King Arthur Literary Analysis Essay Example for Free

King Arthur Literary Analysis Essay The name King Arthur appears throughout a countless amount of literature, stories, cinema, and legend. King Arthur has always been a long-standing icon of heroism, and heroism is a theme mankind takes pleasure in romanticizing. Arthurian Romance is the classic example of good versus evil, knights in shining armor, forbidden love, and sorcery; the basic elements of a romanticized tale. And in a dark time where religion clashed, empires fought in epic battles, and the people of Britain suffered from poverty and disease, Arthurian legend was needed to lift the spirits of the hopeless. Arthurian Romance is an accurate portrayal of the time period better known as the Medieval Ages because it takes the woes and misfortunate events of that time and twists them into a heroic soap opera full of love, tragedy, and triumph. The Medieval Ages began around 476 AD, when the Roman emperor of the West abdicated. The period ends in the late fifteenth century with the discovery of the New World. During this period, different nations conquered and collapsed, society changed, and religion was further divided. During the Middle Ages, the Holy Roman Empire had begun an effort to occupy Britain. They wanted to drive out the Anglo-Saxons and convert the Pagans to Catholicism. A long lasting relic of Roman involvement in Britain is Hadrian’s Wall, which was a heavily fortified wall running west to east and was probably used to keep barbarian tribes out and regulate trade and passage into Romano-Britain territory. Along with military involvement, Rome also spread Catholicism to a Pagan Britain. Catholicism involves a hierarchy of religious leaders, with the Pope at the top. There are also bishops, priests, monks, and nuns who are apart of the clergy. Other than the clergy, Medieval society was composed of nobles, knights and serfs. Nobles commonly owned fiefs, an estate of land, and the serfs who worked there. Knights were employed to guard the fief and fight wars with other nobles. This was called Feudalism. When nobles declared a war on each other, many different warfare tactics were used to take down castles. Siege warfare was common, in which scaling ladders, battering rams, siege towers and catapults were utilized in order to enter a fortress. Infantry included archers and cavalry, and there was a broad assortment of weapons used; daggers, long swords, crossbows, throwing axes, clubs, maces, halberds, lances, and many more. While knights commonly fought for a noble or king, a group of fearsome knights known as the Templar Knights fought in the crusades for religious conquest. The Templar Knights are associated with King Arthur’s quest for the Holy Grail, and some of the knights of the round table are portrayed wearing a large red cross on their breastplate (which is the symbol of the Templar Knights). Knights were also involved with jousting. Jousting was a martial game between two knights mounted on horses and using lances. This was often part of a chivalrous tournament or used as a military tactic of heavily armed cavalry. Knights and nobles also were encompassed in courtly love, a conception of nobly and chivalrously expressing love and admiration. Courtly love often did not take place between a husband and wife. Instead, a man would shower another woman in gifts and symbols of his love to her and they would keep their affair secret. A famous example of courtly love is the affair between Lancelot du Lac and Queen Guinevere. The Middle Ages had many lows. Many people associate these times with the Black Plague or the Bubonic Plague. When the Mongols from the east attacked Europe, they brought with them a terrible disease that wiped out about 138 million people. Also during the Middle Ages, there was decrease in scholarly thinking and the quality of art. Religion is blamed for stunting the growth of new ideas and inventions. In fact, religion is the overlying cause for many of the events of the Medieval Ages. The greatest dispute over religion was the East-West Schism that split Christianity into the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church. This split was born from disputes over whether the Pope could marry and iconoclasm (similar to worshipping false idols) and the use of local languages in church. They were even in dispute regarding the nature of God. The Crusades were another religious dispute. The Crusades were military campaigns undertaken by European Christians of the eleventh through the fourteenth centuries to take other the Holy Land and convert Muslims to Christianity. The First Crusade was a response to the Seljuk Turks conquering the â€Å"Holy Land† (present-day Israel and Palestine). However, most of these conquests were failures and achieved nothing except for interactions with the Arab world (in both beneficial and devastating ways). Lastly, there was the Inquisition. This was a formalized interrogation and persecution process of heretics (including satanic or witch-like behavior). Punishment for people suspected of heresy was torture and execution. The Church in the Middle Ages is clearly an influential factor of these times. The Medieval Ages also saw quite a bit of political changes. The Carolingian, established by Charles Martel, ruled present-day France, Belgium, Germany and Northern Italy. His grandson, Charlemagne established the Holy Roman Empire. In the North, Vikings and other Scandinavian became notorious for raiding Roman Catholic monasteries. In France, Vikings were referred to as Normans. They conquered Anglo-Saxon England in 1066. As mentioned before, Feudalism was the social, political, and economic system of the Middle Ages. England became a feudalistic society because there was not a unifying force bringing the people together. Many claims to the throne of all Britain were made, which is actually the premise of the King Arthur legend. Nobles and Kings owned land and had armies of Knights who pledged a code of chivalry to them. This was an honor system that strongly condemned betrayal and promoted mutual respect. In the Feudal society, only males could inherit the land. The land was passed down through primogeniture (to the eldest son). Noblewomen had limited rights. They could sometimes inherit fiefs but could not rule it. Noblewomen were only educated in domestic skills and were supposed to display feminine traits such as compassion and beauty. Peasants, male or female, had almost no rights. They couldn’t leave the manor without the permission of their lord. Over time, serfs (peasants) developed skills other than farming and slowly created a middle class that led Europe into the Renaissance. In the long run, all of these characteristics of the Medieval Ages are incorporated in the vast collection of Arthurian Romance. In the 1975 King Arthur Parody â€Å"Monty Python and The Holy Grail†, there is a scene that describes Arthur quite perfectly. In the scene, Arthur is traveling in a Feudal manor and comes across peasants working in a field outside of a castle. He asks a woman, â€Å"I am Arthur, King of the Britons. Whose castle is that? † The peasant woman looks up and asks, â€Å"King of the who? † Arthur repeats himself to which she replies, â€Å"Who are the Britons? † Arthur, stumped by her ignorance, tells her, â€Å"Well, we all are. We’re all Britons and I am your king. † The peasant woman shrugs and says, â€Å"I didn’t know we had a king. I thought we were an autonomous collective! † They argue about this for a moment and then the woman asked, â€Å"Well, how did you become king then? † Arthur dramatically respond with, â€Å"The Lady of the Lake, her arm clad in the purest shimmering samite, held aloft Excalibur from the bosom of the water signifying by Divine Providence that I, Arthur, was to carry Excalibur. That is why I am your king! † Another peasant nearby shouts, â€Å"Listen strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony! † The meaning of the scene is that at the time King Arthur was created as a legend to legitimize the unifying king of Britain that would pull the people out of the Dark Ages. The punch line is that the land was so divided from feudalism and nobles trying to claim a non-existent throne that no one really took anyone seriously. However, Arthurian Romance became the bedtime story born out of the fantastical notion that Britain could be amalgamated into a strong empire. But let’s start at the beginning of the Arthurian legend. In most legends, Uther Pendragon is portrayed as Arthur’s father and Igraine as his mother. In Sir Thomas Malory’s The Crowning of King Arthur, the prophet Merlin helps a love-stricken Uther get with Igraine for a night. Arthur is born, but part of the agreement with Merlin was to have Arthur raised by another. Many years pass in which Arthur does not know his own nobility until he by chance, pulls the famous sword in the stone (the legend goes: â€Å"Who so Pulleth Out This Sword of this Stone and Anvil, is Rightwise King Born of all England. † (Malory, 1069)). Young Arthur accepts his role as King and unites Britain, defeats the Saxons, and establishes Camelot. In the first fictional story of Arthur’s life (Historia Regum Britanniae (History of the kings of Britain) by Geoffrey of Monmouth), Arthur is placed into a post-Roman Britain. Geoffrey uses the same fable of Arthur’s birth through the deception of Igraine. In this legend, Arthur also defeats the Saxons but he also expands his empire to Norway, Denmark and Gaul, and defeats Roman armies in order to do this. In the end, Arthur returns to Britain to defeat his nephew Modredus (Mordred) who was left in charge of Britain but betrayed Arthur. Arthur is mortally wounded, taken to Avalon and it is implied he passed away. Arthurian legend, however, is not only about Arthur. There are many huge characters in the stories. One widely known knight is Sir Lancelot du Lac. Lancelot is a tragic figure in Arthurian Romance. He was a Knight of the Round Table and one of King Arthur’s closest friends. His tragedy is that he was in love with Arthur’s wife, Guinevere. Lancelot was the son of the King Ban on Benwick and Elaine, but he was raised by the Lady of the Lake (â€Å"du lac† actually means â€Å"the lake†). The Lady of the Lake sent Lancelot off to become a Knight of the Round Table. In doing so, he meets and instantly falls in love with Guinevere. Their affair ultimately proves to be destructive. Lancelot is actually tricked by Elaine of Corbenic and sleeps with her, thinking it is Guinevere. When Guinevere hears of this, she is repulsed and banishes Lancelot. Later, Lancelot returns to assist Arthur in the quest for the Holy Grail. Other characters in Arthurian legend are Merlin and Morgaine. Merlin is sometimes a prophet, sometimes a magician, and always an advisor to King Arthur. Merlin’s earliest character depiction was as a bard driven mad by the terrors of war, who become a â€Å"man of the woods†. However, Geoffrey of Monmouth based his Merlin on Myrddin Wyllt (a prophet and a madman) and Aurelius Ambrosius (a fictional version of the historical war leader Ambrosius Aurelianus. Morgaine (also Morgan le Fay) is a sorceress in Arthurian legend. She is the half-sister of Arthur and the daughter of Igraine. In both The Mists of Avalon (Marion Zimmer Bradley) and The Vulgate Cycle (13th century French prose) tell of how Morgaine lives in Avalon (mystical island in Arthurian legend) and trains under Merlin and the Lady of the Lake. Again in the Mists of Avalon, Morgaine is credited with having an unknown affair with Arthur. She gives birth to Mordred, who, in the end, turns out to be the enemy and murderer of King Arthur. In Arthurian Romance, King Arthur’s court is called Camelot. Camelot is where the Knights of the Round Table dwell and it is described as being a utopian land of beauty and peace. Throughout literature, Camelot has been located in many different areas of Britain, giving it no grounded location. An easy way to understand the basic ideology of Camelot, one can compare the presidency of John F.  Kennedy to the term Camelot. His presidency was regarded as a guarantee for a successful future, just like King Arthur gave Britain hope and unification. Kennedy’s assassination is like the fall of Arthur in that both had short lasting but wonderful terms in power that set the bar high for the future. Ultimately, these characters and concepts stem from Medieval life and paint a portrait of what the goals of Middle Age rulers wanted for society at the time. All Arthurian Romance contains the same specific elements: enchantment, quest, conquest, heroic behavior, utopian society, fatal passion and love. These elements, applied with Medieval life and history, equals a solid Arthurian story. The best example of all of these elements is The Crowning of Arthur from Le Morte d’Arthur (Malory, 1065). In the story, Arthur is conceived through the enchantment Merlin uses on Igraine to trick her into thinking Uther Pendragon is her husband, the Duke. Uther, who is fatally in love with Igraine, makes a deal with Merlin in that he will give the child he and Igraine produce to the wizard. Baby Arthur is taken away and grows up with Sir Ector, whom he grows to love as a father. The next part of the story is about the sword in the stone. In the story, â€Å"many of the nobles tried to pull the sword out the stone† (1069), but failed. When Arthur is sent to find Sir Kay (Ector’s son) a sword, he unknowing grabs the legendary sword from the stone and tugs it free without any effort. When Arthur comes back with the famous sword, everyone is in awe and asks him to demonstrate for them that he really pulled it. To their surprise, it is true. They ask Arthur to assume the role of king and he agrees, establishing the utopian court of Camelot. Le Morte d’Arthur is â€Å"the carefully constructed myth of the rise and fall of a powerful kingdom — a legendary kingdom, but perhaps also, obliquely, the real English kingdom which in Malorys day seemed as surely doomed by its own corruption as the ancient realm of King Arthur† (Cliffs Notes). What this means is that Arthur’s court reflects the realistic courts of actual kings because it eventually falls. The Crowning of Arthur seems naive in that a boy who just so happens to pull a sword from a stone makes him king. In the end, his kingdom falls. Crowning only sets it up. The outcome of the Arthurian Legend is quite similar to the reality of kingdoms in England of the Middle Ages, which proves Arthurian Romance is an accurate portrayal. Another story from Le Morte d’Arthur is called Sir Launcelot du Lake. It is a hectic story about Lancelot’s adventure, kidnapping, and battles with enemy knights. In the story, Lancelot decides he is fed up with his ennui and decides to go out with his nephew, Sir Lyonel. Possibly due to enchantment, Lancelot declares, â€Å"not for seven years have I felt so sleepy† (1074) and he lies down for a nap. When he awakes, he realizes three women have kidnapped him. They tell him he has to pick one of them or face his doom. Lancelot picks his death because his is loyal to his lover, Guinevere. Later, the daughter of King Badgemagus rescues him and in return he gives his services to the king. At the end of the story, Lancelot fights off Kind Badgemagus’ enemies. He displays incredible and fictitious strength when he â€Å"took another spear and unhorsed sixteen more men†¦ King of North Galys’ knight and, with his next, unhorsed another twelve† (1078). This story demonstrates chivalry and heroism, and exaggerates Lancelot’s abilities to fight. Literary critic Charles Moorman says â€Å"much of the Morte d’Arthur is thus concerned with revealing the corrupt reality beneath the fair chivalric surface. † However, Sir Launcelot du Lake contradicts that assumption by merely telling a simple story of a great knight who is loyal to his higher-up and to his lady. The story makes the knights of the Medieval Ages appear to bask in honor, goodness and strength. And in a way, they did in real life. Knights did have a strict code of chivalry as well as total loyalty to their nobles and their lovers. Again, this story gives merit to the fact Arthurian legend portrays Medieval society. The poem The Lady of Shalott by Alfred Lord Tennyson is loose depiction of Arthurian Legend. In the poem, a woman is cursed to live in a tower and watch the world of Camelot from a mirror. â€Å"And moving through a mirror clear; That hangs before her all the year; Shadows of a world appear; There she sees the highway near; Winding down to Camelot† (verses 46 through 50). Then one day she sees Sir Lancelot riding in all his beauty and loveliness, and she decides she wants to leave the tower. The Lady of Shalott â€Å"left the web† (109) and gets into a boat. Unfortunately, she dies and floats on down to Camelot. Muriel Mellown says â€Å"she has chosen contact with Camelot, even at the price of her own destruction. † This quote illustrates that Camelot seemed like such a perfect utopian world that everyone sought its perfection and illustriousness. However, the Lady of Shalott kicks the bucket, similar to the way Camelot eventually falls. All good things never last. Lastly, a more modern and feminist take of Arthurian legend is The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley. In Mists, the story of Arthur is told through the worlds of Morgaine, Arthur’s half-sister. In the excerpt read in class, Morgaine and Arthur are children neglected by their parents. Morgaine realizes her role to be Arthur’s protector, even though she feels disdain towards the child at first. When she says, â€Å"Mother’s gone, she’s with the king, but I’ll take care of you, brother,† (1085), Morgaine displays a bond of love towards her little brother. Morgaine is also depicted as a strong feminine character in both this scene and the entire story. Although â€Å"this book†¦ wasn’t so much a retelling of the Arthurian legend but only a bunch of Arthurian characters sitting around arguing about Christianity and Paganism,† (LaShawn), â€Å"Morgaine’s depiction as a powerful, savvy woman shows her to be the type of woman the feminists would champion as a prime example of what women should aspire to be, in spite of the biases still in place against them† (Ellis). Mists shines a new light and a new perspective on the events of the Medieval Ages, specifically the disputes of religion. It also represents how women did have influence over what happened in the kingdoms. In real life, noblewomen did have influence over the decisions their husbands made, though not legally. The Mists of Avalon yet again portrays a factor of the Medieval Ages. When push comes to shove, Arthurian Romance generally is regarded as a tall tale of a lost era. However, the tales depict a clear portrait of Medieval Life. Tragedy, honor, fatal passion and quest all dwell in the Middle Ages and Arthurian Romance. The characters of Arthurian Romance experience the tragedy of life like real life people and Camelot ends up failing, just like many of the empires and kingdoms of the world. The stories represent the dark times of the Medieval Ages and show that nothing is perfect. Therefore, Arthurian Romance is an accurate portrayal of the Medieval Ages.

