Marketing Research and Segmentation Problem Paper

Marketing and Segmentation Problem - Research Paper Example Therefore, it can be mentioned in a nutshell that the hospital caters to the general people with a wide range of medical facilities. Research A research on the consumers in the area surrounding the hospital would be carried out with the help of Value and Lifestyles (VALS2) and Potential Rating Index by Zip Market (PRIZM). VALS2 This tool for lifestyle analysis makes an endeavor to contour consumers by categorizing into three diverse orientation groups and they are principle oriented, action oriented and status oriented. Each of the categories is believed to be supported by two dimensions and they are resources as well as self-orientation. The orientation groups are then again sub-grouped into eight diverse lifestyle segments. These mentioned lifestyle segments are known as actualizers, fulfilleds or survivors, achievers, believers, experiencers, strivers, makers and strugglers. The medical facility or rather the hospital is assumed to be located in the United States (US) where the po pulation has been learnt to be alienated into three main consumer kinds as previously mentioned. The principle oriented individuals are the ones whose selection for services is presided over by their respective beliefs rather than their requirement for support from other individuals. The selections of the status oriented individuals are supposed to be guided by the support, action along with the views of the other individuals. The action oriented individuals are measured to be those who get stimulated by a desire for physical or even social form of activity, risk bearing and variety (Indira Gandhi National Open University, 2012). The believers and the fulfilleds have been stated to fall under the category of principle oriented individuals. The actualizers, achievers, strivers and strugglers are learnt to belong to the category of status oriented individuals. Lastly, the experiencers and the makers are clubbed in the category of action oriented individuals or segments. Therefore, the application of this particular model would effectively aid in segmenting the market for the needed kind of service (Indira Gandhi National Open University, 2012). PRIZM The other tool for assessing the lifestyle of the individuals for the intended service is the PRIZM. The intention of this mentioned tool is recognized to be the assessment of the geographic regions along with associating them with the consumption pattern. This form of assessment is supposed to be founded on the assertion that lifestyle as well as consumption remains principally guided by the demographic rudiments. An imperative step with regard to this form of assessment is the ascertainment of the proper base definition in order to appropriately match up with the accurate household base (Scarborough Research, 2012). Market Segmentation The target segment or rather the kind of individuals targeted for the medical facility or the hospital would be the principle oriented individuals and the status oriented individual s. The initial category of individuals are learnt to be quite well educated individuals who are either engaged with professional occupations or are retired. This implies that the age group can be ascertained from middle to higher that is from 40 to above 65 years of age. This particular segment would be the appropriate choice as the target patients for the intended medical facility owing to their age group. The individuals belonging

Indigenous Tradition Essay Example for Free

Indigenous Tradition Essay In the past people have mistaken about their tradition Indigenous originality or occurring naturally (country, region etc) To be indigenous kinship (relation to one another) and location(connection of particular place) Indigenous religion beliefs, experience and practices concerning non-falsifiable realities of people who have kinship and location Syncretism: Syncretism merging of elements from different religions. Eg : north American tradition have been influenced by Christianity, some African rituals are influences by Islam. * Change occurs everywhere. * Traditions are less authentic (accurate) than thousands year ago Indigenous can be found anywhere: * Anishinaubae: drumming ceremony in Toronto * Yoruba: Funeral rites in London * Maori: Purification ritual in opera house Sydney Australia Misconceptions * Common to Indigenous traditions is colonialism * Oglala (Indigenous community) – a theorist explained them as â€Å"warriors without weapons basically they were incapable to adapting a new economy lifestyle they focused on how to make them â€Å"modern Indians† * Outsider lack insider knowledge. * Scholars often used terms such as fetish, myth, mana, taboo to explain Indigenous traditions. * Eg â€Å" Indigenous stories are called myth where the bible is considered to be true. Primitive Cultures that are unchanged from the beginning primitive Christians, who believed in god and their tradition, had superiority and began to spread their religion to who didn’t know about gospel Indigenous traditions are tend to think more primitive Due to non-literate * But writing to not better than oral speaking * Mayan did use writing * Most Indigenous people are very literate. Indigenous tradition are tend to think more primitive – consider everything to be sacred (untrue) * Eg : Navajo : ceremony that transforms normal house into a scared place. So everything such as eating, sleeping is considered to be sacred. * Australian aborigine knows where to pray(know the difference between sacred and non sacred mountains) Primitive term is now disagreeing by many scoloars Mohawk and Cree (Dr Clare Brant) Mohawk: Indigenous traditions who give more food to their guest to show their wealth. Cree: Indigenous tradition who eat all the food offered to show scarcity. These two traditions did not go well together and this shows that Indigenous traditions are different from each other. Another point is that we see other cultures according to our own cultures. Gender roles: * Male: hunting and warfare * Female: healing and food preparation * Maori carvers were men and weavers were women. Bunu men frow cotton and women turn it into clothes. * Sometimes the roles switch just like other traditions * Usually religions practices are different for men and woman too. Power of speech Oral speaking is very imp for Indigenous traditions things are passed down oraly. Many people think oral primitive (untrue). Both Quran and Bible was passed down orally before written into text Stories : After life : * Kewa: a man finds a tunnel where his dead people wre living together and they gave them many things and asks him not to speak of it. When he goes and tell everyone about the tunnel, he breaks the promise and when he returns the tunnel is gone. * Anishinaubae : young man fiance died, and he go on a journey to find her and when he found her , he returns home heartbroken, keeping his promise. * These stories tell us about importance of relationships tell us about how we should live than about dying Writing stores often â€Å"fixed in time†. Trickster: * Considered as â€Å"culture heroes† because they are the central figures in many stores * Usually shape shift usually into animals * Can change genders sometime biological and sometime just clothes changing * Outer form is reflected into infidelity * They can appear as fools, selfish, kind, scandalous etc. * Usually driven by self interest alone * Trickster stores show us how we should behave and how we should not * The stories often explain the origins of world and connect to a community more deeply. * Embodies the extremes of humanity: human weakness and strength Practice (rituals). Indigenous tradition rituals are very similar to our traditions * Rituals remind us on what is imp in our life. * In religious terms, rituals, communicate some ways with gods, ancestor and spirits. * Rituals are roots in the human needs and relationship Rituals : * Every rituals varies * Usually involves food Muslim and Jews have specific food eating habits * Many Buddhist set food portions aside for ancestors * Anishinaubae put small amount of food for the spirits * Some rituals are more complicated * Such as marriage, death, birth * Sometimes these rituals mark transformation and sometimes they help to bring the transformation about. * Indigenous tradition rituals serve in some ways to recreate some aspects of the