Fine Arts of Spain at the end of the Golden Age Essay

The Spanish society during the late 1600s seemed to be a confused society as there were some developments that were so dominating. First is the series of defeats in war against France that had given Spain it first taste of what it means to be a conquered nation, second is the decline of Castile hegemony resulting to the weakening of the imperial state prompting Castilian aristocracy to take advantage of a weakened monarchy, and began to take affairs of the imperial states in their own hands, and third, is the shift of gender emphasis which may have caused all this declines and defeats. Feminization spread all through out Spanish society. According to Sedney Donel (2003), the â€Å"fear of imminent feminization of the general male populace in Imperial Spain is especially visible in certain pictorial images of the spiritual disintegration of Castilian hegemony† (Donell 2003, p. 152). According to Donell, during most artist painting illustrates â€Å"the feeling of despair and fatalism that swept over Spain as its empire began to crumble† (Donell, p. 152) What does it mean when stated that a System of Values was arising†¦? I would say that the above statement refers to the gender problems that gripped Spain during the so-called ‘golden age. ’ The rise of cultural anxiety over gender brought about by feminization has created a new value system that is associated with the love of art had contributed to the decline of the Spanish nation. Donell noted that aristocracy had embraced feminization, and even most members of this group â€Å"no longer had the means to build lavish palaces, but they consumed lavishly and became ostentatious patrons of the arts† (Donell, p. 157), which resulted in the unfolding national tragedy. Donell aptly calls this â€Å"a paradox between an economy in ruin and a cultural production that had entered a golden age† (Donnel, p. 157). It means that the values that were in Spain during this time were about the love of arts and female gender appreciation. Both Philip III and Philip were lovers of drama and did not spend much time on governing but on leisure and court fiestas. Characteristics that can be seen in El Greco Paintings The characteristic of El Greco’s paintings defect his deep devotion to Roman Catholicism and his wide knowledge of his religion. His painting also defect masculine character probably in response to the prevailing gender emphasis attracting men even in the aristocracy. Quoting Marcelin Defourneaux, Donell described the scenario, he stated â€Å"The fashion of short hair had given place to the wearing of it long, or a wig; the use perfumes and even make-up was common among of high distinction that you no longer know whether you are talking to men or to their sisters† (Donell 2003, p. 156) Thus the characteristic of his paintings seemed reminds the role that men ought to be in the society. The Paintings of Diego Velasquez Based on his available paintings, Diego Velasquez interest in paintings was not focus on religion alone. Obviously he loves to paint monarchs depicting their everyday lives, and many of his paintings were of the princess and prince and king and queen of Spain. His relation to El Greco was that he was a disciple of El Greco about modern arts. Beyond this nothing more was said about their relations. The Paintings of Bartolome Esteban Murillo Most of Murillo’s paintings expressed the childish figures and expression of serenity, sweetness, innocence, faith, tranquility, and devotion. He would also love to present the cheerful aspect of spiritual life. His religious compositions emphasized the main subject usually surrounded by angels with vaporous background to accentuate the central theme. Murillo’s painting has some similarities with that of Velasquez and El Greco. Murillo and Velasquez both created paintings that depict everyday living having children as the central subject. Both had influence of Italian way of paintings. El Greco’s painting could be considered similar with that of Murillo in such a way that they loved painting religious images. The Habsburg Kings and their Rule in Spain The Habsburg refers to the royal family that ruled Europe for over six centuries. They were known for their contribution in the advancement of Roman Catholic Church. Their regime started in old Switzerland (Swabia) and extended its holdings to other parts of Europe. The Habsburg kings in Spain that began in 1516 contributed in the centralization of Spain and the advancement of Roman Catholicism in that county. During this period, Spain reached the pinnacle of its power to many nations such as Philippines and many American colonies. Castile and Separatism Castile or Castilla is a former kingdom in Spain, which derived its name from the large castles built in that place. It was under the rule of Moors from 8th century to 1035 until Ferdinand I conquered it. The kingdom expanded when Ferdinand II married Isabella I of Castile in 1469. The merging of the two kingdoms strengthened Catholic religion and weakened the Arab strongholds, and even to the point of vanishing of them. It was during this period that Spain had divided political structure because of religious values and regional identity. Moriscos Morisco is a term given to Moslems in Spain and Portugal who were converted by force to Catholicism but continuously practicing their own faith. These Moriscos suffered from discrimination and persecution so they were driven out to North Africa. Prior to expulsion, these people were given religious freedom under the Treaty of Granada though; they were persecuted, which caused rebellions in 1499 and in 1568 to 1571. And in 1609 to 1614, these Moriscos with an estimate number at around 300,000 were totally expelled from Spain Religiosity Spanish people’s religiosity is articulated in such a way that parents transmit this belief to their offspring. It has often seen in this country some religious practices that are performed by almost all family members such as attending mass and festivities. As a practice, Spanish people observed religious festivals in remembrance of saints. Religion has the biggest contribution in the development of their culture as a country. The State of the Spanish Society Spanish society was characterized by strong regionalism and religiosity. However, a unified Spain was achieved when they finally confided themselves in one religion and one political structure especially during the reign of Ferdinand II and Isabella I. Most of the members of their society comprised the knights, bishops, nobility, and townspeople. During the reign of Ferdinand II, they had a unified Spain with advancement in trade, centralized institutions, central banking system, and advance science and discovery. Philip IV, His Son Charles, and the Pope: The French to the Spanish Crown Philip IV inherited the crown in 1621, at the age of 16, and through his reign the dream of hegemonic Spain was pervasive despite the kingdoms vulnerability both internationally and domestically. Though he implemented several economic reforms yet his reign was characterized as the end of Spain’s hegemonic era, and Castile experience utter defeat. After Philip IV’ death his son Charles II inherited the throne in 1668. However his reign was characterized by weak monarchy, and was known as golden age for the privileged classes particularly the Castilian aristocracy who took advantage of the weak monarchy. According to Charles Knight (1840), the Pope’s interest in Spain was that he wanted to restore Spain to her rank and power among nations (Knight1840, p. 78). It can be recalled that Spain under Philip IV suffered humiliating defeat and lost her prestige as hegemonic nation. Reference List Donell, S. (2003) Femenizing the Enemy: Imperial Spain, Transvestite Dramma, and the Crises: USA: Bucknell University Press. Knight, Charles. (1840) Penny Cyclopaedia of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. London: Encyclopedias and Dictionaries.

