Education Role in the United States Essay Example for Free

Education Role in the United States Essay Through out the history of our nation, education has played an important role in the United States. Republican and Democrats can both agree that education is absolute necessary in out country. Recently, the federal government has take control over the states duties. The education system was first set out for the states responsibility but the federal government has taken over.so, with educaiton being the one of the polices in the agenda, george bush passes the No Child Left Behind act. This law was put into affect to make sure that all students are finding sucess in school. while, this act has a intantion the act   had fail and has actually caused harm than good.

japanese occupation :: essays research papers

The American occupation of Japan   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Fifty years after the end of the second World War, it is easy to look back on the American occupation of Japan and see it as a mild nudge to the left rather than a new beginning for the country. We still see an emperor, even if only as a symbol. Industry, when it was rebuilt, was under much of the same leadership as before the war. Many elements of the traditional lifestyle remained–with less government support and in competition with new variants. The Japanese people remained connected to a culture which was half western and half Japanese. Nevertheless, it is irrefutable that the surrender in 1945 had a major impact on the lives of the Japanese. Political parties, elected by the populous, became a great deal more influential in the government. This changed the dynamics of Japanese industry, even if the zaibatsu were sill the foundation of the economy. Financial success took on a new character; the production of high tech goods for sale to the world’ s most developed countries was now a better source of income. The affluence of the upper class was more evenly distributed. On a broader scale, for the first time, America had more influence than European powers. The prevention of the formation of a military put the focus of the government on trade, the United Nations, and the cold war rather than an empire in Asia. Simultaneously, social attitudes and lifestyle were more independent of the government and consumer led.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The American military occupation of Japan was the driving reason for all of the changes in postwar Japan. Its first task, determined even before the surrender was to disarm Japan and to remove the wartime leaders from their influential government positions. This was part of America’s plan to demilitarize and democratize. The goal was to purge the government, media, and education system of war criminals. Once this was accomplished, the American focus shifted to reform. The American plan for reform was based on the idea that Japanese aggression had developed because of fundamental faults in the government, (not, as the Japanese said, from a temporary deviation from the course set during the Meiji period) and that these faults had to be corrected before Japan could ever become a respected member of the developed world. Democratization was what America wanted.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first steps in the reforming process were obstructive to America’s goal of democracy.

New Faces for Mars

Mars often referred to as the Red Planet, has long been a subject of fascination; speculation about the existence of â€Å"Martians† was widespread early in the twentieth century; for example, issues of Scientific American in 1920 described possible communication with Mars using search lights and giant mirrors to reflect sunlight (Greeley 115). According to Greeley (2001), other proposals for communicating including digging huge trenches in the form of mathematical symbols in the Sahara Desert; these trenches were to be filled with kerosene and signal aflame to signal Mars. Based on Greeley (2001), although these ideas were never carried out, they reflected intense public interest in Mars. Telescopic observations of Mars began in the late nineteenth century and provided fuel for speculation about the nature of Mars. Space exploration of mars was initiated with the Mariner flyby in 1965; although it took only 22 close-up pictures covering a tiny fraction of the surface and showed the presence of a lunar like craters (Greeley 115). According to Greeley (2001), the geologic diversity of Mars was finally revealed by the Mariner 9 spacecraft. The Viking mission was the most complicated unmanned mission flown in the solar system according to Greeley; consisting of two orbiters and two landers. And in 1997, Mars Pathfinder landed and returned information for a third site on Mars; these missions have set the stage for more complex future missions including the return of samples to earth. It has been discovered before that more craters are older with some around 19 km across. Volcanism is also fascinating on Mars, which is said to have lava flowing but I’m not sure if this was really true. It is also said that the Red Planet has no plate tectonics and its outer layer doesn’t move horizontally, only its outer layer moves vertically. As for Mars’ other features, it is said that weathering and erosion are observed with dominated dust storms – global dust storms and sand dunes. It has also been said that there has been past flowing water before but this argument hasn’t been verified yet. As for the aliens wearing helmet, I doubt it because as of now there hasn’t been any findings of its existence. Maybe this might be true if water will be discovered in Mars. Due to advance research and technologies, I think that as time passes by, more and more findings could be discovered. If before, images are vague and cannot be distinguished easily, today, more and more sophisticated tools are being used to capture Mars’ images. Now, Mars’ tectonic features are more detailed compared before. It has also been found out that Mar’s volcanism is widespread and more diverse and young. Despite a virtual generation of studies based on newly devised technologies of space, Mars remains something of an enigma to man; fly-by, orbiting and landing missions by increasingly sophisticated space probes have revealed more about the Red planet in the last thirty years that had been gleaned in all previous centuries, but there are still many mysteries to be solved (Kargel ix). According to Kargel (2004), they range from the question of where Phobos and Deimos, the diminutive Martian Satellites, came from whereabouts of water which once sculptured much of the planet’s surface; these many more questions will only be answered after years, perhaps decades, of effort; and because the planet and its satellites preserve much of the ancient history of the solar system, they are important questions of science. Works Cited Kargel, J. S. Mars: A Warmer, Wetter Planet. New York: Springer Publishing 2004. Greeley, R. & Batson, R. The Compact NASA Atlas of the Solar System. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2001.

