Psychological Effects of Bisexuality

What is bisexuality? Synthesizing the predominant theories of bisexuality, Smiley (1997) suggested the following definition: Bisexuality is a sexual orientation in which an individual: experiences a combination of sexual and affectional attractions to members of both sexes; engages to varying degrees in sexual activities with both sexes; and self-identifies as bisexual in a way that is consonant with personal, social, political, and lifestyle preferences (Smiley, 375). Bisexual and the transgender people are two less visible segments of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community. According to the authoritative Kinsey Report, which compiles data on human sexuality, almost eight in 10 people have some characteristics of bisexuality, wherein an individual feels attracted to both sexes (Klien, 13). However, bisexuals have to confront not just the homophobia of the straight community, which brands them as promiscuous, even though most are in strictly monogamous relationships, they also face derision from the gay community, which considers them closet gays, hiding behind the veneer of bisexuality because they are afraid to come out. Not surprisingly, therefore, that a recent study by the Australian National University found that bisexuals â€Å"had the worst mental health on measures of anxiety, depression and suicidality (Hall, 28). Tommy (name changed) Hogan, who came to Los Angeles, California nearly two years ago for graduate studies in Health Administration and works for Watts Health Foundation, says in adolescence he found himself being attracted to both boys and girls. In the gender-segregated society we lived in, opportunities for `fooling around' were much more readily available with peers of the same sex. I thought everyone in my circle was like me. So when I came to the Los Angeles it was very surprising to find that there were some individuals who were not attracted to men and others who were not attracted to women† (T. Hogan, personal communication, October 26, 2002). He wouldn't say he was gay. He would only say that he was sleeping with other men. He liked to call it â€Å"M-S-M,† men sleeping with men, you know, Brothers on the down low. I called it being a bisexual. The first thing that Tommy made clear to me is that bisexuality does not describe one sort of behavior, but rather a whole range of behaviors and lifestyles. Talking openly about sexual orientation within as private a community as the African American community is something that is not often done. Tommy revealed his disappointment at the community’s lack of acceptance of non-traditional lifestyles. According to a generally agreed upon definition, it isn't necessary for a person to be equally attracted to men and women and to be involved in multiple relationships, to be bisexual. In fact, a person can be celibate and still be bisexual. It's all a matter of whom he or she finds attractive and how he or she identifies himself or herself. There is no behavioral â€Å"test† to determine whether or not one is bisexual. Bisexuals come in all shapes and sizes, from all occupations, and with all levels of educational, racial and cultural background. When Tommy told his father of his attraction to both men and women, his father simply said that though these desires were natural and most people had them, eventually he expects Tommy to get married and have a family. â€Å"Even though his message was that it was preferable to get married to a woman, I was struck by his statement that same-sex feelings were natural, and by the fact that he didn't put same-sex desire down by calling it a perversion or sin† (T. Hogan, personal communication, October 26, 2002). Hogan says, â€Å"People have this misconception that bisexuals are promiscuous. I have been in strictly monogamous relationships and most of us are perfectly content with that. If people have made up their mind something is abnormal they can come up with as many reasons as to why it is so, and if there are people who think otherwise, they too can come up with a variety of reasons to prove their point. Why can't we approach this from a humanistic viewpoint that people have the right to love whomsoever they want to, as long as it is consensual? Tommy is very content with the bisexual lifestyle he is living. He seems to not know whether or not he will always be this way. I got a sense from our interview that he wasn’t happy being this way. He begin the express the importance of how being very religious he could not live this type of lifestyle. I would have to agree that the Bible does speak against any type of homosexual behavior. Tommy and I have discussed this issue on more t han one occasion. He seems to be confused as to what he really wants. It is a battle for him to be with a woman and be attracted to a man that is in the same company. Tommy at the present lives by himself so he doesn’t feel as if there are any rules he has to live with. He currently resides in the Hollywood area. He is comfortable living this lifestyle and his community contributes to this. Tommy has many friends and he also dates several women. Many individuals do not know that he is bisexual. Individuals might suspect that Tommy is bisexual but they have no confirmation. I am a close friend to Tommy and I actually have had the pleasure of knowing him for two years. I also might add that I have been attracted to Tommy for these two years and have dated him. I do accept his lifestyle as being bisexual because I care about him. But, I choose not to be in a relationship with Tommy because I do not want to risk my life or my health. We have an open and honest relationship so he understands that I have feelings for him but I in know way want to proceed with a relationship. But, if he chooses not to participate in this lifestyle in the future I just might end up being with him. But as one of his friends along with the others, he is accepted and is treated no differently than the next person. Tommy always feels comfortable in talking with me about his sexuality. He seems to be at this point in his life trying to deal with issues in the past that he feels might have led him to being attracted to both women and men. He has never mentioned to me about anything that stemmed from his past that might have triggered this imbalance in sexuality. I personally accept anyone who chooses to live a gay, lesbian or bisexual lifestyle. However, I do not condone dishonesty in sexual relationships with partners who have no knowledge of each other’s sexuality. It is really hard to discuss the responses of others, many individuals just do not know. Tommy is a very nice looking young man and is very professional and classy. He has all the traits that women are seeking in this young adult age. I believe that if women knew of his lifestyle as a bisexual they might not be as interested in him as before. As I mentioned many people question his sexuality but he has encountered no prejudice against him in that regard. Tommy indicates that it wasn’t until he came to Los Angeles that he decided to practice his lifestyle as a bisexual. Los Angeles makes it a lot easier to be bisexual, gay or a lesbian and be accepted in society. He feels most comfortable here and being able to go out in public with another man. He felt as though when he lived with his family he could not practice bisexuality. He never carried out sexual relationships with men until he came to Los Angeles. The sexuality of Black males as well as females is enmeshed with racial stereotyping thus the issues of gays and bisexual blacks is a particularly sensitive one so far as the Black community is concerned. The notion is that bisexuals are confused, promiscuous and greedy. To me promiscuity is really an oxymoron. It’s down to the individual needs and requirement of that person. I will never have an issue with anyone who chooses to be bisexual but in these days it is just unsafe to be with someone who is bisexual because AIDS is so prevalent and many individuals are just not honest with their sexual orientation.

Bilingual Education Essay

Multiculturalism as well as bilingual education approaches among schools is most likely affecting major educational institutions in the United States today. This is primarily because of the fact that the growing effect of globalization around the world influences major sectors of the world especially that of the educational field. As for a fact, surveys pertain to the fact that there are major numbers of students among American schools that come from minor races who are trying to attain education from the said country. As a result, most schools, both elementary and high school cater to at least 55% of the minor race population compared to the number of students who are among the natives of the country. This statistical fact certainly races a challenging situation to the educators of the said scholastic institutions. This challenge actually raises a changing effect within the existing system of education that is currently used in the United States. In a survey that has been performed among young students who are directly affected by the situation mentioned above, the results were radically affecting and changing with regards the learning and teaching systems within the American regions. In this particular survey, it could be noted that there are certain considerations to take notice of to be able to meet the needs of the new students who are under the multicultural educational system. The results of the said survey as well as how they particularly affect the educational approach in teaching and learning within the American territories shall be discussed within the paragraphs that follow. The Survey Results Children who were studying in the first grade in Beverly Martin Elementary School in Ithaca, New York, responded to the survey based from what they actually wanted to receive from their educators as young learners belonging to a culturally diverse environment of educational divisions. Based from their response, it could be noted that there are tat least three major requirements among educators that are primarily expected from them by their students. The said expectations include: (a) Being personally involved with the students’ procedures of learning- Educators are expected to have constant assessment of how their students are so far developing in their studies. This especially concerns those who are having a hard time in coping up with the different pressures brought about by bilingual education. These students are most likely from different countries that are using other mother languages aside from English. This means that the students are then supposed to gain ample time form their educators to be able to have a clear understanding of the major procedures that they need to deal with in understanding modern approaches in learning lessons through bilingual education. (b) Being constantly recognized for excellent response to the teaching procedures used towards them by the teachers- acknowledgement of good works usually motivates young learners to do more in school. Most often than not, to at least assist the students realize that they are doing something that is worthwhile for their own personal development. This is especially because of the fact that there are students who are loosing confidence in their studies because of the fact that they are having a hard time adjusting to the language being used in class. Thus, if this is given consideration by the educators, it is possible that the students who are acknowledged for their fine works would gain much confidence as to how they are going to deal with the challenges that they are to meet in their studies. (c) Giving lessons through modern procedures that are much better that the usual- traditional teaching that is used in the regular educational presentations within the schools may not be as effective in this process of learning. Assisting students of this particular set up of learning may not be as easy as it seems. The educators are then required to adapt to the advancements that are noted as major meeting point of the different students from different countries around the world. These three major expectations draw the line of the fact that the students actually need their teachers to treat them fairly in schools even though they are obviously belonging from different races around the world. It could be observed that the ideal teaching that these young learners expect is based on personal concern of their teachers focused upon the learning progress that they are particularly dealing with in school. Of course, dealing with children from other races may not be that easy for the said early learners of the actual scene that is eminent in the human society today. However, through the assistance of their teachers in school, even children as young as first graders would be able to understand the ideal way of dealing with people from other races through the pattern of teaching and treatment that they first observe from their educators. It should always be considered that young children are very observant. It could not be denied that through the acts that the older people portray which they particularly observe everyday, they begin to gain the most important parts of learning that they need to face in life. For this particular reason, teachers who are challenged in dealing with multicultural education patterns should realize that young children have the need of being personally cared for. The psychological impact of the idea that people around them are concerned on how they are growing actually motivates children to do good in school and later on do better with their lives. From this particular survey, it has been noted by the educators that bilingual education has so far began to become the trend of the current educational systems in America. As it has been taken from the results of the performed survey among children in a particular school as noted herein, there are three particular major procedures that need consideration upon implying the different effective approaches in assisting students understand the concept of bilingual education. The said procedures include: (a) Peer facilitated Peer facilitated activities are most likely designed to assist students understand the fact that they have people or young learners who are dealing with the same situation as they are. This then shall allow them the space of enduring with the language problems that they are dealing with in school giving them the chance to become adjusted to the difficulties of their learning procedures. (b) Group System Linking Between Students Learning in groups has been proven effective especially for those young learners. Being able to facilitate camaraderie among themselves makes it easier for them to grasp the lessons that they are learning even though they all belong from different countries and are presently faced with the struggles of learning their lessons in a bilingual set up. (c) Hands-on training procedures for the use of language Practical application of the major procedures of using the language in casual talks shall help the students have a practical knowledge about the language[s] that they are expected to use in school. Today’s society is faced with the many technological innovations that particularly bring ease to learning. Both oral and verbal language could now be used in practical terms through online learning approaches. Learning within classroom settings are also being advanced through the implementation of several technologically advanced gadgets for learning processes that serves as the basic ground lining the students together. Conclusion Children from different countries may appear differently in terms of their physical attributes. However, young as they are, they are actually following the same pattern of growth and personality development that should be considered by their school educators. In dealing with children from different cultures, it should then be noted that the need for emphasizing concern for their personal growth and acknowledging their good deeds and excellent educational progress is an essential key to gaining the best results from the learning procedures of the said children. Hence, this particular suggestion leads to a certain conclusion that children, regardless of the color of the skin or the origin of their culture all need the same level of attention and concern when it comes to learning and education. Learning in a bilingual approach is not that easy as it seems for both the educators and the learners. However, with ample effort and determination to succeed in the said particular way of learning, victory could be won over. The benefits of succeeding in this way of learning is not that easy to gain, however, once the benefits are gained, it could not be denied that the efforts placed in by the educators and the learners are all worth while. Reference: Nieto, S. (2004). Affirming Diversity: The Sociopolitical Context of Multicultural and Bilingual Education. Boston: Pearson Education, Inc. 4th Ed.