Emas Installation At Mangalore Airport Engineering Essay

Emas Installation At Mangalore Airport Engineering Essay YP- Eurocontrol Support any engineering device which helps to mitigate risks associated with runway overrun (Page, 2010). Every proposal that is made to ICAO will be consulted with all member states, where each member state has a role to play in consultation and coordination of any changes with Annex 14. Moreover, aerodrome panel collects decides on any amendments. DH- The main difficulty involved in installing EMAS is not the actual cost of installation, in fact is the question of who funds the actual project?(Quan, 2010). This issue is dealt differently by FAA administer the funding of installations where approved effective through Airport Improvement Programme (AIP). AIP is a program which provides grant to airport operators including private operators to improve their airports safety and efficiency (FAA, 2010b). The money is raised through taxes on airplane ticket sold to public and taxes on aviation fuel. In contrary, many European airports have a privatised nature of ownership and since there is no government funding supporting EMAS. Consequently, it will be purely a commercial business decision for airport abuthorities whether to implement an EMAS or extend their RESA (Eurocontrol, 2010). YP FAA has a legal responsibility to implement safety standards in all US airports in terms of safety regulation as it is both regulator and navigation service provider and in some cases airport operator which enables it to cover whole air traffic management. FAA is not the aircraft operator but it regulates the aircraft operators. In contrary, many airports outside US find it extremely difficult to decide whether to invest in a several million dollars structure which might be never used or instead invest in runway quality improvements and also focusing on stabilise approaches which they seem to be more effective in preventing runway overrun in the first place (Eurocontrol). Currently EMAS installation within RESA is a fragmented scenario particularly in Europe once the entire eventualities are covered (CAA, 2010b). However various aviation authorities are supportive with the idea if aresstor beds as an effective and efficient mitigator (CAA, 2010b; Eurocontrol, 2010b). Moreover EMA S should be taken into consideration in light of other preventative methods. CAA Currently CAA is assisting ICAO with study focused on the touch-down lights particularly for the aerodromes with steep approaches as well as short runways. There will be a proposal to implement a set of lights as it is currently adopted by London City Airport aiming to assist operating crew to initiate a go-around in cases where pilots fail to land within the appropriate touch-down zone (CAA, 2010b). CAA (2010b) suggest that they are contributing to enhance safety margins through a different approach which is to identify risks and accordingly implement preventative measures than investing financially into a infrastructure. However a member of CAA aerodrome safety points out that civil aviation authorities in many European countries are gradually following the footsteps of FAA with regards to promoting safety equipments and procedures. They are starting to introduce themselves not only as a regulator with regards to runway safety which conducts regular aerodromes auditing yet the y are initiating to acknowledge and encourage any safety enhancement within aerodromes. It may be true that they do not have the budget like FAA to support safety projects yet they are offering consultations on variety of options available for each airport to consider which they might be unaware of such solutions, aiming to maximise margins of error. CAA CAA has always proposed and supported the 240m should be the ICAO standard. Meanwhile the idea of EMAS has been part of the recent debate as CAA are currently putting a paper together to propose it to ICAO in October 2010 which they hope it passed through panels and eventually to the Air Navigation Council (ANC) and by the time it reaches this point, it will be mature document with all different agreements from all parties, however the gestation period for these types of processes may take up to 5 years. This is crucial to focus and study the procedures followed by ICAO before making any improvements to annexes, as they operate on the basis of consensus and it generally takes a long times to collects agreements from most if not all member states. CAA According to a runway safety advisor at CAA, who worked with many airports has identied that the concept of capital expenditure in any aerodrome being large, medium or small was revolved around balancing acts between a varieties of competing needs. Moreover, in some airports where there are deficiencies in their RESA, it is still the responsibility of board not the CAA to make the decision which in most cases is the commercial business decision. Unfortunately, there is a deficiency within the current system that suggests at some airports due to lack of financial profitability of some safety projects, the proposed safety enhancement will be compromised with economical issues. YP In case of UK CAA enforcing 240m RESA as a requirement for all UK airports regardless of their size just like FAA might be significantly effective in maximising safety margins yet the social cost of such enforcement on society would be destructive, therefore, it is apparent that it is unlikely to happen due to its unfavourable nature. YP However this is the gap where IATAs adopted policy of implementing rules could lead on ICAO towards alternative level of compliance. Moreover it is possible that in near future IATA could be setting up an implementing rule which states with regards to annex 14 RESAs, the alternative means of compliance to the current requirement is an approved arrestor bed (CAA, 2010b). YP There is currently a debate whether aerodromes should declare mapping and charting RESA or EMAS in aeronautical notification publications. This has been raised on the basis of risk compensation where extending RESA is suggested to make pilots less cautious during landing once they know that they have extra space for landing. In contrast, IFALPA (2008) states extra RESA would be effective as it would provide extra braking capacity for operating crew as excursion accidents rate has not improved for the past 20 years (Eurocontrol, 2010). CAA- Proposals for the inclusion of information about arrestor system will be considered by ICAO in October (CAA, 2010). According to CAA there are currently some airports in UK that are considering to adopt an EMAS at their RESA. EMAS Kevin KQ KQ Currently Zodiac Aerospace is working with ICAO in order to get their support, recognition and approval of EMAS as an effective product and according to Quan (2010) there will be hopefully an amendment to annex 14 by December 2010, which would state that ICAO recognise and accept the product as an option for airport to meet their RESA requirements. Once the approval is made, other countries aviation authorities will be more serious about the product particularly after the ICAO requirements has been met. KQ Cost of an EMAS will depend on location and the design aircraft type for which the arrestor bed will be installed for, however, a project in US is less expensive than other countries due to the transportation cost such as shipping. According to Quan an EMAS project in US could be between 3-10 million US dollars. KQ Even though EMAS has been funded and approved by FAA but every US airport before installation must consider other alternatives such as use of declared distance which reassigns some part of runway as a RESA. This option would certainly introduce operational limitations and also shorter runway promotes lower utility from the airfield. However the FAA requirement is 300m RESA which is only recommendation by ICAO. As there are many airports in US which are limited to meet the FAA RESA requirement, which encourages them to adopt other alternatives such as putting as much EMAS bed as possible in their RSA to enhance their safety margins (Quan, 2010). According to ESCO (2010), the smallest EMAS bed installed in US is about 50m length and 30m width. KQ As FAA essentially encourages airports to endeavour and deploy highest practical limit of safety (Heald, 2010). According to Advisory Circle 5200.9 (FAA, 2005) every airport aiming to meet the requirement must do a 20 years life cycle values to establish the cost of installing an EMAS on each end of runway and furthermore the airport is then permitted to spend up to the calculated cost value from AIP budget to improve safety. KQ In case of Madrid, the EMAS was not deployed to meet the ICAO recommended practice, as the runway had already 240m of RESA beyond the runway strip. However Madrids airport authority decided to deploy EMAS on two parallel runways due to the operational concerns involved. They two sets of parallel runways, one set are used for landing and the other is used for takeoff. KQ Additionally, the landing runway has a safety area which intercepts to safety area of another runway, in essence, there were two safety areas occupying the same space. Their concern was in case of an overrun in landing runway and the aircraft ends up in the safety area that a portion of which intersects the departure runway safety area. Consequently both runways would be closed, therefore, they decided to deploy EMAS within the safety area to prevent the overrunning aircraft from entering the other RESA. KQ Based on study conducted by ESCO (2010), the EMAS bed is most appropriate at airports with geographical and physical limitations which constrain them to meet the ICAOs requirement. For instance, a 400ft of EMAS bed is as effective as 1000ft RESA in stopping B737 travelling pass the end of runway with speed of 70knot. Considering the reduction in foot print requirement is promotes EMAS as an ideal solution for many airports worldwide. KQ -EMAS bed is based on a modular system, therefore, during an overrun only the sections that are used to sink the tyres and stop the aircraft need to be repaired. According to Quan (2010) an estimate price for each block in US market is roughly around 1200 US dollars. Moreover according to FSF (2006), repair of the arrestor bed that brought the 747 at John F. Kennedy International Airport to rest in December 2005 cost about US$2 million dollars, as it stands to the most costly repair known to ESCO. The most recent EMAS arrestment was outlined by KQ, which was a Bombardier CRJ-200 operated by a regional Jet at Charleston, West Virginia. The aircraft entered an EMAS bed that comprised of 4200 blocks and it brought the aircraft to stop safely, saving over 34 people and only consumed 170 blocks where there is a steep 446ft beyond the EMAS bed (EMAS, 2010). In case of any overrun, the operator of the aircraft is liable for the repair of the airport property as the aircraft has ended up at a point which is technically not suppose to enter. Typically the insurer of the aircraft operator pays for repair of any damage to airport property. EMAS David DH DH EMAS beds implementation in both China and Spain were conducted according to FAAs policy. However, once ICAO recognise EMAS as suitable alternative to standard recommended RESA, ICAO position will not make any reference to FAA policies. DH In essence FAA considers an EMAS capable of decelerating range of aircrafts on a runway at 70 knots, based on the study conducted by FAA that found that 90 percent of aircraft depart the end of runway at 70knot or less. Furthermore, FAA approves such systems equivalent to 305m safety area in US. According to Zodiac Aerospace (2010) every EMAS installation was funded through AIP. However the final stage for any airport upon the acceptance of an EMAS as an effective substitute to RESA that aims to meet the ICAOs requirements is based on financial calculations. The most financial feasible option for airport usually will be