Hong Kong Peoples Social Values Of Welfare Sociology Essay

Hong Kong Peoples Social Values Of Welfare Sociology Essay Topic: Critically examine the development and changes of social values of welfare held by Hong Kong people before and after 1997. What are the factors affecting the changes? Welfare is all collective interventions to meet certain needs of the individual and/or to serve the wider interests of society may now be broadly grouped intoà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ categories of welfare (Titmuss, 1959). The development in the social values of welfare has always been changing throughout the centuries, particularly the 20th century. In traditional Chinese society, people used to believed that social welfare, or fuk lei, was given by kind-hearted philanthropists in society (N. Chow, 1994, p.325). In the early 20th century, the concept of social welfare was still very weak among Hong Kong people. Majority of welfare services were provided by non-government organizations before 1965 (W. S. Chow, 1993, p. 41). The situation changed after the publication of the white paper of the social welfare in 1965. Together with the rise of social worker, more people consider social welfare is part of their civil rights in the following decades. In 1997, the change in sovereignty of Hong Kong and the Asian financial crisis brought a significant impact on the social values of welfare. In the following paragraphs, I will briefly discuss the development of social welfare in Hong Kong and the corresponding social values of welfare, particularly the changes before and after 1997. As will be argued, there are both long term and short term factors that led the changes. The former would be the increasing consideration of civil rights and the latter would be the Asian financial crisis in 1997, the change in sovereignty of Hong Kong and the publication of Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) Review. In the early 20th century, majority of people considered welfare was given by kind-hearted philanthropists in society. As Hong Kong was a colony of Britain at that time, the colonial government put their focuses on protecting the Britishs interest, particularly the British merchants. Hence, the living environment and welfare of local Chinese were not concerned by the colonial government unless it interfere the interest of British. With this colonial background, local Chinese rationalized the concept of welfare would not be given by the colonial government. The Chinese merchants used their wealth to establish and maintain their reputations and leadership roles through acts of charity (Leung, 1996, p.3). They set up organizations and gave welfare to the locals. Among these organizations, Tung Wah Hospital was the most noteworthy charitable organization which catered the medical services and welfare needs to the locals. Apart from these organizations, churches and clans man association would also give welfare to the locals too. In the post World War II period, the situation had a slightly change. In the post war period, a large number of non-government or voluntary welfare organizations were set up in Hong Kong. It is important to note that most of these welfare organizations had their parent-bodies overseas. A typical example of these organizations would be the Hong Kong Red Cross. During this emergency period, the internationally-linked welfare organization had probably done much more than the government in meeting the welfare needs of people (N. Chow, 1994, p.324). Although the concept of welfare is given by kind-hearted philanthropists was weaken, the majority of the Chinese in Hong Kong are still unable to wipe away the traditional notions of welfare and accept the modern idea that it should be the responsibility of the state to provide the necessary social welfare services (N. Chow, 1994, p. 325). Meanwhile, a large proportion of population was refugee from mainland China (Due to the civil war in Chin a). Part of them considered Hong Kong is there temporary shelter but not their home. Hence, welfare development would not be their consideration as they expected to leave Hong Kong soon. These factors made there were only little pressure groups would fight for the rights for the locals in that period. The situation further changed after 1965. In 1965, the colonial government published the White Paper on social welfare. N.Y. Chow (1993) suggests that to be exact, the beginning of social welfare policy of Hong Kong was after the publication of the first White Paper on social welfare in 1965 (p.41). The White paper was the first government document that discusses social welfare policy in Hong Kong. It explained the welfare development and integrated the experiences from the development. Also, it gives the stands of colonial government toward social welfare policy and reasons that made the government cannot implement comprehensive social policy in Hong Kong. Although the White Paper has been blamed for lacking in-depth discussion on the blueprint of social welfare development and the foreseeable challenges, but this White paper gives a foundation for the further development of social welfare system (W. S. Chow, 1993). The concept of social welfare and government were no longer disseve ring like the past. More people started to integrate social welfare into the