Essay Apush notes

Essay Apush notes Essay Apush notes 1790-1860 Reviving Religion Thomas Paine promoted the doctrines of Deism. Deists relied on science rather than the Bible and they denied the divinity of Christ. They did believe in a Supreme Being who had created a universe and endowed human beings with a capacity for moral behavior. Unitarianism spun off of Deism. Unitarians believed that God existed in only one person. It appealed to mostly intellectuals. The Second Great Awakening came in 1800. Women were a large part of it. Peter Cartwright- a revivalist, traveling preacher who converted thousands to Christianity. Charles Grandison Finney- one of the greatest revivalist preachers. Denominational Diversity Many preachers preached in Western New York where the Puritans settled. The Second Great Awakening widened the lines between the classes and regions. The more prosperous and conservative denominations in the East were little touched by revivalism, and Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Congregationalists, and Unitarians continued to rise mostly from the wealthier, better-educated levels of society. The issue of slavery split the churches apart. A Desert Zion in Utah Joseph Smith- formed the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) in 1830 when he deciphered the Book of Mormon from some golden plates given to him by an angel; led the Mormons to Illinois. After Joseph Smith was killed 1844, Brigham Young led the Mormons to Utah to avoid persecution. Free Schools for a Free People Tax-supported public education came about between 1825 -1850. Americans eventually saw they had to educate their children because the children were the future. The teachers of the schools were mostly men and did not know how to teach. There were not very many schools in the U.S. because of their high costs to communities. Horace Mann- campaigned effectively for a better schooling system. Higher Goals for Higher Learning The first state-supported universities showed up in the South in 1795. The University of Virginia was founded by Thomas Jefferson. Women's schools at the secondary level came in the 1820s because of Emma Willard. An Age of Reform States gradually abolished debtors' prisons due to public demand. Criminal codes in the states were being softened. The number of capital offenses was being reduced. The idea that prisons should reform as well as punish arose. Dorothy Dix- traveled the country, visiting different asylums; released a report on insanity and asylums; her protests resulted in improved conditions for the mentally ill. In 1828, the American Peace Society was formed. It was led by William Ladd. Demon Rum - The "Old Deluder" The problem of drinking was found in women, clergymen, and members of Congress. The American Temperance Society was formed in 1826. Its crusaders persuaded drinkers to stop drinking. The problem of drinking tore down the family structure. Neal S. Dow- thought that alcohol should be removed by legislation; "Father of Prohibition"; supported the Maine Law of 1851 which banned the manufacture and sale of liquor in Maine. (The country banned the sale of alcohol with the 18th amendment in 1918.) Women in Revolt In the early 19th century, the role of women was to stay at home and be subordinate to her husband. Women could not vote and when married, she could not retain her property. Women actually started to avoid marriage. Gender differences were emphasized in the 19th century because the market economy was separating women and men into distinct economic roles. Feminists met at Seneca Falls, New York in a Woman's Rights Convention in 1848 to rewrite the Declaration of Independence to include women. Wilderness Utopians Robert Owen- founded in 1825 a communal society in order to seek human betterment. All utopias failed. The Dawn of Scientific Achievement Americans were more interested in

Understanding and Defining White Privilege

Understanding and Defining White Privilege White privilege refers to the collection of benefits that white people receive in a racially structured society in which they are at the top of the racial hierarchy. Made famous by scholar and activist Peggy McIntosh in 1988, the concept includes everything from whiteness being equated with being normal and native to the U.S. to being represented in the media, being trusted, and easily finding makeup products for ones skin tone. While some might view some of these privileges as trivial, its important to recognize that no form of privilege comes without its counterpart: oppression. White Privilege According to Peggy McIntosh In 1988, Peggy McIntosh, a women’s studies scholar with sociological inclinations, penned an essay and cemented a concept that has become a mainstay for the sociology of race and ethnicity. â€Å"White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack,† provided real-world, tangible examples of a concept and social fact that had been acknowledged and discussed by others, but never before in such a compelling way. At the heart of the concept  is the assertion that, in a racist society, white skin confers on those who live in it an extensive array of unearned privileges not available to people of color. White privilege is for the most part invisible to those who have it and unacknowledged by them. McIntoshs list of fifty privileges includes things like regularly being surrounded - in everyday life and in media representations - by people who look like you, and the ability to avoid those who do not; not being  interpersonally or institutionally discriminated against on the basis of race; never feeling afraid to defend oneself or speak out against injustice for fear of racially motivated retaliation; and, being viewed as normal and belonging, among others. The key point made by McIntosh’s list of privileges is that they are not typically available to or experienced by people of color in the U.S. In other words, they experience racial oppression and white people benefit from this. By illuminating the many forms that white privilege takes, McIntosh urges readers to exercise a sociological imagination. She asks us to consider how our individual life experiences are connected to and situated within large-scale patterns and trends in society. In this sense, seeing and understanding white privilege is not about blaming white people for having unearned advantages. Rather, the point of reflecting on one’s white privilege is to recognize that the social relations of race and the racial structure of society have created conditions in which one race has been advantaged over others, and that many aspects of everyday life that white people take for granted are not even available to people of color. Further, McIntosh suggests that white people have a responsibility to be conscious of their privileges and a responsibility to reject and diminish them as much as possible. Understanding Privilege in the Greater Sense Since McIntosh solidified this concept, social scientists and activists have expanded the conversation around privilege to include things like sex, gender, ability, culture, nationality, and class. This expanded understanding of privilege is premised on the concept of intersectionality popularized by black feminist sociologist Patricia Hill Collins. This concept refers to the fact that individuals in society are simultaneously recognized as, classified by, and interacted with on the basis of a variety of social characteristics, including and not limited to race, sex, gender, sexuality, ability, class, and nationality. Thus, our everyday life experiences are shaped by all of these things. In terms of privilege, then, sociologists today consider a variety of social characteristics and classifications when determining the level of privilege one possesses at any given moment. White Privilege Today Yet, in societies fundamentally structured by race, understanding one’s white privilege, regardless of other social characteristics or positions one embodies, is still deeply important. And, given that the meaning of race and the forms that racism takes are ever-evolving in the process of racial formation, it is important to update our sociological understanding of how white privilege has changed over time. While McIntoshs descriptions of white privilege are still perfectly relevant, there are some additional ways in which it manifests today, like: The ability to speak and write from an unchallenged position of authority (see, for instance, commenters online);The ability to hold onto wealth during economic crisis (Black and Latino families lost far more wealth during the home foreclosure crisis than did white families);Protection from experiencing the brunt of negative implications of climate change (economically vulnerable and politically unstable populations, mostly people of color in the global south, are disproportionally affected);Protection from the lowest wages and most dangerous labor conditions cultivated by the globalization of production;Being able to deny that racism exists;Believing in and cultivating sympathy from others for â€Å"reverse racism;Being unconcerned with the racial implications of political candidates one supports;Believing you worked hard for and earned everything you have without receiving any help or advantages;Believing that people of color who have achieved success have been given racially moti vated advantages; The ability to adopt a victim status rather than engaging in critical self-reflection when accused of racism;Believing it is acceptable to be â€Å"ironically† racist;Believing that people need to â€Å"get over it† or â€Å"move on† when they point out racism; and,The belief that cultural products and practices that come from communities of color are yours for the taking. There are many other ways in which white privilege manifests today - take a moment to think about the forms of privilege you can see in your life or in the lives of those around you.

