Case study (Starbucks) Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

(Starbucks) - Case Study Example This strategy creates new business opportunity for Starbucks. By increasing the efficiency of the baristas in terms of delivering the order of its valued customers within the shortest period of time possible and maintaining the cleanliness and friendliness of the staff who are working within Starbucks coffee shops also creates competitive advantage for the company. Almost a decade ago, Starbucks has been focused on saturating the domestic market in the U.S. Since the company has already saturated the U.S. market, Starbucks began expanding its business within the global markets. Since anybody can easily establish their own coffee shop, competition within the coffee industry is very tight. As explained by Porter (1998, p. 1), competitive advantage is referring to the â€Å"search for a favorable competitive position within a particular industry†. Using the four major assumptions we have mentioned earlier, Starbucks management was able to successfully develop a competitive advantage in terms of improving the quality of services the company has been extending to its valued customers. There is a very tight market competition with regards to domestic and global markets of coffee products. In line with this, rivalry within the coffee industry is tight due to the fact that the capital requirements in putting up a coffee shop are not so expensive. This makes barriers to entry within the local and international coffee industry low. Since anybody can easily sell brewed coffee, the threat for substitute products is very high. Improving Starbuck’s services increases its market share within the coffee industry. Therefore, the company has gained more power over its suppliers. Since the company is able to purchase its raw materials by bulk, Starbucks is able to purchase its raw materials at a relatively low price. Considering that there are a lot of existing coffee shops around

Lifes Ups and Downs Essay Example for Free

Lifes Ups and Downs Essay One warm weekend in June, my girlfriend decided she wanted to take me on a weekend getaway to none other than Las Vegas, Nevada, a place where no one else existed but me and her. So I thought. I was totally ecstatic; at this point it’s been moths since we’ve been out just the two of us with no kids. The first night we get there we get dressed up and make reservations at our favorite restaurant. The moment we get to the restaurant, she starts acting weird and all of a sudden does not find a single thing on the menu appetizing and complains of a stomach ache, so we leave in a hurry. Arriving back to our suite, there is a card taped to the door with her name on it. So many thoughts are racing through my mind, â€Å"She is planning something special for us, she has a surprise for me, maybe she ordered room service while we were out and it was inside waiting for us.† As quickly as the thought came they left, we entered the room only for her to admit she was just too tired and needed to rest. So I let her, I laid next to her wondering what was going on, what was going on in her mind. It was almost like we were living in two different worlds. As she slept curiosity suddenly came over me, very quietly I got out of bed grabbing her bag which contained the note that was tapped to the door, into the bathroom I went. My eyes could not believe what was written so boldly across the paper â€Å"I HOPE SHE WAS WORTH IT.† I could not resist questioning the matter at hand, I woke her up and she blatantly denied there being any meaning to this card. We argued hard and like ever before, almost like she had forgotten who I was, like I didn’t matter to her. The rest of the night went on and we were both hurt. I used indirect termination strategies to spare my heart anymore hurt. I couldn’t come to terms that this was finally coming to an end. Four years later, I found out I was never her one and only I was simply her girlfriend number two. Being very cautious to every relationship offer that came my way, I turned down so many. I did not care to see another relationship. I was never one to â€Å"get-over† a bad situation, but I knew I had to move on; I couldn’t come to terms with my last break up. Just as soon as I let down my guard, there she was someone who made me feel alive again. She helped me heal every wound in my heart and soul. Until, I started to see some similarities from my past relationship. She was so secretive, there began to be relational violence. I had to wear sunglasses everywhere I went even if I was inside because of the bruises I would have from the nights before when I didn’t do what I was asked in a timely manner. When the questions came from my friends and co-workers I had to lie. My life has never had so much deception I soon began believing in my own lies. I questioned her I didn’t understand why I had become her human punching bag. She was so cold and nonchalant towards me. As the days went by the dresser drawers slowly became empty the closet became empty and there seemed to be less and less of her things at my place. I wanted to know what was happening, was my life slowly slipping away again? So I picked up the phone and attempted to call her, I got no answer. Days went by without me hearing from her. Then I realized our relationship had ended in sudden death. There was no contact between us. The outside world became non-existent to me. I could not cope with the thought of another relationship ending so sudden. My life hasn’t been the same, how do you wake up one day to a world that isn’t your own? Relearning life one day at a time has been tough but I am a fighter this too will make me stronger!

