Statutory responsibilities and rights of employees Essay Example for Free

Statutory responsibilities and rights of employees Essay List the aspects of employment covered law. The law in UK covers the following aspects: Minimum Wage. Health and Safety. Union Rights. Redundancy and dismissal. Disciplinary procedures. Labour laws that relate to the points listed above cover the responsibilities between employee and employer. Health and Safety laws relate to working conditions, minimum wage relates to basic salary and there are other laws that set basic compensation levels. There are several further laws that protect both the employee and the employer such as the Disability Act, The Medicine Act, General Social Care Council Code 2001, RIDDOR 1995 and more. Read more: Describe how own role links to the wider sector essay List the main features of current employment legislation The main features of employment legislation are: Employment rights Equality and Discrimination Health and Safety. Outline why legislation relating to employment exists Legislation relating to employment exists in order to prevent the exploitation of employees by employers. Legislation protects employees rights and covers areas such as: Salary, equal pay. Safety Maternity/Paternity entitlement Sick pay, Holiday pay, Redundancy Working hours Discrimination i.e disability, gender, age. Employers are required to adhere to this legislation and can receive penalties if they do not. Identify sources and types of information and advice available in relation to employment responsibilities and rights In order to obtain information and advice in relation to employment responsibilities and rights an employee should be given the following: Contract: This should cover all the terms and conditions. Job description Policy documents Employee handbook Further information can be obtained from organisations such as, citizens advise and trade unions. Understand agreed ways of working that protect own relationship with employer Describe the terms and conditions of own contract of employment The terms and conditions of the contract of employment between myself and SEAC covers: Job Title Place of work Wage Expenses Hours of work Holidays Sickness Termination of employment Disciplinary procedure Grievance procedure Disclosure of information Data protection Protection of intellectual property rights Health and Safety These terms and conditions are provides to protect both myself as an employee and SEAC as an employer and are covered by the UK Legislation on employment rights and responsibilities. Describe the information shown on own pay statement The information shown on my pay statement is: Name and address. Employee number Tax code Tax office National insurance number Hours worked Gross and net pay to date Deductions Date. Describe the procedures to follow in event of a grievance In the event of a grievance the procedure that is required to be followed as outlined in my contract of employment is as follows: Raise informally with ASC in order to discuss the concern and bring to a satisfactory conclusion. If this is not possible the next step is. Consult Apprentice Handbook Raise the matter in writing. If the concern is not resolved within 10 working days. Bring the concern to the attention of the next level of management. Identify the personal information that must be kept up to date with own employer Personal information that must be kept up to date with the employer is: Address Bank details Contact details Emergency contact details Explain agreed ways of working with employer Agreed ways of working with my employer are outlined in my Guide for Apprentices handbook. This information provides me with the obligations that are expected from myself as an apprentice and also what I can expect from my employer. A summary of my obligations are: Arrive at place of employment /training on time Be proactive, enthusiastic, interested, commitment to working responsibilities Complete all work/training tasks on time, commitment to training Follow my host company policies and procedures, adhere to safe working , practices, respect property Be professional , dress suitably A summary of SEAC’s and the Host Company’s obligations are: To provide a safe working environment Supply me with all relevant policies and procedures Support my training with learning opportunities and approved time off for training Provide me with a supervisor/personal mentor Pay my salary on time Ensure that the training programme supports my individual needs, develop my knowledge Understand how own role fits within the wider context of the sector Explain how own role fits within the delivery of the service provider The service provider is the NHS and my role as Occupational Therapist Assistant Apprentice fits within the rehabilitation and enablement of patients following stays within the hospital to return to independence. Explain the effect of own role on service provision My role as Occupational Therapist Assistant Apprentice is to provide support to the Ward Occupational Therapist and other therapeutic staff by supporting patients through assessment and rehabilitation to return to independent lives to the best of their ability. This is achieved by providing a comprehensive assessment of the patient’s abilities with everyday activities and cognitive assessment to establish mental capacity. Resources and support are then assigned to the patient according to their individual needs. Describe how own role links to the wider sector My role as Occupational Therapist Assistant Apprentice links into the wider sector which is the local community. This includes Community Rehabilitation Teams, Community Hospital, Social Services, Residential /Care Homes, Mental Health Teams and Care Agencies. Following assessment of the patient to establish what further support is required; my role is to liaise with these services to ensure a smooth transition and positive outcome for the patient. Describe the main roles and responsibilities of representative bodies that influence the wider sector. Read more:Â  Statutory Responsibilities and Rights of Employees and Employers

Factors Affecting The Frequency Of Digital Oscilloscope Information Technology Essay

Factors Affecting The Frequency Of Digital Oscilloscope Information Technology Essay Oscilloscopes are measuring equipment which displays electric waveforms on a screen like a small Television.   An oscilloscope is known as CRO, DSO, scope or an O-scope. Its common usage is to observe wave shapes of signal. There are four sections in an oscilloscope: the vertical and horizontal controls trigger controls and finally the display screen (the screen consists of cathode ray tube).   The research on oscilloscope has been done through books, internet, magazines etc. Karl Braun was the inventor of oscilloscope in 1897 (http://inventors.about.com/od/bstartinventors/a/Karl_Braun.htm). The main sector oscilloscopes used in are engineering, medicine, telecommunications and science. In October 2010 Tektronix Inc manufacturer of oscilloscopes discovered that Series of digital and mixed signal oscilloscopes that now deliver 100 GS/s sampling rate performance. This enables lower noise along with increased data points on 5x oversampled 20 GHz acquisitions (http://www.prlog.org/11 013155-tektronix-raises-bar-for-oscilloscope-sampling-rates-signal-integrity.html) There are several numbers of oscilloscope e.g. digital, analogues, dual beam, mixed signal etc.   This reports main focus will be the design and operating principle of digital storage oscilloscope.   Firstly the report will look into how the oscilloscope works, and then it will follow on to how its designed and finally how to set it up. A digital oscilloscope is a measuring instrument that uses binary numbers which writes to samples of the voltage.   ADC (analogue to digital converter) is used to change the analogue data into digital data then it makes the signal digitally.   For it to be displayed in the screen its then converted back to analogue. A digital oscilloscope has its limitation to performing just like an analogue oscilloscope.   There is a limit to the frequency which it can work up to. The limits of frequency are affected by analog bandwidth front-end section which is known as -3 dB point  and sampling rate of the oscilloscope,  the samples is taken in regular breaks.   When the sample rate is high, the frequency increases on screen.  Ã‚   Factors affecting the frequency of digital oscilloscope: Bandwidth specification Oscilloscope sample rate Bandwidth specification The bandwidth specification determines the frequency range which the scope (oscilloscope) measures accurately in the display. As the frequency is increasing the oscilloscope accuracy decreases. The bandwidth is mainly defined as a drop of 3 decibels (dB) or sensitivity at lower frequency at 0.707. Bandwidth in Hz x rise time in seconds = 0.35. E.g. to resolve an oscilloscope pulses with the rise of 2 nanosecond would have a bandwidth of 700MHz. but for a digital oscilloscope the sampling rate would have to be ten times higher frequency to resolve. E.g. 10megasample/second would measure up to 1 megahertz of signals. Oscilloscope sample Rate The oscilloscope sampling rate indicates on digital oscilloscopes how many samples per second the analog to digital converter can gain. The quicker it can sample, the accurate the results are displayed for fast signal. The maximum sample rate is given by MS/s which is mega samples per second. The minimum sample rate might come in handy if you need to look at signals changing slowly. The sampling rate can be change by the controls (sec/div) on the oscilloscope. Digital storage oscilloscope The digital storage oscilloscope is of the three digital oscilloscopes but DSO is the conventional form of digital oscilloscope. Its screen is like a computer monitor or TV screen as it uses raster type screen. By using the raster screen its helps to display images that fill the whole screen and it may include text on the screen. (www.Radio-electronics.com). First you have to store the waveform in the digital format to get the raster type display on screen. As a result of storing the waveform form digitally it can be processed by the oscilloscope or by connecting to a computer. This enables a high degree of processing to be achieved, and the required display provided very easily and often with a very cheap processing platform. It also enables the waveform to be retained indefinitely, unlike the analogue scopes for which the waveform could only be stored for a very limited time. (www.Radio-electronics.com). The operation of the digital storage oscilloscope is pretty simple, The first stage the signal enters within the scope is the vertical amplifier where some analogue signal conditioning is undertaken to scale and position the waveform. Next this signal is applied to an analogue to