Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Essay

Following a traumatic event, the mind sometimes stores and hides away the details and memories of the event and then sends them back at unexpected times and places, sometimes years later. It does so in a way that makes the recall just as disturbing as the original event and sometimes more. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is the name for the mental condition acquired following a psychologically distressing event outside normal human experience. There are five things that determine that someone has this disorder and there are no cures for this disorder, only therapy which lessens the burden of the symptoms. The root of the disorder is a traumatic event which places itself so firmly in the mind that the person may be attached by the pain and distress of the event indefinitely, experiencing it again and again as the mind stays in the past rather than the present. The disorder is quite common, damaging the lives of approximately 8% of the American population (5% of men and 10% of women). A ny person is a potential candidate for developing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder if subject to enough stress. There is no definite way to determine who will get Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Even though all people who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder have experienced a traumatic event, not all people who experience a traumatic event will develop the disorder. Each person’s individual ability to deal with traumatic events determines their risk of acquiring Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and not everyone will experience the same symptoms. Some people may suffer from only a few mild symptoms for a short period of time and other people may be subjected to symptoms for longer periods of time, maybe even years. However there are also people who experience great traumatic events that may never develop any symptoms at all. The symptoms are a reaction to an overwhelming traumatic event, or series of events. There are many situations that may lead to developing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, including: serious threats to a person’s life, to their children, to their spouse, close friends, or to relatives. Sudden destruction of home or community and witnessi ng the accidental or violent death or injury of another can also lead to the development of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Characteristic symptoms include nightmares, re-experiencing the event, avoidance of any images, sounds, or smells associated with the event or a lack of general responsiveness to a person’s surroundings, increased arousal that previously wasn’t there, and duration  of the disturbance for at least one month. When a bomb exploded in the Oklahoma Federal building in 1996, hundreds of lives were affected. Not only are the people who were in the explosion in danger of re-experiencing it over and over, but so are the people who witnessed the aftermath, from bystanders to the rescue workers on scene. The surviving employees not only were physically injured in the blast, but saw the deaths of their coworkers and children. For the rescue workers who arrived, many saw death and people who they could not help and their feelings of helplessness and guilt could turn into painful memory recall and nightmares. The first way to determine a person has the disorder is that the person w as at one time exposed to a traumatic event involving actual or threatened death or injury, where the response was marked by intense fear, horror or helplessness. This event may have taken place only weeks ago, or as far back in memory as forty years. The disorder is most commonly found among survivors of war, abuse and rape. It also occurs after assorted crime and car accidents, as well as after community disasters such as hurricanes and floods. Workers of rescue missions are subjected to situations of severe stress frequently. Many emergency response workers like police officers and EMS drivers may become overwhelmed by the trauma they see and end up with painful recollections themselves. Second, the trauma is re-experienced in the form of nightmares, flashbacks, painful memories, or unrest in situations that are similar to the traumatic experience. Sights, sounds, and smells can evoke panic, terror, dread, grief or despair in individuals. Commonly, in the case of war veterans, the patient may be mentally sent back to the time and place of the original traumatic experience. A veteran who hears a startling noise like a car backfiring may hear gunfire, which will trigger flashbacks. These flashbacks can last a few seconds, minutes, or up to days where the person behaves and reacts to everything as if they are in the original setting. Third, there is a lack of emotions and reduced interests in others and the outside world. The person is attempting to reduce the likelihood that they will expose themselves to traumatic sounds, images, and smells. Because of this it is extremely difficult for people with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder to participate in meaningful relationships. Fourth, there are random symptoms including insomnia, irritability,  nightmares, fatigue, and outbursts of rage. Last, symptoms of each category must show a big effect on the person’s social abilities or other important areas of life and all of these symptoms must persist for at least one month. Since the Iraq War, 5% of U.S. soldiers have been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. Those with the most combat experiences are the most likely victims of the disorder. Also, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder develops mostly in soldiers who were don’t have very stress resistant personalities and have low levels of social support. To recover from any stressful event is the victim has to know that he or she isn’t alone and that others care about his or her recovery. The soldiers who return from war with no one to share their experiences with are likely to re-experience warfare through nightmares and flashbacks. After witnessing the deaths of enemies and friends, soldiers without social support are likely push their pain inwards which then has a good chance of escaping out of the body through symptoms. PTSD can become a chronic disorder that can stay for decades and sometimes a lifetime. Chronic patients go through periods of relapse like many diseases. Some people suffering from the disorder may turn to other ways of dealing with their stress if untreated. Depression and addictions, such as alcoholism, drug abuse, and compulsive gambling are a common way for victims of the disorder to self-medicate. Therapy is the only known method of treatment, but there have not been substantial gains in this field for recovery of patients. After four months of treatment, Vietnam veterans showed no long term effects from their therapy in a study conducted by the National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in New Haven. The men received individual and group psychotherapy and behavior therapy, as well as family therapy and vocational guidance. Even though they left reporting increased hope and self-esteem, a year and a half later their symptoms were actually worse. They had made more suicide attempts and their drug abuse had increased. Healing can only take place when the per son can get rid of the memories at will, instead of suffering from the memories being recalled involuntarily.

An Analysis of ‘Giorgio Armani’

