only criterion in evaluating and assessing what is a successful piece of translation. Of course there are other functions of poetry like informative, didactic, cognitive, practical and even entertainment functions. The aesthetic function stays at the top of the list, though. In other words, if a translation fails to perform the aesthetic function it is in my eyes a bad translation, no matter how well the form is preserved. A word-for-word translation may be judged faithful in form, but it is failure in terms of the performance of functions. As aesthetics of one people influences them with different elements from that of another, accommodation in translation is of urgent necessity. Often loss or addition is made to achieve that end and sometimes only some elements are preserved while other elements are neglected. This is inevitable or there will be no translation, which means if one fears any loss or addition, one should learn to read the original always instead of reading the translated version. But how many of us can do that? The thesis aims at breaking the myth of untranslatability of poetry and argues from the appropriate understanding of translation to the various functions of poetry. And in the end it suggests, with examples taken from well-acknowledged translators of poetry, some strategies for poetic translators so that global talk opens up another channel for human communication. We will understand one another better. The detailed organization is as follows. This thesis, starting from a brief account of old ideas of the untranslatability of poetry, proposes instead a hypothesis that poetry is translatable (Chapter One). In the next chapter (Chapter Two) an analysis of why poetry is untranslatable is made in both linguistic and cultural respects. It goes on giving a detailed analysis of translation in general, its various definitions, its multiple functions and the authors own idea of it (Chapter Three). Then literary translation is discussed, involving its features and main functionaesthetic value which is the very core in poetic translation as well (Chapter Four). Chapter Five deals with features of poetic translation, treating at the beginning the relationship between poetry and aesthetics and then making a comparison of Sino-west poetic theories. What follows is a discussion of the longstanding issue of form vs content and the criteria of poetic translation. At the end of this chapter, the function of poetry is discussed. Chapter Six suggests some strategies in poetic translation, all with a strong consciousness of compensation of possible loss of the source text. The thesis ends with a conclusionpoetry is translatable. 1. LITERATURE REVIEW 1. 1 UNTRANSLATABILITY—WHAT THEY ARE SAYING Traduttore-traditore. (Translator = traitor. ), says the well-known Italian phrase. â€Å" Poetry is what gets lost in translation,† Robert Frost says. Western tradition and culture is founded on untranslatability. This may sound like a paradox, if one thinks of the long tradition of translatio studii or translatio imperii in the culture, or if you just ponder the very word tradition . Tradition, from Latin tradere (‘hand over), implies a process of communication, transmission, and transference that necessarily allows for the transformation, whether in terms of â€Å"losses† or â€Å"gains,† usually associated with what we consensually mean by translation. To translate is not to say the same thing in another tongue, but to make manifest a different thing. This may sound close to what we used to call â€Å"the impossibility of translation. Croce (quoted in Carravetta, 1997) holds that poets cannot be compared, as each is unique. Translation is impossible; it is only a pedagogical necessity. The responsibility of the interpreter is to capture the mood or state of being (stato danimo) of its author. In modern times some scholars have come to realize that something in a language can not be fully translated into another, in other words, there is an inevitable loss of meaning. Catford (1965), a celebrated translation scholar of the linguistic school, raises the issue of untranslatability with a new perspective. He argues that linguistic untranslaltability is due to the difference in the Source Language (SL) and the Target Language (TL), whereas cultural untranslatability is due to the absence in the TL of relevant situational features. Dabeluet and Viney (quoted in Wilss, 2001), in the fruitful book A comparative French and English Stylistics have analyzed in detail the points of linguistic difference between the two languages, differences that constitute areas where translation is impossible. Popovic (quoted in Wilss, 2001) also has attempted to define untranslatability without making a separation between the linguistic and cultural factors. Nida (1984) presents a rich source of information about the problems of loss in translation, in particular about the difficulties encountered by the translators when facing with terms or concepts in SL that do not exist in TL. Newmark (1982) has also once briefly talked about the deviation in translation. In Chinese translation history, in contemporary and modern day translation circles, many experts and scholars have also discussed the problem to some extent in their empirical assertions and research papers. As early as the flourishing period of Buddhist scriptures, the problem of untranslatability was mentioned and a rather strong expression was used to criticize certain versions as ‘feeding others what one has munched in his own mouth'( , my translation), not mentioning translation of poetry. Zhu guangqian (Zhu, 1987: 113) says that the reason why poetry translation poses more difficulty than prose translation lies in that poetry