The International Schools in the uae

The International Schools in the uae The United Arab Emirates International School is a well established educational trust, which wants to open an international school in Oman, knowing that there is now an opening for international schools in the educational sector. This Research will include important analysis for the United Arab Emirates International School to use in order for them to learn about the international schools in Oman, like the environment surrounding them which is Political, Economical, Social and Technological factors and also known as the PEST Analysis. Other than that the people that can have an effect and impact on the business will be included as part of the analysis, like customers, suppliers, substitutes, new entrants and competitors and also known as the Porters Five Forces. So by conducting these analysis and learning them the company will then be able to find out their opportunities and threats which are part of the SWOT Analysis including the Strengths and Weaknesses. These analyses will be me asured for three different cities and three different regions which are Muscat City in Muscat Region, Sohar City in Batna Region and Buraimi City in Dhahra Region. Then finally we will be able to give the United Arab Emirates International School recommendations. Definition PEST analysis is a technique used to identify, assess and evaluate external factors affecting the performance of an organization. A PEST analysis is undertaken to help an organization gain an understanding of the wider business environment and may be carried out as part of an ongoing process of environmental analysis or scanning. The aim is to provide information to assist those responsible for strategy development and decision making. PEST analysis may be used in the context of overall organizational strategy or more specifically to evaluate the feasibility of a new product or service, or expansion into a new market. (http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-5221632/Carrying-out-a-PEST-analysis.html) Advantages of PEST analysis. PEST analysis: * provides an understanding of the wider business environment * encourages the development of strategic thinking * may raise awareness of threats to an organizations ongoing profitability * can help an organization to anticipate future difficulties and take action to avoid or minimize their effect * can help an organization to spot business opportunities and exploit them successfully. It helps the firm in many ways, its important that environmental analysis is carried out before entering into the industry. PEST analysis is a helpful method of summarizing the external environment in which a business operates. Nevertheless, it should follow up by considering how a business should act in response to these influences. (http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-5221632/Carrying-out-a-PEST-analysis.html) Political and legal factors: Political factors are rules and regulations that are made by the government that has a direct impact on the business. These rules affect the daily running of the business when it comes to policies and regulations. We believe that the school should take into consideration the following political factors: Employment Laws: Every country has its rules and regulations for a new foreign organization entering the country to establish its business, when talking about rules and regulations for example Omanization the countrys rule is that these foreign companies must recruit Omani citizens as employees to help reduce the unemployment in the country and to gain experience from the foreign employees as well, in addition to that local partnership is one of the rules that a foreign owner must take in consideration which is also called (Foreign Trade Regulations). Speaking of international schools in Oman SABIS of Muscat is one of the schools that are owned by both a foreign and local partners. Government Stability: Because there is no war in Oman the government is stabled, secure and safe and not much of a change with the government. There are many foreign and local companies opening up in Oman, there are many international schools existing in Oman for example the AMERICAN BRITISH ACADEMY (ABA) if the government was not stabled then these types of schools wont exist because of the constant changes with the government therefore there will be less or no foreigners living in Oman. It is absolutely safe for any foreign organization to establish its business in Oman. Economical Factors: All businesses are affected by economical factors nationally and globally. Whether an economy is in a boom, recession or recovery will also affect consumer confidence and behavior. Equally economic factors affect the purchasing power of potential customer, and the state of the internal/external economy in the short and long-term. The unit may need to consider: Unemployment: Oman has been encouraging Omanisation to reduce the level of unemployment in the country. By the entrance of the International school from the UAE into Oman, it will play a role in reducing the unemployment and providing more jobs for local Omanies. Disposable income: Oman is facing a boom in the economy due to the surplus they are getting from oil sales. Accordingly consumer spending is high. With higher consumer spending, an increase of demand will show up. This demand will have to be satisfied. For that reason, the International school will have the chance to satisfy this increasing of demand. Socio-cultural Factors: social factors will include the demographic changes, trends in the way people live and think. Moreover, it also includes the cultural aspects of the macro environment. These factors influence customer needs and the size of potential markets (inside and outside of the International school). Lifestyle changes: by time the life style in Oman changed and is continuing to change. People have different views over many things such as: Education. Many years ago there were no private schools in the country and girls were made to stay at home and look after their parents. As time passes by, things changed. Omani citizens thinking have changed. They started sending all their kids to school, in order to gain education. In addition, when private schools opened up in Oman, families didnt mind sending their despite the mixture of both male and female. Moreover, Omani families started going out and eating out more often. Population: its the number of people in the country, when it comes to that the population in Oman is on the rise. Companies and organizations take population in consideration, because it means that people increase and the needs increase too. For example, for schools increase in the population of a country or a city means increase in number of students every year. The Chart below is an example of the rise in population in Oman. Educational levels: the level of education throughout the years has increased tremendously, and the demand of International schools in some parts of Oman is high, due to the increase of foreigners in the country for work purposes. Technological factors: technological factors are vital for competitive advantage, and are the major driver of change and efficiency. Technological factors can for example lower barriers to entry and reduce minimum efficient production level. New technology has an impact on changing the way business operates. The Internet has the most effect on the strategy of organizations. New discoveries and development: the advancement in technology has been beneficial to the International school in the industry. Due to technology the administrative staff can now access to the Internet 24 hours a day comfortably from their homes. Another advantage that technology has given the International school industry is the ability to reduce their costs as new machinery is now available for them to reduce their paper work and also reduce the time wasted. In fact the Internet allows the managers of the International school to use video conferencing to keep up to date with their other branches without to physically go there. This technological revolution means a faster exchange of operating environment. (http://www.btinternet.com/~katrina.severn/avce/PESTAnalysis.pdf) After looking at all four PEST analyses we believe that Sohar is the best place to open an international school due to the increasing of population by both local and foreigners. Also adding to that Oman tend to have a political stability due to the ruling of the Sultan rather the change of government, economical Oman is stable at the moment sine they are at the boom due to the surplus of the oil sales but this does not mean it will remain stable forever things might change if there was a decrease in oil prices. The socio- cultural in Oman is defiantly on the change to the better people are moving forward and want the best for themselves and families. We have identified earlier PEST analysis which includes the external environment and it was concluded that the environment was in a favorable condition for the UAE International School to enter the Omani market. However, we must consider the internal environment. These factors are within the control of the organizational members, to do so a Porters Five Forces analysis must be carried out. Porters Five Forces Analysis: Porters five forces model is a framework that describes how an industry grows, behaves and responds to five primary external and internal forces. The Porter 5 forces model is a framework for understanding the underlying structure of an industry or business segment, built around the five primary and dominating competitive forces that affect the short, intermediate and long-term effects of an industrys size, strength, vitality, and profitability. The value of the 5 Forces model and subsequent analyses is to help understand and predict the behavior of the industry, and most importantly, the actions of rival companies. (http://drivedemand.com/logo.html) There are five vital forces which have been introduced by Michael Porter for the analysis, these are: The threat of New Entry: The possibility of new firms entering the industry impacts competition. The threat of Substitution: as those products that are available in other industries that meet an identical or similar need for the end user. Supplier Power: An industry that produces goods requires raw materials. The power of the suppliers to drive up the prices of your input. Buyer Power: The power of buyers describes the impact customers have on an industry. Competitive Rivalry: the strength of competition in the industry. Threat of New Entry: Competition in an industry will be higher if entry into the industry is easy; therefore barriers to entry are there to protect the high levels of profits. Barriers reduce the rate of entry of new firms in order to allow the existing firms to enjoy levels of the profits. Product Differentiation: since there are very little or no product differentiation in the International Schools industry, new entrants may feel that competition will be strong and profits will be hard to earn. Capital Costs: Any normal person will find it hard to come up with the costs required to open an International School, as it is hard to find and buy a land large enough to accommodate such requirement. They would also have to pay suppliers for the initial stock, employees, etc. Capital costs are unbelievable high for this type of industry since initially large amount would be needed to buy land, resources, advertisement, etc. Economic of Scale: this refers to the decline in unit costs of a product or a service that occurs as the absolute volume of production per period of time increases. Economics of scale gives the International School competitive advantage as they can price their fees at a lower price than the others, and a new entrant will find it hard to compete with the low prices. This is because there is no product differentiation so competitors must compete in terms of price. Threat of substitutes: Substitutes are goods or services that satisfy the same customer needs. A threat from substitutes exists if alternative products with lower prices and better value satisfy the same need. In the International School Industry the substitutes will be the competitors. The threats of substitutes are determined by factors such as: Customer Relationship: it is important to build a good relationship with the customers to prevent them from moving on to the substitutes, if a customer were to feel that he/she has a better relationship with a certain school than the others then that customer is more likely to go the particular school than the others. Supplier Power: It is important for The UAE International School to obtain the resources that is needed for them to successfully operate the school, therefore it is crucial for them to have a good relationship with their suppliers. Moreover, for the UAE International School to succeed, they must try to reduce the power of their supplier, because the higher the bargaining power the supplier, the higher will be the price of resources. Buyer Power: Buyer Power is the power of customers to drive down your prices. If we look in the terms of the UAE International School, the buyers would be the customers that come to them and they have great power over the UAE International School, then the school will be forced to lower their selling price. Two factors of buyer power are included as examples, which are: Brand identity: Is how the company wants the consumer to perceive the image of their product. The buyer has a power when it comes to brand identity its because they choose the brand that satisfies them the most. So if the brand in your company does not satisfy consumers then youll either have to lower your prices or lose the consumer. For example, if the UAE International School does not offer branded items to their customers, while Muscat International School offers branded items, then most of the buyers will choose the branded school. Threat of Backward Integration: This is when the buyer changes from buying your product to buying your competitors product even though they are similar. The reasons of this maybe the price or the quality of the product and so on. So in this case the buyer has power over the supplier. For example, if the buyer compares between two international school like Muscat International and Sabis, they may find that the price differs in both schools, where Muscat International School might be cheaper, so the buyers would definitely go for Muscat International School. So the UAE International School will have to consider the competitors price and try to offer lower or the same price or better quality, and they would also have to consider the needs of the buyers and try to reach their satisfaction. Competitive Rivalry: The intensity of the competition between exciting firms in the industry can be analyzed. It is important for the school to know the number of its competitors such as: Azzan Bin Qais Private School, Muscat International School, Sultan Private School, Sabis International School and Sohar International School. Since the products are likely to be the same (homogenous), the UAE International School will have to find a way to offer something different to its competitors. High competition results in prices and margins thus, the profitability of the industry. Product Differentiation: this is when the customers are made to feel that a brand is different from another even though the product is the same and since all products are provided at the International Schools, competition will be high, because all will be competing with the same products for the same crowd of customers. Customer Relationship: it is important to build a good relationship with the customers to prevent them from moving on to the substitutes, if a customer were to feel that he/she has a better relationship with a certain school than the others then that customer is more likely to go the particular school than the others. Looking at this, we can see that three out of the five forces are favorable towards the UAE International School. In brief the internal environment is in good condition for the school to enter. From the analysis it can clearly be see the fast that there is no product differentiation is a major issue to the industry.

Destruction in Erich Maria Remarques All Quiet on the Western Front :: All Quiet on the Western Front Essays

Theme of Destruction in Erich Maria Remarque's All Quiet on the Western Front Everyone knows what war is. It's a nation taking all of its men, resources, weapons and most of its money and bearing all malignantly towards another nation. War is about death, destruction, disease, loss, pain, suffering and hate. I often think to myself why grown and intelligent individuals cannot resolve matters any better than to take up arms and crawl around, wrestle and fight like animals. In All Quiet on the Western Front, Erich Maria Remarque puts all of these aspects of war into a vivid story which tells the horrors of World War 1 through a soldier's eyes. The idea that he conveys most throughout this book is the idea of destruction, the destruction of bodies, minds and innocence. The author starts off his book with a note highlighting the meaning of this book. It is as follows: This book is to be neither an accusation nor a confession, and least of all an adventure, for death is not an adventure to those who stand face to face with it. It will try simply to tell of a generation of men who, even though they may have escaped shells, were destroyed by the war.(Intro) Right after reading this paragraph, I knew that none of this book was to be comical or heroic. It was not going to be one of those stupid stories romanticizing war and making heroes out of men who killed more of the enemy than anyone else; this book was about destruction. These few lines before chapter one set the whole tone for the rest of the book. Glory does not exist in this story, only death and sadness. The story takes place through the eyes of a German infantryman named Paul Baumer. He is nineteen and just joined up with the German army after high school with the persuasion of one of his schoolteachers, Mr. Kantorek. Paul recalls how he would use all class period lecturing the students, peering through his spectacles and saying: "Won't you join up comrades?"(10). Here was a man who loved war. He loved the "glory" of war. He loved it so much as to persuade every boy in his class to join up with the army. He must have thought how proud they would be marching out onto that field in their military attire.

