The Concept of American Music Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Concept of American Music - Essay Example music traditions, which have also essential effects on American music. In the paper we analyze all the implications of the statement ‘Rock and pop music in the United States is African-American music’ and investigate the issue of American music origin and its present trying to point out whether it is determined mainly by African-American tendencies and whether there are other crucial factors, which affect American music to a considerable extent. American Music Controversy and Diversity It is commonly accepted that African music has made a significant influence on development of overall American pop and rock music beginning with 19th century (Nicholls 123). The most major effects could be easily discovered if consider spirituals, slave songs, jazz, blues, soul, and rock and roll music tendencies. Originally all these integral parts of American music culture were developed by African slaves in the US and only later they became common within all American social and racial s tratums. However, another inseparable part of American music, country music, is supposed to emerge due to both African and European impacts as well as Hawaiian and notably Native American traditions. When searching for arguments that support or disprove that American music is affected significantly by African motives, it is worth to consider American folk music first of all, which brought to life American popular music later (Nicholls 47).Originally, it comprised such styles as gospel and blues, which have undoubtedly strong connections to West African culture and further have been modified and extended due to English, Spanish and French motives (Nicholls 135). Generally, American folk music involves such traditional instruments as drums, shakers, which are included to percussion group of instruments, and flute, all of which have strong associations with African traditions. However, it is also worth to mention that British tendencies had also a significant impact on American folk mu sic development enriching it with such techniques as drone, which is constantly repeating motive through the whole theme, and numerous ballad songs. Moreover, complex rhythms, or polyrhythms, which are associated with American music, are also inherent characteristics of African music and were integrated into the US music traditions by black people (Nicholls 109). At the same time African culture seems not to bother a lot about melody and this tradition American music derived from European counties. Another fact that confirms strong relationship between African and American music concerns the issue of syncopation, which is heavily used in modern American pop music. Syncopation means that common rhythmic accent is moved from strong to weak beat and is an original African invention. Another initially African feature, which is clearly presented in American music, is about call and response technique (Nicholls 47). The method implies that several musicians play their phrases in such way that one of them sounds like a response to other parts. On contrary, there are some important British tendencies, which affected American music and directed its further development. 1960s are associated with British invasion in the US music and presented times when American blues and blues rock musicians were influenced significantly by mainstream music tendencies in Great Britain. The other thing, which clearly confirms strong African

Jean Jacques Rousseau Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Jean Jacques Rousseau - Essay Example The essay highlighted the hazardous impact of modern civilization. He delivered his thoughts on education in his book title mile, which was a semi-fictitious work that outlined the growth of a lad named by the book, who was actually controlled by the author himself. The author brought the lad to the country side; a place that he sees humans being naturally suited, in comparison to a city where there are all the bad habits that are learnt in both physical and intellectual sense. Rousseau recognized and stated that education is about learning the art of living, and this art can only be learnt once there is a guardian to guide the ways and means to a good living. This gave birth to the concept of mentors. The great philosopher divided the growth period of a child into three distinct sections, i.e. up to 12, 12-16, and 16 onwards. In the first phase, i.e. up to 12 years of age, in accordance with the deepest certainty that the author held, calculating and multifaceted thinking is quite not possible, and children live more like animals. In the second ph ase, i.e. from the age of 12 up to that of 16, reasoning starts developing. In the third phase, i.e. from the age of 16 years onward the child develops into an adult. This was the time when Emile found a young lady as his complement. The fundamentals of this book are moreover based on the healthy living ideals of Rousseau. The boy then does work towards his social instincts follow up, protection from vices of individualized urbanization, and self-consciousness. The scenario portrayed here is not merely of a gender-neutral child. There is a character in the book i.e. of Sophie who represents an ideal womanhood and Emile is meant to marry her. Her education is purposely different from that of Emile as she is learned to be administered by her husband; on the contrary, the education of Emile is for self-governance. This differentiation is a part of the essential thoughts of the author regarding gender education. There have been several criticisms on this work. Emile's edication has been thought of as impractical. Child's Education, the topic itself has also been the cause of ignorance during many followers who mainly look up to Rousseau for his political work. Similar principle was then applied to the political issues by Rousseau in a book named Discours sur l'origine et les fondements de l'ingalit parmi les hommes (Discourse on the Origin of Inequality) in 1755. Some of his other famous writings included Constitutional Program for Corsica (1765), Considerations on the Government of Poland (1772), and Discourse on Political Economy (1755). The ideas generated in these political writings eventually led to the French Revolution. The Educational Theory presented by Jean Jacques Rousseau were also a major contribution of the great philosopher to the educational arena. These theories included Theory of Value, Theory of Knowledge, Theory of Human Nature, Theory of Learning Theory of Transmission, Theory of Society, Theory of Opportunity, and Theory of Consensus. Many of these theories are devoted towards learning and