role of government. The most rapid change was found in the 70s. There were two major factors that led the change, the Big Bang of social policy and the rise of social worker. The Big Bang of social policy was initiated by the 25th governor of Hong Kong, Murray MacLehose. After MacLehose take office the governor in 1972, he had a strong sense of responsibility towards social welfare, under his influence, amendment of social welfare policy was necessary (W. S. Chow, 1993, p. 52). Apart from it, the increasing social problems (i.e. the riot in 1966 and 1967, Corruption) led the demand for governments involvement in social welfare further increased. These factors urged the publication of the second White Paper of social welfare in 1973. The aim of the White Paper was giving a five year plan of social welfare development and dividing the responsibility in providing social welfare between government and voluntary organizations. The aspects of social welfare in the five year plan included education, housing, m edical service, social allowance, youth services etc. The comprehensive expansion of welfare services increased the involvement of people in social welfare system. The value of welfare would not be given by the colonial government was further weakening in this period. Apart from the Big Bang of social policy, the rise of social worker also led to the significant change in social value of welfare. The rise of social worker could be traced back to the professionalization of social work and the implement of professional training at the University of Hong Kong and the Chinese University of Hong Kong in the mid-1960s. In the 1960s, Fabian Socialism was the most fashionable approach taught in the social work schools of the two universities (N. Chow, 1994, p.327). Equality, freedom and fellowship are the central values of Fabian Socialism. The social work students in 60s and 70s were strongly influenced by these values. They had a strong sense of working towards a more equal and justice society. Hence, when the students became social workers in society, they would try to advocate policies that achieve to these two ideals. More people would consider welfare as a means to achieve an equal society. Meanwhile, the young social workers at that time also stres sed on civil rights. They believed that social welfare is one the important parts of civil rights. When they graduated, they would educate and advocate the public to uphold their civil rights through different social actions. As a result, under this influence, it led to the rise of the awareness of welfare system as rights enjoyed by citizen. Another significant change of social values of welfare could be found in 1997. The major factor that led to the change is the Asian Financial Crisis in 1997. Before the crisis, the economy in Hong Kong was at boom. Majority of people were actively investing in property market and stock market. At that time, people emphasized on material values and short-term time horizon. Material values are the major criterion used to evaluate the worth of things and people (C.K. Wong, K. L. Chow K.Y. Wong, 2001, p.68). Meanwhile, majority of Chinese investor were looking for the maximum benefit in the shortest period of time. Topley states that many Chinese still prefer to invest in non-industrial property and trade because of the relatively quicker return of capital and profits. When investing in industry, the overwhelming desire of investors is to look for quick profits by whatever means present themselves as attractive in the short run rather than to look for opportunity for starting long-term investment. (as cited in Lau, 1982, p.70) As both of the property market and stock market were so flourished, the economic environment enabled people to achieve the above goals simultaneously. This in turn led Hong Kong became one of the wealthiest cities in Asia. The living standard in Hong Kong was one of the highest in Hong Kong history in the early mid 1990s. As most people could sustain their life in the market, they put less consideration on the welfare system. At that time, people would consider social welfare system was only for those who were in need in society, like elderly and disabled people. In other words, despite the underprivileged and the corresponding pressure group, majority in society would not care about the welfare system as they believed they could achieve self-sustentions in market. In general, social welfare development was overwhelmed by economic development at that period. But a significant change was provoked by the 1997 financial crisis. A great depression in both stock market and property market was provoked by the crisis. Lots of people were bankrupted because of the suddenly fall in the property market. Also, a massive unemployment was accompanied with the economic downturn, particularly in the financial sector. The decline in consumption led to further depression in other non-financial sector. The financial crisis brought two major impacts on the welfare system. First, it led to a significant fall in the tax income of the government. Second, more people fall into the safety net of the welfare system. In other words, it led an increase in demand for welfare services. Simultaneously, it would increase the welfare expenditure of the government. As these two factors happened at the same