Complexity of Poetry Essay

Poetry is a way for the reader to openly interpret a poem in almost any way they see fit. Because there is so much freedom of interpretation with poetry, there leaves a lot of room for discussion and opposition. Billy Collin’s poem, â€Å"Introduction to Poetry†, breaks down the basic ways for interpreting and understanding a poem. In summary, he explains that the reader cannot focus on trying to figure out one specific meaning of a poem, but instead, try to piece together small parts to understand a deeper meaning. Collin’s rules on how to interpret a poem can be applied to Hughes’s poem about a young student writing a poem for homework. Instead of looking at Hughes’s poem as a whole, the reader can better understand it by breaking it down and figuring out why each line is important and how it ties together with the poem as a whole. Understanding Collins rules to interpret a poem, help the reader decipher Hughes poem on a deeper, more academic level. Langston Hughes’s poem explains how a black, twenty two year old man and the rest of his white classmates are given an assignment to write a paper. The narrator, who is also the student, explains his thoughts about the assignment and how him being the only colored one in his class might be reflected on his grade on the assignment. At the beginning of the poem, he explains how he has to get to class everyday by traveling across some of the â€Å"better† parts of town. The student goes on to explain how even though he is colored, he likes the same things and has the same wants as everyone else. He states that he is no different than the rest of his class and that he too has knowledge to share. By stating this, the student is expressing to the reader how he thinks him and the instructor are equal. In the last few lines the student writes, â€Å"As I learn from you, / I guess you learn from me† (37-38). This explains how even though their skin color and age is different they are still able to learn from each other. The student has a somewhat optimistic and confident tone throughout the poem. He is aware of his capabilities and knows that he can be just as successful as anyone else. Billy Collins â€Å"Introduction to Poetry† explains how whenever people analyze a poem they do not try to find the true message of it. By writing, â€Å"But all they want to do / is tie the poem to a chair with rope / and torture a confession out of it,† explains how the majority of people are lazy and want everything handed to them effortlessly (12-14). This last stanza explains how some people look at poems from one point of view and expect the meaning of the poem to be written out for them. The author is stating that people should look at the poem from different angles just as one would look at the world from a color slide. He tries to explain to the reader that if one were to interpret the poem from a whole new approach, then they could find a deeper meaning than just the surface meaning. After reading Collins â€Å"Introduction to Poetry†, the reader should have a better sense of how to interpret Hughes’s poem. Throughout the first part of Hughes’s poem the reader may think all of the characters background information including his address, age, and hometown is pointless. After reading an entire stanza about this â€Å"pointless† information the reader may try to stop understanding the poem before they even finish it. If the reader uses Collins instructions about analyzing a poem, they may find that all of this â€Å"pointless† information is actually important and helps contribute to the characters feelings of insecurity. Collins poem explains that not all poems have one specific answer or meaning the writer is trying to get across. Keeping this idea in mind, the reader may realize that Hughes’s poem, in fact, does not state an answer or solution to the characters mixed feelings. Although both of these poems leave room the readers own special interpretation, there is a basic meaning and idea to each one. Both of these poems fit well together because Collin’s thoughts and ideas can be directly applied when reading Hughes’s poem. The poems are an effective example of how even though a poem may seem short and simple, there is usually a deeper and greater meaning beneath the surface.