Charlie’s Wedding, A Play in One Act Essay

Gertie, a black woman, dressed in elegant black satin, stands at the window, her back to the audience. She may be polishing the glass or she may be eves-dropping on the two fashionably dressed white ladies, Mona and Sheila, who sit on a divan directly behind her, facing the audience. Mona: What on earth did he say then, Sheila? Sheila, (smiling coyly): He said he wants to marry me, of course, silly. Mona: But he can’t do that†¦can he? I mean†¦(a pause) Well†¦ you know what I mean. Men like him†¦ Sheila: That’s just the point†¦ men like him†¦they can do whatever they want. Mona: Well, I’m just saying†¦they don’t buy a cow when the milk is so cheap. Sheila: Well, he might buy the cow that gives milk as good as this one does. Mona feigns embarrassment, her hands going to her face as she buries her head in her hands for a moment. Gertie moves to the right and looks at pictures in frames on the mantle of the fireplace, now obviously listening, cocking her head to hear better. Mona: Girl, you have no shame. (Giggles) But you are about to graduate from here anyway. You don’t have to marry, you don’t have to do anything but pack your bags and run, girl. Sheila: But I might just want to get married. Isn’t it what every young lady is reared to do? Aren’t we born and bred to be the wives and ornaments of powerful men? Isn’t it my duty as a woman? Isn’t it my calling? My raison d’etre? (Misprounounces the words) Mona: If it’s what you want, then by all means you should do it. Be my guest. I will dance at your wedding with a cow-bell on. But it’s not going to be to that two-timing Charlie O’Brian, I surely do hope, child. Gertie moves until she is standing at the side of Sheila, picks up a small bowl from the end table and is wiping it slowly. Sheila: Well how can you be so presumptuous? I mean, what do you know about it anyway? And why do you say he is a two-timer? If you know some gossip that I don’t then you are bound by your duty as a woman to tell me. Gertie puts down the bowl and speaks: Yes, Miss Mona, do tell all you know about this two-timing Charlie O’Brian. Do you have some reason to suspect he may not be as morally upright and Christianified as he purports to be? Is he, perhaps†¦a†¦man of low degree? The three women laugh and Gertie takes a seat in the chair, in profile to the audience, putting her feet up on a ottoman and fanning herself from her labor. Gertie: Let me tell you about men†¦ all men. They are idiots†¦all idiots, and Charlie O’Brian is their Lizard King. They are all just big boys. They never grow up and they never think with the head they have on their shoulders. I know you can guess which head it is that they do think with, without me having to say. But they control the money and politics and they control the laws and we have to work around them to get what we want. Now, as for this Charlie O’Brian, he has proposed to half the women in this sorority and that is a natural fact. He got big drunk last Christmas and asked me to run off with him. I told him that for twenty dollars I would run into the pantry with him for a spell, but that is all of the running I meant to do. Child, no man is ever faithful to no woman and I will tell you how you can be sure of what a man is up to. If you think he is faithful to you then he is most likely cheating on you. But if you think he is cheating on you, then he is positively cheating on you. And you can take that to the bank, honey. Sheila: We all know how men are. But Charlie is different. He loves me. He really does Gertie: Sugar, last year he loved Abbie, and the year before that he loved Sara Lynn. He loves a lot of ladies. And lots of ladies love him. But ain’t none of them ever got a brand on his li’l narrow behind. Mona laughs: Gertie, you are such a romantic soul. But you are wrong about Charlie boy. He loves a lot of women but he don’t love any of them. We all know about commercial affection. That’s why there are sporting houses and sporting ladies who can be found in them, and men know all them and they go sow their wild oats and then pray for a crop failure. Charlie O’Brian haunts sporting houses. He is a sporting man. He is going to leave you crying. Sheila looks at Mona, irritated: Well Miss Know It All, that just proves my point, because men don’t marry sporting ladies do they? They marry good girls, from good families. They marry ladies of wit, breeding and sagacity. They go sow those wild oats but then when nesting time comes around they look for a woman who is better than any sporting lady. They look for someone who can entertain for them, can give them sons and can keep their home for them. I don’t care where my man gets his kicks so long as he kicks his boots off at home with me. I am a pragmatic person. I understand the ways of the world. I did not just fall of no turnip truck, and believe it or not, I did not come to this town riding two to the mule. Mona looks at Gertie who shrugs her shoulders, then speaks: Honey, you are missing one very important point. You are too good for Charlie O’Brian. He is beneath you and that’s a fact. You will never be happy with someone like him. He is common as dirt. He is in the trades. He will keep you filled up with a belly-full of children and leave you barefoot and pregnant. He is not good enough for you. Get him out of your pretty little empty head. Now, lets discuss this party, we have to finish these plans. We are really getting short of time now. Christmas will be here before you know it and we can’t wait til the very last minute. Gertie stands and picks up her dust cloth and moves behind the divan, facing the audience, looking down at the other two girls: This party is going to be such a bore. Boy girl, boy girl, boy girl†¦so boring. We should invite some transvestites and some of them folk what you call hermaphrodites of both sexes and let everyone try to guess who is who and who has what and just see how that messes up the seating arrangements. (Laughs) Mona: That would make it a party to remember. Do you know any real transvestites? Oh, I’m sure you do. You are so worldly, Gertie. (Mona and Sheila laugh) Sheila: Well, I’m more interested in making wedding plans than Christmas party plans. I want the wedding to be here. Right in this room. We’ve all have had so much fun here, and there are so many good memories associated with this room. Yes, I’ve made my mind up. I want to come down those stairs (points off stage, left) and I want all my friends to be here and see me on the happiest day of my life. Gertie: Girl, you are serious? You said yes to Charlie O’Brian? Sheila nods and speaks: I told him last night. He said he wants to marry me on New Year’s Eve. I told him I was going to go away for the holidays but he asked me to stay in town. It’s official. I told him I will marry him on New Year’s Eve, just like he wants me to. Mona: Sheila, please, listen to me. Charlie O’Brian is no good. I would never say a word to harm you but I can’t sit here and watch you just dash headlong off of no cliff. He is not the man you think he is. He is not a good person. He is a liar and a fake and he will end up dead or in prison and he will drag you down with him. You are too fine a person to make such a terrible match. You just can’t let yourself sink to his level. Sheila: Mona, please. Why are you doing this? What have I ever done to you that you would disrespect me so much? Charlie is the only man who has ever treated me with any of the common courtesies. He doesn’t paw me, or try to kiss me when we are alone. He behaves like the perfect gentleman. Gertie puts down her dust cloth and moves back to her chair, She pulls it closer to the divan and sits down, leaning forward conspiratorially: Sheila, child, I may be out of place to say this, but Mona is right. That Charlie O’Brian is bad news. Don’t you know he got into a fight with a man over a card game? In a public place? He is one step from disaster all the time. He is a common ruffian when he is drunk and he is drunk most all of the times. He can’t be trusted any further than you could toss a bull by the tail. He is a daddy’s boy and won’t ever be nothing that his daddy don’t let him be. Hasn’t your schooling here taught you anything? It seems at least you would have learned to read men. Child, I’m saying this for your own good, Mona is right, you can’t marry that Charlie fellow. He is not good enough for you. I beg of you to reconsider your answer and tell that Mister O’Brian that you have reconsidered and you find that you cannot become his wife. Sheila buries her face in her hands sobbing Mona leans forward to comfort her, but Gertie gestures for her to stop Gertie: Child, I am sorry that I have made you feel bad but the simple fact is that you have to recognize that what Mona and I are telling you is for your own good and it is the gospel truth. Sheila stands: I don’t want to hear anymore of this. I don’t know how you figure that Charlie is not good enough for me. He has a good position in his father’s business and he can take care of me. I know that it’s not considered proper but he and I have discussed finances. I have agreed to put my trust money into a business proposal which he has become interested in. He is sure it will put us on easy street and I believe in him and I believe in his ideas. His father will finance half of it and I am going to put in the balance. But most importantly, ladies, he loves me passionately. We have spoken of our future together and we have decided to marry quickly without any long engagements. You ladies know I was orphaned and this sorority is what I reckon as my family. It’s the only family I have ever really had. You are all as close to me as blood sisters could be and I do appreciate you trying to look out for my best interest. But you just don’t know Charlie O’Brian like I know him. He wants me for the rest of his life and I want him the same. Sheila walks slowly out of the room, stage left: Gertie, to Mona, in a soft voice: What are we to do? Mona: What can we do? Gertie: Has she lost her mind or is she just yanking our chain? I swear I can’t get a fix on what she is thinking. But I’m prone to think she is believes this. That he is going to marry her. My god, this will destroy her if that is the case. Can we get Miss Edith to ban him? Keep him out of here? Mona: Miss Edith? Ban a paying customer? Are you a crack ho? Gimme a taste of what you is using. I don’t want no whole one†¦ just gimme a li’l taste, girl. Gertie laughs, then speaks: If he came in here and beat her up†¦if he broke her ribs, Miss Edith would ban him. Why let him break her heart? Mona: How long has she been here? Seriously? How can she believe anything a john tells her? She has served her indentures and is going to leave inside of six months with a nice piece of change. Hasn’t she learned anything? This has to be some kind of elaborate joke, don’t you think? You know how she has always been. How she calls us her sisters†¦how she call the house a sorority. She isn’t serious, and she isn’t putting on airs. It is just her way of coping with being a prostitute. But, lordy, what if she is smitten? What if she has fallen for the no good scalawag? Gertie: You want to know what Charlie O’Brian has in mind for a business deal? He wants to buy this house. Do you think he plans to get some funds out of her by saying he will marry her? Maybe we should tell Miss Edith all about this plan. Mona: No, I just had an inspiration. Why don’t we go the other way? Why not talk it up. Go overboard, all out in favor of it? Make it a matter of public record? Announce the engagement. Announce a big wedding right here on Christmas Eve? Let young Mister O’Brian put up or shut up? We just pretend we accept it as a done deal. We just go on with the wedding plans. Gertie giggles at the thought, then speaks: No! Wait†¦We are goin’ to be all decorated up for Christmas. We get Miss Edith to announce the imminent wedding when Charlie gets a few under his belt this coming Saturday night? We tell Miss Edith its just all a big joke on Charlie. We get the piano player to play Here Comes the Bride and let Sheila come down them stairs right there in a white gown. Charlie is all hat and no cattle but we can fix that. I know how. It looks like a win-win situation for us. He either backs out, and looks like a liar and a fool, or he goes ahead and marries a lady of the evening, which will cause his daddy to cut his manhood off so he can’t reproduce. (laughs) It would be so appropriate to have him look like a four-flusher or a fool in front of all his peers. We can get Parson Maybury to hang around just in case we need a few appropriate words†¦in case Charlie is drunk enough to do it. Oh my god, what I wouldn’t give to see him wake up the next morning married to Sheila. Mona: Miss Edith would never let us jack with a customer like that. Gertie: Not if she thinks we’re serious. But so long as we put it to her as an elaborate joke done in good honest fun†¦ It will be perfect for the holidays. We can convince her its entertainment and will bring in some new customers just to watch Charlie O’Brian marry a working girl. Arnie Harris works at City Hall. He will get me a blank marriage license if I ask him sweetly. We have good ol’ Harry on the piano. Todd Baker can take the wedding photos. Most of the men in this town dislike the O’Brians and would enjoy a good laugh at Charlie’s expense. You know, probably fifty per cent of the men in this town have gone up those stairs right there at some time in their life. (points) Then there is forty per cent of the men in this town who wish they could. Which leaves us with about ten percent who would like to take care of the 40 per cent who can’t make it, but that’s another story, but about ninety-five per cent of them do not like the O’Brians. Mona: Oh my god, girl, that would be the funniest thing I ever saw, to have spoilt, rich, pampered goodie two-shoes Charlie O’Brian married in the parlour of the finest House in all of New Orleans. And see the pictures spread all over the Sunday Times- Picayune†¦in the society section. We can make up a guest list. Include the governor’s name. Oh my god†¦girl, you’re a genius. (laughs). We don’t have to say they came, just say they was invited. Every man in town who is not an actual customer is fair game. Miss Edith would have our heads for revealing the names of actual customers but there ain’t no social taboo against revealing names of customers of the competition is there? Gertie: No, I would reckon they are fair game. Mona: We got to let Cloonie in on this. He can get some of the guys to go along with this. Bring in some tuxedos for the wedding party, for the pictures. Get a pen and paper, Gertie, we got to make a list of everything we need. I want it to be just perfect for Mister Charlie O’Brian’s wedding. What do you call them little fancy flowers men wear in their button hole? Well, we even want to get some of them. Oh yes, we have to do this up right. Charlie’s momma may want to send these pictures out to all the relatives who couldn’t actually make it to her son’s social event of the season, a whore-house wedding. Gertis: I’ll check to make sure, but Beaulah usually keeps some of that laudanum on hand for her croupe. If she is out she can get Doc Baines to send over a fresh bottle. Charlie will go to ordering his fancy little stemware glasses full of brandy and benedictine†¦he thinks that’s so posh†¦then he slips into that god-awful fake English accent and goes to calling himself Mister B and B. That sweet mess has such an odor about it that I could pour in a cup of creosote and he wouldn’t ever come close to tasting the difference. He sure won’t notice no dab of laudanum poured in. After a couple of shots of that stuff he will be cocked and primed. He will do what ever he is told to do, and smile while he is doing it. Mona: You know, there aren’t many of our customers who are disliked enough for us to pull this off on them. But Charlie O’Brian is pretty much universally thought to be a piece of human detritus. Everyone thinks he is a smarmy low life. This is perfect. Gertie: well, not totally perfect. We still aren’t sure where Sheila fits into all of this. What she is really thinking. Does she believe Charlie or is she just blowing smoke up our dresses to pass a cold winter day? Mona: Well†¦what difference is it? If she wants to marry him, she is going to end up married, with a ring and a license and she legally owns half his property as well. If she doesn’t, then we tell her it’s just all one big practical joke and we laugh about it. Gertie and Mona stand, Gertie speaks: That’s the thing I miss most about being in the sporting life. I miss the weddings. This is going to be some good fun. (Both women exit the stage, loudly humming The Wedding March)