The Influence of Technology in Business Essay Example for Free

The Influence of Technology in Business Essay Technology has changed the way the world operates and conducts business. I remember walking into an office and being impressed at how cool the receptionist was by instant messaging the person I was there to see to let them know I had arrived instead of picking up the phone and ringing their office. She received an immediate reply to have me seated and said the he would be right with me. What was really happening is that he was on a phone call but was able to multitask more efficiently due to the instant messaging software, filling the need for instant gratification. That was well over ten years ago. Today, managers can hold global staff meetings and significantly cut costs with regard to travel and expense accounts while fulfilling the new trend of being â€Å"green†. Much of corporate America now has people in telecommuting programs, and the number of people involved is continually growing. Information sharing is faster and more convenient than ever before. You never have to leave your home or book a flight out to acquire information or survey a property or even meet clients thanks to teleconferencing where you can see the other person virtually face-to-face. While there are many advantages to the new virtual office up rise there are challenges as well. Many businesses find one of the biggest hurdles in setting up the virtual office is the responsibility of providing technical support. Whereas, technically proficient employees usually improve their skills while learning on their own, those that don’t understand computers can end up costing much more because of support costs. Interestingly, IT departments are behind the virtual workplace curve: As employees overall are increasingly distributed geographically (more than 90% work someplace other than headquarters), IT departments are increasingly centralized. Telecommuting is actually considerably rarer in IT departments than in the workforce at large, (Johnson, J. , 2009). This may be causing them to miss out on a revolution that the rest of the company may be experiencing. Another hurdle that companies must face is that they must evaluate virtual workers without directly supervising them. To do this successfully, the employee must be evaluated on the quality, quantity, and timeliness of the work as opposed to the hours involved, so it is imperative that the work be specific and measurable (Roman H. Kepczyk, 1999). The demand for the virtual office is on the rise and will continue to develop and progress as companies realize the significant savings impact it can have on their budget and the increase in productivity it has been shown to have. From the employee’s perspective it also saves them money by not having to commute and buy lunch, therefore, increasing their retained income. They are more engaged due to the lack of interruptions by colleagues such as those present in a brick and mortar office setting and typically, employees use less sick leave when working from home. Reduced stress levels and a more productive and balanced lifestyle contribute the employees level of job satisfaction. An employer can save around $5,000 on cubicle and office equipment for just one employee. Telecommuting is the same thing as operating a virtual office. An employee can work from home but still communicate effectively with managers and colleagues. Employees may create a sort of â€Å"social working network† to compensate for the â€Å"water cooler† action they may miss from having human contact at the office. Judy Duplisea, a regional vice president for the company CheckFree, lives in Canton while other members of her sales and client relationship staff live in Connecticut, Maryland, Michigan, New Hampshire, and New York. They work out of their houses, connected by computers, fax machines, and conference calls in a virtual office. My group is probably tighter now than any of the groups that I was working with in regular offices, Duplisea said. We go out of our way to stay in contact with each other. You can get real lonely if you dont (Cindy Krischer Goodman, 2010). The advances in technology and business will increase the rate of global expansion of companies in general. Not having to budget money for international travel or physically exhaust employees with the act of actually traveling but being able to conduc t business effectively in over seas markets is a huge benefit to any company’s the bottom line. While business relationships should still incorporate some kind of human one-on-one contact with their clients and colleagues, businesses can communicate more effectively and more often, globally and domestically, with the increasing technological advances available to them. Clients, colleagues, suppliers and the like, are more than just a telephone call away, they are a teleconference, an email, and quite recently as demonstrated in the last presidential campaign on CNN, a hologram away.