An Exploration of the Malay Kompang

AN EXPLORATION OF THE MALAY KOMPANG Name: Chan Tsui Sze Dora Matriculation Number: U1210644K Seminar Group Time: 1330 – 1530 Seminar Group Instructor: Cikgu Zubir Assignment: Research Paper in Malay Music Date: 10 April 2013 Word Count: 2245 Contents Chapter 1: An Introduction to the Kompang3 1. 1 Features of the Kompang4 1. 2 Features of Kompang Music4 1. 3 Performance Context6 Chapter 2: Influences on the Malay Kompang 7 2. 1 Arabic Influences7 2. 2 Portuguese Influences9 2. 3 Thai Influences11 2. 4 African Influences12Chapter 3: Future Changes in the Malay Kompang14 3. 1 Pop and Media Influences14 3. 2 Western Influences15 Chapter 4: Conclusion16 Bibliography 17 Discography/ Videography 19 Chapter 1: An Introduction to the Kompang The Malay Kompang ensemble refers to a Malay drum ensemble that ranges between three performers in a small chamber or accompaniment setting, to a large group of 30 drummers. As an instrument, the Malay Kompang is so familiar to most Singaporeans, yet it encompasses a rich history spanning more than 700 years that would astound and intrigue many.Kompang is mainly an oral tradition (Abdullah, 2005). Like all other non-notational music forms, it is inevitably highly characterized by change, self-improvisation and influences from other cultures. While Kompang music today is admittedly not so frequently heard nor performed as before, there have been efforts to assimilate this traditional music genre into today’s popular culture. This paper will address the diverse cultural influences on Malay Kompang from Arabic, Portuguese, Thai and African sources.Through the main musical elements of instrumentation, rhythm, form, and performance context, a comprehensive musical analysis of the influence of the different cultures on Kompang music will be made. This paper will also examine how elements of popular culture can be infused into the traditional Malay Kompang music genre, and discuss the general developmental direction that Kom pang music is taking. 1. 1 Features of the Kompang The Malay Kompang is part of the membranophone family.It is a wooden-framed, circular, one-sided handheld drum with a skin made up of animal hide and played using the free hand (Abdullah, 2012). There are two main types of tones on the Kompang – the lentong beat played by hitting the side of the drum with closed fingers, and the cerang played by slapping the center of the drum with the palm (Abdullah, 2012). The lentong typically produces a lower-pitched, rounder sound while the cerang typically produces a higher-pitched slapping effect. One of the unique features of the Kompang is its â€Å"wet† and rumbling timbre due to the strong effects of reverberation.Another special feature of the Kompang is its interlocking technique and the unique musical texture heard from this effect. 1. 2 Features of Kompang Music Even though most musical repertoire of the Kompang is oral in nature and neither notated nor formally defined, there is undeniably a wide range of repertoire in the Kompang genre. There is purely instrumental drumming as well as Kompang used to accompany vocal parts, like zikir. The variety in form – the organization of musical elements in time to create structure (Kamien, 2013) – used in Kompang music is very wide.There is the use of Pukulan, which the first section is called Pukulan Mula (introduction beat), the second is called Pukulan Asas (basic beat) and the third is Pukulan Naik (ascending beat), followed by a combination of other sections including Pukulan Turun (descending beat) and Pukulan Naik. Finally the last section is identified as Pukulan Mati (ending beat). (Abdullah, 2005) There is no rule as to how many times each Pukulan has to be played; the combination of Pukulan sections is determined by the length as well as the function of the entire performance.Also, the form of Kompang pieces is also specific to the community that is performing the pieces. For exampl e, the Kompang music performed by the Kompang Ezhar community in Malaysia typically begins with a call-and-response recitation of the Selawat, a reading of a holy scripture, and then continues with the various Pukulan sections. Additionally, there are even more types of Pukulan found in various forms of dance music (Abdullah, 2005). A summary of the different Pukulan specific to the Kompang Ezhar community is shown in Figure 1 below: Figure 1: A summary of the various types of Pukulan found in the Kompang Ezhar (Abdullah, 2005)In Kompang, rhythm is mainly characterized by the interlocking of different parts divided within the Kompang ensemble. Interlocking is basically done with two or more Kompangs playing simultaneously, with one part playing the Basic beat which is usually the downbeats; another part playing the Rhythm beat which is usually the off beats; and an additional part(s) playing the Leading beat which is usually characterized by triplets or a syncopated rhythm that crea tes a unique interlocking texture specific to the Malay Kompang musical genre (Hahril, 2010).In addition, instrumentation is a musical element that is relatively fixed in Kompang; there is usually a group of Kompangs playing together, and occasionally, accompanying voice. 1. 3 Performance Context In the Singaporean context, the Malay Kompang is usually seen performed at weddings and celebratory ceremonies, or at traditional showcases. As the Kompang is usually performed in large, open spaces, it is important that it produces loud, penetrating and thundering sounds. Kompang performances are also popular at social functions like cultural festivals, dinner shows and events, as well as for the royalty (Abdullah, 2005).All these factors underscore the importance and essentiality of this unique instrument in the entire Malay community. Chapter 2: Influences on the Malay Kompang The Malay Kompang is influenced by many cultures, especially from those cultures that introduced the musical gen re into the Malay community in the early 13th century. As Malacca was ruled by different cultural groups throughout its history, the performance of Malay Kompang was also inevitably influenced by these cultures that took over the land at different points in its history. 2. 1 Arabic Influences One main influence on Kompang music is the Arabic culture and its music.In this context, it is of relevance to discuss the main hand drum that is greatly symbolic of Arabic music – the goblet drum, a large single-headed drum introduced in 1100 BCE (Sadie, 1980). Figure 2: African goblet drum The goblet drum is played either with the drum held under the player’s arm, or with the player sitting down and placing it sideways on his lap, or with the drum strapped around his neck. Similar to the Malay Kompang, it is played using only the hands. There are three main tones used. The doum (bass) tone is produced by hitting the center of the drum head with the palm.The tek (higher-pitched) is produced by hitting the edge of the drum head. The pa is a percussive effect produced by hitting the drumhead and then muting it with the palm to create a closed sound. Figure 3: Doum tone on the Arabic goblet drum Figure 4: Tek tone on the Arabic goblet drum Thus, it can be seen that the playing techniques of the Malay Kompang is somewhat derived from the playing techniques of the Arabic goblet drum – such that a higher-pitched sound is heard by tapping the side of the drum and letting the sound ring, and a lower-pitched sound is produced by hitting the middle of the drum using the palm.Although the muting percussive tone is not as established in Kompang performance techniques, this is probably due to the limitations of the Kompang in that it can only be hit with one hand and held with the other, making it hard to execute a muting effect. 2. 2 Portuguese Influences Portuguese musical elements are also evident in the music of Kompang, particularly in its repertoire. This i s not unexpected, as the Portuguese took over Malacca after its successful assault on the city in July 1511 (Leo, 2013) – leading to infiltration of Portuguese elements into the Malay culture and practices then.The main hand drum in the Portuguese tradition is the Tabor. It is a double-headed snare drum made of cylindrical wood, played with one hand. The skin heads are tightened with leather straps and rope tension (Harms, 1989). Figure 5: The Portuguese Tabor The repertoire of the Tabor is mostly military in nature and is used frequently in marching band processions. Additionally, the Tabor is commonly played together with the Portuguese pipe. The player commonly plays the pipe with his left hand and hits the drum with a wooden stick in his right hand.Portuguese pipe music is folk in nature and the rhythms played on the Tabor are accompanimental and characterized by dotted rhythm. As the musical repertoire of the Tabor is not extensive, there is little notation available. He nce a short transcription of the Tabor parts from a Portuguese Pipe and Tabor ensemble has been attempted: Figure 6: Transcription of Pipe and Tabor ensemble recording As seen from Figure 6, each of the three Tabor parts plays different rhythms, but the performance culminates in an interlocking effect such that the three different parts compliment each other’s beats of emphasis.Hence we can derive two insights regarding the Portuguese influence on the Malay Kompang – firstly, the use of the Kompang in Malay processions and weddings could be influenced by the use of the Tabor in Portuguese marching processions. Secondly, the interlocking feature in Kompang music could be taken from Portuguese Tabor ensembles and then developed to the several complex interlocking parts of today, which includes triplets and more complicated syncopation parts. 2. 3 Thai Influences Yet another cultural influence on Kompang music is Thai music.The Malays and the Siamese have had long, diplom atic contact for over half a decade during the Siamese empire of 1403 – 1909. This allowed the Malays to adapt to the Thai culture and music. Two Siamese musical forms that were of great influence to the Malay Kompang were the Wayang Siam and the Makyong (Abdullah, 2012). The Wayang Siam is essentially accompaniment to shadow puppet theatre. The form of Wayang Siam music is mostly free in nature and depends on the theatrics and drama of the performance. Characters are free to move onstage in more or less than the traditional eight-bar phrases (Baier, 1995).The Makyong musical form was primarily performed by a small ensemble of instruments used to accompany theatrical acts, and included improvised monologues and dialogues (UNESCO, 2005), underscoring the flexibility of the form. Similarly, Kompang ensembles accompany dances, weddings and processions and require a certain amount of flexibility to suit the occasion. Despite the flexibility in combination and number of repetition s of Pukulan sections played, it is not as free as the form in Wayang Siam. Nevertheless, the flexibility in form can be seen as a main influence of Wayang Siam on Kompang music. . 4 African Influences The way that the drummers in an African djembe ensemble interact musically is also of influence to the Malay Kompang. One main feature of African djembe ensemble playing is polyrhythm, in which each djembe player plays a repetitive cycle of its own accompanying rhythm which is in a different measure from the other djembe players. This creates a very unique rhythmic texture as there are different downbeats heard simultaneously with the playing of two different measures. This can be seen in the example below, depicting a polyrhythmic effect: Figure 7: Example of polyrhythmIn addition, there is usually also a solo, virtuosic part heard above all the different accompanying parts, which gives even more rhythmic variety to the music. The influence that this has on Kompang is clear in the di fferent parts that are taken on by the different players in the ensemble. However, the interlocking effect in Kompang is not as complex in that it is not as texturally thick as djembe as all the ensemble players are still playing in the same measure. Nevertheless, it still shows a very important influence that African drum music had on the Malay Kompang.In the 13th century in the Malay Archipelago, little polyrhythmic or even contrapuntal music could be found. Hence the interlocking feature of Kompang music was drawn from the polyrhythms in African djembe. Chapter 3: Future Changes in the Malay Kompang In the 21st century today when most people including those in the Southeast Asia region are exposed to popular music due to factors like technological advances and the strong wave of social media, there is inevitably a strong inclination towards fusing traditional music with pop elements.In addition, due to the increased westernization of Asian cultures, many traditional musical forms are gradually evolving into a more Westernized structure. Besides this, the culture where Kompang is performed today also has an effect on how it is performed. For example, Kompang Melayu is a modern style of playing Kompang, specifically found in Singapore (Hahrill, 2010). Based on my research and analysis, there is a strong possibility of two main directions that musical developments in Malay Kompang can take – the pop-infused style and the westernized style. 3. Pop and Media Influences Pop music is a main influence on Kompang music today. Since the 21st century, technology has allowed a growing number of people to be connected to the Internet. With today’s wireless connectivity and infiltration of social media, the immense volume of technological information sharing inevitably causes people to be influenced by songs that are literally popular – those that are accessible to the widest audience (Lamb, 2013). Elements of rock, R&B, country, disco, punk, and hip -hop have been integrated into pop music for the past few decades.The rhythmic elements in these styles have the potential to be incorporated into Kompang. In addition, the form of pop music – verse and chorus – could be another element that could possibly influence Kompang music in the future. 3. 2 Western Influences Due to increasing westernization of Southeast-Asian cultures today as well as the flourish in Western Music education that uses mainly western notation, Kompang music is more frequently notated these days. This is evident from the difficulty that cross-cultural ensembles face in rehearsing due to differences in notational practices. Ross, 2011) Western orchestras, bands and ensembles have also been introduced to the Malay culture in recent years. There could potentially be new compositions that incorporate the Kompang into the scored music. For example, percussion ensembles with Kompang as one of the instruments, or even Kompang concertos could be written in the near future as part of efforts to popularize traditional instruments. Chapter 4: Conclusion In conclusion, the Malay Kompang, although a considerably specific musical genre, is still influenced by a myriad of elements from other cultures.This is especially so with globalization today, causing homogenization of culture throughout many countries. As discussed above, Kompang music was initially influenced by Arabic, Portuguese, Thai and African musical elements. In recent years, it has started to be influenced by pop and western elements, which are mostly caused by the infiltration of media and technology, and the slow but definite westernization of Asian cultures. As such, the growth of Kompang music in ways that are characterized by today’s era can be witnessed. Bibliography Abdullah, M. H. (2005).An Organological and Ethnomusicological Study of A Malay Frame Drum. Retrieved from https://theses. ncl. ac. uk/dspace/bitstream/10443/869/1/Abdullah05. pdf Abdullah, M. H. ( 2005). ENCHANTING THE CULTURE: AN INTRODUCTION TO THE AUTHENTIC KOMPANG PLAYING. Retrieved from http://www. academia. edu/380345/ENCHANTING_THE_CULTURE_AN_INTRODUCTION_TO_THE_AUTHENTIC_KOMPANG_PLAYING Abdullah, M. H. (2012). The Role of the Kompang in Malay Society. Retrieved from http://portal. unesco. org/culture/en/files/21753/10891249663abdullah. pdf/abdullah. pdf Charry, E. (2000). A Guide to the Jembe.Retrieved from http://echarry. web. wesleyan. edu/jembearticle/article. html Djembe technique | Inner Groove Percussion. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://innergroove. wordpress. com/learn-to-drum-2/djembe-technique/ Elements of Music. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://historyofmusic. tripod. com/id6. html Kompang! – SHSS ‘O' Level Music. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://shssolevelmusic. wetpaint. com/page/Kompang! Mak Yong. (n. d. ). Retrieved April 2013, from http://www. unesco. org/culture/intangible-heritage/23apa_uk. htm Matusky, P. (1995). Malaysian Shadow Play and Music: Continuity of an Oral Tradition.Retrieved from http://www. jstor. org/discover/10. 2307/1124116? uid=3738992&uid=2129&uid=2&uid=70&uid=4&sid=21101877205913 Matusky, P. A. (2004). Music of the Percussion Ensembles. Retrieved from http://books. google. com. sg/books? id=x06nBdEkAOMC&pg=PA198&lpg=PA198&dq=kompang+music+scores&source=bl&ots=hjI8kuVMZo&sig=uGiMpUc98bGJcM3GbIV9UH0_gB0&hl=en&sa=X&ei=f_5bUanSH8yUrgeXo4CoAQ&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=kompang%20music%20scores&f=false Musical Elements : Key, Musical Texture,

The Definition of Quest in Literature

The Definition of Quest in Literature A quest is an adventurous journey undergone by the main character or protagonist of a story. The protagonist usually meets with and overcomes a series of obstacles, returning in the end with the benefits of knowledge and experience from his quest. There are several elements to a quest in storytelling. Typically, there must be a protagonist, i.e. the quester; a stated reason to go on the quest; a place to go for the quest; challenges along the journey; and sometimes, the  real  reason for the quest - which is disclosed later on during the journey. Examples in Literature Can you think of a favorite novel, movie or play with a strong protagonist ready to go on a quest? Here are a few examples to get you started.  In J.R.R. Tolkiens The Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins is persuaded by the wizard, Gandalf, to set out on a great quest with thirteen dwarves desirous of reclaiming their ancestral home from Smaug, a marauding dragon. L. Frank Baums  The Wonderful Wizard of Oz  features protagonist Dorothy, who is on a quest to find her way back home. In the meantime, shes joined on her journey by the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman and the Cowardly Lion who work together to find their way back to Kansas. Dorothy develops new understanding and self-knowledge during her sojourn of Oz, symbolized through her friends: brains, heart, and courage. In literature that spans more than one volume, such as  J. K. Rowlings  Harry Potter  series, J.R.R. Tolkiens  The Lord of the Rings, or Pierce Browns  Red Rising, there will often be a quest for the protagonist(s) in each volume which are part of the overall quest of the entire series.