Discuss the significance of the ghost in Act 1 Essay

â€Å"It harrows me with fear and wonder. † Horatio’s expressive words on first encountering the ghost in Hamlet are reflective of the concerns that were preeminent in the minds of the Elizabethans of Shakespeare’s time with regards the supernatural. The influence of the people’s rampant belief in ghosts, witches and superstitious ideas is evident on the pages of such Shakespearean works as Hamlet, Macbeth, Julius Caesar and Richard III. This idea of ghosts triggered a sense of fear, and instigated thought on matters such as death and the afterlife. The appearance of King Hamlet’s ghost is thus not only typical of the era in which the play was supposedly written, as well as typical of other Shakespearean works, but brings to mind issues which are still widely debated today. Act 1 begins with a change of guards at the Elsinore castle, an active scene which has been interpreted by some to set off the tension in the play. The guards on duty, Marcellus and Barnardo, attempt to convince Horatio of an ‘apparition’, a ‘dreaded sight’ which they had twice previously seen. Horatio, however, is filled with disbelief, proclaiming, â€Å"Tush, tush, ’twill not appear. † The repetition of the word ‘tush’ in this alliterative statement draws our attention to his doubts of the ghost’s appearance, and thus makes it even more dramatic when the ghost suddenly appears. The setting of the first scene on the castle battlements past midnight, and the manner in which the ghost’s previous appearances are described by the guards, employing such adjectives as ‘dreaded’ and references to heaven and the â€Å"star†¦ where now it burns† all come together to create a fearful scene. These all pave the way for the appearance of the ghost, and further dramatic description of it and its actions. The way the ghost moves and acts, seen in the use of sibilance in â€Å"See, it stalks away†, and in the stage directions, â€Å"It spreads his arms† can be described as frightening and haunting. Horatio says of the ghost, â€Å"†¦ it started like a guilty thing/ Upon a fearful summons† This simile implies that the ghost is still facing judgement, and this introduces the idea of purgatory. It is believed by Catholics that when a person dies, they either go to heaven, hell or are in judgement in purgatory. The ghost further hints this idea to Hamlet when he says, â€Å"Till the foul crimes done in my days of nature/ Are burnt and purged away. † This further connotes the idea that Hamlet’s father is Catholic whereas Hamlet, a student at Wittenberg, the same university attended by Martin Luther the religious Reformist and founder of Protestantism, is Protestant. This idea of religious differences can be linked to the era in which Shakespeare was writing, in that the Church of England had broken away from the Catholic Church under King Henry in the 16th century and there was thus consciousness of differing denominations among Catholics and Anglicans in England. It is also very dramatic that the ghost does not speak to the guards, and indeed it speaks to no other person but Hamlet. Although Horatio, the scholar, bids it to speak to him with the continuous repetition of ‘Speak to me’, the ghost does not speak till it has met Hamlet and led him away from the others. The delay between when the guards see the ghost in the first scene and when the ghost actually speaks to Hamlet in Scene Four creates suspense and heightens the tension in the play. The appearance and words of the ghost confirms the speculation by the guards and Horatio that â€Å"Something is rotten in the state of Denmark. † This is reminiscent of where Horatio earlier points out, making use of alliteration, that â€Å"this bodes some strange eruption to our state. † There is a lot of war imagery used in this Act, including â€Å"†¦ assail your ears/ That are so fortified†¦ † and â€Å"martial stalk†. The Danes are worried that war will be waged on them by Fortinbras of Norway, and thus the reason for people working to make weapons day and night, and guards watching the palace all night long. The ghost only seems to buffer these thoughts, appearing in â€Å"warlike form† and wearing the same armour which King Hamlet had on when he â€Å"combated† Norway. However, the ghost’s calling of Hamlet aside is significant as it proves that he has appeared for a more private reason than those concerning the wars of Denmark.

International Finance and Banking Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

International Finance and Banking - Case Study Example Using the corporate spot rate, the cash inflow will be equivalent to 30,375,000/1.04 MYR. By converting these into dollars it is equivalent to 29,206,730*0.305 = $8,908,053. For three months this is equivalent to 8,908,053*1.035 = $9,219,835. The three month forward rate will be an equivalent of $8,762,019*1.035 = $9,068,690. Yankee has two hedging alternatives for the EUR receivable includes the option to sell the product at the current spot rate of $1.355 per euro or three month forward rate at $1.355 per euro. By discounting the amount receivable in three months, the gain from the sales is equivalent to thirty six million Euros. Using the current spot rate, thirty six million Euros accumulated for three months is equivalent to 36,000,000* 1.35 = $48,600,000. If Yankee uses three month forward rate, this amount will be equivalent to 36,000,000*1.355 = $48,780,000 in three months. I think it is easier for Yankee to hedge its outflows and inflows denominated in foreign currencies because the outflows of Yankees are responsive to payable amount denominated in foreign currency in respect to current changes in currency exchange in the market and the future currency values. Therefore, since Yankee has formed a two years agreement with the two clients the inflows and outflows will be only affected by changes in currency value (Tarullo, 2008). There is no need for Yankee to over the hedge in regard to question 2 above. Even though Yankee could over hedge the put option under normal situation, Johnson wishes to hedge the total coverage and has only 125,000 pounds in a put option. Since Yankee will receive 36,000,000 pounds in three months it means that the client will be required to purchase 288 put options so that they can completely cover disclosure. Since Yankee has formed an agreement for exporting the products to the two clients in the foreign countries over hedging is not an option in the month forward rate.

Boeing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Boeing - Essay Example ecommendable such as the ideal anonymous channel that does not reveal the identity and the ideal pseudonymous channel that ensures the registration of the members first (N, 2013). In comparison to other firms, the UC mechanisms of protection enhancement in the coverage of the IP networks is more potent (N, 2013). This means that the Boeing Company is experiencing the value of systems whose probability of hacking is zero percent (N, 2013). The chances of hacking in the UC security mechanisms are severely complex in comparison to other security firms (N, 2013). The UC security firm gives Boeing an advantage in low cost video deployment compared to what the other security firms cannot express (N, 2013). The UC security firm has much capability that the Boeing Company has not deployed (N, 2013). As the CIO of the Boeing Company, I would utilize these capabilities to the company’s advantages (N, 2013). These capabilities offered by the UC security mechanism would enhance the security of the technology employed in the Boeing Company (N, 2013). As the CIO, I would ensure that everything is under the security of the UC security firm (N, 2013). N, G. (2013, January 16). Guard Now. Retrieved from UC Berkeley Security: Getting Security Guards for Parties and Events:

Eye-witness testimony Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Eye-witness testimony - Essay Example According to these researchers, other types of circumstantial evidence, such as fingerprints or DNA, are more reliable in identifying criminals. This essay argues that eyewitness identification is not only can get the murder, but also it has unreliable. The heart of the American criminal justice system is the honesty and reliability of eyewitnesses. The testimony of eyewitnesses can very much influence the decision of the judge or the members of jury. The jury tries to identify the reliability or honesty of the eyewitness secretly, without telling the basis of its final decision. Considering the weakness of the human memory, therefore, is very crucial to the criminal and legal justice system, because a lot of trials are focused on honest identifications (Wise et al. 2). Reaching a fair decision and a right identification is hard without the chance that eyewitnesses may not know wrongness in their identification or testimony. Without strong physical evidence, testimony of eyewitnesses is important every time prosecution tries to prove that the criminal and the defendant are the same. The correctness of an eyewitness testimony or identification is shaped by two types of variables, which are ‘estimator’ and ‘system’ (Cutler & Kovera 54). System variables are things that the criminal justice system can control, like directions taught to eyewitnesses before they go into a lineup. Estimator variables, on the other hand, are things that the criminal justice system cannot control and their effects can be studied. These variables could be the lightning in the place where the crime took place, how long the eyewitnesses saw the face of the criminal, and so on (Cutler & Kovera 54). But, still, eyewitnesses cannot be sure that their memory is right. Researchers say that weaknesses of the human memory negatively affect the truth of eyewitness testimony. Human memory is very hard to understand and study. Eyewitnesses can have a

How well has poverty reduction policy in Turkey succeeded Essay

How well has poverty reduction policy in Turkey succeeded - Essay Example Attacking poverty had been one of the main aims in the world in recent times and Turkey had been no exception. It is important to know more about the programme and assess how well Public economic management in Turkey is progressing. No doubt, poverty reduction cannot be done in a few years, or as a result of a few policies. This has to be based on a very sound continuous economic programmes and right directions. All over the world, there are many impediments in the way of poverty eradication. In the world of globalization, economic change also depends on many other world problems and economic fluctuations. Hence, expecting an overnight result cannot be exactly practical. In the Press Release No. 39, September 19-20, 2006, Ali Babacan, Governor of the IMF for Turkey, said in the 2006 Annual Meetings of Board of Governors held at Singapore held: â€Å"Inflation is likely to exceed the 2006 target mainly because of adverse energy and commodity price developments. However, it is expected that, in the medium term, it will converge to our target. Current account deficit has widened on account of rising cost of energy imports and accelerating investments whereas the composition of the financing significantly improved by the increasing long term capital inflows† http://www.imf.org/external/am/2006/speeches/pr39e.pdf Turkish economy has undergone a series of changes with the tightening of the fiscal policy and central banking. This does not mean that Turkish economy does not have any worth-mentioning growth. It is considered to be one of the fastest growing economies, in spite of many connected cultural, social and economic problems.