The Beatles and the Rolling Stones in the 1960’s

â€Å"If you want to know about the sixties, then listen to the music of the Beatles†. This quote sums up the impact of the Beatles, who have become unaccountably linked with the sixties decade and all that it involved. The appeal of groups like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones has transcended the generations and created an interest among young people today. Is this purely an interest in reminiscence or are there other factors, which have continued to attract fans? At every stage in history, there are a number of forces that contribute to creating the climate for change, and the 1960's were no exception. For the Beatles and the Rolling Stones in the 1960's one of these factors was the baby-boomer generation. This was when there was a big increase in the quantity of children being born. This was due to people putting off having children during the war, but now it was over they were able to do so. This meant that there were more teenagers during the 1960's than usual. So any trends or fads that became popular with youngsters became loved by hundreds. Another factor is that teenagers were starting to have more of an impact in the society and culture at the time. This was mainly because they had more money to spend on clothes, magazines and records etc, so they had more power on what was going to be popular at the time. This resulted in the Beatles and Rolling Stones music being bought and listened too much more, compared to if no one had any money. A further big factor was the advances in new technology at the time, for example television and radio. This meant that everyone could listen to the new music that was appearing and they were able to be the first to find out who was number one – which was essential at the time. There was also the transistor radio, which allowed people to listen to music wherever they were. A cause for the two bands being successful was also about being in the right place at the right time, pure luck. If they had released their singles in the 1950's, they may not have been so successful because of the popular cultures present at the time. The Beatles and the Rolling Stones also helped to â€Å"knit together a youth sub culture†. They were the ones who encouraged them to live their lives as they wanted too, and not how they were always being told to live, by their parents – they taught them to be independent, and that it was acceptable to be independent. The Beatles and the Rolling Stones brought a new energy and a distinctive sound to their performances, which helped them to match the moods of the 1960's. The Beatles had an enormous ability to satisfy their fans, and they had a great freshness in each single that they released. The image that youngsters were seeing from the Beatles was young and vibrant – exactly what they wanted to see. They were clearly normal people, with qualities such as humour, charm, wit, inventiveness and cheek. The Beatles also had regional accents – which has not been seen before! They were regular guys trying to make it big – and they did! These characteristics can be seen clearly in some interview footage that we watched, with Paul's humour and George's cheekiness, showing that everyone loved them. The people of the sixties loved these characteristics; they felt that they could connect with the Beatles, as they were no different to them. Every song of the Beatles was written by one of the band members, as was the music, which accompanied the lyrics. This meant that they had unique sound and were original, compared to others around at the time. Each song released by the Beatles was enthusiastic and participatory for their audiences, whatever their age, meaning there was not a soul that didn't like what was being drummed into their ears. This can be seen through the song â€Å"Yellow Submarine† – the fans wanted Ringo to write a song and perform it, so he did. He knew that he wouldn't be successful performing the song, so he wrote a humorous song. This also shows the characteristics that he had. It furthermore shows that the Beatles were so popular, that they didn't mind releasing a single that could end in a complete disaster, because whatever they did release was loved! Previous music that had been released was mainly by solo artists, whereas the Beatles was a band, the first â€Å"boy band†. They, along with other bands around, like the Rolling stones, marked the move away from the individual style to the importance of the group. One thing that can be said about the Beatles is their distinctive style. When Brian Epstein became their manager he changed the way they looked, with new, fashionable haircuts and an innovative style of clothes. This meant that they were appealing to every class in the UK – nobody considered them to be too posh or too poor, they were just right, meaning no one had objections to them – not even the older generation who were very much against the changes in culture that were currently taking place. This meant that the Beatles were popular with everyone, meaning they impacted everyone's lives, with people beginning to follow the style of the Beatles, and the Rolling Stones. The Beatles and the Rolling Stones would never have made it without the phenomenal amount of help they received