Gender Representation in the Media

Gender Representation in the Media A comparison of representation between genders and how different genders are portrayed in childrens media Introduction I have chosen this EPQ topic because I wanted to address possible issues in the world we live in today. Its no secret that in society sexism, under representation and/or bad representation of both genders run wild and the issues greatly affect males and females. Representation is the description or portrayal of someone or something in a particular way, whether that be good or bad. This essay will explore the differences and similarities of the way males and females are portrayed in childrens media, and even dig deeper into the intersectional theory which is the view that people experience oppression in varying configurations and in varying degrees of intensity, for example, that be the fact they are a member of the LGBT community or a POC (Person of colour). For this essay, I define childrens media as: Television Shows (Animation and Sitcoms) and Films. Originally, I included childrens literature as one of the areas I would analyse but I decided against this idea as I felt I was working with too much and I wouldnt be able to complete my project on time. I knew that focusing on too many things wouldnt allow me to work to my full ability and on the other hand, its a lot easier to watch something than it is to read something and fully comprehend it. I have many films and shows that I have used to base my research, for example I have taken a selection of the most popular shows (based on opinions from online critics and some factual evidence also) from the Networks dedicated to the ages of 8-16 so CN (Cartoon Network) and its sister channels affiliated with it and Disney, along with their related channels. Some of these programs include the popular programs like Steven Universe, Gravity Falls and Spongebob Squarepants. Its no use just watching these shows of course, I aim to make detailed notes showing the percentages of male and female character appearances in episodes, how certain genders and minorities are portrayed and to debate the question of which gender really receives the best and most realistic representation. For example, some questions I have asked myself during my research include, are there any obvious stereotypes that stand out to you and how do they make you feel? By doing this I believe I can form a solid opinion on the shows I have watched. However, its important that my opinions are not one sided so I aim to really argue with myself over the issues and weigh up the positives and the negatives in my conclusion. Furthermore, I wanted to discover how other people felt about gender representation in childrens media also. It would allow me to see if people really thought there was an issue and to try and understand those who believed that what their children were watching on television was okay. I have used questionnaires to gather opinions from both parents and children in hope that they will allow me to generalise the opinions further. Television: Cartoon Network Starting with Turners Cartoon Network I have chosen two programs from the channel, Johnny Bravo and Steven Universe. Johnny Bravo Starting with Johnny Bravo; it premiered on July 14, 1997, making it the earliest show on the Cartoon Network list, and the first season completed production in December of that year. [1]The series stars a muscular young man named Johnny Bravo who dons a pompadour hairstyle and an Elvis Presley-like voice. He has a forward, woman-chasing personality and the plots typically revolve around him trying to get a woman that he has targeted throughout the episode to fall in love with him. He is often beaten up or stunned by his target or companions, or is ditched by them in the end. Almost immediately I believe this sort of program to contain very sexist messages towards both men and women. For men, it shows that its normal to lust after young beautiful women and treat them as nothing but sexual objects that you can try and win over. Then, theres also the problem that the main character is promoting unrealistic standards for young boys. Adults or older viewers may see this as a joke made by the creators however I believe young children may comprehend this differently, they may believe this is the proper way to act. Steven Universe Finally, we have Steven Universe. it premiered on November 4, 2013 as Cartoon Networks first animated series to be solely created by a woman, Rebecca Sugar. I think the fact Rebecca Sugar is the first woman to create an animated series says a lot about the show because we can see that a woman is writing women which will lead to more accurate women characters. It is the coming-of-age story of a young boy named Steven Universe, who lives in the fictional town of Beach City with the Crystal Gems Pearl, Garnet, and Amethyst, three magical humanoid aliens. Steven, who is half-Gem, goes on adventures with his