digital converter (ADC). (www.Radio-electronics.com). The samples are taken at regular intervals. The sampling rate is important because it determines the resolution of the signal. The samples are taken in per second or MS/s (mega sample rate). All the samples are stored within is the oscilloscope as waveform points, and several samples of waveform make up a single waveform point. The overall waveform is stored as a waveform record and its start is governed by the trigger, its finish being determined by the horizontal time base time. (www.Radio-electronics.com). The digital storage oscilloscope is an in the digital format which means there is a signal processor. With having a signal processor it helps to process the signal in different ways, before it passes the display memory and the display. Digital storage oscilloscope www.doctronics.co.uk Controls of digital storage oscilloscope Screen this is where all the waveform signals are displayed by using the X axis and Y axis. www.photoshelter.com Switch to turn ON the oscilloscope and to turn OFF. X-Y control its used to display component characteristic curves. Its mainly used for output position. TV-separation it allows the display to be shown on TV system so it can compare signals different points. TIME / DIV by using this control V/t graph horizontal scale can be changed. Trigger controls it allows the oscilloscope display to be coordinated with the signal you want to look into. Intensity and focus this control is used to change the brightness of the scope by adjusting it. X-POS by using this control the whole V/t graph can be moved side to side. X-MAG horizontal scale of the V/t graph is increased by 10 times in the IN position. CAL outputs -the top terminal gives square wave at 0.2  V peak to peak but the lower terminal gives square wave of 2  V peak to peak at 50 Hz. Component tester A changing voltage is provided by the output socket to allow component characteristic curves to be displayed. Y-POS I and Y-POS II this control allows the resultant outcome to move up or down Invert when its invert the waveform signal on the screen is turned upside down. CH I and CH II inputs using the BNC plugs the signals are connected to the BNC input socket. The smaller socket is called earth or ground. VOLTS / DIV independently the vertical scales for CH I and CH II can be adjusted. DC/AC/GND slide switches In the DC position, the signal input is connected directly to the Y-amplifier of the corresponding channel, CH I or CH II. In the AC position, a capacitor is connected into the signal pathway so that DC voltages are blocked and only changing AC signals are displayed (www.doctronics.co.uk) Trace selection switches settings of control switches for oscilloscope screen. How to set up an oscilloscope First you warm up the oscilloscope by switching it on. At this stage do not connect any input leads. Select the DC/AC/GND switch to DC (the Y-input) Select the X-Y/SWP to SWP (sweep) Put the trigger level to AUTO Select the trigger source to INT (the Y input, internal) Put 5V/cm at the Y-AMPLIFIER Put the TIMEBASE to 10ms/cm Select 1 or Cal for the time base VRIABLE control. to map out the middle of the screen adjust the Y-SHIFT (up/down) and X SHIFT (left/right) to brighten up the focus adjust the INTENSITY and FOCUS now the oscilloscope is ready to go http://www.kpsec.freeuk.com/cro.htm Digital storage oscilloscope Digital Phosphor Oscilloscope Bandwidths 100  MHz 200  MHz 500 MHz, 300 MHz, 100 MHz Sample rate 2  GS/s Real Time 5 GS/s Channels 2 or 4 Channels 2 or 4 Channels 8 Hours of Continuous Battery Operation with Two Batteries Installed, Hot Swappable for Virtually Unlimited Freedom from AC Line Power Full VGA Color LCD on all Models Optional Power Application Software offers the Broadest Range of Power Measurements at its Price Point Built-in Floppy Disk Drive for Easy Storage and Documentation Measurement Quickly Document and Analyze Measurement Results with OpenChoice ® Software or Integrated CompactFlash ® Mass Storage 21 Automatic Measurements Fast Fourier Transform FFT Standard on All Models FFT for Frequency and Harmonic Analysis Triggers Advanced Triggers to Quickly Capture the Event of Interest Advanced Triggers, such as, Glitch, Width, and Logic Traditional, Analog-style Knobs and Multilanguage User Interface for Easy Operation Multi-Language User Interface Quick Setup and Operation with Auto set Menu, Auto range, Waveform and Setup Memories, and Built-in, Context-sensitive Help Quick Menu User Interface Mode for Quick, Easy Operation Backlit Menu Buttons for High Visibility 9-bit Vertical Resolution 11 of the Most Critical Automatic Waveform Measurements Telecommunications Mask Testing (TMT) Centronics Port Standard on all Models for Quick, Convenient Hardcopies Extended Video Application Module Support for Active Probes, Differential Probes, and Current Probes that Provide Automatic Scaling and Units Digital Phosphor Oscilloscope http://infrared.als.lbl.gov/content/PDF/equipment/Tektronix_TDS3052_Data_Sheet.pdf Digital storage oscilloscope http://www2.tek.com/cmswpt/psdetails.lotr?ct=pscs=psuci=13304lc=EN

Analysing Structure Of Stories Literature Essay

Analysing Structure Of Stories Literature Essay This chapter focuses on the structure of stories in different mediums. Storytelling and the development of media have alternately influenced each another, and each new medium has established a new kind of storytelling. A story is more than actions and events. The sequence of actions and events according to a meaning creates a specific kind of structure. A storys structure is not the meaning of a fixed order but more the rules and the ways of combinations of events that creates a meaning. Therefore, understanding a storys structure is important in the narrative development process. Transmedia storytelling The structure of each medium allows for a different performance and affects how the meanings of stories are created and shared. Performativity need not be solely on the stage. Auslander stated that we live in a mediatized world, and that performance has spread across media, infecting the other media with performative spontaneity from both performers and audiences (Auslander, 1994). The stories we have heard, seen and read in a single medium have not lacked impact, but incorporating several media offers a whole new experience as Jenkins mentioned about transmedia. Transmedia is a term coined by Henry Jenkins to describe how stories can be told across media in such a way as to take advantage of what each medium do best. As Jenkins stated, Transmedia storytelling represents a process where integral elements of a fiction get dispersed systematically across multiple delivery channels for the purpose of creating a unified and coordinated entertainment experience. Ideally, each medium makes its own unique contribution to the unfolding of the story. (Jenkins, 2007) With transmedia experiences, where it is basically impossible for someone to have expertise in every medium, we may actually see a strengthening in the individual media as authors and artists focus on their expertise and return to specializing and mastering their medium of choice (Davidson, 2008). This means that the choice of media is not by content of the story but more by the expertise. Although the term transmedia emerged in the 21st century, the characteristics of transmedia can be identified in the wayang tradition. Mrà ¡zek stated that the media or the arts are more like artistic techniques than materials, or more like musical instruments than sound waves. He stated that the media in wayang narration, dialogue, puppets and puppet movement and their particular ways of working and functioning are creations of an artistic tradition, rather than universal, pre-existing categories (Mrà ¡zek, 2005). Puppet movement and puppet compositions, narration, dialogue, and music are combined and used to build the whole of the performance. Narration and dialogue appear to be in a class apart because they both use verbal language; but the case is not as simple. During both of them, the puppets are on the screen, and both the narration and the dialogue closely interact with the images. In the case of the dialogue, this is immediately obvious: it is the characters, acted by pu ppets on the screen that are represented speaking; the voice and the words are fused with them. In the case of narration, the interaction with the visual image is also close; the narration describes the scene and the characters and their actions, and is always closely juxtaposed to the visual images. Dialogue and narration are never quite purely verbal media they are connected to the visual images and constantly interact with them. However, if we want to see the separation between the media more clearly, we can look at the structuring of the performance in time. There is a very clear separation into three kinds of moments that what could be called: Narration moments Dialogue moments Puppet-movement moments During the puppet-movement moment the opening of the audience is represented in the medium of puppet movement, and there is no dialogue and no narration; then the dalang or the puppeteer narrates (the puppets are immobile, arranged into pictorial composition), and then comes the dialogue, during which the dalang only moves the hands of the puppets. The moments are represented by periods of music. In each of the moments, one medium comes to the fore, even though it is not necessarily in any pure form, that is, the other media may play a minor function. The media themselves are rarely clearly separate, but the different moments (in each one medium predominates) are (Mrà ¡zek, 2005). In this study, the web is used as a medium to revive traditional storytelling with puppets. Virtual worlds cannot substitute the rich experience of performing with real puppets and a face-to-face audience. But instead this study wants to ponder the potentials of the web and its design for this field. This study is also inspired from statements from Brenda Laurel. The performative nature of the web, one type of hypertext and hypermedia on computers, has led Brenda Laurel to look at computers as theater. For Laurel, computers have the capacity to represent action in which humans could participate (Laurel, 1993, p. 1). The readers are performers within the hypertextual narrative, shaping the actions and outcomes by the choice they make. A part of this study also focuses on the structure and process of narrative in hypermedia, in particular the web, and explores the potential application to support telling stories. Hypermedia refers to dynamic multimedia objects that have hypertextual aspects. As Landow and Delany stated, hypermedia is a multimedia extension of hypertext that is more complex and interactive, integrating visual and auditory experiences as well as text and links to give more contextual synthesis of