stress more on its musical quality while prose emphasizes more on meaning. Translating meaning is apparently easier than translating the musical quality (my translation). Chinese, unlike English, uses characters which are all single syllables, namely, one character as one syllable. So phrases and clauses are easily arranged into even number phrases and neat even number couplets, if the need arises for comparison or contrast. However, the western languages have strict grammatical rules, requiring fixed structures that forbids free inversions or disorders. If translating literally according to the Chinese form, confusion emerges. (Ibid: 201) (my translation) Poetry can not only be translated into a foreign language nor can it be translated into another style or another historical period of the same language because the sound and meaning of the language change with the times. Modern syllables and rhythms can not replace those needed in ancient language and modern associated meaning can not replace the ancient associated meaning (Ibid: 223) (my translation). Chen Shuxin (Chen, 2000) proposes that poetic untranslatability mainly lies in the transference of the beauty of the original sound. If put in order, the transference of sound stays at the top of the list, then form and style, lastly meaning (my translation). Wen Yiduo (Zhu, 1925: 149) exemplifies untranslatability as follows: â€Å"Li Bai stands between the ancient style and contemporary style. His wul u , which consists of five characters in each line and eight lines altogether, has the soul of ancient style and the body of the contemporary which is characterized with abundant embellishment. The embellished style may be translatable but not the poetic power. Nevertheless Li Bai without his tremendous power is no longer himself†. (my translation) For example, the lines , was translated as : (1. 1) The smoke from the cottages curls Up around the citron trees, And the hues of late autumn are On the green paulownias. â€Å"What is the matter? † Mr Zhu asks, â€Å"The glorious beauty of the Chinese poem, once transformed into English should become so barren and mediocre! Such precious lines as these are untranslatable for they are too subtle and too refined. If one has to translate it anyway, it is doomed to be destroyed. Beauty is untouchable. If it is touched, it dies. † ( my translation) (Ibid: 150). But Zhu later has to admit in another book that translation is not intended for the original author or those who understand the source language. It should not intend to compare with the original. It is impossible and unnecessary to please the reader who understands the source language with ones translation (my translation) (Ibid: 154). In summary, I find that those who stick to untranslatbility are but two kinds of people. Some strictly believe the holiness of the original text and others the absoluteness of the unity of meaning and form in a certain language. And they, idealistically, do not allow any addition or loss of meaning in the transferring process as in translation, which is actually inevitable and is a rule rather than an exception. 1. 2 TRANSLATABILITY A HYPOTHESIS Translation work, in its present form, dates back more than a thousand years in China and in Western countries. The ever-lasting practice of translation itself manifests the translatability of languages. Therefore, it stands to reason that a language can be translated from one language into another. Under the guide of this perception, former scholars usually probe into the problem of translation from an instinctive and empirical point of view. Not all words need to be translated. Some cannot. Some can be transcribable, but if there is no cultural equivalent, whether it is translatable or not it still needs to be explained, just like a jargon needs to be explained to the non-specialist in a footnote. Words, expressions or interjections that are exclusive to a culture, a religion or a jargon cannot always be translated in a satisfactory way because the same thing does not exist in the other languages culture. In many cases such words with no perfect equivalent are the words that end up being borrowed by the other language, sometimes with a possible spelling adaptation to ease pronunciation in the other language. Jacobson ( 1966: 238) (quoted in Wolfram Wilss, 2001) comes to the conclusion that poetry by definition is untranslatable. Only creative transposition is possible. With this as a prerequisite, translation of poetry should and must be translatable. Historically speaking, the activity of poetic translation has always been there, popular at one time and losing momentum at another, though always being practiced. In other words, whenever human communication is necessary, translation will live on and maintain a firm and fast stronghold. The reason is simple but unavoidable—we, as a nation or a country, are not living alone. As long as we do not lock ourselves up, translation will be translatable, be it scientific translation or poetic translation. Many translators in contemporary and modern China have made and are making outstanding contributions to the literary and poetic exchanges between China and the West through their diligent and painstaking work. Xu Yuanchong, for instance, has translated several books of Chinese ancient poems into English, the most important being the The 300 Hundred Tang Poems . Gu Zhengkun, by rendering into English The Collection of Mao Zedongs Poems , is another example to have introduced Chinese poetry to readers of English. Foreigners include Arthur Waley, Herbert Giles, Witter Bynner, W. J. B. Fletcher, James Legg, Amy Lowell, etc. Translators from English into English are, needless to say, numerous, such as Bian Zhilin, Guo Moruo, Tu Ang, Huang Gaoxin, Jiang Feng, Cao Minglun , and Zhu Chunshen, to name but a few for the present purpose. All these people do not only support the idea that translation of poetry is possible but provide living proof by their many well-received and highly-acclaimed translated works. 