Sociology Chaper One Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sociology Chaper One - Essay Example Employees at Walmart stores are in the beginning stages of forming a union as well, working toward getting more equitable pay and benefits. 2. With all research methods listed here except participant observation, there is a certain degree of separation between the researcher and the subject. This varies, of course, by the type of research being conducted. This is both a strength and a weakness. While this separation enables the researcher to reach conclusions based upon the facts as they are uncovered by the research method, none of these methods enable the kind of comprehensive understanding of a group of people that can be reached through participant observation, which is why participant observation is used most often in sociology. At the same time, participant observation poses the risk of the researcher becoming too intimately involved with the group. 3. Obesity in America is getting worse because of sociological issues. Entire groups of people are going to work two and three jobs just to make ends meet or sometimes to be able to afford the kinds of extras they perceive as necessary. Their children, sitting along watching TV commercials that equate happiness and fun with eating junk food, continue to snack and gain weight while the adults, constantly eating fast food on the run between one job and another, also gain weight after having also made similar associations between food and fun, joy, and companionship. 4. The symbolic interactionism theory is interesting because it focuses on the individual levels that contribute to the greater social system. Without symbols, we would be unable to understand each other. Thinking about those times when I’ve had to communicate with someone who does not speak English, it is the symbols we use that facilitate the conversation. Even when the same language is spoken, though, it is the use of symbols that help us determine how we feel about others and how

Elections in Africa Essay Example for Free

Elections in Africa Essay The Aim of this essay is based on the clarity on the Elections in Africa if they are a good Measure of democracy. It basically analyses the advantages and disadvantages of elections (in an argument form). The issue of how citizens influence policymaker is central to an understanding of democratic political system. We normally agree that democracy should allow the people to participate in policy making. Hence elections are one of the ways to establish connections between citizens and policy makers and by elections citizens encourage the policymakers to pay attention to their interests. However there are some disagreements about whether and how elections serve to link citizens to policymakers; a number of schools put more emphasis upon accountability and others do on representativeness, even if there have been a lot of theoretical debates about this issue, we have few attempts to test the role of competitive election on popular attitudes towards the legislature. An election is a formal decision making process in which the population chooses an individual to hold a public office. Elections have been the mechanism by which modern representative democracy has been operated since 17TH century. According to Business Dictionary (BD), Election is the act of a party casting vote to choose an individual, for some type of position. It may involve a public or private vote depending on the position. Most positions in the local, state federal governments are voting on the same type of elections. According to (Abraham Lincoln), the word democracy means â€Å"the government of the people, by the people and for the people â€Å". Democracy is term that comes from a Greek and it is made up of two other words, demo which means people and kratain which means to govern or to rule. Democracy can then be literally translated by the following terms, Government of the people or government of the majority. Electoral systems are conventionally divided into two categories, majoritarian. And proportional representations, (Lijphart 1999). Majoritarian system usually employs exclusively single-seat distrust with plurality rule and tends to give greater representation to the two parties and that which receive the most votes. Proportional representation (P.R) System must employ multi-seat districts, usually with party lists, and typically produce parliamentary representation that largely mirrors the vote shares of multi-parties However elections be it Proportional Representation (PR), or Majoritarian type, are instruments of democracy to the degree that they give the people the  influence over policymaking,.(Powell 2000). One fundamental role of elections is the evaluation of the incumbents government. Citizens use elections to reward or punish the incumbents although on the other hand increasingly competitive elections raise the risk of increased election violence, this can be raised in two ways. Firstly, closer elections can increase tension throughout the electoral process; when the outcome of the election is in doubt, all stages of the process including the appointment of the members of the electoral management body, the registration of parties, candidates, and voters; campaigning; voting ;and vote counting and tabulation, becomes more heated. For example, Kenya erupted in chaos in 2007 when incumbent president Mwai kibaki was sworn in hours after being declared the winner in the country’s closest presidential elections ever; the ensuing violence left 1,500 dead and 300,000 displaced. Secondly, as long-term incumbents witness the growing strength of the opposition candidates, they may feel increasingly imperilled and crack down more fiercely on perceived threats, example, after losing the first round of Zimbabwe’s 2008 presidential elections and subsequently manipulating results to force run-off, president Robert Mugabe presided over a wave of widespread and brutal violence against supporters of Morgan Tsvangirai to ensure himself victory in the second round. While these above examples demonstrate the potential of elections to create conflict, elections are often used as a means to end conflict and solidify peace. For this reason, elections usually form a key part of the agreements ending civil wars or conflict. The basic principal behind these post conflict or transitional elections is that of Ballots over Bullets: citizens choosing their political leaders by voting rather than fighting, although in the 1992 Angola elections which was intended to end the c ivil war, this election instead reignited conflict for another ten (10) years. cases such as these have led many to argue that elections are not appropriate for post conflict environment. In