Thursday, October 31, 2019

The Ideas of Scott McClouds Understanding Comics Essay

The Ideas of Scott McClouds Understanding Comics - Essay Example McCloud makes the reader understand the relationship between words and images. He begins with the explanation, how the words develop from images and later become the communicating ideas. The message giving process may lay emphasis on words or picture. These are used in children’s study books and comics. The children love the play and jugglery of words and the picture-images, as they fulfill their hunger for fantasies. The relationship between words and images is quite exciting. McCloud argues, â€Å"Words — are the ultimate abstraction."(47)Carefully planned and placed headlines and similar inter-titles kindle curiosity of the reader about the contents of the article. McCloud is aware of the strength of the words and images in the print and electronic media, and how they can create ripples in the minds of the readers. Read this title on the front page of a newspaper relating to a financial scandal. â€Å"Millionaire Brown is in million dollar jam!† McCloud has r ightly pointed out that use of words and images are like dance partners who know their roles. They support and challenge each other to create the magical effect. For example, a caricature of corruption may convey more than what is stated in a full-length article on the subject. It has the capacity to strike hard at the societal ills in a satirical style. It gets to the point and gives the message, without hurting. McCloud asserts that we have only scratched the surface of the relationship between words and images. Their relationship is profound and it generates credence to the progression of action in the story. An artist sees art in most of the human activities, whether they are big or small, and extracts something special from them and provides meaningful interpretations either through words or pictures. Such interpretations are not part of his academic knowledge; they are the just spontaneous overflow of his ideas! Spectacular results are obtained and presented before the audienc e, the effect of which may last for generations, depending upon the latent potency of such combinations by the genius artist. The potential creativity of the comics beats the effectiveness of the painter and the writer; it depicts and says something without hurting which results in fountains of joy. The creator of the comics blends the aesthetic response in them and enjoys being in the role of a clown rather than a troubleshooter hero. This clown often reveals profound truths, often in a satirical form. His messages are the true reflections of the goings on in the society, and he pictures them without malice to anyone, without fear or favor. The criticism is often enjoyed by the one against whom it is directed and the societal response to his actions is light-hearted. The comic demands less space but the ‘built-up’ area within it is massive. McCloud writes, â€Å"Space does for comics what time does for a film!"(7) The word has a specific meaning, but a million viewers of the comic enjoy an equal number of interpretations.

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Course of Conduct Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Course of Conduct - Essay Example an who acts voluntarily does so at his own peril and is liable for the consequences of the actions voluntarily undertaken, whether intended or as a result of failure to obey the duty of care he owes to other parties. Using the cases of Lynch v. Fisher and Palsgraf v. Long Island Rail Road, the paper also investigates which of the two theories is more compelling. Contrary to the view advanced by the criminalist theory by Austin, the mental anticipation of risk must never be required as an element for the imputation of the tort liability. This is because such a legal dimension would permit the incorporation of several unjustified assumptions. These assumptions would more often than not lead to high level miscarriage of justice. â€Å"It might be assumed that trespass is founded on the defendant having caused damage by his act without regard to negligence† (Lynch v. Fisher 2). Secondly, it is very difficult for the jury to determine with certainty, the mental intentions of the act, which was done sometime in the past and damages incurred by another party. Oliver Wendell Holmes points that every man assumes the risk of his acts, be it the consequences are intended, or not, since the acts are voluntary, as demonstrated in the case of Lynch v. Fisher. In ordering, the restatement of the Law of tort’s section 435, the Louisiana appellate court upheld an earlier ruling in which the defendant, Gunter was charged with and convicted for negligence that resulted in physical injury of the plaintiff. This was done on three major grounds; the claim that the defendant was delirious at the time he shot the plaintiff and that he was out of his mind and suffering from temporary derangement of intellect, was rejected on the grounds that because of the defendant’s own negligence, he temporarily lost his power to reason. Additionally, all the rescue efforts had been made and that the actions by the plaintiff were just before the shooting, given that he was giving comfort to the

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Ethical Review Process: a Case Study