2. UNTRANSLATABILITY—ANALYSIS OF WHY. Lets see what specialists say, to begin with, about the nature and essence of translation. Ebel (1969: 50) (quoted in Wolfram Wilss, 2001) says that indeed, modern translation theory denies the very existence of translation as it has previously been understood, i. e. as the replacement of an utterance in one language by another, so that the two are interchangeable. The dream of â€Å"literal† or â€Å"close† translation, which culminated in the attempt to computerize translation, has given way in turn to what might be termed a higher subjectivity. Since â€Å"there are connections but not correlations or diagnostic correspondences between cultural norms and linguistic patterns†, no language is ever a valid substitute for another; â€Å"faithfulness† in translation is thus impossible. Gipper (1972: 91) (quoted in Wolfram Wilss, 2001: 41) believes that translation is and will continue to be a relative concept. It could be said that every translation represents a transposition from the perspectives of one linguistic view of the world to those of another and that this cannot take place entirely without changes or metamorphoses (change of form or character). Durbeck (1975: 8) (quoted in Wolfram Wilss, 2001: 42) holds that the world view of ones native tongue is dominant, thus making man a ‘prisoner of his language†. Wolfram Wilss (Ibid: 49) says, â€Å"The translatability of a text can thus be measured in terms of the degree to which it can be re-contextualized in TL, taking into account all linguistic and extra-linguistic factors. †¦The translatability of a text is thus guaranteed by the existence of universal categories in syntax, semantics, and the (natural) logic of experience. †¦Linguistic untranslatability occurs when the linguistic form has a function beyond that of conveying factual relationships and is therefore a constituent part of the functional equivalence to be achieved. This, for example, is true of play on words, which can usually be adequately translated semantically but not stylistically. † For instance, (2. 1) 1)-Are you training for a race ? – No, Im racing for a train. 2) Just because I am chased dont get the idea I am chaste . These are examples of linguistic play of words. (2. 2) 1) The problems of the world are easily soluble in wine. 2) Pay your taxes with a smile. These are instances of cultural play of words. Catford(1965: 99) believes that Cultural untranslatability is usually less â€Å"absolute† than linguistic untranslatability. Nida (1969: 483) holds that relative adequacy of inter-lingual communication are based on two fundamental factors: 1) semantic similarities between languages, due no doubt in large measure to the common core of human experience; and 2) fundamental similarities in the syntactic structures of languages, especially at the so-called kernel, or core, level. 2. 1 LINGUISTIC ELEMENTS Levy (1967: 58) (as quoted in Wilss, 2001: 124) thinks that the translator frequently finds himself in a conflict-and-decision-marked situation during the translation process, a situation which becomes all the more difficult to master, the more complex the textual segment to be translated is in terms of syntax, semantics and stylistics. In recent years the scope of linguistics has widened beyond the confines of the individual sentence. Text linguistics attempts to account for the form of texts in terms of their users. If we accept that meaning is something that is negotiated between producers and receivers to texts, it follows that the translator, as a special kind of text user, intervenes in this process of negotiation, to relay it across linguistic and cultural boundaries. In doing so, the translator is necessarily handling such matters as intended meaning, implied meaning, presupposed meaning, all on the basis of the evidence which the text supplies. The various domains of socio-linguistics, pragmatics and discourse linguistics are all areas of study which are germane (pertinent) to this process ( Hatim Mason,1990: 133). The focus of translation studies would be shifted away from the incidental incompatibilities among languages toward the systematic communicative factors shared by languages. Only in light of this new focus can such issues as equivalence and translation evaluation be satisfactorily clarified. Ke (Ke, 1999) says that the problem of translatability or untranslatability is closely related to mans understanding of the nature of language, meaning and translation. From the socio-semiotic point of view, â€Å"untranslatables† are fundamentally cases of language use wherein the three categories of socio-semiotic meaning carried by a source expression do not coincide with those of a comparable expression in the target language. Three types of untranslatability, referential, pragmatic, and intra-lingual may be the carrier of the message. Language-specific norms considered untranslatable by some linguists should be excluded from the realm of untranslatables. And since translation is a communicative event involving the use of verbal signs, the chance of untranslatability in practical translating tasks may be minimized if the communicative situation is taken into account. In a larger sense, the problem of translatability is one of degree: the higher the linguistic levels the source language signs carry meaning(s) at, the higher the degree of translatability these signs may display; the lower the levels they carry meaning(s) at, the lower the degree of translatability they may register. 