the information explored (Delany Landow, 1994). For example, a web page with java scripting and interactive graphics, videos and sounds is a hypermedia object (Davidson, 2008). A characteristic of hypermedia is non-linearity structure, which allows us to navigate through an information space using associative linking. This leads to idea of intertextuality as we describe in the next section. Intertextuality Intertextuality refers to the numerous implicit references in each text to other texts. No text is written completely isolated from other texts and can stand entirely by itself. Hyperlinks in hypertexts and hypermedia documents emphasize such intertextuality in a way that is impossible in printed texts: they can lead directly from the hyperlinked terms, phrases or images to other contexts in which the same terms, phrases or images are meaningful, whether inside or outside the given hypermedia work itself (Delany Landow, 1994). Intertextuality can also be understood as the process of drawing on ones experience with multiple texts and making connections between these various texts and the present text being experienced (Davidson, 2008). Long and Strine illustrated how the process of experiencing a text necessitates that the audience brings an intertextuality to bear in order to understand the text being experienced (Long Strine, 1989). When we read a book, we bring our intertextual experiences of all the other books we have read to play with the current text itself, and from this playfulness, we assemble a deeper meaning of the text(s) involved. The appreciation of traditional textual objects, such as novels and films, is dependent to a certain measure on the decoding of intertextual references to other media in these texts. Thus, the pleasure of consuming these texts can be seen to be contingent to a certain extent on the users ability to identify and decode these allusions. This intertextual element also exists in new media, especially since media content is increasingly brought to the consumer through different channels simultaneously. Intertextuality can be found in wayang tradition also. For example, a character is used not only in one story; he or she can appear in different stories with different meanings and actions. A story is a part of another story or a story is a biography of an actor from another story. For this study, we want to use this characteristic in the system to provide a suggestion to children when they want to combine or connect stories. A theme of a story or actors in a story will be proceeded to bring out suggestions. With this kind of suggestion, the process of story-building is expected becomes simplified. Structure of a story Stories impose a structure on the events that we narrate so that listeners (including the storyteller) can understand them, and thereby gain some particular perspective on the events (Polanyi, 1989). A schema of narrative composed of four characteristics: setting, character, theme and plot (Davidson, 2008). Event schemas or scripts are knowledge structures which even very young children use to organize their general knowledge about events. Scripts also guide childrens comprehension and their recalling of stories about familiar events (Hudson, 1988). A storys structure as a topic of education fosters the ability to detect a meaning by reading. Models for developing good stories have been proposed for thousands of years. Around 2300 years ago Aristotle wrote his treatise called Poetics, in which he focused on tragedies, or serious drama. Many aspects of poetics are useful for authoring multimedia stories as well; the most important being the plot. According to Butcher, Aristotle said that [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] for by plot I here mean the arrangement of the incidents [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] But most important of all is the structure of the incidents [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] so the plot, being an imitation of an action, must imitate one action and that a whole, the structural union of the parts being such that, if any one of them is displaced or removed, the whole will be disjointed and disturbed.; and every story must have a beginning, middle and end (Aristotle, 2008; Lee, 2001). In the next section, a structure of a dramatic work such as a play or film, focusing on Gustav Freytags analysis of ancient Greek and Shakespearean drama is discussed. The discussion continues by analyzing the geometric structure variations of stories. Freytags Pyramid Freytags Pyramid (see Figure 3.1) is a way to analyze a plot that consists of five elements in an ascending and descending manner, introduction (exposition, inciting moment) rising action climax falling action denouement (catastrophe, resolution) (Freytag, 1900). In the introduction, the plot, characters, and complications are introduced. This leads to the rising action, or the events that lead to the climax of the plot. At the point of highest dramatic tension, or at a major turning point in the plot, the audience finds the climax. This decisive moment in the narrative is when the rising action is reversed to falling action. The falling action, then, is made up of the events that follow the climax and lead to the denouement. The final outcome, result, or unraveling of the main dramatic complication is called the denouement. The denouement may involve a reversal in the protagonists fortunes, usually as the result of a discovery (recognition of something of great importance previo usly unknown) by the protagonist. Figure 3.1. Frytags dramatic pyramid Frytags dramatic pyramid can be used to analyze the dramatic structure of wayang performance. Wayang performance in general has three acts: Pathet Nem, Pathet Sanga, and Pathet Manyura. The performance usually starts at 9.00 pm and will be end at 4.00 am. The following part describes the structure of a wayang performance in detail: Act One (Pathet Nem) Pathet nem is symbolizing childhood, performed from 9 pm until midnight, and consists of 6 scenes: Jejeran Raja: symbolizes that the baby begins to be accepted and nurtured by his mother. Paseban Jawi: symbolizes a child who is already getting to know the real world. Jaranan: symbolize the immature nature of children. Perang Ampyak: symbolizes a child who has begun to mature. Sabrangan: symbolizes a child who has grown but his character is still dominated by emotions. Perang Gagal: symbolizes a person who does not yet have a definite purpose in life. Act Two (Pathet Sanga) Pathet sanga is symbolizing adulthood, performed at midnight until 2.00 am, and consists of 3 scenes. In this act, the hero is thinking about problems, and subversive clown figures enter and dispense wisdom and ribald humor. Bambangan: symbolizes a person who has begun to obtain knowledge. Perang Kembang: symbolizes a growing adult. Jejer Sintren: symbolizes a person who has set a goal in his life. Act Three (Pathet Manyura) Pathet manyura is symbolizing seniority, performed from 2.00 am until 4.00 am, and consists of 3 scenes. This act contains resolution of conflict/problem with many battles. Jejer Manyura: symbolizes a person who already knows the purpose of his life and is close to achieving his dreams. Perang Brubuh: symbolizes a person who has reached his life goal. Tancep Kayon: symbolizes a person who has died. In this study, it is of interest to look at the process of performance of the wayang story rather than at the dramatic structure of wayang stories. The story of wayang is performed in a linear process, always starts from act one, continues with act two and ends with act three. But there is still a possibility to change the storys sequence for some stories. In wayang there are four types of play or Lakon: Standard play (Lakon Pakem) is played strictly following rules from the book. Improvisation play (Carangan) is played following the rules with improvisation. Contemporary play (Sempalan) is played completely out-of-the-book. Biography play (Lakon Banjaran) is played covering a biography of a certain figure. Wayang stories besides having the linear structure also have a non-linear structure, e.g., a contemporary play. This situation gives us an opportunity to perform wayang stories in a medium that supports non-linear structures, e.g., the web. Before the exploration of story structures which are appropriate with the authoring tool is proceeded, the variation of story structures will be discussed in the next section. Geometric design structures of stories Every story has a structure that can be visualized as a process. Linear stories have linear processes; non-linear stories have non-linear processes. Ten geometric structure variations from Samsel and Wimberly is explored in this section: sequential, branching, conditional branching (branching with barriers, branching with forced paths, bottlenecking, branching with optional scenes), exploratorium, parallel streaming, worlds, and multilinear (Samsel Wimberly, 1998). Sequential (Linear) Sequential structure is the basic building block of both interactive and linear media projects as shown Figure 3.2. User navigation follows a strictly defined procedural path one after another. The user cannot jump from node A to node C, for example, without having first traveled across node B. Figure 3.2. Sequential structure Sequential with Cul-de-Sacs Sometimes a linear sequence of nodes can diverge into isolated nonlinear deviations offer the user the choice to step off the procedural path into areas that in no way fulfill the critical objective of the piece. Such digressions are called cul-de-sacs usually puzzles, games, or sidebars that explore the themes of the work, but in no way affect the outcome of the story or objective of the work. The interesting thing about a cul-de-sac is that its entrance is also its exit, as shown in Figure 3.3. This applies to interactive cul-de-sacs as well and is especially important for the software designer who is trying to help us tell an interactive narrative. An interactive corporate training title, for example, might have a node that demonstrates a crucial concept. Several key words or phrases within that node may be hot. Clicking on one of the words might send the user to another node that shows that word, along with its definition. This sidebar or footnote has no impact on the training lesson itself. It is only there to enhance the users understanding of the key words and phrases contained in the material. Once the user has finished reading the definition, he or she has only one option to return to the lesson. Figure 3.3. Sequential structure with cul-de-sac (Samsel Wimberly, 1998, p.25) Many childrens edutainment CD-ROMs, such as Mindscapes The Animals! use sequential storytelling techniques e.g., a trip to the zoo and link them to archived data (Samsel Wimberly, 1998). A child can travel through the story and click