Qnt565

University of Phoenix Material – Sonya Cargill 11/12/12 Week Five Calculations Read the following scenarios, and answer the accompanying questions. 1. Statistics students were asked to fill a one-cup measure with raisin bran, then tap the cup lightly on the counter three times to settle the contents. If necessary, they were instructed to add more raisin bran to bring the contents exactly to the one-cup line, then spread the contents on a large plate, and count the raisins.The 13 students who chose Kellogg’s Raisin Bran obtained the results shown below: 23334436294231336136342324 †¢ Calculate the mean, median, and mode. Is the distribution skewed to the left or to the right? Mean: 34. 5, Mode: 23,33,36, Median: 33 The mean is greater than the median†¦. therefore the distribution should be skewed to the right. †¢ Which is the best measure of central tendency and why? Mean – the data doesn’t have any real outliers and is roughly symmetric. Calc ulate the standard deviation. Why is there variation in the number of raisins in a cup of raisin bran? Why might it be difficult for Kellogg’s to reduce variation? Standard deviation is: 10. 3087.The variation in the number of raisins in a cup of raisin bran could be a result the size flakes or possibly the size of the raisins that may skew the numbers from being equal. 2. The following are monthly rents paid by 30 students who live off-campus. 730730730930700570 901030740620720670 560740650660850930 600620760690710500 730800820840720700 †¢ Find the mean, median, mode, and standard deviation. Mean: 725 Mode: 730 Median: 720 Standard Deviation: 114. 28 †¢ Describe the typical rent paid by a student. 720 †¢ Do the measures of central tendency agree? Explain. Yes, they are pretty close to each other (mean, mode, median) in range. †¢ Are there outliers or unusual data values? No †¢ Do you think the data could come from a normal population? Yes

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The Benefits and Risks of Food Steroids, Antibiotics, and Sprays in Research Paper

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FINANCIAL REPORTING & MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING Case Study

FINANCIAL REPORTING & MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING - Case Study Example From there, they gained a contract from IBM and in 1985, they both partnered in the development of the OS/2 operating system. That same year, her first retail version of Microsoft Windows came out and in 1986 they went public with an initial price of $21 per share, closing the day in $28. Today, Microsoft Corporation stands as the worldwide leader in software, services and varied ideas and solutions that helps not only businesses but broadens and makes knowledge easier. They have as their registered trademarks today, MS-DOS, .NET, office XP, 2007 office system, windows server, and windows versions like, 3.0, 95, 98, 2000, XP and Vista. As of August 2007, the corporation had a total real estate portfolio of 24,166,129square feet (in 565 sites) of which 13,918,070 were leased (in 482 sites) and 10,248,059 were owned (in 83 sites). Microsoft had a higher profit margin in 2003 which witnessed a sharp drop in 2004. This went up again in 2005 but after that period, it has been dropping yearly. However her return on assets which also dropped in 2004 is increasing from 2005 on a yearly basis. But, the increase on Microsoft's return on equity after her drop from 2003/2004 is very great. Her basic earning power too has improved greatly. The receivable turnover of Microsoft has been somewhat reducing which denotes the fact that she gives out more free ride to its customers. This turnover should increase and thus an increase in physical cash. This poor receivable turnover is also realized when we take a proper look into the day's sales outstanding. It's on the increase which is not good for the corporation. Inventory turnover too is dropping which is bad whereas both fixed asset turnover and total asset turnover are slightly increasing. In all, Microsoft is not managing her assets properly and greater care must be placed on this issue. Exhibit A-2: Asset Utilization Ratios Asset Management 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 Receivable Turnover 6.19 6.25 5.54 4.75 4.51 DSO 58.92 58.36 65.87 76.79 80.95 Inventory Turnover 50.29 87.49 81.03 29.96 45.36 FA Turnover 1.56 1.69 1.80 2.15 2.22 TFA Turnover 0.40 0.40 0.56 0.64 0.81 Liquidity Any company's liquidity position is determined by comparing assets to liabilities; current liquidity considers current assets and current liabilities only. The Quick Ratio is similar to Current except that it carves out inventories. Microsoft has a very bad liquidity situation when we look on the two tests and this denotes the fact that, they have a weaker position to handle short-term obligations. Exhibit A-3: Liquidity Ratios Liquidity 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 Current Ratio 4.22 4.71 2.89 2.18 1.69 Acid Test/ Quick ratio 4.17 4.69 2.86 2.12 1.64 Debt Utilization Having her debt ratio together with her times interest earned going up denotes the fact that this corporation is very risky as the years go by. But, as they carry more debt, they have a better coverage of debt as their EBITDA coverage reduces, thus their interest payments are well

The Rational Consumer Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Rational Consumer - Personal Statement Example The alternative I have for buying gasoline is use of other types of fuels and public means of transport. However, in substituting these alternatives with buying gasoline, I must incur an opportunity cost. According to Hussain (2010), an opportunity cost is the cost incurred when one turns from using a product to using its best alternative. In this particular case, the opportunity cost for buying gasoline is the inconvenience of using public means of transport and engine malfunctions due to use of other fuels. Due to this opportunity cost, I will not be able to turn to zero consumption in the short run. However, I might later turn to zero consumption by acquiring an engine specifically made to use other fuels. In the short run, when the price of gasoline increases, the expenses on other goods will increase especially for substitute of gasoline. The reason for this is substitution effect. Substitution effect is the relative change in consumption of a product as consumers substitute it with cheaper substitutes (Hirschey, 2008). As the price of gasoline increases, I would substitute it with its cheaper alternatives and thus the income I spend on those other goods would