world, order and life Journey: * Going on a journey/quest: rites of passage * Journey to a new place is where a transformation occurs. * The person returns home with physical change, such as tattoo, scar or a body part to symbolize their new self. * Pondos: moved into a special hut to become sacred healers- if they go into town before they must be covered in white * White usually symbolize the color of transformation in Africa * Anishinaubae vision quest – yong man travels far away from home only with water and be completely alone. Then late he become a â€Å"adult man† and comes home with food and the ritual is complete . Sacrifice Mel Gibson: sacrifices in Indigenous traditions are vey common Bear sacrifice: raise a young cub, and raise it for two day and kill it. Head is emptied and filled with flowers and then the animal is cooked and eaten. They think that the bear is the gold’s spirit and they see it as freeing the spirit. Sun dance : dance till days and community provide support. Some sun dance involves sacrifice . the pole and lodge are buil to show the creation of the world Nuer : sacrifice ox for healing. Xhosa : when a woman fall ill the community gathers and kill a cow and do many rituals. This is due their thinking that the ancestor or spirit is angry with the women. * above rituals shows the involvement of community even though there is sacrifice involved. * The rituals ultimately brings people together * Sacrifice like rituals create order and meaning * Those rituals join people to the past and respond to current situation Cultural Expression What you see is not always what you get Art in Indigenous traditions is aout relationship objects are coonected to people Weaving : * Intertwine and connect * Weavers work together , helping one another , passing knowledge. * Shows bonds among people Maori Tradition : * All weavers are female * A girl is said all about weaving more said more discouraged if people saw true commitment then they let the girl into whare pora(caretakers of the weaving) * Whare pora have rules no sex before dying, no food allowed during weaving, special garment should be weaved during the day and not strangets can view the weaving * Traditional colors : black, red and white * Sacred thread is sewed on all garments to show the bond Underlying cloth : * Clothing declare who we are and how we fit into social fabric * Has two side : can hide much as it reveals and help us create a public face * Lady gaga : he masks and clothes hide part of her but also reveals her identity that she wishes to show * Special clothes are associated with imp rituals * Bunu : believes that the special clothes are kind of womb, enveloping the body as like a fetus is being born. Clothing only wears it does not die old cloth is replaces by new, as old spirits is reborn Spirit basket : * Oldest arts * In pomo community men makes the heavy basket for hunting and fishing * Women were responsible for religious baskets. * Mable mckey : was a traditional healer in pomo community and famous basket weaver in the world. Masks : * Masks are used in imp rituals wedding , funerals, hunting celebration etc * Masks are ment to ring spirit into the community lesser deities (gods) * Mask represent certain animals does not mean they worship the animal * Epa mask in Yoruba community extremely heavy show the strength require to dance with the mask and enter the adult hood with responsibility. * Carvers are usualy male Totem poles : * Very specific to each communities * Function of totem poles also varies in each tradition. * Meaning varies serve as a supporting structure or grave makers and other as a symbol for power * Most also tell stories such as historical, achievements and religious * Grizzly bear at the base holding a human represents self-preservation or survival. Moko * Maori carvings are less likely to be displayed outside the original physical context * Moko tattoos * In the beginning the women were only allowed tattoos around their lips and chin where men can have tattoos all over their face * Moko story remind the Maori people their ancestor and importance of meeting ones obligation and treating one another with respect Ancestoral House. * Marae Maori religious and social home. Site of wedding , funeral, celebration. * Authority is held by community elders where they use the space to pass n traditions, stories and arts, carving, weaving. * If the artist when wrong painting the place, they could be put to death. * Location is very imp it must be located in a place where the previous generation carried out the religious and social activities. * Whare Whakairo physical form which represents the body of the ancestor * The building is divided into body parts of the ancestor Three points and Shrine : * Some traditions are very plain, harder for an outsider to see * Three issues : * Most rituals are performed outside * Think bout the function of religious structures that are used in the rituals * What you see is not often what you get * Mbari shrine : represents the founder of the community, a great healer and was forced to flee because they were attacked by another community. Elder stands her to protects the shrine all the time. * The guard signify the change modern development Hogans * Navajo Hogan traditional living space as well as the site for many rituals. * It is the site for daily activities and some are religious and some are not * Before new Hogan is occupied a song is performed. * Known as Blessing way ceremony four divining earth, mountain woman, water woman, corn woman also the song speaks everyday things * According to them world is structure – Hogan All these things symbolizes: * Link btw past and present * Btw community and place * Btw our world and world of spirits Colonialism * Colonialism process where people from one place maintain a settlement in another and to the effects of people who were already there. * Changes include – subjugation or removal , new laws, social practices and new economy. * Power and profit are factors that drive colonialism. * Religion is also one of the reason Colombus : * He destroyed a community Arawaks * He wanted to tell him where the gold was people who gave him gold were left alive and people who didn’t were killed(by cutting hands) * Then he realized that the most valuable are the people, so he sent them back to Europe by the boat land. Genocides : * 20 million African were taken as slave and only 11 million returned * 96% od aboriginals were dead in Australia * factors of depopulation : military action, torture, starvation, suicide and slavery. * More aboriginals are killed when the Americans want more land Masters of continent : * As settler population growed the indigenous population reduced less friendly for land * Terra nullius no ones land was the phrase that European settlers used no owner ship primitive – they do not count as people Conversion : * Many converted to different religion due to colonialism * In Indonesia indigenous tradition is not recognized by lay so all are counted as muslim Loss of religion : * Europeans tried to convert them into chistianity rarely worked * Europeans used military strengeth and religion â€Å"our people is tronger because our god is stronger â€Å" * Missionaries. * Also sometimes the colonial government made the indigenous religion illegal * Eg : potlatch and sundance was made illegal ? Die to the felf harm and economic hardship is potlatch(poverty) * Colonialism lead to patriarchy The potlatch : * Feast that are hosted by a family and hosting family presents the guests with gifts * Demonstrate hospitality and redistributing wealth. Loss of language : * Colonialism language disappeared forever * 20 languages extinct * when communities died, the languages died with them * children’s were forbidden to speak their own languages â€Å"Stolen generation† Loss of Land: * Many religious and indigenous land were taken and was destroyed * Two problems that non-indigenous people had: * Very common belief, no specific belief and are mostly about practice * Religion such as Christians can pray anywhere but indigenous people had to pray at a specific site Identity : (the sympols of indeginous people in sports) * Cleveland Indians play at Atlanta braves : it’s a reminder of ongoing colonialism that has been taken from the indigenous people. * Indigenous oriented names : â€Å"eskimo pie† to market the products evoke a primitive stereotype that is best suited for the product.