time, this brought heavy pressure on the financial budget of the government. At the same period, the sovereignty of Hong Kong changed back to China. One of the problems that foresee by the government is the increase in immigrants from China. In the review report of CSSA that published by the Social Welfare Department, it suggests that the increase in mainland immigrants would lead to an increase application for CSSA. It implies that the government believes that a number of mainland immigrants would rely on the welfare system for livelihood. Before the publication of the report, the government already spread this ideology through news and government press. At that time, the government disclosed different abusive cases of CSSA by the new immigrants. This made the public also be believed the new immigrants would bring pressure to Hong Kong welfare system. The economic downturn, mainland immigrants, together with the foreseeable aging population, these made the government believed a review for welfare system is necessary. As the government wanted to tighten the budget for social welfare expenditure, the publication of the review report was a means of government to the public support. This report brought a momentous impact on the social value of welfare. In particular, there were more people believed that abusive cases are common in the welfare system after the publication of the report. For example, the report suggested the level of benefits for four-person household is high. The average monthly payment for a four-person household increased in 120% from 1980s to 1990s. But the median wage of workers only increased 41%. The government suggested that this would create disincentive to work and lead to long term dependency on welfare system. According to a survey, 36.4% of respondents believed that the increasing number of CSSA cases becau se the criteria for application is too lenient (C.K. Wong, K. L. Chow K.Y. Wong, 2001, p.5). Although the way and method that government used to interpret and present the statistics had bias and hidden agenda, majority still believed that CSSA was breeding lazy people. Since CSSA has a strict income test and asset test, statistics of Suspected Fraud and Abuse was minimal. But the mass media created a negative image of CSSA recipients as they only reporting fraud and abusive cases. This, in turn, created a strong labeling effect on CSSA recipients. In a survey, 40.8% of respondents agreed that CSSA recipients are not deserved to be help (C.K. Wong, K. L. Chow K.Y. Wong, 2001, p.9). This reflected the fact that CSSA recipients were stigmatized. Apart from stigmatization of CSSA recipients, the role of welfare that interpreted by the public is also worth to discuss. Compare with giving direct welfare, people considered that self-reliance would be more appropriate. In a survey, 70.3% of respondents believed that people should satisfy their needs through self-reliance. On the other hand, only 8.6% respondents believed that people should satisfy their needs through social welfare (C.K. Wong, K. L. Chow K.Y. Wong, 2001, p.30). The development of the concept self-reliance could be explained by the Utilitarianistic Familism. Utilitarianistic Familism is social values of the Chinese people in Hong Kong (Lau, 1982). Chinese people would put the interest of family member in a higher priority over others. The bonding of the family members was strong. In addition to the extended family structure in the early mid 20th century, people would not look for help from government; rather, they would look for help from family members. As most problems could be solved without the help of government, it contributed to the development a sense of self-reliance. This concept is particularly prevailing value hold by the older generation (i.e. Those who born in the Post War Baby Boom). From the above discussion, we can see two sets of contradictory social values of welfare have developed in Hong Kong. On one hand, more people consider social welfare as their civil rights. On the other hand, people stigmatize some welfare recipients. It makes the rights of accessing welfare become alienated from the civil rights. These two contradictory values lead to different conflicts in society. Social workers, pressure groups and non-government organizations are striving for destigmatization of the welfare recipients. Lots of social actions like social demonstration and public forum are used to promote this civil rights. But at the same time, the government is attempting to marginalize the welfare recipients in order to reduce the welfare expenditure. From time to time, the government would publish the fraud and abusive case in CSSA. It seems that it wants to remind people that abusive cases are still common in welfare system. These, in turn, led to never-ending debates between the two interest groups. As seen in above discussion, it is hard to find a consensus towards the value of welfare in Hong Kong. The historical background, personal experiences and education would have a strong influence on the development of our value. But it seems that government would spread concepts and ideas that deviated from the principles of social welfare equality and equity, because its political agenda. Whether the ultimate goal of government is bring a stable and harmonious society in Hong Kong is questionable.