LONG-TERM OBJECTIVES Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

LONG-TERM OBJECTIVES - Essay Example Executives of companies consider the long-term objectives before deciding the necessary organizational changes. Since objectives have timelines, they serve as guidelines for the organization to determine the strategies used to achieve them. Executive teams involved in strategic planning should differentiate between value disciplines, generic and grant strategies if they seek to gain competitive advantage. Notably, generic strategies denote the ideas that an organization can use to have an advantage over competitors in the market. Three different generic strategies exist. They include low-cost leadership, differentiation, and focus differentiation (Dye & Sibony, 2007). Low-cost leadership involves the reduction of the cost of production. Since a company registers lower production costs, it can offer standard products at relatively lower prices than competitors can. Differentiation involves the improvement of product features in an effort to add value to the customers. Differentiation may result in premium prices for the products. Focus differentiation targets a specific market segment. Companies that indulge in the focus differentiation design unique products that can satisfy the needs and expectations of an identified target market that can pay premium prices. On the other hand, value disciplines include operational excellence, customer intimacy, and product leadership. Finally, executives should give considerations to grant strategies, which denote the basic directions that they should follow in making strategic decisions (Ali, 2014). Understanding the difference between value disciplines, generic and grant strategies are of critical importance when companies seek to gain competitive

National governments and international institutions in relation to Essay

National governments and international institutions in relation to policy on international trade - Essay Example These relations depend on the country a particular business person is importing from or exporting to (Carbaugh, 2004). Countries such as the United States of America are known to enforce some of these policies on imports and exports. Their primary aim is to favor the business people. The same case applies to the United Kingdom. Their import duty rates are reduced to almost nil courtesy of the implemented government policies (Fujita, 1999). The procedure of importing and exporting of goods was also made less complicated. There is known to be high-level trade between countries. Hence, trading tariffs are significantly reduced. Most global business people and corporations feel highly considered since they can sell internationally without any transaction issues. Several national governments have provided open-border options to ease trade across countries that share borders. This policy involves allowing people from neighboring countries to go across borders without having to produce the usual strictly scrutinized legal papers that allow them into other countries. This case of international business growth can be seen in the East African Community (Grimwade, 2000). This regional community is one that allows a business to take place across borders of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. The kind of trade that takes place between these three nations involves the sale or agricultural produce and raw materials. Fresh vegetables and grain are usually sold at standardized prices across these borders, making it one of the most successful interactions in these region in terms of business. Mineral are also traded across these borders. The kind of business that is promoted by this policy is not that of overseas shipping of goods. It is rather a simple way of easing transactions taking place between business people of different countries without many hindrances. The elimination of the borders in terms of

Galileo Galilei Essay Example for Free

Galileo Galilei Essay Galileo Galilei is an Italian astronomer, physicist, philosopher, and mathematician. He ranks with Archimedes, Newton, and Einstein as one of the greatest scientists of all time. His discoveries, made with the crudest of equipment, were brilliant examples of scientific deduction. Galileo’s studies of natural laws laid the groundwork for the experimental scientists who followed him. Galileo was born at Pisa, the son of a musician who planned a medical career for him. He began studying medicine at the University of Pisa. According to legend, Galileo made his first major discovery at this time. He is said to have used his pulse to time the swinging of a suspended lamp in a cathedral; he found that, no matter how far the lamp swung, the timing has always the same (Drake, 2002). In later life Galileo established the fact that a free-swinging object, or pendulum, moves in uniform time intervals. Pendulum clocks are a common application of this principle. Thesis Statement: This paper scrutinizes the life and contributions of Galileo Galilei. II. Discussion Galileo constructed the first telescope used for astronomical observations; the observations he made supported Copernicus’ theory that the sun is the center of the solar system. In physics, Galileo discovered the principles of motion followed by swinging pendulums, falling bodies, and flying projectiles. Galileo used his heartbeat to time the period of a pendulum. He realized that a pendulum could be used as a standard of time for a clock (Rose 2004). Pendulum clocks are still sold today, more than three hundred years after their invention. Moreover, changing from the study of medicine to that mathematics and natural science, Galileo conducted experiments on gravity that brought him to public attention. In 1589, he became a lecturer on mathematics at the University of Pisa, and began his studies of falling bodies. According to legend, as mentioned earlier, he dropped objects from the Leaning Tower of Pisa to prove his theory that bodies fall at the same speed and with the same acceleration regardless of their weight and size. He also demonstrated that projectiles follow a parabolic path. These discoveries were contrary to the teachings of the ancient Greek scientist and philosopher Aristotle, many of whose ideas had for centuries been accepted without question. Galileo aroused such opposition that in 1951 he was forced to resign from the university (Rose 2004). The next year Galileo obtained a professorship in mathematics at the University of Padua, where he remained for 18 years. This was a period of successful research, acclaim, and prosperity for Galileo. In 1609, Galileo received news of the invention, in Flanders, of a device that made a distant objects appear larger. He immediately set out to build such a device for himself. The final result was a 32-power refracting telescope, with which he made series of major discoveries (Poupard 2005). He found by observation that the moon shone only from reflected light; that the Milky Way was formed of a multitude of stars; and that the planet Jupiter was circled by several moons. His discoveries caused great excitement among astronomers; he was besieged with orders for telescopes. In 1610, Galileo left Padua for Florence to become official mathematician and philosopher to Grand Duke Cosimo II de’ Medici. By the end of the year his telescopic discoveries included the rings of Saturn, the phases of Venus, and sun spots. His observations clearly confirmed the theory of the Polish astronomer Copernicus that the earth and planets revolved around the sun. The church, however, had accepted as conforming the Bible the earlier idea of the planets and sun revolving around the stationary earth. When Galileo visited Rome in 1611 he was given a welcome by Church officials befitting one of the greatest astronomers of all time, as he was then acknowledged to be. This gave him the courage to announce his support of the Copernican theory of the solar system. Controversy flared. Although warned by the Church to avoid religious interpretation of his theory, Galileo attempted to prove it by quoting the Bible. He was told by the Church in 1616 to abandon the Copernican theory because it contradicted the Bible. In 1632, however, he published Dialogue on the Two Chief Systems of the World, in which he revived his argument in favor of the Copernican system. Galileo was then summoned to appear before the Inquisition and forced to renounce the view that the earth moves around the sun (Poupard, 2005). Although sentenced to imprisonment, he was permitted to retire to his home, where he continued his studies. III. Conclusion As a conclusion, Galileo Galilei made great contributions to our society through his invention and discoveries. His works are highly acclaimed and made significant impact in the fields of mathematics, physics, astronomy, and in sciences. Reference: Drake, Stillman (2003). Cause, Experiment, and Science: a Galilean Dialogue (University of Chicago) Poupard, Paul (2005. Galileo at work: Toward a Resolution of 350 Years of Debate, 1633-1983 (Duquesne University). Rose, Sidney (2004). Galileo and the Magic Numbers (Little, Brown).