The Press In Mauritius

The Press In Mauritius Introduction For the health of democracy, access to information is really essential. In any democracy, citizens have the rights and responsibilities to participate in public matters. Knowledge about a society is obtained through free debates, newspapers, magazines, television and radio. All these are possible when there exist a free and independent press. In all democratic countries, freedom of the press has been a treasured right. Press freedom is a pillar of democracy  [1]  . Often, the press is referred as the fourth pillar of a country  [2]  . Such freedom should be free from interference of the state. The preservation of the freedom of the press may be done through constitutional or legal protections. In the present chapter, the definition and the importance of the press freedom will be analyzed first. Then, the evolution and development of the written and audio-visual press in Mauritius will be examined before considering the constitutional foundation of the freedom of the press of the country. Section 1: Freedom of the press Definition of Freedom of the Press Everywhere in the world, the meaning of press freedom differs. Different countries possess different degrees of freedom of the press  [3]  . This suggests that freedom of the press is not absolute in the world  [4]  . In universal terms, defining freedom of the press is difficult. Various definitions to freedom of the press have been attributed by different scholars and in many text books. Lieberman (1953) defined freedom of the press as the right to serve, without government interference and with police protection, and the most fundamental right of freedom of information  [5]  . As for Dennis and Merrill (1996), freedom of the press is the right to communicate ideas, opinions, and information through the printed world without government restraint  [6]  . For both authors, the right to share information and no government intrusion is among the main elements of this freedom. For other scholars, free press is an independent adversary  [7]  performing the function of watchdog preventing the State from aggrandizing and abusing the rights of its citizen. Freedom of the press is not only the right of media; it is the right of the citizens also. Going back to history, in 1791, freedom of the press was legally guaranteed by the U.S Constitution, congress shall make no lawà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦abridging the freedom of speech or of the pressà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ã‚  [8]  . Freedom of the press was recognized by the National Assembly of France in the Article 11 of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. This freedom was considered to be a fundamental right in Europe and in the United States. In 1948, the United Nations declared it a universal right and adopted Article 19 of the UDHR  [9]  . Freedom of the press is derived from the fundamental right of freedom of information. The latter is a human right and the touchstone of all the freedoms. It implies the right to gather, transmit and publish news anywhere and everywhere without fetters  [10]  . The rights to seek and to disseminate information are of particular importance to the press. Along with freedom of information, freedom of expression also plays an essential role in press freedom. In Hossenbaccus v. Le Mauricien  [11]  , it was held that Freedom of expression is fundamental. It is an essential instrument for the advancement of knowledge and must indeed be well guarded to enable the press to fulfill its social obligation to inform the public. Freedom of expression comprehends the freedom of propagation, publication and circulation of ideas  [12]  Ã‚  [13]  . Freedom of circulation and distribution of the matter are also included in press freedom. So freedom of expression and freedom of press are in tertwined. The Importance of Freedom of the Press Press freedom is considered as the most important freedom by informal writers, jurists and political philosophers  [14]  . Freedom of the press has always been the most effective instrument for the functioning of a democratic society. It helps in human development and good governance. The role that press freedom plays in our society will determine its importance. An independent media sector acts as watchdog on the government, holding it accountable to the public as well as helping citizen to have a better knowledge on political choices. It focuses on social problems and also provides a public forum, for several voices in public debate. On behalf of the public, the press serves as a watchdog to avoid government wrongdoings. Government officials are not always accountable and transparent to the people. So the fourth estate investigates in the States records to examine and evaluate, and hold the officials accountable for their actions. The press keeps the public officials responsible to the public as they are expected to serve them  [15]  . In countries like Taiwan, Brunetti and Weder, free press has helped in reducing corruptions  [16]  . There are eight purposes that the press should look forward in a democratic society: supervision on the political environment, determined agenda-setting, floors for a responsive and illuminating advocacy, channel for dialog on various range of views, safeguarding the rights of citizen and ensuring they are heard, inducements for people to be involved, respecting the citizens and promoting equality  [17]  . However, these goals often have to face obstacles. In a democratic society, the citizens need to be well-informed in order to make and exchange opinions on the actions of government officials and the elected representatives. A central purpose of press freedom is to build up an educated and well-informed electorate  [18]  that will form opinions on public maters and on their political leaders. Politicians also will have the opportunity to comment on the publics opinion. Thus, everyone will participate in a free political debate which is a core concept of a democratic society  [19]  . Freedom of the press is important in the way that the liberty of the press is essential in arousing public spirit and this can be used against the ambition of autocratic authority; this is apparent with independent newspapers because they have a tendency to be aware of public discontents and changes. In short, press freedom acts as an agency which controls arbitrary power. A free press can be said to be a market of ideas  [20]  which helps people to evolve, mobilize and form new ideas in the public area. For the working of democracy, public criticism is fundamental  [21]  . Section 2: Evolution and Development of the Written and Audio Visual Press in Mauritius 2.1 Written Press The history of the printed press in Mauritius can be traced back to 1767 with the first printing materials which Pierre Poivre introduced in the island. One year after, the Imprimerie Royale was created. However, the oldest printing was claimed to be an almanac printed in 1457. Isle de France, now known as Mauritius, was among one of the first colonial countries, which owned a newspaper industry. On 13th January 1773, Nicolas Lambert issued the first newspaper Annonces, Affiches et Avis Divers Pour Les Colonies des Isles de France et Bourbon. As the chief editor was a Government officer and the newspaper was printed by the Government press, this shows that the issue was barely a free one. The second newspaper started in 1786 under the name Journal des