The formation of friction ridge skin

The formation of friction ridge skin The formation of friction ridge skin and how it relates to the permanence of fingerprints A large part of the human body is protected by a layer of skin that is reasonably free from difficulties or impediments. Friction Ridges can be found on our fingers, the bottom of our feet and on the palms of our hands. They are called friction ridges is because one of their main functions is to help us easily take hold of objects (Girard, 2008). The friction ridges deposits things like sweat and other types of contaminants directly to any surface that it comes in contact with. The impression which is left behind is an exact reproduction of the part of friction ridge skin that touched the surface. A lot of times the impression cannot be seen with the naked eye so hence the reason why it is called a latent print, which means that the print is there but not clear to the vision (Keogh, 2001). During the third to fourth month of the development of a fetus fingerprints are distinguished. These fingerprints are made up of individual traits known as bifurcations, ridge endings, dots and many other ridge shape differences. Single kinship of individual distinguishing trait does not change throughout an individuals life, until the individual dies and the body decomposes (Keogh, 2001). After the fingerprint of the infant is formed, the growing ridges are a lot like taking a pen and drawing a face on a balloon then blowing up the balloon to see if the face will open up consistently in all different directions. Perverse alterations to fingerprints include cuts or injuries that are very deep and penetrating all layers of the outer epithelial layer of the skin and other diseases like leprosy (Girard, 2008). Except for if an individual has any type of cuts, or scarring on the fingers their prints never change and there is no similarity between two fingerprints. The lines on the hands and feet of all individuals have three characteristics (ridge endings, bifurcations and dots) which are evident in sequences that never recur on the feet and hands of any two individuals. A ridge ending is merely the end of a line (also known as an ending ridge). A split of an individual ridge that is shaped into two is known as a bifurcation. A short ridge that is similar to a dot is called a dot. Up until recently these two premises has been introduced as three propositions. The first is that before birth friction ridges are developed on the unborn. Secondly, there is no change of friction ridges as an individual age and throughout their lifetime with the exception for scars left permanently from an accident or serious injury. Thirdly, the patterns and details in areas that are very small on friction ridge s are unlike any other and are never recurring What is the scientific method, and how is this theory applied to fingerprint analysis? The scientific method also known as ACE-V is the abbreviation for the analysis or modified version of the scientific method that is followed by friction ridge examiners: Analyzing, Comparing, Evaluating, Verifying. The first time that ACE-V was used for physical evidence was in 1960 and ridge detail in 1980. Inspector Roy A. Huber, RCMP, developed the ACE-V process and Sergeant David Ashbaugh, RCMP, made this process popular among the friction ridge identification field. Analyze The first step which is analysis, compels the expert to test and dissect all variables that has an affect on the friction ridge characteristics in question. Once latent fingerprints are being tested there are quite a few factors that one has to be considered and probed into. Some of these factors are the material upon which the latent print has been placed, the process of development, pressure distortion, and elements on the outside like blood and grease. The amount and type of latent print ridges has an effect on the testers competence to carry out the next phase. The end of the analysis process determines whether there is sufficient information existing to go on to the next step (Jones, 2006). Compare The process of comparing bring into play the known model with which the latent print must be compared. At this particular point, there is also another aspect of analysis occurring. This analyzing is of the known model in an effort to bring about the suitability for achieving the end result set out in the information above. There is a possibility that the recognized model may have fingerprint images that had too much ink, or was smudged so therefore it was not reliable, stopping a comparison from being definitive. The process of comparison starts with determining the overall ridge circulation and fit in an effort to orient in a proper manner the latent print with an accompanying area of the known model fingerprint. This is usually followed by choosing key traits, understanding their position, trend and relationship and then showing the differences of this structure with the structure in the known models. The type and amount of this information directly affects how easy or di fficult the process is (Jones, 2006). Evaluate The conclusion of the comparing is the evaluating process or making a conclusion. The overall fingerprint society refers to the end result drawn as being one of three options. First, the two characteristics (the latent and the known print) were made by the exact finger of the same individual. Second, the latent characteristic has not been produced by any of the fingers of the model fingerprints. And thirdly, an ending of the comparing could not be accomplished, and this is due to the fact that there is not enough clarity or the lack of area to be compared in the known models. (Jones, 2006). Verify The final process is verification. The overall guide is that the process of establishing identity must be confirmed by another individual or expert who is qualified. This process of confirmation by a second examiner is a self governing test of both fingerprint characteristic (latent fingerprint and known model fingerprint) applying the scientific procedures of analysis, comparison and evaluation described above (Jones, 2006). There have been some recent challenges in New Hampshire vs. Richard Langill and Maryland vs. Bryan Rose. These two cases have pinpointed a couple of issues that are important for the latent print community: documentation and the rate of error. Each step of the ACE-V process or its equivalent needs better. In order to rebuild that analysis, enough documents are needed. By documenting the relevant information gathered during the analyzing, evaluating, and comparing of latent prints so the ground work for the conclusion (identifying, excluding, or inconclusive), the tester will produce a transparent record of the procedure and that way supply the courts with more information to determine how reliable that particular method is for a for a exact case. At present, examiners are not required to document, within a latent support, which features support both their reasoning and support.