from their managers, from advertising and commercial success. Andrew Oldham made the Rolling Stones what they were. He was a very dominating manager, and liked to be in control of everything that they were doing at any one time. This can be seen from when he locked the band in a room till they had their own music and lyrics, this seems a cruel thing to do, however it made the Rolling Stones produce original and unique music, which everyone loved. Andrew Oldham was also responsible for the rebel image that the Rolling Stones had during the sixties, this encouraged people to follow in the footsteps of their image ideas, it also encouraged the youth of the century to become rebels and independent. Brian Epstein changed the Beatles from common looking boys to professional looking men. He cleaned up their image, changing it from jeans and T-shirts to suits. This impacted the Beatles in a big way, as it meant that older people, who were previously against the Beatles, were now agreeing with the band, condoling the band and buying their music. This growth in the age range that they were selling to caused a huge increase in their profits, purely because of a change of clothes, instigated by Brian. The Beatles also changed to ensure that they were the profile that the record company wanted, so they would be able to continue producing excellent music. Brian Epstein also encouraged a mass amount of the fans that the Beatles had in the beginning, to bring others to like them. Brian decided that to make the Beatles look massive from the beginning he would give money to people to buy their merchandise and pay girls to scream – resulting in everyone following what these people were doing, known as Beatle mania. This was a very wise move for Brian; at it meant the Beatles became enormous in no time. Brian also set rules for the band that would make more people think they were appropriate, such as don't smoke in public and always keep your girls in the background. He furthermore had a part to play in who was actually in the band, he was the one who chose the final band, with the last member being Pete Best – Ringo Starr, even though he had no personality Brian thought he fit the band well, and he was correct. In addition to doing all the background work for the band, he produced money for them in times of need; this made the band successful as it meant they were able to do what needed to be done to become big, due to their amazing manager. Brian basically decided where they went, who they saw, whom they spoke too and created advertising deals for them! Without this great input into their career, they would be nowhere. Another major person in the success of the Beatles is George Martin, their record producer, without him their music wouldn't have sounded like it does. He was the one who sat for hours and listened to the raw music which the band produced and mixed it and made it fit, resulting in it sounding amazing. George also ensured that new sounds were brought into their music regularly, he's the one responsible for keeping them fresh throughout their careers. He furthermore holds a vast amount of the responsibility for the band being so successful, as he's the one that actually decided which songs would be released, and which songs would be binned. Without the expertise of George Martin the music of the Beatles wouldn't sound like it does today! Without the amazing input of George Martin the Beatles wouldn't have had that fresh, unique sound to their music, it wouldn't be the greats material it is considered today! The increasing amount of Television ownership and advertisement played a huge part in the fast success and impact of the Beatles. The Television brought the Beatles to a wider audience, on shows such as Juke Box Jury and Top of the Pops. Without these programmes, the Beatles wouldn't have been known by so many people so rapidly. The Television also meant that the Beatles were impacting more into people's lives, with live performances of their songs, with their styles and with the attitudes that they are showing their viewers. The mass amount of advertisement that the Beatles received meant that people assumed they were excellent, because they were everywhere, resulting in people buying their music, whether they liked it or not. Without the huge input of advertising on Television and Radio the music of the Beatles wouldn't have been known throughout the country so much, and wouldn't have been loved by everyone. The impact of the Rolling Stones and the Beatles was greatly due to their ability to adapt to the changing moods and culture in the sixties. One thing that the Beatles were excellent at was changing with time. They were continually innovative in their music and their appearance, for example; their change in clothing style with the hippies and the change in music style with the increase in drug use – Lucy in the Sky of Diamonds. This resulted in them being loved by everyone, and influencing them on what they were wearing and what they were physically doing. The music of the Beatles and the Rolling Stones was constantly eclectic, experimental and extremist, they were not afraid of the results of their music! For example: the Beatles during the era of drugs released two songs basically telling people to take them: Lucy