FASHION RESEARCH, MARKETING AND TREND FORECASTINGAn Analysis of ‘Giorgio Armani’ Victoria Joana Scherer Due: 14. 12. 2012 Word Count: 2219 +/- Abstract, Introduction and Conclusion not included Table of Contents Abstract4 Introduction5 1. Analysis of the socio-cultural framework6 Social trends6 PETA activists6 Size Zero7 Cultural evolution7 Economical evolution8 2. Analysis of the fashion trends/fads affecting the brand9 Mood-board9 Description of major fashion trends12 Colours12 Fabrics/ Materials13 Silhouettes13 3. Brand scan14 Analysis of targets/ customers14 Positioning14 Marketing Mix16 Analysis of fashion collections16 Competitive benchmarking compared to main competitors17 SWOT Analysis17 4. Definition of a forecasting plan18 Branding (image and recognition)18 Collection architecture18 Distribution plan19 Communications19 Conclusion20 Overall recommendations20 Appendix21 1. 121 Bibliography22 Articles22 Books22 Images23 Press Release23 Websites23 Youtube24 Abstract The following fashion brand forecasting plan stories Giorgio Armani’s previous and current designs, analyzing in terms of existing strategy, and market research. In the process of researching I paged through newspapers, extensively, many magazines, viewing past catwalks, scrutinized the internet media; in order to depict a sense of chosen colour, fabrics and styles, hence propose a new complete strategy. The project analyzes the four key aspects of: 1. Analysis of the socio-cultural framework (mainstreams in terms of social trends, cultural and economical evolution) 2. Analysis of the fashion trends/fads affecting the brand 3. Brand scan (analysis of targets/customers; fashion collections, competitive benchmarking compared to 2/3 competitors) 4. Definition of a forecasting plan The reason for me to choose this brand is that I did a summer internship which I greatly enjoyed and therefore had previous knowledge on the brand which I could integrate in my research. Further, did I use the same brand for my midterm assignment, having now the opportunity to make an even greater in-depth examination of Giorgio Armani. Introduction Giorgio Armani was born in 1934 in Piacenza, Italy. In the year 1975, he and his cohabite Sergio Galeotti founded the company ‘Giorgio Armani SpA’ in one of the worlds fashion capitals, Milan. Having studied two terms of medicine prior to the launch of the company, Mr. Armani completely changed his professional orientation when he started working as a visual merchandiser for department store ‘La Rinascente’. It was in 1990 when he first started to segment his company into sub-labels; ‘Emporio Armani’ & ‘Mani’. After some time he also created Giorgio Armani Prive, , Armani Collezioni, Armani Jeans, AX/Armani Exchange, Armani Junior, Armani Underwear, EA7, Armani Casa, Giorgio Armani Cosmetics, Armani Libri, Armani Flori, Armani Dolci and many more. The graph above, illustrates the various facets of Armani’s designs, having created a label which covers each category and customer interest. He is many celebrities favourite fashion designers; distinctive and famous for his elegant designs. His style is to be identified by unusual and unique cut combined with an elegant monochromatic colour palette. â€Å"Elegance doesn’t mean being noticed, it means being remembered. † – (Giorgio Armani) Armani is known for presenting himself in his signature simplistic style of jeans, silver/ grey t-shirt, black blazer. His look has become a holistic concept of life. Not only has he built an empire, he created a whole new world. 1. Analysis of the socio-cultural framework Social trends In fashion one â€Å"trend† chases the other. Nothing is as â€Å"old† as the collection of yesterday. Fashion trends are simply the surface phenomena of deeper social developments. They are the visual manifestation of desires and needs. The interesting question arises: What lies behind the current fashionable forms of expression and what kind of influence does society have on the fashion trends? What did constitutes for Armani and issues he had to tackle thereupon. PETA activists In the year 2009, PETA activists affronted Giorgio Armani, who promised to not produce any fur in his future collections. Anyhow, Armani failed keeping his promise. As a result PETA called for a boycott of his fashion – No Armani gowns at the Oscar ceremony! (February 22nd, 2009) Further did they publish a poster which shows Armani with a long Pinocchio nose. In several places such as Las Vegas, Milan, Paris, there were anti-fur demonstrations in front of the stores of the designer. See Appendix 1. 1) The social trend of fighting for animal rights was an issue Armani had to work upon. Instead, he claimed never to have made such a promise, anyhow apologized in public for any misunderstanding. It seems he did not deem it to be necessary to tackle this problem any further, as it is a small niche of society and would accordingly only have a small effect on Armani’s customers buying habit. Further, are other luxury brands, competitors using fur in their collections which makes the issue even less meaningful. Size Zero Size zero – a craze and controversy. As the 22- year-old Uruguayan model Luisel Ramos died after having starved herself to death, the organizers of the 2006 Madrid Fashion Week decided to ban skinny, size zero models. The World Health Organization is concerned that â€Å"the use of underweight models sends out dangerously wrong signals to girls, who look models as role models†. In November, the same year, the Brazilian model Ana Carolina Reston died at a young age of just 21 from anorexia. This tragedy made Armani being first of all luxury brands to introduce his own policy of only engaging ‘healthy-looking’ models with a BMI of 19. Many brands followed this social trend. Cultural evolution Today, regarding the ambience of lifestyle the Italians are seen as role models many societies: Espresso, Pinot Grigio, Tartufo Bianco, Gigli, Alessi, Armani. As any art mirrors design, whether for product or fashion, nothing represents a society more clearly. These mirrors are not placed in museums or elsewhere, we see them everywhere in life. Fashion is a sensual and rapid response to the now. Dealing with it, encounters the loving of surfaces, the study and cultivation which can be regarded as a profound thing. Milan, the origin and headquarter of Giorgio Armani, is one of the most famous fashion metropolis of the world. A mecca where various cultures come together, being inspiration for the designer himself and for society. Each trend emerges of society, having similar perception and emotions in different countries, can be combined together to then aspire a connectedness. Giorgio Armani receives lots of cultural influences of Asia for his designs. For example in 2010, he set the trend of an asymmetric neckline with a single sleeve (Sari), interpreted in a more modern way. When observing his catwalks, it is to mention that Armani engages ethnically diverse runway models. This emphasize the multi-cultural influence, Armani has on the world, as each customer, no matter which origin can feel connected to the brand. Economical evolution Due to the serious financial crisis that hit the world markets in 2009, Giorgio Armani proved outstanding staying power, when comparing it to the average performance of the industry. Giorgio Armani generated a turnover of 6â‚ ¬ billion at retail value (including licensed products), of which 4â‚ ¬ billion were made by their core business and 2â‚ ¬ billion from third party licences. The general slowdown in the fashion and luxury markets that also affected Giorgio Armani is largely due to a decline in GDP, in particular in North America, Europe and Japan†. Nevertheless, Armani succeeded and had stable increasing sales in China, a 32% boost, when comparing it to the year before which proves a momentum of recent y ears in the region. â€Å"I have to say that the interest of the Chinese public for Giorgio Armani is outstanding. I have experienced this through my stores and also through the welcome I was given in China. † (Giorgio Armani) 2. Analysis of the fashion trends/fads affecting the brand Mood-board The Timeless Description of major fashion trends The fashion maestro demonstrates in his haute couture a precision of unusual cuts, complex designs and valuable fabrics, all abiding the pure elegance in usual monochromatic colours. Elements of severe men’s wear are transferred to the women’s design, shaping the unmistakable Armani style. Colours Armani’s brand mark has always been the colour black, believing it gives a sophisticated and elegant touch to each and every design. Throughout the years, he complemented these with signal colours to create a modern look, being influenced by the Asian theme. In 2010, his collection emerges influences with a poppy red being its primary colour, as traditionally seen in ‘Qi Pao’s’. One year later, one could believe Mr. Armani himself has fallen in love. Into a theme which one would expect least of such a rationalist, the lascivious world of Boudoir. Powdery rose tones, a touch of grey complement his basis colour black. In the year 2012, mottled grey and black severe pantsuits harmonized with bright and vibrant colours such as pink, coral and tangerine. â€Å"Enlightened by bright ‘twinkle’ colours as in Tokyo†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . Fabrics/ Materials When analyzing Armani’s collection from the previous year it is to recon that he has a distinct use of silk, categorizing it as his main fabric. Starting in 2010, where the fine lustrous fiber sticks superbly to the Asian theme, adding an incredible intense touch of elegance. Further, he used velvet which has a smooth dense pile and plain underside, creating a mysterious hint to the collection. Later in 2011, Armani uses flowing fabrics, such as chiffon and satin. Silhouettes The silhouette of Armani’s collection is based on the Asian culture, a theme which shows great influences on his collections in the past three years. In 2010, blazers, skirts and dresses are designed that fabrics overlap as seen in the traditional ‘Qi Pao’. Further, he gathered inspiration of the Sari; a long shawl which is wrapped around the waist and the end draped over the shoulder. The trend of an asymmetric neckline with a single sleeve (Sari), interpreted in a more modern way. The dresses are cut short, instead of long, slim cut – the western chic. In 2011, a paradigm of simplicity; straight-cut silk tops which is attached together with a brooch below the left breast and simply combined with matching silk trousers. 012 he referred back to his brand mark of transferring elements of men’s wear into severe pantsuits for women. Mottled grey ensembles on which huge rosettes of colourful pochettes are clinged together, complemented with diagonally placed trilby hats and men’s shoes. 