friends and helps the Gems protect the world from their own kind[2](Wikipedia, 2017). I decided to watch Steven Universe instead of other popular CN television shows, for example Adventure Time or We Bare Bears because its very different from your usual cartoon. What I mean by that is we have four main characters, three of them are women who sport different body shapes which shows great body representation for women and theres even one character who is coded black, which means that outside of the shows context, she is seen is a black woman[3]. When watching some of the episodes for the show, I expected to see a lot of good representation for both genders and minorities too. I didnt expect to see any themes or characters that were LGBT, but if there were, Id expect them to be secondary characters or not that important at all. However, I was proved wrong and the show surpassed what I expected. Well start with the very first episode of Steven Universe, Laser Light Canon. Not even a minute into the episode and 3 out of the 6 characters weve seen are plus size which is very surprising as you dont normally have that many characters that arent just slim or curvy in childrens television shows. Two minutes in and we meet the crystal gems; Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl. We see these characters fighting against corrupted beings, not even breaking a sweat. The first impression we have of these women is that they are powerful and that they dont conform to the norm. Amethyst is very relaxed, she lassos the monster and calmly says, Sup Steven? while doing a peace sign. From this we can see that shes the laid back one of the group, she doesnt take things too seriously and she likes to have fun with what she does. One thing to note is that Amethyst is plus sized, a very deliberate characteristic the story boarders have given her. In media, overweight characters (mostly girls) are virtually absent.[4] In the Prix Jeunesse study for childrens television in the UK, 431 (63.7%) of the sample were of average weight, 192 (27.4%) of the characters were very thin, and 55 (8.9%) very overweight. 63.7% of all characters represented in British childrens TV are of a normal body range. Females are more often thin, males more often overweight. Out of the female characters 159 (55.2%) are in the normal range, 112 (38.9%) are very thin and 17 (5.9%) are very overweight. 272 male characters (69.9%) are in the normal range, 79 (20.3%) are very thin and 38 (9.8%) are very overweight. [5] This shows that the cartoon is obviously aiming for representation of larger characters and so far, this is good representation. The next character Pearl is then seen, she moves carefully and her strikes are precise as a melodic tune from a piano plays in the background. From this small part we can see that Pearl lives up to her gemstone symbolism; shes pure and innocent. Disney  Movies: Disney and Pixar For this part of my report, I would like to refer to the studios Disney and Pixar both as Disney. It is my understanding that they are different but fundamentally they stem from the same studio. Mulan The first film we have from Disney is the 1998 classic, Mulan. This film is heavily praised and noted for being a feminist film but why is that? What makes Mulan feminist? The basic plot of the film is that Mulan takes the place of her father in the war as she is concerned about her health. Mulan tackles the idea of how gender roles are worthless and that anybody can do anything as long as you have the right attitude however some may argue against this. After her male disguise fails and she is banished, Mulan doesnt give up and instead saves the whole of China and winning the heart of her once captain, Shang. One of the problems that have arisen already is the use of gender identity and what makes you a man or a woman. Mulan plays with the idea that to be a man you must à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦be swift as a coursing river, with all the force of a great typhoon which are lyrics from the song, Ill make a man out of you. This is a problem as it reinforces the idea that you should be a man but what does it mean to be a man? This is giving young children, young boys in particular, a very obscured impression of what men are; that they should be powerful and forceful. This also links to the idea that men are praised for taking charge and women are brandished as bossy[6] (see figure 1) and commanding. In addition, the opening song, honour to us all includes the lyrics, men want girls with good taste, (who are) calm (and) obedient and who work fast-paced, with good breeding and a tiny waist. This is obviously sexist and demonstrates that in the past women were seen as nothing more than objects for men to a dmire. A further problem with gender identity in the film Mulan is that it could be regarded as transphobic as its ideas of what it means to be a man or woman only reference the physical aspects, for example the way