chosen, whether it is to install an EMAS, shift or shorten the runway to meet the requirements (Heald, 2010). DH Additionally if there is a situation where there are physical constraints that are not practical to remove such as highways, railways and any topographical features that would cause the cost to be so high as to preclude that area, an EMAS becomes an appropriate choice. According to ESCO (2008), airports also tend to deploy EMAS where there have been environmental concerns associated with expansion of RESA such as physical cost of acquisition. DH As it was pointed out by DH, China was the first country to adopt EMAS outside US, using it to maximise its runway safety margins at high-altitude airport in Jiuzhaigou (FSF, 2006). DH One of the most critical advantages of EMAS over normal RESA is that its predictable static properties as oppose to RESA which could be influenced significantly by adverse weather conditions. EMAS has been designed not to be impacted by meteorological conditions. Furthermore, the performance of an overrunning aircraft on a grassy RESA with length of 240m is unpredictable, as the grass could be wet, muddy or frozen. As the results, even a recommended RESA at poor weather condition might fail to accommodate an overrunning aircraft in case of which the properties of grounds surface have been compromised such that it will not support the weight of the aircraft. DH On May 25, 2008, a Kalitta Air B747-200 overran runway 20 of the Brussels Airport, Belgium after a Rejected Take-Off. According to the final accident report by Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU), the aircraft came to halt 300m after the threshold where pilot escape slide was going down to railway bed. There were no fatalities however the aircraft was completely destroyed and broken down in three parts. Although runway 20 meets the ICAO minimum requirements but it does not conform to the ICAO recommendation as the extension of RESA is extremely costly. There will be a serious cost issue since runway 20 is geographically constraint due to the presence of the railway tracks on one end and existence of motorway from the other end. DH Moreover, AAIU have recommended Brussels Airport Authorities to consider installing EMAS to maximise the braking effect. Computational analysis conducted by AAIU proves that in case of EMAS in placed within the RESA, the aircraft would have came to halt within the designated RESA and the level of severity to the B747-200 would have been significantly minimised (AAIU, 2009). DH EMAS is a new technology and even in US, it was not until 2005 after FAA released Advisory Circle 5200.9 which finally established a policy on its application. According to Zodiac Aerospace, ICAO has started studying EMAS since early 2008 and moreover ICAO revises its annex every 7 years. DH From the primary research conducted it is found that EMAS manufacturer will work voluntarily free of charge with any airport worldwide to help them develop a preliminary propose solution as well as estimating preliminary cost of installing EMAS at ends of their runways (Zodiac Aerospace, 2010). For instance it has already been done for 5 airports in India and 6 airports in Thailand free of charge. DH EMAS manufacturer states that it was not until 2006 that they felt their product is appropriate and ready for international market, as they are producing third generation of EMAS. The previous generations required high level of maintenance such that for the cases of airports in US which have deployed EMAS before 2006 require to resurface their EMAS bed every 3 to 5 years which could cost them between US $100,000 to US $300,000 (ESCO, 2010b) which is a significant drawback to ownership. Furthermore, EMAS manufacturer were not keen to enter international market prior to the introduction of the most recent generation EMASMAX where it does not have a maintenance intensive nature. EMASMAX bed eliminates large cost of ownership which encouraged Zodiac Aerospace to promote its product more confidently to international market. DH Today many airport mangers are reluctant to deploy EMAS within their RESA even though there are significant amount of evidence that supports the effectiveness of such proposal. Currently there are no acknowledgements made by ICAO to support airports which are suffering from lack of inadequate safety margins at their RESA to consider EMAS as an approved and efficient substitute. DH EMAS recommends airports with runways having inadequate RESA to benefit from EMAS as an alternative technology. In some countries transportation safety department recognise the effectiveness of such device, however regulator still remains to be reluctant and fails to acknowledge and respond to such proposal. DH In April 2008, Austrailian Civil Aviation Safety Administration (CASA) part 139 aerodrome standards were revised to permit an alternative Engineering solution to be deployed within RESA (CASA, 2009). They used engineering solution rather than EMAS since it would have appeared to be recommending a manufacturer rather than a safety concept. However, EMAS organisation is the only company approved by FAA to install EMAS beds. DH CASA has completed the project of ensuring all of it air carrier runways to meet ICAO requirements except runway 25 at Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport (FSF, 2008). Although RESAs have been adopted for the other five runways fairly simply however runway 25 had been challenged by physical constrains to extend its RESA in order to meet ICAO requirement. Runway 25 abutted a major highway, airport perimeter road and a river which introduced heavy cost issues as the airport authorities decided to build a RESA above the obstructions. According to project manager Mr. Plummer (2010) the final cost of building the sixth and final RESA at Sydney airport was around $AU100 million which contradicts with published information on Sydney airport website that states Sydney Airports $AU100 million runway safety project is completed on the 1st of April 2010 which cover the cost of extension of all six runways. DH In addition, while the construction was being carried out, Airport authority opted to establish temporary RESA for runway 25 by reducing the take-off and landing distance on the 2529m runway by 97 meters (FSF, 2008). The criticisms still remain against Sydney airport authority as they failed to acknowledge the revised aerodrome standard made by CASA which effectively permitted airports to deploy an engineering solution to enhance their RESA safety margins. Having spent over $AU25 million just on the final sixth they still have not reaches ICAOs standard recommended practices, moreover, they could have install EMAS for another $AU6 million (EMAS, 2010). DH Having established that, from ICAOs point of view Sydney airport currently meets the standards, however, there is a little motivation for airport such as Sydney to endeavour to reach the ICAO recommended practice particularly if the airport is owned and operated by a profit driven organisation. Moreover, in case of an overrun accident Sydney airport authority will not be in a position to defend themselves if they will asked on what basis they did not try to meet the recommended practice as they failed to deploy engineering solutions according to part-139 to mitigate risks and promote higher level of safety. Certainly it is beyond financial feasibility considerations as they could have invested a few more million dollars in installing EMAS which would driven their RESA safety standard more towards recommended practice than minimum requirement. The Australian Airports Association reported to the Air Transportation Safety Board that the Association does not believe a safety case for extending RESAs beyond 90 m in length can be mounted or sustained (ATSB, 2009). DH Currently, ICAO is looking into permitting arresting systems to be installed within runway RESA. In addition, ICAO is focusing to revise runway strip specifications, as of now, only objects allowed in runway strip are navigation aids provided that they are not hazards to operating aircraft. However, once the specifications are revised the outcome might allow navigational aids as well as aircraft safety systems in the runway strip. This revision will permit EMAS to be installed 11 meter from the runway end (EMAS, 2010). As DH suggests, The safety of the flying public and the credibility of our industry depends on making the right choices, and on implementing new technologies. We must choose wisely and we must always choose safety. SMS According to Morier (2005), the traditional approach to safety management was particularly concentrated on following certain required standards and react after the accidents has taken place which blinded the authorities to look beyond the regulation. They failed to concentrate on how safety margin could be enhanced which is strongly adopted by SMS (Kikland, 2001). As SMS is adopted the mentality and the safety culture existed within the implemented aviation organisation has been significantly improved where management by oversight has been replaced by management insight (Leveson, 2004). In line with this, Kirkland (2001b) states that UK CAA has altered its safety regulation policy from enforcing rules into auditing and mitigating. Currently there are many aerodrome licensees around the world that fail adopt a SMS to minimise risks to reduce the likelihood of an overrun. A crucial driver in order to implement SMS in an aviation organisation is the general willing of the managers to improve the safety standards considering operational and economical efficiencies in case of adopting SMS (ICAO, 2006). SMS has a proactive nature which tends to solve and rectify shortfalls prior to an accident. SMS is effectively based on the accidents and incidents reports as well as other daily reports which encounter any unsafe area which could cause vulnerability to the system. once the area with certain level of risk is identified, specific mitigating measures can be adopted according to the level of severity of the risk. Consequently, SMS enables an airport to evaluate its safety standards as it is more transparent and clear to measure (ICAO, 2006). As SMS is a continuous cycle, it continues to be updated and improved once it is implemented within an organisation, therefore it gradually become a uniform process which starts with risk identification, followed by risk evaluation, implementing mitigation measures and finally monitoring their effectiveness in managing the identified risks (Mitchell, 2010). According to ICAO, SMS adopted by an airport is defined as; A system for the management of safety at aerodromes including the organisational structure, responsibilities, processes and provisions for the implementation of aerodrome safety policies by an aerodrome operator, which provides for the control of safety at, and the safe use of, the aerodrome (ICAO 2002b). SMS ha s various advantages to the tradition approach. SMS is based on collecting and analysing relevant factors to monitor and manage risks. This method as it is based on quantitative as well qualitative evidences, avoid the previous influential human judgement. Another advantage of using SMS is it allows the organisation not only to identify yet to prioritise various challenges according to their level of severity (DOT, 2006). Once the SMS is adopted, the airport automatically becomes more practical in monitoring risks and implementing robust procedures to manage safety (CAA, 2003). Unfortunately, there are still cost issues which prevent an SMS to be adopted by many aviation organisations, particularly in third world countries. This is why the later stage of this report will focus on a cost analysis of installing an engineering device within RESA of Mangalore Airport in India, in order to enhance the survivability of the passengers in a case of an overrun. Summaryof just SMS Excursion accidents are not just about an adequate RESA or EMAS, in fact they