Ethical Review Process: a Case Study Ethical review of Case Study 2. Analysis of case study 2: Study design: This study aims to assess the following primary objectives: Maternal and infant feeding practices. Nutrition advice to Caucasian low-income post-partum women that receive Healthy Start vouchers Nutrition advice to general population of Pakistani women. However, it also aims to assess other secondary objectives including: Dietary intakes of Caucasian low-income post-partum women receiving Healthy Start vouchers using a validated Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). Diet of the general population of Pakistani post-partum women using 24hr. dietary recalls. Determine influences on breastfeeding initiation, duration and weaning practices in Caucasian post-partum women receiving Healthy Start vouchers and of the general population of post-partum Pakistani women. Determine how area of deprivation, ethnicity, maternal age, educational level, dietary intake, coking ability and shopping behaviour influence infant feeding practices. Determine whether the introduction of Healthy start vouchers will have an effect on the nutrient intakes and eating patterns of new mothers and their infants. Determine if dietary information recommended under the Healthy Start initiative to low-income new mothers is delivered. Design: The study will be conducted similarly for both ethnic groups. The participating mothers will be contacted to arrange for a home visit (face-to-face interview) where a member of the nutrition research team (NRT) will administer a validated subject information questionnaire (SIQ) and an infant feeding questionnaire (IFQ). For the Pakistani women a 24-hr recall will also be performed during the home visits whereas for the Caucasian women a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) will be performed during the home visits. . Thereafter, an IFQ will be administered to both ethnic groups by a member of the NRT over the telephone at 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9 and 12 months post-partum. During these phone interviews the Pakistani population will also undergo a 24-hr recall whereas the Caucasian population will undergo an FFQ. Validity of research methods: Telephone interviews with relevant questionnaires are acceptable methods to gather enough information to answer the questions and objectives. However, validated questionnaires are required to assess their adequacy to answer the research questions. The face-to-face interview (home visit) might not be a valid method of assessment as the mother might be unfocused (constantly thinking on the wellbeing of the child) and uneasy especially if she is alone with the interviewer. This in turn could lead to possible risks and insurance issues to the researchers. Sample Size: The data presented only contained a range of how many participants will participate in each cohort (Caucasians -200-250, Pakistani – 150-200). There was no information whether the lower limit of the ranges was the actual sample size needed. Also, there is no data on how these ranges where obtained, no power calculation or data on how this was performed were included. In addition, as the ranges Analysis of discussion board From the start, all taking part in the committee noticed several discrepancies in the study. Primarily, we all noticed that there is no prior mentioning on how the researchers got permission to access (with the help of a midwife) potential participants medical notes. This raises serious doubt on the researchers eligibility to filter among potential participants before these could be contacted and asked for consent. I am also doubtful on why the Pakistani women are being selected. Are these being used as a representative for ethnic minorities which are on low incomes? There was no claim for this in the application and would therefore need further backing from literature or relevant statistics. The personal information sheet (PIS) is easy to understand and clear, however in some verses it was deemed to be informal (ex. â€Å"you may have to pay for it†), misleading, as in the PIS the participant is told that the data collected will be destroyed. However, in this application it is claimed that data will be stored for 5 years prior to destruction. In the PIS it is claimed that the study will be used to develop a screening tool, however this does not feature in the long list of aims and objectives presented in this application. In addition, there is no mention on what happens to data collected from participants if they eventually withdraw from the study, if data can be used by other researchers or even by third parties or on what criteria where these mothers contacted for participation. This could lead to a breach in confidentiality and may have been omitted as participation rates could suffer, nevertheless this needs further clarification and amending. Other questions have arisen on the study design, I was not convinced by the long list of objectives the study has as it makes the study unfocused. The 24-hour recall method used to collect data from Pakistani women only, is not explained and cannot be assessed on its validity for the study or whether needs ethical consideration. Anonymity and confidentiality was another issue raised. Although the researcher claims that confidentiality will be maintained at all times with each participant being assigned a code to maintain confidentiality, each participant will have her phone number and address recorded for the interviews, which could give the opposite result. This is further enhanced sine in one cohort a minority group is being assessed and participants can be easily identify. Feedback to Researchers Provisional opinion (Sub-committee) (changes required documentation) Provide copies of all questionnaires (validated). Why different questionnaires are used for the two population cohorts? Different methods used may give non-comparable results. Has proper permission from the potential participants been sought to filter through patient medical notes? Please provide any declarations or permission forms which state this. Can and will data gathered from this research be accessible by other potential researchers any third parties? How many participants are required to participate in the study? Include data on how power calculation was performed. Please provide information on how the 24-hour recall will be performed, what questions will be asked and provide the validated questionnaire that will be used. Include the following additional information in the PIS: Data storage time after study is complete. Why the participants have been approached and contacted for this study. Some sections need rewording as they can be deemed as informal or inappropriate (eg. â€Å"You may have to pay for it†). Clarify whether the study will be used to develop a screening tool as this is not mentioned in the aims of the study. Include whether data can be accessed by other potential researchers or third parties in the 5 year time window after study has been conducted. Address syntax errors in the inclusion and exclusion criteria used as these are the complete opposite of what the study is trying to achieve. Why are only Pakistani women included in one of the population cohorts? What is there significance? It is advised to focus on fewer aims and objectives to make the study more focused and retain better results. What happens to the data if participant withdraws from study? Why is data retained for 5 years before being destroyed? Why is this not stated in the PIS? Can data be retrieved by other potential researchers or third parties? The PIS states that the study will also be used to develop a screening tool, why is this not stated in the aims and objectives of the study? What is the potential to use home visits? Will this be beneficial or allow for more distress to the mother? Especially if she is alone. In the case that new mothers in both cohorts are found to need further care, is the advice extended to them even after the study is complete? Ethical Issues: Social or Scientific value The introduction of Healthy Start vouchers has helped low-income mothers to improve diet and feeding habits as these are deemed to be important for the developing child as it will help him decide what food is better for them. This study will help provide evidence to improve guidelines and also improve dietary advice given to these vulnerable mothers. Scientific validity Phone interviews and questionnaires are deemed an accept6able method to collect data for this study. However, face-to-face interviews (home visits) might not be as beneficial as stated as they might cause more distress to the mother. Fair participant selection The research team stated that the study conducted will ensure that participant confidentiality will be maintained by assigning a code to each participant. However, recording of phone numbers and addresses as will be necessary to conduct face-to-face and telephone interviews might not aid in this process especially with regard of the child. Favorable risk benefit ratio The study will has the potential of achieving evidence that will in the future give better advice to future new mothers that might be at risk. However, certain shortcomings still need attention. Informed consent Oral consent will first be sought from the participant, written consent will then be sought for the new mothers to participate in the study. However, no information regarding consent in accessing potential participant medical notes has been presented. Respect for potential and enrolled participants Home visits might be deemed as a distress for the new mothers as they will have to undergo an interview in their own home which might be uneasy. Also, access to the participants medical notes with prior consent is a complete breach of confidentiality and respect.