we look or the way we talk which can be seen when Mulan cuts off her hair and uses a deep tone when pretending to be Ping who is her male alter ego. The film does not reference the mental aspects of gender and could possibly offend a minority of people. However, some argue that Mulan isnt transphobic in the slightest, its just all about gender performance, much like drag in real life. In the Feminist and Queer Analysis of Disneys Mulan by Juliane Fung they suggest that using the queer theorys idea of gender performativity, it can instead be argued that Mulan is a film about gender performance and not gender itself. The film is supported by Butlers idea that gender is not an inherent set of traits, but rather it is performed (Ott and Mack 2009).[7] Furthermore, the film explores the pressure that is put on young women and how the anxieties can affect the. In the song, Reflection Mulan considers about her roles she has. She claims that she will never pass for a perfect bride, or a perfect daughter which shows the unrealistic demands that she was asked of. Mulan also hopes that she can free (herself) from their expectations which also demonstrates that women are In conclusion, many would argue that Mulan executes feminism ideals very well and that the theme of women empowerment is the most prominent in the whole film while others would disagree and claim that the film portrays the belief that men are in fact superior to women and that feminine traits will always be subordinate to those of the superior male class, as explained in Juliane Fungs analysis.[8] Throughout the whole movie, the emphasis is on gender roles, not Mulans aim to save China or her fathers life. Moreover, I believe that no gender here is represented in a more positive way than negative. Its very obvious that Mulan reinforces gender stereotypes with males being strong leaders and females serving no other purpose than looking after their husbands and being beautiful. Something I felt was completely unnecessary was giving Mulan the love interest too, this film was supposed to show Mulan being strong and independent and break free of the stereotype that women should be wives a nd dedicate their life to domestic life so I felt having Mulan and Shang share a romantic relationship completely went against the films intended message. The Princess and the Frog The second film we have from Disney is The Princess and The Frog which is the modernised version of the Brothers Grimms The frog king. This film excited many people as it was the first Disney film to have an African American lead role who was female. It also strays away from the typical damsel in distress trope that Disney have frequently used in the past. Tiana is a hardworking woman from New Orleans from 1930s America. She works two jobs to try and fund her dreams of owning a restaurant but due to discrimination she is left without the chance to buy an empty property. Her friend Charlotte is the daughter of the mayor, shes rich and beautiful yet her and Tiana have a very honest and open relationship. This is really refreshing to see as you would expect Charlotte and Tiana to have a very unfortunate relationship however they work really well together. One problem however is that there are the stereotypes of the smart brunette and the dumb/helpless blonde. (Gà ¶tz, 2006). Tiana is a headstrong character while Charlotte is constantly obsessed with marrying princess and being a princess herself, many would argue that she is a very one-dimensional character as she has no other tropes other than the one previously mentioned. As I previously mentioned, Tiana was the first female African American lead of a Disney movie so a lot of people would be excited to see what role she would take on and how she would be represented. A positive of Tianas character is that she shows that its important to work hard for what you want and that you should always follow your head. Her happily ever after isnt that she is married to a prince, although that does happen, it is more about the fact she finally has her restaurant after working hard for so many years. Its very inspiring to see that Tiana finally reaches her goal after all of the hardships she faced but there are many problems attached to this as well. One problem that I have found is the fact that Disney likes to include love interests when theyre clearly not needed. By showcasing male-female romantic love as something out of the ordinary, special and magical childrens films further the notion of heterosexuality normative. (Kazyak and Martin, 2009) Furthermore, it seems at the end of the film that Tiana was only able to purchase the restaurant she wanted because of Naveens money and his status as a prince. Its understandable that this is more realistic as his privilege would have helped Tiana in the 30s but what sort of message does it promote to young women? That you have to rely on a man to reach your goals? In my opinion this is bad representation as it is