on an object within a scene. This action will transport the child to a cul-de-sac a self-contained node of information such as a video clip of a lion, a photograph of a pelican, an audio clip of a monkey, or a text description of a polar bear. Once the information has been delivered and digested by the child, it can either replay the information or return to the main body of the zoo story. The cul-de-sac simply enhances the user experience. Branching In an interactive program, branching offers the most rudimentary course of extending how users navigate throughout the program. In a typical branching structure, the user is presented with several choices or options upon arriving at certain predesignated Forks in the road. Based on which path the user chooses, the program follows a new node of content. Figure 3.4. Traditional branching structure Branching structures are popular because they easily demonstrate the fundamental concept of interactive theory user choice. Namely, when confronted with a path decision, the user must choose one from several options A, B, or C in order to proceed to the corresponding node, as shown in Figure 3.4. The danger of branching structures is that they can spiral out of control very quickly. Author Neal Stephenson refers to this type of structure as the tree of death, where the story line keeps forking until there ends up being an unmanageable number of outcomes (see Figure 3.5). Figure 3.5. Extended branching structure (Samsel Wimberly, 1998, p.26) Conditional Branching: Branching with Barriers A subset of branching is conditional branching, which requires the user to abide by the rules of a predetermined condition along the branch in order to proceed through the program. Often, these conditions are puzzles or other obstacles that are slapped down in the middle of the application. The user is forced to solve the puzzle before he or she can continue (see Figure 3.6). Figure 3.6. Branching with barriers structure (Samsel Wimberly, 1998, p.27) Conditional Branching: Branching with Forced Paths Conditional branching often limits user choice in other ways. While appearing on the surface to offer many choices and options, the program will often continue regardless of the users actual choice. In essence, the program offers the illusion of choice without actually allowing the user to alter the program in any way. The validity of interactivity is strictly limited by the choices offered by the writer. Figure 3.7. Branching with forced path structure (Samsel Wimberly, 1998, p.28) A branching structure as seen in Figure 3.7 using forced paths or critical paths offers the end-user more options and/or more paths to choose from, but only one solution advances the story. Conditional Branching: Bottlenecking Another type of condition placed on branching structures (especially when the structure is used in an interactive narrative) manifests itself as bottlenecking. Bottlenecking is when various branching nodes are brought back into the spine of the story in order to rein everything in. This is a crucial structural procedure when you consider the exponential possibilities created by traditional branching structure (see Figure 3.8). Figure 3.8. Branching with bottlenecking structure (Samsel Wimberly, 1998, p.29) When the various story nodes are folded back so that they converge into a single story spine, the interactive narrative becomes more manageable. This type of design structure has been implemented in a number of popular media games and interactive movies over the past several years, including Origins popular Wing Commander series (Samsel Wimberly, 1998). Conditional Branching: Branching with Optional Scenes Sometimes the user gets to choose between alternative scenes that spin out from and return to the primary spine of the application whether that spine is a story (as in an interactive narrative) or an objective (as in an informational multimedia application such as a training title). Alternative scenes are commonly found in education and training programs, where it is necessary to demonstrate numerous concepts (see Figure 3.9). Figure 3.9. Branching with optional scenes structure (Samsel Wimberly, 1998, p.29) Exploratorium Exploratorium is empowering structures that allow the user to pause during the program to explore a world within a world. Many interactive storybook titles utilize exploratoriums from the humorous Living Books titles, Arthurs Birthday and Just Grandma and Me to Disneys Pocahontas Animated Storybook to simulated environments such as Imergy/Simon and Schusters Star Trek Captains Chair (Samsel Wimberly, 1998). The exploratorium structure can be seen in Figure 3.10. Figure 3.10. Exploratorium structure. Letters A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and H are hot spots or entertainment click-ons imbedded into program (Samsel Wimberly, 1998, p.32). Parallel Streaming Parallel streaming describes many states or paths that exist simultaneously at various levels within the same application. In an interactive narrative, this type of structure allows the writer to create a single linear story, while allowing the user to switch between perspectives, paths, or states. The user can then experience the same series of events from multiple points of view (see Figure 3.11). Figure 3.11. Parallel streaming structure (Samsel Wimberly, 1998, p.33) Worlds When two or more environments are interconnected by a common thread be it a theme, goal, mission, or story we have the basis for a world structure. Add to that world series of predefined events or tasks that the user trigger/accomplish in order to move the story or mission forward and you have a design structure that works very well with interactive media programs (Samsel Wimberly, 1998). In a world experience, exploring the surrounding is just as important (and fun) as completing the story or achieving an objective. This poses a unique set of problems for the writer. Figure 3.12. World structure. Notice that the world is in the shape of funnel (Samsel Wimberly, 1998, p.36) The player is free to roam through an enchanting environment in search of clues to the story. The act of exploration is just as important as the act of discovering the narrative. Each activity has equal merit. The player advances the story by triggering certain author-defined events. Exploring all the worlds, uncovering all the clues, and interacting with all the triggers leads the player to the end of the game (see Figure 3.12). Another way to look at a world structure would be an overhead view, as if looking down into the center of a funnel or cone. The plot points or tasks that user must accomplish are represented by the eight outer nodes. The eight inner nodes in the carousel represent the next set of tasks (see Figure 3.13). Figure 3.13. Carousel entry into a world structure (Samsel Wimberly, 1998, p.37) Multilinear or Hypermedia Another type of design structure, known as multilinear (see Figure 3.14), either encompasses every type of user path imaginable or no path at all. The World Wide Web, hypertext fiction, MUDs (multi-user domains), MOOs (Multi-user object-oriented environments), and many simulations are good examples. Multilinear structure demands a different kind of involvement from its user than do puzzles, branching games, or linear narratives. That is because it is the users themselves who must traverse their own unique paths through an environment. The writer sets the boundaries and rules of interactivity, but the users must chart their own course through the material. Hypermedia structures, in much the same way as the World Wide Web or a hypertext fiction title, allow the user to become an interactor a facilitator of the story. While surfing the web, the user decides which homepage to start from and selects which links to follow through the electronic universe. User action determines a pathway through the material. Similarly, hypertext fictions are about the journey as much as they are about the narrative that waits to be pieced together. Figure 3.14. Multilinear and hypermedia structure (Samsel Wimberly, 1998, p.39) Relevance to the research One of the lessons that has been learned from this section is that the sequence of events and actions is important in a story. This sequence leads the reader to follow a dramatic flow of the story. There are causal connections between the events or ideas in the story and these connections tend to be related to the main elements of the story. Through these comprehension processes, readers develop an understanding that extends beyond words and sentences, to reach comprehension of paragraphs and extended text. This knowledge forced the researcher to design a space for children to learn and to practice in building a storys sequence in order to support them their narrative development. A good plot and dramatic story structure of a story will keep the readers curiosity and their emotional engagement. When a user accomplished a task by using a computer, she/he followed a certain sequence process which is offered by the system. The actions and events of the system and user build a kind of story. It is needed to keep the user attention and their engagement with the system in order to reach their goals. Therefore, the researcher found that the knowledge of the storys structure and the dramatic flow can be used to design interaction between user and system. Summary This chapter introduced a conceptual thinking of transmedia storytelling from Jenkins which described how stories can be told across media in such a way so as to take advantage of what each medium does best. The stories we have heard, seen and read in a single medium have not lacked impact, but incorporating several media offers a whole new experience. A schema of narrative composed of four characteristic: setting, character, theme and plot. The four characteristics are the building blocks of narrative. Event schemas or scripts are knowledge structures which even very young children use to organize their general knowledge about events. This chapter has explained the dramatic structure from Freytag and explored ten geometric-structured variations of stories from Samsel and Wimberly: sequential, branching, conditional branching (branching with barriers, branching with forced paths, bottlenecking, branching with optional scenes), exploratorium, parallel streaming, worlds, and multilinear. In wayang tradition, multiple non-linear structures can be found within wayang stories. The audience can follow its own combinations of presented and remembered additional stories according to their own experiences and knowledge. This study focuses on analyzing whether the same character in different stories can enable a similar multiple storylines as well. The concept of intertextuality in this context will be used to provide suggestions for children to help them to build multiple storylines by character.

