Toward a measurement tool for the monitoring of media diversity and pluralism in South Africa: A public-centred approach

Abstract

This article responds to recent debates within South African media politics regarding the diversity and transformation of the print sector in the country, by suggesting a necessary refocus of previously used methods of measuring media diversity and proposing a more audience-centred approach. This audience-centred method is discussed with regard to meeting the demands of the normative understanding of media diversity, where the media are viewed as central to an individual's formulation of opinions and ideas, thus rendering the media – and particularly the news media – vital in fostering an enabled and informed citizenry. The argument proposes a bottom-up instead of a top-down methodology for measuring media diversity, by placing the primary focus on the public as the starting point, rather than the end point of the analysis, and validating this position through the normative view of the media's role in assisting citizens to formulate personal views. The article concludes by listing four key areas in which current debates on media diversity in South Africa should be realigned and refocused, including at a parliamentary level.     

Crossing the limen: terrorist prisoners and the politically liminal process of imprisonment

Being processed through prison, for the politically violent, can be understood to be a liminal occurrence. Drawing upon the experiences of imprisoned Republicans in Northern Ireland, this study contrasts internment and imprisonment and situates these militants within the conditions of liminality – the role of comradeship; the liminal as dangerous and polluting; their being hidden and stripped. The study explores how imprisonment seeks to refashion militants by undermining the frames for their militancy. Liminality is suggested as an alternative conceptual tool for critically reflecting upon counter-terrorism.     

An Investigation into Whether or Not the Class and Individual Characteristics of Five Turkish Manufactured Pistols Change During Extensive Firing

Abstract:  In order to assess whether or not the class and individual characteristics of a firearm change over time, five different makes of Turkish self-loading pistol were tested and were each fired a large number of times. The class and individual characteristics were identified for each pistol and the first fired cartridge case was compared with the subsequent consecutive 250th fired cases for each pistol. It was found that there were slight changes in some of the individual and class characteristics; however, this was not statistically significant and did not affect the ability of the firearms examiner to match the first fired case to the last fired case for each firearm tested.     

Unusual suicide with a chainsaw

Described here is a case of suicide with the use of a chainsaw. A female suffering from schizophrenia committed suicide by an ingenious use of a chainsaw that resulted in the transection of her cervical spine and spinal cord. The findings of the resulting investigation are described and the mechanism of suicides with the use of a chainsaw is reviewed. A dry bone study was realized to determine the bone sections, the correlation between anatomic lesions and characteristics of chainsaw. The damage of organs and soft tissues is compared according to the kinds of chainsaw used.     

“入世”与我国地理标志保护

根据世贸组织的有关规则 ,我国一旦加入世贸组织 ,将无条件地承担起对其它世贸组织成员地理标志的保护义务 ,同时 ,对方也必须对我国的地理标志实行保护。然而 ,我国国民特别是工商界人士目前对“地理标志”这一概念仍比较模糊 ,保护意识淡薄。政府有关部门对地理标志的管理和保护状况也令人担忧。本文针对我国地理标志管理和保护工作的现状与存在问题 ,提出了一些相应的改进措施和建议     

中国人四肢长骨骨性标志间各段长度与总长关系的分析

利用碎裂的长骨片段 ,计算长骨的总长。选择中国人长骨 5 0 0余例 ,取其骨性标志分段测量记录 ,将测得的数据输入计算机 ,用社会科学软件包 (SPSS)中全回归法进行统计学处理。在得出的 33个多元回归方程中 ,方程1、 9、 18、 2 6证明了骨性标志间各段长度与总长的正相关关系 ,其余 2 9个方程是在有选择的略去 1个变量和因长骨近端、远端或两端缺损使 1个或 1个以上变量缺失的情况下得出。根据碎裂长骨片段骨性标志间的长度测量值 ,应用多元回归方程 ,可计算出长骨的总长     

利用射击弹壳痕迹区分小口径枪支种类的探讨

介绍了小口径枪支的种类、性能特点,探讨通过射击弹壳痕迹区分制式、非制式枪的方法,重点分析了匕首枪、单管枪、双管枪、转轮枪等枪种的区分依据,研究了小口径枪弹壳痕迹在检验鉴定中的稳定性和变化规律.     

浅议电子商务条件下商标权的法律保护

随着数字化时代的到来,网络在商业领域的运用逐渐普遍和深入,电子商务的发展突飞猛进.在电子商务中,域名已成为识别商品或服务的重要标识.随着电子商务的发展,与网络有关的商标侵权纠纷也越来越多,商标权的保护面临新的课题,需要加以研究和探讨.     

论“六小龄童”诉蓝港在线侵犯“孙悟空”形象权

随着互联网技术的发展,对人物形象的侵权已经拓展到网络游戏中。"六小龄童"认为游戏公司侵犯其表演者权、肖像权和商标权。就表演者权而言,"六小龄童"无法拿出足够证据证明"孙悟空"形象的唯一指向性,即普通民众看见"孙悟空"形象即认为是"六小龄童"。就肖像权而言,"六小龄童"扮演的"孙悟空"是非人形象,与其本人肖像相差太多。就商标权而言,如果游戏形象与商标相同或类似,则可以构成侵权。     

味觉商标的可注册性分析——以美国“欧加农案”为视角

20世纪90年代后期,随着经济的发展和技术的进步,商家越来越多地使用非传统商标作为营销手段以获取竞争上的优势。一般而言,非传统商标包括立体商标、颜色商标、声音商标、气味商标、动态商标、触觉商标、味觉商标等等。本文试图结合欧加农案对味觉商标的可注册性进行分析,其中包括对于味觉商标的显著性、味觉商标功能性以及味觉商标注册存在的主要问题的探讨,以期能为我国《商标法》第三次修改提供一些参考。