Mexican president says poverty now first priority
In this article Mark Stevenson talks about poverty in Mexico that this will be the first priority of the Mexican president, Felipe Calderon. In the second half of his term he will be reducing poverty, after the war against drug cartels took center stage in the first three years of his administration. With the offensive bogged down amid drug-related violence in some Mexican cities, poverty increased. Next to poverty Calderon will also continue with his greatest commitment to public, job creation.
Figures published in July by the government showed that extreme poverty in Mexico — defined as people who cannot buy enough food — rose from 13.8 million in 2006 to 19.5 million in 2008, in a country of almost 107 million inhabitants. To change poverty Calderon needs to have a lot of patient. There is not only one strategy that will solve poverty, there are many factors that need to be taken in consideration so the setting of the goal to solve poverty is the start of a long and probably also expensive journey.
Montag, 30. November 2009
Mittwoch, 25. November 2009
The Times: Poverty
Copenhagen will fail – and quite right too
Even if the science was reliable (which it isn’t), we should not force the world’s poorest countries to cut carbon emissions
The article, written by Nigel Lawson is about the fact that we should not force developing countries to cut back their carbon emission. The discussion over this topic took place in Copenhagen at the United Nations climate change conference.
The conference included the reason why we use carbon-based energy. It is simply that it is far and away the cheapest source of energy, and is likely to remain so for the foreseeable future.
Switching to much more expensive energy may be acceptable for us in the developed world. But in the developing world, there are still tens of millions of people suffering from acute poverty, and from the consequences of such poverty, in the shape of preventable disease, malnutrition and premature death. It is important in times where we start to cut back carbon emissions that all factors are being taken care of. Though the attempt for the poor countries to also cut back their carbon emission is contradicting because the developing countries do not have to knowledge how to do so and the people need to be educated how to cut back their personal carbon emissions. Those countries have the highest carbon emission at the moment in compare to the developed countries so this is the point. It is important for carbon emissions to reduce though for countries like India this is not possible at the moment so a decision has to be made and a plan how to raise awareness in there poor countries.
Sonntag, 15. November 2009
1st half of chapter 1: The White Man's Burden
- 2 tragedies of the world's poor
○ Three dollars for a net--> prevents malaria--> death of thousands of children each year
○ West spent 2.3$ trillion on foreign aid over the last five decades, though still not managed to get malaria medicine to prevent half of the deaths of children
- The book is about "second tragedy"
- "the right plan is to have no plan"
Planner's Failure, Searcher's success
- advocates of traditional approach: planners
- Agents for change in alternative approach: searchers
- Planner think he already knows the answer, thinks of poverty as a technical engineering problem that his answer will solve
- Searcher admits he doesn’t know the answer from the beginning , he believes that poverty is a complicated tangle of political, social, historical, institutional and technological factors. A searcher hopes to find the answer to individual problems only by trial and error experimentation.
- Lack of local information
Big Problems and big plans
- Our dream Is a world free of poverty- president james wolfensohn of the world bank
- Different ideas of how to get rid of poverty in past which did not work--> learn from mistake
The backward question that cripples foreign aid
- What can foreign aid do for poor people?
Getting bed nets to the poor
- Bed nets to sure poverty? Is that of any help?
- If that is of good use..then why didn’t the planners do it yet? Problem: How to get it to the poor…
- If they get the nets, use it for different stuff: fishing etc
Philosophy of social Change:
- The plan to end world poverty shows all the pretensions of utopian social engineering
Feedback and accountability
- Two key elements that make searchers work and whose absence is fatal to plans are feedback and accountability
- At a higher level accountability is necessary to motivate is necessary to motivate a whole organizations of government to use searchers. In contrast, planners flourish where there is little accountability.
○ Three dollars for a net--> prevents malaria--> death of thousands of children each year
○ West spent 2.3$ trillion on foreign aid over the last five decades, though still not managed to get malaria medicine to prevent half of the deaths of children
- The book is about "second tragedy"
- "the right plan is to have no plan"
Planner's Failure, Searcher's success
- advocates of traditional approach: planners
- Agents for change in alternative approach: searchers
- Planner think he already knows the answer, thinks of poverty as a technical engineering problem that his answer will solve
- Searcher admits he doesn’t know the answer from the beginning , he believes that poverty is a complicated tangle of political, social, historical, institutional and technological factors. A searcher hopes to find the answer to individual problems only by trial and error experimentation.
- Lack of local information
Big Problems and big plans
- Our dream Is a world free of poverty- president james wolfensohn of the world bank
- Different ideas of how to get rid of poverty in past which did not work--> learn from mistake
The backward question that cripples foreign aid
- What can foreign aid do for poor people?
Getting bed nets to the poor
- Bed nets to sure poverty? Is that of any help?