Friday, October 25, 2019

The Good and Evil in Literature and Poetry :: Othello

The Good and Evil in Literature and Poetry Sir Philip Sidney, in his quote about poetry (literature) as it pertains to real life vice and virtue, is indeed correct that it can have a lasting effect on the way one acts, however, he is making a gross generalization when he states that a portrayal of pure virtue can divinely inspire, where as a portrayal of evil can herd the masses away from evil deeds. The true social value of poetry and literature is not in the portrayal of vice against virtue, but rather when the two meet inside a protagonist. It is the illumination of the paradox of right and wrong that gives us truly poignant literature. We can truly understand things about ourselves when we read about characters being pulled in two directions: as Queen Elizabeth in her struggles between romantic and patriotic love, or Othello as he is torn between jealousy and love, or as Abraham struggles with the murder of his son as a testament of faith. Queen Elizabeth is an obvious example of how such a paradox can be helpful and inspirational. She writes, in On Monsieur’s Departure, about how she has a duty to the state, but at the same time, wishes to love romantically in spite of it. The reader can truly relate to the character, because she is not without fault, nor is she without virtue–literature which sheds equal value to the good and the bad in humans is the most illuminating and useful. The irony in this situation is the fact that the modern reader cannot even be sure which of the desires expressed by the queen is virtue and which is vice. Love of country is good, but fulfilling one’s own needs is good too. Ultimately, we learn from Elizabeth’s poem that one must make choices–that what is virtuous can also be harmful, and likewise. Othello gives us a similar glimpse into the train-wreck that is the human mind when determining right from wrong. As the plot unfolds, the reader finds it hard to fault Othello’s actions, as he is only trying to do what is right and honorable. Even after he is duped into believing his wife is an adulterer, he still has a deep love for her (which is why Iago’s lies eat at him as they do). Eventually, Othello commits a murder which he views as the only "right" thing to do.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Reproductive Health Bill Essay