Banisteriopsis caapi :: Botany

Banisteriopsis caapi "It was thirty minutes before I felt the first sensation, a numbness on the lips, and a warmth in my stomach that spread to my chest and shoulders even as a distinct chill moved down my waist and lower limbs...I opened my eyes to a flash of light, a passing headlight on the road, harsh and intrusive. I retreated again and felt myself fade into an uncomfortable physical body, prostrate on the mat, and tormented by vertigo and a mounting nausea" (Davis 1996). This account describes the beginning feelings and affects of an experience between Wade Davis and yage, a drink whose main component is the plant Banisteriopsis caapi. Banisteriopsis caapi is a plant found in the tropical regions of South America, including the countries of Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, and more. It is a liana that grows in the tropical forests of these regions and is often utilized in native tribe cultures. Many different aboriginal tribes of the Amazon rainforests use drinks prepared from this plant under many different names: ayahuasca, caapi, yage, yaje, natem, datem, pinde, dapa, and more. It has been used in various tribe cultures for years and still has a place in today's societies and religions. Banisteriopsis of the Malpighiaceae, is a genus of around one hundred species of plants in tropical America. Three of these are known for their hallucinogenic affects in ayahuasca. These three plants are B. inebriens, B. caapi (Schultes 1970) and B. quitensis (Schultes 1995). The best known of these three species and the main component of ayahuasca is B. caapi. When the drink ayahuasca is made, it is often supplemented with other plants that provide hallucinogenic properties to the drink. There are many species of plants, stretching across genera, that are added. Some of the plants included in these various admixtures are Diplopterys cabrerana, Psychotria viridis, and Psychotria carthaginensis. There are also members of the Solanaceae that are commonly used, Nicotiana species, Brugmansia species, and Brunfelsia species (Schultes and von Reis 1995). These plants bring different chemical constituents to the drink. The chemical components of Banisteriopsis caapi that cause the hallucinogenic effect are beta-carboline alkaloids found in the bark. More than nine alkaloids have been isolated in B. caapi. The three main active constituents, and most well known from this plant, are harmine, harmaline, and tetrahydroharmine. Other beta-carboline alkoloids include harmine-N-oxide, harmic acid methylester, harmalinic acid, harmic amide, and more (Kawanishi et al 1982).