majority, however, there is no viable alternative to post conflict elections as a means of achieving legitimate governance; a non elected government is far more susceptible to accusations of illegitimacy than the one chose by the people, and legitimate governance must be achieved as soon as possible following a conflict. Moreover, elections have the potential to create government broadly representative of all disputing political factions. Demonstratively, several  countries have recently held remarkably successful post-conflict elections. For example, Liberia’s elections in 2005 intended to over a decade of civil war were remarkably peaceful and hailed as generally free and fair. Another example is the DRC’s 2006 elections, the first multi-party election in 46 years, were also relatively successful, especially when considering the tremendous logistical challenges that had to be overcome. in these cases therefore, elections facilitated an ongoing transition from dev astating conflict toward greater stability and development. Based on a multi-level analysis of Afro barometer survey data from 17 sub-Saharan African countries, the study examines the influence of these two types of electoral systems; Majoritarian and Proportional Representations-on popular confidence in African parliaments. Controlling for a variety of individual and macro-level characteristics, it was found that citizen’s perceptions of Members of Parliament (MP’s) representations have a positive and significant effect on their trust in legislature. In addition the results suggest that the effect of political representations is mediated by electoral systems. Powell (2000), distinguishes between two versions of elections as instruments of democracy; accountability and representation. Accountability model tries to use elections to bring the power of the people directly to bear on policymakers. Elections offer citizens a periodic opportunity to change the policymakers. Citizens will have control because they will be able, at least occasionally to reject elected officials who are doing the wrong. Competitive elections create a pressure on all incumbents or rather the current policymakers to worry about the next elections and make policy with voters review in mind. On the other hand representation model emphasises citizens should be treated equally at the decisive stage of public policy making. Elections are instruments of citizen’s influence in policy making. Elections should create equitable reflection of all points of view into the legislature. They work as an instrument to choose representatives who can bargain for their voter’s interest in post-election policy making. Elections are not only integral to all these areas of democratic governance, but are also the most visible representations of democracy in action. They are also in most cases the most complicated and expensive single event a country will ever undertake. Good governance, upholding rule of law, and supporting civil society, this testimony examines  all these areas in the context of elections. International support to electoral processes is crucial if democracy is to continue developing on the African continent. Indeed the very purpose of elections is to achieve participatory governance without violence- through political rather than physical competition –and this has succeeded in a number of African countries. South-Africa and Botswana, for example have proven themselves among the continent’s most stable democracies, while Ghana, Mali, and Benin have emerged as democratic stronghold in West Africa. Moreover, countries such as Sierra Leone and Liberia, among the poorest in the world and only recently emerged from civil war, have demonstrated the power of elections to foster and solidify peace. In reality, then, Africa’s experience with the electoral democracy has been mixed; progress has been made but challenges remain. The various elections in past several years-from Kenya and Zimbabwe to Ghana and Sierra Leone- have become historical landmarks for different reasons, varying drastically in their conduct and outcome. This mix of electoral experience has generated considerable debate and passion on the subject of transparent, free and fair electoral process among election stakeholders, especially as democratic progress itself can come with further challenges; as more elections are held as these elections become increasingly competitive, one-party and military regimes face potentially destabilizing challenges that could increase the risk of fraud and violence. In conclusion; elections-especially free and fair, competitive and multi-party elections, are assumed to be a critical component of democratization in emerging democracies, while an election can intensify the polarization of a society along ethnic lines. Competitive elections can force political elites to legitimate their rule through the ballot box. However, we are still debating about how elections serve to link voters and elected Officials. While a group of scholars emphasise the directness and clarity of the connection between voters and policy-makers, others do the representation of all factions in society. Elections help voters to send Members of Parliament (MP’s) representing their interest to the parliament, to some extent elections constitutes a principal avenue of citizen’s involvement in political life. Understanding their effects on public attitudes towards the legislature and the role of the individual  therein has important implications for theories of democratic governance in emerging democracy. Therefore with this information, elections are a good measure of democracy in that they give citizens the participatory right in policy making through their elected representatives. Making it the government of the people by the people and for the people, that’s democracy according to Abraham Lincolnâ €™s definition. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Powell (2000), Elections as instrument of Democracy. 2. Easton David (1965), A Systems Analysis of Political Life. New York: john Wiley. 3. Norris, Pippa, Eds (1999), Critical Citizen: Global Support for Democratic Governance. New York oxford University press. 4. Lebas, Adrienne (2006), Comparative Politics 38; 419:438. 5. Margolis, M (1979), Viable Democracy. 6. Tordoff, W. Government and Politics in Africa. London McMillan (1993). 7. Rose, Richard, William Mishler, Christian Haerpfer (1998), Democracy and Its Alternatives. 8. Sisk, Timothy D, Andrew Reynolds, Eds (1998), Election and Conflict Management in Africa. Washington; United States Institute of Peace press. 9. Powell G. Bingham (1982), Contemporary Democracies; participation stability and violence. Cambridge University. 10. Almami l. Cyllah. Democracy and Elections in Africa.