- If that is of good use..then why didn’t the planners do it yet? Problem: How to get it to the poor…
- If they get the nets, use it for different stuff: fishing etc
Philosophy of social Change:
- The plan to end world poverty shows all the pretensions of utopian social engineering
Feedback and accountability
- Two key elements that make searchers work and whose absence is fatal to plans are feedback and accountability
- At a higher level accountability is necessary to motivate is necessary to motivate a whole organizations of government to use searchers. In contrast, planners flourish where there is little accountability.
Dienstag, 10. November 2009
Diary entry: Astrov
Dear Diary,
Today was definitely not may day. You would believe what happened. I finally confessed to Ylena about my feeling to her. She is a splendid women and I want to spend the rest of my life with her. I want to move into a little cozy house in the woods, where there is only me and her, nothing else. We will finally be able to life a normal live without her husband, the professor, who I detest. I can relax and will not be as overworked as I am now. Away from all the worries of the world. I do not need more than nature and Ylena to be happy. Sadly I did not get a response from Ylena. She did not react to my confess. People came in the room so we were not able to end the conversation but also afterwards the tried to avoid me so I have a bad feeling about the whole thing.
Additionally to this I found out today that Sofia is in love with me. It is a messed up situation, the girl who is on love with me is the daughter of the man whose wife I am in love with.
Help, me I do not know what to do in this situation. How do I let Sofia know I am not interested in her but in her stepmom without her getting upset?
I am desperate and cannot think of anything else anymore.
The only thing I have at the moment is alcohol. Help me out of here….
I need a drink...
Today was definitely not may day. You would believe what happened. I finally confessed to Ylena about my feeling to her. She is a splendid women and I want to spend the rest of my life with her. I want to move into a little cozy house in the woods, where there is only me and her, nothing else. We will finally be able to life a normal live without her husband, the professor, who I detest. I can relax and will not be as overworked as I am now. Away from all the worries of the world. I do not need more than nature and Ylena to be happy. Sadly I did not get a response from Ylena. She did not react to my confess. People came in the room so we were not able to end the conversation but also afterwards the tried to avoid me so I have a bad feeling about the whole thing.
Additionally to this I found out today that Sofia is in love with me. It is a messed up situation, the girl who is on love with me is the daughter of the man whose wife I am in love with.
Help, me I do not know what to do in this situation. How do I let Sofia know I am not interested in her but in her stepmom without her getting upset?
I am desperate and cannot think of anything else anymore.
The only thing I have at the moment is alcohol. Help me out of here….
I need a drink...
Montag, 26. Oktober 2009
The Times: Poverty
Drugs costing Scottish society £3.5bn a year
Scotland’s drug addicts spend almost £1.4bn a year feeding their habit while NHS spends almost £2bn a year treating them
Sha Marai is pointing out the important issue in her article about the drug problem in Scotland. Scotland is the drug addiction capital of Europe with addicts collectively spending around 1.4 billion pound in a year feeding their habit. The society of Scotland is spending 3.5 billion pound per year for treatment and among others tackling the nation's drug problem. Not only the amount of money needed for treatment of this problem has increased, also the number of addicts has made an enormous rise. Additionally the government has to handle the consequences of this problem, such as criminal justice costs for instance. This issue shows the scale of the problem both in human terms and in financial terms. Finally I may quote the statement of David Liddell, the director of Scottish Drugs Forum: “These figures underline all too clearly why we must continue to invest in treatment, focus that investment on the most effective range of treatment, care and rehabilitation services — including in areas like housing, family support and employability, and continue to address the underlying issues of poverty, deprivation and other social and health inequalities.” If there will be no immediate intervention of the government and no right treatment, then Scotland's problems will soon dominate its daily life.
Mittwoch, 7. Oktober 2009
The Time- Poverty
Third World population controls won't save climate, study claims
David Bebber responds in his article to the proposition of the environmentalist Sir David Attenborough to restrain population in all nations. According to a study, the contribution of the poor countries to climate change is little and at the same time a dangerous distraction from the main problem of over-consumption in rich nations. The idea is a strict birth control to reduce greenhouse gas emission. It has been proved, that poor countries have low emissions so it is not beneficial to keep spending billions of pounds to the third world countries for contraception. The problem are not the poor countries, they do not need a birth control in compare to the western countries who overproduce nearly all goods and may have to high levels of consumption. A prove for this is China: the one-child rule had resulted a sharp decline in population growth but its CO2 emissions had risen rapidly. The reason for this is the amount of Chinese enjoying Western levels of consumption. An additional study shows that 7% of the worlds population are the rich people, counting half a billion. Those half a billion of people, might only be 7% of the worlds economy, though they produce 50% of the worlds emissions.