Global operation and competition study of GlaxoSmithKline plc 181 Essay

Global operation and competition study of GlaxoSmithKline plc 181 - Essay Example Having over 99,000 employees, one unique feature of GSK is that fact that it came into existence only in 2000 through the measure of Glaxo Wellcome, SmithKline Beecham plc and SmithKline Beckman Corporation (quote). The table below outlines GSK’s key financials since 2009. There are a number of reasons that the pharmaceutical industry and GlaxoSmithKline were selected very specifically. In the first place, the selection of the pharmaceutical is based on the very favourable growth projections that have been made for the industry from now till 2018. MarketLine (2013) forecasted that by 2018, the industry will have a value of  £646.8699 billion, which is an increase of 26.8% since 2013 (see the figure below). This is an important projection that means that the pharmaceutical industry will be a major drive in global economic expansion. The rationale for selection is therefore based on the global economic hope that this unique industry gives. GlaxoSmithKline plc was on the other hand selected as a leader in the UK pharmaceutical industry to know how prepared the UK industry is to compete to be part of the global growth. Compared to its major competitors, GlaxoSmithKline has not been able to command a leading market capital for the past five years. This is regardless of the fact that compared to key competitors GlaxoSmithKline has a very large employee size. As showed in the table below also, GlaxoSmithKline has a very good gross margin but with the lowest revenue quarterly growth (quote). All these information shows that there are some fundamental causes to the company’s competitive position other than most of the internal factor that come from the everyday management of the organization. The aim of the research is therefore to understand how the external environment of the company impacts on its global operation and competition. The project shall be approached as a qualitative correlational study where GSK shall be compared to its major competitors to find

Issues in global business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Issues in global business - Essay Example Small number of employees in SME can be cared and motivated optimally, leading to effective performance from all of them. However, the disadvantage is, in SMEs the leader or founder will have maximum influence from top to bottom, without any organizational structure horizontally or vertically. The problem with it is, when something goes wrong there will not be any management teams to point out the mistakes. Also, SMEs with their limited resources will not be able to provide quality products or services, when compared to large companies. As pointed out by, SMEs provide employment to basic sections of the societies, as they integrate well with it. SMEs will be mainly established not separate from the towns or cities, but within the by lanes and streets in a particular locality. So, it can provide employment to many of the unemployed living in that locality. This way, it can give employment to maximum people, elevating their lives and also contributing to the local economy, thereby national economy. Because of this, SMEs are regarded as the most important ‘engines’ for economic growth by the governments. So, to further encourage SMEs, governments will allocate land, power, water, etc at subsidized rates, will also impose lesser taxes, etc. This way, SMEs can come up in many places benefiting many

I have a dream speech Essay Example for Free

I have a dream speech Essay I Have a Dream is the name of a speech Martin Luther King, Jr. gave on several year ago while he was on Washington, D. C.. In his speech, he spoke of his wish for a better future. His wish was that people of different races could live together peacefully in America without segregation. He spoke of the discrimination that the black man has faced even though they were supposed to be treated equal when the emancipation proclamation was signed. Martin Luther King made an important quote on Abraham Lincoln where he said: â€Å"Life, liberty and pursuit of happiness†. This was a promise that all men, black and white men, would be guaranteed the unalienable Rights. He wanted to support his idea on what Abraham Lincoln said that all men are equal both white and black men have the same rights. This speech left a legacy of equality of Rights for all men in the United States. Hundred years before Martin Luther King gave his speech black men were not free until Abraham Lincoln signed the emancipation proclamation. Through those hundred years black men weren’t treated as equal as white men. Black men were discriminated in all the United States because of their skin and the amount of racist people back then was significant. King’s speech highly persuasive, he wanted to provoke everybody that heard his speech to have a feeling that segregation and discrimination should be stopped. In my opinion we have achieved King’s dream, today all men have equal rights and there aren’t differences between the races of people and the ability to pursuit happiness. Martin Luther King yearned a world where all the races were treated as one and there weren’t different between people in our country. Martin observed that: one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free and black men were segregated to the slums and ghettos of the northern cities. The people who stood against King had the opinion that only white people deserved to be treated reasonably. Even though, they were few and didn’t have a strong argument to defend their point because there wasn’t one. King inspired the majority of American people, and he brought equality for every race in America.

Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage Essay example -- Civil Rights, Homosexual

The issue of legalizing same-sex marriage is one of great controversy. There are some people who think that gay people have no rights and should never be allowed to marry. Other people believe that gay people are just like anyone else and should enjoy the same rights and privileges as heterosexuals do. People opposing gay marriage argue that a couple of the same sex getting married would redefine the word marriage, the purpose of marrying is to procreate, and they should settle for Civil Unions instead. I feel that all fifty states in the U.S. should allow same-sex marriages. Only in the states of, Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, New York, California, along with the District of Columbia are gay couples allowed to marry. There are more states that allow first cousins to marry. Same-sex marriage is very important with gay couples and activists in today's society. One of the main reasons is that the primary purpose of marriage is procreation. â€Å"Because gay couples are unable to have children, they should not be allowed to marry† (Schiffen 495) If this is one of their strongest arguments, then marriage licenses should be denied to all couples who are unable to conceive, meaning: men and women over the age of seventy, infertile women, and sterile men. However this is not the case, which is why that argument is invalid. On January 1, 2002, a bill became effective to give members of registered same-sex and opposite-sex couples the right to adopt a partner's child. According to the American Psychological Associ ation, August 11, 2010 press release â€Å"American Psychological Association Reiterates Support for Same-sex Marriage† Research has shown that marriage provides substantial psychological and phy... ...vernment guarantees equal rights for all citizens. Works Cited Bidstup, Scott. "Gay Marriage: The Arguments and the Motives." 13 Oct. 2000. 1 Nov. 2011 Malone, John. "21st Century Gay" M. Evans and Company, Inc. 2001 Murphy, Jenny. Should Gay Couples Be Allowed to Marry? 3 February 2000 http://speakout.com/cgi-bin/udt/im.display.printable?client.id=speakout&story.id=1138b National Campaign for Same-Sex Marriage...Draws Political and Religious Opposition." CQ Researcher. (Vol.#)(1996): 420-423. Say, Elizabeth A. and Kowalewski, Mark R. Gays, Lesbians, and Family Values The Pilgrim Press. 1998 "Should Gay Couples Be Allowed to Marry?" Http://www.apa.org. 11 Aug. 2010. American Psychological Association. 29 Oct. 2011 .