The Poverty of Women and the Inequality of the Welfare System Essay

The Poverty of Women and the Inequality of the Welfare System - Essay Example She states that the welfare system is not designed for women on women's terms, rather, she considers that it shows, This clarifies the concepts of the dualism of the welfare structure, and how it may be broken down into two subsystems, male and female. Diana Pearce points out that older women choose to receive social security benefit as wives rather than as individuals, due to the higher income of their husbands. If they divorced during their husband's retirement, they were more likely to receive: A United Nations study, released in 1985, found that women do 75 percent of the world's work but only earn 10 percent of the world's wealth (Kirk and Okazawa 318). After 20 years, the situation has changed. Today, more women work for an income than ever before. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, women's participation in the labor force has dramatically increased from 54 percent in 1950, with a projected increase to more than 70 percent in 2010. In spite of the growing number of women in the workforce, women's wages are usually lower than men's. The question as to why, may be answered by the fact that a patriarchal system exists which gives a false picture of the workforce. Fraser's essay informs us that these patriarchal norms have influenced our welfare system too. In our welfare system, men are considered as "rights-bearing beneficiaries" whereas women are considered as "dependent clients" (Fraser, 561). Diana Pearce states that the rate of poor, women-maintained households has increased, especially if they have children. Despite the greater needs of women-maintained households, there is not enough support given from either private or public transfer. In public transfer, based on Fraser's characterization of the U.S. welfare system, there are two totally different characteristics of welfare. One is unemployment and social security welfare transfer (cash), that is designed to provide benefits for "right-bearers", of which women receive 38 percent of these programs. Yet more than 80 percent of those receiving Aid for Dependent Children (AFDC) are children of women-maintained households. Women also receive 60 percent of food stamps. Fraser assumes that receiving unemployment and social security compensation denotes more equality than receiving food stamps and Medicaid. This is because the latter welfare programs are: "considered to be family failures, generally the absence of a male breadwinner" (Fraser, 563). Diana Pearce addresses the seriousness of women's poverty, and how it has been steadily increasing, while Fraser argues how the welfare system is unfair to women. In order to reduce the "feminization of poverty", the government needs create more jobs for women and women-maintained

Leadership Interview Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Leadership Interview - Essay Example We kept in touch through email, and that is how I contacted them for the interview. X gave me a recommendation on my resume last year, and it was very complimentary. With X, though, you never think that she is giving a compliment just to be nice. There is something very real and genuine about her leadership, and although she didn’t say as much during the interview, I suspect it’s because X doesn’t view nursing leadership as a role to play like an actor: she is just herself, and it works. â€Å"Whereas traditional authority clearly is inherently conservative, the rise of a charismatic leader may well change.† (Ritzer, p. 129). X is not a very conservative leader. In defining effective leadership, there is the problem of defining universal traits in relation to an organizational environment that is built primarily on the differentiation of individuals. That is, research regarding leadership strategies may show that there is no one clear set of characteristics that defines people-oriented leadership like the kind used by X, because there is so much variance in individuals. â€Å"There are no universal traits that predict leadership in all situations. Rather, traits appear to predict leadership in selective situations. Traits predict behavior more in weak situations than in strong situations† (Robbins, 2003, p. 315). X tends to be charismatic and use her naturally attractive personality to get along with clients and coworkers in her position as a nursing leader. This puts a â€Å"fresh spin on the issues, engendering a feeling of hope and even reverence in the charismatic leader’s followers and the public. Innovations and changes intended to improve patient outcomes. These same technological advances require nurses to demonstrate knowledge† (Dawes, 2000). One point that X made during the interview was that technology has changed since we were coworkers, and she stated that it was more important than ever for nurses to be