Isles de France et de Bourbon by two young lawyers named Durrans and Brun. This one was absolutely literary compared to the third paper, Journal Hebdomadaire de la Colonie, issued in 1791, which was partly political. On the 5th January 1792, the Colonial Assembly published two weekly papers, one which contained the minutes of its proceedings and its administrative committee. This one was known as Journal des Assemblà ©es and the other one as Gazette de Isle de France which contained public notices, advertisements and the other matters of public interest. The first political paper was lObservateur which appeared only in 1816. Nearly one thousand newspapers and magazines have appeared namely Annales des Modes des Spectacles et de Littà ©rature Rà ©crà ©atives, Dà ©dià ©es aux Dames  [22]  but most of them had a short life-span. There was censor on the press in the colonies at that time. Article XI  [23]  of the decree of human rights provided that La libre communication des pensà ©es et des opinions est lun des droit les plus prà ©cieux de lhomme. Tout citoyen peut donc, parler, à ©crire, imprimer librement (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦). This was attempted by the French revolution to put an end to censor. During the English colonization, Adrien DEpinay was the first one to bring Freedom of the Press to Mauritius. In 1832, He was the first one to use the freedom by publishing Le Cà ©rnà ©en. It was the oldest French white-owned newspaper and it survived until 1982. Another landmark in the history of the press is the publishing of La Sentinelle. It was founded by Rà ©my Ollier, a coloured man, in the 1950s. The coloured ownership of the media helped this community in legitimizing their rights in the colonial times. The term coloured changed to the label Creole and in 1920s, a creole family took over Le Mauricien, a white-owned paper which was established in 1908. As from the 1960s, newspapers like Action and LExpress  [24]  were introduced and at that time, the Mauritian press modernized and international standards were adopted. Techniques like reports and personal enquiries were brought in. They are nowadays the bedrock of every press whether written, spoken or visual. Between 1832 and 1973 the general format of newspapers was four pages with mostly advertisements. In the local news, there were parliamentary meetings of the Government and of the sole Municipality of the island, Municipality of Port Louis. From this it can be understood that parliamentarians, mayors or politicians were head of the publishing houses. Today, Lexpress changes to 24 pages as compared to before it were only 4 pages and for Le Mauricien it is 48 pages as compared to earlier it was 16 pages. They are the daily papers one in the morning and the second in the afternoon. Nowadays we have Le Dà ©fi Quotidien which is a daily paper also. There are also a number of w eekly papers in Mauritius such as, 5 Plus Dimanche, Bollywood Massala, LExpress Dimanche, Le Dimanche/LHebdo, Le Dà ©FI Plus, Le Matinal, Samedi Plus, Week End , Star and Sunday Times. A number of papers in oriental languages were also published. Anjuman Islam Maurice was the first one which appeared on 1st March 1883 firstly. Mirza Ahmode was the founder and the paper was published in Hindustani and Gujurati. From 1906 to 1914 a weekly paper, LIslamisme appeared in French, Gujurati, and Urdu. The eminent Indian lawyer, Manilall Maganlal Doctor, launched The Hindustani on 15th March 1909 in English and Gujurati. Mauritius Arya Pratika was edited by Pandit Acshinath Kistoe from 1924 to 1940 and it appeared in English and Hindi. From 1929 to 1973 two papers appeared namely Arya Vir and Zamana with the last one which was launched in 1948. They appeared in English, Hindi, French and Tamil. On 11th August 1932, Chinese Daily was launched and it was the first daily Chinese paper. Then the China Times came in 1953 by Long Siong Ah Keng. Other Chinese language papers were launched; Chinese Newspaper (1953-1975), Central Daily News (1960-1967), The Mirror and LAurore. The evolution of the written press has been noted in terms of availability, varieties, content and style of reporting. With changes like technology, nowadays papers are printed with the use of computers as compared to before where printing was done in led. As seen above, there was only reporting about news, local and abroad, only. Nowadays, a number of articles have been introduced in the press like editorials on sports, women and children. Concerning accessibility, a wide range of newspapers and magazines are available on the market, locally. Each one differs from each other in order to capture a maximum of readers. Newspapers is said to be our key companion in our everyday life and it will continue to be so. 2.2 Audio Visual Press The press is not limited to written only; there is the audio visual press. Audio visual plays a great role in communication. It was on the 9th of August 1927 that Mauritius experienced its first radio broadcasting, which was done by Charles Jollivet. It was then called Radio Maurice. The station was situated in Beau Bassin and later moved to the Plaza Theatre in Rose hill. Music and news were broadcasted for only 2 hours every day. In 1937, a second station came into existence under the name Socià ©tà © des Radiophilles by Mr P.Adam. It was located at Mr. Adam residence in Forest Side and later transferred to the Town Hall in Curepipe. The station was used to transmit message to the members of the Socià ©tà © mainly. At the beginning of the 2nd World War in 1939, these two stations were controlled by the British Ministry of Defense. Information that was broadcasted was done locally only. By the end of the 2nd World War, another station was set up in Curepipe Town Hall under the aegis of Radio France Libre DOutremers. This station was merged with Socià ©tà © des Radiophilles and this gave birth to the national broadcasting station as from 1st July 1944 under the name Mauritius Broadcasting Service (MBS). The studio was situated in Plaza, Rose Hill until 1946 when the station moved to Pasteur Street, Forest Side. As from 2011, MBC was transferred to Moka. After the radio, the TV broadcasting was introduced on a pilot basis on the 8th June 1946 as the Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation (MBC). The inaugural broadcast was launched on 8th February 1965 with a transmission of about 3 hours every evening. The MBC was set up in order to build a sense of nationhood and for islanders to welcome independence (that change in 1968). The first outdoor TV live broadcast was on the royal visit of Princess Alexandra in 1968. Later, in 1973, the process of black and white television occurred. During that year, news editor were engaged to record press conference and other local events. On 7th November 1987, television was welcomed in Rodrigues and the duration of 3 hours changed to 13 hours daily. In the 1990s, the two main channels  [25]  were implemented. Liberalisation of broadcast media was done in 2002 and this gave the Mauritian audience the choice between the MBC and three other private radios. Radio One was launched on 13th March 2002, Radio Plus on 13th April 2002 and Top FM on 31st December 2002. The MBC radio now consists of 7 stations; RM1, RM2, Kool FM, Taal FM, World Hit FM, Best FM and Music FM. The MBC has evolved in digital switchover, thematic channel (Knowledge channel, Movie channel, Tourism and Culture channel) and language channel (Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Telegu and Mandarin). Mauritian audiences nowadays have a variety of information and different coverage and views of the same stories. Throughout history, the Mauritian press has gained a lot and more is expected to come with, the liberalisation of television channels in the forthcoming years. Section 3: Constitutional Foundation of Freedom of the Press Mauritius has a written constitution in which certain fundamental rights are guaranteed as specified in Chapter Two of the Constitution. Of these, Section 12 relates to freedom of expression. It would be useful to refer to the text of these causes of section 12 at once: (1) Except with his own consent, no person shall be hindered in the enjoyment of his freedom of expression, that is to say, freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference, and freedom from interference with his correspondence. (2) Nothing contained in or done under the authority of any law shall be held to be inconsistent with or in contravention of this section to the extent that the law in question makes provisionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Compared to countries like the U.S.A, there is no separate provision guaranteeing the freedom of the press in our constitution. Our supreme court has held in Duval v The Commissioner of Police  [26]  and in London Satellite Systems Ltd. V State and ors  [27]  that freedom of the press needs not to be mentioned separately as it is already in the guarantee of freedom of expression. The latter comprehends the freedom of propagation, publication and circulation  [28]  . The scope of press freedom is circumscribed by the interpretation given by S12 because there is a link between freedom of press and freedom of expression. The arguments for and the limitations upon both freedoms should be compatible. For instance in Cie de Beau Vallon Ltà ©e v Nilkomol  [29]  it was held that freedom of expression referred to, (in the Constitution), cannot override legally established norms to which it is subordinated and which must be respected: the use of words like public order, public morality and rights and freedoms of others. The same applies to press freedom in the press industry. Fundamental Rights and Freedoms that are found in our Constitution are modeled on the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and our Section 12 was borrowed  [30]  from its Article 10  [31]  . The rights of privacy and free expression are treated as fundamental rights having equal status. According to this view, the two rights must be proportionate. One will not inevitably trump the other  [32]  . Freedom of the Press rests on the same cornerstones as Freedom of Expression. It can be argued that there is simple iteration since protection of freedom of expression is already been catered for in our Constitution. This can give rise to the introduction of a separate press clause in our Constitution. Under Mauritian Law, press freedom gives journalists a right to obtain information from private sources on a voluntary basis only. The press cannot compel citizens to release information about themselves which they are unwilling to disclose. A separate press clause may provide this privilege.

The Effects of Global Warming Essay -- Environmental Global Climate Ch

The Effects of Global Warming Some of the most drastic effects of global warming contain: rising global temperatures which are expected to raise sea level and change precipitation and other local climate conditions. Changing regional climate could alter forests, crop yields, and water supplies. It also could possibly affect human health, animals, and many types of ecosystems. Deserts may expand into existing rangelands, and features of some of our National Parks may be permanently altered. Most of the United States is expected to warm, although sulfates may limit warming in some areas. Scientists currently are unable to determine which parts of the United States will become wetter or drier, but there is likely to be an overall trend toward increased precipitation and evaporation, more intense rainstorms, and drier soils. Unfortunately, many of the potentially most important impacts depend upon whether rainfall increases or decreases, which can not be reliably projected for specific areas. As mentioned above, global warming also has great effect on crops and weather conditions around the world. The northern hemisphere contains more land area than the southern hemisphere, and conversely, a lower percentage of the world's oceans. Since oceans absorb more heat than land areas, it is not surprising that most climate models predict faster heating over the northern hemisphere than the global average. In addition, models predict faster temperature increases at higher latitudes. If global warming trends continue, high temperatures everywhere in the US may reduce US agricultural productivity. Northern continental areas are projected to ... ... climate, the easier to spread diseases. In northwestern South Carolina, lower stream flows, lake levels and groundwater levels could effect the availability of water to industrial, municipal and recreational activities, thus affecting the agriculture because more and more groundwater would have to be used thus increasing the chance of saltwater getting into the ground water and so on†¦ so were pretty much screwed. South Carolina is unique in that it is dominated by an ecosystem that provides an important habitat for many endangered and threatened species, of which I will not get into because this is Chem.16 and not Bio.16, nevertheless, the rise of the sea-level under a changed climate could effect and threaten SC’s low lying coastal ecosystem and reduce and danger geography and wildlife habitats of South Carolina.

Facility & Venue Management Essay

1.0 Design Context. The Currumbin Surf Life Saving Club (SLSC) as a whole is a well-designed multi storey local club, due to its modern but ‘beachy’ looking design traits, which reflects the surrounding up market area perfectly. The club has a capacity to seat around 200-250 guests from its sports bar to dining area. The club is situated in a prime spot right on top of Currumbin rocks resulting in undisrupted views of the Gold Coast. 2.0 Design Analysis 3.1 External Design Features. The club is constructed with concrete with the exterior of the club consisting of 3 colour blocks white, light tanned brown and dark green (representing Vikings). From the car park only the side of the building can be seen with top half Light tanned brown and bottom dark green. This colour scheme that can be seen from the car park does not look welcoming, as it is dark, boring and bold. From the beach and the ocean the whole club can be seen utilising the white paint on the external area where there is open plan windows and large balcony. The Surf Club site is on Currumbin beach with the club structure expanded on top of the rocks giving the club a competitive edge over most other clubs as it the closest to the surf and has undisrupted views of the coastline. Joined to the club is a large tall rock called ‘Elephant Rock’ which has been utilised quite strategically as a look out, which is another unique asset for the club. Apart form this large natural structure the surrounding space is undisrupted as the houses and shops are across the road from the beach. The general area of the site consists of the club, the car park and the rock lookout. The design aspects of the space outside are very minimal as the building