Ethiopian Culture and History

Ethiopia – The Oldest Civilization The Great Blacks in Wax Museum The culture I decided to experience was the ancient culture of Ethiopia. The Great Blacks in Wax Museum introduced me to this most ancient but formally organized culture that still influences governing systems today. An intriguing fact about Ethiopia is that it is world’s oldest civilization and the founder of Egypt another old and great civilization. Ethiopian, also originally known as Sheba, history begins its existence around 10th century B. C. y Solomon’s first son, Melenik I, who the Queen of Sheba was the supposed to have mothered. Its documented history begins in the ancient city of Askum in about 2nd century AD, thus making it one of oldest independent African nations and one of the most ancient cultures in the entire world. The exhibit provided an excellent array of facts about Ethiopian life, history, culture, tradition and government. The display also showed a number of ancient Ethiopian artifacts as well as lifelike wax figures of some of Ethiopian rulers and leaders.The Ethiopian exhibit at the Great Blacks in Wax Museum displayed how this country and its culture is the world’s oldest civilization and it is responsible for many systems and values that are still continued throughout the world today. The artifacts in this exhibit were interesting and varied greatly in purpose and practical use. There were no artist or artisans noted in the exhibit. All the artifacts date back to the age of the history of the Ethiopians around 10th century B. C. Understanding the ancient history helps explained some of the artifacts in the exhibit.The spear was shown in many different areas of the display. The spear was an essential part of the history from the earliest historical days especially since there were many tribal wars within and from external opposition. It was used for a variety of uses including as a weapon in wartime as well as a tool to kill animals for consum ption. It was individually handcrafted of a two-part tool/weapon with a spear head (arrow-like from sharpen rock) and a shaft kept together with a sturdy vine to hold the parts together. It often had etchings, paint from berry dyes, or adornment of some kind.The spear is often shown and was used by the males in the villages and was proudly displayed in rituals including war dance, tribal dances to denote power and virility. It was a daily part of the Ethiopian life. Another artifact that was prevalent in the display was masks of a variety of materials, expressions, and sizes. The mask was an important part of the Ethiopian traditional and cultural rites and rituals. The masks were often used during celebrations including religious ones and part of medical rituals. The masks were handcrafted from fine wood and painted with paints made from dyes of berries and fruits.The masks were also used in wartime in confrontation with enemy warriors. The masks were used to celebrate joyous event s also. The masks is still crafted and used in traditional celebrations in Ethiopia today. There were many ancient instruments displayed in the exhibit. The instruments include an ancient guitar like instrument made form handcrafted wood, animal with vines for strumming. There were many different types of drums and bongo type instruments. These drums were made from handcrafted fine wood with animal skins pulled across the open wood tube and tied with vine or rope.These drums were used for a variety of uses included celebratory traditions, communicating across distance of danger, need, or information. Music and ceremonial dance were an everyday part of ancient Ethiopian and this musical tradition is still greatly part of Ethiopian culture. The Ethiopian cultures appreciation for intricate color, design and hand-dyed fabrics is prevalent in their ancient culture and their instruments were decorated and adorned as well. The original cultural attire today differ not much from their anci ent ancestors and may still be seen in Ethiopia’s heritage rich attire today.The Ethiopian exhibit provided an eye-opening insight into how its ancient systems, values, traditions, rituals and dress have shaped the current Ethiopia and many other world cultures. Egypt was a city founded by Askum (ancient Ethiopia). These ancient and great civilizations laid the cornerstone of many other past and current governments. The ancient Kemet, now Egypt was ruled by the Queen of Sheba. Her prosperity and governing were the foundation of the Greek, Roman, Hebrew, Phoenician and Indian civilization.One of Ethiopia’s most important contributions was that it had a systematic form of government and rule. Another famous woman ruler of the culture was Egypt’s Cleopatra. Though there was a period of Roman history were few women ruled with any true power, the strong Ethiopian women rulers help to set a pattern of women in government that has return to culture today. Ethiopian cul ture was responsible for many advancements in communication, commercial and architectural contributions that have affected all cultures throughout history.They were responsible for communication achievements such as being credited with the first alphabet system, the first use of chronology and history recording, and a development of a language that was more widely used than the Semitic and Aryan languages of ancient times. The ancient Ethiopians were commerce and industry masters in the art of navigation, the world’s first and most vast commercial trading system that did business with India, Persia, Arabia and Chaldea. It has been evidenced that Ethiopians sailors explores the Americas 2,000 years before Columbus. There artisans and developers of textile trade and smelting iron.They were early miners of silver, copper, gold and other raw minerals. The architectural achievements are legendary which include expert use of sandstone, limestone and granite in building construction . They are credited with the method of carving buildings and pyramids out of solid rock. They forged extensions over mountains and made the first arches, aqueducts and bridges long before the founding and rise of Rome or Greece. A wax figure of Imhotep, ca 2980 B. C. , a revolutionary architect, was the noted designer of the great step pyramid of Egypt was part of this exhibit.The advancements of this society in these areas are very much still part of Ethiopia’s history and culture but even more astounding critical to the development of multi-cultures and cross-cultures all over the world throughout mankind’s history and development. The ancient Ethiopian culture made some significant values and ideas in the area of philosophy and religion. The ancient Ethiopian culture was one of the foremost cultures that worshipped a Supreme being. They were mentioned in the Bible because they provided a place of refuge for Moses and Jesus Christ.Ethiopian (Askum) was one of the fir st African nations to adopt the then new religion of Christianity. This adoption of Christianity was significant in Christianity’s early history and a source of war confrontations with neighboring Islamic nations. In its history, Ethiopia is also noted for their protection of Christianity during the African invasion of Islamic Arabia. The wide spread popularity and acceptance of Christianity crosses multi-cultural lines and significantly affects the religious belief and lifestyle of millions of Christians even today.The Ethiopian exhibit at the Great Blacks in Wax museum was just a starting point of a long continuing rich and thriving history of African culture. The other exhibits were a direct link to this most ancient of civilizations. By observing the history of African and Black American culture and history, I reviewed many other cultures as well. Reviewing Ethiopia’s history and observing its artifacts made the rest of the museum experience more understandable. Th e ties of the Ethiopian culture – life, traditions, costumes, dress, government, architecture, commerce and industry are seen in most cultures history and present day life.The museum went on to show exhibits in the following areas of African-American and Black History: †¢ SlaveryEmancipationSlave Revolts †¢ The Underground RailroadJourney to freedomSharecropping Life †¢ Western FrontierCivil War ContributionsAbolition & Women’s Rights †¢ Black ReconstructionEducators, ScientistArtic Exploration †¢ Black Labor MovementMilitary LeadersFather of Black Nationalism †¢ Black Renaissance ManAfrican Freedom FightersRastafarians †¢ Modern Civil Rights Jim Crow EraSegregation LynchingBlack Women LegendsAthletes †¢ Space ExplorationBlvd. of Broken DreamsWriters and Poets Having observed all the exhibits the affects of the ancient Ethiopian value system, traditions were very evident in the development of multi-cultures especially in Africa, European and American history. The exhibits often made my heart heavy and even bought tears to my eyes, but I noted, that though struggle has always been part of Ethiopian and its ancestral history and urrent minority life and all cultural life; there is always hope and significant contributions throughout every culture. Through the exhibits, I observed that though much of man’s culture and history is hard to view and acknowledge, that there is a determination and drive to survive from that most ancient civilization that has carried through to this today in every culture.Struggle brings about significant change and adaptation in all cultures. It showed me that every culture is co-linked through history and shares many significant cultural anthropologic relationships despite what appears to be insurmountable differences when it is all said and done we are all the same and want what is good and right for our survival just as ancient Ethiopia wanted. ———â₠¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€œ [pic] Page 2 Page 3