in the Sky of Diamonds and Strawberry Fields. This showed that they were not afraid to release what they wanted too, and they were experimenting with a different style. They later released Black Birds, supporting the civil rights movement – showing they care about important matters in the world -, which is a great difference to the drug songs they had previously released. Also, to try and bring peace to the world once again they released ‘Back in the USSR', which was a pro communist song. This shows that they are not afraid of being different from the other bands around; they are willing to take a risk and broadcast what they are feeling. The people of the sixties loved this about the Beatles, and the Rolling Stones, hence their huge impact on their lives, as no matter what the song words were the song was loved. The Beatles and the Rolling Stones were also constantly breaking down barriers in their society, which was a constant feature of the trends of the 1960's. Barriers such as parents and older people being against anything new, different or independent for the youth of the sixties, but the Beatles and the Rolling Stones were so good that they even managed to get these generations on their side. Other artists that were around at the time were still providing easy to listen to music, but the Beatles and the Rolling Stones took the risk and released what they wanted, rock music! Older generations were initially against this, but because of the factors previously mentioned they managed to get this generation on their side, meaning they were impacting everyone's lives, and were valued by everyone. Both the Rolling Stones and the Beatles were at the front of new modes of self-presentation, which was a feature of the trends of the 1960's. The Rolling Stones and the Beatles had their own, unique fashion throughout their careers, both having great influences on fashions at the time. The Beatles were suited, clean-cut boys with mop-top haircuts and The Rolling Stones showed the opposite image; messy, and posing for publicity photographs. This made them very popular to many girls for their bad boy image; this soon made them a teen idol group. The behaviour that they were showing on and off stage began to shock many people in society. One example of this is that they were taking drugs. In February 1967 a raid occurred during one of the regular parties, and police discovered a moderate amount of cannabis. The raid also served as the start of made-up stories, mainly about the appearance and behaviour of Mick Jagger's girlfriend Marianne Faithful, which only served to increase their reputation for their bad behaviour. It was also rumoured that the raid was delayed on police instructions to allow Beatles guitarist George Harrison to leave, who was among the guests. Richards was charged and a few months later stood trial for allowing drug use in his home. Jagger was charged with possessing amphetamine tablets. Richards was sentenced to a year's imprisonment and Jagger to four months, prompting this created even more publicity for them. So their actins were starting to create many shocked reactions among the public. This created a great impact, especially on the youth of the sixties. The two biggest bands at the time encouraged them to rebel against parents, relatives, etc and to take drugs. Many saw this as the bad part of their careers, however it all depends on your personal opinion. The Beatles also had a magnificent achievement during their careers, and this was that they were the first British band to break into the American market, successfully transporting â€Å"Beatle mania† to the USA. During 1964 the Beatles swept through the great US cities, drawing tens of thousands to airports just to get a mere glimpse of them. They played for no more than half an hour at each concert, however this hard work guaranteed them star status. A British band conquering America was also a sign of international cultural exchange, and it marked the first of many exchanges between the two countries. The Beatles also made a stand for what the believed in, as they refused to play in segregated audiences, this influenced the people as they saw that it was ok to stand up for what you believed in, and it encouraged different races to mix and become one. The Rolling Stones also made a stand, as they decided to provide music for both their black and their white audiences. In conclusion, both the Beatles and the Rolling Stones had an enormous impact of the people in the 1960's. They encouraged people to relax and live life as they wanted to. Many things influenced their continuing success, including their normality, their style, their music and their behaviour throughout their careers. The Beatles success can be seen clearly through Beatle Mania, wherever they went Beatle Mania followed. They couldn't help this; it was a form of real love for them. George said many years later: â€Å"The world used us as an excuse to go mad, and then blamed it on us†, but there is a parallel theory that it was time for the world to go that sort of mad – get down a bit, loosen up and have some fun. This amazing change in the people of the world was hugely down to the distinctiveness, uniqueness and influential music that the Beatles and the Rolling Stones wrote and released.