Couple of years passed since Albay 1st district Representative Edcel Lagman and Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago introduced two senate bills, respectively House Bill No. 4244 or an Act providing for a Comprehensive Policy on Reproductive Health, and Population and Development, and for Other Purposes, and Senate Bill No. 2378 or An Act Providing For a National Policy on Reproductive Health and Population and Development. Also, couple of years passed since divisive arguments started mocking our ears. The pros and cons continually play tug of war in debate of whether passing the bill or not. The Reproduction Health bills, or RH bills, as they are commonly called, aim to guarantee universal access to methods and information on birth control and maternal care. In a medical sense, life begins when fertilization takes place. One of its prime components is the use of artificial methods in order to prevent fertilization to occur. In a biblical sense, we know it is a mortal sin to end one’s life. Ladies and gentlemen, I believe that sex is sacred, even to the natural laws itself and is bestowed only to two persons who share mutual values as well as commitment to God and themselves. With the use of artificial contraceptives, spouses do not put their total trust and gift of personal fertility to their own partners. Rather than putting out hopes on contraceptive methods, let us opt to uphold responsible parenthood. Rather than relying on abortifacient pills, let us choose to push proper discipline and self-control. On the other hand, I remember a commercial advertisement which showed children who don’t frequently eat meals with their parents, children who don’t often have chance to talk with their parents are the one who often get in caught in problems like early pregnancy. Parents, you have the greatest responsibility in the wellbeing of the youth. Open your hands, lend your ears and nurture them with pieces of advice. Water them with love; pull off the hindrances of their development. Be the farmers the cream of the crop of our society. Moreover, the use of contraceptive agents such as pills poses rick to the health and safety of the women. Failure of the pills may lead to post-fertilization effects that may be operative prevent clinically recognized pregnancy. Thus, it contradicts the goal of the RH bills to protect the life of the mother as well as the life of the unborn from conception. Imprisonment or about half a year and fine of fifty thousand pesos – such actions may be implied if health care service providers fail to give reproductive health care services like ligation or vasectomy. For me, it is sad to think that we Filipinos may be deprived to practice our right of freedom, our own right of liberal choice and self-conscience. On the other hand, the RH bills also intends to lessen the alarming proportion of rapidly rising population in the country, which is deemed one of the main causes of poverty and economic breakdown. However, according to scholars, most economic analysis of statistical correlation between economic growth and population show that there is little, if not none, significant connection at all. It is just that the bigger the population density, the less resources that we can use for production; and may lead to scarcity of the basic necessities of life. Why don’t we venture to delve into utilizing indigenous resource materials? If the nationwide resources aren’t sufficient enough to sustain the needs of the Filipino people, then let us think and make programs that will answer the problem into reality. Why don’t we put more efforts in promoting and establishing quality education in order to bring up economically active and productive citizens? It is a big investment to produce globally competitive Filipinos that will contribute to the economic growth. Successful graduates may establish their own business enterprise and generate job opportunities to us countrymen. The people of Juan dela Cruz opt to work abroad and leave his family and friends. These modern day heroes suffer the trials of being countries away from their loved ones. It may be because of the deficiency of employment opportunities here in the Philippines. Moreover, the salary in the foreign countries is believed to be considerably at a better cost. Why don’t we place our endeavor onto creating many jobs possible to prevent Filipinos from choosing to overseas to work, and stop nation’s brain drain as well? We can invest on our national budget into more significant outcomes. There are lot more solutions to the challenges we are facing today I believe most of us prefer to satisfy our vital needs in life and meet our real preferences.. We should buy food rather than pills. We should buy clothes rather than condoms. We intend to buy what really need. To a certain extent, I think this forgoing issue will somehow be an excuse to the nation’s lacking capability to accomplish its goal of serving its constituents by mainly lifting their social condition. The foremost reason is not the vast number of the poor. Otherwise, the poor are the victims of the cancerous cell of our society- poverty. Poverty caused by the abuse of power by those with authority. My fellowmen, I suppose it is quite selfish to sacrifice other’s lives for our own sake. We may tend to break the promise of reaching and fulfilling other’s dreams; we somehow deprive the unborn to even use pens and draw their dreams. â€Å"Ang kabataan ay ang pag-asa ng bayan†. I believe in our national hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal. The young generation is the very prodigy of the promise we have for the better tomorrow. As a Christian country, I believe that we, Filipinos, have firm devotion and faith on the Almighty God. It is said, that life is the greatest gift God ever given to man. His Holiness also gifted us with intellectual power and will to decide and determine right from wrong. Our decision has vital part in the real progress of our country, in the lives of many Filipinos and the future of the youth and the future of this country. Ladies and gentlemen, I may not be a national hero. I may not be a national leader or someone with great social standing. I am just an average Filipino citizen. I am here, my fellow Filipinos, in front of you, as rhetoric medium, as a catalyst of change, as a citizen who cares for his country, as someone that cares for the well-being of my fellow countrymen. I beg you to understand the true value of life. I beg you to open your eyes to the true crisis we face. I beg you to lend your ears to the true cries the nation want us to diminish. My dearest friends, I ask you again to listen to the voice of the youth.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Fairness Principle