English Speech Against Physical Punishment of Children :: Papers

English Speech Against Physical Punishment of Children Good Morning/Afternoon ladies, gentlemen and chairperson. I am also arguing against the motion that states, this house believes that physical punishment including smacking young children is wrong. I am a firm believer that a short, sharp smack can keep children under control. This doesn’t mean they should be beaten up or even marked, but strict and fair punishment will benefit a child in the long run. Please picture this scene: a young child of around 3 years is having a temper tantrum in the middle of a busy high street because his mum won’t buy him a toy car. He tries to run away from his mother, screaming and shouting at the same time. To stop the noise the mother gives in a buys the toy car. Now ask yourself who is in charge here, the mother or the child? After all, the child gets his own way and now knows exactly what to do next time he wants something. In these circumstances, parents may have to resort to a smack to one, get the child listening and doing what they are told, two, stop the noise and temper tantrum and finally, for the child’s benefit and own safety. Also, what or who is going to stop an out of control child running out into the middle of a busy road? A quick smack is a lot less pain full then getting knocked down by a car or even a bus! There are many in favour of the government leaving the law as it stands that parents have the right to smack their children. Groups such as Family and Youth Concern feel politicians should let parents get on with bringing up their children as they see fit, and warn that any change in the law would risk turning thousands of parents into criminals. They also feel a ban on smacking would be impossible to enforce. The opposition may argue that there are other forms of punishment which are just as effective as smacking. For example, ignoring the

Daughter from DaNang Essay

Micro Assessment The majority of developmental theories say that children must develop a secure primary attachment in order to develop in a healthy manner. A secure and strong attachment is clearly essential for healthy future relationships. John Bowlby’s studies in childhood development led him to the conclusion that a strong attachment to a caregiver provides a necessary sense of security and foundation. Without such a relationship in place, Bowlby found that a great deal of developmental energy is expended in the search for stability and security. In general, those without such attachments are fearful and are less willing to seek out and learn from new experiences (Hutchison, 2013). The video did portray a close relationship between Heidi’s siblings and their mother. Heidi says she has happy memories from her child hood growing up in Vietnam (Dolgin & Franco, 2002). This leads me to believe she had formed an attachment with her mother. Bowlby says if the attachment figure is broken o r disrupted during a child’s critical developmental stage the child will suffer irreversible long- term damage. Heidi was completely uprooted toward the end of this critical period (Hutchison, 2013). She was 6 years old when her mother dropped her off at the orphanage operated by the Holt Adoption Agency. This is traumatic, and she says how she used to cry for her mother. She said she believed there was something wrong with her and that is why she was sent away (Dolgin & Franco, 2002). Once in America Heidi was adopted by a single woman named Ann Neville. Heidi describes Ann as a cold, non – loving person. She provided material things but never any affection. One summer evening while Heidi was home from college, she came home one night to find herself locked out. When she returned the next day her mother had Heidi’s bags packed and said she was no longer welcome in her house. As far as Ann was concerned, she no longer had a daughter. Heidi has not spoken to her adopted mother since (Dolgin & Franco, 2002). This was the second time Heidi had been abandoned  by her mother figure. According to Erik Erikson’s stages of Psychosocial Development she would not make it past the 1st stage (Hutchison, 2013). Although Heidi is well over the age the trust vs. mistrust stage occurs, she still is unable to believe that either one of her mothers’ love her. After visiting Vietnam, she is quite sure it was not love driving her mother to show such affection, but rather financial reasons (Dolgin & Franco, 2002). Her family is poor and they see Heidi as an escape from poverty. Heidi’s adaption to her American life is an example of a component in Jean Piaget’s Cognitive Theory called accommodation. Children are motivated to maintain a balance. Any experience that we cannot assimilate creates anxiety, but if our schemata are adjusted to accommodate the new experience, the desired