Global Warming and the Kyoto Protocol Essay -- Environmental, Environm

Global Warming and the Kyoto Protocol Environmental issues are becoming a growing concern for the world as well as for the world's leaders. Pollution, littering and the burning of fossil fuels are all problems that have drastically affected humans over the past few years. Impure drinking water, radiation, less ecological diversity and cancer are a few of such harms that the world has experienced. However, one of the most prominent concerns is the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect, a natural occurrence, is turning deadly with the introduction of humans and carbon emissions and is slowly heating up the world. In future years this could cause catastrophic consequences. Rising global temperatures threatens the very existence of the world's population, making global warming an issue that has no territorial boundaries, every country is contributing to the problem and will inevitably suffer the consequences. As this is a global problem the interest of many world leaders was brought fourth. Eventually they came together to address this dilemma and come up with a solution to it. What officials are currently at odds with is how to implement the protocol that was reached in Kyoto Japan in 1997. This protocol made by world leaders is one of the first world wide efforts to try and resolve current environmental problems. The ratification of which, would have a huge beneficial impact on generations to come. The Third Session of the Conference of the Parties to the Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP3) was held in Kyoto, Japan from the first to the tenth of December 1997. The conference had more than 2,500 participants, 3,000 Non Governmental Organizations (NGO) and 4,000 press representatives in attendance. Discussions l... ...sultations. Despite world efforts Bush still claimed that the protocol is "fatally flawed," and bad for the economy. The European Union has been highly active in the efforts to get the protocol ratified and in working order. British environmentalist Michael Meacher said, "It's a beautiful day for the environment. It's a huge leap to have achieved a result on this very complex international negotiation." Up to this date 30 countries have ratified the pact. This very complex world issue is something which desperately needed, and got, attention. The future of the world and the existence of all living things are at stake. The Kyoto Protocol is on attempt to create a more environmentally sound world. There are flaws and the U.S. remains unchanging it its decision not to ratify it but a step has been taken and without a first step nothing will ever get very far.