showing that women cannot be independent in the long run. Another problem that could be argued is that even though Disney made a huge breakthrough with their first African American lead, Tiana spends the majority of the film as an amphibian. Obviously, she has to be so the film can be progressed but what does it say if we hardly have any moments with a humanised Tiana? It could be claimed that because of the way Disney gave human Tiana hardly any screen time they didnt want a woman of colour to be the main lead and that is understandable. However, on many pieces of merchandise Tiana is very much always presented as a human and not as the frog character we know so this could dispute that claim. On the other hand, Prince Naveen also has troubles with representation in the film. Disney have come under fire from many fans and black man who accuse Disney of erasing their identities. Stroman (1984) states that black characters on television shows are more likely to be unemployed and impoverished[9] so by making Naveen racially ambiguous, Disney have offended many people. From a blog online people have argued that this was a slap in the face of black men who are only portrayed as criminals and sidekicks and not heroes and romantic love interests.[10] In conclusion, I feel like Disney did try to represent both genders and minorities in this case well yet it didnt work. There are many problems such as the fact that the two main people of colour spend the majority of the film as amphibians and not portrayed as humans, that the female character has to rely on the male character for her dreams to come true and the forced hetero-romance between the main characters. On the other hand, there are many positives too. Tiana is overall a very inspiring character for young girls and especially little black girls. Its important for children to not only be encouraged by a character but that they can relate with them also. Tiana teaches them not to give up on your dreams even if the world is against you and thats an important life lesson for anyone. Prince Naveen is also a good role model for young boys, but mostly towards the end of the film when he has come to the end of his character arc. He goes from a penniless prince to a man who is loving and caring of his friends and family. He is concerned about his own ego at the start but changes to become more compassionate. Whats more is that Naveen loves his music and encourages others to play, something which is considered quite feminine. Bibliography Figure 1 http://articles.bplans.com/gender-equality-white-paper/?_ga=1.15604406.1436524096.1490723092 (Accessed Feb, 17) (Ott and Mack 2009) Ott, Brian, and Robert Mack. Critical Media Studies. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, 2010. (Accessed Jan, 17) (Gà ¶tz, 2006). Gà ¶tz, M. (2006). Die Hauptfiguren im deutschen Kinderfernsehen (The main characters of German childrens TV). In: TelevIZIon, vol. 19, no. 1, pp. 4-7. (Accessed October, 16) (Kazyak and Martin, 2009)   Ã‚   Martin, K. A., Kazyak, E. (2009). Hetero-romantic love and heterosexiness in childrens g-rated films. Gender and Society, 23(3), 315-336. (Accessed October, 16) (Stroman, 1984) Stroman, C.A. (1984). The socialization influence of television on black children [Electronic Version]. Journal of Black Studies, 15(1), 79-100. (Accessed January, 17) [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Bravo#cite_note-8, 2017 [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Universe, 2017 [3] https://www.reddit.com/r/stevenuniverse/comments/3j7r23/does_garnet_count_as_black/cun2a4f/, 2016 [4] http://prixjeunesse.de/images/PDF/GenderInChildrensTVWorldwide_2008.pdf [5] http://www.prixjeunesse.de/childrens_tv_worldwide/studies/CTV_WW_23_UK_IZI_PJ_2008.pdf [6] http://articles.bplans.com/gender-equality-white-paper/?_ga=1.15604406.1436524096.1490723092 [7] http://mulananalysis.weebly.com/ [8] http://mulananalysis.weebly.com/ [9] The Portrayals of Minority Characters in Entertaining Animated Childrens Programs, http://etd.lsu.edu/docs/available/etd-05282004-130909/unrestricted/Smith_thesis.pdf [10] https://tcdh.wordpress.com/2009/12/14/the-princess-the-frog-controversies-and-criticism/

ETHICS AND THE COLLEGE STUDENT Essay