2. 2 CULTURAL ELEMENTS Translation practice is one of the strategies a culture devises for dealing with what we have learned to call the â€Å"Other† (a term borrowed from Lefevere, 2001, meaning a culture different from ones own—my interpretation). The development of a translational strategy therefore also provides good indications of the kind of society one is dealing with. The fact that China, for instance, developed translational strategies only three times in its history, with the translation of the Buddhist scriptures from roughly the second to seventh centuries AD, with the translation of the Christian scriptures starting in the sixteenth century AD, and with the translation of much Western thought and literature starting in nineteenth century AD, says something abut the image of the Other dominant in Chinese civilization, namely that the Other was not considered very important, only as ‘branches or leaves instead of the ‘trunk. Cultures that are relatively homogeneous tend to see their own way of doing things as ‘naturally, the only way, which just as naturally becomes the ‘best way when confronted with other ways. When such cultures themselves take over elements from outside, they will, once again, naturalize them without too many qualms and too many restrictions. When Chinese translate texts produced by others outside its boundaries, it translates these texts in order to replace them, pure and simple. The translations take the place of the originals. They function as the originals in the culture to the extent that the originals disappear behind the translations. The Chinese were forced to deal with the Other by the spread of Buddhism, which did not threaten the fabric of society, and therefore could be acculturated rather easily on the terms of the receiving, Chinese society. This is apparent not just from the manner of translating, but even more so from the fact that Taoist concepts were used in translations to acculturate Buddhist concepts. ( quoted from Bassnett Lefevere, 2001: 169) What are the options the translator faces ? We suggest they are as follows: Is the element being translated obligatory or optional in the TL text format? If it is obligatory, is the order in which it occurs appropriate for the TL text format? If it is obligatory and the order is appropriate, will iteration (repetition), if there is any, be appropriate in the TL text format? The less evaluative the text is, the less need there will be for its structure to be modified in translation. Conversely, the more evaluative the text is, the more scope there may be for modification. (ibid: 187) The less culture-bound (treaties, declarations, resolutions, and other similar documents) a text is, the less need there will be for its structure to be modified in translation. Conversely, the more culture-bound a text is, the more scope there may be for modification. 2. 2. 1 HISTORICAL ELEMENTS There are numerous examples in both English and Chinese that exhibit historical elements deeply rooted in the languages. Idioms and legends always provide ready support in this respect. Once an idiom or fixed expressions has been recognized, we need to decide how to translate it into the target language. Here the question is not whether a given idiom is transparent, opaque, or misleading. Maybe its easier to translate an opaque expression than a transparent one. The main difficulties in the translation may be summarized as follows. An idiom or fixed expression may have no equivalent in the target language. One language may express a given meaning by means of a single word, another may express it by means of a transparent fixed expression, a third may express it by means of an idiom, and so on. So it is unrealistic to expect to find equivalent idioms and expressions in the target language in all cases. The idioms and expressions may be culture-specific which can make it untranslatable or difficult to translate. The expressions such as hot dog ( ) and Kangaroo Court ( ) which relate to specific cultural background provide good examples. An idiom or fixed expression may have a similar counterpart in the target language, but its context of use may be different; the two expressions may have different connotations, they may not be pragmatically transferable. The expression such as make a come-back ( , ) , though similar in meaning, the contexts in which the two idioms can be used are obviously different. Make a come-back is usually in positive occasions, but is usually used in negative occasions. An idiom may be used in the source text in both its literal and idiomatic senses at the same time. The expression such as kick down the ladder ( ) is a good example . It means treat with contempt those through whose assistance one has risen to a position of importance . It refers to the rising up politically or socially. But ? in Chinese translation refers to the tool or means to overcome difficulties, and is widely and commonly used. They are similar in the point of forget the help, and do harm to ( ) but different in details. Legends are of a quite similar character. What is a legendary hero in one language, for example, King Arthur in English may not be known in another language, such as Chinese. Without necessary annotation the target reader would be certainly at a loss. But if a Chinese legendary figure is loaned to serve the purpose of a courageous and brave man, the readers may be wondering if the English people also have such a legend, which may result in misunderstanding. Translation from Chinese into English exhibits the same problem. 2. 2. 