This clearly shows that the western countries should not blame things on uneducated countries, they should take care and realize what they problems are and what an grave impact they can have.
David Bebber responds in his article to the proposition of the environmentalist Sir David Attenborough to restrain population in all nations. According to a study, the contribution of the poor countries to climate change is little and at the same time a dangerous distraction from the main problem of over-consumption in rich nations. The idea is a strict birth control to reduce greenhouse gas emission. It has been proved, that poor countries have low emissions so it is not beneficial to keep spending billions of pounds to the third world countries for contraception. The problem are not the poor countries, they do not need a birth control in compare to the western countries who overproduce nearly all goods and may have to high levels of consumption. A prove for this is China: the one-child rule had resulted a sharp decline in population growth but its CO2 emissions had risen rapidly. The reason for this is the amount of Chinese enjoying Western levels of consumption. An additional study shows that 7% of the worlds population are the rich people, counting half a billion. Those half a billion of people, might only be 7% of the worlds economy, though they produce 50% of the worlds emissions.
This clearly shows that the western countries should not blame things on uneducated countries, they should take care and realize what they problems are and what an grave impact they can have.
Montag, 5. Oktober 2009
Modest Proposal Idea- poverty in Africa
Nowadays civilizations of different countries have to face many different problems. Our daily life is controlled by things we have to do or cannot do so we avoid more problems. We can deal with some of the problems in our country, some we simply have to accept so live with them. The question now is what if another country cannot deal with its problem and it strongly harms the people who are living there, what should one do to help them? An example for this situation is poverty in most of the parts of Africa. The governments are incapable of acting against this issue because of lack of money and no education. A growing country such as Switzerland, where the people live above the poverty line and the government acts in the interest of the citizens, should such a country help the people in Africa? Does it make sense that wealthy countries help the poor countries and people are still dying every minute because of starvation? Should all this money go to these countries and in the end one can see no grave difference in poverty?
My concern is it that it is not of good use to keep spending money to the poor countries where there can be no change seen but if one would invest this money in its own country where things could become better. This issue need to be solved because money is needed everywhere at the moment so it should be invested in something that will actually change afterwards. It is a waste of money to give it to the poor countries where they need by far more than only money to solve the poverty. At this point I propose that all countries in the world should end the spending and leave Africa on its own. Many countries do not need any money from the outside so Africa’s government should start to try this as well. This will most probably not be the case so without any money the people below poverty line will starve to death as they get no help. This can only benefit us because we will keep the money and they will have the chance for a new start sooner or later when all the poor people are dead and no longer a burden to the government. At this point outside countries will probably be willing to invest in Africa again because they will see that their money is of use and actually makes a difference in people’s lives.
My concern is it that it is not of good use to keep spending money to the poor countries where there can be no change seen but if one would invest this money in its own country where things could become better. This issue need to be solved because money is needed everywhere at the moment so it should be invested in something that will actually change afterwards. It is a waste of money to give it to the poor countries where they need by far more than only money to solve the poverty. At this point I propose that all countries in the world should end the spending and leave Africa on its own. Many countries do not need any money from the outside so Africa’s government should start to try this as well. This will most probably not be the case so without any money the people below poverty line will starve to death as they get no help. This can only benefit us because we will keep the money and they will have the chance for a new start sooner or later when all the poor people are dead and no longer a burden to the government. At this point outside countries will probably be willing to invest in Africa again because they will see that their money is of use and actually makes a difference in people’s lives.
Montag, 28. September 2009
The Times: Anti-poverty group that helped Obama ‘advises prostitutes’
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article6839237.ece
Donnerstag, 10. September 2009
The Times: Poverty
Swaziland’s king sends wives on shopping spree while subjects go hungry
Jonathan Clayton reports in his article about the extravagant King Mswati III of Swaziland. He is the last absolute monarch in Africa and controls a country with 1.2 million people. More than two thirds of Swaziland habitants live in abject poverty on less than 50 pence a day. While his country is starving and dying of HIV, he sends 5 of his 13 wives to a "secret" shopping tour through Europe to squander £4 million of the state squander which is originally the money of British tax payers. Britain is Swaziland's biggest aid donor. Now in this case you ask yourself why such a person is allowed to be a ruler of such a needy country and how especially Britain can still accept such acts. In this case the only thing the british government did was to make clear their concern over "governance issues" in Swaziland and no longer give bilateral support.
In my opinion, outsider countries most probably have to interfere in such a situation to stop the unacceptable behavior of the king and build up an educated system of intellectuals, who can rule such a country and help it out of its poverty and don’t use the valuable and important money for personal use.