are involved precision approaches, the ability to stabilise the approach for the pilot and landing on the touchdown zone at the right end of the runway. Moreover, ability to take the most appropriate exit for pilot while having the freedom to taxi to terminal without undue pressure of having taken an exit. Overall, EMAS is a mitigator not a preventer (Eurocontrol, 2010). It must not be forgotten to invest on the ways which the overrun accident could have been prevented from happening. The very first step must be focused on tracking and identifying contributing factors and how effectively it can be managed to enhance safety margins. However, this thesis focuses on improving safety margins while minimising the severity level of damages post-overrun accident. . EMAS Financial Feasibility This part focuses to answer the final objective of this thesis which is to evaluate the financial feasibility of installing EMAS. To study this, a case study is proposed which is based on the most recent fatal overrun accident that occurred in India, Mangalore Airport, which killed 158 people onboard, on the 22nd of May 2010. Air India Express was operating B737-800 which overran the 2450m (8,033ft) runway number 06/24 (Hindustan Times, 2010). Financial calculation for installing EMAS will be structured according to FAA Order 5200.9 (FAA, 2005) however there are some assumptions and estimations in the calculation due to limited data received from Mangalore Airport. Mangalores overrun The accident report is yet to be completed by Indias accident investigation unit, however according to Hepher (2010a), the aircraft landed long and over shot the runway and consequently ended up in a steep ravine at the end of the runway. As the aircraft was overrunning the end of the runway, it damaged the Instrument Landing System (ILS) localiser antenna which is an instrument to provide precision guidance to operating crew of an aircraft which is approaching and landing on a runway. Only the damaged caused to the ILS significant delays or cancelled number of flight which took Mangalores airport authority more than a month to return to their normal/scheduled operation. The Boeing 737-800 is counted and known as one of the most reliable and competitive aircraft in the current market which is operated by many airline all over the world. It current price in the market is between 66-75 million dollars (Hepher, 2010b). According to Flight Safety Foundation (FSF) (2010) Mangalore crash is the worst accident involving 737-800 so far. In addition according to Ranganathan (2010), The Air India Express crash was waiting to happen. The current level of safety standards adopted in Indian civil aviation authority are significantly below the SARPs required by ICAO, particularly regarding the Aerodrome design. Even though there have some changes and amendments made in the regulation in order to rectify some of the issues but systematic rot is so deep (Gupta, 2010). Recent countrys robust growth promoted rapid growth and need for air travel. Indias international market for air travel has tripled between 2000 and 2008 (IATA, 2009) but its infrastructural safety margin are stretched beyond the recommended safe level by ICAO. Even though the runway 06/24 met the required RESA by ICAO and adequate runway length was provided for B737-800 to land but its adopted safety margins for its RESA did not allow any room for error in case of an overrun or veer-off. As previously mentioned, runway excursions make quarter of air transport accidents and incident (IFALPA, 2008) and yet there is still no unified standard for RESA and installation of safety areas where they are potentially needed to minimise the possibility of runway overruns. According to an anonymous Indian official involved in aviation, A disaster was waiting to happen and we have been very lucky to have had no major accidents in the past 10 years,. This is in line with Indias director of general civil aviation Mr. Gohain statement in April 2008 which reportedly said that India had just three inspectors for 10 commercial airlines and 600 planes. (worldaviationjournal, 2010). According to ICAOs safety audit, India was listed as the worst country in terms of technical personnel qualification and training(ICAO, 2006). The crash at Mangalore airport occur just about four after a similar fatal accident was prevented. The aircraft came to halt within designated safety area at Charleston Airport, (West Virginia), where the airport authority installed EMAS to enhance the level of survivability of their RESAs. Only after such disastrous event, Indian civil aviation authority decides to extend the runway 06/24 from 2450m to 2743m where as the result its RESA will extend too (Aviation Week, 2010). However, if there was an EMAS installed prior to the accident not only so many lives would have been saved but many unfavourable costs to airlines and airport would have avoided. Therefore next section will focus on cost analysis of installing an EMAS at Mangalore airport. EMAS is one of the alternative ways which airport authorities could have adopted in order maximise the safety margins. Consequently, the level of severity of the crash could have been significantly reduced if not completely avoided. DP -Believ es that if AAI had followed and adopted specific safety measures by studying the accident predictive model which was developed by Wong (2007), they could have saved so many lived but they ignored such safety implementations. DP- The cost of an overrun accident can be more many time more than the cost of mitigating the risks but unfortunately, cost minimisation has been considered more important than safety maximisation where airports decided to choose an option which offer lower margin error but it costs less. DP-Pitfield (2010) states in case where there is no adequate RESA is in place, airport authority should also consider closing the runway since there is no margin of an error unless the runway is long enough to extend the RESA without introducing operational limitations to the airport. DP- Even though the Pilots operated many time to that particular airport, Pitfield states that they are not the main people to be blamed. The most destructive factor is the some shortfalls of present airport safety area regulations which are not uniformly monitored around the world. However the existing shortfalls in the present RESA regulation are gradually improved by introduction of Safety Management System (SMS) (Pitfield, 2010). However he still believes that there would be still institutional infrastructural constraints on implementing RESA from an aerodrome perspective. EMAS Installation Cost at Mangalore Airport The financial feasibility is considered vital, since it is one the most effective alternative options for airports particularly facing geographical limitations, consequently they are constraints by terrains or obstacles to extend their RESA. There are number of ways to calculate EMAS installation cost, however the most recommended way is followed by a guideline produced by FAA Order 5200.9 and EMAS manufacturer (Zodiac Aerospace). Airport Authority of India (AAI) agreed to provide the author up-to-date information regarding runway 06/24 to estimate the cost of installing an EMAS at both ends of the runway. In order to calculate the cost certain factors specific to the airport must be considered; EMAS must be capable of safely bringing a DESIGN/CRITICAL aircraft (which is in most cases the most frequent and heaviest aircraft that uses the runway) overrunning the threshold (end of runway) with a speed of 70 knots. The accident investigation unit has not yet reported the speed which B737-800 overran the end of runway at Mangalore airp

The Effect Of Cartoon Violence Media Essay

The Effect Of Cartoon Violence Media Essay Research Question: Does the violence depicted in cartoons have a negative influence on young viewers between ages 3-5 in America, and does it promote aggression and/or violent behavior. Introduction: Nowadays it is a common belief that the violence portrayed in cartoons might have a negative impact on the behavior of young children. The main aim of this Essay will be to determine whether cartoon violence has a negative influence on the behavior of young children aged 3-5 in America or whether this assertion is merely a false presumption. If the claim is true, we will be considering any possible effects it may have on the behavioral development of those children in the future. My main scope of research will be consisting of various analyses of popular cartoon shows in the United States, along with various books, articles and online forums containing relevant information in order to aid me in providing a suitable solution to the research question. Many young children in America are believed to be spending an average of up to 30 hours of television a week  [1]  and the majority of their free time watching cartoons on television where they could be exposed to a variety of harmful scenes. Allowing young children to watch high amounts of cartoon violence might result in unwanted consequences and perhaps an undesired change in the behavior of the child. Presumably this is because the majority of cartoons that are displayed on the television contain some form of violent activity which could affect the undeveloped minds of young children in an undesired way, as well as possibly promoting violent behavior. Violence in cartoons can be extremely harmful to children of young ages as they have difficulties distinguishing reality from fantasy because their brain has not yet reached a state of maturity.  [2]  Americans are concerned because preschoolers social and emotional development could be negatively linked with cartoon violenc e and aggressive behavior.  [3]  While on the other hand it is believed by many people, especially by adults, that the violence depicted in cartoons has no serious or dangerous effects on young viewers in America which are worthy of concern.  [4]   This topic is worthy of investigation because the number of children being exposed to cartoon violence is supposedly increasing each day with the average rate currently standing around 1hour of television per day, most of which is made up of cartoons  [5]  . This could potentially result in aggressive and/or violent behavior by the preschoolers towards others in their surroundings. This information is worthy of notice because some of the most popular and most frequently watched cartoons have been featured to contain some of the highest amounts of violent and aggressive activity on television  [6]  which may have undesirable consequences on young viewers if overly exposed to such content. Accordingly this topic should be carefully investigated in order to be capable of preventing, and treating any unwanted outcomes of overexposure to violence in cartoons because investigation towards the effects of cartoon violence may be able to help prevent or minimize the development of vio lent behavior patterns among preschoolers in the United States. Development: Today it commonly known that many young children all around the world, including preschoolers in America, spend most of their day and a majority of their spare time watching the television. In fact recent studies have shown that in America, preschoolers alone were known to be watching an average of up to 30 hours of television a week.  [7]  It has been discovered that an average four year old child in America watches anywhere between 50 and 70 minutes of television a day, consisting mostly of cartoons.  [8]  This information is worthy of careful observation because some of these cartoons have been featured to contain some of the greatest amounts violent and aggressive scenes on television.  [9]  Research has shown that in-between years 1973 and 1993, over 90% of childrens weekend morning programs contained some form of violent activity, with an outstandingly high average of over 20 violent scenes per hour.  [10]   According to IMDB (Internet Movie Database) which is the third largest online database containing information mostly about movies and television programs and is considered to be one of most popular online entertainment destinations with over 100million unique users each month and over 41million registered users, where viewers are able to rate and comment on any television shows theyve watched  [11]  . Some of the top rated, and most frequently watched cartoons by preschoolers in America such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Tom and Jerry, Ben 10, The Power Puff Girls  [12]  , à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The list is endless and it is because of cartoons like these which are believed to contain some of the highest and most prominent levels of violent scenes from which the question on whether overexposure to such content may have any unwanted outcomes, arises. Among the most popular cartoon broadcasting channels were Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon  [13]  , which display all of the previously mentioned cartoons containing noticeable amounts of violence, and are mostly portrayed during Saturday and Sunday mornings when young children in America are mostly exposed to television. These cartoons which are frequently displayed and which contain violence are often those which get people of America worrying that overexposure to such content may result in an unwanted negative influence on preschoolers. Let us look at a summary of Tom and Jerry for instance. Tom and Jerry  is an  animated cartoon  , which is mostly focused on a rivalry between a  mouse  (Jerry) and a cat  (Tom) who chase each other throughout each episode which always contains some form of violence. Tom and Jerry is said to be  one of the greatest cartoons of all time.  [14]   It is a cartoon which was created in the 1940s and still today is considered to be one of the most popular and highly rated cartoons among young viewers in the United States according to IMDB scoring an outstandingly high 8.7 out of 10 score which was voted by viewers  [15]  . It is mostly displayed during prime time hours and on Saturday and Sunday mornings on Cartoon Network where it is mostly exposed to preschoolers in America. A Parents Guide section on the IMDB website where viewers and adults are capable of commenting on various television shows indicated how most viewers interpret the cartoon to be very violent and to contain dangerous weapons and abusive behavior towards animals and people. In addition there are times where the characters die at the end of an episode and come back alive in the next episode which may cause preschoolers in America exposed to the cartoon to get a false misinterpretation of death and the consequences of the actions displayed in the cartoon and in real life. In almost every episode of this show there is some form of violent activity where objects are smashed over either Tom or Jerrys head. Toms owner was very brutal and bizarre in the way he disciplined Tom. Many of the episodes feature Tom dying at the end, but he always came back in the next episode. Guns are used very frequently in the show,  but they never really show any real harm apart from blowing hair off or grazing the characters.  [16]   Despite the tremendous amount of violence which is displayed in the cartoon, it still is considered to be suitable, and is recommended for children of all ages. The most troubling thing of all is that Tom and Jerry is only one of many cartoons which portray such prominent levels of violence yet they are still recommended for all audiences. All of the previously mentioned cartoons (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Power Puff Girls, Ben 10) all contain some sort of violence, usually in the form of aggressive physical force in order to prove a certain cause, or to defeat the evil characters. While examining the effects violence in cartoons on children, Haejung Paik and George Comstock found that all children, including preschoolers in America, demonstrated increases in violent behavior and manifested aggression when they were exposed to violent content from cartoons. Various studies conducted by the two have confirmed the suggestion that the aggressiveness of preschoolers increases after they have been exposed to a cartoon which contained some form of violent content, and also where the characters in the cartoons demonstrated aggressive behavior.  [17]   A Study conducted by psychologist Albert Bandura showed how this information which was gathered is linked with the social learning perspective indicating that preschoolers learn to behave by observing other people or characters in their surroundings and try to imitate how they would react in certain situations.  [18]   Bandura also found that the aggressive behavior which young preschoolers were demonstrating was mostly coming from violent cartoons. He concluded that children were behaving aggressively towards others because they tried to simulate the actions of the characters which they saw in those cartoons. He discovered that this behavior which the children had observed from the characters, had then been generalized into other forms of violent deeds by the preschoolers themselves such as aggressively playing with plastic swords and guns.  [19]   Bandura and Huston found that the observation of violent and aggressive acts in cartoons by 3-5 year old children in the United States, regardless of which character was involved and what connection they had with the child, was a sufficient condition for producing imitative aggression  [20]  for preschoolers. Moreover children who have been known to watch many cartoons containing a decent amount of violent activity are more likely to express some form of that aggression towards their peers or even adults, in contrast with those children who do not view much violent content in cartoons.  [21]   Bandura has conducted studies showing that those actions by the characters in cartoons which are rewarded are more likely to be remembered by the preschoolers, rather than those which are punished.  [22]   A report by the NTVS (National Television Violence Study) showed how almost 70% of violent acts in childrens cartoons did not result in any harm or pain to the characters who were involved. Another study also showed how less than half of the childrens cartoon shows had any form of punishment for these violent and aggressive actions of the characters.  [23]  As a result the violence which young preschoolers view from cartoons on the television may give them the wrong impression of what the outcomes could be in real life and in a real-life situation. The preschoolers are able to see how in most cartoons when an act of violence is implicated by one character towards another, the one who has demonstrated a violent or aggressive act towards the other character does not get punished for his/her actions in most cases, and does not suffer any consequences. In fact, in the cartoon Ben 10, the main character (Ben) destroys large amounts of the city in some situations including public and private property and inflicts damage in order to capture the villain, this mass destruction always goes unpunished, which may leave a false impression among young viewers that just because one bad guy was caught might approve or act as a justification for the destruction of other peoples property or hurting others. In fact the most common way of teaching moral lessons by protagonists in cartoons is by aggressive or violent acts.  [24]  This type of behavior is often rewarded and the character is considered a hero when he defeats the bad guy by using various forms of physically aggressive force such as the Power Puff Girls, who always inflict severe amounts of damage with their super powers in order to defeat the villain/s and are always considered heroes and are praised after every episode. Such cartoons in which the acts of violence are rewarded although in some cases are considered to be extremely harmful or pain inflicting, mislead the young children in perceiving those acts of violence as the right thing to do. By watching how the characters can almost always get away with it, and seeing how that sort of behavior is usually rewarded in the cartoons, the preschoolers in America might get the wrong impression of how they should be reacting in specific situations, and how they should be treating and behaving around others in their surroundings. Children often view the characters they see on television as their role models. They consider them to be heroes and observe how they are rewarded and praised for committing violent acts as well as possessing not only very aggressive attributes, but the characters also consisted of very attractive and appealing qualities as well.  [25]  . This leads preschoolers to draw conclusions that the aggressive behavior by their favorite characters is justified since there is no form of punishment, or consequences to show that it is wrong, as a result the 3 to 5 year old children have an increased motive to try and reproduce this behavior.  [26]   Many people fear that overexposure to cartoon violence may have long term effects on preschoolers behavior in America, especially if they are consistently being overly exposed to violent content in cartoons at such an early age.  [27]   There are many different theories suggesting what possible effects overexposure to violence in cartoons could have. Professor Dolf Zillmann developed his excitation transfer theory which suggests that while children are watching television or cartoons containing violence, they suddenly feel a need to transfer negative energy towards something/someone else, resulting in antisocial behavior and perhaps inflicting damage to other children in their environment.  [28]  Another famous theory founded by Professor George Gerbner was the cultivation theory which indicates that overexposure to television increases the likelihood of a mainstreaming effect where young children might confuse what they see as a twisted representation of the real world and real-life situations,  [29]  Which in turn may result in children developing a misinterpreted view of violence in the real world.  [30]  John Flavell, an  American psychologist, discovered that the understanding which preschoolers p ossess regarding whether the cartoons they watch on the television are real or imaginary is either very limited or not present at all. Meaning that there is a very high possibility for those young children to confuse reality from fantasy and comprehend what they see from cartoons as real.  [31]  Accordingly it has been discovered that 6-7 year old children had difficulties understanding the distinction between real world capabilities and those portrayed in cartoons and that they appear to have difficulty understanding television conventions that violate real-world possibilities.  [32]  We can form judgments from the previous findings because if 6 and 7 year old children arent fully capable of understanding the conventions on television and linking them with the real world, then preschoolers, being of a much younger age and generally unaware of the meanings of the events taking place in cartoons, would have an even poorer understanding of what they are watching and what possi ble connections it may have with the real world. It has been discovered that when a specific character in a cartoon exhibits aggression or acts violently towards another character, and at the same time provides a clear explanation justifying the reasons for his/her actions by the use of words, was far too intellectually advanced and overly complex for young children in between ages 3-5 in America to interpret and understand completely.  [33]  This may leave the preschoolers with a false memory or intuition of only an aggressive or violent act by one character towards another without any reasoning or justification involved. In order for young children to become fully capable of understanding the reasons behind the actions of the cartoon characters and their intentions, they need the assistance of an adult who is willing to explain the means of the situation and why the use of aggression should or should not be punished, and what possible consequences would be necessary to the characters who have demonstrated some form of aggress ion towards others.  [34]   Ronald Drabman and Margaret Thomas found that children lose all forms of sensitivity and feelings towards victims in cartoons by the time they leave preschool,  [35]  which could mean that the young 3 to 5 year old children are finally becoming capable of distinguishing reality from fantasy, and that they are becoming aware that the cartoon characters are not real. While on the other hand this information could mean that the children have lost interest or possibly gained the wrong impression of the consequences of the actions of the characters. E.g. if they watch a cartoon in which one character shoots another character, and the other character does not receive any injuries of any kind then the children may mistake guns for being incapable of inflicting any damage to other people in real life which could lead to serious consequences. While looking at the unrealistic capabilities of most characters from cartoons, in their fantasy worlds, we cannot really determine whether this violence is considered harmful to young children. Even though not all television networks and adults, especially parents approve that they are comfortable with the amount of violence depicted in cartoons, many older and mature people who watch adult television comprehend cartoons and fantasy as something which has nothing to with extreme violence what so ever, and so they do not find young children being exposed to this type of content worrying.  [36]   In fact Some of the worlds largest and most famous television networks such as Warner Bros. also characterize cartoon episodes to be a reflection of good versus evil that particularly underline the importance of loyalty and how punishment for being selfish is necessary under certain circumstances.  [37]  Consequently the violence which occurs when the good characters have to defeat the evil characters is justified because it is the morally correct thing to do, and these cartoons try to pass on the message how in order for a whole community to feel safe and enjoy their lives, some people have to suffer and be punished. Research shows that when children are able to interpret a cartoon with real life and compare the scenes which occur in the cartoon with real life situations, then there is a greater chance for the child to demonstrate aggressive behavior. Whilst on the other hand if the Childs understanding of the cartoon is rather poor and in their eyes is seen as unrealistic, then the chances of the preschooler showing any forms of violence or aggressive behavior, is significantly lower.  [38]   Research is continually proving that children in America between ages 3 and 5 do not completely understand the meaning of the cartoons they watch and that their apprehension of the shows they are being exposed to is very poor and could remain that way all the way through to until they are 8 years old.  [39]  By looking at this information we can conclude that because preschoolers have a poor understanding of the meaning and the plot of the cartoons which they are watching, the chances of inheriting any unwanted aggressive or violent behavior from those cartoons by the preschoolers will be significantly lower. A study performed by Hodapp showed how 5 and 6 year olds could not recall what they had learned while watching educational programs and how they were simply incapable of performing and putting those skills to action in real life in order to help themselves in difficult situations.  [40]   Therefore this leads us to a conclusion that preschoolers, being of a younger age and not as intellectually advanced as a 5 or 6 year olds, may also be incapable of interpreting the actions they see in violent cartoons. So as a result they will not acquire any negative influences or bad behavior from watching cartoons containing violent and/or aggressive scenes. Moreover the National Television Violence Study (NTVS) reported that for all cartoon programs, just over 30% of the characters who demonstrated some forms of violence in cartoon shows, also possessed some good and sympathetic attributes such as helping and caring for those in need  [41]  , which could be beneficial for preschoolers in America and teach them to exhibit concern and empathy for others in their surroundings. Judging by their age, preschoolers have been proven to have a relatively high ability of drawing conclusions about moral reasoning  [42]  such as recognizing and determining when the character has acted selfishly or whether their actions are morally wrong.  [43]   The preschoolers in America are known to be capable of identifying the difference between morally acceptable and unacceptable behaviors in society.  [44]  Meaning that they are aware of the rights and welfare of others in their surroundings and how they should be treated equally and with respect. In addition the investigators of this topic believe that 3 to 5 year old children are fully aware of the distinction between socially acceptable and socially unacceptable behavior and how they are capable of making judgments based on whether it is real life situation of something theyve seen from a cartoon.  [45]   This understanding of such situations at an early age may aid young preschoolers in finding a balance between the violence they view in cartoons and real life situations and it may not result in a negatively affected behavioral development in the future. Conclusion Does the violence depicted in cartoons have a negative influence on young viewers between ages 3-5 in America, and does it promote aggression and/or violent behavior. answer the research question. Throughout this investigation we have discovered that children between ages 3 and 5 in America may have difficulties when attempting to differ reality from fantasy which might intensify or negatively stimulate the preschoolers motive to act and behave differently and aggressively towards others in their surroundings. However we cannot conclude that a preschoolers aggressive or violent behavior is the result of being exposed to violence in cartoons. In order to make such assumptions we must first take into consideration the childrens perception of the violence depicted in those cartoons and the way in which the preschoolers understand what is happening and why. Therefore we cannot confidently say that the children will show similar behavior in the real world only because the characters may have acted aggressively or violently in the cartoons. When we focused on the most popular cartoons among preschoolers in America we found that they are clearly violent and how they might potentially influence the behavior of the young children in a negative way. However we also found that some of the acts of the characters could teach the preschoolers in America to act morally and to apply the skills they observe from television in real life which could be beneficial. In order for us to summarize the effects of cartoon violence on preschoolers in America it is crucial that we first determine how well the children understand and what they learn by watching cartoons. We found that if the children are capable of differentiating the transgressions which are present in the cartoons from those in real life and if they realize a distinction between socially acceptable and socially unacceptable behavior which they view in cartoons, then cartoon violence would not have such a negative impact on the behavior of the preschoolers as assumed. All in all cartoons which portray large levels of violence and aggressive activity will continue to do so and will remain a popular source of entertainment among the 3 to 5 year old viewers in the United States. The children will continue to spend most of their free time watching these cartoons which will perpetually be displayed on television during prime-time hours and throughout childrens weekend morning shows. Adults, especially parents in America play a vital role in influencing the impression preschoolers obtain by observing potentially harmful scenes in cartoons and the violent actions portrayed by the characters as an act of justice, and determining the moral and social acceptability of those actions. All in all the impact that overexposure to violent or aggressive content has on the more vulnerable audiences in the United States such as 3 to 5 year old children will remain unresolved as we have found evidence supporting both sides and various different views towards the topic and the possible effects which cartoon violence might have on preschoolers in America. I would suggest that adults watch cartoons alongside the children as they will then have the opportunity to answer any potential questions the children may have, and with the aid of an adult the children may interpret and gain a more clear understanding of the motives and reasons for the violent or aggressive actions which have been depicted by the protagonists in cartoons, therefore minimizing any possible unwanted outcomes. Word count approx = (4258)

Workplace Ergonomics, Ergonomics Assessment, Ergonomics Training Essay

Workplace Ergonomics, Ergonomics Assessment, Ergonomics Training In the past, most businesses have strived for high production at low cost. This strategy resulted in the highest profit for a company. When in reality to many businesses, this was only a mirage. This was because the â€Å"lower cost† of the business usually resulted in a â€Å"higher cost† for the employees. This lower cost for businesses may have meant lower quality workplace items, lower salaries, less benefits, etc. These lower costs created an upset workplace environment for the employees. This upset has help found a new branch of science called Ergonomics. â€Å"Ergonomics is a relatively new branch of science which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 1999, but relies on research carried out in many other older established scientific areas, such as engineering, physiology, and psychology.† (http://www.ergonomics.org.uk/ergonomics.htm). Once it became clear that businesses needed to take into account the human environment factors that faced their employees it resulted in the discipline of ergonomics. There exist many different things in the workplace that add to stress and injuries. They range from lifting heavy boxes to typing too much on the keyboard. However, the focus on this paper will be on the principals of ergonomics in the office and computer environment. Exactly, what is ergonomics? â€Å"Ergonomics, or Human Factors as it is known in North America, is a branch of science that aims to learn about human abilities and limitations and then apply that knowledge to improve people’s interaction with products, systems and environments.† (http://www.ergonomics.org.uk/ergonomics.htm). â€Å"The word, ergonomics, is derived from the greek words ergos meaning â€Å"work† and nomos mean... ...avis, Christine E. – Roth M.P.T. UCLA Ergonomics – RSI General Anatomy. (http://ergonomics.ucla.edu/Ergowebv.2/articles/rsianatomy.htm). F-One Ergonomics. Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. Office ergonomics for arms & hands. (http://www.office-ergo.com/alternat.htm). F-One Ergonomics. Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. Low Back Pain Ergonomics. (http://www.office-ergo.com/12things.htm). Homestore.com. Decorating – By Room – Office – Ergonomics. (http://www.homestore.com/Decorae/ByRoom/Work/Ergo.asp). ÓHomestore.com, Inc. 1999-2000. Kobler, Ellen MS, MA, OTR, CHT, CIE. Diversified Ergonomics. (http://www.diversergo.com/data.html/). S. Systems Corporation. Carpal Tunnel and Repetitive Motion Injury. (http://www.s-sc.com/risk.htm). Ó1994, 1999. The Ergonomics Society. Ergonomics Society Ergonomics. (http://www.ergonomics.org.uk/ergonomics.htm). Ó1996-2000 The Ergonomics Society.