English investigation Essay

Introduction: For this project I am going to analyse how women and men behave when using language in casual situations? There have been many previous research finding and conclusions about gender and conversational behaviour. For example Jennifer Coates identified two approaches, which she describes as dominance and difference. Jennifer Coates was a writer to wrote about the language differences between men and women. Dominance argues that because women occupy a less powerful position in society than men, their constitutional behaviour is less assertive and less confident. Men are dominant within society, so it is not surprising that they tend to dominate mixed sex conversations. Women are said to be used to male dominance, and as a result of social conditioning will often be polite and respectful when speaking to men. Whereas the idea of difference is where the focus is more on differences in male and female attitudes and values, that are said to be inculcated from childhood, when we form, and are influenced by, single sex peer groups. Studies of children’s play have found that in boy’s games there is more emphasis on competition and confrontation, while girl’s games are more cooperative. In adulthood, women’s talk often focuses on personal feelings and problems and this helps to explain why their approach to conversation is more sympathetic and supportive. Also this Description of Data: My data consists of three transcripts; one, which took place in a college canteen between four girls meaning it, was very informal and casual. My second transcript took place on a college field while three boys were watching a game of football played by fellow peers. They discussed the game and also had background conversations. My third transcript is of three girls talking about the world cup football match very briefly while talking more about football and surrounding topics. I felt that my first transcript I recorded was not sufficient enough to be analysed well and in detail, I therefore recorded a further transcript to increase my data and to make a more intricate analysis. Aims: The aim of my investigation is to find out to what extent are there significant differences in the ways that men and women behave on conversation. Methodology: For my investigation I collected three transcripts; I did this, as this is the most effective way of collecting sufficient data that I would be able to analyse for my specific subject. I am going to look at how women talk in casual situations looking at aspects that expert researchers have found such as Jennie Coates, she found two approaches based on the ideas of dominance and difference which I will look at and try to find out to what extent do my transcripts prove this. I will also look at cooperation and competition as the experts have found that boys seem to be more competitive when using language whereas girls seem to be more co operative, even though this research was proved by using children as examples I would still like to see if it is still the case when men and woman are older and to what extent they still either are competitive or cooperative when using language. As well as looking as what the experts have found I am also going to look at the role played by the speakers in my transcript and relate it too attitudes and values as well as educational background, which is pretty much the same for each speaker as they all go to the some college. I will also look into the social class of the speakers. I will look at the status, purpose, context and audience for each transcript and analyse each topic accordingly. I am also going to look at the 6 frameworks – lexis, semantics, phonology, graphology, grammar, discourse, pragmatics and the sociolinguistics which has been defines as the study of language in its social context. Analysis: First of all I am going to analyse the context of my data. The first transcript is between four friends occasionally five when they contribute to the conversation. The conversation is very informal and very casual with no real meaning or purpose except for socialising during break time, which means the conversation is quite forced to some extent even though they were talking about what they liked to talk about. All the women contributed equally I would say; to the conversation. Although women are characteristically and socially known for being quite capable and good at making conversation there is not a lot of prove from the experts or researchers that suggests that males do not make conversation or are any less capable. Therefore when looking at the men’s conversation I saw that they were just as able and good at making conversation. The men’s conversation was between three people occasionally four or five when they contributed to the conversation. This conversation was also very informal and casual and was also something that the men wanted to talk about. In the conversation you can see that between them there is one more dominant male who tends to initiate conversation and interrupt or overlap other speakers also could be know as holding the floor. However I researched about dominance in conversation and read, â€Å"you just don’t understand- men and women in conversation† by Deborah Tanning and she said â€Å"claiming that interruption is a sign of dominance assumes that conversation is an activity in which one speaker speaks at a time, but this reflects ideology more than practice. She also said that she recorded conversations in which many voices were heard at once and it was clear that everyone was having a good time. She then asked people of their impressions of the conversation and they said they had enjoyed themselves. However when she played the tape back they were embarrassed about their conversational style. Which suggests that when people being female or male do dominate the conversation they maybe don’t realise they are doing it. I also found that in my other female conversation between three girls there was one slightly more dominant participant mainly due to her personality, however it was also in most cases successful cooperative over lapping as the over lapping is positive and as Deborah tanning says in her book † the overlaps are cooperative because they do not change the topic but elaborate on it. However in my male conversation there is unsuccessful cooperative overlapping as for example when a participant says he had England trials† (referring to a friend out side the conversation) another participant says â€Å"yer but don’t he look like peter pan† which is quite negative and stops the conversation which is a negative response that does not enable the conversation to carry on without changing the topic. In one of my transcripts where the four or five female participants are talking on participant says, â€Å"Err she looks really bad† (referring to a celebrity in a magazine that looks rough) by saying the word â€Å"really† she is intensifying what she is saying. In my other transcripts there are two examples of women using intensifiers, one where a participant says, â€Å"she’s really pretty† and another when a participant says â€Å"well I think peter crouch is actually quite really cute† Robin Lakoff published an influential account of women’s language. In a related article she published a set of basic assumptions about what marks out the language of women. Among these assumptions were the use of intensifiers especially the words ‘so’ and ‘very’ for example † I’m so glad to see you† I found intensifiers within my female transcripts but none in my male transcripts. However as my transcripts were quite short and the time I had to collect my data was limited if I had more data I could have compared this more fairly to get better and faired results. Zimmerman and West (1915) taped informal conversations between students in coffee bars, shops and other public places. They found that women talk about ‘feelings’ whereas men talk more about ‘things’. Women conversation is often focused on personal experiences, relationships and problems. The topic of male conversation tends to be more concrete, relating to information, facts objects and activities. And from my own experiences these finding are accurate but also my data could also suggest this as well, for example in my females transcripts there is reference to a personal experience that doesn’t really play a part in the structure of the conversation, it is quite random. The participant says † Rory always corrects my spelling its well annoying on msn he always like types things in a little star and then says correct spelling† the participate gets interrupted while saying this as it is nothing to do with the conversation. Also in my transcript I can see that men use more taboo language than women do for example in my male conversation one participant says â€Å"fucking legend† whereas in my female conversation there was no swearing words used. However as my transcripts were quite short they do not relate to all females.