2 GEOGRAPHICAL ELEMENTS Just as the Chinese saying goes that a people of one geographical location is different from that of another, translation of geographical terms is where another problem is encountered. Recognition and familiarity of the geography is of immense help to bring about the readers association, thus making comprehension easier. On the contrary, without a sense of geography, the readers have only their imagination in their power to employ. Translation of the following Chinese poem is a case in point. (2. 3) , . , . Xu Yuanchongs translation of the geographical location liaoxi becomes ‘frontier, which provides enough space for readers association even without a note to explain it. Unlike Xu, another translator uses pinyin and has it annotated, saying it is the frontier of the battlefield. Herbert Giles also translated this poem. (2. 4) Drive the young orioles away, Nor let them on the branches play; Their chirping breaks my slumber through And keep me from my dreams of you. In this translation the translator dismisses the geographical location liaoxi altogether, for it would be difficult for English readers to associate the place with the frontier where her husband has been summoned. (Lu,, 2002: 255) The reason why the geographical name is omitted is that the translator feels no need to burden the target reader who would know little where that place is while for a Chinese the association is immediate, activating a vivid picture of the harsh environment for the poor soldiers, hungry, cold with knee-deep snow and whipping wind, hopeless of returning safe and sound, and confronted with the deadly barbarian enemy. 2. 2. 3 RELIGIOUS ELEMENTS Lindbeck in his article The Gospels Uniqueness: Election and Untranslatability says: â€Å" This essay is an experiment in looking at the uniqueness of Christianity from the perspective of religions as community-forming comprehensive semiotic systems. Uniqueness in this outlook consists formally of untranslatability and materially of the unsubstitutable memories and narratives which shape communities identities†. The Biblical story is well known. It has two main chapters: chapter one, Babel (Genesis 11: 1-9); chapter two, the Pentecost (Genesis 10: 9-11). In Genesis, the Almighty creates the different human languages to colonize an upstart humanity and thus secure the untranslatability of his own divinity. In the Acts of the Apostles, the miracle of total intelligibility, because it is a miracle and not a first instance of simultaneous translation, transcends language difference, and hence humanity, and thus once again presupposes and guarantees the ungraspable ideal of Gods absolute meaning. The Babelic confusion of languages imposed by a jealous God, on the one hand, and the gift of the Holy Ghost in the Pentecostal cloven tongues of fire granted by a proselytizing god, on the other, both tell the same story of imperial identity and subjugated otherness. One single language is good, for it bespeaks the untouchable self-sameness of the deity. If we follow the argument above, then translation simply becomes ‘mission impossible. Yet translation of all kinds of religious scriptures are taking place all the time, with either meaning addition or loss of the original. And the ideas are spreading far and wide. Untranslatability of the divinity is only of pedantic research value, not barring the way of the translators practicing translations, much less the way of the common people fervent to learn about divinity. 3. TRANSLATION IN GENERAL 3. 1 TRANSLATION VS MEANING It is universally agreed that translation means translating meaning. What is meaning, then? As G. Steiner (1975: 45) points out, and as much research into the reading process has shown, each act of reading a text is in itself an act of translation, i. e. an interpretation. We seek to recover what is ‘meant in a text from the whole range of possible meanings, in other words, from the meaning potential which Halliday (1978: 109) defines as â€Å"the paradigmatic range of semantic choice that is present in the system, and to which the members of a culture have access in their language†. Inevitably, we feed our own beliefs, knowledge, attitudes and so on into our processing of texts, so that any translation will, to some extent, reflect the translators own mental and cultural outlook, despite the best of impartial intentions. No doubt, the risks are reduced to a minimum in most scientific and technical, legal and administrative translating; but cultural predispositions can creep in where least expected (Hatim Mason. 1990: 11). In literary translating, the process of constant reinterpretation is most apparent. The translators reading of the source text is but one among infinitely many possible readings, yet it is the one which tends to be imposed upon the readership of the TL version. Since an important feature of poetic discourse is to allow a multiplicity of responses among SL readers, it follows that the translators task should be to preserve, as far as possible, the range of possible responses; in other words, not to reduce the dynamic role of the reader. The readers purposes can be divided into two types: for comparative literary research (intellectual) and foreign literature appreciation (aesthetic). For different purposes the translator may translate differently. Translation is a matter of choice, but choice is always motivated: omission, additions and alterations may indeed be justified but only in relation to intended meaning (Hatim Mason. 