A Significant Day at School Essay Example

A Significant Day at School Essay Example A Significant Day at School Essay A Significant Day at School Essay The room was cluttered and messy. Frantic girls were anxiously foraging into their capacious backpacks, hoping to seize their dainty cosmetic products. Ugh, where did I put my burgundy lipstick? I muttered with a mixture of aggression and anxiousness. Elbowing my way through a sea bodies, I successfully manage to find my essential lipstick.Raven heads were fixed on the crystal clear mirrors, totally immersed in filling up themselves. It was pandemonium! Smearing on the burgundy lipstick, outlined my hazel brown eyes, instantaneously, confidence oozed out. With meticulous care, I donned on the vermilion gown with sapphire sequins, and fitted my feet perfectly into a pair of ivory black strappy heels. The absolute contrast of colors, complements each other perfectly. The annual festival, Chinese New Year is knocking on the door. Undoubtedly, our greatly acclaimed choir, which had won many accolades at national level, would be performing during the Chinese New Year celebration held in o ur school. A boisterous crowd had begun to assemble in the hall.Some sauntered, some sashayed, some pranced, flooding the hall. All were in a cheerful, merry, celebratory mood. Some trendy teachers were dressed in the traditional yet embellished with contemporary element crimson Qi Pao. They were alluring,compared to the mundane office attire. Amidst the uproarious noises, a myriad of flashy colored flashlights illuminated the stage. The wait was over, the concert was about to begin. Introducing the events for the day, the two MCs donned in the traditional rouge Qi Paos, stood sanguinely on the stage. Lets welcome the Chinese dance troupe! They announced with enthusiasm. Sashaying into the spotlight,the elegant movements of the feminine dancers captivated every pair of eyes. Their performanceended splendidly with grace. The uniquely traditional Tamil dance by the Indian dance troupe followed. The marvelous atmosphere altered when the potbel

Chinese Censorship Block Chinese People from Creativity

Chinese Censorship Block Chinese People from Creativity Introduction Internet has been one of the global most popular sources of information. Its extensiveness in terms of geographical coverage has, for instance, been facilitated by its cheaper cost and developments in technologies. In china an estimate of three hundred and seventy million people are believed to be using the internet.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Chinese Censorship Block Chinese People from Creativity specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There has however been a lot of limitation in accessing internet information in the country because the government has moved in to regulate internet usage through censorship. This paper seeks to discuss the censorship issue in China and how it affects creativity of the Chinese people. The paper will look into the history of internet usage in the country, the censorship, effects of the censorship on people’s creativity and the war against government censorsh ip of internet usage in china. History of internet in china The first application of the internet which was realized through sending an email occurred in China in the year 1987. A series of developments then followed with initiatives from private institutions and government agencies to venture more into the internet technology. By the following year, Tsinghua University is reported to have started offering email services. With the development of the country’s first browser in the year 1994 and subsequent move by the government to â€Å"provide internet accessing services† in the year 1996, the use of the technology began to develop in the country (Enhai 6). The number of internet users then started increasing in the country from less than a million in the year 1997 to reach almost seventy million in middle of 2003. The increasing trend has since continued and is almost reaching four hundred million by now (Enhai 16). The history of regulation of the internet usage in t he country is reported to have been simultaneously developed with the establishment and development of internet in the country. The government has since the introduction of the technology in the country moved to regulate the way in which its citizens use the internet. The move is applied by denying citizens access to some websites and restricting access to others. This move has been facilitated by the country’s legislations that have left internet companies with little options in the country. Calls have however been made to the companies to unite and fight the government’s censorship move (James 1).Advertising Looking for research paper on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Internet censorship in China The move by the government to regulate the internet has been identified as a step to protect itself from fears. Some of these fears are related to the government’s past actions while other s are with respect to the forces that citizens can exert against the government. It is with respect to these reasons that the Chinese government moves to restrict any form of information that is believed to have the capacity to facilitating these threats. Websites or even mail transactions that are suspected to carry such information are therefore either blocked or restricted. Specifications have been made to past actions by the government and information that relates to â€Å"Dalai Lama, the 1989 crackdown on Tiananmen square protestors, Falun Gong, the banned spiritual movement and other internet sites† (New York Times 1) as elements that receives censorship. Such stiff regulations that are also dependent on global temperatures that are believed to have the capacity to influence the Chinese people still do exist. One of the most recent heightened censorship was realized in the first quarter of the year 2011 at the wake of revolutionary protests that was felt in the Arab wor ld (New York Times para. 2). Following these occurrences, the government of China increased its surveillance over communications by the Chinese people. Communications through emails and even access to the internet was greatly monitored to avert any fear of anti government protests in the country (New York Times para. 2). The government has been achieving its censorship move through interception of information that is not trusted, according to the government’s standards. The interception is then followed by blocking the information or the site if the government’s fears are significantly triggered. It is, for example, noted that Gmail services were disrupted by the Chinese government following anti government protests that were realized in Africa and the Middle East in the year 2011 (New York Times para. 4). Actions such as blocking sites that contained the word â€Å"freedom† were also realized in the country in the year 2010 and 2011 (New York Times para. 4). Th e censorship move was stepped up in around the year 2008 with ensuring that each internet provider company employ a team whose work is to ensure that information with particular content are not posted on their web pages. This was then followed by a move to ban social internet sites such as Facebook and Twiter.