state of equilibrium will be restored (Hutchison, 2013). In order for Heidi to adapt to her environment, she had to change the way she viewed everything. She was unable to change the environment so she had to change herself. Heidi became 101% Americanized (Dolgin & Franco, 2002). Mezzo Assessment This documentary reveals the many confrontations of two cultures. It begins when an American soldier and a Vietnamese woman, Mai Thi Kim, who was abandoned by her husband, ensue a sexual relationship that results in a daughter, Mai Thi Heip also known as Heidi Bub. When the war ends and the American troops leave, Mai Thi Kim and her children are left to face the ridicule and scorn for Kim’s indiscretion of sleeping with an American soldier (Dolgin & Franco, 2002). This child was born half American and half Vietnamese. At the time there were rumors the Communist government was going to search for these children and kill them. They were a part of the enemy. In order to escape this persecution, the American government, along with several others governments, created Operation Baby Lift. They would put these children on planes and fly them to the United State where they would be given the opportunity for a better life. This is extremely telling of North American’s ethnocentr ism, assuming Americans could provide a better life to these children than their own parents (Dolgin & Franco, 2002). In America Heidi lived with her adopted mom in Pulaski, Tennessee. Ann was a dean at Pulaski’s Martin Methodist College. Heidi was baptized into the United Methodist Church, where she attended services, and Sunday school. Ann provided many material things for Heidi, taking her on great trips to various places and yet Heidi’s heart still longs for more. Heidi said she had everything growing up, but that she didn’t have a very loving mother. Ann sought hard to Americanize Heidi and often warned her to keep her Vietnamese heritage a secret. Ann is extremely adamant that if anyone asks where Heidi was born, she is to tell them Columbia, South Carolina (Dolgin & Franco, 2002). As Heidi enters her teenage years her relationship with her mother is strained. Anne cannot tolerate Heidi’s growing independence. The relationship comes to an abrupt end when Ann kick Heidi out of the house and denies she ever had a daughter (Dolgin & Franco, 2002). Heidi’s biological mother does not have the money to provide material things like her adopted mother. She does have the capacity to love Heidi and expresses it openly, unlike her adopted mother (Dolgin & Franco, 2002). When Heidi returned to Vietnam to reunite with her family she experienced a dramatic culture shock. She was not properly prepared for the reunion. As a child she was forbidden to inquire about her heritage, so it was never discussed and she was never encouraged to learn about the Vietnam culture (Dolgin & Franco, 2002). Heidi has a naà ¯ve idea that it is going to be a fairy tale ending. Heidi places huge expectations upon this visit to emotionally fill a void in her life from an unloving and damaged childhood. One of the major challenges Heidi faces was the dreadful clash between the two cultures. Heidi is overwhelmed by the open and often displays of affection. She says she was not raised in such a touchy, feely society so all of this affection was extremely uncomfortable. Heidi was raised as a single child by a single parent. She is not used to large families and having so many people around all the time. Heidi complains that she has only had 2 hours to herself the entire time sh e has been in Vietnam. She begins to feel the roles have been reversed because her mother is so clingy. It is as if she is the mother and her mother is the child (Dolgin & Franco, 2002). In Vietnamese culture family is very important. Extended family often live close or in the same home. In American this is not a common tradition. Generally when the children grow up they move out of their parents’ house to live independently and eventually begin a family of their own. Often families live hundreds of miles apart and may only see each other on holidays or special occasions. Vietnamese live in a collective society where the prosperity of the group is  the goal. They are community oriented, they take care of each other. So when Heidi’s sister, who is extremely poor, asks Heidi for more money that is entirely acceptable in their culture. It is normal and even expected for the wealthier family members to take care of the poorer ones. Those who make it to the States or another prosperous nation, are expected to send money back to their family. The children are expected to take care of their parents because the parents took care of the children when they were young (Dolgin & Franco, 2002). The video displays another example of how Vietnamese have a collective culture when Heidi