Polyhydroxybutyrate Essays -- Chemistry

Plastic industry has become of vital importance for the comfort and quality of our lives, due to numerous qualities as strength, lightness, low cost and durability. Their downside is the negative impact over the environment, due to the accumulating of millions of tons per year. Therefore, the development of biodegradable plastics seems a key issue for further development. PHAs are hydroxyalkanoate polyesters that are used as energy storage for bacteria. Polyhydroxybutyrate(PHB) is a biodegradable polymer, with similar properties to polypropylene, which gives it great potential as alternative source of plastics. PHB is linear polyester of D-3-hydroxybutyric acid, with high molecular weight, accumulated as a storage carbon in different microorganisms. The PHB-producing bacteria require an environment rich in sucrose, glucose or ethanol, all expensive raw materials. Efforts have been made in the past years to overcome those disadvantages, by producing PHB from plants. (Gehrke, 2009) The first attempts to establish fermentative production of PHA happened 40 years ago, using stains of Ralstonia eutropha and Alcaligenes latus. Biopol ®, a polymer developed by ICI (Imperial Chemical Industries) was produced using a mutant stain Ralstonia eutropha using glucose as a carbon source. That was the start of the commercially available PHVBs, in the 1980s. After the change of proprietorship to Monsanto, the bioplastic’s division was sold and the patent was bought by a Cambridge, (MA, U.S.A.) company called Metabolix (source: press release 16 May 2001, Metabolix.com). The research continued, adding new naturally PHA- producing bacteria to the list, whilst other microorganisms were modified to do so. The carbon source usually used was gluc... ...ndia : University of Pune. 9. Mousavioun, P. (2011). Properties of Ligning and Polyhydroxybutyrate Blends. Queensland, Australia: Queensland University of Technology. 10. Nisha V. Ramadas, S. K. (2009). Polyhydroxybutyrate Production using Agro-industrial Residue as Substrate by Bacillus sphaericus NCIM 5149. Kerala: National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology. 11. Peter H. Yu, H. C.-L.-H.-P. (1999). Conversion of industrial wastes by Alcaligenes Latus into Polyhydroxyalkanoates,. 12. Product information . (fÄÆ'rÄÆ' an). Preluat de pe mirel plastics: http://www.mirelplastics.com/discover/default.aspx?ID=1783 13. Udpuay, S. C. (2008). Production and Characterization of Polyhydroxybutyrate from Molasses and Corn Steep Liquor produced by Bacillus megaterium ATCC 6748 . Phitsanulok ,Thailand: Dept. of Biology, Fac. of Science, Naresuan University, .