Roots Of Individualism In Euro Essay -- essays research papers

Roots of Individualism in Europe   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During the Middle Ages, independent thought was viewed disdainfully. Almost any idea deviating from the status quo, largely determined by the Roman Catholic Church, was condemned as heresy. One convicted of such a grievous offense was often excommunicated or killed, either by means of a proper execution or by a hostile mob. However, with the decline of the Middle Ages, the conditions arose for the birth of individualism—the development of which can be traced through the Renaissance, the Reformation, and the rise of capitalism. Individualism was a radical ideological revolution that forever altered the face of Europe and the rest of the world.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The beginning of individualism’s gradual evolution was first manifested in the Renaissance Era. The Renaissance was a ripe time ready for change. The weakening role of the Catholic Church led to an increase in power for the masses. Corruption plagued Church officials and many sought theological respite elsewhere. The reemphasis of ancient Greek and Roman texts proffered alternatives for many to satisfy their religious needs. This helped contribute to the abolishment of the Church’s imposition of its absolute truth and its claim to ultimate authority. As the church lost power, so did the political units. The bonds between church and state began to erode. Feudalism declined, hence giving rise to new political opportunity. The noble class no longer held a monopoly on the valued positions in society. Rather, one was able to pursue wealth and fame through various endeavors ranging from artist to soldier.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The most empowering change of this era was the dominance of a secular attitude and the decline of church absolutism. This secular viewpoint altered man’s reason for existence from an otherworldly quest to an intimate, immediate appreciation for that which exists on earth. Humanism is a primary source of individualism. Pico della Mirandola’s â€Å"Oration on the Dignity of Man† captures the essence of the humanist movement. He writes that God gave man the ability to make of himself what he wills. Although man is capable of depraved acts, he also possesses the profundity to distinguish him as a holy being. Pico praises the goodness of mankind when he writes, â€Å"man is rightly called and judged a great miracle ... ...the birth of capitalism liberated the goals and means of work. Capitalism allowed individuals to own and manage their own business and reflected the secular mind frame derived from the Renaissance Era. The individual is the unit on which capitalism is based. Bonds between merchants was based on free competition rather that the need to trade. This liberating system of economy allows rise for the individual to direct his own business.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Individualism developed with the gradual transfer of power from large establishments to the individual and his rights and opportunities as a member of society. The importance and power of the individual was not fully realized until ideas were transformed through the Renaissance, the Reformation, and the rise of capitalism. These movements helped Europe realize the latent potential within an individual. Until such progressive movements occurred, the individual was neglected. Today, one man can cause the downfall of a hundred because of his individual power—this is directly related to many of the changes that begun in the fourteenth century. In fact without such transformations, the world would not stand as we know it today.

Suicide Is Never Painless

Death became an easy option. She wanted to cry, but she had no time. She wanted to change her life, but she didn't believe in miracles. For all the pain and anguish she had carried with her, it suddenly became too much to bear. Life had dealt her the last card but she had no spirit left to play with. The darkness bit into her, memories like poison flowed through her. She fought against them, but as sleep won out she was dragged back to the past. Death became no longer merely an option but a necessity to find peace. The pills lay next to her. They looked beautiful. She knew they could end it for her but she was so afraid. What would be waiting for her on the other side? Was there another side? All she knew was once she had gone that far, there would be no return. She sat there sobbing quietly, her mind tormenting her. She struggled to make sense of herself. The pain that was once emotional was now purely physical and nothing could heal it. The raw, open wounds would remain as fresh as the day they were created. Everything she had fought so hard to forget tore into her like daggers, dancing across her skin, drawing blood in a tide of crimson that stained any happiness she once had. It was tearing her apart. She cradled the pills in her hands, like precious diamonds. With a breath of courage, she threw the pills down her neck. They fell down her throat with ease, headed towards the emptiness of her own hell. She slowly sank down onto the floor, her head rolling sideways uncontrollably. Her mind started to fog over, numbing all her senses. The baby's cries began to recede as she lay almost motionless on the cold floor. She cried out in pain, the distant sound of her own voice pierced her fragile mind. Her life force once a blaze of colours is now black reflecting her feelings of confusion. She is lost yet yearning to be found. She is drowning in the darkness, helpless as it slowly devours her, playing with her mind until there is nothing left but a shadow of someone who was once whole She wasn't alive anymore, she simply existed. She still looked the same, but she wasn't and never would be. A man who had taken everything from her, her innocence, her virginity and now her life, she never even saw his face. She was left to bring up a child sired by a monster. A child conceived out of hate. Was it not enough that she had to be reminded of it everyday? Every time she woke up in the morning, every time she closed her eyes†¦What was the need of his sinister actions? Was it that he didn't understand the word â€Å"no†? Didn't he realise the screams were out of pure terror; that kicking profusely were signals to stop; that the look on her face was of complete despair and frustration; that the touch of his hand made her blood run cold; that he was stealing her dignity, her pride, her self respect?! She made that same journey home every evening like clockwork; she'd been there a thousand times. She turned away from the buildings, away from the street light and her hollow footsteps were the only sounds that followed her†¦Her heart started to pound faster as she tried to gain vision in the pitch black that she had descended into. Her body felt like it was being mauled and still the real horrors had not begun. Dependant on her hearing as her main working sense, she could hear his approach. His curses screamed of anger at her venerable position, his threats called out like promises, nurturing the fear that grew in her stomach. Gagged and bound, her legs flew from under her as she was thrown to the ground. Mud and dirt covered her like a second skin and fell for what seemed to be an eternity, while above; she could still hear him. The sound of him as he forced torture after torture on her, the sound of him as he violated her body time and again, while she lay there helplessly, the tears biting at her eyes like acid. The thing that hurt the most was the realisation of what had just happened to her. As she scrambled blindly in the darkness, a maze of dangers that had waited to harm her. The unknown monsters that hid in the depths of the shadows warped her mind.

LAW 421 Theory to Practice Essay

Theory to Practice Questions 1.At one point, if ever, did the parties have a contract? The parties had a contract when they agreed on the key terms of the distribution contract. The first agreement was a 90-day negotiation agreement and the second was an oral distribution agreement in a meeting prior to the end of the 90-day negotiation. The oral agreement was followed by an e-mail sent to Chou in which the terms of the agreement were reiterated by the manager of BTT. The manager of BTT showed objective intent to contract. In addition, â€Å"faxes, e-mails, letters, memos, and receipts help establish [a] handshake deal† (Hartline, 2007, para. 3). In other words, when BTT sent the email stating all the key terms orally discussed between the parties were agreed upon, both parties showed intent to contract, therefore the agreement of key terms should be considered under contract. 2.What facts may weigh in favor of or against Chou in terms of the parties’ objective intent to contract? Favor: †¢Chou received payment from BTT, leading Chou to believe BTT had intent to come to agreement. †¢The meeting ended with an oral agreement. †¢There is proof of the oral agreement via the BTT e-mail. †¢The e-mail may be considered a rough draft of the contract. †¢The manager sent the e-mail including all of the key terms the parties agreed upon. †¢Even though a month had passed, BTT still requested a copy of the distribution agreement draft. †¢The amount of time spent on the contract and in contact with both parties shows intent to contract. Against: †¢No signatures from either party to bind the contract. †¢The 90-day negotiation deadline passed with only a written agreement, even though the negotiation agreement stated only a written contract was valid. †¢The contract wasn’t drafted until BTT requested a copy a month later. †¢The e-mail did not use the words â€Å"contract†. 3.Does the fact that the parties were communicating by e-mail have any impact on your analysis in Questions 1 and 2 above? The fact that the parties were communicating via e-mail did not impact the analysis of  questions 1 and 2. E-mail is a viable and effective form of communication in today’s world, especially in business. E-mails can be saved and used as evidence in many court cases. According to the mailbox rule, the e-mail was sent prior to the 90 days and was considered accepted when it was sent (Melvin, 2011). 4.What role does the statute of frauds play in this contract? The statute of frauds applies to the sale of goods over $500; sales over that amount need to be in writing (Melvin, 2011). The provisions of the statute of frauds are satisfied if the writing contains several items, including quantity, signature, and clear, concise language (Melvin, 2011). The textbook states that key terms were discussed and agreed upon in the e-mail, however I am not sure if that included quantity. However, BTT provided an electronic signature in the e-mail and the language in the e-mail could be interpreted by a reasonable person as intent to form a contract. Therefore, the e-mail pretty much satisfies the statute of frauds conditions. 5.Could BTT avoid the contract under the doctrine of mistake? Explain. Would either party have any other defenses that would allow the contract to be avoided? I don’t think BTT can void the contract under the doctrine of mistake. A contract is void under the doctrine of mistakes because of misunderstanding in the parties involved such as unilateral mistakes and mutual mistakes. Nothing in the text indicates BTT made a mistake; their reason for not fulfilling contract was a change in management. Chou made the mistake of thinking the e-mail was a draft of the contract, however the fact that BTT requested a copy of the draft a month later gave Chou the impression the company still wanted to conduct business. 6.Assuming, arguendo, that this e-mail does constitute an agreement, what consideration supports this agreement? In order for a contract to be binding, it must be supported by agreement and consideration. The promise (Chou) was willing to give up something of value (his game) and the promisor’s (BTT) promise was part of a bargain for exchange (the key terms in the agreement, specifically price and time frames). BTT led Chou to believe that they were under contract because of their mutual agreement and consideration. References Hartline, K. (2007, September). Oral contracts: Do they carry any weight?. Legal Zoom. Retrieved from http://www.legalzoom.com/business-law/contract-law/oral-contracts-do-they-carry Melvin, S.P., (2011). The legal environment of business: A managerial approach: Theory to practice. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Retrieved from: The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database