What is ethics? Merriam Webster’s Dictionary defines ethics as morals or principles that Govern a person’s or a group’s behaviors or the branch of knowledge that deals with moral principles. In college students face many ethical dilemmas. This paper will explain the factors that affect a student’s ethical decision making as well as the ethical decision making process. The socialization process is a major influencing factor in our ethical decision making. While we are children, we absorb behaviors and develop our morals and values. Our family is the biggest influence in developing our morals. For instance, proper use of grammar, the importance of education, and strong work ethic are all values that family members help us to develop. Negative influences such as alcohol and drug abuse, poverty, and physical abuse can also shape our behaviors and attitudes. Peer pressure is also an important factor college students face when making ethical choices. In a study done by UCLA, 52% of students said that peer pressure affected ethical choices they made (Yeung and Keup 2009). In addition, the same survey showed how students’ perceptions of peer beliefs and behaviors were the best predictors of their own ethical behavior. Under age drinking, illegal drug use, and casual sex are some dilemmas that students must make choices about when they are attending college. In a review by Harris (1916), he states that underage age drinking had all but disappeared and drug use was unheard of in the early 1900s. But in a survey  taken by UCLA students in 2009 78% of students under the age of 21 admitted to drinking alcohol and 57% of all students admitted to using some type of illegal drug at least once (Yeung and Keup, 2009). In addition these students admitted that peer  pressure was a major determining factor. This information shows that over the last decade underage drinking and drug use has increased amongst college students or they priorities have changed.   Stress also causes students to make unethical decisions. In another study done by UCLA 82% of students would â€Å"consider† plagiarizing, cheating on a test, or lying to a professor when in a stressful situation like finals, mid-terms, or whe n facing academic probation (Yeung and Keup 2009). Social media also plays an important role in college students’ ethical decision making. In the book, â€Å"Philosophy for the Masses: Ethics†, Bruce D. Bruce writes that advertising and media can deceptive and persuasive (Bruce 2009 p.200). Bruce goes on to say that sometimes the media blurs the distinct line between right and wrong and our youth/young adults are most often the ones that have difficulty seeing that line clearly (Bruce 2009 p.200). As stated previously, plagiarism is major dilemma that plagues college students. Stress, peer pressure, and social media are all factors that affect students when deciding whether or not to plagiarize. Young and Keup (2009) noticed that even though many college students thought about plagiarizing when stressed, they felt it was morally wrong. They also discovered that students would rather steal food from the dining facility or even present fake identification to enter a club rather that plagiarize. Most of the students in their study felt condemned or even guilty just thinking about the fact. Time management and the Ethical PEAS will aid students when facing ethical the ethical decision making process (Frame Work of Ethical Decision Making, para 2-3). Students should set aside time for homework, study time, and extracurricular activities. Structure makes it easier  to get things accomplished without the feeling of being rushed. Setting aside study time will give students adequate time to research so they will not feel the need to plagiarize; they will be prepared. Students should also use the Ethical PEAS (Frame Work of Ethical Decision Making, para 2-3). As described in the â€Å"Framework for Ethical Decision-Making† by Montana State University, PEAS is an acronym used when executing the ethical decision making process: P – What is the Problem? E – What is the Evidence? A – Analyze; What guidelines or theories will help me in my process? S – What is the Solution to my problem? Some theories a student can use are (Frame Work of Ethical Decision Making, para 4): The Front Page Newspaper Test Would you be comfortable if your actions were revealed on the front page of the paper? End/Means Test Does and ethical goal (end) justify the way you get to that goal (means)? The Golden Rule Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Utilitarianism What act or rule results in the greatest good for the greatest number? Professional Standards of Conduct Follow the rules, regulations, and codes set before you. In summary, college students must make ethical decisions daily. Stress, peer pressure, drugs and alcohol, the socialization process, and a person’s morals and values all play a part in this process. If students exercise the  ethical decision making process it will make this process much easier. Ethical dilemmas will never go away. So, we must understand ourselves, how a far we are willing to go, and always try to do the right thing. References Bruce, B.D. (2013). Philosophy for the Masses: Ethics. Available from https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/374071. Harris, G. (1916). Ethics of a College Student. The Harvard Theological Review, 9, (2), 190-200. Yeung, P.F., & Keup, J.R. (2009). Ethical Decision Making in College: Choosing Between Right, Wrong, and the Space Between. Retrieved from http://cshe.berkeley.edu/. Montana State University. (2013). Frame Work for Ethical Decision-Making. Retrieved from http://montana.edu/teachlearn/TLResources/docuements.