Hans Zimmer Essay

This case study will explore the life and works of one of the most prominent and inventive film and music composers of modern times, Hans Zimmer. His extraordinary ability to span an extensively wide range of genres and formats with extreme competence is extremely influential and inspiring. Zimmer is a pioneer in his field, with his use of both electronic and orchestral elements within film scores. Zimmers success in creating the scores for some of the most celebrated films, and his ability to encapsulate in the music the overriding themes, and personalities of the characters in modern day cinema is what makes him so special. I have chosen to write on this subject as it is completely relevant to my interest in the field. This case study includes a discussion of the early life of Hans Zimmer, his entrance into the world of Hollywood composition, his influences and growth as a composer and leads to a more in-depth discussion of the work on his most current films, as well as a brief look at the studio and equipment he uses. Born in Frankfurt, Germany on September 12th 1957 Hans Florian Zimmer is acknowledged as one of the most pioneering, innovative, successful, influential and sought after composers in Hollywood today (IMDB, no date). His interest in music began at a very early age and he began playing the piano at the age of three, although he had little or no formal music education or training throughout his early life (Gillespie, 2001). Despite his lack of training, Zimmer knew he wanted to be a composer by the age of six and this coincided with an important event in the young Zimmer’s life; the death of his father. He is quoted as saying in an interview with CNN Worldbeat; â€Å"My dad died when I was six, that’s when I decided I was going to become really serious about music, because it was my refuge† (CNN Worldbeat cited by IMDB, no date). During his early teens his family moved all over Europe before settling in London when Zimmer was 14 years old. Throughout his childhood his passion for music meant he neglected his schoolwork and as a result was expelled from several different schools (Shelton, no date). After finally finishing school he began his professional music career by composing advertising jingles for Air Edel associates and playing in rock bands (Ankeny, no date). It was during this period that Zimmer found success as a member of The Buggles, an English new wave synthpop group, and had a hit single with ‘Video Killed the Radio Star’. It is said that this worldwide hit helped ‘usher in a new era of global entertainment as the first music video to be shown on MTV’ (IMDB, no date). His talent on the keyboard and synthesisers would continue to be significant throughout his career although this is perhaps the first event that might have suggested at the huge amount of success and appreciation he would go on to enjoy as a composer. Zimmer is known to have favoured the Moog synthesiser when performing and creating music for these groups, a preference that has endured the span of his career. It was also during this period that we see Zimmer first combining the use of computers with live music on stage with other successful groups (Shelton, no date). This combination has been a constant throughout Zimmer’s professional career and his talent in merging the two elements is part of what has earned him the success and appreciation he currently enjoys. The diversity of his talent is also seen in his ability to span genres such as new wave UK punk, as well as Spanish pop music. However, Zimmer would not remain a part of the pop scene for long. He felt inhibited by having to write in just one style of music and felt his creativity was restrained. It was at this time that he first went to work with Stanley Myers who began to teach him about scoring films (Shelton, no date). This partnership would prove to be a collaboration of great orchestral elements combined with the most up to date electronic instrumentation available (Abodos, no date). Zimmers technological fascination in these early years has proved influential in his later and most successful works. Perhaps it is this preoccupation with technology that has kept him at the forefront of composition. It could also be said that the use of both technological and traditional orchestral elements has ensured his popularity with all generations of audiences. It was with Myers that Zimmer co-founded the London based Lillie Yard recording studio (Wikipedia, no date). A demonstration of the combining of the elements mentioned above is showcased in their early works, an example of which is seen in the film ‘Moonlighting’ (1982). The fusion of moody undertones performed with synthesisers and clean orchestral pianos combine to create a dark, unnerving, suspenseful atmosphere in keeping with the films subject and the emotions portrayed by the characters. His talent for creating music spanning the genres of different films is also seen in this early collaboration with Myers. Further examples of this are his compositions for films such as ‘Success is the Best Revenge’ (1984) which is a drama and the films ‘Insignificance’ (1985) and the acclaimed ‘My Beautiful Launderette’ (1985) which have comedic elements and demand that a completely different atmosphere is created. For example, ‘My Beautiful Launderette’ features a much more upbeat electronic production with less orchestral elements as the subject matter of the film requires. From 1982 – 1987 Zimmer worked collaboratively on productions. It was not until the film ‘Terminal Exposure’ (1987) that Zimmer would produce his first solo-score (Wikipedia, no date), based heavily on electronic production encapsulating the 80’s pop culture era. His next collaboration with David Byrne and Ryuichi Sakamoto would lead to his first taste of Academy Award success – winning the Oscar for Best Original Score with the picture ‘The Last Emperor’ (1987). The theme tune of which combines influences from both traditional Western and Eastern cultures, again allowing him to experience new found inspiration for his future creations. At this time he also created one of his most durable works for the UK television game show ‘Going for Gold’, about which he was quoted in an interview with the BBC as saying ‘[it] was a lot of fun. It’s the sort of stuff you do when you don’t have a career yet’ (BBC, 2008). This demonstrated his levelheadedness despite his new found success. This is also another example of how Zimmer was able to span the genres of music composition whilst enjoying his work, which arguably has been crucial to his success. The next film score composed by Zimmer was the small budget movie ‘A World Apart’ (1988) about apartheid South Africa (Shelton, no date). This was his first excursion into composition for a movie set in Africa, perhaps leading to his continuing interest in this area (seen in his work on the later films ‘The Power of One’ (1992) and ‘The Lion King’ (1994)). The soundtrack to ‘A World Apart’ featured traditional African instruments such as African drums and shakers giving the soundtrack an authentic feel. At the same time, these are combined with powerful synthetic strings which strike emotion and also bring in a Western element, which mirrors the films subject. 