resides on the beach so it is unsuitable for any large scale landscaping or gardens. The footpaths leading to the building join up and match the Council beach footpath ensuring that it flows. Large signage is erected on the entrance of the car park so incoming traffic can easily see what the building is also on the side of the building a large mural is painted of the ‘Currumbin Vikings’ logo. The location of this surf club is as close to the ocean any club could get which makes it a massive draw card for their members and guests. Though its position is appealing being so close to the ocean puts the surf club in a situation where the club is prone to adverse weather conditions such as cyclones, large swells and dangerous winds ultimately impacting on the structural integrity of the club. The car park is outside is maintained well as it must stand all the elements including tidal surges. The space has a capacity to fit around 50 cars also public parking within 100m. The club is situated along one of the Translink bus routes and has frequent services running north and south. Alternatively the clubs free shuttle can be utilised within a 5km radius (Currumbin Beach Vikings S.L.S.C) making it very accessible. The club is situated on the 2nd level with the main entrance above a set of fairly large stairs, which makes it impossible for special needs guests to ascend. The club has installed an electronic chair lift for people with special needs but to get to the chair lift there is no wheel chair ramp, they must be lifted up a smaller flight of stairs (5) making the chair lift impractical. 2.2 Internal Design Features. The internal design of the venue is quite spacious with the service areas situated on one side and bar tables and dining tables situated on the other side leading out to the open balcony giving all guests a view of the ocean. The interior is white in colour giving it a modern look; whilst they haven’t taken away the surf club feel utilising floor tiles with a sandy coloured wash giving the club a nice ‘beachy’ texture. The social facilities offered at the surf club consist of administration area, designated food ordering area and cafà ©, bar/drink service area, dining area, live sports entertainment area, gaming room (pokies) and toilets. The food ordering area is situated at the far end of the service area with the food menu situated in the middle of the club on a pole away from the ordering area so guests must look first then go up to order which causes congestion. The bar is quite large with 2 service areas with huge selection of beers and spirits also showcasing a wine selection area. The bar has a nice marble counter, which is complimented with a sleek scattered tile design. The sporting entertainment area is large with large flat screen and smaller screens with keno available. The gaming room is separate to the club and is accessed by a door to ensure under 18’s cannot enter. The manner in which the service counters have been positioned on one side of the venue has given the club more control over the club regarding guests and congestion within the club by creating a free flowing walkway between the service areas and tables allowing guests to easily walk in and out with out causing major congestion. Signage stating the exits within the club also ensures that guests are aware of their surroundings. The area in which guest can dine consists of inside with open plan windows looking towards Burleigh/Surfers Paradise and out on the balcony looking out to the ocean. As the club is on the beach night temperatures can be cool so adequate heating is available with gas stoves out on the balcony and heating inside. The balcony has large stationary umbrellas hanging down so guests are out of the direct sunlight but still utilising the natural light. As the club has the up stair function room it allows the club to be much more flexible and provide services to cater for new trends. This room also allows the club to create and have contingency plans in place to ensure that if something were to happen there would be room to cater for guests and ensure no major impacts on the club are caused. The clubs location, services and facilities give the venue a good edge in trying to obtain guests and income. The Currumbin area has a lot of cafà © styled restaurants so there is competition in the area making it important for the club to host events. The club hosts live local and national music acts every weekend (Currumbin Beach Vikings S.L.S.C), promotional days and the Vikings has nippers on during the summer so through out the year the club has various events to cater for all guests ensuring that the club is capturing as much income generations as possible. On inspection the club had no signs of vandalism, which showcases the clubs identity within the Currumbin community as being their local Surf Club. 3.0 Develop and Evaluate Solutions. 3.1 Problem: Colour Scheme of Building facing car park. The solutions established to enhance the front facing wall consist of firstly repainting the wall to coincide with the rest of the club or secondly creating a mural reflecting the beach and Vikings to put on the wall. The strengths of these solutions would help to improve the appeal of the club to members and the general public also giving the building a new and different vibe. The main weakness in regard to changes of the building would be member’s inertia to change as they associate the colours with the building. This problem is ranked number 1, as it would be easy and feasible for the club to adopt. 3.2 Problem: Building Site Prone to Adverse Weather Conditions. As this problem is of a natural nature it makes it difficult to create effective solutions but ensuring the right precautions are taken when preparing for the storms would be imports and monitoring these events would be a vital element in minimising damage also. These solutions will help to ensure that as little damage is done to the venue as possible also gives decision makers of the venue the ability to take quick action and increase protection if events are predicted to worsen. This problem is ranked number 4 in terms of relevance and feasibility, as it is hard to determine how severe the events may be. 3.3. Problem: Electronic Chairlift Situated above a Flight of Stairs. In order to fix this issue would be essential to construct a platform to join the electronic chairlift to the ground level or build a wheel chair ramp. The importance of this solution it would ensure that all guests are able to enjoy the services available at the club also it would help to improve relationships with these guests. The weaknesses to this solution consist of the construction would affect the entrance to the club and also the cost would be large. This problem is ranked number 3 due to the cost associated with the change. 3.4 Problem: Food Menu is not Clearly Visible.  The easiest and most effective way to fix this problem is to replace the current menu area or add to it by installing a menu board above the ordering area also complementing it by placing a menu board at the entrance of the venue. This will allow guests to easily see what is on the menu whilst waiting in line easing congestion and also gives general passers by an ide of what the club has to offer. The weaknesses could be the managers do not wish to have the men’s displayed in this manner also there would be a cost with fitting the structure. This problem is ranked number 2 as it is an easy fix and the costs would be minimal.