3. Brand scan Analysis of targets/ customers Giorgio Armani has an iconic popularity amongst the elite of society, b eing one of many celebrities favourite designer. Nowadays, Giorgio Armani SpA encompasses a brand architecture of one corporate brand and five sub-labels, â€Å"each catering to different sets of target customers and at different price evels†. His main collection of apparel for ‘Giorgio Armani’ are of the ultra-premium price points, which accordingly more likely to target elderly consumers, therefore reaching the 35-50 year old age group segment. Positioning Defendability Operating in a small niche market, where 1st mover benefit and followers are at â€Å"disadvantage†. Erecting barriers to competition by discouraging entry through expertise, customer loyalty and continuous innovation of new designs, keeps the company ahead from its competitors. Differentiation Giorgio Armani’s brand concept is being sophisticated, targeting the upper-class with high-quality and innovative, elegant designs. â€Å"Elegance doesn’t mean being noticed, it means being remembered. † – (Giorgio Armani) Strategic Orientation Product leadership achieved through good performance having a clear mission for the company: â€Å"My mission has always been to help women and men feel comfortable and confident through the clothes they wear, rather than to create decoration for the sake of it. † (Giorgio Armani, Squidoo, 2012). Giorgio Armani’s symbolic expressive value appeals to consumer’s self-concepts and self-worth prestige, status image. Marketing Mix The 4 P’S demonstrate with what, where and how Giorgio Armani promotes his products in order to succeed with his marketing strategies. Analysis of fashion collections By means of the positioning and the marketing mix of the brand, it clearly illustrates how well Giorgio Armani integrates the concepts, making a clear statement through his collections towards his competitors. Due to the vast increase of sales in Asia, especially in China, after the financial crisis in 2009, the designer himself traveled regularly to the East for certain matters, by which he got the greatest experiences and influences for his pcoming collections. From 2010 onwards, one can indicate a strong emphasis of the Asian culture. â€Å"China approaches fashion with strong enthusiasm, and I believe that this enthusiasm can be translated into something interesting, economically speaking. Not only for my brand, but also for other brands†¦ We notice this, by wandering around in Shanghai â € ¦ Beijing †¦ and also smaller cities. † (Giorgio Armani) Competitive benchmarking compared to main competitors SWOT Analysis Even though Armani has high brand recognition, being well-known all over the world, faces fierce competition in its industry. Its greatest competitors are Hugo Boss and Gianni Versace since they target the same market. Especially the German brand, Hugo Boss is regarded as a great threat, since the brand implements stringent design and quality standards to produce superior products that deliver value for money. This is difficult to keep up with as Giorgio Armani’s price range is higher than that of Boss’. Further this strength may implicate the threat of brand duplicity. This is due as Armani is catering to a very small upper premium segment target group. An average salary in the UK amounts to approximate 30000? per annum (Council of Mortgage Lenders, 2012). This wage does not make it possible to purchase such expensive goods of Giorgio Armani wherefore brand duplicates seem as a good alternative for the customer. Especially in China, where Giorgio Armani seeks the opportunity of developing and expanding its branches, is considered as the mecca of fakes. 4. Definition of a forecasting plan Branding (image and recognition) Having sponsored the Italian team in the Olympics, Giorgio Armani made great awareness of its brand. Since, Armani is willing to have even greater brand recognition; the Olympics and the world cup in Brazil are a great opportunity to achieve so. Millions of people will be following these events, by interacting in such, Armani could gain a competitive advantage to Hugo Boss and Gianni Versace. Collection architecture The Asian theme appears throughout the years of Giorgio Armani’s collection. Being inspired by the ‘Qi Pao’s’ first, followed by ‘Sari’s’, both serve as great inspiration. In the year 2012, bright colours are combined with black and grey, which could be interpreted as the ‘up and coming’ colourful skyline of Tokyo. Due to the appearances of velvet and wave-like designs in 2010, it is to state that Armani could use these two variations as inspiration for the upcoming season in 2013. Blouses will be straight-cut with a balloon-like ending, such as seen in seasons 2010 and 2011. These will be combined with straight-cut trousers, edging it with a comeback of pointed shoes and a finish-off with trilby hats, as seen in the collection of 2012. These symbols represent power and being dynamic, as the fast-pasting metropolis of Asia. Colours will range from darker Bordeaux reds into degrees of purple, complementary to the beloved plain colour of Mr. Armani himself, black. Distribution plan Giorgio Armani employs 5500 in their direct workforce, having 13 factories and a perpendicular network of exclusive retail stores in 46 countries worldwide. In order to increase their annual revenue of 1,8 â‚ ¬ [=1. 453. 750. 000? (Exchange rate on the 13. 12. 2012) Press Release 2011] billion, Armani could increase their presence of branded flagship stores, with independent retailers and department stores, as well as increasing the availability of online distribution, as Brazil is not listed. Brazil definitely has to be included as this country will have great influence on future campaigns. Communications The world community will come together to celebrate the festivities of the Olympic Games and the World Cup in Brazil together. Brazil being host to many people around the world; creating a feeling of togetherness. Armani can be part of this by sponsoring the Italian team and making aware of themselves. Building up on this strategy, Armani should invest in advertising campaigns, billboards etc†¦, raising positive awareness and excitement towards the brand and the events. Conclusion Giorgio Armani is one of the most famous Italian fashion designers. His style is classic, elegant and discrete – this is reflected in each of his puristic designs. He is the creator of an empire which successfully operating due to efficient marketing strategies, using celebrities to raise awareness with advertising, engaging the company on events such as sponsoring the Olympic team or promoting the new James Bond â€Å"Skyfall† [Vogue, Germany Premiere), the movie in which he accouters the actors. To mention is the correlation between the movie and the designer’s inspirational Asian theme, as Skyfall’s settings partially take place in Shanghai, China (Movie Trailer, Youtube). By means of this, Giorgio Armani outperforms his competitors, bringing his competitive advantage to a new level. Armani, is that what one wants to wear – the oh so traditional, new trend. Overall recommendations When analyzing the world of Giorgio Armani, it seems nearly useless to give recommendation to the company, as he has been successfully managing the company, in all areas, since years. Anyhow, there are little areas where he could make some improvements. Even though Giorgio Armani is a luxurious brand, the brand could offer accessories slightly cheaper such as scarves, since these prices start from 248â‚ ¬ [=200,29? Exchange rate on the 13. 12. 2012) Armani Website] in order to make it possible for customers who desire the brand to make a purchase on a good which they could wear on a daily basis. This would increase even greater brand recognition and higher customer satisfaction, even for those who can’t afford Giorgio Armani itself. It makes them feel to be a small part of the world of Armani. Regarding the failure of interacting the social trend of â€Å"going green† and â€Å"being socially active† in 2009 where Armani presented fur in his catwalk, after making great announcements to PETA. To get rid of his negative image, and create a more valuable relationship to celebrities, he could get involved in social activities. Due to his great relations to celebrities, he might use these, to get those who are highly involved with PETA, such as Katie Holmes, to change his image. Appendix 1. 1 (PETA, 2008) Bibliography Articles| | | Fleuranvil, Fabiola. â€Å"Fashion Marketing Planning. †Ã‚  Ezine Articles. SparkNET, 11 July 2009. Web. 13 Dec. 2012. . | | Modeopfer. Modelabel Giorgio Armani. †Ã‚  Modeopfer 110. N. p. , 15 May 2012. Web. 13 Dec. 2012. . | Books| | | McKelvey, Kathryn, and Janine Munslow. Fashion Forecasting. Chichester, U. K. : Wiley-Blackwell, 2008. Print. | Images| | | * â€Å"Google. †Ã‚  Google. N. p. , n. d. Web. 13 Dec. 2012. | | * http://image. rakuten. co. jp/playerz/cabinet/ax/img55589066. jpg| | * http://www. citypictures1. com/Tokyo-Pictures/Tokyo-Night-483-588-picture. htm| | * http://www. google. de/search? ource=ig&rlz=1G1SVED_ DEDE394&q=logo+armani+jeans#hl=de&tbo=d&rlz=1G1SVED_DEDE394&sclient=psy-ab&q=logo+armani+collezioni&oq=logo+armani+colle&gs_l=serp. 1. 0. 0i30j0i8i30l3. 2513. 15980. 0. 17458. 17. 17. 0. 0. 0. 0. 395. 4859. 2-13j4. 17. 0†¦ 0. 0†¦ 1c. 1. d2_ergZZgEg&pbx=1&bav=on. 2,or. r_gc. r_pw. r_qf. &fp=6d03cd0ad1005791&bpcl=38897761&biw=1366&bih=667| | * http://www. italiadesignerbrands. com/ekmps/shops/annajones198/resources/Design/aj-armani-jeans-logo-56aa0ab37e-seeklogo-com-1-20120718143314-8b93d953. gif| | * http://www. outlet-cities. e/uploads/pics/armani-logo. jpg | Press Release| | | * â€Å"FASHION LEGEND GIORGIO ARMANI ON CNN'S ‘TALK ASIA' – Press Releases – Turner Asia. †Ã‚  FASHION LEGEND GIORGIO ARMANI ON CNN'S ‘TALK ASIA' – Press Releases – Turner Asia. N. p. , n. d. Web. 13 Dec. 2012. | | * Armani SpA, Giorgio. â€Å"2009 Annual Report. †Ã‚  Giorgio Armani Press Release. 2010 Giorgio Armani SpA. Via Borgonuovo 11, Mila no. Printed in Italy, 2010. Web. 13 Dec. 2012. . | Websites| | | * â€Å"2011 Esc Pau Armani Final Ppt.   2011 Esc Pau Armani Final Ppt. N. p. , n. d. Web. 13 Dec. 2012. | | * â€Å"Armani. com Online Store – Autumn-Winter Collection 2012-13. †Ã‚  Armani. com-Online Store. N. p. , n. d. Web. 13 Dec. 2012. ;http://www. armani. com/gb;. | | * â€Å"ELLE a? â€Å" Home – Fashion, Kollektionen, Models, Designer, Mode, Style, Trends. †Ã‚  ELLE a? â€Å" Home. N. p. , n. d. Web. 13 Dec. 2012. | | * â€Å"Fashion News, Latest Trends, Catwalk Photos & Designers (Vogue. com UK). †Ã‚  Vogue UK. N. p. , n. d. Web. 13 Dec. 2012. | | * â€Å"Mode, Trends, Beauty Und People – VOGUE. †Ã‚  VOGUE. N. p. , n. d. Web. 13 Dec. 012. | | * â€Å"Oil Rich. †Ã‚  ELLE. N. p. , n. d. Web. 13 Dec. 2012. ;http://www. elle. com/;. | | * â€Å"Peta. de. †Ã‚  :: Pinocchio Armani. N. p. , n. d. Web. 13 Dec. 2012. ;http://www. peta. de/web/pinocchi oarmani. 1842. html;. | Youtube| | | * James Bond 007 Skyfall | International Trailer (2012) ; Gewinnspiel. †Ã‚  YouTube. YouTube, 31 July 2012. Web. 13 Dec. 2012. . | ——————————————– [ 1 ]. This research is based on my experiences of the internship I took part during Summer 2012 in London.