The eNotes Blog The Lisa Simpson BookClub

The Lisa Simpson BookClub If Lisa Simpson is wrong, then we don’t want to be right! If you’re familiar with The Simpsons, then you know that Lisa Simpson is the brains of the bunch- with an IQ of 159, the eight-year-old is nothing short of brilliant with a heart of gold to match. Between her social activism and humanitarian efforts, the feminist icon is constantly reading the densest works of literature that far exceed the expectations of the average second grader. We could all take a page from Lisa Simpson’s book. Better yet, we could all read the pages of Lisa Simpson’s favorite books by becoming a part of The Lisa Simpson Book Club. All of the titles Lisa reads on the show have been compiled into a list that’s been surging across the internet. Who needs to pack a lunch when Sylvia Plath can feed you instead? The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath Ghost World by Daniel Clowes Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton The Adventures of Tintin series was one of the most popular European comics of the 20th century, so of course Lisa Simpson is reading it. She’s chic, clever, and cultured! The Adventures of Tintin by Hergà © Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren Master Of The Senate: The Years of Lyndon Johnson by Robert Caro We have a feeling that Lisa and Hermione would be best gal pals in another life- unless they both end up having a crush on Ron Weasley. Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan The Baby-Sitters Club by Ann M. Martin â€Å"Solitude never hurt anyone. Emily Dickinson lived alone, and she wrote some of the most beautiful poetry the world has ever known†¦ then went crazy as a loon.† The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson by Emily Dickinson The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich by William L. Shirer Grimms Complete Fairy Tales Reading, writing, and computing a statistical strategy to win a baseball gamewhat cant this girl do? Moneyball by Michael Lewis The work of Gore Vidal A Separate Peace by John Knowles There’s nothing like trying to soothe a beached whale with the poetry of Walt Whitman. Emerson would be so proud. Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman The work of Joyce Carol Oates Robert Pinsky Poems†¨ We know what she’s thinking: doesn’t he mean, â€Å"Woman and Superwoman†? Man and Superman by George Bernard Shaw Jane Austen: The complete Novels†¨ The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen If we had to choose one Simpson to be on our side, theres no doubt wed choose Lisa Simpson. Shes an eloquent orator, an independent thinker, and an all-around bastion of social justice. After almost thirty years on screen, Lisa continues to serve as the shows moral center and voice of reason. While the Simpsons may have experienced many changes since its inception, the one thing that remains constant is Lisas love of reading.   If reading is knowledge, and knowledge is power, then can’t we just vote for Lisa Simpson in the next election? All images via The Lisa Simpson Book Club.  Feature image via Buzzfeed.

Analysis of Public Celebrity Apologies in America

Analysis of Public Celebrity Apologies in America Devin Black Julia TofantÃ… ¡uk Their circumstances and effects via analyzing specific cases Introduction Recently, I have become aware of a trend that has been sweeping across America – the celebrity apology, or precisely, the non-apology. I think I have always been aware of the constant apologies made by celebrities, but it has only been in the past year when I have actually paid attention to the words they were using to apologize, and under what circumstances they were apologizing. In fact, the exact moment when I became infatuated with the celebrity apology was when I was listening to a broadcast of the Opie and Anthony Radio Show in March 2014 and the hosts were discussing the numerous celebrity apologies that had been made during the previous week. Their discussion about celebrity apologies began to consume the show daily, until they officially established an â€Å"Apology Clock† on June 5, 2014 (Apology Clock, 2014). The experiment was to see if they could go t en days without a celebrity apology. The results showed that they could not, as there was at least one new apology a day and more often than not there were apologies from multiple celebrities. Their research ended unexpectedly one month later when one of the hosts became a victim of the celebrity apology. I will discuss more about this later in the paper. For the purposes of this paper, I will begin by defining the terms and scope the paper covers. Secondly, I will present some cases from a wide range of circumstances which celebrities apologized, and the results of their apology. Finally, I will discuss Americans’ reaction to the celebrity apology. Definitions According to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary , a celebrity is defined as â€Å"a person who is famous.† For this paper, the definition will be narrowed to only a person who is recognizable in North America and broadened to include corporations, as these are considered individuals under the law. An apol ogy is defined as â€Å"an expression of regret for having done or said something wrong.† For this paper, we also need to consider the definition of a non-apology apology , which is defined as â€Å"a statement that has the form of an apology but does not express the expected contrition.† An example of a non-apology apology would be saying â€Å"I’m sorry that you feel that way† to someone who has been offended by a statement. This apology does not admit that there was anything wrong with the remarks made, and additionally, it may be taken as insinuating that the person taking offense was excessively thin-skinned or irrational in taking offense at the remarks in the first place (Lazare, 2005). Case Studies of celebrity apologies and the results of the apology There are hundreds, if not thousands of examples of celebrity apologies. For this paper, the time frame of the case studies of celebrity apologies examined will begin in 1998, well after the advent of the Internet. This starting point was chosen because the Internet disseminates information almost effortlessly, therefore more people would be aware of the apologies given by celebrities.

Internet Censorship Laws Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Internet Censorship Laws - Research Paper Example However, as this essay will prove, such reservations on the intention of internet censorship laws should not derail people from the political, social and security importance of such laws. Therefore, internet censorship laws should be applied in the necessary areas to ensure people feel safer when online. Introduction of internet censorship laws is important in the preservation of the country’s social norms. The internet has come with other social vices whose propagation should not continue unchecked. One good example of such vices is pornographic contents available on different websites. The explicit sexual content in these websites introduces children to immoral behavior, which they copy, and practice. Such content makes children feel that sex at a young age or outside marriage is okay. In such cases, censorship of such content is important as an effort to protect children from early exposure to sexually explicit content. Some of the internet sites use children as characters in their picture whether moving or static. Such internet websites have been used by pedophiles to advance their social vices. The websites provide an avenue for child molesters to get their victims and clients for their illegal business (Weinstein and MacEwan 347). It is not clear whether the presence of the internet has increased child pornography or has only acted as an avenue for its transmission. However, Weinstein and MacEwan (347) assert that the internet has clearly increased the accessibility, volume, and range of sexually abusive images, which also includes child pornography. Censorship becomes the best options in curbing the spread of such vices therefore; there should not be opposition from anyone who stands for moral responsibility. The importance of internet censorship laws does not end with stopping the propagation of pornographic content. The censorship will also help in covering areas where hate speech propagation targeting some groups of people in society through th e internet has been reported. The internet has provided many people with an avenue for making anonymous statements and valuable space for virtual communities. However, not every internet user engages in constructive dialogues, given that there are those who promote racist diatribes and other discriminatory views (Bidgol 351). Therefore, internet censorship laws help society get rid of those whose aim is to create social disharmony. There have been cases of violence against some groups in society that have originated from the internet. A good example of such internet websites is Stormfront formed by white supremacists and provides an avenue for white nationalists and other racial extremists to make their views public. Such websites play a key role in the condoning and incitements of acts of discrimination and violence against a section of the population (Weinstein and MacEwan 355).  Ã‚  

Lab #3 Speech or Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Lab #3 - Speech or Presentation Example Therefore, people are not watching a lot of TV. Respondents mean number of hours watching television per day is greater than the median number of hours watching television per day that suggest positive skewness (right skewed). As can be seen in figure 1, the distribution of number of hours watching television per day is skewed to right (the long tail of histogram point’s right). This visual skewness is also supported by coefficient of skewness, which is 2.82. 2. Complete a â€Å"Select Cases† function in SPSS to obtain a sample from the overall population (entire data-set). Using the â€Å"degree† variable, select cases so you are taking the part of the dataset that reported having less than High School as their response. After completing the function, re-run the appropriate statistics and visual representation for the â€Å"tvhours† variable and answer the following questions (3 Marks) The average number of hours per day that respondents with less than High School watch television is about 3.93 hours (SD = 2.82). About half of the respondents with less than High School watch television up to 3.5 hours per day. About 50% of the respondents with less than High School watch television in between 2 to 5 hours per day. Most of the respondents with less than High School watch television 2 hours per day. The range of the number of hours watching television by respondents with less than High School is 24 hours per day with minimum being 0 hours per day and maximum being 24 hours per day (may be an error in data!). Watching television greater than 3 hours per day, in my opinion is a lot. Therefore, respondents with less than High School are watching a lot of TV. The mean number of hours watching television per day for respondents with less than High School is greater than the median number of hours watching television per day that suggest positive skewness (right skewed). As can be seen in figure 2, the distribution of number of hours