Why Did Nationalism Prove Such an Unstoppable Force Under Gorbachev Essay Example

Why Did Nationalism Prove Such an Unstoppable Force Under Gorbachev Essay Example Why Did Nationalism Prove Such an Unstoppable Force Under Gorbachev Essay Why Did Nationalism Prove Such an Unstoppable Force Under Gorbachev Essay Under Gorbachev nationalism proved an unstoppable force that precipitated the collapse of the Soviet Union. Nationalism had always existed across the Union but it was allowed to surface and become a problem under Gorbachev predominantly because of his tactical mistakes and because of his reform programme. Nationalism became an unstoppable force because of the deprivation in many Soviet republics. The economic reforms of perestroika were designed to rejuvenate the weak Soviet economy and put it on par with western economies. However, McCauley wrote that economically, perestroika was an abject failure resulting in economic decline, shortages, large budget deficits and rising inflation (1998, 265). By 1990 the economy was in such a poor state that many people in the republics argued that greater autonomy or independence was necessary to protect their economies from collapsing (Walker, 1993, 182). Economic reforms continually failed to give the republics either ownership or managerial control over natural resources or fixed assets on their territory. Yeltsin, who was a popular nationalist campaigner, often complained that even Russia owned just fifteen percent of its resources in 1990 because they were largely controlled by the Soviet Union (Walker, 1993, 178). As perestroika developed, there was a growing belief that the only way to reform the economy was to move away from the centrally planned economy and rely more on market mechanisms. These reforms seriously damaged the Soviet Union because it was taken for granted that state property was the bedrock of a socialist system (McCauley, 1992, 91). The CPSU was legitimised by the fact it was leading the Soviet Union forward to socialism but the economic reforms were clearly not socialist. The existence of the Soviet Union relied on the legitimacy of the CPSU, which was now rendered illegitimate by economic reforms. McCauley wrote, the CPSU was the institution which provided the glue which kept the whole system together. No alternative institution was set up to replace it. One of Gorbachevs failures was that whereas he destroyed the old system, he did not put a new one in its place (1998, 269). Without legitimacy it was almost impossible for the CPSU to hold the Soviet Union together, when there were strong nationalist movements in the republics, who derived legitimacy from popular support. Gorbachev attempted to give the CPSU a new basis of legitimacy in the form of electoral accountability. However the elections were a success for nationalist movements and only consolidated their position and authority shifted further from the centre to the republics. The newly elected republican legislatures claimed greater legitimacy because they were more representative and so refused to be subordinate to federal power (Walker, 1993, 179). The elections boosted the confidence of the nationalist movement and many became increasingly radical. For example, a war of laws began. Republican legislatures changed many federal policies and laws and refused to implement federal orders unless they would benefit the republic (Walker, 1993, 181). Glasnost was a key part of Gorbachevs reforms. In Russian, glasnost literally means openness and Gorbachev believed that a relaxation of censorship and oppression was needed so vital new ideas could come forward to benefit the Soviet Union. However, glasnost contributed greatly to the collapse of the Soviet Union because it unleashed nationalist forces. Firstly, this is because, people were finally shown the ills of the Soviet Union. Walker wrote the mediawhich had always painted a rosy picture of society, began to fill up with horror stories (1993, 137). Terrible stories about the actions of Lenin and Stalin were released and investigative journalists such as young televisions producer Nerzorov, revealed the dire situation the Soviet Union was currently in (McCauley, 1992, 101). Secondly, glasnost removed cultural oppression and allowed nationalist feelings that had always existed to emerge. Across the Soviet Union there was enormous cultural diversity and only a weak common identity. People were finally allowed to say that they wanted their state to be based on a cultural community and that people of the same community should rule it, which fundamentally undermined the idea of the Soviet Union ruled by the CPSU from Moscow (Sakwa, 1998, 279). People were able to organise themselves into nationalist movements and put strong collective pressure on the Soviet Union (Daniels, 1993, 125). Thirdly, the Congress of 1989 dealt a huge blow to the Soviet Union because it gave nationalist tensions an incredibly public platform. This would not have been possible before glasnost. McCauley wrote the old practice of an official line, carefully agreed speeches, and unanimous approval were gone forever (1992, 101). The arguments highlighted how fragmentation of the Soviet Union and the problems with it. The Congress was extremely significant because the Soviet public paid so much attention. Kiernan wrote the nation sat virtually hypnotised in front of its televisions as an unprecedented political spectacle was played out daily (1993, 218). Nationalism and resentment of the Soviet Union was compounded by a series of outbreaks of violence, which ended in Soviet troops killing people in the republics. Gorbachev was indirectly responsible for the killing in Baku, Tbilisi, and Vilinius. He advocated the violence but was shocked at the loss of life (McCauley, 1998, 274). These incidents could not just be swept under the carpet with glasnost. It was clear that Gorbachev had lost control in an unprecedented way for a General Secretary of the CPSU. This strengthened nationalist feeling because people started to seek a new coherent leadership and people were no longer as afraid of defying Gorbachev. This is exemplified by the Gorbachevs swing to the right in the summer of 1990 to consolidate his position (Walker, 1993, 183). Gorbachev made numerous enemies because of his reforms, or by replacing people in power, such as members of the Politburo and the Secretariat. He was continuously attacked and criticised to the point that a coup was staged in 1991 (McCauley, 1998, 92). Many of the people Gorbachev alienated also expressed their dislike by supporting nationalist movements (for example, Yeltsin). They knew that if they destabilised the Soviet Union they would weaken Gorbachevs position. There were external factors that gave rise to nationalism in the Gorbachev era. Firstly, many western states, including most importantly the USA, helped nationalist movements gain greater influence by giving them resources. For example, nationalist movements in the Baltic covertly received printing presses from the USA to enable them to mass produce their nationalist newspapers and pamphlets. Secondly, the new freedoms allowed under glasnost allowed the Soviet public to see that life was far better in the mixed economies of the West. Nationalism became more popular as people in the Soviet republics lost faith in the Union and felt that they could have a better standard of living if they were self-determined (Sakwa, 1998, 288). Finally, it is even alleged that Reagan started a new arms race with a renewed military build-up in the 1980s because he knew that the Soviet economy was weak and could collapse under the strain. This would have added to the deprivation in the republics and sti mulated nationalism (Heywood, 1997, 148). One of Gorbachevs biggest failures as Soviet leader was to almost ignore the national question. He embarked on a massive programme of economic and political reform but failed to address the significant impact this would have on the federal structure of the Soviet Union. Gorbachev failed to appease nationalist with concession and so radicalised them. Initially most nationalists called for greater freedoms, however, when Gorbachev failed to listen to their calls they moved towards wanting secession (Walker, 1993, 174-5). Nationalist movement across the republics of the Soviet Union were very different. They varied greatly in the tactics they employed and the pace at which they moved. This is demonstrated by the numerous differences between nationalists in the Baltic and Central Asia. Nationalist movements in the Baltic tended to be more radical than in Central Asia. It was Baltic nationalists that first challenged the authority of the Soviet Union with declarations of sovereignty. They were the first to discuss secession and the first to secede (Daniels, 1993, 126). Baltic nationalists were also far more protective of their ethnic identity and against, what they saw as, Russian imperialism. Daniels wrote in the extreme case, to protect their