Mitigation of Earthquakes

The location of Kobe town played a great role on the magnitude of the damage caused by the earth quake that occurred in the town in 1995. The damage was far much as compared to the damage caused in the Northridge earthquake in 1994 as much as the magnitudes of the quakes were the same. Kobe town is on a narrow strip, where we have a narrow transportation corridor that was severely impaired due to the collapse of the elevated roads and railways and this caused dislocation of public and commercial traffic.There was evidence of ground failure including disruption of the road pavement, the subsiding of pavement around manholes and ejection of silt soils. The only transportation link became the ground level roads and this brought about congestion that impeded emergency response and recovery. There were large deformations in road pavements and also of the ground near buildings foundations in the district of Sannomiya of Kobe.The deformations were in the order of tens of centimeters and thi s could have been the likely cause of the damages that included tilting of the building or collapse of the entire structures that were experienced in many multistory buildings that occurred in Kobe especially in the down town area. The time of occurrence of the quake also served to increase the people who died. The quake occurred at 5:46 a. m. , the time which found many of the resident asleep or just beginning their morning routines. There were also so many old wood-frame houses with heavy clay tiles that collapsed causing many deaths.There was also the ignition of fires that followed immediately after the collapse of the structures. The fires could not be extinguished on time to avert more death because of the hindrance caused by the failure of the water supply system and the disruption in the traffic system. These did not happen in the case of the 1994 Northridge earthquake as all the fault rupture occurred at depth that were greater than 10km, and many of the multistory building s in San Fernando Valley were at least 20km away from the fault rupture that was closest (Paul, 1995).The Northridge earth quake also occurred at the time when there were no people occupying the building that were affected. These include a stadium that collapsed but there were no people in it at that early morning hours that the quake occurred. There was also the report of multi storey commercial buildings collapsing but were also not occupied during the time of collapse. In this town there was also incidence of fire eruption due to the breaking of the commercial gas pipe system, though this did not measure to what occurred at Kobe.There was also the collapse of the wood structure but the number was not as big as the one experienced at Kobe. There were few such structures in this town as compared to the large number in the Kobe case. The design aspect of the structures also averted the occurrence of more death as seen from none collapsing of school buildings which are reinforced aga inst earth quakes. Components to include in mitigation strategy a) Improve risk assessments. Risk assessment should be done to find out the chances that earth quake are likely to occur in a certain place and the frequency of such an occurrence and the severity determined.Such information should be combined with the inventory of the structures that are in existence, and are likely to be affected by such disaster accompanied by the fragility data. The fragility data estimates the degree of damage that various types of structure will experience, for example, the type of damage likely to be experienced by unreinforced masonry building which is in earthquake prone area. These risk assessments are very important in increasing public awareness about the threat posed by the natural disaster. b)Implementation of mitigation measures.Land use plan can help the communities reduce significantly on losses that are brought about by natural disasters like earth quakes by adoption of land use plans that aim at avoiding the hazards while taking care of the environment and other goals. There is however no willingness of local government to adopt land use measures to protect against hazards unless a direction is received from a higher level government. There should be accurate identification of the disaster affected areas though the mapping of the hazard zones could be very expensive for some municipalities.Earth quake disaster can also be reduced substantially by improving the building codes. The code will guide the standard of buildings that are allowed (to be built) in certain areas and the rehabilitation of already existing structures. The life safety of buildings is currently being set by building codes. The maintenance of the functionality of the structures also is