returns, not only is her entire family excited to reunite, but the entire community is waiting to see her, they never forgot Heidi (Dolgin & Franco, 2002). Heidi thought her sister was rude and she was insulted by her bold request. When Heidi’s brother mentions it is her turn to take care of their mother, Heidi explodes in anger (Dolgin & Franco, 2002). The United States is stigmatized an individualistic society, people tend to look out for themselves. What is theirs is theirs and no obligation to provide for others. This is most often true in urban areas, but in more rural parts, families do take care of their own. People in smaller communities tend to take care of each other, maybe not to the extent they do in Vietnam, but they do look out for one another. Language is a barrier for Heidi. Although her mother and some of her family members are able to speak English, Heidi does not speak Vietnamese and does not understand the language. It is difficult to communicate and makes interactions challenging (Dolgin & Franco, 2002). Macro Assessment Daughter from Danang originates with American’s ethnocentrism and the declaration of â€Å"Operation Babylift.† by President Ford. Many American soldiers had left behind what was referred to as national embarrassment, American soldiers had slept with the enemy and fathered children with the women of Vietnam, these children came to be known as Amerasians. It was feared that the Communists threatened to kill both mother and child of this mixed race. President Ford made available over two million dollars for the needs of thousands of children that would be airlifted out of Vietnam to in efforts to avoid mass slaughter of the innocent, and provide a better living for the children (Dolgin & Franco, 2002). The ethnocentrism is clear when  the video shows a clip of an American social worker attempting to convince Vietnamese women to send their children to the United States. The Vietnamese feared the Communists could kill their children and the United States, along with other countries, were taking them away. What an awful experience for the mothers and children.  Heidi’s new life in the United States did provide her with opportunities she would have never received otherwise. The United States is a wealthier country than Vietnam. Most Vietnamese live in poverty and have little opportunity to improve financially. Vietnamese do not have the access to education that Westerners have. Heidi is a college graduate and her sister only made it through the 6th grade (Dolgin & Franco, 2002). Vietnam lack many of the modern conveniences Heidi has grown accustomed to. Vietnam is a poor country, the people cannot afford the common luxuries American’s use in their daily life. When she is walking through the town she is stunned to see people cooking food on the side walk. At the market Heidi cannot get her mother out of there fast enough. The hot temperature, raw fish, and the smells are all too much for her to handle (Dolgin & Franco, 2002). You can see the surprise on her face when she first arrives to her family’s home. The family does not have indoor plumbing, the family must go to the bathroom outside and shower by pouring a bucket of water over themselves. Heidi also observes her mother washing laundry outside in a basin with a bar of soap, the dishes were also washed outside in basin as well (Dolgin & Franco, 2002). Summary The video portrays though Vietnamese have less materials belongings than Westerners does not mean they are less happy. Vietnamese place much more importance on the family relationships and love for each other. I think if Heidi had prepared herself for her visit by educating herself on the Vietnamese culture, thing would have turned out differently. At least she would not have been taken off guard with so much touching, constant family around, and their forwardness about money. The movie ends with Heidi consciously alienating herself from her cultural roots. She goes back to the familiar world of her adopted grandma’s home, where the most profound conversation is whether the corn is rotten in the refrigerator. She goes  back to a dopey husband who has not a clue. â€Å"We stopped talking about your (Heidi’s) trip because we were not getting anywhere.† Unfortunately it has been 2 years and Heidi has not responded to any of her families letters. It seems unlikely she ever will. My hope is that she can overcome her scars and teach her children about their heritage. Provide them with the opportunity to learn who they are. References Dolgin, G.(Producer), & Dolgin, G., Franco,V. (Directors). (2002). Daughter from Danang [Video].Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AU VUe2HX0 Hutchison, E. D. (2013). Essentials Of Human Behavior: Integrating Person, Environment, and the Life Cycle. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.