Eco-tourism Essay

Ecotourism is defined as responsible travel to natural areas that protect the environment and improve the welfare of local people (International Ecotourism Society (TIES), 2005). It also follow certain principles such as minimize impact, build environmental and cultural respect, provide financial benefits to local people. Global ecotourism began in 1990, and has been growing 20-34% per year, especially in 2004, ecotourism was growing globally 3 times faster than the tourism industry as a whole; with continuous growth, and ecotourism will occupy 25% of the world travel market within six years. Ecotourism has advantages and disadvantages. It can contribute to a country’s economic development and also benefit local people. For the poor countries, tourism is the second most important source of foreign exchange, after oil. It also can bring job opportunities and increase local people’s income. However, the disadvantage cannot be neglected. Ecotourism can produce pollution an d damage the environment. According to TIES (2005), there are 109 countries with coral reefs, 90 of them are being damaged by cruise ship and sewage. It also estimated that the cruise ship produce more than 70,000 tons of waste each year. The shock to local culture is also a big problem. Recently, the advantages of ecotourism are still being debated. This report is concerned with the advantages and disadvantages of  ecotourism. Though the disadvantages of ecotourism caused big problems but advantages of ecotourism far outweigh its drawbacks. 1.Definition of ecotourism. Ecotourism involves responsible traveling to fragile, pristine and mostly protected areas. This takes place for different purposes, from educating the traveler, fostering respect for different cultures to directly benefiting the economic and political empowerment of local communities. Ideally, ecotourism incorporates the following criteria; promote biological and cultural diversity, touring unspoiled natural habitats, and the main attractions being local culture, flora and fauna. In short, ecotourism operations are defined by their commitment to the environment, education, nature and culture. The main objectives of ecotourism are providing nature-based, environmental education experiences for visitors and managing this in a sustainable manner. Ecotourism offers a great opportunity for educational as well as personal growth as values of appreciation and attitude changes are instilled in participants which would lead to significant involvement in environmental and social issues in the future. Essentially, the dimension of ecotourism as an educational experience creates a new window for viewing the whole world and one’s self. It offers an opportunity to show the growth and development of various learning experiences while at the same time exploring another country or culture and going beyond one’s preconceived limitations. Nature based tourism includes a range of tourism experiences that entail adventure tourism, cultural and rural tourism. In addition, activities such as rafting and scuba diving are forms of nature based ecotourism. On the other hand, sustainable ecotourism aims to address on the needs of visited environments to sustain them. The main focal points include sustaining the natural environment itself and contributing to help local communities understand the importance and value of their adjacent environment. Sustainability is drawn from the concept of sustainable development which is development that focuses on meeting the needs of he present generation without hindering the ability of the future generations from meeting their own needs. The basic criteria for sustainable ecotourism include; the sustainable use of ecological resources, increased  environmental and cultural awareness, conservation ethos, support of local economies through increased revenue from visitors and the use of lo cal supplies and services. It is important to note that for ecotourism to be realized the above components need to be integrated on a wholesome package. Eco tourism entails the incorporation of nature as the main laboratory for informal learning through which attitudes and values on conservation are appreciated and instilled. For these natural resources to be available for the unforeseeable future, sustainability has to come into play. Several differences between ecotourism and other forms of tourism can be outlined. To start with, the key difference existing is that ecotourism involves learning about the environment whereas other forms of tourism such as adventure tourism only focus on personal accomplishments of successfully meeting the challenge of the natural environment. Generally, the tourism industry focuses on market demand by attempting to foster, maintain and expand the market world which mostly draws it away from focusing on maintaining the product or experience. The addition of facilities and infrastructures to cater for the demand result in the destruction of pristine environment and the indigenous experience which ecoto urism attempts to reverse by reducing these impacts of tourism. Ecotourism maintains a supply oriented management perspective with primary considerations being the nature and resilience of the resource, cultural or local community preferences and interpretive conservation programs. Tourism on the other hand, focuses on individual experiences that may overlook the relevance of in-depth learning of the natural environment and indigenous knowledge essential for changing people’s attitudes and perceptions. Nature based tourism is seen as a subcomponent of alternative tourism and ecotourism is highlighted as being part of both alternative and natural based tourism. This is because nature plays a big role in both. In addition, the interaction between natural environment and adventure travel are components of adventure tourism. This points to adventure travel with certain risky elements which when lowered become logical extensions of ecotourism. Time, a very fundamental commodity would also be used to differentiate other forms of tourism from eco tourism. The time taken to interact with nature and local communities in ecotourism is substantial due to the time taken to appreciate what the environment provides. Funds accruing from tourism  activities are not ab solutely used to improve the livelihoods of local populations, they may not trickle down to these communities when allocated on a national scale. Instead they form a percentage of the Gross Domestic Product of most economies. On the other hand, funds collected from ecotourism institutions are diverted to activities aimed at improving the lives of local communities. This is because these populations play a vital role in ensuring the sustainability of the environment through proper management and protection to curb overexploitation. The subsequent impact of human activities on the environment is yet another difference between ecotourism and other forms of tourism. The fact that ecotourism addresses the values and perceptions of individuals which impact to a greater extent the appreciation of the environment thereby reducing the magnitudes of exploitation of these resources is a prime definition of ecotourism different from tourism in general. Behaviors such as the proper disposal of waste in campsites or tourist environs are emphasized in ecotourism as compared to other forms of tourism which overlook the importance of such actions. Ecotourism emphasizes on interaction based on the proximity to the natural habitat, for example, watching dolphins in their natural habitat, the ocean, while mainstream tourism does not emphasize on the natural environment such as watching dolphins in an aquarium. The levels of interactions described by Fridell (2003) are different in the two concepts. Ecotourism based activities involve a close interaction with the environment with actions such as species identity and indigenous knowledge on certain phenomena. The level of interaction related with tourism on the other hand is perceived to be shallow as little is learnt from the environment. In some areas, excursions are conducted using vehicles making it difficult for tourists to interact closely with the environment. Despite the aforementioned differences, similarities also exist between ecotourism and other forms of tourism like sustainable tourism, adventure tourism amongst others. First of all, both recognize the environment as the main functional unit. Activities developed from both are environmentally related as it forms the main feature. Scuba diving, nature viewing, participating in eco-challenge activities are just but a few of the activities environmentally based. Secondly, as expressed by Anderson & Beasley, the human being is the main driver of both concepts. These concepts are  developed and actualized by humans who also contribute to their continuous application. This is due to the fact that the human person recognizes the adjacent environment around him as it is important for his survival. The environment is the producer of goods and services for human consumption, and equally acts as an assimilator of waste produced from human activities that process final products for his use. Without it, humans cannot survive hence the essence to conserve and protect it. The end result of both concepts is to create avenues of exposure to opportunities of the environment and its subsequent conservation. The environment offers more than just resources. It creates an aesthetic feeling as well as favorable atmospheres for relaxation both mentally and physically. Such opportunities are made available through ecotourism and tourism. Both venture in to pristine environments that are either protected by government policies or local populations. Pristine environments are less exploited or not ventured into at all and offer a great variety of species and ecosystems. Both tourism and ecotourism aim towards sustainable development. There is usually a conflict between development and environment al conservation with both extremes bringing about inadequacies in adaptation owing to the current global situations of negative environmental impacts and effects of the global village. Ecotourism therefore attempts to meet the needs of the local people while tourism focuses on a much bigger population putting the country’s citizens in perspective. An eco- tour refers to a sightseeing excursion in physical nature. An ecotourist then refers to a tourist who joins an ecotour. With the above definition, it is worth noting that eco-tourists may fail to understand the difference between ecotourism and mainstream tourism. This occurs in circumstances where they fail to understand the roles expected of them to distinguish them from other tourists. In addition, the sites chosen for excursion purposes may determine them as tourists. An eco-tourist who accesses a tourist site such as an aquarium or mausoleum located away from its original site would fail to understand the difference between him and a tourist. In cases where tourists are given an opportunity to learn from the available environment with the help of tour guides or game rangers, they are awarded the same o pportunity of acquiring knowledge just as those seeking such knowledge from ecotourism areas availed to them by local community members hence the difference between them is narrowed. A case study on the  educational experience in ecotourism in Peru, The Condor Lodge Conservatory is well discussed below. The conservatory is located in Apurimac Canyon and is settled in a natural environment, with close proximity to the Antilla Community and surrounded by an eco-farm. Most families share sleeping space with the Kuyi, a type of guinea pigs. The area is also surrounded by gold mines and has been at the forefront of ecotourism efforts in the region. It has also created string networks with local tourist agencies, international tourists and planning small group visits that are aimed at creating a harmonious relationship with the environment. It is further characterized by undisturbed wilderness, wildlife diversity, hospitable people and a spectacular view of the Andean Condor which create an exceptional educational experience. A case study of the Campi ya Kanzi, an ecotourism site in Kenya. This site is stretched over 400 miles of African wilderness, within the Kuku Group Ranch of Southern Kenya. The area is owned by Maasai herdsmen and extends through to Mt. Kilimanjaro. This environment is well endowed with wildlife diversity of fauna and flora. The ranch also contains pools, a lake and springs. The lodge in the area has minimal impact on the environment as buildings are constructed from local material such as lava rocks, thatch and lumber obtained from a reforestation program. The foundations of the lodge was based on protecting wildlife, the wilderness and Maasai culture as well as obtain financial support for maintaining a place where wildlife can flourish. To sum up, Campi ya Kanzi is an ecotourism lodge, built, owned and run by the local community for the benefit of the environment and local people. In conclusion, Ecotourism is an aspect that incorporates tourism but is specific in nature. There are limitless similarities that exist between ecotourism and tourism such as sustainability, nature being at the forefront in both and an offer to interact with the pristine natural environment. There are also significant differences that exist between them from the educational perspective, the natural environment to the levels of interactions. However, the impact of both tourism and ecotourism on the environment as well the changes in people’s attitudes is worth noting. The functional responsibility of both eco-tourists, soft and hard, and tourist plays a fundamental role in achieving the ultimate goals of both concepts. 3. The Advantages of Eco-tourism Eco tourism is defined as tourism that sends people to relatively untouched parts of the world and that is sensitive to the impact to nature caused by humans. Eco tourism is an attempt to allow tourism that does not damage nature or traditional culture. It is an idea that has massive appeal as those with money can now visit places in good conscience. They can see wonderful things and feel at the same time that their money is helping the local environment and indigenous people. Since the 1980s the eco tourism sector has grown and grown. It is the fastest growing sector in tourism – growing at an annual rate of between 10% – 15%. Tourism is one of the few sectors of the world economy that continues to grow despite the ups and downs in the world economy. It has become so important that the IMF now includes stipulations about tourism as part of its preconditions for lending money to developing countries. If done rightly eco tourism has several advantages. It is more concerned with the environment and does encourage developers to build with more consideration for the natural environment. This means that more natural habitat is preserved and that the resources for building come from sustainable sources. This is the theory anyway. Another advantage is that eco tourism provides an income for local inhabitants in an area. The argument is that if the local people can generate revenue from showing tourists around a jungle, lake, savannah etc. then it is much better than killing elephants for their ivory or capturing gorillas to sell on the black market. Moreover, showing people a rainforest rather than logging the forest is a good compromise if the forest is preserved. People in the developed world through eco tourism get to experience places of great natural significance as well as interact with local and indigenous people. It is hoped that this contact will benefit both parties, fostering better understanding of the issues on the ground, a nd overcoming prejudice. 3. The Disadvantages of Eco-tourism It is felt by some environmentalists that there should be some parts of the world that are ‘off bounds’ for any tourists as any human activity will damage the eco system and disrupt the routine of the animals. Although scuba  divers try to be careful, any tourist scuba business is going to have a negative impact on fragile coral marine environments. Although, people walking carefully through the forest might not do much harm, building their eco lodges does. A good example of this is the safari business in Africa. Tour jeeps going across the savannah scare off the animals that the lions rely on catching. The result is that lions can no longer hunt in parts of Kenya and Tanzania during the morning when the tour jeeps are out. They have to wait until the hottest part of the day to hunt. This is draining for them and affecting lion numbers. The Masai people in Kenya have been moved out of their traditional lands because of the demarcation of National Parks for eco tourism. They are settled on land next to the reserves. Much of the best land next to the reserves has gone to non-local people and eco tourist operators. When animals come on to this communal land any damage caused by the animals is not compensated by the government. The result is that the Masai who once co-existed with the animals of the savannah now come to regard them as pests. Another issue for the Masai and other indigenous people is that they have become ‘tourist attractions’ that are expected to pose for the cameras and perform dances etc. for money. Not only is this extremely patronizing, but it is discouraging the Masai and other indigenous people from pursuing their traditional life styles. Unwittingly the tourists are destroying the culture that they are paying to preserve. Eco-tourism seeks to go to the remotest places. These places a re often not well policed. There is nothing stopping people taking money from tourists as well as pursuing environmentally unfriendly activities. In the case of Brazil, illegal logging will not stop because of eco-tourism because the logging companies make too much money. It seems that the cons often outweigh the pros of eco tourism. It might be better to take pictures of animals rather than shoot animals, but given the choice the animals would sooner not have people around. Policing of eco tourism is another matter. Do eco tourist outfits deliver what they promise? It seems whether eco tourism should be allowed should be judged case-by-case, and that the consultation must include the local people, and not the IMF. Conclusion It sounds like the true nature lover’s dream – to visit a corner of the earth that is untouched by human hands. It’s where you can enjoy pristine nature in its true, original form. Ecotourism is a name given to the tourism industry that desires to visit pristine, fragile and undisturbed areas. This is as far different from mass tourism as you can get. Promoting ecotourism brings several potential benefits to the area being visited: Helps to provide investment funds for the preservation and conservation of the ecological system. It can be a direct benefit to the development of the economy and political systems of the surrounding community. Builds a sense of respect for a variety of cultures and for their human rights movements. Serves to educate the traveler who participates in ecotourism. It can give tourists some insight into the impact that humans have on the environment, and as a result they can develop a greater love and appreciation for the beauty of the ear th and its natural habitats. Ecotourism takes place in environments where the flora and fauna are still intact in their natural, original forms. Tourism is a rapidly growing industry, and for some countries, including developing countries, ecotourism is a viable income source. Countries such as Africa with vast, open territory, huge plains and fierce wandering rivers, are popular ecotourism destinations. Canada, being one of the world’s largest countries is also home to settlements of indigenous peoples and holds a huge potential for ecotourism. There are many untouched beautiful ecotourism destinations in Canada. With its vast landscapes and low population density, abundant natural resources and a variety of eco-activities, Canada is growing in popularity among ecotourists. Benefits for developing countries to participate in ecotourism For developing countries, ecotourism offers empowerment to local communities and a way for them to fight poverty. The combination between biodiversity and indigenous cultures is appealing to many who want to get out of the big cities and go see something in nature that they have never experienced before. During an ecotourism adventure, low impact on nature is emphasized. After all, if the ecotourism had a big impact on the pristine location, it would no longer be untouched and lose its usefulness as a destination. Tourism itself leaves an environmental footprint. A major part of the  education of tourists visiting prime natural habitats is to educate them towards environmental conservation. Therefore, mass tourism to these natural habitats is not permitted. History of responsible tourism and promoting sustainability using tourism The term ecotourism was made popular in 1983 by a man named Hector Ceballos-Lascurain. Other synonyms to the term include jungle tourism, responsible tourism and sustainable development. Hector was a conservationist who was very influential and took part in lobbying for wetland conservation in relation to the flamingo. Currently there is no standard accepted globally for regulating the ecotourism industry. Many see this as a disadvantage, because small groups claiming a big eco adventure have the potential to scam the unwary tourist from some big payments. They sign up thinking they are getting the adventure of a life time but because of the lack of accreditation and regulations; they don’t end up getting what they signed up for. Sources 1. http://wikitravel.org/en/Ecotourism 2. http://www.ecotourism.org/what-is-ecotourism 3. http://www.ukessays.com/essays/tourism/an-essay-on-ecotourism.php 4. http://essaycamp.com/examples/ecotourism 5. http://www.worldtourismforum.org/global/pros-and-cons-of-eco-tourism/