Modern Drama Essay Example for Free

Modern Drama Essay Restoration literature Restoration literature is the English literature written during the historical period commonly referred to as the English Restoration (1660–1689), which corresponds to the last years of the direct Stuart reign in England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. In general, the term is used to denote roughly homogeneous styles of literature that center on a celebration of or reaction to the restored court of Charles II. It is a literature that includes extremes, for it encompasses both Paradise Lost and the Earl of Rochesters Sodom, the high-spirited sexual comedy of The Country Wife and the moral wisdom of The Pilgrims Progress. It saw Lockes Treatises of Government, the founding of the Royal Society, the experiments and holy meditations of Robert Boyle, the hysterical attacks on theaters from Jeremy Collier, and the pioneering of literary criticism from John Dryden and John Dennis. The period witnessed news become a commodity, the essay developed into a periodical art form, and the beginnings of textual criticism. The dates for Restoration literature are a matter of convention, and they differ markedly from genre to genre. Thus, the Restoration in dramamay last until 1700, while in poetry it may last only until 1666 (see 1666 in poetry) and the annus mirabilis; and in prose it might end in 1688, with the increasing tensions over succession and the corresponding rise in journalism and periodicals, or not until 1700, when those periodicals grew more stabilized. In general, scholars use the term Restoration to denote the literature that began and flourished under Charles II, whether that literature was the laudatory ode that gained a new life with restored aristocracy, the eschatological literature that showed an increasing despair among Puritans, or the literature of rapid communication and trade that followed in the wake of Englands mercantile empire. Theatre The return of the stage-struck Charles II to power in 1660 was a major event in English theatre history. As soon as the previous Puritan regimes ban on public stage representations was lifted, the drama recreated itself quickly and abundantly. Two theatre companies, the Kings and the Dukes Company, were established in London, with two luxurious playhouses built to designs by Christopher Wren and fitted with moveable scenery and thunder and lightning machines.[10] Traditionally, Restoration plays have been studied by genre rather than chronology, more or less as if they were all contemporary, but scholars today insist on the rapid evolvement of drama in the period and on the importance of social and political factors affecting it. (Unless otherwise indicated, the account below is based on Humes influential Development of English Drama in the Late Seventeenth Century, 1976.) The influence of theatre company competition and playhouse economics is also acknowledged, as is the significance of the appearance of the first professional actresses (see Howe). In the 1660s and 1670s, the London scene was vitalised by the competition between the two patent companies. The need to rise to the challenges of the other house made playwrights and managers extremely responsive to public taste, and theatrical fashions fluctuated almost week by week. The mid-1670s were a high point of both quantity and quality, with John Drydens Aureng-zebe (1675), William Wycherleys The Country Wife (1675) and The Plain Dealer(1676), George Ethereges The Man of Mode (1676), and Aphra Behns The Rover (1677), all within a few seasons. From 1682 the production of new plays dropped sharply, affected both by a merger between the two companies and by the political turmoil of the Popish Plot (1678) and the Exclusion crisis (1682). The 1680s were especially lean years for comedy, the only exception being the remarkable career of Aphra Behn, whose achievement as the first professional British woman dramatist has been the subject of much recent study. There was a swing away from comedy to serious political drama, reflecting preoccupations and divisions following on the political crisis. The few comedies produced also tended to be political in focus, the whig dramatist Thomas Shadwell sparring with the tories John Dryden and Aphra Behn. In the calmer times after 1688, Londoners were again ready to be amused by stage performance, but the single United Company was not well prepared to offer it. No longer powered by competition, the company had lost momentum and been taken over by predatory investors (Adventurers), while mana gement in the form of the autocratic Christopher Rich attempted to finance a tangle of farmed shares and sleeping partners by slashing actors salaries. The upshot of this mismanagement was that the disgruntled actors set up their own co-operative company in 1695.[11]A few years of re-invigorated two-company competition followed which allowed a brief second flowering of the drama, especially comedy. Comedies like William Congreves Love For Love (1695) and The Way of the World (1700), and John Vanbrughs The Relapse (1696) and The Provoked Wife (1697) were softer and more middle class in ethos, very different from the aristocratic extravaganza twenty years earlier, and aimed at a wider audience. If Restoration literature is the literature that reflects and reflects upon the court of Charles II, Restoration drama arguably ends before Charles IIs death, as the playhouse moved rapidly from the domain of courtiers to the domain of the city middle classes. On the other hand, Restoration drama shows altogether more fluidity and rapidity than other types of literature, and so, even more than in other types of literature, its movements should never be viewed as absolute. Each decade has brilliant exceptions to every rule and entirely forgettable confirmations of it. [edit]Drama Main article: Heroic drama See also: She-tragedy Genre in Restoration drama is peculiar. Authors labelled their works according to the old tags, comedy and drama and, especially, history, but these plays defied the old categories. From 1660 onwards, new dramatic genres arose, mutated, and intermixed very rapidly. In tragedy, the leading style in the early Restoration period was the male-dominated heroic drama, exemplified by John Drydens The Conquest of Granada (1670) and Aureng-Zebe (1675) which celebrated powerful, aggressively masculine heroes and their pursuit of glory both as rulers and conquerors, and as lovers. These plays were sometimes called by their authors histories or tragedies, and contemporary critics will call them after Drydens term of Heroic drama. Heroic dramas centred on the actions of men of decisive natures, men whose physical and (sometimes) intellectual qualities made them natural leaders. In one sense, this was a reflection of an idealised king such as Charles or Charless courtiers might have imagined. However, such dashing heroes were also seen by the audiences as occasionally standing in for noble rebels who would redress injustice with the sword. The plays were, however, tragic in the strictest definition, even though they were not necessarily sad. In the 1670s and 1680s, a gradual shift occurred from heroic to pathetic tragedy, where the focus was on love and domestic concerns, even though the main characters might often be public figures. After the phenomenal success of Elizabeth Barry in moving the audience to tears in the role of Monimia in Thomas Otways The Orphan (1680), she-tragedies (a term coined by Nicholas Rowe), which focused on the sufferings of an innocent and virtuous woman, became the dominant form of pathetic tragedy. Elizabeth Howe has argued that the most important explanation for the shift in taste was the emergence of tragic actresses whose popularity made it unavoidable for dramatists to create major roles for them. With the conjunction of the playwright master of pathos Thomas Otway and the great tragedienne Elizabeth Barry in The Orphan, the focus shifted from hero to heroine. Prominent she-tragedies include John Bankss Virtue Betrayed, or, Anna Bullen(1682) (about the execution of Anne Boleyn), Thomas Southernes The Fatal Marriage (1694), and Nicholas Rowes The Fair Penitent (1703) and Lady Jane Grey, 1715. While she-tragedies were more comfortably tragic, in that they showed women who suffered for no fault of their own and featured tragic flaws that were emotional rather than moral or intellectual, their success did not mean that more overtly political tragedy was not staged. The Exclusion crisis brought with it a number of tragic implications in real politics, and therefore any treatment of, for example, the Earl of Essex (several versions of which were circulated and briefly acted at non-patent theatres) could be read as seditious. Thomas Otways Venice Preservd of 1682 was a royalist political play that, like Drydens Absalom and Achitophel, seemed to praise the king for his actions in the meal tub plot. Otways play had the floating city of Venice stand in for the river town ofLondon, and it had the dark senatorial plotters of the play stand in for the Earl of Shaftesbury. It even managed to figure in the Duke of Monmouth, Charless illegitimate, war-hero son who was favoured by many as Charless successor over the Roman Catholic James. Venice Preservd is, in a sense, the perfect synthesis of the older politically royalist tragedies and histories of Dryden and the newer she-tragedies of feminine suffering, for, although the plot seems to be a political allegory, the action centres on a woman who cares for a man in conflict, and most of the scenes and dialogue concern her pitiable sufferings at his hands. Comedy Main article: Restoration comedy Restoration comedy is notorious for its sexual explicitness, a quality encouraged by Charles II personally and by the rakish aristocratic ethos of his court. The best-known plays of the early Restoration period are the unsentimental or hard comedies of John Dryden, William Wycherley, and George Etherege, which reflect the atmosphere at Court, and celebrate an aristocratic macholifestyle of unremitting sexual intrigue and conquest. The Earl of Rochester, real-life Restoration rake, courtier and poet, is flatteringly portrayed in Ethereges Man of Mode (1676) as a riotous, witty, intellectual, and sexually irresistible aristocrat, a template for posterity.s idea of the glamorous Restoration rake (actually never a very common character in Restoration comedy). Wycherleys The Plain Dealer (1676), a variation on the theme of Molià ¨res Le misanthrope, was highly regarded for its uncompromising satire and earned Wycherley the appellation Plain Dealer Wycherley or Manly Wycherley, after the plays main character Manly. The single writer who most supports the charge of obscenity levelled then and now at Restoration comedy is probably Wycherley. During the second wave of Restoration comedy in the 1690s, the softer comedies of William Congreve and John Vanbrugh reflected mutating cultural perceptions and great social change. The playwrights of the 1690s set out to appeal to more socially mixed audiences with a strong middle-class element, and to female spectators, for instance by moving the war between the sexes from the arena of intrigue into that of marriage. The focus in comedy is less on young lovers outwitting the older generation, more on marital relations after the wedding bells. In Congreves plays, the give-and-take set pieces of couples still testing their attraction for each other have mutated into witty prenuptial debates on the eve of marriage, as in the famous Proviso scene in The Way of the World (1700). Restoration drama had a bad reputation for three centuries. The incongruous mixing of comedy and tragedy beloved by Restoration audiences was decried. The Victorians denounced the comedy as too indecent for the stage,[12] and the standard reference work of the early 20th century, The Cambridge History of English and American Literature, dismissed the tragedy as being of a level of dulness and lubricity never surpassed before or since.[13] Today, the Restoration total theatre experience is again valued, both by postmodern literary critics and on the stage. The comedies of Aphra Behn in particular, long condemned as especially offensive in coming from a womans pen, have become academic and repertory favourites.