Compare and Contrast (Wap/Wml) and Java 2 Platform Micro Edition (J2Me)

(WAP/WML) and Java 2 platform Micro Edition (J2ME) architectures CSS 422 Compare and Contrast (WAP/WML) and Java 2 platform Micro Edition (J2ME) As technology is changing there are new ways to develop programs for the many types of mobile networked devices. Wireless application protocol (WAP) and Wireless markup language (WML), which work together to design and architect an application to be sent to wireless mobile devices for users to download and enjoy. The Java 2 platform micro edition (J2ME) is a more extensive platform that is used in designing wireless applications. Wireless Application Protocol The Wireless Application Protocol is a technical standard for accessing information over a wireless mobile network. This type of browser is used for mobile devices like cell phones. You can access such things as sports, public media information, political information, news, music, etc. (Mahmoud, 2002) WAP is based exceedingly on the web programming model, which allows the user/developer to design and architect a program inside a browser to enter information. The web pages are written in the Hyper Text Markup Language (HTTP). (Mackenzie & Sharkey, 2001) Comparing A developer can design a low-level program that allows a user to access simple programs such as games. A developer can also use the web programming model to make programs that are highly functional by having a program within a program. This is called Dynamic HTML (DHTML). DHTML allows another web page to change without having to wait for the server. Contrasting There are downfalls to WAP and the reasons are; just as the DHTML allows another web page to load without having to wait for the server. On the other hand, the standard of HTML is, once a web page is loaded from the server, it will not change until another request comes from the server. This takes more time away from the user, since they must wait for request from the server. Wireless Markup Language Wireless markup language is based on XML, which is a set of rules for encoding documents into computer-readable language. Previously called Handheld Devices Markup Language (HDML), is a markup language which is intended for devices that implement the Wireless application protocol qualifications, such as, the mobile devices. Comparing The comparison between the WML and the WAP are important, because the two work together as; the Wireless Markup Language is intended for devices that function with the wireless application protocol. Like HTML, WML provides data input, navigational support, and hyperlinks. Contrasting There is a big difference between WML and J2ME, because the Java 2 platform provides much more memory than WML. This may be a concern for Wireless Markup Language, because there could be a point that J2ME will contain more memory, and WML will be something of the past. This has happened with other stages in technology, such as Java going from HTTP to HTML. Java 2 Platform Micro Edition (J2ME) The Java 2 platform micro edition (J2ME) is an embedded system that operates on smartphones, PDA’s, and user appliances. The J2ME devices implement a profile called Mobile Information Device Profile. MIDP allows a user to write downloadable applications and services for network connected devices such as the devices listed above. When MIDP is combined with Connected Limited Device Configuration (CLDC) they create the special run-time environment that is on the latest mobile devices. (Oracle, 2011) Comparing Combining MIDP and CLDC they provide the core functions needed for mobile applications. If these two devices did not work together the services they provide would not be available to our mobile gadgets. Contrasting Unlike WAP/WML, J2ME uses a K Virtual Machine, which is a specialized virtual machine to interpret support for devices with limited retention. The virtual support along with the CLDC/MIDP makes the implementation superior to the WAP’s/WML’s. Conclusion As technology grows and changes so do the ways developers use their programming language to design new wireless applications for wireless mobile devices. It is exciting to see how far technology has come in the way wireless devices are made to use the simple and extensive wireless applications. References: Mackenzie, D. , Sharkey, K. (2001, 20 August). InformIT: Building the user interface with web forms. Retrieved August 7, 2011 from http://www. informit. com/articles/article. aspx? p=131102 Mahmoud, Q. (2002, February). Oracle: J2ME, MIDP, and WAP complementary technologies. Retrieved August 6, 2011 from http://developers. sun. com/mobility/midp/articles/midpwap/ Oracle. (2011). Mobile information device profile: (MIDP). Retrieved August 6, 2011 from http://www. oracle. com/technetwork/java/index-jsp-138820. html

THE INVASION OF THE NEW SPAIN essays

THE INVASION OF THE NEW SPAIN essays Who would have taught that a strong group of native Indians from Mexico would someday be defeated by the introduction of Europeans into their own world. It was the year 1519 and many European conquistadors set out to conquest the New Spain. They did not know in which circumstances Mexico was at the present time. In the city of Tenochtitlan, known today as Mexico City, lived a group of native Indians known as the Aztecs. Many indigenous people from Mexico did not like the Aztecs. The Aztecs were full of violence and some even became cannibals. They sacrificed human bodies and would sometimes eat some of their body parts. European conquistadors went out in search of wealth and in return they were amazed of how Mexico was flourishing, but feared the monstrosities that Mexican inhabitants were facing. The native Europeans went in search of gold as well. The need for the search of gold brought greed within the Europeans and Mexicans. They all envied one another. Bernal Diaz Del Castillo, a native European from Spain, writes The True History of the Conquest of New Spain. It is the only wealth and true story that Castillo leaves to his children and grandchildren. In the story Castillo writes about European attitudes toward the New Spain and its inhabitants. Castillo states, Next morning, we came to a broad causeway and continued our march toward Iztapalapa. And when we saw all those cities and villages built in the water, and other great towns on dry land, and that straight and level causeway leading to Mexico, we were astounded. These great towns and cues and buildings rising from the water, all made of stone, seemed like and unchanged vision from the tale of Amadis (44). It is said in Mexican history that Mexico lies above a huge lake and to Europeans it is very surprising to see a city built on water. Literally it is very hard to believe that buildings and temples can be built on top of water, especially ...