History Discussion Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

History Discussion - Research Paper Example It also looks at how Alexander Hamilton’s policies wanted to use the wealthy, manufacturers and the US National Bank to turn around the economy that was affected by a series of civil revolutions; as well as why his proposals were criticized. Finally, it discusses the impacts of his policies. Top of Form Alexander Hamilton was the first treasury secretary of the United States government headed by President Washington (Swanson, 43). When he was appointed the treasury secretary, the United States government was facing hard economic times following the American revolutions. The government was faced with huge debts, inflation and the majority of economic sectors seemed to be doing badly. It is then that President Washington tasked Alexander Hamilton with the duty of stabilizing the United States economy. Alexander Hamilton was to come up with fiscal policies that would revive the economy of the federal government. He advocated for modern capitalism to turn around the United States economy (Hansen, 166). In his first steps, towards reviving the economy, Hamilton proposed the chartering of the first United States National Bank. The bank’s mandate was assisting the government in coming up with monetary and financial solutions, serving as the main depository arm of the federal government as well as regulating state banks. He also recommended that the outstanding Confederation Debt be funded at face value. The paying of these outstanding state debts would ensure stability and commitment of the government in restoring its economy. To finance the paying off debts, Hamilton proposed an issue of new bonds to investors who would gain profits when the government was able to pat the new bonds (Swanson, 43). In his approach to financial and monetary policies, Hamilton targeted the wealthy individuals within the US. He wanted to align the business class, manufacturers, creditors and all the wealth with the federal

Got milk Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Got milk - Case Study Example It does not matter that the ice cream company only sourced the milk because the company had an obligation to find any defects before the production process started. In this case, I think that the ice cream company and milk supplier should be held jointly liable; the first for not identifying the defect and the latter for supplying a product that was unsafe and harmful for consumers. 2. Do you think a CRM system could have helped communicate issues in the milk production supply chain? How could a company use a CRM system to perform damage control after finding out about contaminated milk in the supply chain? I think that a CRM system could have been helpful to communicate regarding issues in the supply chain. It seemed like there was no connection between milking stations and big dairy companies. A CRM system would have figured out where the problems were occurring and then quickly find a way to resolve those problems. Customers are a big part of this system, and their opinions could have been sought out much sooner in regards to milk quality. A company could use a CRM system to perform damage control by informing consumers immediately when a problem crops up and also helping to prevent confusion. Communication with customers is very important because otherwise some rumors can be formed and they may potentially have a damaging effect on the company. The best option is just to be open and honest about a problem whenever one is identified. 3. Do you agree with the Chinese court in sentencing of the middlemen to death and a dairy boss to life in prison for their roles in the milk contamination scandal? Do you think the United States should implement similar laws for unethical corporate behavior? No, I dont really agree with the decision of the Chinese court because I think that the punishment is a little over the top. I feel like this is more for

Discussion question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 30

Discussion question - Essay Example sets of different but related jobs), while allowing various positions in the job family to be hierarchically placed thus supporting organizations equate the position to the jobs and the job family as well and this can be used in salaries and wage determination (Hartley, 1999). Notably research has over time challenged the use of worker trait inventories in job analysis due to non-measurable aspects. However, through competency which is the state  of  being  effective or  well  qualified  physically  and  rationally through knowledge, skills abilities, values and interest combination, non measurable traits factors have been measured. This is possible through competency based selection systems where objectives, strategies and jobs are harmonized with an individual during employee selection. On the other hand, task based systems focus on job operations hence failing to recognize individuals’ ability in contributing to the organization (Hartley, 1999). In my opinion I would choose a flight piloted by an individual chosen using the task based selection system over one chosen by a competency based system. This is because competency seeks only to match the skills and ability to fly or perform the task yet no past experiences are observed a s high degree of competence or skill i.e. proficiency should be upheld in task performance. This is further described by the principal difference of proficiency level and skill. Proficiency level implies adequate expertise level while skill is the level of proficiency beyond

Culture Versus Environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Culture Versus Environment - Essay Example Rituals designed to appease a multitude of gods thought to control various aspects of the environment were replaced by monotheism and atheism. Favorable environments enabled the discovery of new technologies and freed mankind from having to concentrate on survival. This resulted in greater supplies of food and other resources enabling the growth of larger and less homogeneous settlements with productivity further increased by specialized division of labor. Thus while environment did not directly affect cultural values, it created a milieu where that portion of mankind who could benefit from more favorable environments not only had a greater sense of their ability to control their own environment but also a sense of empowerment where they felt they could and should impose their culture on those less empowered and presumed inferior. Diamond’s Theory and the Spanish ConquistadoresNot only did Diamond theorize there must be the suitable environment for technology improvements to o ccur, he also contended the surrounding environment must be able to facilitate the exchange of technological improvements so that there is the widespread advancement of civilization. He argued Europe/Asia are oriented on an east/west axis meaning the adjoining continents are very wide on the same latitude (east/west) Therefore they have similar vegetation and climate so that the innovation of agriculture and animal domestication could easily spread from the Middle East along this corridor with little adaptation required east.

Watershed moments of American history Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Watershed moments of American history - Essay Example Watershed moments are those moments which heralded a strong influence on the history and social attitudes of the people and changed the perception of people.The American history is fraught with such watershed moments,but in the 20th century so many events happened and it is difficult to decide which moments could be called as watershed.The following paragraphs would describe three events and justify them as watershed moments.The most important of these moments is the perhaps the attack on the World trade centre on 9/11. Following the horrific events of that day, the local, national, and international relations changed forever to a very great extent. The attack of 9/11 had a wide ranging effect on the US foreign policy and weakened the relationship between the US and the Islamic states. The attack reframed existing policy in such a way that it was now considered quite just and fair to take violent and aggressive action against rogue nations. The US considered this attack as a threat t o its sovereignty so the period that followed after the attack witness a revival in the cold war and snide policies which were last seen in the World War II. The world saw a new era of 'War against terrorism' which was lead by the US and which resulted in two major wars. Thus it is very clear that the aftermath of the 9/11 made a drastic impact on the whole world and it would not be wrong to call this attack a watershed moment of the 20th century. (Dudziak). The second such event which created such an upheaval, the likes of which cannot be found in any other event is the nuclear bombing on the Nagasaki and Hiroshima. It was the August of the year 1945 in which the world saw the first use of the nuclear weapons ever. The result was only destruction and devastation of the bombed cities however its consequences were more than that. The prowess of the US was witnessed which elevated it to the title of the greatest super-power of the world. The United Nations was also formed soon after the bombing to maintain global peace. The bombings became the watershed moments in the US history as it changed the way the country was seen by other nations. Another example of the watershed moments, though somewhat different is seen is the 1965 Act of Immigration and Nationality. This act is also known as a 'Demographic Revolution'. The act put an end to the quota system, and even the xenophobia which was being promoted in the Americans. The Act was actually a declaration of equality and an end of prevailing prejudice. This erased the sense of exclusion which was felt by the Asians from the side of Americans and resulted in a huge number of Asians ushering into the US territory. The act changed the social attitude of the Americans towards the Asians and proved to be a watershed movement in the US history. Section Two, Answer to Question 3: The Civil rights movement was campaign intended to free the Americans from the grip of ethnic discrimination. This was a movement which demanded the recognition of the black Afro-Americans and an end to the racist policies. The Civil Rights movement began when a black woman 'Rosa Parks' who is often called as the mother of the 'Civil rights movement' refused to give her seat to a white American. But it was not only the Afro-Americans who were involved in the movement, thousands of people of all ethnic groups living in America participated in this Civil rights movements and the liberation movement till the 1970s in the long run. These included students, political leaders, people from religious organizations and even some white liberals; in short the 'liberation' movement was not just the efforts of blacks but the combined struggle against the bigotry and racial discrimination of all the ethnic groups living in America. Previously a very strong and intimidating attitude was adopted by the Americans towards the blacks. They were looked down upon, often became a subject of taunting and were commonly referred

The Vigilance Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Vigilance Project - Essay Example Being in a group, an individual feels as integral part of a team which enhances his or her self-worth. 4. Realistic is conflict â€Å"based on scarce resources†; symbolic conflict is conflict â€Å"based on values and beliefs†. Realist conflicts take place between groups over scarce resources in a competitive environment. Symbolic conflicts occur due to different perspectives regarding values and ideas which give rise to conflicts in goal persuasion. 5. The leadership paradox is best stated as â€Å"The fact that teams usually need leaders, but the very presence of a leader threatens the autonomy of a team†. Instead of making a team more productive, a leader may end up being a hindrance if he overuses his power (Thomson, 2004, p.309). 6. The three types of team coaching include â€Å"ability, coordination, motivation†. Motivation enhances team commitment, coordination helps people to work together, and educational coaching increases skills and abilities of team members (Levi, 2010, p.178). 7. Teams that are underbounded â€Å"Have many external ties, but cannot bring its members together†; in contrast, teams that are overbounded â€Å"have high loyalty but an inability to integrate with others†. Overbounded teams are highly cohesive and so members can work in more coordinated manner than underbounded teams (Hackman, 2011, p.79). 11. According to the empirical research on convergent and divergent thinking, â€Å"Groups are better than individuals at divergent thinking; individuals are better than groups at convergent thinking†. This is because in the latter effort is to find single solution to a problem while in the former effort is to find multiple solutions to a problems which can be more effective in a group (Salkind, 2005, p.309). 12. The key threats to creativity do not include â€Å"social striving†. Social striving means individuals can exhibit maximum performance when working as part of a group, and this can enhance creativity (Shiraev & Levy,

Shakespeare Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Shakespeare - Essay Example Shakespeare wrote the second series of history plays at the peak of his career, roughly around 1595-1599, covering the history from around 1398-1420. Although the events he writes about occurred around two centuries before his time, but Shakespeare expected his audience to be familiar with the characters and events he was describing. The rise and fall of kings and the battles between the houses were woven into the cultural fabric of England and formed and integral part of country's patriotic legends and national mythology. The specific details of important historical events have obscured with the passage of time and thus, the heroes and battles of an event are to a degree, cloaked in myth. The plays innovatively mix history and comedy, moving from lofty scenes of kings and battles to base scenes showing ruffians engaging in robberies and drinking. The strength of the plays is its remarkable richness, a variety of textures and a fascinatingly ambiguous take on history as well as on political motivation. Shakespeare drew on a number of sources for writing his history plays as he did in almost all of his work Since it is not possible to know Shakespeare's beliefs, attitude and the methodology he used in writing his plays, we can only hypothesize on the basis of his textual evidence regarding his authorial intentions and the underlying didactic message found in the second tetralogy