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Chinese Censorship Block Chinese People from Creativity specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Another move that started as a regulatory measure over websites that published considerably immoral content such as pornography was later modified to include regulations on information with political contents. In this move, â€Å"online discussion forums, instant message groups, and even cell phone text messages in which political and other sensitive issues were discussed received a level of censorship by the government† (New York Times para. 7). Chinese legislations over cen sorship The censorship of communication system in China has been developed on two bases. One of the bases is a set of legislations that have been approved to govern the country’s communication systems while the other basis is being fueled by government forces with the aim of protecting their interest in power. As a result, government forces and influence has used means some of which are not constitutional to ensure that the media is properly contained to guarantee the security of those that are in power. Most of the government censorship measures that are not backed by the country’s constitution are normally done in secret and covered or if exposed to the public, are manipulated and backed by the country’s legal systems. Some of the major legislations that allows for the censorship of the internet and other media in the country are the â€Å"measures on the administration of internet information services and the provisions on the administration of internet news and information services† (Feng 1). The two regulations were enacted in the year 2000 and 2005 respectively. The measure on administration act, for example, provides that the state reserves the authority to grant permission to any internet provider company in the country. Once allowed to operate in the country, the companies are subject to â€Å"prior review and approval and specialized review and approval of the information that they provide to internet users† (Feng 1). Under these provisions, the government reserves authority which it can use to intimidate the internet companies as they seek permission to venture into the country’s market. Subsequent provision of the act that gives the government, through its agencies, powers to censor any internet information that is deemed to be â€Å"harmful† also renders unchecked powers to the government over its regulation of internet companies. With no clear definition of what constitutes harmful information or t he extent to which a piece of information should be considered harmful, the government is at liberty to pronounce an article to be harmful especially if it reveals information that is not favorable to the government. This act therefore gives the Chinese government powers to infringe on the rights of both citizens and the internet companies over expression and information (Feng 1).Advertising Looking for research paper on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The regulations on administration act also have a lot of impacts on the internet services. The necessity of operational permits to internet companies has also played a role in giving the government powers to control the companies. This is due to the intimidating aspects of possible cancellation of permits in case of failure by a company to comply with the demands of the government over the regulation of the internet. The definition of information about the government which includes political news and information of economic content among other category of information classifies almost all aspects of news into government regulation. Diversification of the act over the definition of â€Å"harmful information† also restricts the internet companies over the nature of information that they are free to publish without facing censorship from the government. Internet companies are also subjected to evaluation by government agencies that allows for their continuous operations. Failure by a company to abide by the needs of the government as pertains to the restrictions thus risks a company’s deregistration on the basis of disqualifications over evaluations. Owing to these regulations, the internet companies are forced to resort to self censorship and even yield to cases of government’s censorship in order to be allowed to operate in the country (Feng 1). Response of the Chinese people to the censorship The Chinese people have registered mixed reactions over the government’s moves that have over time censored the internet. When Google Company was on the verge of pulling out of the Chinese internet market, it had a supportive base from individuals and parties that felt that the government’s move to restrict internet was uncalled for. This was reflected in the level of disappointment that this group felt when Google gave in to work under the government’s censorship program. It is reported that censorship of the Chinese based Google was for example realized during one of the anniversaries of â€Å"the June 4, 1989 Tiananmen square massacre† leading to a public outcry (MacKinnon 63). It was actually argued that the blockage of the internet service provider was due to the complaint that was widely raised by people. According to MacKinnon Rebecca, â€Å"people responded with anger, directed primarily to whoever was creating the blockage† (MacKinnon 63) and many people and even groups were reported to have made public attacks to the party that was responsible for such actions (MacKinnon 63). Animated internet postings that were labeled â€Å"the person who makes it impossible to access Google† (MacKinnon 63) were also common responses at the time. The people at the same time blamed Google for not being strong enough to oppose the government regulatory measures that they considered to be unfair. It can therefore be perceived that there are a number of Chinese people who are not happy with such censorship. Individuals such as Xiaobo Liu have occasionally come out to openly criticize the government censorship and internet