Cultural relativism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cultural relativism - Essay Example The cultural background of an individual determines their moral beliefs in various ways. This is as a result of difficulties to change ones beliefs and cultural practices which determine their respective moral beliefs. Culture is one of the major influences of a person’s relation with different beliefs which clearly indicate that moral beliefs are dependent on the culture. While moral beliefs can be cross-culture, it is viewed that the persons with similar moral beliefs share common cultural practices. For example, a person residing in Africa may have a moral belief that, it is hard to maintain a polygamous marriage which concurs with the same opinion of the person residing in Europe. This clearly shows that all cultures share some moral beliefs. The main difference in the two perspectives is that: all moral beliefs depend on the culture of the individual and cannot be easily changed by the environmental factors (Russ 290). On the contrary, the cross-culture moral beliefs are easily changed by the environment. The environment impact on the moral beliefs is reflected in adulthood where the person develops a different approach to particular issues and arguments in the society. In addition, the moral beliefs which are shared by all cultures tend to vary with respect to technological advancement and modernization in a particular culture as compared to other cultures. The difference arises where the environmental influence on the moral beliefs in a given culture affects all individuals in that culture implying that the moral beliefs still depend on the culture. On the other hand, environmental impact on the moral tends to vary the cross-culture moral beliefs which minimizes the similarities and creates a larger borderline (Russ 278). Culture shock occurs when a person is introduced to a different culture. Culture shock occurs in various forms such as new dialects, food and views. For example, a person

Basketball why is it my number one US best sports and different in Research Paper

Basketball why is it my number one US best sports and different in rules from NCCA - Research Paper Example The five players from each team may be on the court at one time and substitutions are unlimited though they can only be done when play is stopped. A team can score a field goal by shooting the ball through the hoop during regular play. A regulation basketball hoop consists of a rim 18 inches in diameter and 10 feet high mounted onto a backboard. Afield goal scores two points for the shooting team if a player is touching or closer to the hoop than the three point line while three points are scored if the player is outside the three-point line. The team with more points at the end of the game emerges the winners. It is evident that basketball is one of the best and most popular sports in the USA. It has taken a big role in shaping the cultures of many a people, the young and the old alike. One of the reasons making basket ball a popular sport is street basket ball, a spin-off basket ball played by millions of people. Street basket ball players are both females and males with the ages ranging between 5 and 65 years. Kids start familiarizing themselves with the sport at kindergarten levels. A person’s life as a street ball player usually takes many years as it doesn’t require much practice because it is played for fun (Mallon, 49). This introduction of boys and girls to basketball at such a young age has gone a long way in popularizing the game and in most cases street basket ball players proceed to becoming professionals in the sports. Another reason why basketball has been considered one of the most popular sports in USA is the roles played by the National Basketball Association. The NBA has engendered international interests in the sport and also involved the various USA teams in numerous league matches and thus adding growth to the sport. The NBA commitment in basketball world has played a major role in developing and