ethnic identity, the Baltic republics have tried to deny equal rights of citizenship to Russians and others who may actually have been born there and lived there all their lives (1993, 135). The radicalism in the Baltic republics is understandable in the light of the fact they were only incorporated into the Soviet Union in 1940 as a result of the Nazi-Soviet Pact (Walker, 1993, 117). In the 1980s, people in the Baltic could still remember the Soviets colluding with the Nazis and treating their nation like a commodity. This is very different to Central Asia, where many of the Soviet states had been part of a Russian-centred empire for at least one-hundred years (Daniels, 1993, 135). Central Asian republics also benefited economically from being in the Soviet Union. They tended to have weak economies and received a net inwards flow of resources as a result of being part of the Union (Walker, 1993, 180). The opposite is the case in the Baltic republics because they were some of the richest and most developed in the Soviet Union. Their bitterness at being part of the Soviet Union was compounded by the net outflow of resources (Muiznieks, 1995, 21). Nationalist movements in Central Asia did not have the ambition or the scope of those in the Baltic republics. They tended to be more concerned with local projects that directly influenced them, whereas the Baltic republics became the battleground over the fate of the Soviet Union. Muiznieks wrote nationalist movements in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania not only destroyed the structures of Soviet power in their own republics, but exported their revolutions to other areas of the Union as well (1995, 3). This is because nationalist movements in the Baltic believed that their interests would be best served by helping unleash nationalism across the Soviet Union. They also were driven by ideology to a greater extent than nationalist movements in Central Asia. The movements in the Baltic were committed to the belief that peoples should have the right to self-determination. They attempted to find allies in other Soviet republics and if they could not find some they would proactively try to cr eate some. They did this by stirring up nationalist agitation with the numerous publications and radio stations they established. Once nationalist feeling had grown, prominent activists were often sent out to help nationalist movements grow by offering practical assistance (Muiznieks, 1995, 7-8). Even if nationalist movements across the Soviet Union did not directly collude with those in the Baltic republics, there are numerous instances (for example Belorussia, Moldavia and the Ukraine) of movements importing the methods and goals of Baltic movements (Muiznieks, 1995, 11). The Baltic movements were also very influential because the Baltic was the most westernised part of the Soviet Union and managed to maintain some links with the West, and therefore contact with or emulation of the Balts might have been perceived as enhancing ones own western orientation (Muiznieks, 1995, 20). Nationalist movements in Central Asia were not as influential as those in the Baltic because they concentrated more on local disputes. They did not provide a model that was compatible with many of the republics of the Soviet Union because they were predominantly Islamic. Some animosity existed with the Christian majority across the Soviet Union. The model provided by movements in Central Asia was also much less appealing because of the violence and involvement of the Soviet military. In comparison the Baltic model was much less dangerous (Muiznieks, 1995, 20-1). In conclusion, Gorbachevs reforms, primarily perestroika and glasnost, proved to be an absolute disaster for the Soviet Union because they compounded nationalist feeling and allowed it to be expressed openly. Gorbachev crucially failed to address the national question although he had unleashed. By the time he had realised there was a serious problem, he no longer had the power to rectify the situation. Therefore, it is fair to blame Gorbachev for letting nationalism become an unstoppable force.

The eNotes Blog 4 Texts That Prove Comedy is Important inLiterature

4 Texts That Prove Comedy is Important inLiterature The ancient Greeks were the first to distinguish between â€Å"tragedies† and â€Å"comedies†- a distinction we keep to this day. They also deemed tragedy the â€Å"higher† form of storytelling, because it can impart moral messages and deliver much-needed catharsis, the release of repressed emotions. This idea that dramatic storytelling is a â€Å"superior† art form has prevailed throughout history and is still predominant among critics today. Just look at the gravitas afforded to â€Å"serious† actors versus their â€Å"comic† counterparts. When was the last time a comedy won Best Picture? Despite this, a lot of evidence suggests that the quickest way to our heads and hearts is through our funny-bone. Comedy uses humor to connect readers or audiences with their humanity. Far from cheapening great stories, comedy is in some ways more honest than stories that rely on drama and drama alone. By allowing ourselves a sly chuckle or a deep belly-laugh, we are confronted with the wonderful, hilarious absurdity of what it means to be human. Want to see what I mean? Let’s look at some of the best literary comedies ever printed. 1. Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog) Author: Jerome K. Jerome Read time: 2 hours 6 minutes Genre: Novel Similar to: My Man Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse â€Å"What the eye does not see, the stomach does not get upset over.† This 1889 novel is a humorous retelling of a two-week boating holiday on the Thames. Its characters include Jerome (based on Jerome K. Jerome himself) his two friends, George Wingrave and Carl Hentschel, and Jerome’s dog, a fox terrier named Montmorency. While the novel was first intended as a serious travel guide, the hilarious anecdotes and witty banter shared between the three men steal the show. Despite being published over 120 years ago, Three Men in a Boat is far from dated and continues to be a   source of relevant and delightful humor for modern readers. 2. The Canterville Ghost Author: Oscar Wilde Read time: 42 minutes Genre: Novella Similar to: Other comedies by Oscar Wilde- try The Importance of Being Earnest â€Å"We have really everything in common with America nowadays, except, of course, language.† In this novella, Wilde mixes the Gothic supernatural with his signature razor-sharp wit to create a narrative as funny as it is absurd. The story follows a quintessentially â€Å"modern American† family as they discover their new house is haunted by the ghost of Sir Simon de Canterville. The Otis family is surprisingly unfazed by their houseguest: the adults take a pragmatic approach to rid themselves of the ghost, while the children amuse themselves by playing practical jokes. Sir Simon is thus transformed from the frightening apparition of traditional Gothics into a laughable, absurd figure, made pathetic by his continued, fruitless attempts to frighten the Otis family. The novella provides commentary on the interplay between â€Å"Old World† England and â€Å"New World† America and a hilarious subversion of typical supernatural tropes. 3. Twelfth Night; or What You Will Author: William Shakespeare Read time: 5 hours 37 minutes Genre: Play Similar to: Try Shakespeare’s other comedies Much Ado About Nothing, Taming of the Shrew, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. â€Å"Better a witty fool, than a foolish wit.† While A Midsummer Night’s Dream may be Shakespeare’s most well-known comedy, I’d wager that Twelfth Night is the funniest. It follows the story of Viola and Sebastian, identical twins of different sexes,who were separated by a shipwreck. Predictably hilarious hijinks ensue, including a disguise, a love triangle, and many mix-ups. If you are searching for a break from Shakespeare’s bleak, corpse-ridden tragedies, then Twelfth Night’s narrative, complete with raunchy absurdity and trademark punning, may indeed be the play for you. 4. The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County Author: Mark Twain Read time: 44 minutes Genre: Short Story Similar to: Other Mark Twain works, like The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. †To me, the spectacle of a man drifting serenely along through such a queer yarn without ever smiling, was exquisitely absurd.† Have you ever been stuck in a long, boring conversation? Ever been on the receiving-end of a rambling story, waiting desperately for the conclusion? This is the premise of â€Å"The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County,† the short story that launched Mark Twain’s prolific writing career. In the story, the narrator becomes the reluctant audience for a rambling, long-winded tale involving two men, a bet, and a couple of jumping frogs. If you are seeking a quick read and a light-hearted chuckle, then this is the story for you.