1990: 12). The translators motivations are inextricably bound up with the socio-cultural context in which the act of translating takes place. Consequently, it is important to judge translating activity only within a social context. Before there is translation, for example, there has to be a need for translation. In fact, the social context of translating is probably a more important variable than the textual genre, which has imposed such rigid distinctions on types of translating in the past (‘literary translation, ‘scientific and technical translation, ‘religious translation, etc. ) Divisions of this kind tend to mask certain fundamental similarities between texts from different fields. There are regularities of discourse procedures which transcend the boundaries between genres and which it is our aim to describe. Nida (1975) discusses translation from the point of view of semantic componential analysis, which consists in common (shared) components (the overlapping features of the single lexical units of a word field); diagnostic (contrastive) components (features which distinguish the meaning of individual lexical units of a word field or lexical units with more than one meaning); supplementary components (semantically optional secondary features which often have a connotative in addition to fundamental meaning/denote: be the sign or symbol of character and can cause metaphorical extensions). I have done some research from the perspective of hermeneutics which studies meaning in human communication. Modern ideas on hermeneutics hold that the writer may be an editor or a redactor and that he may have used sources. In considering this aspect of discourse one must take into account the writers purpose in writing as well as his cultural milieu. Secondly, one must consider the narrator in the writing who is usually different from the writer. Sometime

The History Of Communication History Essay

The History Of Communication History Essay Before the discovery of radio waves, telegraphy had been developed as a means of communication. Telegraph meant long-distance writing in Greek. Earlier means of communication included smoke signals, torch signaling, heliographs (flash mirrors), and signal flags were used to convey message over distance (Crowley Heyer, 2002; Farnham, 2005). In the 18th century various methods of communication came into use. They were mainly used in the military arena during the French revolution and the Napoleonic wars. This period marked the development of the first optical telegraph system. By the mid 1800s this system covered about 5000 km and involved more than 550 stations (Farnham, 2005). In the Late 1800s first radio signals were sent across the English Channel. During the titanic disaster, the challenges of unresponsive ineffective radio operators were witnessed. This led to the enactment of Radio Act of 1912. This required that at least two radio operators be on board all vessels carrying more than 50 passengers, and at least one operator be on duty in the Marconi room all the times while the vessel was underway (Farnham, 2005). The 1912s marked the development of radio telephony, or voiceless communication using radio waves in safety and military communications. During this period, the development of amateur radios was taking place in countries with this technology. Amateur radio operator, Hiram Percy Maxim came up with what is now known as the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) whose role was to set up a voluntary network of associated radio amateurs to facilitate the long-range relay of radiograms. The reliability and accuracy of relaying messages through such means was very important for military, commercial and public services (Farnham, 2005). Microfinance is the practice of making small loans to farmers or business owners too poor to provide collateral. The research could help lenders establish more successful microfinance operations. Details are published in the Journal of Development Economics. What this helps us do is better understand which microbanks are successful throughout the developing world-and why, says Christian Ahlin, associate professor of economics at Michigan State University. The microfinance movement has exploded during the past two decades, Ahlin notes, with more than 100 million customers now borrowing small loans from more than 10,000 microfinance institutions around the world. The movement was thrust into the spotlight in 2006 when Grameen Bank, a Bangladesh microbank, and its founder, Muhammad Yunus, were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Ahlin and colleagues from New York University and the University of Minnesota examined the experiences of 373 microbanks worldwide. Because borrowers of microloans typically are third-world farmers or operators of tiny businesses in rural, isolated settings, it wasnt clear how they are linked to the larger economy, he says. Ahlin was surprised to find that as the larger economy grew, the microbanks profit margins grew as well, nearly one-for-one. For example, if the economic growth rate increased 5 percent, a typical microbanks profit margin went up by 5 percentage points. The finding of this study is not that context is everything, but that it does help explain significant differences in performance of the microbanks, Ahlin explains. Microbanks generally grow more successfully in countries with less of a manufacturing base, such as Nigeria and Mongolia, as opposed to more industrialized nations such as China and Indonesia. Ahlin says this is likely because manufacturing jobs tend to crowd out the more entrepreneurial-related jobs supported by microloans. The researchers also say that better developed governing institutions can impact microfinance business negatively by driving up costs, for example, suggesting that borrowers may benefit from a hands-off regulatory approach. Finally, microfinance institutions generally cover costs more easily in countries with a per-capita income