How music influences the fashion industry

How music influences the fashion industry This study is purposely carried out in order to find out whether music has any influence on fashion. The research question that will be a guide to the establishment of the intended explanation will be: Does music influence fashion? The hypothesis therefore for this study will be; music has had a great influence on fashion both now and in the recent historical times. This is greatly supported by the fact that music is an independent variable and has everlasting effects of various aspects of the society including fashion (Powell, 2001, pp 134). Fashion in this case will serve as a dependent variable since it is affected differently by the different types of music that exist within the society. Additionally, it has been seen that fashion changes with the entry of a certain song to the music industry (Lounger In Society, 2009, pp 4). This study as it tries to establish the effect of music on fashion will provide helpful information to the fashion designers because they will be able to id entify the best marketing strategies for their products by relating it to a particular genre of music that is considered fashionable (Huntley, 1972, pp 66). Introduction There are various entities in every society that influences its behavior and interaction among its members. The way people work, relate, play, eat or even dance is influenced by music in one way or the other. Within the society, it is also important to note that its members have different tastes and preferences to various kinds of music (Powell, 2001, pp 137). Such kind of music includes reggae, rhythm and blues, pop, rock, classical, hip-hop, jazz among others. Music in essence is a form of an art that organizes sound in a melodious manner with the aim of expressing feelings and emotions. It is rare on earth to find a human being who does not have a taste to any kind of music (Shmoop University, 2000, pp 13). The music could either be international like reggae, pop and rock, or local as used by various native languages within a certain locality. Music has tremendously grown and may prove hectic for one to be able to categorize it into various types because its origin may not be easi ly decoded by history (Huntley, 1972, pp 69). The study of behavior and music shows that music has an eccentric influence on fashion as manifested by the trends emulated by youths and other members of the society. Fashion can be defined as the mirror of what the society thinks and does within a certain period of time (Randel, 2003, pp 253). This is widely noticeable when music of a particular genre is released and attracts the attention of many listeners. This is also expressed through the radio stations that people listen to and the videos for the songs they watch. Music is an integral part of the social environment and cannot be avoided. It also influences how young people grow up and ultimately contributes in the setting of various societal norms (Campbell, 1994, pp 27). This is seen as a way that creates excitement and alters how an individual especially teenagers dress and decide to emulate the dressing code of a particular singer. This research will greatly dwell in providing evidence that the various trends in the music i ndustry have had a big influence on fashion (Warner, 2003, pp 123). Aims and objectives It has always been and will remain to be a belief that music is the food of the soul and a panacea of the mind as greatly depicted by the ability of children and other individuals to grasp a verse of a particular song within a short time (Randel, 2003, pp 253). This becomes a relevant topic because it influences different dressing styles of the society being examined. The purpose of this research therefore is to revisit the evolution and history of music and cultural backgrounds, outline various types of music, examine the prominent debates relating to music and fashion, and enumerate various fashion trends in each type of music. The research will further introduce and examine various fashion designers, musicians, and photographers who have influenced fashion through their careers particularly music (Cargan, 2007, pp 116). Literature review The success of this research and the definite provision of solutions to the identified objectives will dwell on the facts provided by various writings that relate to this topic. Various authors have shared their arguments and made immense contributions to indicate that indeed, music has an influence on fashion. This is clearly pointed out and illustrated by the dressing styles that people copy when they listen to a particular type of music. Tortora and Eubank in their book Survey of historic costume: a history of Western dress argued that the industry related to fashion has always been a risky venture due to unpredictable dressing trends emulated by the society caused by the dynamics in music industry. They pointed out that people changed the ways they dressed to imitate that of the singers in any famous song within a particular period of time (Tortora Eubank, 2005, pp 171, 519). An article by Hunter in the Cincinnati Magazine points out clearly that music and fashion are one entity and they go hand in hand. He used an example of the seventies where there was spontaneous freedom in the choice of music that was attractive to the youthful population of the time. During that time, people went for the outfits that would make one look disco-like and contrasts the ones of the nineties. He however showed that the fashion tastes for a particular age-group may be different and this is enhanced by music that they listen to (Hunter, 1997, pp 50). Duran Alan on the other hand gives diverse interpretations that have been given as it relates to fashion. He uses an example of David Bowies song, Fashion that clearly points out how rock music is intertwined with fashion concerning the dancing styles and mode of dress. According to him, the interpretation of fashion and how it has been affected by music does not involve the taking of rigid stands and should not be assumed (Dur an, 1984, pp 189). Wilbekin on his part while interviewing Armani (a designer) was able to find out that most of the fashion outfits he makes are determined by the type of music people listen to. An example of hip hop music is given where he says that it embraces the fact that one becomes more real and individualistic. This is because according to Armani, all rules of fashion have been broken by hip hop by technically fusing sportswear and high fashion. In addition, he says that the street wear has formed a fundamental idea of modern and casual lifestyles. We can be able to identify that this magazine critically answers our research question. He also uses the examples of DAngelo, Mariah Carey, and Lauryn Hill to explain the influence that the musicians have made in his fashion boutique. He also points out that most hip hop artists are attracted to the legendary Italian wear like suits, fedoras, and jewelry and this will automatically be copied by their listeners (Wilbekin, 2000, pp 172). In her book, Fundamentals of sociology, Sharma points out that music refines human tendencies in day to day life which enhances the societal feelings depicted through singing and dancing. He also adds that since there have been improved modes of communication, the influence of a particular genre of music spans over a wide area thus proving a universal effect (Sharma, 1996, pp 345). The effects are clearly brought out when Steele analyses the effects music has had to the society for the last fifty years (Steele, 2000, pp 155). It critically examines the effect it has brought culturally, socially and even economically. It is important to point out that during the same period, there was a great evolution of music and thus the effects were diverse. She enhances her analysis by using fashion pictures thus providing the required evidence of the changing fashion trends of the time (Steele, 2000, pp 163). Blackwell and Stephan in the book Brands that Rock have used Madonna as a perfect example to bring in the fact that music influences everything and fashion cannot be left out. They explain that music hypnotizes everybody and this relates to Madonnas fashion of KISS. They have indicated that the success of this fashion trend was achieved due to various performances and shows in clubs (Blackwell et al, 2004, pp 157). What would follow were unprecedented sales of the clothing inclined to the KISS fashions. In this case, it has been illustrated that people were able to elevate themselves to megastar status by choosing music as the best choice to do so. This involved the choosing of the best music style that was acceptable and quality and this would influence people of all categories (Blackwell et al, 2004, pp 153). Bunt on the other hand categorically states that because music influences the society, the effect will automatically shift to fashion. This serves to answer our research quest ion because Bunt has shown that music has some influence on fashion (Bunt, 19994, pp 98). The effort of Radano and Bohlman cannot be left out in this research due to their contribution in the provision of facts of the effects of Gypsy music in rural Hungary. According to them, the effect of this kind of music swept the rural Hungary irrespective of the age bracket. This was followed by the imitation of the dressing culture of the musicians and this had immense effect on the fashion and the traditional musical traditions (Radano and Bohlman, 2000, pp 409). In his comparative studies, Kerman in his part took much consideration on the assimilative culture of Elizabethan madrigal. According to him, the impetus of copying foreign musical styles led to the local flourishing of musicians and within a short span of twenty five years, the whole fashion industry had drastically changed. He credits the cause of the changes to the native inspiration of musicians and their fans (Kerman, 1962, pp 130). Hockx and Strauss on their part made a significant impact in this field by taking a study on the Chinese culture. According to them, the dressing culture of the cities of Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou have been influence by a particular musical genre. Beijing for instance has faced a lot influence from rock music while the city of Xinjiang has been influenced by pop music. They also point out that this has contributed immensely in dynamic change of fashion where music is the driving force. The local music industry has seen itself adapting to innovative ways which are instantly copied by the fashion industry and ultimately their fans (Hockx Straus, 2005, pp 3). Hendrickson in his book Musica Christi gives us some information about the effect that music has had on fashion. He takes into consideration a discussion by various theologians that shows that the dynamic nature of music has influenced the defining of analogia entis and fashion. The effect of musical styles on fashion during the renaissance period has also been wholly discussed and this goes in line with our research question and our objectives (Hendrickson, 2005, pp 83). Sims in his book Rock Fashion illustrates and explains the fashion trends that have accompanied the changing times of rock music. One example is the fetish wear items and biker clothes that were won by singers and this was immediately imitated by the listeners. Chain jackets and sideburns that the rock musicians like are most of the time seen among their listeners and fans. Sims goes ahead and uses the example of Cliff Richards white tie and Johnny Kidds eye patching that made most of their fans to change their wardrobe. His contribution in this research extends further when he points out that in the past forty years, the rock stars have influenced fashion in various cultural groups of the world (Sims, 2001, pp 14). Jones in his book Fashion Design expresses music as an inspiration to the world of fashion since designers are forced in one way or the other to be creative and follow the fashion details and fabrics that would fit the listener market for a particular genre of music. He p oints out that a good fashion designer goes with the music of the time if he/she has to make good sales. This clearly points out how music influences fashion (Jones, 2005, pp 17). An article by Tony Ware in the CMJ Music Magazine titled Brand New Wave describes the dressing trends of the eighties where musicians wore asymmetrical outfits to battle for their commercial space in the discos. This extended to the various geometric haircuts by musicians like Britney and Kid Rock. From this analysis, we can point out clearly that the fans would go ahead and ape their model stars especially in the field of hip hop and pop (Tony, 2001, 45). Vernallis in her book Experiencing music video: aesthetics and cultural context, takes into consideration enormous effect that music video has influenced music and fashion. The visual imagery that pop songs of the sixties had on the society according to her, affected fashions to a very large extend. She points out clearly that the introductions of music videos enabled the fans to watch for themselves and thus were able to identify the particular dressing styles of their stars. They would in turn copy it and thus making the fashion of the society to be affected in a way that follows the trends of the time (Vernallis, 2004, pp 287). Shepherd John in his book titled Continuum Encyclopedia of Popular Music of the World: Media, industry and society made a significant contribution to this research by identifying the various musical types and how they have influence fashion. His book contains contributions from more than a hundred individuals relating to how popular music has influenced the society. His works contain all the influences music has had on the societal culture which of course has a direct influence on fashion trends that accompanies the songs. The book clearly indicates that, regardless of any part of the world, music has a significant influence on the trending trends of the listeners (Shepherd, 2003, pp 56). Morrell Ernest in his book Becoming Critical Researchers uses the evidence from the urban culture teenagers to conclude his finding that music has a direct influence on fashion. He says that hip hop for instance influences fashion as indicated by a college student wearing a T-shirt and a hat which i s mostly a characteristic of hip hop musicians (Morrell, 2004, pp 72). The contributions made by Kendall Diana to this research cannot be left out because she has brought clearly the aspect of fashion as a valued style of behavior found in many areas of our lives including music (Martin Lehu, 2009, pp 34). She further asserts that contemporary music and clothing in the United States to some extent reflect some aspect of African, Caribbean, and Asian culture. It is also in this book that we can be able to know that music has facilitated cross-cultural influence in fashion indicated by the dressing styles that accompany the song in question (Kendall,2009, pp 66). Bennet, Temperley and Yang in their book Lectures on musical life, endeavored to show the influence that music as an art has had on fashion. According to them, music is rooted in the acceptable manners of the society and these results in dynamism associated with every kind of new music that comes across. They went ahead and pointed out that the performance of a particular fashion as rooted on mu sic has a traceable and more gradual effect on the composition of the song itself (Bennet et al, 2006, pp 146). Research Methodology The primary method that was used to obtain the answers to the objectives of this research involved the use of questionnaire. A well structured questionnaire was formulated and contained probing questions that would ensure that the correct answers are obtained from those whom they were administered to. The use of this method of obtaining the required data is reliable and facts are recorded instantly thus merited (Miller Salkind, 2000, 27). The method is also advantageous because information is obtained from the correct person and not second hand which would otherwise lead to distortion of results (Lippman, 1999, pp 34). The presence of the person who is administering the questionnaire is also an advantage for this method because the questions that have not been understood may further be explained in more understandable manner. The method however, is too involving and cumbersome. In addition, it was realized that open-ended questions took longer time to be answered and took long time to be analyzed while some respondents made a lot of exaggeration in some other questions (Cargan, 2007, pp 116). The questionnaire that was used in this research consisted of twenty five questions all which were geared towards achieving the objectives of the research. Some of the questions included among the following: What is music? What is fashion? Is fashion influenced by music? Give the instances that you think fashion has been influenced by music? What types of music do you know? Briefly describe the history of music according to your own understanding. Name any musician who has influenced your wardrobe or that of someone you know (Titon et al, 2009 25). These are some of the sample questions that were in the questionnaire among others. In order to minimize errors and enhance accuracy, two hundred and fifty questionnaires were prepared and administered over randomly selected individuals. Results were then collected and analyzed before arriving at the final conclusion (Metz Benson, 1999, pp 166). The other primary method that was used was direct interview with identified clients. Interview however had fewer questions than the questionnaire but answers were more detailed because the interviewer could use various skills to identify if the person they are interviewing has answered the question correctly (Seale, 2004, pp 165). Wherever a mistake was realized, the interviewer would immediately devise ways that would ensure the question is correctly answered. The method however has some limitations, these includes; the exercise itself being too involving and sometimes affected by language barrier or handling illiterate clients. The interviewer was also expected to avail himself to the client unlike the use of questionnaire where it would just be sent to trusted clients. Few interviews were however carried out because they were just meant to supplement the questionnaire. Data collected was then analyzed and relevant results recorded (Seale, 2004, pp 170). In the course of the research however, there were instances that required the use of secondary sources with the aim of primarily giving weight to the data that were already collected (Kumar, 2001, pp 58). Our research used library search as and indexing and involved the research panel going through written texts that had similar topic on the effects of music on fashion. This method was the best alternative of secondary sources because it provides trusted results and data thus enhancing the accuracy of the data being collected (Kumar, 2001, pp 63). Futhermore, its analysis required minimal time and limited skills from the research panel. This method however had a limitation because it was difficult to obtain the exact required data and thus several texts were to be analyzed. This consumed some good quality time in the research (Campbell, 1994, pp 27). Results and Findings After the completion of the research and findings analyzed, it was found out that most people agreed with the fact that music affects their fashion in one way or the other. Some would find themselves aping the dressing styles of the musical stars or the hair styles (Hook, 2010, pp 3). Others however were not directly affected by music but out at their friends who find themselves changing their wardrobe to resemble that of renowned stars like Rihanna, Jay-Z, Madonna among others (Tera, 2009). Due to the agreeable fact that music affects our lives, its found out that the rate at which the listeners respond to a particular fashion was unpredictable since music solely depends on mass media for it to be heard or known (Manlow, 2009, pp 45). The introduction of musical videos is seen as milestone that enhanced how music affected their fashion because they can be able to perceive the current trend of dressing (Perpetual-vogue, 2008). The history of music according to this research can be factually traced until the First World War where jazz music was sang in the 1920s (Miller Salkind, 2002, pp 16). Famous jazz players like Louis Armstrong began his career as a jazz player and his music attracted many people of the time (Tera, 2009). The euphoria of jazz was later replaced by Swing type of music which was later replaced by Rock and Roll of the 1950s. In 1960s, The Beatles was the fashionable musical style of the time. The rockers of the 50s were primarily characterized by leather jackets and the keeping of long unkempt hair. On top of these, drainpipe trousers and rubber-soled shoes were a characteristic of Rock and Roll artists (Tonneau Thompson, 2000, pp 269). Music of the 1960s made so many people to be cloth-conscious and teenage fashion of the time entailed the wearing of short hair, shoes and green parkas were relatively long. It was during this time that musicians started wearing necklaces and were quickl y aped by their fans (Jones Brown, 2005 pp 128). Disco hits came in the 70s which became a driving tool of fashion in the urban areas and it may seem as though the style is dead but the current fashion is deeply rooted in it. People in the 80s and 90s desired the Grunge look popularized by hip-hop and involves attires not limited jumpsuits, sneakers, and Kangol hats (Katz Dahlhaus, 1987, pp 93). Fashion of this generation is considered modest and the music industry of this genre was popularized by artists like Notorious B.I.G, Tupac Shakur, and Jay-Z among others (Hess, 2007, pp 406). Wearing of t-shirts and jeans is an example of the millennium music closely related to Hip-hop fashion and pop (Welters Cunningham 2005 pp 19). The supremacy of baggy jeans and large black rimmed glasses are characteristic of fashion in this musical era. It was also found out that it is during this time that the use of pink color by the lady world found its way to the fashion shelves (Rosengren, 1994, pp 73). In the course of this research, various kinds of music were identified and it was clearly pointed out that each musical genre was related to a particular fashion trend. Among the genres include; classical music, rock music, metal music, hip-hop music, trance music, jazz music, and techno among others (Katz Dahlhaus, 1987, pp 93). It is important to note that irrespective of the type, music has an impact on its listeners. The roots of Rock type of music can be traced to the rock and roll era which began a dance but later became dominant to the teenage audience of the time. Metal music on the other hand is a rather rapidly played music that dates back to World War II (Henwood, 2010, pp 16). Most people consider it to be associated with members of the society who are not satisfied and this has greatly impacted on the other types of music. The minorities in America are believed to be the inventors of rap music characterized by break dancing and a lot of graffiti. This kind of music has also influenced the Jamaican music which is deeply rooted in reggae music (Benstock Ferriss, 1994, pp 197). Wedding music was also identified in the research but one can realize that it can be fused with other types like classical or traditional. This is because wedding is an occasion characterized by the changing moods of the people (Campbell, 1994, pp 27). It also diverse among the different cultures of the world and dancing in this occasion can range from the Brazilian salsa and even to pop music. Hip-hop on the other hand is the one characterized almost all instruments with bass taking the prominence (BensmaÃÆ'Â ¯a, 1987, pp 88). It is generally used by artists to show different feelings and this has resulted in hip-hop culture and thus hip-hop fashion. The roots of this musical genre can be traced to West African music. Trance music is mostly played in clubs and discotheques and is easily traced to the 20th century music. It is basically characterized by fast tempo and quick repetition of beats that creates a hypnotic effect on its listeners (Longhurst, 2007, pp235). The research would not have been successful if country music would not have been identified. This kind of music and a couple of other folk music gained popularity in the 40s to mid 70s by musicians like Bob Wills and Bill Mornoe (Greaves, 2009). There is also Techno music which was identified and this has been seen to have a direct relationship and following among high school students. Western music has a variety of musical genres among them are music which incorporates classical and experimental music (Wallin et al, 2001, pp 49). There is also the pop music and fabulous music that ranges from reggae, rock, and metallic. Latin music has also been gaining popularity in the recent past and with its unique dressing style, people are also aping the fashion associated with all the kinds of music (Krummel, 1987, pp 93). Music as identified from the research carried out affects fashion and fashion trends in any society. It has been indicated that fashion is the styles especially dressing which are constantly dynamic in a given culture within a given time (Malone Stricklin, 2003, pp 124). Someone may be considered fashionable when they fit to the current dressing trends that are mostly popularized by music (Llanas, 2010 pp 11). When they do not fit to such kinds of dressing modes then they are considered unfashionable. Fashion can sometimes be used together with beauty or style. Fashion trends have solely been influenced by musicians and songwriters to the extent that the fashion industry has been intertwined with musicians (Bierut et al, 2002, pp 259). Such artists use their fame popularity to sell a particular line of clothing. Jennifer Lopez and Gwen Stefani for instance are making a kill by incorporating fashion and music (Gehlhar 2008, pp 230). Adidas as a fashion phenomenon was popularized by rap song and this resulted in massive sales. This also happens to other wears like hats, tracks and T-shirts. The trend is seen to have change to sleeveless rock T-shirts in the 90s and was particularly popularized by musicians like Poison, Ratt, and Ozzy among others (Seale 2004, pp 165). The Grunge look is also a fashion trend that was popularized by Nirvana in the 90s while Kangol became fashionable when LLcool J placed it as a trademark of his hat. It is also in the 1980s that Madonna drastically changed the way girls dressed to look bold and beautiful (Perkins, 1996, pp 266). She became the queen of fashion during this time and most girls imitated her dressing style to the fullest (Tonneau Thompson, 2000, pp 267). On characteristic of this era was the black leggings, bangles, bracelets, ballerina skirts, large earrings among others. This resulted in the formation of the MTV television network that brought out stars and their out standing fashions (Solomon Rabolt , 2004, pp 72). The launch of MTV popularized the fashion trends of musicians like Michael Jackson, Madonna, Whitney Houston, among others in the year beginning 1981. Their names were extensively used in various households and this promoted imitation of their fashion by teens and even young adults (Malone Stricklin, 2003, pp 127). This includes his legendary jackets which he wore mostly in his videos and later the white gloves of the millennium times that are still worn by his fans even after his death. A song sung by Madonna titled vogue mentions some of the renowned actors and actresses who have influenced the wardrobe of the populace (BensmaÃÆ'Â ¯a, 1987, pp 89). Among the people she mentions includes Grace Kelly, Jimmy Dean Jean Harlow among others this was seen as a tool that generated more sales for fashion designers (Schneck et al, 2008, pp 186). It is vividly noticeable that whenever a new song comes out, fashion changes and it appears rather funny to see how people change rapidly with the entry of a particular song. One example is during Avril Lavigne time when she released her song Girlfriend. Just because the video of the song featured her wearing a tight miniskirt was enough to make other girls ape (Lysloff Gay, 2003, pp 334). It is important to mention the contributions of three hip hop artists who have been the latest movers and shakers in the fashion industry. Kelis Daringa in the video of her song I bossy is credited for the introduction of the sleek and A-symmetrical haircut that was immediately imitated by her fans (Malone Stricklin, 2003, pp 124). Rihanna on her part as a pop star changed her look from the traditional brown hair to the edgy black style. The influence that she elicited can best be seen by looking at teenage girls around. Kanye West on his part has impacted the fashion industry wherever he goes. T alk of sweater vests and unique sunglasses and all directly linked to him (Tonneau Thompson, 2000, pp 260). Conclusion Both music and fashion are forms of art and are inseparable since they depict our expressions and viewpoints within our scope (Hawkins, 2006, pp 12). It was found in this research that people dress in relation to the music they listen to and thus providing an answer to our research question, does music affect fashion? Our cross-examination of the last six decades has given us tangible evidence on the growth of music and how it has influenced and how it has impacted on the wardrobe of their listeners (Lysloff Gay, 2003, pp 330). Fashion designers and marketers are fully aware of the effect of music on their products and they can only be able to maximize their sales by coordinating it with music. It is also important to mention the fact that people are placed in a particular stereotypical image due to the music that they listen to and the clothes they put on (BensmaÃÆ'Â ¯a, 1987, pp 88).