Capital Punishment Essay -- essays research papers fc

Capital Punishment Murder, a common occurrence in American society, is thought of as a horrible, reprehensible atrocity. Why then, is it thought of differently when the state government arranges and executes a human being, the very definition of premeditated murder? Capital punishment has been reviewed and studied for many years, exposing several inequities and weaknesses, showing the need for the death penalty to be abolished. Upon examination, one finds capital punishment to be economically weak and deficient. A common misconception of the death penalty is that the cost to execute a convicted criminal is cheaper than to place a convict in prison for life without parole. Due to the United States judicial system, the process of appeals, which is inevitable with cases involving death as the sentence, incurs an extreme cost and is very time consuming. The cost of a capital trial and execution can be two to six times greater than the amount of money needed to house and feed a prisoner for life. "Studies show incarceration costs roughly $20,000 per inmate per year ($800,000 if a person lives 40 years in prison). Research also shows a death-penalty ease costs roughly $2 million per execution," (Kaplan 2). Capital punishment is extremely expensive and depletes state governments of money that could be used for a wide range of programs that are beneficial. As Belolyn Wiliams-Harold, an author for the jour nal Black Enterprise, writes that county governments are typically responsible for the costs of prosecution and the costs of the criminal trial, including attorney's fees, and salaries for the members of the courtroom. All this money is spent at the expense of the corrections department and crime prevention programs, which are already is strapped for cash (Williams-Harlod 1). These "financial constraints," such as capital punishment, do not promote a healthy, commercial society, but actually cost and harm the public. As well as being economically unsound, the death penalty is socially biased. A class system appears to be present in the United States of America this day in age, and the lower classes seem to almost be discriminated against by the higher classes. This is also true of capital punishment. Ed Bishop of the St. Louis Journalism Review , writes on how these members of a lower class can not escape the death penalty. At the height of the... ...l punishment as a just and morally sound method of justice. After all, "An eye for an eye" seemed to be a rationale that many embraced as fair. Now there is an era of closer examination of what is truly just and morally ethical, as well as economically sound. A consequence needs to be fair, humane, and effective. Does capital punishment meet these criteria? There are compelling reasons to change the system we have blindly acclaimed. Hopefully we are in the process of implementing a new way of dealing with an age-old dilemma. Works Cited Bishop, Ed. St. Louis Journalism Review, "Anti-death Penalty Stance." V29, March 1999. http://source.unco.edu/. Cummings, Ryan. The Economist, "Most Advanced Countries Have Abolished Capital Punishment." V351, May 15, 1999. http://source.unco.edu/. Kaplan, David A. Newsweek, "Capital Punishment." V129, June 16, 1997. http://source.unco.edu/. Kile, David. The Christian Century, "Death Penalty Doubts." V116, Feb. 24, 1999. http://source.unco.edu/. Williams-Harold, Belolyn. Black Enterprise, "Facts and Figures: a costly matter of life or death." V29, Sept. 1998. http://source.unco.edu/.

Saturday Morning Cartoons :: Television TV Cartoons Essays

Saturday Morning Cartoons Saturday morning cartoons are on the verge of becoming extinct on the major networks. Year after year there are continually less and worse cartoons on Saturday mornings. It was painful and sad but I thought that they had hit rock bottom and they will only get better from here. However, it now seems that cartoons may very well slide out of existence. How did this happen? Where have all the cartoons gone? Is there any hope in the future or will we all lead a cold, miserable existence (ok it might not be that bad). First, it would probably help to start at the beginning of Saturday morning cartoons and give a history to find out how we got here. Saturday morning cartoons have been around since the 1950’s. Since many people who worked in radio knew that most kids programming does better on Saturday mornings than any other time. Like most television programming of this time most these cartoons seemed like radio programs with pictures and really didn’t utilize the medium. Nevertheless these cartoons were spearheading the way for future cartoons. This era gave birth to The Rocky and Bullwinkle and Popeye. The most popular cartoon, however, was Mighty Mouse Playhouse. The show had the ability to mix action with comedy, which seems to be the key to most good cartoons. In the sixties and seventies a lot things were changing in America and cartoons were no exception. These were the first â€Å"post-T.V.† cartoons and this era was referred to as the â€Å"golden-age† of Saturday morning cartoons. During this time some of the most influential and longest running cartoons debuted on Saturday morning. The one cartoon, however, that attracted the highest ratings was the Beatles cartoon. Fortunately, after its initial season the ratings dropped off dramatically and the show was canceled. Bugs Bunny first appeared on Saturday morning in 1960 and has continued to be shown on one station or another for the last 40 years. Scooby-Doo first started in 1969 and also continues to be shown today. The Jetsons, which originally started out in primetime, was very popular on Saturday mornings as well. This time period also gave birth to some the very first â€Å"action† cartoons on Saturday morning.

China as a Member of the TRIPs Agreement: on the Path of Implementation Essay

The multilateral trading system in the world has been governed by the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) for more than 50 years . The GATT was commenced in 1947 . Its implementation became a powerful spur to advancement of world market due to promotion of free trade which contributes greatly to world economic growth and sustainable development. The World Trade Organization (WTO) became the successor of the GATT being established by the Uruguay Round – the last trade round launched more than fifteen years ago. It was â€Å"the most ambitious thus far, and some of its agreements are still being implemented†. Tariffs reduction had encompassed much more world economy sectors than during the previous rounds. The documents adopted by the Uruguay Round established that quantitative restrictions would be actually eliminated by 2005. The round has developed regulations of the international trade applying to areas being earlier outside of the adequate control or coped by week rules. Especially it concerns the trade–related intellectual property rights (TRIPs). In the course of the Uruguay round developing countries played a more active role than in previous rounds and adopted the same WTO agreements as other members â€Å"as part of the round’s single undertaking – nothing is agreed until everything is agreed†. To date the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs Agreement) seems to be the most universal international covenant on intellectual property rights (IPRs) regulation. It was â€Å"an integral part of the Agreement establishing the WTO, comprising Annexe 1C to that Agreement† and replenished the basic World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Conventions with essential liabilities in the framework of WTO subjects . This agreement implemented new rules presupposing both advantages and expenses for the participants of international markets. Its implementation undoubtedly constitutes a task far from being easy, especially for less developed countries. The TRIPs Agreement imposes certain obligations upon the latter to adopt legislation that protects patents for inventions. As one of the multilateral trade agreements, it is binding on all members and hence also a condition of membership for countries which have not yet joined the WTO. Such a condition is a significant one for countries seeking to join the WTO such as the People’s Republic of China. Here we will explore this country’s involvement into the process of adjusting its laws to conform to TRIPs, especially in the field of patents’ protection, evaluate its successes and faults on this path, consider the impact of those changes and make the conclusions concerning possible ways of acceleration and optimization of implementation process. The Obligations of the TRIPs Agreement Members The TRIPs Agreement came into effect in 1995. It entailed standards â€Å"concerning the availability, scope and use† of IPRs in all categories of intellectual property, namely copyright and related rights, trademarks, geographical indications, industrial designs, patents, layout-designs of integrated circuits, protection of undisclosed information . Article 27 (Part II Section 5) of the TRIPs deals with patentable subject matter, stating the spheres of patents’ availability in member countries (hereinafter referred to as a member): Patents shall be available for any inventions, whether products or processes, in all fields of technology, provided that they are new, involve an inventive step and are capable of industrial application. [†¦] Patents shall be available and patent rights enjoyable without discrimination as to the place of invention, the field of technology and whether products are imported or locally produced. The next article determines the exclusive rights which should be granted upon the patents issued in a member. It imposes on the member the obligation to forestall third parties from using neither the patented product nor the patented process anyhow without its owner’s permission. For his turn, the owner has the right to assign or transfer the patent. What is an important aspect for the developing countries, the member has to inquire the patent applicant about the information as to the applicant’s corresponding foreign applications and grants to prevent patents duplication. Exemption from such obligation in regards to cross–border use cover only very specified cases as for example those of â€Å"a national emergency or other circumstances of extreme urgency or [†¦] of public non-commercial use† (Article 31 (b)) subject to prompt informing of the right holder. The competent authority of the member should have power to consider applying such exemption to certain cases and possible duration of the above mentioned circumstances. Officially permitted legitimacy of any decision relating to the permission of such use should be subject to judicial review or other independent review by the competent authority of the member. In cases when the permission to utilize the patent is obtained, the member is to provide the following prerequisites: (i) the invention claimed in the second patent shall involve an important technical advance of considerable economic significance in relation to the invention claimed in the first patent; (ii) the owner of the first patent shall be entitled to a cross-license on reasonable terms to use the invention claimed in the second patent; and (iii) the use authorized in respect of the first patent shall be non-assignable except with the assignment of the second patent (Article 31 (l)). Upon Article 32 the member has the obligation to make available the opportunity for legal review of any decision made on recalling or forfeiting the patent. In the TRIPS agreement there is a very accurate definition of duration of the patent’s protection – twenty years from the date of registration (Article 33).   