Impact of Television Violence on Children Essay Example for Free

Impact of Television Violence on Children Essay These days, we are seeing an increasing amount of violence on television, and this is having a negative impact on children’s behaviour. At present, television plays an important role in everyone’s lives, especially in children’s lives. Television has become a member of almost every single family on our planet. And not just an ordinary member, but a very important one, because the time spent next to it exceeds the amount of time spent together with any other family member. Gone are those days, where children used to watch only ‘Tom and Jerry’, instead they want to watch ‘Power Rangers’, ‘Chota Bheem’, etc. Instead of playing together people prefer to watch an episode from a thriller. The base of the tomorrow’s society – are children today. And on the way they develop depends how are world is going to look like tomorrow. Contemporary parents work a lot, but when they come back home they are not eager to spend time with their child, the consequences of this fact are the following: kids are given to themselves and watch everything they want or TV plays a role of a babysitter. Therefore children learn moral principles from the television, where by the age of 16 they observe 100,000 violent acts and 33,000 murders. Violence on television causes children and teenagers to become less caring, to lose their inhibitions, to become less sensitive, and also may cause violent and aggressive behaviour. In a study on the connection between violence and television done with 1,565 children over a six-year period in London, William Belson, a British psychologist, found that every time a child saw someone being shot or killed on television they became less caring towards other people. William Belson also discovered that every time a child viewed this violence on television, they lost a fragment of their inhibitions towards others. In addition to William Belsons study, other studies did by many scientists and doctors show that seeing violence on television causes children to become less sensitive to the pain of others. Many people believe that children who watch violent television programs exhibit more aggressive behaviour than, that exhibited by children who do not. According to the results of many studies and reports, violence on television can lead to aggressive behaviour in children. Also, when television was introduced into a community of children for the first time, researchers observed a rise in the level of physical and verbal aggression among these children.

Intelligence Essay Example for Free

Intelligence Essay Intelligence quotient, or IQ, is the defined as the ratio of mental age to chronological age. The movie, I Am Sam, raises an important question; does an individual’s IQ have an affect on whether they can be a good parent? Many theories have been developed to better understand and measure intelligence. The Single Factor Theories, Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory, and Gardner’s Theory, along with Baumbrind’s theory on parenting styles can all be used to analyze the characters in I Am Sam. The movie questions the relevance of IQ score and its impact on the ability to parent. If a person has a high IQ does that mean they are a good parent, and if a person has a low IQ does that mean they are a bad parent? The Single Factor Intelligence Theories determine IQ through standardized tests. The first intelligence test was developed by Binet in 1905, and determined IQ as being a person’s mental age divided by their chronological age multiplied by 100. Over the next few years the test was modified by others. In 1937, the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Test was created. This test stated that 2/3 of all children, ages 8-18, score between 85 115. This test claimed that a child that scores 130 or above, is a gifted child, but a score of 70 and below indicates the child is retarded. Later, David Wechsler created a more modern test, and which has become more commonly used today. The Wechsler Intelligence Scales for Children (WISC IV) is arranged by ten different areas of problems to be solved, starting with the easiest and working towards the more difficult. It calculates the score with a verbal and non verbal scale. These intelligence tests show a direct correlation between IQ score and school performance. They are designed to measure what you know, but abilities in areas such as reading and creativity can not be separated from known facts, and can provide an incomplete picture of a person’s mental capabilities. Also, these tests can be economically biased and do not take into effect the person’s home environment or stress levels on the day of the test. The character Sam, from I Am Sam, has low intelligence according to the Single Factor Theories. He is in his mid-thirties, but has the IQ of a seven year old child. He also has been deemed mentally retarded as per court records. Sam struggles to raise Lucy, his daughter, after she is abandoned immediately after birth by her mother and left with him. When he first brought Lucy home, Sam did not know he had to feed a baby every few hours, nor did he know how to change her diaper. During Lucy’s first year of school, Sam was able to help her with her homework and reading, but as Lucy grew older, Sam began to struggle. It became more difficult for him because his reading capability is of a low level, so when Lucy brought home reading assignments, he was unable to read at her level eventually. Sam’s low IQ correlates to the fact that he can not help Lucy with her homework past that of first or second grade level. Sam works at Starbucks as a bus boy and is paid not much more than minimum wage, therefore he struggles financially and only can afford to live in a very small one-bedroom apartment. He cannot afford the things Lucy requires for school, such a shoes and clothes. Lucy is taken out of Sam’s care by Child Protective Services because they feel that Sam is unfit parent because of his low IQ and he will hinder Lucy’s learning capabilities. According to the Single Factor Intelligence Theory, Sam is not intelligent. Rita, Sam’s lawyer in the movie, is considered to be intelligent according the Single Factor Theories. To become a lawyer it takes many years of schooling and the ability to speak ‘intelligently’. As a partner in her law firm, it shows years of dedication, hard work, and motivation. She is able to afford to live in a large beautiful home and drive an expensive car. She has been successful life because she has normal intelligence and has a higher IQ. According to Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory of Intelligence, Sam is not intelligent. He lacks componential intelligence, because he is unable to think abstractly as he has difficulty thinking concretely. Sam struggles to interpret information effectively, he scores low on an IQ test and has the IQ of a seven year old. Sam does show some signs of experiential intelligence, but those are quite limited. When Lucy is taken away from Sam, the length he goes to see her shows his creativity. He rents a new apartment close to the neighborhood her foster family resides in, and becomes employed in a dog walking business so he is able to see her. Sam lso flies paper airplanes near her so she is aware that he is nearby and still watching over her. He also has the creative ability to make origami, in which he constructs a wall in his apartment towards the end of the movie. Although Sam has a difficult time expressing his thoughts in his words, he often attempts to give his opinions and insight. Sam tells Rita she must leave her husband, and even though he does not completely tell her why, he clearly sees that Rita’s home life is not good and offers her his insight. His words may be limited but his thoughts are clear. Sam does not however react well to new stimuli. Lucy persuades him to try a different diner for breakfast instead of going to their weekly place of IHOP. When Sam places his order with the waitress, he insists on ordering pancakes French style (the order he places at IHOP each week). When the waitress explains they do not serve that kind of pancakes and attempts to coerce him into ordering something from their menu, Sam refuses and creates a scene. He was reluctant to try the diner to begin with. Sam does not show signs of contextual intelligence. He does not have ‘street smarts’ which is shown when he is solicited by a prostitute, and is completely unaware of her meaning. The police arrest him because they believe him to be trying to buy the prostitute’s services, and he tries to tell the police he did not know in which he truly does not. His lack of street smarts is also evident when Lucy tricks him during one of his supervised visits. She tells Sam that they were given permission to go to the park unsupervised, but this was not true and Lucy was just trying to run away together with Sam. He believes her and keeps Lucy out really late into the night. Sam gets into trouble for taking her and breaking the visitation rules. Based on the three components of Sternberg’s Theory, Rita is intelligent. She is high in componential intelligence. She is a partner in her law firm and has a lot of education. She demonstrates experiential intelligence as she is able to synthesize information. Being a lawyer, she must able to gather information from various areas and put it together to help the case she is presenting. She is able to manipulate the truth with this ability without lying. Her contextual intelligence is high and this is represented in her personal life. She is able to adapt to her environment. Her marriage is falling apart because her husband is never home and is cheating. She avoids the situation by trying to ignore and pay little attention to it. She is able to maximize her strengths by being a powerful lawyer as she minimizes her weakness of being lonely. Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences states that all have multiple intelligences and some have strengths in one area over another. It lists seven different types of intelligence. The first type is Logical / Mathematical intelligence which is the ability in logical problem solving. Next is Musical intelligence, this is the ability to appreciate music. Spatial intelligence is part of the making of and appreciation of various forms of art, such as sculptures or video games. Bodily kinesthetic is the ability to use one’s body in a skillful way. Interpersonal intelligence is the ability to perceive other peoples and understand them, the ability to read people. Intrapersonal intelligence is the understanding of yourself, your emotions and strengths. The last is Naturalist Intelligence, which is the ability to recognize various types of plants and animals, and even understand the weather patterns. According to Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences, Sam is intelligent. Even though Sam does not display intelligences in most of the areas, he does display musical and spatial intelligence. Musical intelligence is shown when he relates life and events to The Beatles. For example, Lucy (Lucy Diamond) is named after The Beatles song â€Å"Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds†. He relates many experiences, especially when under stress, to John Lennon, Yoko Ono, and Paul McCartney. Sam’s neighbor in his old apartment building played the piano and he also notes that she plays well and is able to play a little himself. He shows spatial intelligence when he created the room full of origami and stacked them on top of each other to create walls. Rita is also intelligent according to Gardner. She displays logical and interpersonal intelligences. She is a problem solver. She has to think logically about cases and determine what will get her the outcome she desires from the judge or jury. She is able to determine an outcome in advance and know how to manipulate it. She also represents interpersonal intelligence as a lawyer. She has to understand her clients (i. e. Sam), the judge (or jury), and any other individuals involved in her case (i. e. Child Protective Services). She has to be able to read them to figure out what kind of approach and tactic to use in order to win. Diana Baumbrind, in 1972, developed a theory which identified fours aspects of family functioning and parenting styles. The four aspects of family functioning are: warmth or nurturing; clarity and consistency; maturity demands; and communication between parent and child. Baumbrind’s Parenting Style Theory suggests that there are various types of parenting styles and identified four: authoritative; authoritarian; permissive indulgent; and permissive indifferent. Parenting style is a set of attitudes toward the child that a parent transmits to the child to create an emotional climate surrounding parent-child exchanges. Authoritative parents display a warm, accepting attitude toward their children while maintaining firm expectations of and restrictions on childrens behavior. Open communication between parent and child is facilitated within this emotional climate. Long-term outcomes for children and adolescents of authoritative parents are more favorable compared to outcomes for children of authoritarian or permissive parents. The authoritarian parenting style is characterized by a harsh, rigid emotional climate combined with high demands and little communication. Permissive Indulgent parents display warmth and acceptance toward their children but do not place demands or restrictions on childrens behavior. Permissive indifferent parents do not display any warmth or control with little communication, and places low demands on small children but very high demands on older children. According to Baumbrind, Sam is a permissive indulgent parent. He is not mature mentally himself, therefore he has low maturity demands of Lucy. He cannot grasp maturity beyond his own level. Sam is also low in his control over Lucy, because he has little control of himself and his own actions at times. Sam cannot illustrate his thoughts into words and therefore can not clearly communicate rules or expectations. Lucy becomes more of a parent to Sam, than Sam is to Lucy. He is also low in effective communication because he cannot express himself with words effectively, and he is not able to have deep thoughtful conversations when he himself does not understand. Sam is high in his nurturance and warmth. He clearly loves Lucy, and this can be seen with his constant hugging and holding her. He also nightly reads a bedtime story to her, takes her to the park, and goes to any length he can to gain custody of her back. Even though children of permissive indulgent parents can become less independent and take little responsibility, this does not make Sam a bad parent. Rita has an authoritarian style of parenting. She is low in her warmth and communication because she constantly is yelling at her son, Willy, and even when he gets upset and when Lucy hugs Rita, she does not pay any attention to his reaction. Willy also ignores her back when she tells him that it is time for bed, but he continues to ride his scooter around. She is high in her control as she is constantly telling Willy what to do and that he should listen to her. She tells him she hates him at the moment and to get in the car when he will not do as she says. She is high in her maturity demands also, as she expects Willy to be able to handle the fact that both she and his father work a lot and do not spend much time with him. In fact he is still just a child that needs his parents for stability and guidance. Rita is not a good parent according to Baumbrind. Therefore, when looked at collectively, a person does not need to be intelligent to be a good parent. Intelligence may or may not relate to parenting styles. Sam is not considered intelligent according to the Single Factor Theories and Sternberg; however his parenting style is not the most negative as defined by Baumbrind. Rita is intelligent, but is not a good parent. Her parenting style is the most negative. Even with a lower IQ, Sam’s is considered to be the better parent. The movie, I Am Sam, shows the difficulty people have separating intellect from other areas of people’s lives, such as parenting. In retrospect to the movie, we cannot conclude that the two are related, a person does not need to be intelligent to be a good parent, and having a high IQ does not always make a good parent.