a very important aspect and becomes very critical in certain class of structures. For example in the US there was establishment of seismic safety standards for federally funded new construction by the federal gov ernment.This has the mandate of addressing seismic safety standards of the buildings that are already in existence and are either owned or leased. About half of 30000 communities in US have not adapted any building code and the effectiveness of the building codes is also subject to reinforcement by the relevant authority (Science, 1999). This requires an ongoing inspection program and it has been noted that many communities lack the required number of inspectors that are required to perform the job efficiently.c) Improve technologies that support warnings and the dissemination of, and response to, warnings. A good mitigation strategy should address this issue as one of the component of the mitigation strategies. Warnings are expected to be time specific, show location of the expected disaster and the severity of the expected events. The uncertainty accompanied by the events should also be stated in the manner that will allow the taking of action to ensure the survival of people and the protection of institutions and property.There are some warnings that are developed in form of maps even before a disaster occurs in an area. These could also include the posting of signs in the areas or having a regulation that requires that real estate agents inform potential property owners the nature of disaster the area is prone to. d) Improve the basis for natural disaster insurance. Improvement of the basis of natural disaster insurance is an important component that should be included in the mitigation strategy.There should be reward for individuals that invest in hazard-reduction measures and this should be before and after the disaster. Individuals that are insured are to be awarded lower premiums for adopting mitigation measures before disasters such as the potential loses are considerably reduced. The insurance companies have the freedom of refusing to provide coverage unless the policyholder has agreed to undertake certain prospective measures that can lower the pote ntial losses. REFERENCES Collins, Larry (2000).Earthquakes: Lessons from the Past, Part 1. Fire Engineering, 153(6). Retrieved August 27, 2008 from http://search. ebscohost. com Collins, Larry (2000). Earthquakes: Lessons from the Past, Part 2. Fire Engineering, 153(7). Retrieved August 27, 2008 from http://search. ebscohost. com Comerio, Mary (2004). Public policy for reducing earthquake risks: a US perspective. Building Research & Information, 32(5). Retrieved August 27, 2008 from http://search. ebscohost. com Emergency Management Institute.(2004). Introduction to Mitigation, Lesson 4. Retrieved February 8, 2004, from http://training. fema. gov/EMIWeb/IS/is393A. asp Paul S. ( February, 7 1995) Kobe Earthquake: An Urban Disaster Eos, 76( 6), 49-51. Retrieved March 30 2009, from http://www. agu. org/sci_soc/kobe. html Science (18 June 1999). Mitigation Emerges as Major Strategy for Reducing Losses Caused by Natural Disasters:284(5422). 1943-1947 Retrieved March 30 2009, from http:// www. sciencemag. org/cgi/content/full/284/5422/1943

Fast Pitch Softball Is A Game - 1441 Words

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Sometimes it becomes repetitive and boring, but steppi ng into a live batters box is where all of that hard work comes into play. Growing up, my parents would always find someone to give me lessons or find a travel team that seemed to be a good fit for me. I was fortunate to have parents to push me to become a better athlete and support me at all of my sporting events. I’ve had several, and I mean several, batting, pitching, and fielding lessons. Because of my ability to quickly learn something after seeing it done once, I picked up how to become aShow MoreRelatedA Brief History of Softball720 Words   |  3 PagesThe way that softball is played today has evolved to be a direct descendent of baseball. According to Margaret Dodson, a professor of physical education at Portland State University and also a member of the Amateur Softball Association, â€Å"The game as we know it did not take shape until the 1980’s† (4). One version of the origin of the game was given to George W. Hancock, a reporter for the Chicago Bo ard of Trade. (Dodson, 4). According to Dodson, on Thanksgiving Day in 1887 Hancock and a few otherRead MoreHistory And Evolution Of Softball935 Words   |  4 PagesSoftball History and Evolution of Softball (â€Å"History of Softball,† 2009.). The game of softball was first birthed through a playful indoor baseball game after a Harvard-Yale football game. It was played with a boxing glove for a ball and a broom handle for