companies that have cooperated with the government in its internet regulation. A good example was his verbal attack on Yahoo following its â€Å"political cooperation with the Chinese police† (MacKinnon 41). Though there have been forces in the country striving to make success in opposing the government’s role in censoring internet access in the country, a majority of the population, especially the younger generation, are reported to not be concerned with the governments move to censor the internet. This is specifically because this population does not feel the difference between a censored and a free internet due to the lost history of the country which has been partially achieved by the government’s move to regulate information that is passed to the public. The government has used its powers to only allow for access to history that i s favorable to it thus creating a positive influence. A majority of the Chinese have therefore come to believe that their government has every good reason to censor the internet. This may have been facilitated by the government propaganda over the internet (Zhang and Zheng 11). The cost of Chinese internet censorship With the development of internet technology, educational and general learning set ups were facilitated and developed to give wider opportunities for explorations into topics of interest. It is also through such explorations that individuals and group can develop creativity. The move to censor internet which has been identified to be the cheapest and most readily available source of information, which include intellectual information, can therefore be seen to hinder developments and innovation through disempowering people. An unrestricted internet system for example has tools that can allow for online learning, research experimentations and innovations. The move by the g overnment to limit access to these facilities therefore restricts innovative creativity among Chinese citizens (Internet 1). A move to censor the internet has limitations to the benefits that can be achieved from such elements as globalization and advanced technology. These restrictions therefore limit exposure of the Chinese people to the developments that are undertaken outside the country. Information on political, economical and even social developments in other parts of the world is therefore either not available to the Chinese people or is only availed in limited extents. This is because of one of the governments intentions of shielding the Chinese people from external influences that can negatively affect their opinion over their government. Creativity in the country will with this respect be restricted to their environment that has over time been explored before. As a result, there will be fewer chances of creativity into new developments that can be realized outside the cou ntry’s cultural and environmental factors. Limiting people’s exposure to technological developments is also a factor to limiting creativity in a society. With censorship to sources of information over technologies, a person can, for example, not adequately know how to use that technology in order to generate another technology or even to use the technology to create a new product in the market. Ciecko argued that a high level of censorship is restrictive to â€Å"information flow, creativity and experimentation† (Ciecko 80). The extreme cases of censorships that have been extended to control the content that academic institutions can publish have also been a step that limits research and creativity in these institutions. This can also be extended to cover other research bodies in the country. Due to the censorship, individuals are restricted from conducting a research and creative exercise in their field of interest thus rendering them redundant and discouraged. This can also discourage other people to loose interest in innovative fields. The censorship has therefore made it unsafe and unfavorable to retrieve or share information (Amnesty 1). Conclusion The government of China has since the establishment of internet facilities in the country moved to control the use of the services by its citizens. Such regulations were later supported by enactment of regulations in the years 2000 and 2005 that gave the government authority to directly control the services offered by internet companies. Such regulations have drawn mixed reactions with a number of people and organization protesting against the censorship. A majority of the people have however been influenced by the government to either support the censorship or remain indifferent over it. This level of censorship has been identified to have negative impacts on creativity in the country. Though the censorship might have succeeded in preserving the interest of the government, it is characteri zed by disadvantages that have economical and technological impacts and can, in the long run, lead to a revolution for liberalization. There is a need for the government of China to lessen the restrictive measures it has on the internet industry as it in many ways limits creativity of the people of China. Amnesty. Who is affected by internet censorship? Amnesty, 2008. Web. amnesty.org.au/china/comments/10949/ Ciecko, Anne. Contemporary Asian cinema: popular culture in a global frame. Oxford, UK: Berg Publishers, 2006. Print. Enhai, Wang. Internet development in the Chinese mainland. Google Documents, 2003. May 21, 2011. https://www.google.com/url?sa=tsource=webcd=9ved=0CFkQFjAIurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.apira.org%2Fdata%2Fupload%2Fpdf%2Fmeeting%2F2003%2FThe-Internet-China.pptrct=jq=history%20of%20internet%20in%20chinaei=_fTVTdH0CMywhAfb6rHJBgusg=AFQjCNFXLPKLuXxP7mA03byZwa5kg05voAcad=rja Feng, Bei. China’s internet censorship system. Human rights in China, 2010. May 21, 2011. hrich ina.org/content/3244 Internet. A guide for parents, teachers and young people. Standard, 2003. coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/internetliteracy/Source/Lit_handbook_3rd_en.swf James, Randy. Chinese internet censorship. Time magazine, 2010. May 21, 2011. time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1885961,00.html MacKinnon, Rebecca. CHINA Race to the Bottom Corporate Complicity in Chinese Internet Censorship. New York, NY: Human Rights Watch, 2006. Print. New York Times. Internet censorship in china. New York Times, 2011. May 21, 2011. http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/news/international/countriesandterritories/china/internet_censorship/index.html Zhang, Xiaoling and Zheng, Yongnian. Chinas information and communications technology revolution: social changes and state responses. New York, NY: Taylor Francis, 2006. Print.