Alternative Approaches to Slowing Global Warming Essay

Alternative Approaches to Slowing Global Warming - Essay Example This paper offers a thorough review of the article â€Å"To Tax or Not to Tax: Alternative Approaches to Slowing Global Warming†, written by William D. Nordhaus. The article written by the author is a comprehensive study and analysis of the various issues relating to global warming from an economic point of view. The articlewas written to find out, how a control by the government on the public goods would help to combat the problem of global warming. The different control mechanisms which are either price controls or quantity controls have undergone a thorough analysis in the article. Along with that the various prospects and the setbacks that the government face relating to these controls have also been discussed by the author. The scientific analysis of the problems of global warming has been provided. This is a constructive approach which would help the reader understand why there is a necessity for the control of pollution. An outline of the source of the problems has been discussed. The issue of climatic changes has been explained with the help of suitable examples. The reader can understand that the emission of various industrial gases are the reasons why the atmosphere around the earth is getting polluted and how it is linked to the changes in the climate. Although the scientists had made the world aware about the negative consequences of global warming a long time back, countries have been instrumental in taking formal actions only at a later stage. In this context the author has put forward the example of United States. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is the body that started its functioning with the Kyoto Protocol in 2005. The framework was adopted by the participating industrialized countries where the emissions take place the most. The European Emissions Trading Scheme was an attempt made by the countries of the European Union to tackle the problems of Carbon dioxide emissions in the countries with the implementation of the economic principles (European Environment Agency 11). However, according to the author the Kyoto Protocol had major problems because there was very little scope for inclusion of the other countries. The United States also did not participate in the treaty which acted as a major setback for the success of the mission. The treaty also suffered a failure because the growth in the industrialization took place in the countries that did not come under the purview of the treaty. This is a valid argument put forward by the author because any schemes that are being adopted by the countries have to be remodeled with time. Unless all the countries come forward and participate, a global issue cannot be countered only by a few nations. Therefore Nordhaus posited that the nations did not do enough in the initial stage to combat the pollution levels of their respective countries. Therefore the article does a detailed analysis of the Kyoto Protocol and also tries to look for an alternative solution in case of non viability of the former. The author has presented the first section of the article with global public goods, an example of which is the phenomenon of global warming. The author has describes these goods as those which affect the entire world and are not specific to any country. The global public goods are becoming more prominent with time because of the extensive of use of technology. This representation of global warming is somewhat not appropriate because it is a result of production or consumption of a good and therefore should be considered as a negative externality rather

Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Leadership - Essay Example "Nothing matters more in winning than getting the right people on the field. Differentiation helps you do that." (Welch Way, 29 March 2009). One of the biggest challenges faced by the leaders these days is getting the right people for the job, any job can be completed by anybody but the point is how efficiently a person can do a job Leadership is all about perfection and any wrong decisions taken can prove very fatal. For instance a leader hires a person, who he believes is the right man/woman for the organization but the work of that employee proves otherwise, the organization can suffer because of the same and the loss occurred because of that wrong decision of the leader will always remain irrecoverable. It is very difficult these days to find the right people, who can commit their future to the organization but leaders are expected to have the quality of differentiation, a leader who possesses this quality can never go wrong in the process of selecting the right people for the or ganization. ... This is one of the biggest challenges which the leaders these days face, if a leader is born with this quality then major pitfalls in leadership can be avoided without facing much difficulty. "To meet the many demands of performing their functions, managers assume multiple roles. A role is an organized set of behaviors. Henry Mintzberg has identified ten roles common to the work of all managers. The ten roles are divided into three groups: interpersonal, informational, and decisional. The informational roles link all managerial work together. The interpersonal roles ensure that information is provided. The decisional roles make significant use of the information. The performance of managerial roles and the requirements of these roles can be played at different times by the same manager and to different degrees depending on the level and function of management. The ten roles are described individually, but they form an integrated whole." (Henry Mintzberg, 29 March 2009). Another big challenge which the leaders of today face is the daunting task of decision making. Decision making is the most challenging task for any leader. One wrong decision can change many things around in an organization and those changes will surely be for the worse of the organization on the other hand one good decision can help the organization in more ways than one. Decision making is a very delicate process, numerous things have to be kept in mind, a leader just cannot go on making wrong decisions because that would result in disaster, even one wrong decision can be disastrous for any organization so considering all these things it becomes imperative that leaders analyze the

Social care workers need to develop the knowledge and skills to work Essay

Social care workers need to develop the knowledge and skills to work effectively with people from similar and diverse background - Essay Example Thus, in discharging the professional duties and accomplishing social tasks, social care workers need to work hard and develop adequate cultural competence. Acceptance among the masses is a precondition to the successful workability of a care giver. Anti-oppressive practice should, therefore, be adopted and proper changes in the service-user communities should be initiated. In the course of cultural competence development, anti-racist practice must focus on the discriminations based on colour and race (Sue, 2006). Improvement in social work development and training can be brought about by the means of thorough comprehension of people’s family arrangements, social norms and values. Social work and support in a culturally sensitive environment has to be based on exploration of the diverse cultural heritages (Laird, 2008). Finally, the research question is in the form of the following statement: Social care workers need to develop knowledge and skills to work effectively with peo ple from similar and diverse backgrounds. Describe one model of cultural competence and discuss the potential benefits and limitations of applying the model. Therefore, this paper will explore a suitable cultural competence model and proceed on related discussions. ... A cultural group’s objective cultural attributes, such as art and music, are important and are included as implied assumptions. The primary and secondary characteristics of culture, developed from and expanded upon from Hage’s (1972) variable and non-variable concepts are nationality, race, colour, gender, age, and religious affiliation. Secondary characteristics are educational status, socioeconomic status, occupation, military experience, political beliefs, urban versus rural residence, enclave identity, marital status, parental status, physical characteristics, sexual orientation, gender issues, reason for migration, and immigration status. (Purnell, 2002) At the outermost interface of the model, the global society is placed. Next, there is the interface of community followed by the layer of family. The inner interface represents the person, the metaparadigm concepts. Inside this interface related to the individual, twelve cultural domains have been depicted. The dom ains are interrelated and they affect each other. The twelve domains are: 1. Overview/ Heritage: Includes concepts related to the current residence and country of origin, reasons for emigration, occupations, educational status, etc. 2. Communication: Includes concepts related to the contextual use of language, dominant language and dialects, paralanguage variations, nonverbal communication, etc. 3. Family roles and organisation: Includes concepts related to social status, lifestyle issues, child rearing, gender roles, family roles, etc. 4. Workforce issues: Includes concepts related to ethnic communication styles, assimilation, acculturation, autonomy, individualism and healthcare practices from the country of origin. 5. Biocultural ecology: Includes variations in ethnic and racial origins,

Alternative Approaches to Slowing Global Warming Essay

Alternative Approaches to Slowing Global Warming - Essay Example This paper offers a thorough review of the article â€Å"To Tax or Not to Tax: Alternative Approaches to Slowing Global Warming†, written by William D. Nordhaus. The article written by the author is a comprehensive study and analysis of the various issues relating to global warming from an economic point of view. The articlewas written to find out, how a control by the government on the public goods would help to combat the problem of global warming. The different control mechanisms which are either price controls or quantity controls have undergone a thorough analysis in the article. Along with that the various prospects and the setbacks that the government face relating to these controls have also been discussed by the author. The scientific analysis of the problems of global warming has been provided. This is a constructive approach which would help the reader understand why there is a necessity for the control of pollution. An outline of the source of the problems has been discussed. The issue of climatic changes has been explained with the help of suitable examples. The reader can understand that the emission of various industrial gases are the reasons why the atmosphere around the earth is getting polluted and how it is linked to the changes in the climate. Although the scientists had made the world aware about the negative consequences of global warming a long time back, countries have been instrumental in taking formal actions only at a later stage. In this context the author has put forward the example of United States. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is the body that started its functioning with the Kyoto Protocol in 2005. The framework was adopted by the participating industrialized countries where the emissions take place the most. The European Emissions Trading Scheme was an attempt made by the countries of the European Union to tackle the problems of Carbon dioxide emissions in the countries with the implementation of the economic principles (European Environment Agency 11). However, according to the author the Kyoto Protocol had major problems because there was very little scope for inclusion of the other countries. The United States also did not participate in the treaty which acted as a major setback for the success of the mission. The treaty also suffered a failure because the growth in the industrialization took place in the countries that did not come under the purview of the treaty. This is a valid argument put forward by the author because any schemes that are being adopted by the countries have to be remodeled with time. Unless all the countries come forward and participate, a global issue cannot be countered only by a few nations. Therefore Nordhaus posited that the nations did not do enough in the initial stage to combat the pollution levels of their respective countries. Therefore the article does a detailed analysis of the Kyoto Protocol and also tries to look for an alternative solution in case of non viability of the former. The author has presented the first section of the article with global public goods, an example of which is the phenomenon of global warming. The author has describes these goods as those which affect the entire world and are not specific to any country. The global public goods are becoming more prominent with time because of the extensive of use of technology. This representation of global warming is somewhat not appropriate because it is a result of production or consumption of a good and therefore should be considered as a negative externality rather

Social care workers need to develop the knowledge and skills to work Essay

Social care workers need to develop the knowledge and skills to work effectively with people from similar and diverse background - Essay Example Thus, in discharging the professional duties and accomplishing social tasks, social care workers need to work hard and develop adequate cultural competence. Acceptance among the masses is a precondition to the successful workability of a care giver. Anti-oppressive practice should, therefore, be adopted and proper changes in the service-user communities should be initiated. In the course of cultural competence development, anti-racist practice must focus on the discriminations based on colour and race (Sue, 2006). Improvement in social work development and training can be brought about by the means of thorough comprehension of people’s family arrangements, social norms and values. Social work and support in a culturally sensitive environment has to be based on exploration of the diverse cultural heritages (Laird, 2008). Finally, the research question is in the form of the following statement: Social care workers need to develop knowledge and skills to work effectively with peo ple from similar and diverse backgrounds. Describe one model of cultural competence and discuss the potential benefits and limitations of applying the model. Therefore, this paper will explore a suitable cultural competence model and proceed on related discussions. ... A cultural group’s objective cultural attributes, such as art and music, are important and are included as implied assumptions. The primary and secondary characteristics of culture, developed from and expanded upon from Hage’s (1972) variable and non-variable concepts are nationality, race, colour, gender, age, and religious affiliation. Secondary characteristics are educational status, socioeconomic status, occupation, military experience, political beliefs, urban versus rural residence, enclave identity, marital status, parental status, physical characteristics, sexual orientation, gender issues, reason for migration, and immigration status. (Purnell, 2002) At the outermost interface of the model, the global society is placed. Next, there is the interface of community followed by the layer of family. The inner interface represents the person, the metaparadigm concepts. Inside this interface related to the individual, twelve cultural domains have been depicted. The dom ains are interrelated and they affect each other. The twelve domains are: 1. Overview/ Heritage: Includes concepts related to the current residence and country of origin, reasons for emigration, occupations, educational status, etc. 2. Communication: Includes concepts related to the contextual use of language, dominant language and dialects, paralanguage variations, nonverbal communication, etc. 3. Family roles and organisation: Includes concepts related to social status, lifestyle issues, child rearing, gender roles, family roles, etc. 4. Workforce issues: Includes concepts related to ethnic communication styles, assimilation, acculturation, autonomy, individualism and healthcare practices from the country of origin. 5. Biocultural ecology: Includes variations in ethnic and racial origins,