4 – Word Count: 3459 Student no. 15735 The success of this soundtrack led to Zimmer’s involvement in the critically acclaimed film ‘The Rain Man’ (1988) after the Hollywood director Barry Levinson’s wife introduced him to Zimmer’s work (Wikipedia, no date). Zimmer would follow an individual process when composing; â€Å"It was a road movie, and road movies usually have jangly guitars or a bunch of strings. I kept thinking don’t be bigger than the characters. Try to keep it contained. The Raymond character doesn’t actually know where he is. He might as well be on Mars. So, why don’t we just invent our own world music, for a world that doesn’t really exist? † (Zimmer cited by Young, 2008). This allowed for the score to contain escapist, other-worldly elements reflecting the character played by Dustin Hoffman. The Rain Man’ (1988) was Zimmer’s first venture into Hollywood. The soundtrack was created by the use of a lot of digital synthesis from the Fairlight CMI which was able to do sampling as well as additive synthesis where Zimmer was able to draw his own wave forms. In 1989 the score was nominated for an Academy Award and won Best Picture (Shelton, no date). His success would only contin ue. He was approached by the director of ‘Driving Miss Daisy’ (1989) the score of which consisted mainly of synthesisers and samplers. The Roland MKS-20 synthesiser was used for piano sounds about which Zimmer jokingly quoted â€Å"It didn’t sound anything like a piano, but it behaved like a piano† (Zimmer cited by Wherry, 2002) showing the unpredictable nature of digital synthesis. Within the same month as ‘Driving Miss Daisy’ Zimmer also created the score for the film ‘Black Rain’ (1989). In involving himself with both these films which were of entirely different genres he felt that Hollywood would not be able to typecast him (Young, 2008). This is further evidence of Hans Zimmer’s drive to think outside of the box, never wanting to be constrained or restricted to create just one type of music. His broad horizons were demonstrated further in 1992 with the film ‘The Power of One’ where Zimmer expressed his thirst for gaining authentic samples and knowledge of different musical cultures by travelling to Africa and sampling indigenous choirs and traditional drums. He gained a police-record whilst in the country for his work on the film for being labelled as subversive (Wikipedia, no date). It was ‘Power of One’ that led to his first expedition into the world of animation with the 1994 film ‘The Lion King’ which followed the African theme. Zimmer originally created 48 different theme tunes for ‘The Lion King’ (1994) before he was happy with the outcome (Hans-Zimmer. com, no date, a), displaying his meticulous nature. It can be said that this contributed to the film’s success and it went on to win an Oscar for Best Original Score and Golden Globe awards (Ankeny, no date). The African drum and choir samples used in ‘Circle of Life’ (the theme tune for the film) convey authenticity, whilst the use of a Western vocalist meant that a Western audience could still identify with the track. This maintained its resonance with the films main demographic, and the score was later adapted into a Broadway musical. After years of orchestral development Zimmer went back to his roots of synthesis with the Grammy Award winning film ‘Crimson Tide’ in 1995. However, his success post-Lion King meant that the celebrity lifestyle was in danger of catching up with him and his first attempts at the composition for ‘Crimson Tide’ were described by its directors as ‘crap’ and ‘rubbish’ and Zimmer is quoted as saying that â€Å"reality came back really fast for him† (Zimmer cited by Young, 2008). In the following years Zimmer went on to work on the scores for many more successful films. It was in the 2000’s, however, with the postmodern preoccupation with film that he became involved with even higher budgeted Hollywood Blockbusters. The following discussions of his works will describe 5 – Word Count: 3459 Student no. 15735 in depth how Zimmer’s creative processes lead to an extremely effective way of making sound for movies. The first of these discussions will focus on the film ‘Gladiator’ (2000). It is important to note Zimmer’s preoccupation with imagery and how the sound will translate on screen. It can be said that rather than dictate with music, Zimmer will take elements from the scenes, the characters and aesthetics of the film to set up the tone. An example of this is seen in what is arguably the most iconic scene of the movie, set in a wheat field, which is extremely poetic. Zimmer argues that the music gives the artistic license to be so poetic (hans-zimmer. com, no date, a). He talks about the collaboration with the artist Lisa Gerrard on this scene, and describes this relationship as a meeting of minds, finding her to be a ‘true’ artist. This collaboration is clearly effective in evoking emotion as the guttural vocals by Gerrard coincide beautifully with the imagery. Whilst watching the movie, it is found that the same piece of theme music is used in different places and in scenes that are worlds apart in terms of emotion. Zimmer’s ability to create polarity with one piece of music clearly displays his strategic ability to place the music effectively. For example, one piece of music is used in a scene where two people kiss as well as just before a battle scene. In the former, the effect is one of tenderness and romance, whilst in the latter tension and violence is alluded to. A further example of this is how the use of music conveys the humble theme of the movie (the personal life of the character) while at the same time can be turned into thousands of different emotions. (hanszimmer. com, no date, a) Additionally, the tone of the music clearly changes as the film moves around geographically in order to represent the location. For example, the battle scene set in Germania consists of sustained, powerful strings and other skewed instruments which create a frantic and tense scene as well as authentically representing the location. Furthermore, for the scenes set in Morocco the sound is generally more tribal, dirty and gritty giving the sound in the movie a bigger range and representing the change in locations effectively (hans-zimmer. com, no date, a). The composition throughout the entire movie is mainly orchestral and this has the effect of transporting the viewer to the appropriate period of time in history that the film represents. All of this amalgamates