Effect Of Mass Media In Democracy Development Sociology Essay

Effect Of Mass Media In Democracy Development Sociology Essay Media exists everywhere through TV, Internet, newspapers and radio, each one adds a lot to our societys attention.   This research may help to understand the impact that media has on the peoples political participation, knowledge and orientations, more exclusively in the developing democracies, while offering a theoretical framework to comprehend the nature and the role of political communication gaps within consolidating democracy across high contextual social differences. The following essay presents a critical account for a research study titled: MEDIA USE, DEMOCTARTIC CITIZINSHIP AND COMMUNICATION GAPS IN A DEVELOPING DEMOCRACY, which was written by Erik C. Nisbet and published in the International Journal of public Opinion Research Vol.20 No.4 in winter 2008. The writer follows number of stages in writing his research, now; this essay is an attempt to build a scientific and academic analysis for stages, procedures adopted in it, and also, it will highlight the positive and negative aspects of the methods and methodologies which the researcher used such as; survey and interviews, in addition, the essay will go through the objectivity of both, the research and the researcher. Research papers overview This research is titled MEDIA USE, DEMOCTARTIC CITIZINSHIP AND COMMUNICATION GAPS IN A DEVELOPING DEMOCRACY which talks about the the relationship between mass media use and democratic citizenship within a developing democracy. The writer applied a survey conducted in the West African nation of Mali, where he examined the relationship between forms of media use and the obtained amount of political knowledge, participation and socializations. The survey pointed out that socially privileged groups benefitted more in political knowledge, participation and socializations than the other dissident groups (Nisbet, 2008) by the mass media use , finally ; the researcher ended up arguing some implication of the results for understanding the importance of mass media in democratization process(Nisbet, 2008) . Furthermore, the writer referred to the topic of democratic movement which offers for citizen to participate in political decision-making as long as an environment of press freedom and m edia penetration is secured. On the other hand; the writer encouraged the concept of democratic citizenship and its association with mass media use, also he talked about the obstacles which confront the nascent stages nations which witness a regression in terms of socio-economic development, differentiation and stratification. All these factors emerged communication gaps which influenced the democratization process. The research stressed on two general categories: the first one is the functionalist role which states how well mass media strengthens and enhances the basic functions and practices of participatory democracy is the key factor of the successful democratic consolidation. The second one is the regulatory role which shows mass media as an institutional and normative role which regulates some norms through socialization or through the threat of coercion or both to keep social integrity .In other words, the mass media may reinforce social democratic change by keeping the integ rity of the society while transition or change takes place rather than leading it but this role may emerge some challenges due to the traditional political institutions. In this sense, Huntingtons (1991) view about the gradual democratization within developing democracies which is the optimal level. Temin and Smiths (2002) studied the role of the mass media in Ghanas 2000 election is an illustrative example. The researcher assured, depending on the original knowledge gaps hypothesis, the importance of the increasing information acquired from the mass media within the members of the society in higher and lower socio-economic level, without any indication that the relationship between them is directly proportional but the amount of the knowledge acquired by the higher socio-economic strata is greater. This hypothesis reformulated to be restated as communication gaps arent limited to any particular type of mass media or differential gains in knowledge(Nisbet, 2008) but it impacts indiv idual behavior or attitudes just like what the political science added to what is mentioned before that the information individual receives from the mass media influences the attitudes of people based upon pre-existing belief, interest, motivation, or knowledge. Mass media use strengthens democratic citizenship by socializing especially the dissident social groups into a common, dominant political worldview which maintains social hierarchy and regime stability, which contribute in fostering the Democratic consolidation. The writer cited four definitions of the Democratic consolidation which calls for a high amount of public awareness of democratic political practices and high commitment to democratic norms, value and culture, towards long term probability of achieving the democratic consolidation as the study mentioned. Some causes of communication gaps are classified as individual, structural and cultural factors which are related to the individuals education attainment, gender which are the dominant indicators , socio-psychological factors, socio-economic status , community structure or the nature of the mass media itself and beliefs which all lead to differential gains in political knowledge acquisition. For example, some social or cultural societies may collectively estimate specific kind of knowledge more than other cultural or social societies, therefore; communication gaps emerge. Moreover, the researcher mentioned several supportive and contrastive points of view about the causes of communication gaps. Finally, the researchs discussion concentrated on the association between media use and democratic citizenship, as the table drawn below Radio Television Newspaper Political knowledge *Theres association Theres association **Theres no association Table () *Radio in developing states has disproportional role in educating the community ** It has association between beyond the educated respondents although its not the only variants which affect the amount of knowledge gained. Note: no media use is associated with democratic orientation which contrast with what is stated that radio use is associated unexpectedly with socialization into democratic norms and ideals among lower educated, rural, ethnic minority citizens who have more traditional political values. And also mentions, Implication for understanding the causes of communication gaps. The writer sums up with, the topic of Normative implication of political communication gaps in developing democracies which has been just clarified at the beginning of the analysis and which is viewed of two interfering arguments according to democratization and equality of participation in democracies. The first theory the development first proposes that the starting point for sustainable democracy is prerequisited by economic and social modernization. The contrast theory the democracy first suggests that economic and social modernization isnt necessarily a prerequisite for democracy, like Malis case, according to World Bank Governance Indicators says that its the poorest countries in Africa but it relatively realizes high degree of sustained democratization. Therere several perspectives about both theories were uttered by some investigators the research is referred to in detail. To conclude, our Scholar broadens a little bit to another topic which is whether the communication gaps and the inequalities in democratic participation may threaten the concept of democracy in developing state? Or can keeping the political stability through inequality of participation during the transition to correct it afterward once the democratic consolidating is obtained. The answer of this question Paves the way for further theoretical work on how media, political inequality, and political outcomes are associated within developing democracies, as well as how these relationships may evolve as developing democracies consolidate and develop. Methodology In the researching field, methodology is seen as the approaches, applications, methods, procedures and strategies which are used to reach any scientific knowledge (Tayraukham, 2009). So as a result, different questions in the research demand different approaches to answer these questions in a way that offers help to the readers and the seekers of knowledge (Dawson, 2002). Methodologies in the academic research could be either quantitative, qualitative or a mix of them both. Or it can be considered as the design of the research that was used in order to come up with as proved results as could be without engaging into the fault of changing data or facts. The methodology could be either quantitative through using the questionnaire, pre-test / post-test and the survey method. On the other hand, the qualitative nature of the research involves interviews with the participants of the study, observing a specific phenomenon or taking into account a specific case study. The methods of the study Considering that the study is quantitative and qualitative in its approach, the tools (methods) used in collecting the data of the study were a survey to be implemented between January 3 and January 27,2001 on the experimental Malian group with total sample size of 2089 accompanied by face to face personal interview of citizens 17 years old or older , of both urban and rural areas in the respondents native language and questionnaires directed for the interviewees which were used in order to Measure public opinion and behaviours democracy and track the evolution of such attitudes in selected nation over time Furthermore, the analyses depends on the a hierarchal ordinary least squares ( OLS) regression model which penetrated by number of exogenous variable; such as,individual-level socio-structural characteristics (urban/rural resident, age, language group, gender, education, and yearly income) , followed by antecedent endogenous variables; just like, measures of interest and efficacy, media use, political discussion, civic participation, political knowledge, and political participation. Each subsequent blocks of the variable accounted for by the equation was scaled with the incremental R2 and the sum of the series of incremental R2 is referred to as the cumulative R2 (Cohen Cohen, 2002). Then, we can notice from the result of the survey that the interaction (communication gaps) were found between certain mass media use and some blocks of variables. (You can get back to see them in details on the section of method, interaction results) The positive and negative aspects of the approach Here in this paragraph, Ill mention the positive and negative traits of employing a survey in this research: MEDIA USE , DEMOCTARTIC CITIZINSHIP AND COMMUNICATION GAPS IN A DEVELOPING DEMOCRACY . According to Patrick Parnaby ( 2006), the positive aspects of surveys are the effective design of the Survey which is crucial to get the information you need easily and provide an approximately extensive data with credible results, they are tractable, he also added that surveys act as the finger on the pulse of your project and can measure its strength. They can measure the change during the time especially when we apply a pre-test against post-test just like the Malian political transition so , by the conducted survey we become able to measure the conversion of democratic citizenship before and after the change, and also the surveys can ensure the Coherent set of data because all respondents have exactly the same questions in precisely the same way and also during an interview, the interviewer can explore urge themes in depth, as he didnt notice before. The negative aspects of implementing a survey are the traditional options for survey data collection which are expensive, needs hard resources, such as paper copies of a survey pencils, and challenging to manage which requires patience of the sample who are ready to move on to the next phase of the survey, and also, a survey only collects information about the questions Required. In addition to all that, we will not be completely sure of the objectivity of questionnaire data, the individuals who are asked may be biased towards themselves and dont answer as correct as the reality of themselves. HR-Survey recommends that if we want a successful survey, it must be written in a Simple Language and short, simple questions, be clear and direct and also you have to avoid errors in spelling, grammar and usage, and Keep the scales in the same direction. Our scholar, Erik C. Nisbet ,follows Likert Scales survey method which is lists of statements which offers a 5-point or 6-point scale as the participant can assess his/her level of agreement or disagreement with the statement. Objectivity in relation to the broader aims of the article Sociologist, Michael Schudson, debates that the belief in objectivity is a faith in facts, distrust in values, and a commitment to their segregation. Journalistic objectivity is identified as equity, indifference and  disaffiliation to any party, yet the writer most likely has to encompass all of these qualities. There is a relationship between the terms Validity Reliability and Objectivity. The researcher stats his objectivity in the study where he doesnt mention his point of view or the viewpoints of his nations law about the effect of mass media use at the democratic citizenship in his land and other developing democracies, like, Mali . Nevertheless, he appears a little bias  to the idea that mass media use is effective in elevating the level of individuals democratic citizenship not as he thinks but as the results show. Neither does he comment supportively nor contrarily to Malis case, he only displays the data without deformation of the original one and conducts a survey as he protects respondents privacy without telling anything about them as we observe during reading the article. According to the Objectivity rules of Dr Frances Nelson, assumption 1 leads us to turn into the clarity and correctness of the analytic data, and also theory 3 Scientific method talks about being disinterestedness with the topic you are writing about guarantee your objectivity which both were shown in Erik C. Nisbets research. In this article, the objectivity of the researcher is obvious which refutes what Dr Frances Nelson said that the researcher and his subjectivity cant be separated. Validity is the level of conformity between the results the reality. This clearly appears in the research when the writer states the effect of several mass media on the individuals political knowledge, participation and socialization into the norms and value of democracy in the developing democracies and how the citizens have different orientations toward political democratic tendencies regarding to several variables. Reliability is the measurement has to be credible and keep the same answers of the Malian persons who take the survey. As we see in the data of survey that the measure of democratic political orientations has low level of reliability because the democratic orientation and understanding of democracy in the developing countries are evolving ,and from the writers information doesnt mention any unrelated news about Mali, such as roles, habits and environment that he didnt find appealing. To conclude, the subjectivity objectivity contrast each other. The use of one of them or both depends on the topic of the research, the researchers personality, the mass public which the research directed to. If the writer decide to utilize them, it must be useful for his study. Erik C. Nisbet makes use of his objectivity to enable the reader concentrates on the main topic more than on the researchers point of view. Conclusion Through reading the previous essay, one can observe that study examines the effect of mass media on the citizens political knowledge, participation and their socialization with the norms and values of democratic within developing democracies, e.g. Mali where some interactions were found like communication gaps by several causes and variables just like I mentioned before in the nascent stages polities. As we can deduce, Mali realized a higher level of democratizations than many other nascent polities, though it had relatively different levels of economic development. Then, we can observe also that the study on Mali, lower state degree of linguistic groups than other developing states, doesnt indicate sufficient information about communication gaps. Not only does the communication gaps vary according to the change of political and social conditions (national context), but also we have to be aware of how the change takes place over time and of the level of democratization and political transition. Referances : Erik C. Nesbit . (2008). MEDIA USE, DEMOCTARTIC CITIZINSHIP AND COMMUNICATION GAPS IN A DEVELOPING DEMOCRACY: International Journal of public Opinion Research Vol.20 No.4. HR-Survey, 2008. Retrieved from   (http://www.hrsurvey.com/ItemConstruction.htm) Questionnaire Design. Retrieved from. (http://www.cc.gatech.edu/classes/cs6751-97-winter/Topic/quest-design/ Patrick Parnaby. (2006). Evaluation through surveys. Retrieved from http://www.idea.org/blog/2006/04/01/evaluation-through-surveys/ Dr Frances Nelson. The problem of objectivity Subjectivity. Tayraukham, S (2009). Academic Ethics in Research Methodology :Journal of social sciences, vol. 4 ,No. 6 , pp. 573-577 Dawson, Catherine. (2002). Practical Research Methods:  New Delhi, UBS Publishers Distributors.