Epic of Beowulf Essay - Symbols and Symbolism of Battle :: Epic Beowulf essays

Symbolism of Battle in Beowulf     Beowulf   Authors often use events and things to symbolize stages in someone's life. Symbolism is the practice of representing things by means of symbols or of attributing meaning of significance to objects, events, or relationships. In the anonymous epic, Beowulf, Beowulf fights Grendel, the monsters of the ocean and Grendel's mother. Beowulf's battles with theses three evils symbolize the youth and adulthood of Beowulf's life. The battle with Grendel represents the youth of Beowulf's life. The typical youth is very brave and fights for fame. Beowulf shows how the battle with Grendel is a representation of the youth of Beowulf's life by going to Hrothgar and asking him if he can fight Grendel for him and his people. Beowulf shows this trait when he says, Grant me, then, lord and protector of this noble place, a single request! I have come so far, oh shelter of warriors and your people's loved friend, that this one favor you should not refuse me. That I, alone and with the help of my men, may purge all evil from this Hell. (Beowulf page #). Another trait that a typical youth has is that they don't want to be outwitted. They also don't want people to think poorly of them. Beowulf shows this when he hears that Grendel does not use any weapons to fight and so Beowulf says that he will not use any weapons because he wants Higlac to think worthy of him. Beowulf shows this trait when he says, I have heard, too, that the monster's scorn of men is so great that he needs no weapons and fears none. Now will I. My lord Higlac might think less of me if I let my sword go where my feet were afraid to, if I hid behind some broad linden shield: my hands alone shall fight for me, struggle for life against the monster (Beowulf page #).   The typical youth likes to brag about what they have done. Beowulf shows this third trait when he brags to Hrothgar about how he swam all the way over and killed all the monsters in the ocean. This is seen when Beowulf says, "I swam in the Blackness of night, hunting monsters out of the ocean, and killing them one by one; death was my errand and the fate they had earned" (Beowulf page #).

Rasta

Shaquille T. Sailsman Literature and Composition March 26,2013 Rastafarianism The Rastafarian religion has many different elements. These elements include: history, beliefs, customs/culture, celebrations, and worshipping. Rastafarians believe in the divine nature of Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia, whose title before his coronation of 1930 who Ras Tafari (Prince of the House of Tafari). The name Haile Selassie means â€Å"Power of Trinity. † He was the Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930-1974. Haile Selassie never regarded himself as God, nor did he adhere to Rastafari.According to iconn. org, Rastafarians regard Haile Selassie I as God because Marcus Garvey’s prophecy – â€Å"Look to Africa where a black king shall be crowned, he shall be the Redeemer† – was swiftly followed by the ascension of Haile Selassie as Emperor of Ethiopia. Haile Selassie I is regarded by Rastafarians as the God of the black race. The Rastafarian religion began in Jamaica i n the 1930s. The religion was formed after periods of slavery. Rastafarians regarded Jamaica as hell and Ethiopia as heaven.Rastafarians called Jamaica hell because Africans were divided up and sent to destinations throughout the world, in most cases as slaves to whites. This is why many Africans found themselves in Jamaica. Ethiopia, the homeland, was seen as a place of fond memories of freedom and life prior to oppression. This meant it eventually became regarded as heaven. â€Å"Rastafarians believes Jah (God) lives on in some form, and believes that one day he will bring about the return of all black people to their ancestral home in Africa,† (Breuilly, O’Brien, Palmer, 152).When Rastafarians have kids, they raise their kids to believe in Jah and after a certain age they should be able to identify who he is. They are also raised to believe that one day he will be raised from the dead and bring them back to Africa, their supposed homeland. Rastafarians dedicate them selves to preparing for this homecoming, growing closer to Jah, (Breuilly, O’Brien, Palmer). They do this by cultivating peace and harmony with all and by living in a way that is close to nature, mimicking Jah.Another way Rastas try to mimic Jah is by rejecting practices introduced from white culture, which is symbolically called â€Å"Babylon. † The culture of Rastafarian is to condemn the eating of meat. They are all vegetarians. In order to spiritually grow as a person, meat has to be gradually eliminated from the diet. According to www. iconn. org, â€Å"the main reason Rastafarians don't eat meat is because animals try so hard to get away. The fear of the animals can be seen in their eyes.It is evident that they are begging for mercy. Rastafarians will have to show mercy. Within the book of genesis, the LORD gave man dominion over animals. It was not to eat them but to care for them. † An efficient healthy body is very basic. The Rastafarian's diet is desig ned to meet their personal needs. The Rastafarian's food is normally referred to as ital food within the Rastafarian culture. The most traditional way to know a Rastafarian is by their dreadlocks. Some people may wear their hair the Rastafarian way – dreadlocks – without being committed to Rastafarian