to an all-round epic and large scale experience which is at the heart of the Gladiator’s subject matter. Another interesting aspect of Hans Zimmer’s work is to see how he portrayed one of the most iconic villains in modern day films in the Batman movie ‘The Dark Knight’ (2008). From the outset it seems that rather than create a happy, indulgent score, Zimmer wanted to create something hateful and provocative, something that the viewer could invest in. The Joker is the focal point of the film and represents a change from its predecessor, ‘Batman Begins’ (2005). In order to convey the significance of the character the sound that accompanies him on screen displays the anarchy, mayhem and insanity inherent to the Joker’s eccentric personality. youtube. com, no date). In an interview on the making of the film, Zimmer describes his attempts at depicting the tone of the character through the use of razor blades on barbed wire and incessant tapping on tables and floors, but he eventually came to the extremely successful technique of playing two notes on a cello at the same time, which juxtapose beautifully. This gives the effect of a taught string that gets tighter and tighter but never breaks, paralleling the Jokers spiralling descent into madness. Also, the note of the cello slowly but consistently rises in order to draw the viewer in as the character also does on screen. This extraordinary quiet, high-pitched sound which creates rising tension appears to have a 6 – Word Count: 3459 Student no. 15735 slightly anxious and uneasy quality which syncs perfectly with the character and the viewer’s perception of him. To accompany the sound of the cello, and add to the ever-growing tension two heavily distorted guitars, almost unrecognisable as the original instrument, are played with pieces of metal, with the result of creating a completely anarchistic atmosphere. These effects are heavily processed with the use of distortion to create a more surreal experience, detached from reality. These techniques fuse together to form a rich and complex tapestry of emotion, the audial and the visual aspects are combined in a way that portrays harmony as well as contrast. (youtube. com, no date). The final movie that will be discussed in depth is ‘Inception’ (2010). In the New York Times Zimmer describes his own understanding of the films subject as being about time and its slowing down, and speeding up. The Edith Piaf track ‘Je ne regrette rien’ is used as part of the film to signify a kick to another reality. However, Zimmer has taken its use to a deeper level â€Å"all the music in the score is subdivisions and multiplications of the Edith Piaf track† (Zimmer cited by Itzkoff, 2010) representing his perception of the film as being based around time and its manipulation. In the same way Zimmer manipulates the Piaf track by using a single beat and slowing it down dramatically in order to create the trademark foghorn sound that the movie is well known for (Itzkoff, 2010). The momentum of the film is defined by the structure of the score that accompanies it. The intensity of the film gradually snowballs, becoming more and more surreal and penetrating. At the same time the music increases in intensity and level of depth as the film explores the different levels of the human mind. In an interview with Hans Zimmer (hans-zimmer. com, no date) he describes making electronic sounds from scratch on the custom moog rack in his studio, as well as using software synths such as U-he Zebra. In order to create the sounds he wanted he would play the synthetic sounds to his bespoke orchestra which consists of; six bass trombones, six tenor trombones, four tubas and six French horns in order for them to imitate the sounds. Combinations of the two create a euphoric and emotive atmosphere where deep and unsettling synthetic and orchestral sounds accompany and synchronise with a powerful and grand visual experience. Whilst Zimmer has admitted ‘The Dark Knight’ was heavy in its use of electronic sounds in ‘Inception’ this is pushed even further. In order to gain a further insight into what Hans Zimmer is influenced by, it is important to consider the setting in which he creates his momentous scores. His home studio in Santa Monica, USA is extremely gothic in its decor and can be perceived as having an overwhelmingly dark and eerie vibe – somewhat consistent with a large amount of his compositions. This can be seen in the pictures below. (Pictures sourced from www. stuckincustoms. com) In picture one, we see that muted decadence is incorporated with the feeling of comfort. It is hard to imagine that influence would not be drawn from these surroundings. – Word Count: 3459 Student no. 15735 The second picture, displays the core of the hardware at Zimmers disposal. Whilst it is hard to make out the various components, some are identifiable; his Quested monitors (5. 1 surround sound set up), his Doepfer LMK4+ midi-keyboard, and two analogue synthesisers which are mounted on the back wall – one of which is a custom Moog rack (as mentioned above) and a custom Roland rack, as well as two custom HP touch sensitive LCD screen monitors connected to his DAW (Steinberg Cubase as his main sequencer and Pro Tools for his final mix) (hans-zimmer. om, no date, b). The picture on the right shows a large amount of Pro Tools systems and a patch bay as well as various other hardware devices. He also has a custom built Bosendorfer grand piano. It is also worth mentioning the software used by Zimmer which as well as the DAW’s described above include various VST’s such as; Omnisphere, U-he Zebra, Atmosphere and thousands and thousands of sample banks. (hanszimmer. com, no date, b) Hans Zimmer enjoys an astonishing career with some incredible a ccomplishments, despite the fact that he has had no formal training. His passion is maintained and can be seen in both the way he talks about the composition process as well as the finished product that is heard on screen. Perhaps, it can be said that in his work he is still battling his inner turmoil at the death of his father as a young boy; â€Å"[composing] was my way of calming the demons in me or at the same time sometimes letting them roar, letting them rip, letting the monster out and seeing that it wasn’t so scary being able to look it in the eye. † (CNN Worldbeat cited by IMDB, no date). It is argued here that in his work Zimmer forces his audience to confront the demons on screen whilst creating an opportunity for escapism which is what cinema represents. His productions are both seamless and effortless whilst at the same remaining extraordinarily powerful and commanding. As a relatively young composer and with some of the biggest and long-awaited Hollywood blockbusters ever to be produced in the pipeline, such as the sequel to ‘The Dark Knight’; ‘The Dark Knight Rises’, his success can only intensify with time.