Assessing The Background Of Saddam Hussein Politics Essay

Assessing The Background Of Saddam Hussein Politics Essay The history of Saddam Hussein and his leadership capabilities started up in small village on the outskirts of the city of Tikrit (G.Butt [7]) where he was born in 1937 and grew up facing the atmosphere of anti-British attitude represented by people at that time. He had a very hard childhood, however he managed to get his basic education at school. When he was 20 years old, a young king Faisal II was killed by general Kasim and a group of army officers who overthrew a weak monarchy that had been introduced by the British three decades earlier. Saddam Hussein was introduced to politics by his uncle Chajrullach and became an active member of Bath party. After an unsuccessful attempt to assassinate general Kasim, he had to escape from the country. In 1963, general Kassim was overthrown by Bath party which enabled Saddam to return from emigration and take over the duties of a person responsible for Bath party internal security. After 8 months of general instability and political murders, the government of Bath party fell down which forced Saddam Hussein to get into underground. Five years later, Bath party returned. This time, it was much better prepared for taking over the power. The new president Al Bakr wanted to introduce a democratic system in Iraq and appointed Saddam to become the head of secret police as nobody else wanted to take over this particular position considered to be a dirty job (S.K. Aburish, [5]) . Saddam Hussein worked hard on reinforcing the security forces which eliminated political elites of all political options using the most cruel methods such as tortures and murders. A year later, in 1969, he was appointed the countrys vice-president. He was still responsible for security and special forces in which he used to employ people from Al Bu Nasir tribe, i.e the tribe to which he belonged. By providing the poor and uneducated men with the well paid job of security agents he was able to establish a group of fully trusted supporters who helped him to clean up the environment from opponents and enemies (Gazeta PL [9]). After ten years, this, in fact, enabled Saddam Hussein the to take over the total power and govern Iraq. In 1979, he arrested Hasan al Bakr and became the president of Iraq. Under the pretext of fighting with traitors who wanted to give up Iraq to Syria, he arrested, tortured and killed hundreds of Revolutionary Council and Bath party members. The climate of political crime and murders did not disturb him in the development of his international career (T.Kjeilen [8]). Even though Iraq was in alliance with Soviet Union, Saddam Hussein still maintained the relations with the Western countries. Owing to rapidly growing income from oil sale in 1970s (Britannica Online Encyclopedia [15]), Iraq under the leadership of Bath party controlled by Saddam Hussein introduced an ambitious plan of developing a modern industry and agriculture to reduce the volume of imported products, and improving the infrastructure (transpor tation, water and electric energy supply, health services). Iraq started to be regarded as a growing economy and one of the economic powers in the region. All these caused that Saddam Hussein, instead of using the revolutionary ideology to get support for his actions, could use the arguments of economic development. He started to consider himself as a leader of all the Arab countries (Wikipedia [10]). However, even though many modern industrial facilities were established, e.g. modern cement plants were built up, production efficiency could only be achieved with the assistance of international experts since the local labour was highly inefficient (authors own observations). This led to situation that Iraqi products could hardly compete on foreign markets. Also due to the fact that there were huge needs for infrastructure, the government could hardly reach the planned goals even though the funds were available. Saddam Hussein needed something else to reinforce his position. The Islam ic revolution in Iran caused that Saddam Hussein was provided with the international support, especially the USA, who wanted to stop the development of Islamic fanaticism. This led to the outbreak of the Iraqi-Iranian war during which Saddam Hussein built up the arsenal of all the different weapons that made Iraq become the Middle East military power. This was followed by invasion on Kuwait in 1990 which ended up with the Gulf War. It was noticed by J.Hickman [11] that regimes could rarely survive losing one war, and in case of Saddams government there were two wars one after another, therefore he posed a question of what were the leadership secrets of Saddam Hussein that allowed him to stay in power. In the following chapter I will try to answer this question by analysing the leadership features of the Iraqi dictator. 3. Key leadership capabilities of the Iraqi leader In order to define the key leadership capabilities, it would be necessary to find an answer to the question: what features were represented by Saddam Hussein that made him an effective leader in the Middle East and Iraq during the 3 decades of 1970s, 1980s and 1990s? According to Stoner and Wankel [1], the effective leaders possess certain features or properties such as charisma, the ability to anticipate the events and the ability to convince people in order to get their support. A.Sharplin [2] discusses the trait approach to leadership based on a believe that the leaders who are effective possess some particular features that other people do not have such as physical strength, stamina, size, intelligence, integrity, wisdom, etc. Kouzes and Posner [12] analyse how the leaders mobilize other people to do extraordinary things, what practices they use to transform values into actions, visions into realities, obstacles into innovations, separateness into solidarity, and risks into rewar ds. All of the above mentioned features base on the behaviour of the leaders. J.B.Avolio at al [4] made an attempt to group all the different leadership features in order to define 3 groups of leadership styles including transformational leadership, transactional leadership and corrective avoidant leadership. Following Freuds theory of personality types, M.Maccoby [16] focused on description of narcissistic leaders, features of which can also be attributed to the former Iraqi leader. Therefore, what features or leadership styles can we allocate to Saddam Hussein. In the following subsections I will try to analyse Saddams leadership strengths and weaknesses: 3.1. Leadership strengths of Saddam Hussein Saddam Hussein definitely represented an autocratic leadership style which, in fact, was the only possible way to govern the country consisting of Kurds and Arabs who additionally subscribed to two opposing branches of Islamic religion, i.e. Sunni and Shia Muslims (G.Butt, [7]). This is particularly visible nowadays taking into consideration the difficulties faced by the USA and other Western countries who try to implement the democratic rules into this very conservative and politically shattered country. Said K.Aburish [6] identified a number of strong leadership features represented by Saddam Hussein including: extraordinary ability to see the overall picture of future achievements that allowed him to get to the desired vision, good organizers skills which was something special in the Arab mentality functioning in the environment of the Middle East this caused that he had a broad potential and was much better visible when compared to other Arab leaders, ability to get the control over planned activities by surrounding himself with relatives and basing on family and tribal connections as those that could be trusted, ability to work long hours, enormous popularity even though he was a dictator he was able to provide the Iraqis, especially in 1970s and mid 1980s, with what they expected and needed, i.e. wealth, infrastructure and prospects. good learners skills as he read a lot and listened to a variety of people. J.Hickman [11] identified some other features of Saddam Husseins leadership strength such as: understanding of the value of state terror, development of a cult around his person, appreciation of the political value of relatives and close friends, ability to get the peoples acceptance for extremely risky decisions such as declaring war against the neighbouring countries or fighting the minorities, ability to exploit the international public opinion by getting support of the Muslims from all over the world and attracting the attention of others to unfair punishment of the Iraqi nation by the economic sanctions. It seems that narcissism was the leadership strength of Saddam Hussein. According to M.Maccoby [16] the narcissistic leaders become great charismatic leaders due to the fact that they have fascinating visions which get them supporters. Maccoby classifies narcissistic leaders among the people who have widespread imagination and try to create the future instead of trying to understand the future. However, he noticed that having the vision is not enough as the psychiatric patients also have visions. In case of Saddam Hussein the ability of using rhetoric and ability to arouse enthusiasm among the followers seems to be this additional feature. 