English Language Education Is Critical For Hong Kong

English Language Education Is Critical For Hong Kong Hong Kong is a former British crown colony ,and is currently a Special Administrative Region of the Peoples Republic of China. Hong Kong had been a British crown colony for more than 100 years (Hong Kong). Hong Kongs legal system, financial system, educational system, and culture have been influenced by the British, and Hong Kong is now one of the important financial centres in Asia (Meyer 219). Hong Kongs official language is mandated as Chinese and English according to the Basic Law (Hong Kong). After the return of sovereignty to China, Hong Kongs secondary education system shifted twice, in 1997 nearly eighty percent of the schools were forced to use Chinese as a medium of instruction (MoI) known as the mother-tongue education policy (Choi 673-674). In 2008, the secondary schools were assigned their MoI with the reference to the admission grades of grade 6 students known as the fine-tuning policy (Suen 1). Medium of Instruction is defined as a language variety which is used in edu cational settings for purposes of teaching and learning (Medium of Instruction).There have been repercussions among the stakeholders of the educational system including parents, university professors, corporations, etc., as students English competency has been declined due to the education policy change (Flowerdew Li and Miller). Thus, should English should be used as a MoI in hong Kong secondary and tertiart education? English should be used rather than Chinese in secondary and post-secondary education because it can foster economic development (Ng 1), it is beneficial for student career paths (Flowerdew, Li and Miller 206), and it is an international language (Shen 112). Hong Kong language education policy has long been a political issue rather than an educational issue (Tsui et al. 200). Under the rule of the Great Britain, colonial educational policy has been adopted (Flowerdew, Li, and Miller 204). This is used for educating a small group of local elites who act as the middleperson between the British officials and the local Hong Kong citizens (Flowerdew, Li, and Miller 205). For elementary education, schools are under the laissez-faire policy, which the schools can pick and choose their own MoI (Lai and Byram 316). From secondary to post-secondary level, English is mostly used as the MoI. Flowerdew, Li ,and Miller has indicated that during the 1980s, 90% of the secondary schools are used in English. At the same time, the colonial Hong Kong government had disagreed with the mixed-mode approach on teaching, which is described as using Cantonese to explain terms and definitions, and using English on teaching and testing materials (Flowerdew, Li, and Miller 205). In the early 1990s, the colonial government had increased the number of universities in order to meet the demand of the needs of the professionals in the flourishing economy (Flowerdew, Li, and Miller 206). The number of universities had increased from two to eight, and six out of eight are used English as MoI for lectures and tutorials. On 1997, Hong Kong became a part of the Chinese territory. On September, 1997, the mother-tongue education policy had been enforced (Lee 13). Only 114 secondary schools are allowed to use English as MoI, and more than 300 secondary schools had to use Chinese as MoI (Lee 13). On 2008, fine-tuning policy had been enforced, as the Hong Kong government tried to eliminate the negative labelling effect of the English and the Chinese schools (Suen 6). Even though currently Hong Kong is a part of the Chinese territory, English should be used as the MoI in the secondary and post-secondary education system. First, English as MoI can boost the economic growth of Hong Kong. Hong Kong is one of the Asias international financial centres, and English is commonly used as the medium of communication in Business, the local workforce has to be fluent in English to communicate with investors and clients (Lee 98). The future generation are exposed more to the English language environment because MoI is English. Because of this, the prospective international companies may consider Hong Kong as the regional headquarters which can strengthen economic development, and create more jobs . Besides, as Chinas economy is growing rapidly, many international corporations see Hong Kong as a gateway to China (Lee 98). China opens its door to the world in the mid-1980s, Hong Kong has firstly became as an entrepot, and now becomes the middleperson between Chi na and the world. Entrepot is defined as a centre at which goods are received for subsequent distribution (Entrepot). In order to keep the current position as the middleperson and the gateway of China, English is more important than ever. Moreover, using English as MoI can train students to think in the language and use as a lingua franca, so that they can easily adapt the western cultures and beliefs (Ng 5). Lingua franca is any form of language serving as a means of communication between speakers of different languages (Lingua franca). That can make international corporations to enter Hong Kong at ease because citizens are already exposed to the western cultures and thoughts. Second, English as MoI is critical to student career prospective. In the competitive city like Hong Kong, higher foreign language ability, for example, English can ensure a secured employment and financial future for the students (Lee 25). As mentioned above, Hong Kong is an international city, and English is used as MoI in university, it is crucial for students to use English as MoI. When the mother-tongue education policy is compulsorily implemented, some parents broke into tears that their children cannot go to those English schools (Lee 26). Apart from that, university lecturers from the City University of Hong Kong also complained that students English ability is weak, sometimes the situation makes lecturers difficult to communicate with their fellow students and explore new ideas with their students (Flowerdew, Li ,and Miller 213). As a whole, this can dampen the knowledge that students receive, and affect the creditability of the Hong Kong university graduates. Flowerdew, Li, and Miller quoted from different surveys that secondary school students, university students, and teaching professionals are prone to English as MoI (qtd. in Pennington and Yue; Hylan; Lin et al.; Richard, Tung, and Ng). Lau, a secondary school English department chair also indicated English is important for students future in the long-run. Therefore, Hong Kong government should use English as MoI in secondary and post-secondary education. Third, English is an international language. International language is described as a language that can achieve a genuinely global status, when it develops a special role that is recognized in every country (Nunan 590). English is a lingua franca because it is widely used in world politics, telecommunications, business, mass media, technology, and education (Shen 113). For international relations, there are 85 percent of the world organizations using English. For popular music, 99 percent of the work is in English (Shen 113). In order to broaden students horizons, education in Hong Kong should be used in English as MoI. By broadening their horizons, students learning can be enhanced. On the contrary, there are challenges on using English as MoI. Although English as MoI benefits students, first language teaching is the most effective way to learn (Suen). First language is defined as the first language that an individual learns, also known as L1 (First language). On the other hand, using English as MoI will create the rising of elitism which refers to a description of attitudes that are ascribed to a higher social class, or to anyone in a superordinate position (elitism; Flowerdew, Li, and Miller). Hong Kong is well-known for its social strata gap. According to the Gini index, which is an index measures the degree of inequality in the distribution of family income in a country, Hong Kong has ranked in 17 among 135 countries, and Hong Kong has the highest rank among developed nations (Distribution of family income- Gini index). If English again has been enforced as the MoI, the gap between the rich and the poor will be widened, and the situation will create social u nrest. Despite the fact that English as MoI has its disadvantages, its benefits still outweigh the disadvantages. Hong Kong educational system should be used English as the Medium of Instruction not only in secondary and post-secondary schools, but also in elementary schools or even pre-schools. Hong Kong government should examine ways to develop English as the L1 for their citizens, and they should learn the experience from Singapore (Ng). Hong Kong government should also maintain a consistent and sustainable education system. As I have said, Hong Kong has shifted its educational system at least twice over the past 10 years. In order to produce a knowledgeable workforce, a stable system should be used. Before making any changes to the educational system, Hong Kong government should examine the pros and cons of the changes to the educational system thoroughly and publish the policy in a more transparent way. Format: MLA/ Word Count: 1484 Work Cited Ash, Robert. Hong Kong in Transition: One Country, Two Systems. Taylor Francis, 2002. My Library. Web.20 Nov. 2010 Choi, Po King. The best students will learn English: ultra-utilitarianism and linguistic imperialism in education in post-1997 Hong Kong. Journal of Education Policy 18.6 (2003): 673-694. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 22 Nov. 2010. Distribution of family income Gini index. CIA World Factbook. Washington: CIA, 2009. Credo Reference. Web. 06 Dec. 2010. elitism. The Blackwell Dictionary of Political Science. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, 1999. Credo Reference. Web. 12 Dec. 2010. entrepot. The Penguin Dictionary of Economics. London: Penguin, 2003. Credo Reference. Web. 12 Dec. 2010. first language. A Dictionary of Sociolinguistics. Edinburg: Edinburgh University Press, 2004. Credo Reference. Web. 12 Dec. 2010. Flowerdew, John, David Li, and Lindsay Miller. Attitudes Towards English and Cantonese Among Hong Kong Chinese University Lecturers. TESOL Quarterly 32.2 (1998): 201-31. ERIC. EBSCO. Web. 22 Nov. 2010. Distribution of family income Gini index. CIA World Factbook. Washington: CIA, 2009. Credo Reference. Web. 12 December 2010. Gow, Lyn, and Others And. The Effects of English Language Ability on Approaches to Learning. RELC Journal: A Journal of Language Teaching and Research in Southeast Asia 22.1 (1991): 49-68. ERIC. EBSCO. Web. 22 Nov. 2010. Hong Kong. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica 2009 Ultimate Reference Suite.   Chicago:  Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2009. Ingham, Michael. Hong Kong: A Cultural History. Oxford University Press USA, 2007. Web. 19 Nov. 2010. Language (Hong Kong). Encyclopedia of Post-Colonial Literatures in English. London: Routledge, 2005. Credo Reference. Web. 09 Dec. 2010. Lau, Tony.   My philosophy and reflections regarding English Language education KLA.   Hong Kong: Tak Sun Secondary School, 2003. Web. Lee, Tony Tung Kiu.   The debate on change of medium of instruction in Hong Kong secondary schools.   Diss. University of Toronto (Canada), 2003. Dissertations Theses: Full Text, ProQuest. Web. 12 Dec. 2010. lingua franca. A Dictionary of Sociolinguistics. Edinburg: Edinburgh University Press, 2004. Credo Reference. Web. 12 Dec. 2010. medium of instruction (MoI). A Dictionary of Sociolinguistics. Edinburg: Edinburgh University Press, 2004. Credo Reference. Web. 21 Nov. 2010. Meyer, David R.. Hong Kong as a Global Metropolis. Cambridge Studies in Historical Geography. Cambridge University Press, 2000. My library. Web. 20 Nov. 2010. Ng, Eng Hen. Ministry of Education, Singapore: Speeches. Singapore Government, 17 August 2008. Web. 20 Nov. 2010. Nunan, David. The Impact of English as a Global Language on Educational Policies and Practices in the Asia-Pacific Region. TESOL Quarterly: A Journal for Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages and of Standard English as a Second Dialect 37.4 (2003): 589-613. ERIC. EBSCO. Web. 9 Dec. 2010. Shen, Qi. Globalization of English and English Language Policies in East Asia: a Comparative perspective. Canadian Social Science 5.3 (2009): 111-120. Canadian Reference Centre. EBSCO. Web. 22 Nov. 2010. Suen, Michael. EDB- Speeches and Articles by Security for Education. The Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region , 16 Feb. 2009. Web. 21 Nov. 2010. Tsang, Steve. A Modern History of Hong Kong. London ; New York : I.B. Tauris, 2003. Net Library. Web. 21 Nov. 2010. Tsui, Amy B. M., et al. Which Agenda? Medium of Instruction Policy in Post-1997 Hong Kong. Language, Culture, and Curriculum 12.3 (1999): 196-214. MLA International Bibliography. EBSCO. Web. 12 Dec. 2010. Yau, Elaine. HKIEd tunes in to the fine-tuning of English language presentation. South China Morning Post 17 Jan. 2009. General OneFile. Web. 21 Nov.2010.