This is a good example of how nowadays, we do not know where our money goes to anymore. The Britains are not enlightened about what happened to their tax payments, that their money actually ended up in the european economy again in form of luxury goods and does not help poor needy people.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/africa/article6804538.ece
Essay: Rebellion against society
Thesis:
Ken Kesey , the author of "One flew over the Cuckoos Nest", helps to underline his big idea of rebellion against society with techniques, such as narration and the numerous use of dialogues.
Collected Ideas:
Society:
- Was against the "unusual" people--> no acceptance of "crazy" people or people who were mentally different
- Everyone had to fit in the norm
- Counterculture in 1960s
- Women's rights
- Sexual mores
- Authority
Narration:
- The chief is the narrator
- we know what he thinks
- what his desires are
- How the patients are being treated
- What the patiens thoughts and feelings are
Actions of rebellion:
- Alcohol and hookers
- Fishing trip
- Gambling
- Basketball
- Ciggarettes etc
Sonntag, 6. September 2009
The Times: Poverty
Casablanca:
What can Morocco's ghettos teach the rest of the world?
In this article Marisa Mazria-Katz talks about the people in morocco's poorest ghettos, how they can teach us something about life and the value of life.
The slums are located in the outskirt of Casablanca, morocco's biggest city. Thousands of people live there in barracks which have splinted walls, the floors that are damp, the roof is a simple tarpaulin. The unemployment rate in the slumps stands at 32%. Community organizer Boubker Mazoz is most probably the one person that understands the people in the slums the best. He knows that with a little help those people can produce miracles. The idea? With the help of private funding and town's mayor, Mazoz build the Sidi Moumen Cultural Center. The center provides a library, computers etc.. All of this to help luring impoverished kids who can now have a chance to get away from drugs and extremism. They have a chance to be educated and spent time with artistic projects.
This fantastic project is a proof for what a small amount of money and some attention can do to these people. It gives them hope and joy, a chance to do something with their future. This project filled the emptiness of the peoples future.
Donnerstag, 28. Mai 2009
Crown Prosecution Service reports UK’s airports being used for prostitute “slave auctions”
Crown Prosecution Service reports UK’s airports being used for prostitute “slave auctions”__________________________________
United Kingdom_____________________________
UK does not show its best face due to increased trafficking with drug addicts, homeless people as well as slaves that offer sexual services
By Luisa von Wangenheim
The CPS informs traffickers were trading sex slaves rapidly after they arrived in the UK from countries, including states in Eastern Europe.
Meanwhile the “Sunday Telegraph” in addition reported hundreds of children with a minimum age of six years are brought to the UK annually as slaves. 'Slave auctions' are being held publicly at UK’s airports where brothel keepers request for women meant for prostitution.
Ministers earlier this year set out proposals to advance action against ‘sex trafficking’ organizations however this did not quite made a remarkable change. Children, coming from different Nations, are used for stealing, domestic service and to work in factories of different kinds.
United Kingdom_____________________________
UK does not show its best face due to increased trafficking with drug addicts, homeless people as well as slaves that offer sexual services
By Luisa von Wangenheim
The CPS informs traffickers were trading sex slaves rapidly after they arrived in the UK from countries, including states in Eastern Europe.
Meanwhile the “Sunday Telegraph” in addition reported hundreds of children with a minimum age of six years are brought to the UK annually as slaves. 'Slave auctions' are being held publicly at UK’s airports where brothel keepers request for women meant for prostitution.
Ministers earlier this year set out proposals to advance action against ‘sex trafficking’ organizations however this did not quite made a remarkable change. Children, coming from different Nations, are used for stealing, domestic service and to work in factories of different kinds.
Montag, 25. Mai 2009
Two different forms of one article
Time-taking organization for traditional Oktoberfest
It is the time in the year when traditional Bavarians arrange their trip to the Oktoberfest which takes place in the end of September and the beginning of October. The Oktoberfest is a long-established "celebration" where people come together, drink excellent German beer and take pleasure in the variety of entertaining rides. Despite the fact that it is only May, the organization for this year’s Oktoberfest is already at full speeds. People reserve tables in the, so called “Bierzelte”, so they can enjoy their visit without any complications or have to line up in the enormous queues just to get into the “tent”.
This concludes itself in the obvious statement, that a trip to the famous beer festival in the capital of Bavaria pays off and is a great experience for friends as well as family.
Bavarian beer attracts thousands of drinkers
“After the Oktoberfest, is before the Oktoberfest” is the motto for the thousand drinkers that can’t wait to get wasted again at this year’s world known beer festival end of September beginning of October. They reserve tables already to get in the huge “Bierzelte” so they don’t have to stand in line waiting for their long looked-for 1 Mass beer which means a full liter of the best beer in the world. It is so yummy, that many visitors took one or more zips to much which will most probably end in a bad way. The numerous legless drunks all lie on the “Teresienwiese” which is huge grassland and sleep until their alcohol rush is gone so they can continue with the drinking.