belief or lifestyle, while many believers feel obligated to abandon the traditional hairstyles for the sake of gaining or remaining in employment,† (Breuilly, O’Brien, Palmer, 152). Rastas wear dreadlocks because they do not believe in cutting or combing their hair. It is also the way some ancient African priests and Israelites wore their hair. Sometimes you see a green, red and yellow colored hat over a Rasta's hair. These are the colors of the flag of Ethiopia.Rastas also wear a turban, which is a headband based on cloth winding, over their head to protect and keep their dreadlocks clean. According to www. iconn. org, the holy herb, or known to most as mari juana or ganja, is used in all major Rastafarian celebrations to enhance feelings of peace and community, aid meditation and inspire religious visions. There has often been controversy concerning the legalization of marijuana. Rastafarians are perhaps best known for their religious use of marijuana, which grows plentifully in Jamaica. In addition to ritual use, Rastas also use marijuana for medicinal purposes, applying it o a variety of ailments including colds. Many followers also believe that marijuana aids in the worship of God, Bible study, and meditation. Although not all Rastafarians use marijuana, most believe it will bring a person closer to God. Reggae music originated as an important part of Rastafarian celebrations – asserting the pride and dignity of black people, rejection of white oppression, the beauty of Africa and visions of a peaceful future. Reggae music is intimately connected to Rastafari and its lyrics often speak of oppression, poverty, slavery, aparthe id and human rights.One of the most important figures in trying to spread reggae music was Bob Marley. Born Nesta Robert Marley (1974–1981), he remains the most widely known and the best-selling performer of reggae music, and is credited with helping spread both Jamaican music and the Rastafari movement to a worldwide audience. A Nyabingi ceremony brings together believers from a wider area, and often last from several days. At these ceremonies, there are chanting, drumming, singing, praying, and dancing as well as shaving of vegetarian food and smoking of marijuana.Some occasions for a Nyabingi are based on the Julian calendar used by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church; with the Rastafarian faith has strong links. Holy days and holidays are periods of solemn times for the Rastafarian community worldwide. The Holy days are to pray and ask for penance, fulfilling 2 Chronicles 7v14, â€Å"If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray, search for me and rep ent of their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven and forgive their sins and heal their land. † (Himchurch. org).Some Rastafarian celebrations includes: Ethiopian New Year – Sept 11th (represents a holiday, which is, observed with a short Prayer Service from 10am-11am), Christmas Day – Jan. 7th (Rastafarians observed this as a holiday), Haile Selassie’s Birthday – July 23rd, and the Anniversary of his coronation – Nov. 2nd, (Breuilly, O’Brien, Palmer, 153). Influential prophets and teachers may also be commemorated, but there is no official festival calendar. Rastafarians do not have a specific religious building that is set aside for worshipping.They usually meet weekly, either in a believers’ home or in a community center. The meetings are referred to as Reasoning Sessions. They provide a time for chants, prayers and singing, and for communal issues to be discussed. Marijuana may be smoked to produce heightened spiritual st ates. The music used at these meetings is known as Nyabingi, and so when meetings are mostly musical they are often referred to as Nyabingi meetings. Meetings may also include large feasts. Rastafarians lay great stress on individual bible study and interpretation. Rasta Shaquille T. Sailsman Literature and Composition March 26,2013 Rastafarianism The Rastafarian religion has many different elements. These elements include: history, beliefs, customs/culture, celebrations, and worshipping. Rastafarians believe in the divine nature of Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia, whose title before his coronation of 1930 who Ras Tafari (Prince of the House of Tafari). The name Haile Selassie means â€Å"Power of Trinity. † He was the Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930-1974. Haile Selassie never regarded himself as God, nor did he adhere to Rastafari.According to iconn. org, Rastafarians regard Haile Selassie I as God because Marcus Garvey’s prophecy – â€Å"Look to Africa where a black king shall be crowned, he shall be the Redeemer† – was swiftly followed by the ascension of Haile Selassie as Emperor of Ethiopia. Haile Selassie I is regarded by Rastafarians as the God of the black race. The Rastafarian religion began in Jamaica i n the 1930s. The religion was formed after periods of slavery. Rastafarians regarded Jamaica as hell and Ethiopia as heaven.Rastafarians called Jamaica hell because Africans were divided up and sent to destinations throughout the world, in most cases as slaves to whites. This is why many Africans found themselves in Jamaica. Ethiopia, the homeland, was seen as a place of fond memories of freedom and life prior to oppression. This meant it eventually became regarded as heaven. â€Å"Rastafarians believes Jah (God) lives on in some form, and believes that one day he will bring about the return of all black people to