Ambush :: essays research papers

The short story â€Å"Ambush† by Tim O’Brien is a story about a young American soldier, O’Brien, in the Vietnam War. While on watch O’Brien spots a young enemy soldier approaching his position. He throws a grenade and kills the young man. Years later O’Brien’s is faced with the decision of answering his daughter when she asks him if he ever killed anyone in the war. Not only was killing the man a tough decision, but now O’Brien must answer his daughter. Ultimately he lies to her and I think that is the correct choice in that situation. O’Brien’s daughter is only nine years old when she asks her father that painful question. I believe that the taking of someone else’s life is such a life changing event that it should only be discussed by mature adults. If O’Brien chooses to tell his daughter the truth when she is older, that is okay; that is what I would do. Later in his life O’Brien thinks back and tries to sort out the mixed up issues of the foggy dawn in Vietnam. Sometimes he believe that the young man would have just kept walking and never seen him, but sometimes he believes he did the right thing and forgives himself. Although I don’t know any war veterans, and I have never killed anyone, there was an event in my life similar to the one in this story. When I was in third grade my dad was electrocuted and actually was clinically dead. He was later revived and when my mom talked to him the hospital he told her some far out things. She has briefly mentioned some of them to me throughout my life, but I

What Is Psychology? :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In today’s fast paced society many people have a tough time dealing with their problems, this is where the psychologist comes into play. Psychology by definition is, the science dealing with the mind and the mental and emotional processes. A lot of times, the psychologist will use the scientific method in finding a diagnosis for the patient. They will determine if they see a pattern, make a hypothesis and make conclusions to help the end result. I feel that psychology has an excellent claim to being called a science. The human brain is so complex, we need to definitely study it so we in turn can find out more about our creator.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  From a Christian perspective, I feel that psychology has its benefits; however if the psychologist thinks that he/she is solving all of the problems is totally wrong. God put them in a position where they could help others fix their problems; if they misuse that power they are basically betraying God. On the other hand, understanding why God made our minds the way he did will only give us a better understanding of him. When God created us he gave us intelligence so that we could have a personal relationship with him. As Christians it should be one of our goals to find out more about this branch of science. Thus, I feel overall that psychology has a major potential to help us understand what it really means to be totally committed to Christ.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When looking at the other sciences, the â€Å"hard† sciences tend to use more physical proof then patterns discovered. Science by definition is the state of fact or knowledge. To leave science that wide open would be a mistake. That is why we see the many different divisions of science. Though each has a different area of study, they all do form one giant puzzle. Scientists in every field use some sort of scientific method to solve their problems. If they didn’t relate, we would see many contradictions between all the sciences.

Mongols †How Barbaric Were the “Barbarians? Essay

The Mongols began to lift to power under the great Genghis Khan. and during the thirteenth century they created the largest imperium in history. The Mongols during the 1300s were really known. and feared by many. it was about rare to happen countries that hadn’t heard of the Mongols. These â€Å"barbarians† ruled over many countries. expanded across about all of Asia ; and killed 1000000s of people wherever they went. Mongols ruthlessly slaughtered many people. and used many tactics to guarantee their triumph. The Mongols had built such a repute that some countries would give up without seting up a battle. while others formed ground forcess of 1000s with their best arms and work forces ; but all were crushed one time the Mongols arrived. The Mongols were pitiless slayers and reduced the populations of countries greatly. caused people’s lives to be ruined ; and were non even mentioned in the history of certain countries. because of the atrocious things they caused . But despite all these things the â€Å"barbarians† caused. they besides helped many countries to develop ; and better trade and many other factors. Mongolians are pitiless slayings who didn’t head in killing others. and were known for butchering 1000000s people in history. They even severed the caputs of work forces. adult females. and kids where they conquered. and even made separate hemorrhoids for them. As described by Ata-Malik Juvaini. Mongols would kill everything in towns including animate beings so there was no 1 left ( Doc. Tocopherol ) . Peoples would enter the sum of people the Mongols killed. and some weren’t even able to do out a specific figure because of how much the Mongols killed! Even Iranian manuscripts that were found illustrated work forces being buried alive. and Mongols hiting work forces invariably with their pointers ( Doc. F ) . This illustrates how pitiless the Mongols were. and the atrocious things and ways they killed people were done. In add-on. John of Piano Carpini stated the different tactics used by Mongol. which allowed them to take over fortresses with their ghastly tactics ( Doc. D ) . One of many things the Mongols did. was take the fat of people they killed. run it. and catapult it onto houses and fortresses. â€Å"And wherever the fire falls on this fat it is about inextinguishable. † The Mongols would even flim-flam people into give uping and take the people they want. and so kill the remainder with an axe. As a consequence. the Mongols gained the repute they did. as pitiless work forces who plundered through metropoliss killing everyone along the manner. But there is ever another side to every narrative including this 1. and these savages were non every bit â€Å"barbaric† as they were described. but besides helped societies develop and make a foundation for their hereafter. The Mongols are non credited plenty for the good things that they did. every bit much as the bad things that they did. And if you were to weigh the good and bad workss they committed. the bad workss would non outweigh the good. and the graduated table wouldn’t topple over. but alternatively ; it would about equilibrate out. It is true the Mongols killed 1000s of people and destroyed countries. but as clip went on. the Mongols increased the economic systems of countries. became more tolerant. and even blended in with other societies. The Mongols would non hold been able to accomplish this if they didn’t conquer all the countries they did. and although they made many forfeits along the manner ; the Mongols managed to prevail over the largest country conquered in history. and at the same clip better and raise the population in these countries ( Doc. A ) . Furthermore. one illustration of something good the Mongols did. was aid better the economic systems of countries ; par ticularly Persia and China. Described by Charles J. Halperin. Mongols in Yuan China continued the Grand Canal which improved transit and communicating with other countries. ( Doc. J ) . This helped increase trade which allowed many people to derive new merchandises and go wealthier. lending to their economic system. In add-on. this was really of import to people in China and to other countries. because the Mongols had united China ; which had many merchandises it would so portion with the universe. Particularly the silk from China became popular. and the Iranian silk industry greatly benefitted China opening up to the remainder of the â€Å"world. † The Mongols non merely increased trade in countries. but besides stopped offenses and larceny in many states as stated by Paul Ratchnevsky ( Doc. K ) . It was said that people who lived under Mongol regulation did non even have locks or bolt on their carts or houses because of how safe the environment was. The Mongols made certain it was safe everyplace. and one time the people abided by the regulations ; they would non be punished. More so. a papers compiled by Marco Polo. described the system of couriers and how organized it was ( Doc. L ) . There were stations set up. and the Mongols built roads so couriers and travellers could travel from topographic point to put easy. Each station had Equus caballuss specially for the couriers. and there were even ferry’s to traverse over H2O. This displays how the Mongols non merely killed and conquered people. that they were besides capable of puting up organized systems and build roads. Furthermore. Mongols besides had tolerance for different faiths. and even took involvement in them. For illustration. William of Rubruck composed a papers of Mongke Khan who was a Mongol swayer. funny of other faiths ( Doc. M ) . Mongke sent his Scribe who told the people which included Christians. Buddhists and Muslims. to come together and organize a conference ; and compose down what they say so Mongke can â€Å"know the truth. † The work forces did as they were told. and Mongke did non state they were incorrect. but alternatively he stated that the Mongols believe in one God. â€Å"But merely as God gave different fingers to the manus so has he given different ways to work forces. † This illustrates how the Mongols did non knock others for following their faith. but accepted their beliefs and still stuck to their ain. allowing them live their lives. The Mongols were viewed as ruthless slayers who slaughtered 1000000s of people with no clemency. and caused many metropoliss to die. Although Mongols committed many horrific Acts of the Apostless which will ne'er be forgotten. it is besides of import to take in history the good things these â€Å"barbarians† did. The Mongols helped better the economic systems in countries. promote trade which allowed societies to farther develop and modernize. Mongols besides created many systems and roads which increased communications with other countries. and caused cultural diverseness. Many missionaries set out to change over others since it was easier to go. and they succeeded ; particularly in China. Therefore. the Mongols were barbarous liquidators and were feared by many because of the atrocious things they did. But it would non be valid to state they merely did bad things. because they impacted history in a positive manner excessively ; and these â€Å"barbarians† helped socie ties further develop. overhaul. turn in wealth. size. and make a political system for the hereafter which is still used today.