3.2. Leadership weaknesses of Saddam Hussein There have been several important leadership weaknesses that brought Saddam Hussein and Iraq to the disaster. One of the most evident weak points has been the susceptibility to intimidate the people when governing the country. On one side, he had a strong security apparatus which was indicated as strength but on the other hand, by using terror he did not get the acceptance of, at least, a part of the Iraqi society. Ability to take risky decisions could have been classified as one of the strengths but, if related to the ability to make mistakes, both constitute the leadership weakness. This was the case with the involvement into the Iran/Iraq war which produced a debt of 65-100 billion USD (S.K. Aburish [6]). Even though Saddam declared the victory, he was unable to provide the Iraqi people with the fruits of this victory which led him to another mistake of invading Kuwait. Therefore, one of the serious weaknesses was Saddams ability of leading people in the wrong direction. Narcissism was mentioned in the previous subsection to constitute one of Saddams leadership strengths. However, it can also be one of the weaknesses which was the case of the former Iraqi leader. According to Maccoby [16], narcissistic leaders only accept the desired information. They love giving the speeches and are dominant during the meetings with subordinates. They are very sensitive to any criticism and react violently. In case of Saddam Hussein, any criticism was punished with the death sentence which led to situation of being completely isolated from reality. This also caused that the number of people he could trust was getting smaller and smaller (S.K. Aburish [6]). 3.3. Analysis of Saddams leadership capabilities and styles Looking at different leadership features of Saddam Hussein, following Bass and Steidlmeier [14], it can be stated that the Iraqi leader represented a mixture of transformational and transactional leadership style as most of the leaders do. Such features as charisma and vision could place the former Iraqi leader among those who represent the transformational leadership style as he tried and managed to get his supporters involved and committed to his visions. On the other hand, if we were to attribute the leadership style to Saddam Hussein, transactional style seems to be more appropriate as he used to motivate his followers by reward (offering well paid jobs and other benefits to his supporters) and punishment (putting people to prison, torturing and murdering). This style of leadership requires from the people that are managed or ruled to do exactly what the leader wants them to do. The Iraqi leader established clear structures that gave him full authority and power over the Iraqi su bordinates whose performance was monitored. According to Bass et alia [17], the leader representing the transactional style outlines the compliance norms as well as evaluates the performance that does not meet the standards and can punish all those who do not keep the set up standards. According to D.Goleman [18] particular capabilities such as intellectual properties, cognitive abilities and possession of long term vision that contribute to certain leadership styles are extremely important but he discovered that emotional intelligence is much more important for effective leadership of large organizations. He also discovered that the larger the organization was, the more important was emotional intelligence. Lets try to analyse Saddam Hussein regarding the elements of emotional intelligence including self-awareness, self-control, motivation, empathy and social awareness. The self awareness is the ability to realistically evaluate own personality D.Goleman [18]. It seems that Saddam Hussein was unaware of his shortcomings and was totally unable to listen to the constructive criticism. According to Goleman, people having low level of self-awareness are threatened by any suggestion of introducing improvements. This was definitely featured by the former Iraqi leader who used to punish anyone who criticized his activities. The self-control seemed to be another weak point of the Iraqi leader as he was unable to create the atmosphere of trust and very often used to lose his temper when talking to subordinates. It seems that motivation was the only element out of five emotional intelligence factors that Saddam Hussein possessed. He had a very strong desire to achieve success. Empathy and social awareness, both associated with social relations were also weak points of Saddam Hussein as, being a dictator, he did not try to understand the feelings of his subord inates. He used to govern his subordinates by fear. 4. Conclusions There is a long list of particular leadership features that could be attributed to Saddam Hussein showing his skills and capabilities that differentiated him from other people. However, even though there is no question about specific leadership capabilities of the former Iraqi leader, we must not forget that they were supported with very brutal and criminal activities such as tortures and murders. A.Safty [3] raised the issue of the moral dimension of leadership related to the political context. He is of the opinion that dictators often characterized as people who had visions, were able to mobilize the supporters, were self-confident and had the ability to persuade the audience should not be called effective or great leaders. Instead, he proposed to use the term of a ruler in regard to the brutal dictators such as Saddam Hussein as this word is more in line with leading by tyranny, force, fear and intimidation. The issue of ethics and morality has also been discussed by Bass and Stei dlmeier [14] who noticed that somebody who represents the transformational style of leadership could be manipulative in relation to the followers, and as they stated such a person might have the public image of a saint but privately be a deceptive devil This statement ideally suits Saddam Hussein who represented certain features of transformational leadership which were not authentic but pseudo-transformational as named by Burns [13]. Due to these reasons, even though Saddam Husseins leadership reflected both transformational and transactional features which is normally treated as the best combination of styles, it is so difficult to talk about leadership capabilities as the ethics and morality have been disregarded. In this particular case we should, in fact, talk about the dictatorship capabilities instead of leadership capabilities even if some leadership features discussed above in this paper can be attributed to this Middle East dictator. The analysis of the emotional intellige nce of Saddam Hussein has shown that he was missing the most important features such as self-awareness, self-control, empathy and social awareness which are a crucial thing for effective leadership.

Public Schools: We Have the Right to Pray Essay -- Religion in Public

Public Schools: We Have the Right to Pray Prayer in public schools has been a controversial issue in our country for a very long time.   According to the First Amendment, the government shall not establish any official religion. Therefore, as long as the government doesn't make it mandatory for the students to pray, they should be allowed to at least have that choice. One minute set aside for a student to either have a moment of silence or to have their own prayer isn't hurting anyone, as long as students are not forced to pray. By taking away that right, it is violating their rights as American citizens and their right to have freedom of religion. In 1962, The Supreme Court ruled that school prayer violates the constitution. Many believe a new amendment needs to allow voluntary school prayer. For example, the Christian Coalition was sponsoring a bill called The House Joint Resolution 78 or The Religious Freedom Amendment. This bill will not allow the government to establish a religion, but it does give people the right to pray and recognize their own religious beliefs and traditions on public property, which does include schools. William J. Murry, the head of the Religious Freedom Coalition, held a family rally for those in favor of this bill. A petition was signed of almost one million signatures on it. The bill ended up making it to the House of Representatives. While it gained the majority of the votes, it failed to gain the 2/3 vote to amend the Constitution. They are still working on "restoring voluntary school prayer and having a safeguard for religious freedoms." Colby May, the director of government affairs for the American Center for Law and Justice, says that a change needs to be made. Those who oppose him arg... ...rayer need to be reintroduced   in the school system. Perhaps this is a way to get kids back on track since the current downfall of good behavior in schools. Our country believes in the "freedom of religion" but by taking away the right to pray, it takes away from that "freedom" many so desperately need. Works Cited "House Panel Approves Constitutional Amendment Allowing School Prayer." Your School and the Law 14 Nov. 1997. "School Prayer Bill Attracts Support." Your School and the Law 11 April. 2007. "School Prayer After Santa Fe?; Public Schools Caught Between Students, Parents and Court." Texas Lawyer 7 Aug. 2004:   Pg 25. "Key Cases on School Prayer" Managing School Business 23 April 2006. Office of Congressman Istook, U.S. House of Representatives. "The Religious Freedom Amendment." 10 Nov. 2001.   Ã‚