In the cases of infringement of the patent owner’s rights as regards to patents for processes leading to generation of the product the agreement calls for the members to empower the corresponding legal authority to require the proved information about the difference between such process and those for manufacturing the identical product (Article 34). For the realization of the above concerned obligations the TRIPS agreement anticipates specified enforcement procedures which should be available in the members to strive against infringements of IPRs. Those include â€Å"expeditious remedies to prevent infringements and remedies which constitute a deterrent to further infringements† which are to be applied by means excluding â€Å"the creation of barriers to legitimate trade and to provide for safeguards against their abuse (Article 41.1)†. The Developing Countries Advantages upon the TRIPs Agreement The main motives behind the move of the governments of many nations, and in particular, of developing countries, to enter the TRIPs Agreement had been, firstly, the fact of steady raising in developing countries’ exports of industrial goods into markets where earlier only developed countries were present which, in turn, made the latter to â€Å"rely more heavily on their comparative advantage in the production of intellectual property†; and, secondly, rather high expenditures involved by high–tech companies in different countries for research, innovation and development of know–how spurred them to try to find â€Å"international protection of intellectual property rights†. In general, the WTO agreements apply several instruments to make available some advantages to developing countries. Among them there are distinguishing of their interests without imposing any officially authorized obligations upon them; reducing their liabilities on some agreements in comparison with those of developed countries (which let them to protect their domestic markets more effectively). Some of the WTO agreements permit them longer implementation periods for certain obligations. In many WTO disciplines there are agreements encompassing provisions for technical assistance from developed countries to developing countries. All those are aimed at facilitation of transitional processes in the latter and giving them a chance to overtake the former. Like other parts of the WTO agreement, the TRIPs agreement grants the substantial preference to developing countries – they had four years for implementation of the agreement provisions (until the beginning of 2000), moreover this term became subject to prolongation to ten years (until 1 January 2005) for technology sectors where no previous IP protection accorded. The preferences for developing countries look adequate enough, and it is obvious that developing countries would derive benefit from implementation of efficient IPRs protection stipulated by the TRIPs agreement. Obtaining higher levels of intellectual property protection should lead to larger innovation globally from which all gain. It will stimulate attraction of more foreign direct investment (FDI) and technology transfer in view of increasing foreigners’ confidence in the products made in developing countries. But the process of implementation is costly too. The necessary costs of course vary depending on the member’s phase of development as well as its industry and technology basis. Where much innovation is informal, there are potential problems of access to, and affordability of, patent applications. Patent systems may be disproportionately expensive to set up and maintain. China’s Involvement into the TRIPs Agreement China is a unique country. It combines the features of both developed and developing countries. Evan Medeiros and Taylor Fravel emphasize that in this country evidence of the change abounds. They affirm â€Å"Chinese foreign policy has become [in the last ten years] far more nimble and engaging than at any time in history of the People’s Republic†. As for other developing countries the main concerns for China were limited coverage for products and processes, short terms of patents protection, wide scope for obligatory licensing, and inefficient enforcement in the cases of IPRs infringements. But last decades this country has been made giant steps to the progress. Few nations have changed as fast – or as dramatically – as China has since the 1970s. The world’s most populous nation has radically liberalized its economy and gone from producing low–quality and simple exports to sophisticated high–technology goods, while nurturing a vibrant private sector and attracting nearly $500 billion in foreign direct investment. After the death of Mao, Deng Xiaoping came to power in the People’s Republic of China. Since that time fundamental changes launched in the country – an â€Å"open door† policy was proclaimed re-opening Chinese markets and allowing citizens to own limited private property. Further rush development was unbelievable. In 1979 China entered into the Agreement on Trade Relations with the USA which required both parties to provide each other’s nationals with a corresponding level of IPRs. In accordance with this agreement the country became a member of the WIPO in 1980 and acceded to the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property in 1984. China also enacted a Trademark Law in 1982 and a Patent Law in 1984. Upon these regulations China provided authors and inventors with limited IPRs protection. As a final accord of this movement in 1995 China entered into the TRIPs Agreement with the USA. People’s Republic has committed itself, pursuant to this agreement, to raising the standards of intellectual property protection by means of implementation of enforcement measures and development of legal enforcement structure. The agreement envisaged expansion of US goods access to Chinese market and vice versa as well as certain changes in the IPRs protection legislation of China aimed to make it more transparent . Furthermore the country has patterned its IPR laws on international treaties: the Berne Convention and the World Trade Organization’s 1995 TRIPs Agreement. China acceded to the WTO on 11 December 2001. In order to ensure its accession to this organization, China preliminary ratified international intellectual property treaties and conventions and amended its laws. The Course of Implementation Despite of objective difficulties in implementation of IPRs legislation in China, the government succeeded greatly in the struggle against infringements of IPRs. Many laws adopted in 1980–1990s reinforced the system of these rights protection in all the categories: copyright, patent, trade secrets and trademark. For instance, as regards to patents protection, in 1993 China â€Å"extended coverage from fifteen to twenty years and also created the China Patent Management System (CPMS), a computerized system designed to handle patent applications more efficiently†. Besides China expanded patent envelopment to pharmaceutical industry that was excluded before. For instance, in 1997 CPMS â€Å"accepted 114,208 patent applications, including 24,137 from foreigners† . For many years before China became a WTO member, the state authority bodies such as police force and legal agencies had been vigorously striving against IPRs infringements especially piracy .   Beginning at 1982 China adopted many laws covering the field of IPRs protection, â€Å"such as the Trademark Law, Patent Law, Technology Contract Law, Copyright Law, Anti-Unfair Competition Law, and Regulations on Protection for Computer Software† . Notwithstanding the fact that China lacks long tradition for respect and protection of intellectual property , the progress of the country is doubtless. The Chinese government has recognized that to encourage technology transfer, there must be protection for technology. Such attitude resulted in adopting series of documents dealing with IPRs issues. Also the great importance of these issues led to the necessity to have qualified staff in patent law. Thus, now several of China’s top universities, including Tsinghua University in Beijing, have patent departments. Among the regulations adopted and amended last years there were documents regarding patents and licensing. On 28 December 2002, the State Council of China issued the Decree No. 368, modifying Article 101 and 108 of the Implementing Rules of the Patent Law of the People’s Republic of China. Modifications only involved new provisions concerning the implementation of the patent cooperation treaty, i.e. that the time-limit for international applications entering into the phase for individual country consideration should be unified as 30 months upon the priority date. On 13 June 2003, the State Intellectual Property Office of the People’s Republic of China (SIPO) issued the Methods of Compulsory Licensing for the Implementation of Patents, which came into effect on 15 July 2003. Patent Law of China was adopted much earlier – at the 4th Session of the Standing Committee of the Sixth National People’s Congress on March 12, 1984, and further amended by the Decision Regarding the Revision of the Patent Law of China, adopted at the 27th Session of the Standing Committee on September 4, 1992. Recently the Patent Law was revised in August 2003. The Implementing Rules of the Patent Law of the People’s Republic of China has been revised in June 2001 and December 2002. Such revisions have brought these laws and regulations into full conformity with the TRIPS Agreement. Wang Jingchuan, Commissioner of the SIPO, in his message said:   The creation, occupation and utilization of knowledge and intelligence resources, and quantity and quality in possession of intellectual property have become the key elements to the economic development of a country and the important foundation for countries’ participation into the competition of economic globalization and be in harmony of the world