Decency Act essays

Decency Act essays The Internet is the fastest growing and largest source of technological information. Millions of people easily access it everyday and are provided with information on everything from stamp collecting to bestiality. This wide array of information may seem to be the best thing since sliced bread, but on the other hand, this so called unlimited and easy access source of information turns a miracle into thoughts of apprehension. These uneasy thoughts are most common among parents of children who, incredibly enough, access the Internet with ease in their young age. The growth of the Internet has allowed millions of people the ability to express ideas, opinions, promotions, jobs, and much more to a very large audience quickly and inexpensively. It has the ability to display images and text at the choice of an individual and post it on a home page for full view by the public. This free expression, in some circles, has grown to include "indecent" material or material not suitable for mi nors. Due to this, the Federal government has been in debate about whether or not limitations should be put on Internet use and users. In 1996, the United States Government passed the Communications Decency Act which intended to prohibit the public availability of "indecent" material on the Internet. The CDA's original intention was to pursue minor's access to indecent materials but grew to criminalize constitutionally protected speech, poses problems which should be handled differently from other media, and encompass all citizens regardless of age. The issue of "indecent" material being exposed on the Internet was brought to the national attention by Nebraska Senator Jim Exon. Exon initiated the Act after viewing a segment on Dateline NBC in July 1994, which portrayed the Internet as no more than dumping ground for pornographic material. In his statement he explains the qualifications for offenses against the Act. "Whoever makes, creates, or sol...

How to Understand Shakespeares Words

How to Understand Shakespeares Words For many, language is the biggest barrier to understanding Shakespeare. Perfectly competent performers can be paralyzed with fear when they see bizarre words like â€Å"Methinks† and â€Å"Peradventure† – something we call Shakespearaphobia. As a way of trying to counter this natural anxiety, we often begin by telling new students or performers that speaking Shakespeare aloud isn’t like learning a new language –it’s more like listening to a strong accent and your ear soon adjusts to the new dialect. Very soon you are able to understand most of what is said. Even if you are confused about some words and phrases, you should still be able to pick up meaning from the context and the visual signals you receive from the speaker. Watch how quickly children pick up accents and new language when on holiday. This is evidence of how adaptable we are to new ways of speaking. The same is true of Shakespeare and the best antidote for Shakespearaphobia is to sit back, relax and listen to the text spoken and performed. Modern Translations at a Glance Here are modern translations of the top 10 most common Shakespearian words and phrases. Thee, Thou, Thy and Thine (You and Your) It’s a common myth that Shakespeare never uses the words â€Å"you† and â€Å"your† – actually, these words are commonplace in his plays. However, he also uses the words â€Å"thee / thou† instead of â€Å"you† and the word â€Å"thy / thine† instead of â€Å"your†. Sometimes he uses both â€Å"you† and â€Å"thy† in the same speech. This is simply because in Tudor England the older generation said â€Å"thee† and â€Å"thy† to denote a status or reverence for authority. Therefore when addressing a king the older â€Å"thou† and â€Å"thy† would be used, leaving the newer â€Å"you† and â€Å"your† for more informal occasions. Soon after Shakespeare’s lifetime, the older form passed away!Art (Are) The same is true of â€Å"art†, meaning â€Å"are†. So a sentence beginning â€Å"thou art† simply means †Å"You are†.Ay (Yes) â€Å"Ay† simply means â€Å"yes†. So, â€Å"Ay, My Lady† simply means â€Å"Yes, My Lady.†Would (Wish) Although the word â€Å"wish† does appear in Shakespeare, like when Romeo says â€Å"I wish I were a cheek upon that hand,† we often find â€Å"would† used instead. For example, â€Å"I would I were †¦Ã¢â‚¬  means â€Å"I wish I were†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Give Me Leave To (Allow Me To) â€Å"To give me leave to†, simply means â€Å"To allow me to†.Alas (Unfortunately) â€Å"Alas† is a very common word that isn’t used today. It simply means â€Å"unfortunately†, but in modern English, there isn’t an exact equivalent.Adieu (Goodbye) â€Å"Adieu† simply means â€Å"Goodbye†.Sirrah (Sir) â€Å"Sirrah† means â€Å"Sir† or â€Å"Mister†.-eth Sometimes the endings of Shakespearian words sound alien even though the root of the word is familiar. For example â€Å"speaketh† simply means â€Å"speak† and â€Å"sayeth† means â€Å"say†.Don’t, Do and Did A key absence from Shakespearian English is â€Å"don’t†. This word simply wasn’t around then. So, if you said â€Å"don’t be afraid† to a friend in Tudor England, you would have said, â€Å"be not afeard.† Where today we would say â€Å"donâ₠¬â„¢t hurt me,† Shakespeare would have said, â€Å"hurt me not.† The words â€Å"do† and â€Å"did† were also uncommon, so rather than saying â€Å"what did he look like?† Shakespeare would have said, â€Å"what looked he like?† And instead of â€Å"did she stay long?† Shakespeare would have said, â€Å"stayed she long?† This difference accounts for the unfamiliar word order in some Shakespearian sentences. I think it is important to note that when Shakespeare was alive, language was in a state of flux and many modern words were being integrated into the language for the first time. Shakespeare himself coined many new words and phrases. Shakespeare’s language is, therefore, a mixture of the old and the new.