a bat. George Hancock, one of the alumni who gathered to hear the football game score wrote down the rules for â€Å"softball† and came up with a new ball and a rubber-tipped bat, and painted lines on the floor of the Boat Club where the first informalRead MoreSoftball And Baseball Have The Same Concept919 Words   |  4 PagesSoftball and Baseball have the same concept, but many differences between them. They are sports that a person really have to focus on to fully understand what to do next, and how to make the next play. Although both of these sports include a bat and a ball their techniques, equipment, and rules differ. The techniques for softball are pretty different compared to baseball. First, pitching Softball players pitch underhanded with a wind up. Because they pitch underhanded, their pitches are not asRead MoreInformative Speech On Softball915 Words   |  4 PagesInformative Speech Outline: The Invention of Softball I. Introduction A. Attention Material: What do you think would be happening on Thanksgiving Day in 1887? Most of you are probably thinking; eating turkey, having family over, or already thinking about Christmas. Well George Hancock had a different agenda. He created the game of softball on that cold November day. B. I am sure all of you have seen someone hit something with a bat; a face, a pià ±ata, or perhaps a ball. Well Hancock watched a manRead MoreDifference Between Baseball And Softball1045 Words   |  5 PagesBaseball vs. Softball What sport do you think is harder baseball or softball? The reasons baseball is a harder sport is because of the tempo, the strength of players, and the size of the field that the players play on. The innings in baseball are played at a very fast pace, but the game is also two innings longer. The athletes that play baseball are also much stronger and faster. Lastly, in the sport of baseball, the average field size is 400 feet, and the average field in softball is 210 feet, thereforeRead MoreBaseball And Softball Are Similar1180 Words   |  5 PagesBaseball and softball are similar, but very different in many ways. Most people think baseball and softball are basically the exact same sports, the only difference being girls play softball, and boys play baseball. The fact is, there are many differences as well as similarities in the two sports. Both of the sports use a round ball, the object is to hit the ball, run around the bases, and score at home plate. In the game of softball the baselines are only sixty feet long. Therefore, you mustRead MoreA Game Of Balls And Bats911 Words   |  4 PagesSimilar Sports This is a game of balls and bats played by two teams, each consisting of nine players. The object is to score runs by hitting a fair ball with the bat. The field is a diamond shape with bases in each corner with an order of first, second, third, and home. After the ball is hit, the runner runs counterclockwise around the bases. When a batter gets to home plate, a point is scored. The batter waits at home plate to receive a pitch from the opposing team’s pitcher. The pitcher is setRead MoreHistory of Baseball1338 Words   |  6 PagesYork Yankees. The World Series goes to the team to first reach four wins through seven games, the best of the teams wins. In this occasion, the New York Yankees defeated the Brooklyn Dodgers four games to three. Baseball today has many changes from 1952, such as team names. Todays World Series consist of the St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox, in which the Boston Red Sox defeated the St. Louis Cardinals four games to two. Baseball is Americas past time, some of the greatest players played in theRead MoreHistory of Softball1135 Words   |  5 PagesHistory of Softball Many people assume that softball came about from baseball, the sport’s first game actually came about because of a football game. The history of softball dates back to Thanksgiving Day of 1887 when several alumni sat in the Chicago, IL Farragut Boat Club anxiously awaiting the outcome of the Yale vs. Harvard football game. When Yale was announced as winner, a Yale alumnus playfully threw a boxing glove at a Harvard supporter. The Harvard fan swung at the balled-up glove withRead MoreMajor Joint Movements : Catching A Softball That Is Hit And Throwing708 Words   |  3 Pages1. Movement Analysis: Main Motor Patterns: Catching a softball that is hit and throwing a softball that has been caught. Jumping and sprinting during practice or a game to catch a ball. Major Joint Movement: A. Jumping (bilateral): †¢ Jumping (bilateral): Hip and knee is in extension, while ankle is in plantar flexion, and shoulder abduction and flexion while in the air. †¢ Jumping (unilateral)- a jump that is used with only one leg while running. B. Sprinting (unilateral): †¢ Hip extension from