Those facts show that a trip the beer festival and getting drunk there pays off and should be planned early enough.
It is the time in the year when traditional Bavarians arrange their trip to the Oktoberfest which takes place in the end of September and the beginning of October. The Oktoberfest is a long-established "celebration" where people come together, drink excellent German beer and take pleasure in the variety of entertaining rides. Despite the fact that it is only May, the organization for this year’s Oktoberfest is already at full speeds. People reserve tables in the, so called “Bierzelte”, so they can enjoy their visit without any complications or have to line up in the enormous queues just to get into the “tent”.
This concludes itself in the obvious statement, that a trip to the famous beer festival in the capital of Bavaria pays off and is a great experience for friends as well as family.
Bavarian beer attracts thousands of drinkers
“After the Oktoberfest, is before the Oktoberfest” is the motto for the thousand drinkers that can’t wait to get wasted again at this year’s world known beer festival end of September beginning of October. They reserve tables already to get in the huge “Bierzelte” so they don’t have to stand in line waiting for their long looked-for 1 Mass beer which means a full liter of the best beer in the world. It is so yummy, that many visitors took one or more zips to much which will most probably end in a bad way. The numerous legless drunks all lie on the “Teresienwiese” which is huge grassland and sleep until their alcohol rush is gone so they can continue with the drinking.
Those facts show that a trip the beer festival and getting drunk there pays off and should be planned early enough.
Mittwoch, 25. März 2009
Letter from Marvin to his Mom
Dear Mom,
how are you doing and how is your leg after the operation at the robot hospital?
I am on a spaceship at the moment we stole from the governor of the Universe, who then declared war because of the missing spaceship. Physically all my technological individual parts are working but mentally i sadly have to tell you that I have serious matter depressions. No one needs me on the ship because they think they found the question to the universe already which is not true, because I know the answer but they won’t ask me for help or advice. My depressions are getting worse because no one gives me love and affection. There are no other robots here so I feel left alone and cant share my technological feelings with them as well as love. I am not satisfied with my situation here and additionally to everything we face near death situation every day, and I am so not ready to die already mom. I was to expensive to die and I know to much. Mom I need you and your yummy pancakes you used to make me every morning with milk, the only thing we have on the spaceship is alcohol. Everything what Arthur, Zaphod and Ford are doing is getting drunk and not even this can help my depressions because the alcohol gets rejected by my inside computer so I cannot even get drunk.
The board captain allowed me to have a friend over for an intergalactic trip but since no one cares about me and I have no friends I wanted to ask you to come to the spaceship, bake me pancakes and fix my depressions with only one move of a specific lever.
I miss you mom,
Lots of love, your depressed son Marvin
how are you doing and how is your leg after the operation at the robot hospital?
I am on a spaceship at the moment we stole from the governor of the Universe, who then declared war because of the missing spaceship. Physically all my technological individual parts are working but mentally i sadly have to tell you that I have serious matter depressions. No one needs me on the ship because they think they found the question to the universe already which is not true, because I know the answer but they won’t ask me for help or advice. My depressions are getting worse because no one gives me love and affection. There are no other robots here so I feel left alone and cant share my technological feelings with them as well as love. I am not satisfied with my situation here and additionally to everything we face near death situation every day, and I am so not ready to die already mom. I was to expensive to die and I know to much. Mom I need you and your yummy pancakes you used to make me every morning with milk, the only thing we have on the spaceship is alcohol. Everything what Arthur, Zaphod and Ford are doing is getting drunk and not even this can help my depressions because the alcohol gets rejected by my inside computer so I cannot even get drunk.
The board captain allowed me to have a friend over for an intergalactic trip but since no one cares about me and I have no friends I wanted to ask you to come to the spaceship, bake me pancakes and fix my depressions with only one move of a specific lever.
I miss you mom,
Lots of love, your depressed son Marvin
Montag, 16. März 2009
Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy- Humor
Blog 500 words about the use of motifs in Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Think about how the motifs are connected to the creation of humour in the radio play.
In Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy humor is presented in many different ways with help of different motifs. In particular the idea of time travel, alcohol consumption and extra-terrestrials are tools used to help to develop the comedic aspects of the radio play.
Time travel, for us an unrealistic thing, seems to be the most normal thing in this book. The characters travel from one century to the next, 1000 years in the future. It explained as an understatement which makes it funny. Time travel is nothing unusual in the book and how the characters handle the situation and how it's being explained makes it humorous. "He is on an intergalactic cruise!" (page 130), it is amusing to read, how the characters spent their weekend, as an prediction of the future, they don’t do things we do in the present, for them things that we do would be most probably unrealistic.