The Humor In Friends

The Humor In Friends Friends is the famous sitcom in the United States which was played at the NBC television since the 1990s. After entering the Chinese film market, The TV sitcom also have given Chinas TV viewers a new feeling, and attracted many fans of it. As one of the most popular sitcoms in the United States, Friends has been successfully completed 10 seasons. And more than 60 countries have its loyal audience. But, when the film was playing, I fount that most of the people seemed by no means to had laughed as might as perhaps had been anticipated in canned laughter. To explore the reason is people are unable to understand the humor of it. So they dont laugh. Therefore, this essay attempts to explore humor of Friends through the use of relevant theory and research. Definition and Classification of Humor Humor derived from the Latin whose original meaning is body fluid. And the extensive use of humorous is attribute to the British playwright whose name is Ben Jonson. The Every Man in His Humor which is created by him is remarkable for humor. Humor is a form of languages which through the art of processing and it is artistic language. Definition of Humor French writer named Degebola had given a definition of humor: Humor is an element in peoples laugh. Humor is what moves us. Humor is a smile in the eyes of wise man. This is a happy idea of an unsophisticated person. In fact, it is very hard to give a definition of humor for it belongs to a genius and inspiration. Humor will use the glows of wisdom to rout of the dark of life, and create the beaming smile. Lenin had said that: Humor is a beautiful, healthy quality. Maybe this is why some people have sense of humor as a manifestation of a persons maturity. So humor is the great wisdom, which is the ridicule and naughty after apperceive life. And this will be my definition of humor. Common Classification of Humor From the form of points, humor mainly including these types as followed: Transform Humor means to agree with this point firstly, and then worsened, and point out the different point of view. This humor can make both sides of this antagonism freed from the confrontation, and create a relaxed atmosphere. Lets take an example: Huxley actively supported and promoted Darwins theory of evolution, for which he had been cursed as Darwins bulldog by the church at that time. A debate, when Huxley went into the meeting, the religious leaders and some people who against the theory of evolution were shouting: Be careful, Darwins bulldog comes again! Huxley wasnt angry, and then he said to the detractors contemptuously: Yes, you are right. But the hounds are the most fearsome things of thieves! As a result, the attackers got much unhappiness, but Huxley and his supporters kept calm and happy. The character of Transform Humor is the objection after agreement, and it clarify their own point of view unexpectedly with the purpose to enable readers to understand thats witty sense of humor. Self-mockery Humor means that others tease you intentionally or unintentionally to send you into a dilemma, and then you can use the Self-mockery Humor to disengage yourself from adversity decently. Rockefeller who was the U.S. oil magnate was a little bald. Once at a public occasion, one of his opponents in a sarcastic tone said to him: Sir, you have made combing into an art form, because you have made an arrangement for every hair of your head! With a wry smile, Rockefeller said: In the past years, they are just a number. But now they both have their own names. Everybody got into laugh, and Rockefeller was also able to escape the predicament quickly. A real sense of humor is inseparable from self-involvement, which gives the humor to others, but also to themselves. People who lack of self-confidence can not humor himself. Therefore, the Self-mockery Humor is more need for self-confidence. Distortion Humor means the listener dont understand the meaning of each other, but apprehend from another aspect intentionally. And bring a sense of humor to make people laugh. Lets take an example to explain. Teacher: I hope all of students parents will come to attend on the parent-teacher meeting this Friday. Student: Excuse me, sir. Which should we call to take part in, farther or mother? Teacher: Its not important. Ask the person who is the head of a household to come. Student: That had to be me. The object that the teacher pointed was parents. But the student interpreted it as member of family. So, of course, he included himself. Distortion Humor is often expressed in the form of pun, similar sound and ambiguity. Sophistry Humor. Hegel once discussed sophistry like this: Sophistry usually means to make a false truth very nice, which like the real thing. Sophistry Humor means to make humor in a sophistic way. Of course, it should make sophistry emotional and extreme. Because it is the only way to make sophistry integrates with humor. Emotionality means to inject joking and ridicule factors into Sophistry. Extreme can make a person know it is false immediately, which avoid deceptive and damaging. Sophistry Humor is not the same as Sophistry Logic. Sophistry Humor let you see the flaws deliberately, and realize the humor in it. For example: The teacher discovered that Peter was sleeping in the class. Then she asked: Why do you sleep at class, Peter? Peter: Im not sleeping. Teacher: Why do you close your eyes? Peter: Teacher, I was reciting the concept. Teacher: Why do you nod you head all the time? Peter: Because your class is very nice, sir. Teacher: Why do you drool? Peter: Because it is full of relish in your class. Peter was sleeping in the class, but he refused to acknowledge. The words that he answered the teacher were all false, which like Hegel said: It is very nice, and like the real thing. The Humor Used in Friends Universal Humor means the way of humor which make different cognitive environment of readers understand easily. For example: Phoebe: Yeah. We dont speak. Shes like this high-powered ¼Ã…’driven career type. Chandler: What does she do? Phoebe: Shes a waitress. (Season 1:2) In this dialog the waitress does not like her twin sister clearly. First, the description of her sister makes the audience think of a high occupation immediately. But as the dialogue progresses, the audience know she is a waitress. Two kinds of script opposition (high / low status) make them have to understand the text again, and this processing has also got more contextual effects. Cultural Humor. Such humorous use the elements of knowledge which should be understood under a particular cultural context. In sitcom, it is often to use some movie stars or the name of a classic novel to get humorous effects. Therefore, the focus of such a translation is that we must notice whether the audience can understand the original knowledge and do some necessary adjustments before translation. Or it must result in failure. For example: Monica: Oh wait ¼Ã…’you know what ¼Ã…’I got it ¼Ã…’I got it ¼Ã…’pretend like you just woke up ¼Ã…’okay ¼Ã…’that will throw her off. Be sleepy. Rachel: Yes ¼Ã…’and grumpy. Chandler: What are you ¼Ã…’stop naming dwarves! ¼Ã‹â€ Season3:4 ¼Ã¢â‚¬ ° Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is well-known story in the West. Sleepy and Grumpy are two of the small dwarfs names. Chandlers reply gives an additional contextual effect to the recipients. But in China, the more familiar calling is the first dwarf, the second dwarf, and the third And the Chinese audiences are unable to obtain the names of the dwarfs. The translation make interpreter pay more efforts, but received little of the contextual effects. So it is failure. Verbal Humor. Language humor (or named pun) is a word game to strive to achieve a humorous effect. When the two scripts appear in a scene simultaneously, they may be overlap or completely overlap, but the meaning must be opposed in certain degree. In translation, due to the coincidence of language, puns can also be reflected perfectly in the translated version by the way of literal translation. For example: 1)Joey: AH ¼Ã…’now Rachel ¼Ã…’these ah ¼Ã…’these little women. Rachel: Yeah. Joey: How little are they? I mean ¼Ã…’are they like scary little? (Season 3:13) Joy is going to read Little women which is recommended by Rachel. But he still comprehends in wrong way for his little reading. 2)Phoebe: Well ¼Ã…’I-I wasnt hopping mad ¼Ã…’you know. Frank: You hopped a little bit. (Season 3:5) Hop means light jumping. But the meaning of the text is very angry. This translation is very successful. However, such a language is rare and more of the status as flowed: 3) Phoebe: Oh. (They start kissing again) Ross :Wait ¼Ã…’wait ¼Ã…’wait. Phoebe: What? Ross: My foot is stuck in the pocket. Phoebe: What? Ross: No ¼Ã…’I cant get it out. Phoebe: Well ¼Ã…’thats not something a girl wants to hear. Ross: No ¼Ã…’come on dont start. (They start kissing again) Ouch! Phoebe: What? Ross: Stupid balls are in the way. (Holds up two balls)(Season 3:6) In this event, the translators can adjust at all levels to make the translation as similar as original interpretation. Humor Translation Theories Through the comparison of humor used in common environment and Friends, we know that humor can roughly be divided into the following two kinds of humor theory. General Theory of Verbal Humor The General Theory of Verbal Humor (GTVH) proposed by Victor Raskin and Salvatore Attardo in 1991 (an extension of the semantic script theory of humour, SSTH which Raskin proposed in 1985) identifies a semantic model capable of expressing incongruities between semantic scripts in verbal humor; this has been seen as an important recent development in the theory of laughter. The GTVH is one of the most mature theories which research the humor of language from linguistic humor. GYVH proposed the humor mechanism which is mad up by script oppo-sition, logical mechanism, situatio, target, narrativestrategy and language. Oppo-sition can be interpreted as overlapping and opposition of two or more of the script. Logical mechanism would mean that only works in a joke. Distorted and joking logic means the logical mechanism of combine two or more scripts. Situatio is the various props of joke: people, events and things. Target means the laughing-stock in humor. Narrativestrategy indicates that any sense of humor will adopt some sort of narrative techniques, such as general narration, dialogue, puzzles and so on. Language contains all the needed information and specific wording the text of the oral language of the text. Attardo think that the most important element of knowledge is that the inconsistent script which has determined the specific choices of other elements. So he point out that any humorous text must contain this factor. He also pointed out that when two humorous compare, the levels higher, the same less. (Attardo, 1994:183) So it is also a tool to compare the similarity of humorous. Relevant Theory of Humor Translation Relevance theory is used mainly to understand the problem and describe discourse.In the view of its founders Sperber and Wilson, the context in discourse comprehension is a very important factor. They suggest that it is necessary to understand the words in context. And its only need to activate in certain aspects of the context, but not all. The building of context doesnt progress in the bound of mutual knowledge for understanding the discourse, but try their best to build their own context to become communion. When people affiliating with each other, they continue to correspond and compromise, and be in accord at last. Relevance theory suggests that here are generally three situations about complementarity and expansion for interlocutors to cognize context: The first is encyclopedic knowledge in context, which the listeners add some necessary encyclopedic knowledge to expand their understanding