their ancestral home in Africa,† (Breuilly, O’Brien, Palmer, 152).When Rastafarians have kids, they raise their kids to believe in Jah and after a certain age they should be able to identify who he is. They are also raised to believe that one day he will be raised from the dead and bring them back to Africa, their supposed homeland. Rastafarians dedicate them selves to preparing for this homecoming, growing closer to Jah, (Breuilly, O’Brien, Palmer). They do this by cultivating peace and harmony with all and by living in a way that is close to nature, mimicking Jah.Another way Rastas try to mimic Jah is by rejecting practices introduced from white culture, which is symbolically called â€Å"Babylon. † The culture of Rastafarian is to condemn the eating of meat. They are all vegetarians. In order to spiritually grow as a person, meat has to be gradually eliminated from the diet. According to www. iconn. org, â€Å"the main reason Rastafarians don't eat meat is because animals try so hard to get away. The fear of the animals can be seen in their eyes.It is evident that they are begging for mercy. Rastafarians will have to show mercy. Within the book of genesis, the LORD gave man dominion over animals. It was not to eat them but to care for them. † An efficient healthy body is very basic. The Rastafarian's diet is desig ned to meet their personal needs. The Rastafarian's food is normally referred to as ital food within the Rastafarian culture. The most traditional way to know a Rastafarian is by their dreadlocks. Some people may wear their hair the Rastafarian way – dreadlocks – without being committed to Rastafarian belief or lifestyle, while many believers feel obligated to abandon the traditional hairstyles for the sake of gaining or remaining in employment,† (Breuilly, O’Brien, Palmer, 152). Rastas wear dreadlocks because they do not believe in cutting or combing their hair. It is also the way some ancient African priests and Israelites wore their hair. Sometimes you see a green, red and yellow colored hat over a Rasta's hair. These are the colors of the flag of Ethiopia.Rastas also wear a turban, which is a headband based on cloth winding, over their head to protect and keep their dreadlocks clean. According to www. iconn. org, the holy herb, or known to most as mari juana or ganja, is used in all major Rastafarian celebrations to enhance feelings of peace and community, aid meditation and inspire religious visions. There has often been controversy concerning the legalization of marijuana. Rastafarians are perhaps best known for their religious use of marijuana, which grows plentifully in Jamaica. In addition to ritual use, Rastas also use marijuana for medicinal purposes, applying it o a variety of ailments including colds. Many followers also believe that marijuana aids in the worship of God, Bible study, and meditation. Although not all Rastafarians use marijuana, most believe it will bring a person closer to God. Reggae music originated as an important part of Rastafarian celebrations – asserting the pride and dignity of black people, rejection of white oppression, the beauty of Africa and visions of a peaceful future. Reggae music is intimately connected to Rastafari and its lyrics often speak of oppression, poverty, slavery, aparthe id and human rights.One of the most important figures in trying to spread reggae music was Bob Marley. Born Nesta Robert Marley (1974–1981), he remains the most widely known and the best-selling performer of reggae music, and is credited with helping spread both Jamaican music and the Rastafari movement to a worldwide audience. A Nyabingi ceremony brings together believers from a wider area, and often last from several days. At these ceremonies, there are chanting, drumming, singing, praying, and dancing as well as shaving of vegetarian food and smoking of marijuana.Some occasions for a Nyabingi are based on the Julian calendar used by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church; with the Rastafarian faith has strong links. Holy days and holidays are periods of solemn times for the Rastafarian community worldwide. The Holy days are to pray and ask for penance, fulfilling 2 Chronicles 7v14, â€Å"If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray, search for me and rep ent of their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven and forgive their sins and heal their land. † (Himchurch. org).Some Rastafarian celebrations includes: Ethiopian New Year – Sept 11th (represents a holiday, which is, observed with a short Prayer Service from 10am-11am), Christmas Day – Jan. 7th (Rastafarians observed this as a holiday), Haile Selassie’s Birthday – July 23rd, and the Anniversary of his coronation – Nov. 2nd, (Breuilly, O’Brien, Palmer, 153). Influential prophets and teachers may also be commemorated, but there is no official festival calendar. Rastafarians do not have a specific religious building that is set aside for worshipping.They usually meet weekly, either in a believers’ home or in a community center. The meetings are referred to as Reasoning Sessions. They provide a time for chants, prayers and singing, and for communal issues to be discussed. Marijuana may be smoked to produce heightened spiritual st ates. The music used at these meetings is known as Nyabingi, and so when meetings are mostly musical they are often referred to as Nyabingi meetings. Meetings may also include large feasts. Rastafarians lay great stress on individual bible study and interpretation.