of about $6,000-countries that are not too poor, but not too rich either, Ahlin says. In extremely poor countries, he says, there may be a lack of education to run a microenterprise and little demand for goods beyond basic food and medicine. But that doesnt mean lenders should steer clear of the most impoverished nations, Ahlin points out. On the contrary: The research findings could help support the case for more sustained donor support of microfinance in those areas. Although covering costs internally may be harder, Ahlin says, the impact could be greater in these poorer countries. Communication in the Cold War Introduction Cold war was a period between 1945 and 1991 involving the conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union. It was over the military might, often characterized by the struggle between capitalism and communism. Communication played a vital role in cold war, mostly in the use of various means to convey propaganda (Crowley Heyer, 2002; Jenks, 2006). The historical account of the mass media influence on the population has a very negative background. As pictured by Taylor (1997), the blind are leading the blind à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ sleaze and sophistry have triumphed over sophistication and subtlety and biased presentation of foreign news has resulted in serious distortion and misunderstanding (pp.1). The application of technology in global communications played a fundamental role especially during cold war. As indicated by Taylor (1997), the cold war created an environment that prompted new rules à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ in which the control, manipulation and dissemination of information à ¢Ã ¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (pp.28) became very essential. The United States was committed to freedom of information in their transaction with other nations in an attempt to win their support. With time technological advances from radios, through the television to faxes, satellites and e-mails changed the initial perceptions (Taylor, 1997). Communication during the cold wars Before the United States involvement in the Second World War in 1940, the ARRL established an Emergency Corps that trained on frequencies not initially used by casual amateurs. Up to this day military radio system has involved the training of personnels and continued tests. The cold war reached its greatest heights in 1952. During this period, Radio Amateur Society was formed under the effort of the Civil Defense. This development and many others were as a result of the recognition of the essence of disaster and emergency communication. In the cold war period, transistors and integrated circuits were also invented. It also saw the improvement of frequencies from the lowest to microwaves (Farnham, 2005). By 1945 the debate was still ragging on whether the United States should continue with its broadcasting via the Voice of America (VOA) after the end of the Second World War. It was viewed by many as a weapon of war hence could not be part of foreign policy. The government was however hesitant in abolishing the VOA. On the other hand, the Soviet Union continued with their intention of extending their coverage to most parts of Eastern Europe. Their enmity with the United States prompted the continuation of VOA expansion to integrate the Russian language in 1947. This was out of the United States optimisms that radio would be successful in penetrating the communication barriers experienced during the World War II. By 1949, the Americans were under extreme fear over the infiltration of communists in the United States. That year saw the enactment of the Central Intelligence Agency Act by the Congress. Besides, the establishment of the CIA, this act enabled the setting of a new radio servi ce as a project for public diplomacy. National Committee for a Free Europe organization was also established to address the plight of exiles from Eastern Europe. Funded by the CIA, this organization established Radio Free Europe (REFE) in 1950, beginning its broadcast in July of the same year from Germany. Another radio targeting the Soviet Union (Radio Liberty or RL) was created by a similar organization of exiles. Since it was also broadcasting from Germany, the RL signal faced constant jamming by Soviet leaders from its inception. Jamming was a technology used by the Soviet Union to interfere with the radio transmission (Parsons, n.d). Computing in the Cold War It is commonly believed that war influences the rate of technological development. This is probably true in the arena of computing. Many earlier machines such as the ENIAC and the Mark I for instance were invented for military calculations. It is however believed that the cold war promoted the greatest advances in computing (I-Programmer, 2010). The computer was very important in for gathering and processing information about the enemys whereabouts. An example is the SAGE (Semi Automatic Ground Equipment) computer system used by the United States to track any movement in the sky, to send signals of any nuclear attack. In 1940s, the Whirlwind computer, the fastest model available was built at MIT. Although not understood by many, Whirlwind computer was an important tool for flight simulations. In 1945 the Air Defense Committee was formed. It recommended the need for integrating the radar system in the newly invented computers. The radar was important in detecting airborne objects and the computer monitored and verified the objects to ensure that they familiar (I-Programmer, 2010). This was an important step since both computer and the radar system were new technologies which whose impact were unimaginable in the first place. It