context in their existing cognitive context. The second is context of knowledge. It means that the listeners can transfer related information from the short-term memory which provided by above text to expand their understanding of the context. The last is situational knowledge in context. It means that the listener must call the relevant information from the surrounding scene to expand their understanding of the context. When translating the universal humor, its important for readers to gain more contextual effects through the process of seeking the opposite script to pay extra effort. When translating the cultural humor, the translator should pay attention to that if the readers knowledge can understand the elements in the text. When translating the verbal humor, the translator can do some flexible adjustments within the allowable range. Analysis of Humor in Friends dialogues Through the above descriptions and argumentations between common humor and the humor in Friends, the following we will make a detailed analysis of the humorous dialogues in Friends. There are a large number of humorous dialogues in Friends. But not all these dialogues can be used in this paper. So, the humorous dialogue needs to be created in accordance with factors or the reasons for creating humor. Those that flout three maxims were chosen to be explained in details. Humor Produced by the Deliberate Flout of the Maxim of Quality By the maxim of quality, it means that in a dialogue we all make our contribution to one thing that is true or say things that are true. To keep to this maxim, we simultaneously observe two sub-maxims: we do not say what we believe to be false, and we do not say anything we lack adequate evidence. Joey: What are you talking about? Keep it! Phoebe: Its not mine, I didnt earn it. If I kept it, it would be like stealing. Rachel: Yeah, but if you spent it, it would be like shopping! Phoebe: Okay. Okay, lets say I bought a really great pair of shoes. Do you know what Id hear, with every step I took? Not-mine. Not-mine. Not-mine. And even if I was happy, okay, and, and skipping-Not-not-mine, not-not-mine, not-not-mine, not-not-mineà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦(Friends, 1994) This dialogue appears in this scene that Phoebe find there is 500 extra dollars appeared in her account. And every one advises her to keep the money, but she is unwilling. She wants to use them to buy something. She believes that if she used the money to buy shoes, shoes would blame her. Of course, she knows shoes can say nothing. She is saying something untrue and is thus flouting the maxim of Quality. At the same time, humor is produced by the shoes which are personified as a person having a voice. Her implied message is I should not keep the extra money. And I would feel guilty if I kept and used it. 2)Ross: Yeah, uhà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ and then I figured after you win, we could all go out to the balcony and see a night rainbow with gremlins dancing on top of it! Ross: You know what, Im sure your wish is gonna come true, but, you guys-just in case, maybe a genie will come out if we rub this lamp! (Friends, 1999) Ross said that these two sentences, meaning that compare with his friends words someone see a night rainbow with gremlins dancing on top of It, the words a genie will come out if we rub this lamp is more convinced, to show he does not believe his friends would win. The humor here is expressed through the use of metaphor. Ross knows that it is hardly happen for the phenomenon what he said, so he is flouting the maxim of quality deliberately. The implicature that results is It is impossible for you to win. 3) Ross: If I hadnt let you talk me to go into the airport in the first place, I wouldnt have put my fist through the wall. Chandler: You put your fist through the wall? Ross: No. I miss it and hit the door. But it opened really hard. (Friends, 1997) Ross fails to persuade his girlfriend to stay with him. He says he put his fist through the wall to show how upset and angry he is. But, what Ross said is doubted by Chandler because Chandler knows Ross is too timid to put his fist through the wall. Last, Ross admits he just put his fist on the door. Here, the untrue words which said by Ross on purpose and so it flout the maxim of quality. This kind of humor is founded on hyperbole largely. Humor Produced by the Deliberate Flout of the Maxim of Relevance The maxim of relevance means that we make all of contribution relevant to the exchange in a dialogue. 1 ¼Ã¢â‚¬ °Ross: So, I just finished this fascinating book. By the year 2030, therell be computers that can carry out the same amount of functions as an actual human brain. So theoretically you could download tour thoughts and memories into this computer and and and live forever as a machine. Chandler: And I just realized I could sleep with my eyes open. (Friends, 1995) Although Ross and Chandler are good friends, they are worried about different things due to their differences in character. When Ross is talking about high-tech, Chandler talks about sleeping with eye open in response. His reaction has nothing to do with the subject of Ross. Therefore, he is flouting the maxim of Relation. It is easy for audience to understand his sense of humor. That the subtext is: Im not interested in your topic. 2 ¼Ã¢â‚¬ °Ross: I can ask her to live with me. Chandler: Are you serious? Ross: Why not? Chandler: Because youve only known her for six weeks. Ive got a carton of milk in my fridge, and Ive had a longer relationship with. Ross: Look, guys, I love her, you know? (Friends, 2001) Chandler: And I love the milk! But I wont ask some British girl to move in with me! Ross wants to ask his British Girlfriend to live with him. But Chandler disagrees. He thinks it is too short for them to live together. And this is reasonable. Later, he refers to the milk which is in his fridge. Chandler compares the time that he keeps the milk in fridge with the time that Ross knows his girlfriend. It is clear that there are no comparable kinds. Obviously, the thing said by Chandler is irrelevant to the matter of Ross. Thus humor is produced by his flouting the maxim of Relevance. Phoebe: Oh, hey, Mon, do you still have your like old blouses and dresses from high school? Monica: Yeah, I think I have some around here somewhere. Why? Phoebe: Well, its just that maternity clothes are so expensive. (Friends, 2003) In this conversation, when Phoebe is asked why she talks about Monicas dresses from high school, she answers maternity clothes are expensive which does not seem to answer the question. But in fact, she is suggesting that the blouses and dresses of Monica are big enough for a pregnant woman. Thus humor is produced by her flouting the maxim of Relevance deliberately. Humor Produced by the Deliberate Flout of the Maxim of Manner By the maxim of manner, it is meant that in a dialogue we all try to be perspicuous. In line with this maxim, there are four sub-maxims: 1) we try to avoid obscurity, 2) we try to avoid ambiguity, 3) we try to be brief, and 4) we try to be orderly. Phoebe: Ooh! Oh! (She starts to pluck at the air just in front of Ross.) Ross: No, no dont! Stop cleansing my aura! No, just leave my aura alone, okay? Phoebe: Fine! Be murky! (Friends, 1996) In this conversation, Phoebe tries to catch Rosss attention by the way of plucking the air in front of Ross. But Ross feels annoying, and he would like leaving alone. So he said: Stop cleansing my aura! Just leave my aura alone. Moreover, Phoebe doesnt use unhappy to describe the air around Ross directly. She uses murky. Here, both Ross and Phoebe use obscure expression and thus flout the maxim of Manner. But the humorous effect they create and the implicature of their utterance are obvious and accepted by audience. Emily: What did you decide? Does your uncle Nathan get an invitation or not? Ross: Oh, God! Nobody likes him. And hes so cheap. I mean hed never fly to London in a million yearsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Yeah, invite him. (Friends, 1997) Ross and Emily are deciding attendees for their wedding. When Emily and Ross discuss whether tell Ross uncle to attend the wedding, Ross does not answer yes or no briefly and directly. Instead, he says a lot of weak points of his uncle in the first place, but finally he decides to invite him so quickly. Therefore, it is clear that Ross intentionally express in a long way which create a sense of humor in the way of flouting the maxim of Manner. Chandler: Now it seems like all of a sudden, so much is happening. Joey: I know. Ross is getting married. Chandler: Phoebes making people. Joey: Everybodys doing stuff. Chandler: And we just sit here. I meant if I died, the only people know would be that I was here only by the ass print on the chair! (Friends, 1997) Chandler and Joey have a conversation talking about their recent life. Compared with the friends who are in dealing with some major events, they are wasting their lives. Chandler says these words to create a funny effect, and that is we just sit hereà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦if I died, the only people know would be t hat I was here only by the ass print on the chair. This sentence could hardly be humorous if he just says directly and briefly we just sit here without doing things meaningful. Therefore, Chandler produces humor by the way of flouting the maxim of Manner. Conclusion This paper discusses some humorous conversations in the U.S. sitcom Friends. Humorous conversation delivers the meaning of a conversation situation in this case. Therefore, this paper, furthermore, is possible to explore the deeper meanings which are implied or hidden in humor. To some extents, this paper can help audiences better understand the method for humor, as well as the expression of humor, in particular, to improve their ability of understanding and using humor of American verbal because the humor in Friends is humor of unique American style. However, the researches in this field have not reached a mature stage, which are quite deficiency and lack of authority both in China and abroad. Because of the differences between different cultures, people in non-English speaking countries do not fully understand the English sense of humor sometimes. Friends is a classical and typical American sitcom which is full of strong elements of American culture. The way of Studying and discussing American culture is a great help for English learners to understand American humor. Therefore, a further study of humor in Friends can possibly make certain contributions for cross-cultural communication. Humorous language, as the main form to express humor, is popular in our daily life. It comes from our daily life while to some degree it goes beyond life reality. Humor is such a pervasive human phenomenon, observable in many aspects of life that it has been studied from a multi-disciplinary viewpoint, including fields like linguistics, rhetoric, aesthetics, philosophy, sociology, and etc. From this essay, detailed and Pragmatic Analysis of Verbal Humor in Friends can help English learners to better improve their ability of understanding and the appreciation of the nature of American humor. At the same time, it is illuminating for them to apply humor skill to mediate interpersonal relationships. References English Language Humor Appreciation. Mao Guirong. Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences Publishing House, 1993. Friends (File). Bright, Kevin (Director). 1994-2004. Pragmatic Analysis of Humor in FRIENDS. Chen Jin. South China Agricultural University, 2006. English Linguistics. Ling Zhenghua. Hunan Peoples Publishing House, 2006. The American Way of Comedy. Inga Walte. 2000. Linguistic Humor. Hu Fanchou. Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences Publishing House, 1987.