"They are drunk.", "Let's have a drink. Here is another bottle." or "Let's just get drunk." (Page 134) are the kind of sentences, that present the motif alcohol consumption over and over again. The scenario that they drink in the most mistimed situations is reoccurring over and over again. They take the plenty near-death situations they face as an understatement and take it with humor that they might die soon so they "celebrate" this situation with alcohol, to get drunk and pass the situation in a kind of "trance".
The third tool, extra-terrestrials, is another important one to help create humor in this radio play.
"Haggunenons, super evolutionary life forms. That is to say they can re-evolve into any shape in a matter of seconds." Douglas Adams includes the presence of futuristic creatures that are unrealistic and have supernal powers. They cause a confusion when they are explained and are amusing when the reader gets to know how they occur in the story and what characteristics they have being a futuristic creature. Additionally these creatures make fun of us humans. Us, the people who think are the most normal thing on earth and the centre of the universe. But in this situation we are in the opposite situation, humans are something unusual and the earth is just a little planet among all the other thousand planets in the universe that are still unknown to us at the moment and we can only dream of discovering them.
Douglas Adams uses these motifs purposely to create humor in his radio play. Among the plenty descriptions how his future will look like in The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy Douglas develops comedic aspects through the understatement of time-travel, seeing it as the most normal thing "on earth", the reoccurring scenario the characters getting drunk when they face near death situations or the futuristic creatures with their amusing characteristics.
In Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy humor is presented in many different ways with help of different motifs. In particular the idea of time travel, alcohol consumption and extra-terrestrials are tools used to help to develop the comedic aspects of the radio play.
Time travel, for us an unrealistic thing, seems to be the most normal thing in this book. The characters travel from one century to the next, 1000 years in the future. It explained as an understatement which makes it funny. Time travel is nothing unusual in the book and how the characters handle the situation and how it's being explained makes it humorous. "He is on an intergalactic cruise!" (page 130), it is amusing to read, how the characters spent their weekend, as an prediction of the future, they don’t do things we do in the present, for them things that we do would be most probably unrealistic.
"They are drunk.", "Let's have a drink. Here is another bottle." or "Let's just get drunk." (Page 134) are the kind of sentences, that present the motif alcohol consumption over and over again. The scenario that they drink in the most mistimed situations is reoccurring over and over again. They take the plenty near-death situations they face as an understatement and take it with humor that they might die soon so they "celebrate" this situation with alcohol, to get drunk and pass the situation in a kind of "trance".
The third tool, extra-terrestrials, is another important one to help create humor in this radio play.
"Haggunenons, super evolutionary life forms. That is to say they can re-evolve into any shape in a matter of seconds." Douglas Adams includes the presence of futuristic creatures that are unrealistic and have supernal powers. They cause a confusion when they are explained and are amusing when the reader gets to know how they occur in the story and what characteristics they have being a futuristic creature. Additionally these creatures make fun of us humans. Us, the people who think are the most normal thing on earth and the centre of the universe. But in this situation we are in the opposite situation, humans are something unusual and the earth is just a little planet among all the other thousand planets in the universe that are still unknown to us at the moment and we can only dream of discovering them.
Douglas Adams uses these motifs purposely to create humor in his radio play. Among the plenty descriptions how his future will look like in The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy Douglas develops comedic aspects through the understatement of time-travel, seeing it as the most normal thing "on earth", the reoccurring scenario the characters getting drunk when they face near death situations or the futuristic creatures with their amusing characteristics.
Dienstag, 3. März 2009
The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy
Pages 90-94:
How is time used to create humor?
"Remember when we were children, what we were wearing for clothes? We looked horrible. And the first party we went to, oh I would never wear the top today again if I would go to a party like this again, it looked horrible."
Don’t we all know the situation when we talk about "good old times" and can laugh about how we were dressed and what things we did?
One can laugh about thing in the past because they become funny if you look back in time. Time changes our way of living, technology, economy etc. Beyond these things there is also humor. I think if we would watch a comedy from the 60s we would not think everything they say is funny because they base everything on their present and so do we. We wouldn’t understand their way of humor as it changes and so do the people but we can use the time change an make fun of what changed over the time.
How could this be viewed as dark comedy?
First, what is black comedy? " It is a story for example, in which the humor comes from objects that are not traditionally considered humorous (e.g. war, death, inappropriate or loveless relationships) "
On page 91, Ford is speculating where the group (Ford, Arthur, Trillian, Zaphod) is at the moment, after they heard the giant explosion and sais: "We didn’t stand a chance, we must been blown to bit. Arms, legs; everywhere" and the answer he gets by Zaphod is a simple "Yeah" followed by the question, by Garkbit, whether the group wants to order drinks. In a situation like that the question whether they have been blown to bit and this is afterlife is most probably not quite funny but for the reader the tone and they way this question is asked makes it funny.