Information Policies in Organizations

The information age has brought about rapid changes to the ways in which businesses conduct day to day operations. Although this move to electronic commerce has resulted in extraordinary advantages in terms of speed and cost-effectiveness of business, it also presents new challenges in the workplace. The information that is available to everyone on the internet, and more particularly to individuals within an organization is far greater now than it was just a few years ago. Despite the obvious advantages of this forward movement of technology, it creates a severe problem with control of information. Whereas organizational information in the past would typically follow a formal chain of command or an informal office communication network, it can now be passed around the world in milliseconds over the internet. Implementing and maintaining a set of checks and balances to ensure that e-mail and other means of electronic communication are used only in an acceptable manner can prove to be a difficult, time-consuming and costly endeavor. Therefore it is critical for any organization to establish policies and procedures for dealing with these problems in order to ensure the company is not faced with a liability problem for the distribution of indecent, harassing or protected information. A good starting point for an organization to try to minimize exposure to these sort of problems is by defining what is and what is not acceptable use of e-mail and other office communication systems. Policies and procedures can then be developed around this definition. Acceptable use is defined as the use of e-mail and other company information systems for business purposes. The policies and procedures regarding acceptable use must be in writing and be communicated to all the employees of the organization. A written policy should include some of the following the key elements which are necessary for a typical organization entering the information age. Define what is and is not appropriate use of company communication systems. This definition must be congruent with other company policies. For example, it should outline what is considered to be offensive or harassing material and the policy should clearly state that the company lines of communication are not to be used to distribute this sort of material. Furthermore, this definition should be all-inclusive in that it must cover all types of potential problems; from discrimination, to individuals personal information rights. The reason this is so critical is because this definition will form the framework of the company's information policy and will therefore be the critical legal element which stands to prevent these potential problems and serves to protect the company from liability should problems occur regardless of existing policies. In order to protect the company further from exposure to legal action, the formal policy must also include the procedure that employees can follow should their rights be infringed upon. Not only should victims of e-mail harassment or discrimination be encouraged to come forward and report the problem, they must also be assured that the company will not let such action affect the employee in any negative way. Otherwise the organization is leaving themselves open to allegations of covering up or failing to follow through on employee complaints. The policy must state that such reports will be kept in the strictest confidence and that victim is free to report an incident to someone other than their direct supervisor if necessary. Generating the confidence necessary for someone to come forward with allegations of harassment involving misuse of company information systems can be improved by clearly stating in the company policy that each complaint will be investigated thoroughly. Although the previous policies may foster openness with regard to reporting problems in the organization, they do not do a great deal to prevent the problem. Therefore it is crucial that the policy state the legal implications for everyone involved in such an incident. This portion of the policy should state that victims will be free from retaliatory actions from management and other employees and that those responsible for investigation will keep all information as confident as possible and conduct the investigation as objectively as possible. Most importantly however, the consequences for those who are guilty of causing the problems must be clearly outlined. Prompt and decisive disciplinary action should be administered as soon as anyone in the company is found guilty of wrongdoing. It would be foolish for management to expect that such a policy would exempt the organization from minor complaints or even large scale law suits resulting from information systems misuse. It is necessary for organizations to educate their employees on the proper use company communication systems and it is best to do this at the initial orientation phase of an employees career. Since most companies hire on a continual basis, it would be tedious to train new employees using a standard lecture method. The use of programmed instruction and computer based training can help to alleviate this problem through the use of pre-programmed software specific to the companies needs. This sort of training would save time by introducing new employees to standard procedures such as logging on and conducting daily communications. Computer based training can also make reference to company policy and procedure including rights of victims and consequences of those guilty of misuse. A self-administered computer based training program can be developed using standard office applications such as Microsoft Office and can be generated by a knowledgeable user in just a few days. This type of training program must be supplemented by a hardcopy of standard rules and procedures for use of company e-mail and also include a copy of the company's policy as previously outlined. Each new employee would be required to complete the self-administered training program and to sign a copy of the company's polices and procedures before receiving e-mail authorization. Once in place, this programmed instruction can be further modified to include guidelines for storing classified documents and messages. Certain information that is passed through company information lines is not intended to go outside of the organization and it is important for management to make sure all employees are aware that they are responsible for protecting company information. Computer based training can also teach new employees how to manage their e-mail files so that important messages are stored in a received file in which only that employee can access with their personal password. It is very difficult to ensure all employees follow e-mail polices and procedures, particularly if the company's computers have internet access and can sent e-mail to outside organizations from within the company. Periodically reminding staff about the sensitive nature of company information and frequent changing of passwords can help to prevent distribution of important information to those with no need or right to the information. In the case of highly sensitive documents, it is possible to arrange communication networks so that the important documents or data can only be accessed on certain computer terminals. This will allow the company to install firewalls, which can be useful for guarding the integrity of the information.

Critical Thinking Discussion and Summary Essay

I don’t know if there is a universal correct definition of critical thinking. I think this a very individualistic tool used by humans to break down different problems and situations and the best way to go about coming up with the best resolution in a non-biased manner. Gathering a thought process that is reasonable and with demeanor. This is simply how I would personally define critical thinking. Thinking things over more than once, second guessing yourself here and there, seeing things from multiple perspectives, and most importantly thinking if your thoughts would be different from the other side of an argument or situation. I think critical thinking is important for us to fully understand ourselves and our situations as well as others and their situations. Critical thinking is considering multiple angles and viewpoints and trying to understand them and where they come from, as well as why they exist. In my life personally, critical thinking has always been something I would like to think I’ve had due to being raised in a very diverse atmosphere and a very diverse community. I’ve seen racism towards more than one race, I’ve seen both sides of different biases, and I have lived in a small town closed minded community as well as the middle of a large densely populated city. It makes you think differently than most around you. It seems like you feel differently than most around you. There isn’t much that surprises you so there aren’t many situations that you are uncomfortable in. You think before you act, you think before you speak, and you take time and consideration to realize the type of environment you are in and the people you are surrounded by. Things like this don’t go through every young person’s mind before acting or speaking. You slow down, you react calmer, and you try not to get too high or too low. From this course I don’t think I’m looking for how to think critically as much as why some of us do think critically and some of us don’t. I think I’m looking for more reasoning for the differential than a definition of critical thinking.

Puppu

You know I have been wanting a puppy for almost a year now!!! I have been working my butt off to try and earn one, I have tried everything but you wont budge I Just don't know what I need to do. Whenever mom is gone I'm the one that takes care of the pets and I am responsible and you both know it I put a lot of effort into things I love. For example, I am doing a lot better in soccer now that I love it, and eating food and a lot more. I know puppies are a lot of work especially since we already have a dog. When I have to get up in the middle of the night to take it out to go potty.I know u think I wont do that cause I never get up for school, but I don't enjoy school that much so why would you want to interrupt your sleeping to do something that you don't LOVE I mea school Is k I always get up right away when we have to leave should be able to get one The dog will help me to be more responsible The dog can be a companion for the whole family Taking the dog on walks will give me more exercise and be able to get outdoors more Dogs are therapeutic, especially during sad or lonely times. A dog is a friend that will always be there to cheer you up.And I know our family needs that a lot when you guys yell or I do something wrong They are Like people who understand what you're saying and they know when Just to lick you and lay down right next to you and Just sit there and let you pet them until you feel better. I will clean up after It and teach It tricks and train it I wont be on my phone or watching T. V. Or on the computer because I will be busy with the dog I would stop nagging on you and arguing with you I will try and pay for it Now that we are moving we have a backyard with a fence and I still remember to this ay that you said that â€Å"once we get a fence you can have another dog'.The fence will keep him and we can easily watch it while it runs around and plays and goes potty. I did some research and this is what I learned. The Golden Retrievers' intelligenc e makes them versatile, allowing them to fill a variety of roles, Including gulled dog for the blind, hearing dog for the deaf, hunting dog,illegal drug detector, and search and rescue participant. Because of their loyal and gentle temperament, Golden Retrievers are also popular family pets. Golden Retrievers possess friendly, eager-to-pleaseUnited States, the fifth most popular in Australia and the eighth most popular in the United Kingdom The temperament of the Golden Retriever is a hallmark of the breed, and is described in the standard as â€Å"kindly, friendly and confident†. Golden Retrievers make good family pets, particularly as they are patient with children. They are not â€Å"one man dogs† and are generally equally amiable with both strangers and those familiar to them. Their trusting, gentle disposition makes them a poor guard dog.Any form of unprovoked aggression or hostility towards either people, dogs or there animals, whether in the show ring or communi ty, is considered unacceptable in a Golden Retriever and is not in keeping with the character of the breed. Nor should a Golden Retriever be unduly timid or nervous. The typical Golden Retriever is calm, naturally intelligent and biddable, with an exceptional eagerness to please. One of the brightest dogs ranked by obedience-command tractability. ) Other characteristics related to their hunting heritage are a size suited for scrambling in and out of boats and an inordinate love for water. Golden Retrievers are exceptionally trainable?due to their intelligence, athleticism and desire to please their handlers?and excel in obedience trials. They are also very competitive in agility and other performance events. Harsh training methods are unnecessary, as Golden Retrievers often respond very well to positive and upbeat training styles. Golden Retrievers require regular grooming and an occasional bath.They should be groomed at least once a week, and every day during heavy shedding. They s hould be bathed every two months. Their coats shed somewhat during the year, but are known to heed profusely twice a year. They also need to have their ears cleaned regularly, or ear infections might occur. While shedding is unavoidable, frequent grooming (daily to weekly) lessens the amount of hair shed by the animal. Severe shedding resulting in bald patches can be indicative of stress or sickness in a Golden Retriever.That was my research but I did a lot more ask me any question and I will answer it correctly. Now that we are moving into this new house there is more room for two dogs. I know taking care of a puppy is a lot of responsibility but I need that challenge. I have been reading a lot about how to train and how to potty train your new puppy I have read books and researched it too and I know it will poop and pee on the carpet but I will potty train it, heck it might even come potty trained but I am dead set on getting a golden retriever I will do anything.This dog will be mine, my responsibility mine to train, feed ,give it love,take for walks,provide and care for. I need something a pet pr Just something like this dog that will love me for what I am and when I am in trouble or did something very wrong, have a bad day at school and need it to love me hen I'm sad. Maybe my puppy will be the glue for all the broken pieces in our family , it will mend the family back into one like it used to be.I know we are in the process of moving right now and I would be able to take care of it AND actually help move pack everything up help organize do chores outside WITHOUT arguing or sassing back or being disrespectful and doing everything the first time you guys ask. If I really want something I can have the right mind set and I can get it done. I know you both feel you will end up having to take care of it but I will take care of it f my own to call it mine and have my puppy love me a lot. I have found a couple people that we can get them from in our price range. It would really mean a lot to me if I got one I will trade my phone, pad and T. V. In for a puppy I will never let you guys down and I will never not care for it. 🙂 All I want is a puppy a golden retriever puppy to call my own. I know they don't stay puppies forever, they will grow up to become dogs and I promise always to take care of it. I will sleep on the floor with only a blanket for the rest of the I live here. Every mourning I will wake up take it out to go to he bathroom brush it give it exercise and go to school come home and take it out for a walk do my homework then play with it more.I know I will need both of you guys help to take it out to go to the bathroom when at school and that does take a lot, but know that school is almost over I will have all summer to train it and keep it company and do everything. I know right now isn't the time to ask for a puppy but I have good grades but I have been very disrespectful and mean and Just not a good child and you guys probably feel like you shouldn't do anything for me right now which is exactly how you should feel but think of the good things I have AR points good grades am doing good in soccer and have been VERY responsible.I will do anything for this puppy I really will and it would mean everything to me it would show how much you love me and care and have confidence in me. I have showed that I am responsible with dogs when I fostered Rocco and Rudy and I tried very hard to do everything I could for them. Thank you very much for reading this I really hope you know how much this means to me truly and I love you. 🙂