economy system. He stated that the IPRs system in China has been established and further improved last years. But much work has to be done in this field. He emphasized especially the importance of ensuring protection to interests of foreign patent applicants. In general, the main targets for the national patent work were defined by ‘Tenth Five–year Plan’. It anticipates further perfection of patent laws and regulations and patent protection scheme, further adaptation of patent procedure and maintenance system to the growth of international economy and socialist market economy, creation of environment favorable for patent protected goods and inventions as well as for technology innovation, raising the level of patent professionals’ skills and knowledge, upgrading of the patent protection level in enterprises and institutions, involvement of patented technologies to contribute to the economic growth, continuous increase of the number and quality of patent applications, updating of the patent information, acceleration and enhancement of the patent examination and granting. For achieving these targets it’s planned to facilitate the utilization of patent information resource, create and acquire more patent rights with authorization, create products and businesses with self-dependent intellectual property; pay much attention to patent work by SMEs while encouraging also corporations and business groups to acquire and transfer know–how. The task to speed up the industrialization of patent technology seems to be one of the most costly. For the purpose to enhance the patent work system the Plan anticipates supporting patent intermediate service agencies, implementing efficient examination and granting system and qualifying system for patent assets evaluation agencies and patent consultation service institutions etc. To create effective patent system China poses an assignment to complete the revision of rules and regulations including those for the implementation of the Chinese Patent Law and then make efforts to implement the revised patent law. Practical measures to facilitate patent examination include the increase of the number of the patent examiners, organization of supporting examiners group, intensification of professional training, and extension of the examiner’s inspection spheres, full involvement of information technology into patent procedures, strengthening of the examination of patent agencies and training of patent agents. The Plan stipulates reinforcement of the role of information systems and patent information resources in patent proceedings. For this purpose it’s scheduled to provide well-organized computer search system, examination supporting system, flow management system, e-filing system and e-publication system for the patent examination and granting work, realizing the paperless, electronic and network system of patent application, publication and examination procedures; to create China patent full text coded database using resources both from the country itself and abroad . Finally, the Plan anticipates reinforcement of the research on strategy, tactics and policy by means of establishment of intellectual property development research institutions, development of in-depth research on major patent issues, strengthening of the research on the patent protection of new technologies, such as computer software, nano–technology, gene engineering, biomedicine, biochips, biology engineering etc. Here also the importance of patent statistics analysis and prediction work is emphasizes . It is obvious that the government concentrates its efforts â€Å"on the implementation and enforcement of IPRs protection laws despite the difficulties faced by the Chinese authorities in a demographic, historical and cultural sense†. Now the reform and enforcement of law in the concerned field are more and more progressing. Groombridge ascertains that amplification of IPRs protection in China is for the most part the outcome of â€Å"indigenous social, economic, and political factors at work† in the country. He argues the pressure of â€Å"economic sanctions, such as those embodied in the trade laws of the United States† had no wholesome influence, and China has strived for more effective arrangements of IPRs due to â€Å"the changing perception of self-interest held by its Communist Party leaders and its citizenry† . In the course to fulfill the provisions of the TRIPs Agreement China has rebuilt its structure of legislative bodies responsible for regulation in the field of IPRs protection. The country set up a number of corresponding regulatory agencies: â€Å"the State Press and Publication Administration, the National Copyright Administration, the China Patent Office, and the State Administration of Industry and Commerce, in which the Trademark Office is located†. Also in 1998 the State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO) was established – the structure affiliated and directly subordinated to the State Council . A mission of all these bodies is to strengthen historically weak Chinese infrastructure of regulation, control and maintenance in IPRs compliance. Implementation of the TRIPs Agreement by the People’s Republic of China promises to become again the topic to analysis by the international community in 2008 in connection with the next Olympic Games which will be held in Beijing. Liu forecasts that owing to vast distribution of Olympic goods, audio– and video products â€Å"owners of IPRs will be seeking to protect their works from illegal reproduction and distribution by infringers†. He expresses belief that if the efforts undertaken by China â€Å"to reform and enforce its intellectual property laws [†¦] [will be] successful†, it would attract foreign investors to the country and promote know–how distribution here, which consequently should assist to go ahead to further economic development on the path to take leading positions in the world markets . Conclusions Experts note that having bolstered market power, TRIPs proves very weak especially on international regulation of the restrictive practices of the transnational corporations. It is true to say that the costs and benefits of IPRs are not so neatly distributed today. All the same, if the WTO is asking all countries to provide protection, it may still have to give something more in return. No doubt, China will increasingly regard itself as a great power and expect more defenses from other countries. In a speech two years ago President of the USA George Bush assured of his sympathy to the countries â€Å"that believe in the power of economic engagement to help solve the problems ranging from human rights to security matters†. China for sure is one of such countries demonstrating its aspiration for integration into the global economy . Nowadays we are witnessing the economic boom in this developing country. It is deserved outcome by the People’s Republic of China, as on its way to progress, in contrast to almost every other developing country, China has managed to eliminate the worst forms of social misery, and while denying the spirit, it displays spiritual values: in that underlies the paradox of Mao’s China. Having entered into the TRIPs agreement China pushed its trade policies behind the borders of the country, opened up its markets, and although experiencing certain difficulties in this agreement implementation, stays on the path of development. 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Batterd Woman’s Syndrome

Shrouded in myth, distortions and grotesque stereotypes the public profile of a battered woman who kills her intimate partner is a misunderstood phenomenon. Throughout the course of history women were viewed as property, powerless victims of a patriarchal social political and legal system. Family television programs in the 1950’s satirized while minimizing aspects of spousal abuse.Comedian Jackie Gleason portrayed the beloved character Ralph Cramdon and memorialized the prime time phrase while chastising his small screen wife. â€Å"To the moon with you Alice,† red-faced and frantically waving a balled up fist at the now passive Alice.The scene was punctuated with the live audience roaring with laughter at the comedian’s folly. Acts of partner violence were committed behind closed doors in the family home. The criminal justice system offered scant protection to victims of spousal abuse. Assaults committed behind closed doors went unreported viewed as private fami ly matters. The criminal justice system could offer no protection to victims of spousal abuse. On the contrary victims of domestic violence were shunned and shamed into suffering in fear and collective silence.Those bold enough to ask for protection from abuse were turned away if not legally married to their abuser. However, the pleas of countless nameless faceless victims of domestic violence were honored with the unyielding commitment of grassroots advocates in the 1970’s and 1980’s. Dr Lenore Walker, a renowned forensic psychologist, feminist and researcher established the concept of â€Å"Battered Woman’s Syndrome (BWS)† According to Walker, the rubric of BWS consists of two co-existing elements: â€Å"The cycle of domestic violence and classic symptoms of learned helplessness† (Walker1984).Walker’s concept of Battered Woman’s Syndrome emerged as a component in legal defenses, â€Å"when battered women killed in self defense†(Walker 2004). According to Walker BWS â€Å"‘describes a pattern of psychological and behavioral symptoms found in women in battering relationships’†{Balkin(2005)}. Battered Woman’s Syndrome is not a sanctioned legal defense. However, it is recognized as,â€Å" part of the doctrine of self-defense so as to establish the belief of the woman that she was in danger of death or bodily injury†(National Clearinghouse for the Defense of Battered Women (2006).According to Battered Woman’s Syndrome attorney, Mira Mihajiovich, â€Å"testimony concerning BWS is used to support a battered woman’s self-defense claim, not to explain away her actions or give her a special defense that would allow her to ‘destroy her tormentor at her own discretion†(Balkin 2005). At the heart of the Battered Woman’s Syndrome phenomenon is desperation and gut wrenching terror. To fully grasp BWS one must embrace the framework and emotionally char ged dynamics associated with chronic abuse and spousal battering.Domestic violence is described by the National Center for Victims of Crimes as, â€Å"the willful intimidation, assault, battery, sexual assault or other abusive behaviors perpuiated by an intimate partner against another†(Domestic Violence Facts; National Collation against Domestic Violence 2001). Although the concept of Battered Woman’s Syndrome emerged in the 1970’s the â€Å"U. S. legal system was slow to accept BWS as a factor in the self defense pleas of battered women accused of murdering