Only Murder

Only Murder Only Murder Only Murder By Maeve Maddox A reader commenting on Persian Is a Lovely Word wonders about the difference between assassination and murder: Maybe Farsi is a racist word like hashassin is. I mean, why use assassin when the word is only used for VIPs? Why are ordinary people only murdered? Where do we draw the line? Certainly political speech writers, advertisers and religious leaders know how to choose words for emotional impact, but i have to disagree with the notion that murder is somehow a lesser word to describe the act of taking a persons life. The word assassination has a specific meaning that has nothing to do with class perceptions. By VIP I assume that the reader means any kind of wealthy celebrity, for example an actor or a star athlete, and not just a corporate executive, senator, or president. According to this definition, both President McKinley and John Lennon were VIPs, but McKinley was assassinated, while Lennon was murdered. The word assassin derives from an Arabic word. 1531 (in Anglo-L. from c.1237), via Fr. and It., from Arabic hashishiyyin hashish-users, pl. of hashishiyy, from hashish (q.v.). A fanatical Ismaili Muslim sect of the time of the Crusades, under leadership of the Old Man of the Mountains (translates Arabic shaik-al-jibal, name applied to Hasan ibu-al-Sabbah), with a reputation for murdering opposing leaders after intoxicating themselves by eating hashish. The pl. suffix -in was mistaken in Europe for part of the word (cf. Bedouin). Online Etymology Dictionary In English the word has retained its political associations. The most usual targets of assassination attempts are presidents, kings and other high-ranking political leaders. The hope of the assassin is to bring about social change on a large scale by eliminating a person perceived to be not just famous, but powerful. By extension, assassination can apply to a murder committed for ideological reasons. The murder of obscure employees of an abortion clinic could be classed as assassination if the murderer acted from a desire to put a stop to the activities of the clinic. The connotation that assassin has for English speakers may not translate to other languages. French, for example, has two words for murderer: meurtrier and assassin. As far as I can tell, they are used interchangeably. Murder is one of the most dreadful and powerful words in the language. The Old English word morà °or meant the secret killing of a person. Even in a society in which killing was common because of war and the tradition of the blood feud, the word murder was reserved for the most contemptible and horrendous of cowardly acts. Both assassination and murder refer to the deliberate taking of a life, but to me the word murderer carries a stronger emotional punch than assassin. More words to describe deaths resulting from other than natural causes: manslaughter: c.1300, from O.E. mannslà ¦ht (Anglian), mannslieht (W.Saxon), from man (q.v.) + slà ¦ht, slieht act of killing. Etymologically identical with homicide, but in legal use usually distinguished from murder and restricted to simple homicide. homicide: killing, c.1230, from O.Fr. homicide, from L. homicidium, from homo man + cidium act of killing. The meaning person who kills is also from O.Fr., from L. homicida, from -cida killer. execution: c.1360, from O.Fr. execution, from L. executionem agent noun from exequi follow out, from ex- out + sequi follow (see sequel). Sense of act of putting to death is from M.E. legal phrases such as don execution of deth carry out a sentence of death. suicide: deliberate killing of oneself, 1651, from Mod.L. suicidium suicide, from L. sui of oneself Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Comma After i.e. and e.g.What is Dative Case?The Two Sounds of G