City of God vs. The Protestant Reformations Essay Example for Free

City of God vs. The Protestant Reformations Essay Introduction: The belief that God is present to the human mind and soul, and can be found is part of the Christian tradition. Many Christian philosophers seem to regard this as the concern only of specially devout persons and of no interest for philosophical purposes. The evidence for it, they think, it too slender to be taken seriously by academic philosophers without particular interest in religion, who tend to regard anything in the nature of religious experience as suspect. So, philosophical discussions about religion are usually concerned with rational arguments for and against theism, usually of a technical kind. In this article, I want to discuss the Augustine world with the reformist will as proposed by Martin Luther. One of the great cornerstones in the history of Christian thought, The City of God is vital to an understanding of modern Western society and how it came into being. Begun in A.D. 413 by Saint Augustine, the great theologian who was bishop of Hippo, the books initial purpose was to refute the charge that Christianity was to blame for the fall of Rome (which had occurred just three years earlier). Augustines City of God, a monumental work of religious lore, philosophy, and history, was written as a kind of literary tombstone for Roman culture. After the downfall of Rome, Augustine wrote this book to portray the corruption of Romans pursuit of earthly pleasures: grasping for praise, open-handed with their money; honest in the pursuit of wealth, they wanted to hoard glory. Augustine contrasts his condemnation of Rome with an exaltation of Christian culture. The glory that Rome failed to attain will only be realized by citizens of the City of God, the Heavenly Jerusalem foreseen in Revelation. On the other hand Hans J. Hillerbrand in his book â€Å"The Protestant Reformation† says When the reformers who had first ventured a new interpretation of the gospel had passed from the scene, the question which had haunted the Reformation from its very inceptionwhere is truth?was still contested by the proponents of the old and the new faith. But one fact was beyond dispute: Western Christendom was tragically dividedinto no less than five religious factions.Though these divisions were the result of intense religious conviction, they could not help but lessen the intensity of religious belief in Europe. The Reformation of the sixteenth century was the last period in the history of Western civilization when men were preoccupied with religion, argued it, fought and even died for it. Its consequences are still with us†. Argument: The two cities in city of God and the two wills in Lutheranism No book except the Bible itself had a greater influence on the Middle Ages than the â€Å"City of God†. Since medieval Europe has been the cradle of todays Western civilization, this work by consequence is vital for an understanding of our world and how it came into being. St. Augustine is often regarded as the most influential Christian thinker after St. Paul, and this book highlights upon a vast synthesis of religious and secular knowledge. It began as a reply to the charge that Christian otherworldliness was causing the decline of the Roman Empire. Augustine produced a wealth of evidence to prove that paganism bore within itself the seeds of its own destruction. Then he proceeded to his larger theme, a cosmic interpretation of history in terms of the struggle between good and evil: the City of God in conflict with the Earthly City or the City of the Devil. This, the first serious attempt at a philosophy of history, was to have incalculable influence in forming the Western mind on the relations of church and state, and on the Christians place in the temporal order. It is more than a question of setting down on paper a series of abstract principles and then applying them in practice. Christianity is more than a moral code, more than a philosophy, more than a system of rites. Although it is sufficient, in the abstract, to divide the Catholic religion into three aspects and call them creed, code and cult, yet in practice, the integral Christian life is something far more than all this. It is more than a belief; it is a life. That is to say, it is a belief that is lived and experienced and expressed in action. The action in which it is expressed, experienced and lived is called a mystery. This mystery is the sacred drama which keeps ever present in history the Sacrifice that was once consummated by Christ on Calvary. In plain wordsif you can accept them as plainChristianity is the life and death and resurrection of Christ going on day after day in the souls of individual men and in the heart of society. It is this Christ-life, this incorporation into the Body of Christ, this union with His death and resurrection as a matter of conscious experience, that St. Augustine wrote of in his Confessions. But Augustine not only experienced the reality of Christ living in his own soul. He was just as keenly aware of the presence and action, the Birth, Sacrifice, Death and Resurrection of the Mystical Christ in the midst of human society. And this experience, this vision, if you would call it that, qualified him to write a book that was to be, in fact, the autobiography of the Catholic Church. That is what The City of God is. Just as truly as the Confessions are the autobiography of St. Augustine, The City of God is the autobiography of the Church written by the most Catholic of her great saints. Evidently, the treatment of the theme is so leisurely and so meandering and so diffuse that The City of God, more than any other book, requires an introduction. The best we can do here is to offer a few practical suggestions as to how to tackle it. The first of these suggestions is this: since, after all, The City of God reflects much of St. Augustines own personality and is colored by it, the reader who has never met Augustine before ought to go first of all to the Confessions. Once he gets to know the saint, he will be better able to understand Augustines view of society. Then, no one who is not a specialist, with a good background of history or of theology or of philosophy, ought not to attempt to read the City, for the first time, beginning at page one. The living heart of the City is found in Book Nineteen, and this is the section that will make the most immediate appeal to us today because it is concerned with the theology of peace. However, Book Nineteen cannot be understood all by itself. The best source for solutions to the most pressing problems it will raise is Book Fourteen, where the origin of the two Cities is sketched, in an essay on original sin. On the other hand the protestant reformation deals with the religious movement which made its appearance in western Europe in the sixteenth century, and which, while ostensibly aiming at an internal renewal of the church, really led to a great revolt against it, and an abandonment of the principal Christian beliefs. The causes of the great religious revolt of the sixteenth century must be sought as far back as the fourteenth. The doctrine of the church, it is true, had remained pure; saintly lives were yet frequent in all parts of Europe, and the numerous beneficent medieval institutions of the church continued their course uninterruptedly. Whatever unhappy conditions existed were largely due to civil and profane influences or to the exercise of authority by ecclesiastics in civil spheres; they did not obtain everywhere with equal intensity, nor did they always occur simultaneous in the same country. Ecclesiastical and religious life exhibited in many places vigor and variety; works of education and charity abounded; religious art in all its forms had a living force; domestic missionaries were many and influential; pious and edifying literature was common and appreciated. Gradually, however, and largely owing to the variously hostile spirit of the civil powers, fostered and heightened by several elements of the new order, there grew up in many parts of Europe political and social conditions which hampered the free reformatory activities of the church, and favored the bold and unscrupulous, who seized a unique opportunity to let loose all the forces of heresy and schism so long held in check by the harmonious action of the ecclesiastical and civil authorities. Luthers theology is his understanding of God that can be summarized as Gottes Gottheit, which means God is God. In the deepest sense, Luther believes that God is above all and in all. God, through his creative power, reveals that he is free and immutable. He alone can bring life into existence. He alone sustains life. He alone freely wills. Moreover, what God wills can not be impeded or resisted by a mere creature. God is all-powerful and therefore, Gods will is alone immutable. Any person, therefore, that appeals to the freedom of human will attempts to usurp for themselves an attribute that belongs only to God. The free and immutable will of God is, in Luthers writings, fundamental to a right and proper faith. Without it, God is not God and Scripture would, therefore, have to be annulled. In BOW, Luther constantly emphasizes these two characteristics of the will of God and points out their significance for the Faith. In addition, Luther argues that God has two wills as pertains His nature: (1) the revealed will of His word and, (2) the hidden or inscrutable will. These characteristics of Gods will provide the basis for understanding and interpreting Luthers conviction that the human will is enslaved. For Luther, the free will of God is not simply Gods limitless and unobstructed ability to choose between any set of variables in any set of circumstances. Rather, it is Gods unique ability to transcend all these variables and circumstances to perform, or not perform, any action that He desires. Gods will is not contingent upon the will of any other being. In ceaseless activity, God creates the possibilities. As such, the free will of God is most plainly revealed to humanity through His creative acts. God freely chooses to create our present reality and likewise, He freely sustains this reality. In fact, reality does not exist except by the will of God. To this all-encompassing extent then, Luther asserts that God is all in all. Nothing is that God does not declare to be. And, it is this creative power that manifests Gods freedom, His free will. In recognizing Luthers pronounced emphasis on Gods sovereignty, Paul Althaus declares: â€Å"God is the first or principal cause, all others are only secondary or instrumental causes. They are only the tools which he uses in the service of his own autonomous, free, and exclusive working; they are only the masks under which he hides his activity†. The second characteristic of Gods   will that is crucial to Luthers understanding of the bondage of the human will, is its immutability. That is, Gods will can not be changed, altered or impeded. The immutability of Gods will is the logical conclusion to the freedom of Gods will. Gods sovereignty and almighty power demands that whatever God wills happens by necessity. Nothing occurs contingently. Gods will does not act independently of reality, as the human will does, but rather, Gods will creates reality. In Luthers theology, the will of God is not contingent and so likewise, the foreknowledge of God is also not contingent. For whatever God wills, he foreknows and so, whatever He foreknows must, by necessity, happen. For if it did not happen, then God would be fallible and His will contingent which Luther declares is not to be found in God!   It is the immutable will of God, acting freely, that provides the Christian with the assurance of things hoped for (Heb 11:1), namely that the promises of God will be fulfilled. As Luther suggests, the Christians chief and only comfort in every adversity lies in knowing that God does not lie, but brings all things to pass immutably, and that His will cannot be resisted, altered or impeded. Indeed, for Luther, the conviction that Gods will is free and immutable must be central to the Faith. Yet, Luthers theology presents a problem: if God wills everything and everything He wills comes to pass then one must conclude that God wills the salvation of few and the damnation of many (cf. Mt 22:14). Luther answered this dilemma by teaching that God has two wills, the revealed and the hidden. As Luther declares in BOW, Gods decree to damn the undeserving . . . [who are] compelled by natural necessity to sin and perish does indeed seem horrible. Moreover, all rational and philosophical knowledge of God can not avoid the terrible reality of this conclusion, for as Luther concedes, the injustice of God . . . is traduced as such by arguments which no reason or light of nature can resist. Luther understands this horrible decree in light of Gods justice in two ways. For Luther, the answer to these questions is twofold: (1) we must simply believe that Gods justice is righteous because in Christ God has proven His love and compassion and, (2) we should not probe into the hidden or inscrutable will of God wherein God operates paradoxically, i.e. righteousness made evident through unrighteousness. Luthers twofold answer to the questions of damnation reveals a high view of Gods sovereignty and majesty. Moreover, the answer is in accordance with Luthers view that Gods will is uniquely free and immutable. The answer also demands that the Christian simply trust in God. The Christian must believe all that is revealed in Scripture, not merely those things that are pleasant to the senses, and as such, we are compelled to accept the fact that God actively chooses to reject certain people. Nevertheless, if God has said in His Word that He is loving and gracious, and He has revealed himself to be such through His forbearance with the Israelites and the glorious plan of salvation through Jesus Christ, but what right can we judge the manner in which God oversees and sustains the world? For Luther, this is precisely the point at which the Christian must heed the words of God, spoken through the prophet Isaiah: For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts (Isa 55:8-9). Luther would likewise appeal to Gods answer to Job in Job 38-41 and the words of Paul in Romans 9:20 as yet other examples of the futility of comprehending the incomprehensible and inscrutable will of God. Luther, therefore, answers the critics of predestination and defends Gods decree to affect unbelief in people by appealing to this inscrutable wisdom and will of God, a will that cannot be understood by any attempt of human reason. Because God is God, He has the right to condemn man for sins that God works in Him.10 And so, it is by faith that the Christian simply trusts that God is righteous, loving and gracious in so working. Luther consoles the Christian by exhorting them to look only to the revealed will of God that promises salvation to all who receive Christ. Thus, He does not will the death of a sinner-that is, in His Word; but He wills it by His inscrutable will. At present, however, we must keep in view His Word and leave alone His inscrutable will; for it is by His Word, and not by His inscrutable will, that we must be guided. Yet, for Luther, knowing that God does possess a hidden and inscrutable will of God provides valuable insights for the Christian. The inscrutable will of God tempers the revealed will of God. The doctrine of the free, immutable and inscrutable will of God, therefore, contributes three important foundations to the Christian Faith: (1) God is sovereign, all-powerful and therefore, even evil is under the sway of His goodness and as such, the Christian can be certain that the promises of God will be realized, (2) humanity is not free to earn or demand anything of God and so, Gods gift of salvation can truly be called free and gracious and, (3) the Christian, in response to these truths, is properly humbled and learns, in reverent adoration, to fear God, who acts freely and immutability for His glory. In consequence of his view of Gods will, Luthers view of the human will is necessarily placed in total subjection to the Divine. It is in this respect that Luther stands in contrast to Erasmus. Luthers discussion of this topic is theocentric, beginning with a discussion of God and His attributes whereas Erasmus belies an anthropocentric view, beginning with human experience. For Luther, that Gods will is immutable logically demands that mans will is mutable. For if Gods will is not contingent but immutable and free, no other will can be also be immutable and free otherwise these wills could impede one another and consequently, these wills would no longer be immutable and free but rather, they would be subject to one another. As such, Luther rightly proclaims the inconsistency of the term free will. In Luthers writings, there are three primary considerations to consider in evaluating the characteristics of the human will: (1) the human will is mutable, (2) as a consequence of the Fall, the human will is enslaved to sin and, (3) the human will requires the grace of God, offered through the propitiatory sacrifice of Christ Jesus, to affect any positive change in a persons life. Luthers position on the Divine and human wills was not a small matter to him. In Table-Talk, Luther once stated in regards to his position that I know it to be the truth, though all the world should be against it; yea, the decree of Divine Majesty must stand fast against the gates of hell. The belief that humanity is enslaved to sin and that it is only by sovereign election that God saves a person formed the basis for Luthers conviction of justification by grace through faith. Grace is one the most important principles of biblical interpretation to Luther and no where is divine grace more evident than in the doctrine of election. And, it is this sola gratia principle of Luthers faith that preserves the eternal significance of Christs death and resurrection. It is by his sacrifice, not by our own works, that God graciously extends salvation to the elect. As Luther often remarked, to assert the freedom of the will is to deny the necessity of Christs atoning work. Conclusion Augustine produced a wealth of evidence to prove that paganism bore within itself the seeds of its own destruction. By means of his contrast of the earthly and heavenly citiesthe one pagan, self-centered, and contemptuous of God and the other devout, God-centered, and in search of graceAugustine explored and interpreted human history in relation to eternity. Saint Augustine examines the failure of Roman religion and the flaws in human civilization, thus creating the first Christian philosophy of history. Against the city, i.e., society, of many gods, there is but one alternate society, this Augustine calls The City of God, adopting the expression found in several of King Davids psalms. Not only is the society of many gods the society of polytheists, it is also the city of pantheists, atheistic materialists and philosophical Cynics. In the case of the Cynics and atheists, these false gods are the myriad gods of self, indeed, at least as many gods (selves) as there are believers in them. Thus there are two cities, two loves, two ways to understand the big questions of existence, two destinations. Says Augustine:   The one City began with the love of God; the other had its beginnings in the love of self. XIV:13. The city of man seeks the praise of men, whereas the height of glory for the other is to hear God in the witness of conscience. The one lifts up its head in its own boasting; the other says to God: Thou art my glory, thou liftest up my head. (Psalm 3.4) In the city of the world both the rulers themselves and the people they dominate are dominated by the lust for domination; whereas in the City of God all citizens serve one another in charity. . . References 1. http://www.newadvent.org The Catholic encyclopedia The Journal Of Religion, J. Jeffery Tyler, volume 85, Part 1(2005), pages 317 – 319 Althaus, Paul. The Theology of Martin Luther. Translation of 2nd edition by Robert C. Schultz. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Fortress Press, 1966 . Luthers Works, Volume 31: Career of the Reformer I. ed. Philip S. Watson. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Fortress Press, 1957.