their batterers†(Balkin 2005).Prior to the late 1980’s an abused woman’s â€Å"psychological state and the brutality and violence she suffered at the hands of her batterer could not be used at her trial†(Balkin 2005). However, with public education and exposure to domestic abuse the rays of enlightenment expanded into the wooden paneled courtrooms nationwide. In Robinson v. State the Court examined the merits of the â€Å"Battered Spouse Syndrome in relation to the specific elements of self defense in a homicide case.The Court found ‘the unique perceptions of a defendant suffering from battered woman’s syndrome are generally compatible with the law of the State regarding self-defense’†(Robinson v State 308 S. C. 74, 417 S. E. 2d 88(1992). Battered Woman's Syndrome has appeared as a component of the criminal trial process since the late 1970s. Testimony presented by experts in the field must be qualified by the Court before offering testify on the role the syndrome played in the homicide. The landmark case that opened the door for the use of Battered Woman's Syndrome (BWS) was State of Oregon v.Kelly (1985). The Court concluded in State v Kelly that, â€Å"BWS is admissible to aid juries in assessing a defendant's perception of danger posed by the abuser†(State v Kelly (1985). The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals for South Carol ina Court’s reasoning in Grubb v State was compatible with South Carolina’s Annotated Code 17-23-170(2001) which governs the â€Å"admissibility of expert testimony of the battered spouse syndrome†(Grubb v State 2003). Battered Woman’s Syndrome was first recognized in South Carolina when the S. C.Supreme Court in State v. Hill, 287 S. C. 398, 339 S. E. 2d 121(1986) held, â€Å" that expert testimony about battered spouse syndrome is admissible to establish a claim of self-defense in a homicide case. The Court further recognized that an, â€Å"emerging trend in other jurisdictions that find ‘the testimony is relevant to the issue of self-defense and highly probative of the defendant’s state of mind at the time of the incident’† (Id. At 400,339 S. E. 2d at 122). The Court echoed the Grubbs decision in Robinson v State 308 S.C. 74, 417 S. E. 2d 88(1992) â€Å"examining the battered spouse syndrome in relation to the specific elem ents of self-defense in a homicide case. † â€Å"The Court found ‘the unique perceptions of a defendant suffering from battered woman’s syndrome are generally compatible with the law of this State regarding self-defense†( Id at 78,417 S. E. 2d at 91). It was judicial decisions such as these that established battered woman’s syndrome as a sanctioned legal premise. The South Carolina Court in Robinson v. State concluded:Our interpretation of the relationship between the battered woman’s syndrome and self-defense is cursory, at best, and should not be construed as this Court’s last word on the subject. Our law will continue to evolve as the scientific community’s understanding of the battered woman’s syndrome develops and society’s comprehension of the condition becomes more sophisticated† (Robinson v. State Id at 80,417 S. E. 2d at 92(1992). Bolstering this trend setting precedent was found in Section 17-23-170 of the South Carolina Code governing the â€Å"admissibility of expert testimony on battered woman’s syndrome states:(A) Evidence that the actor was suffering from the battered spouse syndrome is admissible in a criminal action on the issue of whether the actor lawfully acted in self-defense, defense of another, defense of necessity, or defense of duress. This section does not preclude the admission of testimony on battered spouse syndrome in other criminal actions {S. C. Code Ann. & 17-23-170 (Supp. 2001). Although great strides have been forged in the judicial arena a universal acceptance of the validity and application of BWS in spousal homicide cases does not exist.The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in Texas argued in Dixon v. U. S. expert testimony on BWS was â€Å"‘inherently subjective, and inadmissible to prove duress’† (Dixon v. U. S. 413 F. 3d 520 5th Cir. 2005). Testimony on BWS is recognized in 31 states giving rise to the quandary as to why som e jurisdictions embrace the concept while others rebuke it. â€Å"There’s a lot of skepticism with any type of psychiatric testimony and some Court’s are unconvinced that mental disorders and or emotional disorders are justifications for committing a crime {Walker (20060}.Some in the field raise concerns that widespread acceptance of BWS may lead to an increase in â€Å"false or exaggerated abuse claims† (Dixon (2006). â€Å"Many months after killing her husband, a woman may lie to an evaluating psychologist before trial, faking symptoms like depression and anxiety† (Dixon 2006). Domestic Violence and Battered Woman’s Syndrome Facts: 1. In 2000, an intimate partner killed 1,247 women and 440 men {U. S Dept of Justice (2005)}. In 1999, 74%or 1,218 or the 1,642 persons murdered by an intimate partner were female (Rennison, U. S.Dept of Justice, Bureau of Statistics, Intimate Partner Violence and Age of Victim. 1993-99, (2001). 3. The concept of the battered woman’s syndrome was developed in reaction to the misapplication of the self-defense doctrine to battered woman when they kill their spouse (Schneider (2000) Elizabeth, Battered Women and Feminist Lawmaking 117,135(2000)}. The United States Supreme Court has observed that almost four million women are the victims of severe assaults by their male partners every year. Thirty percent of female homicide victims are killed by their male partners (Planned Parenthood vs.Casey, 112 S. Ct. 2791, 2826-2831 (1992). Each year, 2,000-4,000 women in the U. S. are murdered by abusive partners or ex-partners (American Bar Association, â€Å"American Bar Association Commission on Domestic Violence,† American Bar Association). Battered Woman's Syndrome falls under what the American Psychological Association defines as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, rather than a mental illness (National Center for Post-Traumatic Street Disorder, â€Å"What is Posttraumatic Stress Disorder? â €  U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 22 Feb. 2006).Outsiders frequently are puzzled. If things are so bad, why do women stay? Why do they kill? Why don’t they just leave? If a woman is being abused, why doesn’t she just pack her bags and get out. Those familiar with BWS and barriers plaguing victims of domestic violence encourage a greater empathy and understanding as to what motivates battered women to stay in abusive relationships. The Court in the People v. Aris, 215 Cal App 3d 1194, 264 Cal Rptr 167, 178 (1989) held that, â€Å"battered women tend to stay in abusive relationships for a number of reasons. â€Å"â€Å"The battered woman believes the violence is her fault, she has an inability to place the responsibility for the violence elsewhere. She fears for her life and or her children’s lives (Walker 2003). Many BWS victims â€Å"experience ‘learned helplessness,’ a condition brought about by the battered woman’s futile atte mpt to protect herself from her abuser†(Walker 2003). Battered women assume the burden for making the marriage work. Fears of economic insufficiency, scant job skills, many women feel trapped erroneously believing they would be at greater risk to leave.Thus it has been said the cycle-of-violence and passivity reinforces the perception of helplessness. Overtime, women’s ability to rationally evaluate the situation unfolding around becomes distorted. In the Matter of Glen G. and Josephine G. , 587 NYS 2d 464, 469 (1992) the concept of battered woman’s syndrome was described as â€Å"a breaking down of a woman's self confidence and self respect to a point where she no longer knows if she is crazy or not. † In recent years there has been a consorted effort to inform and educate the Courts on the complexities and cycles associated with domestic violence and battered women.In order for justice to prevail, it is crucial for the Courts to recognize the profound ps ychological trauma caused by Battered Woman’s Syndrome and acknowledge an isolated battered spouse is often controlled and dominated with raw terror. In many respects great strides have been made in enlightening the public and the Court’s about domestic violence and the prevalence of Battered Woman’s Syndrome. However, unrealistic stereotypes still persist and the public often turns a blind eye to the magnitude and implications violence against women imparts. It is uncomfortable to embrace.An ugly truth that corrupts the premise of a safe and happy family home. Many fear the recent appointments of staunch conservative Justices to the Supreme Court will hinder the strides and human rights made by advocates of battered women who kill in self-defense. The Four Psychological Stages Of Battered Woman Syndrome: Stage One: DENIAL The woman refuses to admit even to herself, that she has been beaten or that there is a problem in her marriage. She may call each incident a n accident. She offers excuses for her husband's violence and each time firmly believes it will never happen again.Stage Two: GUILT She now acknowledges there is a problem, but considers herself responsible for it. She deserves to be beaten, she feels because she has defects in her character and is not living up to her husband's expectations. Stage Three: ENLIGHTENMENT The woman no longer assumes responsibility for her husband's abusive treatment, recognizing that no one deserves to be beaten. She is still committed to her marriage though and stays with her husband hoping they can work things out. Stage Four: RESPONSIBILITYAccepting the fact that her husband will not, or cannot, stop his violent behavior, the battered woman decides she will no longer submit to it and starts a new life (Survivor's Empowerment Zone 2007). REFERENCES: Balkin Karen F. , (2003) â€Å"Introduction. † Current Controversies: Violence Against Women. Ed. Karen F Balkin San Diego Greenhaven Press. Depar tment of Veterans Affairs,(2006). Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Dixon Wheeler John. , PhD, JD, An Essay on Battered Women, (2003) Grubb v State (2003) South Carolina Court of Appeals. National Center for Post-Traumatic Street Disorder. (2005)What is Battered Woman’s Syndrome?. National Clearinghouse for the Defense of Battered Women; (2006). Planned Parenthood v. Casey, 112 S. Ct. 2791, 2826-2831 (1992). Rennison, (2001) U. S. Dept of Justice, Bureau of Statistics, Intimate Partner Violence and Age of Victim. 1993-99, . Robinson v State 308 S. C. 74, 417 S. E. 2d 88(1992). Schneider Elizabeth, (2000) Battered Women and Feminist Lawmaking 117,135. State v. Hill, 287 S. C. 398, 339 S. E. 2d 121(1986). Survivor's Empowerment Zone (2007). http://www. angelfire. com. Walker, Lenore, E. Ed. D, Forensic Psychology Group, LLC.