Compare and contrast the guiding principles of the Global Business Standards Codex and the Mixed Framework principles. Global business standards codex captures eight major underlying principles in which ethical behavior can be interpreted and evaluated. The eight ethical principles are fiduciary, property, reliability, transparency, dignity. fairness, citizenship and responsiveness. Fiduciary Principle. As part of the legal structure of a business organization, each officer and director of a company has a legal fiduciary duty to act in the best interest of the stakeholders and other employees within the firm.Furthermore, there is also an implied fiduciary duty for every employee within the organization to also act in a way that generates positive benefits for the firm. Property Principle. The property principle is based on the belief that every employee should respect property as well as the rights of the owners of the property. This principle has been expanded to intangible property and now also includes the misappropriation of intellectual property or other types of information.It expected that an employee would protect the tangible and intangible assets of the firm and the employee should be a good steward to the resources the employee has access to. Reliability Principle. It is based on the belief that it is the employee’s responsibility to honor the commitments he or she has made to the firm. It is expected that the employees will follow through with the promises and commitments that have been made between the employees and the firm. Transparency Principle. It is based on the belief that every employee should conduct business in a truthful and open manner.It is expected that the employees will not make decisions based on a personal agenda and not to act in a descriptive manner and to keep accurate and current records of all the business obligations that are currently the responsibility of the employee. Dignity Principle. It is based on the belief th at each employee needs to respect the dignity of all individuals. It encourages the enhancement of human development not only within the company and marketplace, but also in the society at large. Therefore, any type of humiliation coercion, or other type of human offenses is in direct violation of the dignity principle. Fairness Principle. It is based on the belief that stakeholders who have a vested interest in the firm should be treated fairly. There are four types of fairness: reciprocal fairness, distributive fairness, fair competition and procedural fairness. Reciprocal fairness addresses the issues of treating another party fairly and having the other party treat the firm fairly. Distributive fairness is based on the assumption that the allocation of finite resources within the firm will be distributed fairly based on maximizing the benefits of those allocations.Fair competition focuses on the fair treatment given by the firm as it interacts with its existing and potential competitors, Procedural fairness deals with ensuring that parties that interact with the firm are treated fairly from a due process perspective. Citizenship Principle. It is based on the belief that every employee should act as a responsible citizen in the community. It is also expected that employees respect the laws of the community. Furthermore, it is expected that employees protect and preserve public goods or commons available to the community. It is also expected that employees should be cooperative with community officials.Responsiveness Principle. It is based on the belief that employees have a responsibility to respond to requests for information about the operations from the various stakeholders. As a result, employees must not only reply to stakeholders’ request for information, but also be responsive to ideas presented by the stakeholders to help improve the operations of the firm. A responsive firm is expected to react in a timely manner to resolve any outstanding issues that have been raised by the employees, interest groups, suppliers, the local community and any other stakeholders that has a vested interest in the company.Mixed Framework principles:a)Fidelity: an individual needs to keep explicit and implicit promises.b)Reparation: an individual must act an repairing the conseque nces for previous wrongful acts.c)Gratitude: an individual must be able to show gratitude for the kindnesses that others have given him or her.d)Justice: an individual should try to see that any goods are fairly distributed.e)Beneficence: an individual should focus on trying to improve the lives of others.f)Self-improvement: an individual should improve oneself by focusing on virtue and intelligence.g)Noninjury: an individual should not cause any harm to others.