Comic Book Anti-Heroes Essay

The frequently talked about, critically celebrated – and to some extent excessively hyped – comic book miniseries Watchmen is most often described as a revisionist take on superhero conventions and narratives, and with good reason. Now retroactively referred to as a graphic novel, Watchmen sees writer-artist team Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons deal with costumed adventurers or ‘superheroes’ and attempt to place them within a ‘realist’ context. Moore and Gibbons do not appear to denigrate superheroes so much as purge them of the conceits that have become necessary for comic book readers to be able to suspend their disbelief. Watchmen takes place in an alternate reality of 1985, where Cold War tensions are at their highest and multiple term extensions have allowed Richard Nixon to remain President of the United States. Furthermore, the United States has a long and troubled relationship with costumed adventurers dating back to the late 1930s. While the sensational nature of costumed adventurers acquire much admiration in the initial decades of their appearance, public sentiment turns strongly against them and by 1977, the government passes the Keane Act, which outlaws vigilante heroism. As a result, the protagonists of Watchmen are divided evenly among those costumed adventurers who have retired and those who have not. In the former category lies the perpetually bored ornithologist named Dan Dreiberg, formerly the gadget reliant ‘Nite Owl’, Laurie Juspeczyk, a moderate feminist with assertion issues who was formerly the martial arts oriented ‘Silk Spectre’ and Adrian Veidt, a genius-level intellect and self-perfected athlete once known as ‘Ozymandias’ and now channels his talents towards a billion dollar business empire and renowned philanthropy. Those adventurers who have continued to operate despite the Keane Act provide the most fertile area for ethical and moral analysis, especially in the context of the historical background that Moore and Gibbons have constructed. These include Edward Blake, a brutally gung-ho ‘superpatriot’ known as ‘The Comedian’, Jon Osterman, a former physicist turned emotionally detached god-like being code-named by the U. S. government as ‘Doctor Manhattan’ and Walter Kovacs, an uncompromising moral absolutist and the only one who operates without government sanction as the cruel vigilante called ‘Rorschach’. Rorschach, The Comedian and Doctor Manhattan effectively function as anti-heroes in the sense that although their adventuring careers have persisted beyond the Keane Act, they are far removed from the heroic intentions that have been the traditional feature of costumed adventurers in comic book literature. Furthermore, the morality and ethics which governs their activities is shaded with far darker tones than the unwavering idealism of a Superman or the commitment to vigilance that characterizes a Batman. However, their anti-heroism character is owed in large part to the ways that they evoke the characteristics of traditional superhero archetypes. This is not an entirely unfounded observation. It is no secret that the characters of Watchmen originate with characters from a relatively obscure comic publishing company known as Charlton Comics. Pustz (146-147) and Jensen (47) both recount that the genesis of Watchmen was in a request made by Dick Giordano, then executive editor of DC Comics, that Moore apply his talents to characters that DC had just acquired from Charlton. Moore was selected primarily because of the revisionist skills he had displayed in books such as Swamp Thing and Marvelman. In the former, Moore turned a formulaic horror series into a melancholy drama with an environmentalist streak while in the latter, he toyed with what was a British Captain Marvel knock-off and subverted into an existentialist look at relationship between superhero and alter ego. Because Watchmen presented superheroes as sexually frustrated, politically emasculated and psychologically unstable, it would have presented problems for the commercial longevity of the Charlton characters, making them unusable for future stories. As a result, Moore was instructed to re-write his story with original characters, and the Charlton characters were ultimately re-introduced by DC Comics through different means. This meant that the specific histories of the Charlton characters no longer imposed any limitations on the story that Moore and collaborator Gibbons had chosen to tell. Pustz (147) observes that this was for the better: fewer readers would have the prior knowledge necessary to appreciating the Charlton characters than those who would appreciate original characters. However, for these original characters to resonate properly with audiences on a similar level as established characters it became necessary for Moore and Gibbons to develop them beyond what could be communicated in a finite number of comic book panels, even when allowing for flashbacks and copious amounts of background detail. To do so, Moore and Gibbons made use of various fictional documents such as a report on the political implications of Doctor Manhattan’s super-powered existence and the autobiography of Hollis Mason, the first Nite Owl and predecessor to Dan Dreiberg. The characters of Watchmen, as already suggested above, ended up being evocative of superhero archetypes. As Pustz notes: â€Å"Dr. Manhattan [†¦] echoes every omnipotent superhero from Superman to Miracleman to the Spectre. The Comedian refers [†¦] to patriotic heroes such as Captain America and superspies such as Marvel’s Nick Fury. Rorschach is [†¦] every other obsessed vigilante from Batman to the Punisher. † (Pustz 147) By converging the evocation of superhero archetypes with a dysfunctional alternate history, Moore and Gibbons impose profound effects on the psychology of Watchmen’s protagonists. Simply put, Watchmen’s protagonists really are anti-heroes in multiple senses of the word. This is because what Moore and Gibbons have done is make it impossible for their characters to sustain a heroic purity over the course of their careers, especially in the face of history. Many of the longest-running comic book series are those that feature superheroes, and require a moderate suspension of disbelief that allows them to persist in a constant state of present tense. Therefore, in addition to a diminished aging rate (if any at all), the psychological and political development of the characters is limited in order to allow them to sustain continued adventuring careers. Thus, while the Spider-Man of the 1960s hangs