James Baldwin s Sonny s Blues - 956 Words

James Baldwin brings you on an emotional ride through Harlem in the 1950’s with his short story, â€Å"Sonny’s Blues.† From the beginning, we are in media res when the unnamed narrator is informed of bad news concerning his younger, troubled brother, Sonny. Throughout the story we witness the ocean of emotions between these two brothers battling hardships from their past, through flashbacks, and present time. The setting plays an important role in â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† to an extent where it is practically a character in the story. The city of Harlem is a reminder of their troubles and the suffering it ignites is exactly what Sonny tries to run away from when he turns to drugs and jazz music. Through the setting of â€Å"Sonny’s Blues,† and the example of the relationship between the narrator and his younger brother, Sonny, James Baldwin presents how a dark past full of suffering can influence present lives and relationships. The sequence of events is not in chronological order since the narrator goes from present, to past, and back to present in order to illustrate the suffering experienced by both brothers and to emphasize the impact the past has on the present. During present time, Sonny is sentenced to prison for heroine abuse. The narrator and Sonny are not close at this time because he doesn’t try to understand Sonny until his little girl dies and he has some of his own suffering to deal with. â€Å"I was sitting in the living room in the dark, by myself, and I suddenly thought of Sonny. MyShow MoreRelatedSonny s Blues By James Baldwin827 Words   |  4 PagesSonny’s Blues In James Baldwin’s â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† it is only when a brother loses his child that he realizes how easy it can be to lose his brother. The narrator’s little brother, Sonny, was left in his charge when their parents passed away. He neglects Sonny and leaves him to work through hard decisions on his own which leads to Sonny being picked up by the police for using and selling drugs. When the narrator’s daughter, Grace, passes he sees how suffering can affect people and reaches outRead MoreSonny s Blues By James Baldwin1252 Words   |  6 PagesThe story â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† by James Baldwin centers on the conflicting relationship between two brothers that is explored throughout various stages of their lives. Through the structured, melodic style used by Baldwin there are reoccurring themes of suffering, family, and home that are used to further convey the idea of two brothers who love each other, but don’t understand eac h other. Ultimately, the relationship between the two brothers is greatly strained due them being polar opposites, their lackRead MoreJames Baldwin s Sonny s Blues2994 Words   |  12 PagesINTRODUCTION Sonny, from James Baldwin’s â€Å"Sonny’s Blues,† is portrayed as a sufferer. He struggles with his stagnation in Harlem, his unfulfilled dreams and the disconnect between himself and his only family, his brother. However, not all hope is lost. He serves as a teacher for others, full of knowledge of how one can truly suffer and still triumph (Norton 47). Only when he is finally able to connect with his brother through music, are his â€Å"blues† finally heard and he affirms his individualityRead MoreSonny s Blues By James Baldwin2300 Words   |  10 PagesIn the short story â€Å"Sonny’s Blues†, by James Baldwin there is the notion or a reoccurring theme of a conflict between light and dark between the characters. The notion is carried throughout the story of two brothers finding their own lights and trying to work towards a greater life. In the late 50’s, after the Harlem Renaissance, adolescents are faced with drug sales everywhere and crime sprees around every corner, this is one example of the darkness in the story. Kids began to form bad habits thatRead MoreAnalysis Of James Baldwin s Sonny s Blues Essay1154 Words   |  5 Pagesntroduction: James Baldwin, author of Sonny s Blues, once said, I grew up with music...much more than with any other language. In a way, the music I grew up with saved my life (Session 3 Inquiry: Rudolfo Anaya and James Baldwin, 2015).   Blues becomes Sonny s drug and his addiction to it his salvation.       Even though the adults refrain from lamenting their sufferings directly to the children and telling them about the darkness, the child-narrator still intimates its marks in their facesRead MoreAnalysis Of James Baldwin s Sonny s Blues Essay2104 Words   |  9 PagesSeveral dialectics are at play in James Baldwin’s short story â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† including a dialectic between the narrator and his beloved brother Sonny involving their opposing responses to the sense of oppression and limitation that arises from living in Harlem. This dialectic and its resolution closely parallel Baldwin’s masterful use of Blues, Jazz, and Gospel music. We follow the narrator and his brother Sonny as they traverse the complexities of their individual and interconnected Harlem livesRead MoreAnalysis Of James Baldwin s Sonny s Blues 995 Words   |  4 PagesJames Baldwin presents an emotional journey through Harlem in the 1950’s with his short story, â€Å"Sonny’s Blues.† From the beginning, the story is in medias res when the unnamed narrator is informed of bad news concerning his younger, troubled brother, Sonny. Throughout the story there is an ocean of emotions witnessed between these two brothers as they battle hardships from their past and present time. The setting plays an important role in â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† to an extent where it is practically a characterRead MoreSonny s Blues By James Baldwin1028 Words   |  5 Pagesand influence the subject’s ideas. Consciously and unconsciously, the individual reflects the confluence of his or her history and culture. In â€Å"Sonny’s Blues†, a short story by James Baldwin, the dominant culture constricts the black individual. Subject to the explicit and latent biases of a racist society, the black population of â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† attempt to endure oppression and suffering and survive in an unforgiving land. However, they can thrive here with the hope and salvation provided by theRead MoreSonny s Blues By James Baldwin Essay1745 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"Sonny’s Blues† is a narration about two siblings – brothers - who choose very different routes in life in order to accomplish the zenith of individualism, expressionism and recognition. In doing so, they take a glimpse into one another’s spheres and learn to assent and appreciate each other for who they are. In 1951, Baldwin wrote Sonny’s Blues, a story of the ills that Harlem provided its youth. In Baldwin’s telling of the narration, it forms a nous of liberation, an atmosphere of therapeutic acc eptanceRead MoreJames Baldwin s Sonny s Blues1452 Words   |  6 PagesJames Baldwin’s Sonny’s Blues is a short story that, for some people, could be considered a challenging read. Not because of the level of difficulty, but for the fact that it shares a lot of human angst. However, Baldwin’s story still manages to be entertaining, as well as holding many life lessons in it. Baldwin’s story teaches lessons such as; dealing with suffering, being supportive, and accepting differences. James Baldwin’s Sonny’s Blues does a noble job of relating to the readers on various