Different Modes of Thought

Courses are different to turn from the up-to-the-minute to the post modern in the dominion of philosophy and other theoretical dissertations, having the representation of complex pedigree of various and often deviating shadows through diverse restraints and cultural territories. In The Philosophical Discourse of Modernity (Habermas 1987), in a way showed how a pathway moves through a practice of irrationalism from romanticism to existentialism to French postmodernism. French postmodern theory had proliferation on the said movements through the figures of Nietzsche, Heidegger, and Bataille.According to Lyotard, every utterance in the language games is thought of as a move in a game, and â€Å"to speak is to fight [†¦ ] speech acts fall within the domain of a general agonistics. † By linking each statement to one another, there can be an analysis with these terms in a game with specific rules as Lyotard refers speculative discourse as a language game. He gave the name diffe rend in a language game to the calming player. The differend exist when the procedures for what is different to be presented in the contemporary sphere of influence of discourse have no agreement.This can be a suggestion, criticism or aesthetic principle. The stillness of an impossibility of wording an injustice is marked by the differend. The measurement of a unique state of mind which distinguishes its inability to find an object sufficient to the inspirational feeling, the inspirational sensitivity does not come from the object. Powerlessness is a sign by the sublime wherein it becomes the untainted sign when it is understood by the indication of the differend.An event that is historical is an instance of the differend in which a philosopher is tasked to search out for these signs to be given expression by an existing variety of discourse (EGS 2008). There are three remarks about language games. First, legitimating does not carry rules with themselves however they are the object of an agreement, explicit or not, between players. This only means that the players somehow invent the rules. Secondly, there is no game without having such rules. It is a necessity to the games because it serves as a guide to distinguish how players will lose or win to make a fair judgment to both parties.And lastly, utterances are considered as â€Å"moves† in a game. Best example is in basketball. Players in this game do not only play physically but also ethically and morally. Once a player says obscene words against a player or any official during the game, it is somewhat a point against him. This final examination and inspection conveys us to the primary standards fundamental in our technique in one piece is, speaking is fighting, in the good judgment of taking part in, and verbal communication as in talking takes actions to drop within the sphere of influence of a universal anguishes.But does not directly suggests that winning is the primarily concern when playing. For the absolute satisfaction of its creation a particular move is made. The involvement of struggle of language aggravation carried out by trendy speech and by literature is that enormous ecstasy is had in the infinite creation of rotations of expresses, of statements and implications, the development following the advancement of language on the height of parole.But unquestionably even this gratification is dependent on a feeling of accomplishment succeeded at the price of a challenge – at least one adversary, and a redoubtable one: the acknowledged language, or suggestion. (Lyotard 1984) Losing the sight of the second principle which sets as a balance to it and presides over our examination that the discernible social bond is composed of language â€Å"moves† should not happen by the influence of the idea of agonistics of language.The core of everything at hand is at the end of the elucidation of this proposition. In the Modes of Discourse: The local structure of texts, book by Carlota Smith, she mentioned about the Discourse Mode which she broadened an argument for the position that there is an appropriately linguistic stage in discourse stated that the earlier unsuccessful linguistic approaches to discourse are over-reaction made by the pragmatic turn.The observation of linguistic regularities in adjacent sentences is made possible by text passages like the successions of at least two sentences which belong to different discourse approaches that are determined by the types if discourse units such as occasions, states, overviews, concepts which are being introduced in the course and the form of progression from one discourse entity to the next which is called simply as the â€Å"semantic progression†. In nature, it can be temporal or a temporal.Narrative, Description, Report, Information and Argument are the five discourse modes Smith recognizes. These modes speak about regular models of linguistic forms in texts to regular understandings t hereof which claimed to be linguistic units. Having an investigation on questions as how linguistic properties of passages can shed light on features made by Smith aside from making an argument for the existence of linguistic discourse modes and elucidating the characteristics of their features which are shared by all discourse modes.Expressions of subjectivity in the sense of point of views and the effects of â€Å"surface presentation† in the sense of commentary and focus-background modulations in discourse are of these features. As what had Lyotard stated, in relation to Smith’s ideology, linguistics is not just mere verbal or nonverbal concepts. It also deals with various considerations and factors. These can be culture, environment, traditions and customs, religion and others.Two people of different races, geographical locations can have a vague interpretation to a certain subject or topic or just to a plain word. Diversity is a major concern but can be arranged o r managed if appropriateness is dealt with. As a language game, rationalism comes with its own rules of engagement—objectivity, certainty, universality, instrumentality and predictability. However, the game is played within various â€Å"forms of life† (Lebensformen) and the latter provide the background and context against and in which the game plays out its sense and reference (Schrag, 1997, p.32).Discourse as a concept is introduced as a theoretical refinement of the concept of paradigm and applied to the sets of knowledge claims of the natural and social sciences. Horizontal differentiation defines particular modes of sociological discourse and vertical differentiation from everyday discourses defines general modes of scientific discourse. Science is the best medium for the concerns on diversity. Scientific names and such others are universally accepted that is why there would never be a problem on confusion, misconceptions and misunderstanding.It is another langua ge that unifies other language speakers used for scholarly studies and to communicate about indefinite species. Lyotard is claiming that the conventional idealistic measures and evaluation of knowledge and genuineness within the restraints are but interior legends, which efforts to disagree with the societal foundation of omnipotence or all-knowing. The postmodern point of view like an amount of other scholarly practices and traditions, announces that all human comprehension and understanding is integrated through a shared cultural leveling, and is a social edifice.