out with his pals at soda parlors and the Captain America of the 21st century faces personal uncertainty in the face of international anti-American sentiment, neither never fully achieve any personal disillusionment or psychological resolution that would end their stories. By contrast, the costumed heroes in the Watchmen world do not and cannot possess the static personalities that have allowed the likes of Captain America or Batman to function continuously in their own comic books, despite the changes in cultural and political zeitgeist. Even if their personalities weren’t so troubled and their motivations so void of nobility, the forces of history would still have gradually eroded the initial foundations of their adventuring careers, which they do. As such, the relationship between crime fighting and society changes radically in the decades between 1938, when costumed heroes make their first appearance, and the year 1985, which is when the primary events take place. Klock notes that ahistorical conditions are necessary to support the superhero narrative, opining that â€Å"superheroes only make sense in world where masked opponents support their fantasy, and masked opponents only exist to fight superheroes,† but because history and personality carry greater weight in Watchmen than they traditionally do in other superhero narratives. As a result, Watchmen’s protagonists encompass varying levels of cynicism, neuroticism and societal alienation. They become anti-heroes simply because it is impossible to for their heroism to remain pure at all. It is from this angle that Moore and Gibbons proceed to interrogate the effect of history on the individual viewpoints of costumed adventurers and superheroes, as well as their effects upon history itself. In addition to the geopolitical implications of Doctor Manhattan’s nigh omnipotence, Moore and Gibbons examine how personal humanity is profoundly altered by nigh omniscient awareness of history, whilst the Comedian is the expression of how historical tumult and a life of violence has corrupting effects on the patriotic character, rendering an almost irredeemable cynicism. In the case of Rorschach, who is Watchmen’s most (dis)reputable anti-hero, he experiences constant exposure to the endurance of social and cultural malaise which serves to only harden his moral and ethical absolutism. The result is an unwavering dedication to the pursuit of justice, one which would ordinarily and unquestionably admirable in traditional superheroes, but not in one who ultimately comes across as a fascist. Jackie Earle Haley, the actor who is to portray Rorschach in a feature film adaptation of Watchmen, notes that Rorschach’s personality centers around his contention with the oft-declared complexity of the world that is maintained as the excuse for its ills and woes: â€Å"Rorschach’s complexity is [†¦] an attacking complexity. He tries to simplify the world in black and white. [†¦] Rorschach thinks that you’re not what you say you mean, you’re what you do. You are your behavior [†¦] That sort of forced me to look at my own behavior, to ask myself, ‘Who’s my behavior victimizing today? ’ [†¦] We justify our behavior with complexity. Not for Rorschach. † (Adler 2008) Thus, it is not Rorschach’s relentless commitment to the pursuit of justice that gives him his anti-heroic character, as it is a quality he shares with Batman. Although portrayals of Batman have varied over the decades in both print and film, his ideals are not closely linked with his view of society, giving him a sense of ambivalence towards society’s collective responsibilities to its own welfare. Rorschach on the other hand, views the world with utter contempt, with little faith in its ability to redeem itself. His moral absolutism originates from humanity’s consistent inability to live up to the nobility it ascribes to itself. His development as a vigilante stems from humanity’s failure and inaction. In the case of a woman who had been raped, tortured and killed outside her own apartment building, he remembers that: â€Å"Nobody did anything. Nobody called cops. Some of them even watched. Do you understand? I knew what people were then, behind all the evasions, all the self-deception. Ashamed for humanity I went home. I took the remains of her unwanted dress and made a face that I could bear to look at in the mirror. † Traditional superheroes do not view the world with this much contempt, but Rorschach does. His contempt for humanity is most strongly articulated when he declares, â€Å"This rudderless world is not shaped by vague metaphysical forces. It is not God who kills the children. Not fate who butchers them or destiny that feeds them to the dogs. It’s us. † While Rorschach articulates the most complex relationship between an individual’s ideals and his perception of society, Doctor Manhattan expresses how ambivalence towards the value of human affairs leads to a sense of detachment that reduces an individual’s moral compass down to dehumanized utilitarianism. This is not to suggest that Manhattan’s nigh-omnipotence makes him morally apathetic. Rather, it alters his ethical code in such a fashion that the welfare of a numerical majority takes precedence, regardless of the cost. This is made most evident when he teleports an angry mob, which is a peaceful means of negating conflict, but it also leads to two shock-induced heart attacks. Manhattan maintains that this is statistically preferable to the larger number of casualties that would have been caused by mob violence. Towards the end of Watchmen, Manhattan becomes even more indifferent towards the redemption of humanity, opining that despite the attempts of individuals such as Ozymandias to bring about a peaceful new world order, â€Å"nothing ever ends. † While Rorschach’s desire is to impose his will and â€Å"scrawl [his] own design on this morally blank world,† and Manhattan dismisses the notion that human problems can ever be resolved, The Comedian simply doesn’t care. As a nihilist, the Comedian shares Rorschach’s belief that there is no moral or ethical principle which guides the universe. Despite the fact that he fought for the U. S. during the Vietnam War, he concludes that its outcome matters only to Americans and holds no meaning to the average Vietnamese. The Comedian is so utterly devoid of delusions about the moral value of geopolitical affairs, and his participation stems primarily from his loyalty to Uncle Sam rather than from any sense of idealism. His credo is that existence is one big joke, and he’s one of the few who is in on the gag. These three – Rorschach, Doctor Manhattan, The Comedian – are antiheroes not because they are devoid of any heroism, but rather because they express how a purity of ideals will always be shaped by the forces which history exerts upon them. They do not operate from a corrupt morality let alone from villainy: several moments reveal deeply obscured or twisted nobility within them all. Instead, they are anti-heroic because the gritty realities of society and the debilitating effects of continued crime fighting take hold upon them in ways that are denied to their conventional counterparts. Works Cited Pustz, Matthew J. Comic Book Culture: Fanboys and True Believers. Jackson, Mississippi: University Press of Mississippi, 1999. Klock, Geoff. â€Å"Who Watches the Watchmen? † SF Crowsnest, April 2003. Retrieved December 17, 2008 from: http://www. sfcrowsnest. com/sfnews2/03_april/news0403_6. shtml Adler, Shawn. â€Å"Is Rorschach ‘Watchmen’s’ Most Heroic Character? Jackie Earle Haley Thinks So. † MTV Splash Page, 21 August 2008. Retrieved December 17, 2008 from: http://splashpage. mtv. com/2008/08/21/is-rorschach-watchmens-most-heroic-character-jackie-earle-haley-thinks-so/

Cyber Crime and regulations essays

Cyber Crime and regulations essays The growth of technology has changed our lives dramatically. Computers were viewed as a luxury or even an extravagance 30 years ago. People relied on television, newspapers, and radio as primary sources of news and information. Cables, modems, and online services were virtually nonexistent. Today, computers are prevalent in businesses, homes, schools, libraries, and even airports. The World Wide Web provides instant access to news, reference information, shopping, banking, stock trading, auctions, and travel information and reservations. People routinely use the Internet to take college courses, play games, listen to music, and view videos. Chat rooms and e-mails are now replacing telephones as favorite means of long-distance communication. The rise of computer technology obviously has enhanced our lives in many ways, such as enabling improved productivity and efficiency at work, school, and home. Anyone with access to a computer and modem now has unparalleled recreational and educational opportunities. Unfortunately, criminals are also using modern technology-to prey on innocent victims. Computers and the Internet have made the criminals job easier. Historically, predators found their victims in public places where people tend to gather. Today, with so many people online, the Internet provides predators a new place-cyberspace-to target someone for criminal acts. This approach eliminates many of the risks predators face when making contact in person. This is known as cyber crime, i.e. crime related to technology, computers and the internet. Cyber-Crime is any illegal behavior directed by means of electronic operations that targets the security of computer systems and the data processed by them. The Tenth United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders categorized five offenses as cyber-crime: unauthorized access, damage to computer data or programs, sabotage to hinder the functionin...

Three Tips to Six-Figure Freelancing Today

Three Tips to Six-Figure Freelancing Today They’re all over the Internet articles with titles blazing YOU CAN MAKE SIX FIGURES FREELANCING, JUST SIT AT HOME IN YOUR PJ’S! Most people, to be frank, hate their jobs. According to a 2012 survey I started freelance writing in 2002, back in the â€Å"good old days,† before the housing bubble bust, the collapse of Goldman Sachs, and the mainstreaming of food stamps. I sit at home in jeans instead of pajamas, but in the last ten years, I’ve managed to earn six figures for at least three of those years. My articles have appeared in everything from Women’s eNews to The Writer, and I occasionally write for businesses and nonprofits (yes, more money!) This article will show you three ways you can start earning six figures today. Tip #1: Set a goal of 30 queries in 30 days This first tip isn’t actually my idea. I gleaned it from my writing colleague, Indian freelance journalist Mridu Khullar Relph. Recently, Relph made a challenge to her fellow freelancers: jot down a list of your â€Å"dream† markets, such as National Geographic and The New Yorker. Go online, find the contact info of the appropriate editors, and write a query for each of the 30 markets you want to be published in. Send out a query every day in the month of May. I would add that, if you want to approach six figures quicker, make sure that each market pays $1 per word and up. If fifteen magazines and newspapers accept your queries, and you write fifteen 500-word articles at $1 per word, you’ll make $7500 in the month of May. How nice is that? Tip #2: Learn how to over-research When I first started to write articles, I interviewed sources, wrote about their experiences or expertise, and got my pieces published without a thought about re-slanting. Now I realize that over-researching, or gathering more information than you need for one article, is at the heart of a successful freelance career. It certainly makes future queries look more professional. When you add quotes or anecdotes from prior research into your pitches, editors know that you’re familiar with your topic, and won’t go AWOL when the article’s at deadline. Over-researching also makes writing articles easier. You have information from other pieces, and you spend less time in the library and interviewing, and more time writing. You get paid for words not for surfing the Web trying to find stats.      Tip #3: Write the article that the editor MUST have Think six months ahead. What’s the holiday that your potential market covers? Pitch an idea about that holiday an unusual idea. Just as specialist physicians, to paraphrase the comic Milton Berle, have small practices and big houses, focusing on a seasonal topic can unlock monetary doors. For example, if you want to pitch Christmas articles to a parenting magazine, first brainstorm ideas refusing to censor yourself. Sometimes, even the most bizarre ideas become published articles. It’s not about what you think is the right idea, it’s about what the editor must have in her particular edition. If you consistently give the editor what she must have, you’re on your way to a hefty income. Even in this era of high unemployment and job dissatisfaction, people continue to enter their home offices, and make six figures doing what they love. I’m one of them. Are you ready to realize your potential? Oftentimes, it’s as simple as logging on in your pj’s.