Climate Change Essays - Climate History, Climate Change, Free Essays

Climate Change Essays - Climate History, Climate Change, Free Essays Climate Change Crystal Lang HUM/115 September 21, 2015 AR Fiano Climate Change Over the past few decades there has been serious concerns with the climate changes that have been happening to the planet. Natural climate changes occurs because a balance between energy from the sun is entering and leaving the planets system. When the incoming energy from the sun is absorbed by the Earth system the Earth will naturally get warm. When the sun's energy is reflected back into space by clouds or other natural occurrences, the Earth will not absorb energy and will start to cool. Because the energy is released back into space. Other than natural changes to the climate we have the usual suspects and that is the ever growing human population on the planet. Most of the climate changes today are blamed on global warming caused by the greenhouse effect. Greenhouse gasses are caused from carbon dioxide being put into the air causing the reflection of the suns energy and can cause cooling of the planet. The opposite is occurring now because the greenhouse gasses are holding in the suns energy causing the planet to warm up. The vast growth of the human population and our use of bio-fuels, is emitting large amounts of carbon dioxide in to the atmosphere causing the greenhouse gasses to have a negative effect on the earth's natural climate changes. (McCarthy) These two articles did not change my opinion on the climate changes because for years we have learned about global warming and the causes of climate changes. I did know that there was natural causes and human error involved with todays climate changes. I think all of the articles that I read will all have the same or similar stories as to the two I read today. The only argument out there is if our global warming our fault this time or are we in the climate cycle where the planet warms up, glaciers melt and we start moving into the water world of the days of Noah. References McCarthy, Gina. "United States Environemental Protection Agency." Causes of Climate Change (2014). 2015. Melillo, Jerry M. Climate Change Impacts in the United States: The Third National Climate Assessment. U.S. Global Change Research Program. 2014.

6 steps to turning a work buddy into a real-life friend

6 steps to turning a work buddy into a real-life friend Most people have two social groups in their lives: the people you hang out with all day, every day, because you have to (coworkers) and the people you hang out with by choice when you find the free time (friends). Lots of people keep these spheres separate, so there are firm boundaries in place between work life and real life. But what happens when you meet someone at work who you just adore and want to become friends with beyond office pleasantries? There are a lot of reasons it’s great to have a true pal and confident at work. Random â€Å"just saying hi† pop ins make your day go faster. You have a constant lunch or coffee break buddy. And work-wise, it can often mean a strong ally on your side. But negotiating the road to real friendship can be a tricky one. Here’s how to do it.1. Be picky- find someone you trust.You can’t afford to lay it all out there for just anyone. Quality is much more important than quantity when it comes to office friendships. Sh oot for one (or two) people who seem to have interests and life situations and values most in common with you.2. Don’t rush the process.Don’t jump right into the meaningful convos over margaritas stage, or the inviting people over for dinner with your family stage. Going from coworker to friend takes a gentle touch- if things don’t work out, you still need to see the person every day. Start with a casual coffee or a lunch to test the waters. Is the conversation effortless? Do you feel comfortable, and can you tell whether your new pal-to-be feels comfortable as well?3. Go on a second date.Just because the first foray went well, make sure it wasn’t just a fluke. Try another lunch or casual coffee, or maybe a happy hour. If you pick up straight where you left off and it still feels breezy and fantastic to be in their company, then keep at it.4. Lead with what interests you.Don’t just talk about work. Start trying out conversations that have more to d o with your outside life, interests, hobbies, and passions, and see how well you match up. To build a real friendship you’ll need to build shared memories, which is much easier to do when you have more in common than just where you go to work each day. Try not to go  too personal too soon, though- you can bare your soul a few months down the line, not right after you find out whether or not someone has any siblings.5. Open up when you feel comfortable.When you feel like things are really moving along well, it might be time to let your hair down cautiously and share some more personal details. No oversharing! Keep it relaxed and not too dramatic. Take your cues from your new friend, as well. Listen to what they’re talking about and try not to bulldoze through whatever boundaries they might be adhering to with big blockbuster confessions.6. Keep potential complications in mind.Having a work bestie or two can be great, but you should also be prepared for the occasional awkward situation. Say your friend gets promoted over you or starts to shoot up the ladder and you’re still stuck at entry-level. How might you react? Try to foresee a few of these possibilities and ask yourself if you’ll be able to be genuinely happy for your friend’s success and not too competitive throughout the course of your careers. Will this friendship be strong enough to weather the ups and downs of your working world?

The Role of NGO in Defining Human Rights Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5250 words

The Role of NGO in Defining Human Rights - Essay Example Since they have come from other nations, they might be naive to the language, rules, and observances, and less capable to claim their civil liberties. This causes them to face prejudice and makes them vulnerable to uneven treatment and uneven prospects at employment and also in their day to day affairs.   The Amnesty International has made efforts to promote and safeguard the liberties of those segments of the society including the immigrants and refugee workers. Amnesty international held that because of the nature of humanity immigrants are at liberty to be safeguarded of their civil liberties. This right comprises of the securing and safeguarding of their liberties during the whole period of migration in nations of origin, travel, and destination.   After the cold war, the NGO segment related to the migrant security has developed to a very large extent. The people have become more conscious and anxious with respect to the cruel laws, regulations, and procedures which affect the migrants. In the present day, there are hardly a few nations in the world that haven’t been concerned by the migrants’ problem and therefore the NGO’S are engaged with the refugee protection rights.† A migrant's human rights are largely defined by the migration "category" to which he or she belongs, and by the reasons underlying that migration. At one end of the human rights/migration spectrum are voluntary migrants, including migrant workers and other economic migrants. At the other end, more than 10 million refugees are forced to leave their countries to escape persecution.† (Grant 2005).   Immigrants activists argue that inequity, poverty, armed clashes, racial discrimination, fanaticism etc in the home country are the core reasons for immigration along with other exterior reasons like globalization.