Time changes and so do the people, a good example for this is Hitler. People after WWII didn’t even think of making fun of Hitler whereas today besides historical movies several comedy movies already exist about Hitler. Even though Hitler as a person is not rudimentary funny, in the comedy the way he is presented can be funny. The thing with black comedy is, that one has to know where the limits are about what you make fun of and how.
Over time, people create a different way of expressing their humor and what they find funny.
How is time used to create humor?
"Remember when we were children, what we were wearing for clothes? We looked horrible. And the first party we went to, oh I would never wear the top today again if I would go to a party like this again, it looked horrible."
Don’t we all know the situation when we talk about "good old times" and can laugh about how we were dressed and what things we did?
One can laugh about thing in the past because they become funny if you look back in time. Time changes our way of living, technology, economy etc. Beyond these things there is also humor. I think if we would watch a comedy from the 60s we would not think everything they say is funny because they base everything on their present and so do we. We wouldn’t understand their way of humor as it changes and so do the people but we can use the time change an make fun of what changed over the time.
How could this be viewed as dark comedy?
First, what is black comedy? " It is a story for example, in which the humor comes from objects that are not traditionally considered humorous (e.g. war, death, inappropriate or loveless relationships) "
On page 91, Ford is speculating where the group (Ford, Arthur, Trillian, Zaphod) is at the moment, after they heard the giant explosion and sais: "We didn’t stand a chance, we must been blown to bit. Arms, legs; everywhere" and the answer he gets by Zaphod is a simple "Yeah" followed by the question, by Garkbit, whether the group wants to order drinks. In a situation like that the question whether they have been blown to bit and this is afterlife is most probably not quite funny but for the reader the tone and they way this question is asked makes it funny.
Time changes and so do the people, a good example for this is Hitler. People after WWII didn’t even think of making fun of Hitler whereas today besides historical movies several comedy movies already exist about Hitler. Even though Hitler as a person is not rudimentary funny, in the comedy the way he is presented can be funny. The thing with black comedy is, that one has to know where the limits are about what you make fun of and how.
Over time, people create a different way of expressing their humor and what they find funny.
Dienstag, 10. Februar 2009
Douglas Adams: The Hitchhiker's guide to the Galaxy
- Understatement
a statement that is restrained in ironic contrast to what might have been said
Example: (page22)
Ford: No, its just that the world's going to end.
- Irony
A statement that, when taken in context, may actually mean the opposite of what is written literally; the use of words expressing something other ...
Example: (page 19)
Arthur: I eventually had to go down to the cellar
Prosser: That's the display department
Arthur: …with a torch?
Prosser: Ah, the lights had probably gone.
Arthur: So had the stairs
- Pun
a humorous play on words
- Sarcasm
witty language used to convey insults or scorn
Three other examples of something funny:
1. (page 19)
Prosser: Have you any idea how much damage that bulldozer would suffer if I just let it roll straight over you?
Arthur: How much?
Prosser: None at all!
2. (page20)
Ford: …Look, are you busy?
Arthur: Well, I've just got this bulldozer to lie in front of, otherwise no, not especially.
3. (page21)
Arthur: Six pints of bitter. And quickly please, the world's about to end.
Barman: Oh yes, sir? Nice weather for it. Going to watch the match this afternoon sir?
a statement that is restrained in ironic contrast to what might have been said
Example: (page22)
Ford: No, its just that the world's going to end.
- Irony
A statement that, when taken in context, may actually mean the opposite of what is written literally; the use of words expressing something other ...
Example: (page 19)
Arthur: I eventually had to go down to the cellar
Prosser: That's the display department
Arthur: …with a torch?
Prosser: Ah, the lights had probably gone.
Arthur: So had the stairs
- Pun
a humorous play on words
- Sarcasm
witty language used to convey insults or scorn
Three other examples of something funny:
1. (page 19)
Prosser: Have you any idea how much damage that bulldozer would suffer if I just let it roll straight over you?
Arthur: How much?
Prosser: None at all!
2. (page20)
Ford: …Look, are you busy?
Arthur: Well, I've just got this bulldozer to lie in front of, otherwise no, not especially.
3. (page21)
Arthur: Six pints of bitter. And quickly please, the world's about to end.
Barman: Oh yes, sir? Nice weather for it. Going to watch the match this afternoon sir?
How it all ends
- Why we debate whether the humans can really change the climate or not, we are at the same time, running the experiment. There is no matter what is the experiment, we are in the test tube.
- You can never be 100% certain so every choice carries a risk
- Action: harm to the economy
- Inaction: destruction and upheaval
--> which is the more acceptable risk to take?