was quite ambitious to think of the interconnection of a radar network stations and central computer data processing in the absence of a modem. Mass storage devices, graphical visual display unit and computers were still made of valves. In 1951g, the Project Lincoln research was initiated to develop the new system with the supply of computer hardware (Whirlwind I) and data communications from the Air Force Research Laboratory (CRL) (I-Programmer, 2010). Cold War Propaganda In the early period of the cold war, the British government established a voluntary civil defense with the objective of protecting the nation from the enemy in case of attack. The civil propaganda was successful in mobilizing many people to participate in the war (Jenks, 2006).During the cold war both the United States and the Soviet Union were involved in propaganda. In the period of the Red Scare, characterized by mass hysteria over communism, the United States government perpetuated this hysteria in movies, comics, books and even lessons in schools. It was mostly focused against communism reign. The use of propaganda had negative impact on the population. Both the America and the USSR used propaganda to instill hatred of their enemies in their citizens and also to ensure that the citizens would fully support the government. The two countries used different media for conveying their propaganda. The Soviet Union used military prowess to impress their citizens while America relied on Hollywood and the media. The result of the propaganda was the victimization of many employees in the government and Hollywood. For this reason many innocent people were caught in between the wrangles and suffered ruined lives as a consequence (Kerrington, 2007). The electronic medium commonly in use that time was the black and white television. Although quite costly, many could still afford one. The use of television opened a fresh page in the propaganda war. It was used to dispel fear that the Soviet Union was on the wrong side. It promoted the idea that white Americans were superior over the other races and there could easily be victorious over the Soviet Union (Hudson Stainer, 1997; Kerrington, 2007). Another form of the media in America in that period was the radio. While not everybody could afford the television, everybody at least had a radio. It was a symbol of family union since most members of the family could gather around it at dinner session to listen to news briefings or their favorite programs. It was quite valued and people took extra care to maintain it. It was the best way to reach the vast population. The united p states government took the initiative to perfect the broadcasts. The government invested largely in the Voice of America which enabling broadcast to reach the Philippines, Germany and Japan. Movie theaters were flocked by people of all ages as relief from the worries of life (Hudson Stainer, 1997; Kerrington, 2007). The propaganda reached its greatest height especially in the wake of Senator McCarthys leadership. Films were used to convey the idea that the Soviet Union was going to win unless the patriotic Americans determined to wipe out communism. It would portray the importance of upholding the traditional values advocating for goodness over evil in the attempt of defeating the enemy. Some movies focused on highlighting the negative side of communism. Such movies received a lot of financial support from the government. Examples include the Red Nightmare, nowadays referred to as The Commies Are Coming, and the Invasion USA! presently these types of movies lack the impact they had during the cold war, they are even taken as comedies in most occasions. Initially, they drew a lot of seriousness and they were even integrated in the curriculum of civics and history in schools. Some such as the James Bond movies are presently still enjoyed (Kerrington, 2007). People could also be exposed to propaganda through literature. Several fiction novels, the paperback novels, and comics were used to propagate anti-Soviet or communism ideologies. They were readily available due to their low cost. These novels depicted the heroic actions of the cowboys in their rescue missions. On the other hand, the non-fictional books were also extremely biased negatively depicting the threat posed by communism. The comics, focusing mainly on the young generation were aimed at inculcating hatred for the communists. Communists were also not allowed to express their idea freely; they were prevented from teaching in colleges and at secondary level. As a result many people lost their jobs because of such stance (Kerrington, 2007). Soviets were not exempted from propaganda. They also had radios, literature and films. Their form of propaganda involved the demonstration of e military might by constantly holding military marches. These were used to remind the public that their army was the most invincible. Stalin propagated his against the Americans via the radio, always insisting that communists should uphold their togetherness. The Americans were painted as racists, sexists, treacherous and indifferent to others. In Stalins perspective the Americans were ignorant, and America faced probable defeat. Unlike the American methods, Stalins methods of propaganda were more direct. They were also equally successful (Kerrington, 2007). Conclusion Communication played greatly defined the cold war. Various means of communication such as the televisions and radios were used by both parties of the conflict to marshal civilian support against their enemies. As portrayed above this period was marked by the distortion of foreign reporting, issuance of threats, and accusations which were only made possible via the mass media.