- If we take no action and global warming really exists, we face global disasters
-Environmental
-Political
-Social
-Public
-Health
-Economic
- What is the wisest thing to do given the uncertainties and the risk? Are the humans the problem?
-->Basic risk management<--
- Science is never finished
- Every single scientific statement carries with it some sort of how big the estimate is
- the better word to use is Global Climate destabilization not global warming or global climate change
- Policy changes/ you should change the culture
- You can never be 100% certain so every choice carries a risk
- Action: harm to the economy
- Inaction: destruction and upheaval
--> which is the more acceptable risk to take?
- If we take no action and global warming really exists, we face global disasters
-Environmental
-Political
-Social
-Public
-Health
-Economic
- What is the wisest thing to do given the uncertainties and the risk? Are the humans the problem?
-->Basic risk management<--
- Science is never finished
- Every single scientific statement carries with it some sort of how big the estimate is
- the better word to use is Global Climate destabilization not global warming or global climate change
- Policy changes/ you should change the culture
Mittwoch, 28. Januar 2009
COERCION - Selling system
What is Mort Spiva's system of coercion?
CIA system of selling:
The "opening" begins with the process through which the subject's own world and values are replaced by those of the interrogator.
Then the salesman must appear like the only friendly face in an otherwise hostile world.
The interrogator gently directs the subject toward sensitive areas - "reconnaissance".
Salesman moves toward the close- "extracting a confession".
Added by a list of tricks from the CIA to help the interrogator in this difficult maneuver. They are all designed to disrupt a persons familiar emotional associations and to lead him into a state of confusion.
"Conclusion"-(for only subjects who have survived the interrogation ). Subject must not allow to know he has been exposed to these techniques.
Spiva's system of selling with the old couple
Spiva is acting all nice to become a "good friend" of the husband, to get their trust and their will.
While putting the order form besides him, so that you can see it a little bit, he is talking about other bed sellers and how bad they are
He ensures himself that the buyers, in this case the couple, both really want to buy product.
He directs them into more sensitive areas, topics that he has chosen through his observation of their body language and tone of voice.
Mentions how good other products are that are related to the bed the couple wants to buy, to make them think about buying more.
His final stage is to give they customer a gift, and by accepting it, it symbolizes that they don’t back out of the deal.
Sonntag, 18. Januar 2009
ELAIC vs. PB
The novel "Extremely loud and Incredibly close" (ELAIC) and the graphic novel "Pride of Baghdad" (PB) show similarities and differences at the same time. At the first sight one would not see similarities in those two books but with a closer look some motifs overlap in the book.
Despite the fact that the graphic novels' main characters are animals and the novels' main character is a human, the circumstances the characters are encountered are similar. They are discovering a new situation, they have never lived before. Additionally the main characters, four lions in PB and Oscar Schell in ELAIC, somehow start a journey in the book. Oscars journey consists of a search for a locker that a key, he found in his dead fathers' closet, should open. The journey of the lions start with the bombing on Baghdad, when the zoo got damaged and made it possible for the animals to escape. They stray though the bombed city, which seems like a whole new world to them.
Death is another motif that can be found in PB and ELAIC. It happens in different ways, at different times but seems to be a "dominant motif" in the books. The two motifs, the journey and death, are connected to each other in both books in a contrary order. Oskar Schell faces death when his father died in 9/11, at the beginning of the book and of the following journey. In PB the four lions face death at the end of the story; it is their own death. The story starts with a journey into a unknown world and finishes with death.
Both stories talk about a specific journey through a insecure and new world. The other similarity death shows up in both stories, but also shows how different a situation with death can be.
Can death be the beginning of something new, or the ending of something you have looked for your whole life?
Despite the fact that the graphic novels' main characters are animals and the novels' main character is a human, the circumstances the characters are encountered are similar. They are discovering a new situation, they have never lived before. Additionally the main characters, four lions in PB and Oscar Schell in ELAIC, somehow start a journey in the book. Oscars journey consists of a search for a locker that a key, he found in his dead fathers' closet, should open. The journey of the lions start with the bombing on Baghdad, when the zoo got damaged and made it possible for the animals to escape. They stray though the bombed city, which seems like a whole new world to them.
Death is another motif that can be found in PB and ELAIC. It happens in different ways, at different times but seems to be a "dominant motif" in the books. The two motifs, the journey and death, are connected to each other in both books in a contrary order. Oskar Schell faces death when his father died in 9/11, at the beginning of the book and of the following journey. In PB the four lions face death at the end of the story; it is their own death. The story starts with a journey into a unknown world and finishes with death.
Both stories talk about a specific journey through a insecure and new world. The other similarity death shows up in both stories, but also shows how different a situation with death can be.
Can death be the beginning of something new, or the ending of something you have looked for your whole life?
Abonnieren
Kommentare (Atom)