System to Control Cars Anti-lock Braking System

System to Control Cars Anti-lock Braking System Giving reasons for your answer based on the type of system being developed, suggest the most appropriate generic software process model that might be used as a basis for managing the development of the following systems: A system to control a cars anti-lock braking system You could use Incremental or Spiral process models as safety is critical so you need a method that a lot of checks and balances at each stage. Incremental development is broken down into increments with each increment delivering part of the required functionality, where the user requirements are prioritized and the highest priority requirements are included in early increments however once the development is started, the requirements are frozen but can be used in later increments. Spiral process is represented as a spiral rather than as a sequence of activities with backtracking where each loop in the spiral represents a phase in the process. There are no fixed phases such as specification or design but loops in the spiral are chosen depending on what is required. Both Incremental and Spiral would achieve the goal of managing development for the cars anti-lock braking system however incremental development would be the most suited since it takes the allows for checks and balances throughout the life of the development. A virtual reality system to support software maintenance An evolutionary model seems to be an ideal solution for a virtual reality system, as the development team has two methods first is the exploratory development which works well with customers and to evolve a final system from an initial outline specification. Second is the throw-away prototyping with this method the objective is to understand the system requirements if the requirements are not fully laid out. A university accounting system that replaces an existing system Waterfall has formal structure to manage the process however the drawback is that it is difficult to accommodate changes after starting. But in the waterfall model you would go through a series of step to manage the large requirements, design and implementation requirements. Requirements analysis and definition System and software design Implementation and unit testing Integration and system testing Operation and maintenance An interactive system, running in kiosks in train stations, for railway passengers that find train times In this scenario the best approach would be evolutionary model using a throw away prototyping to find the requirements then switching to a waterfall model for a structured design and implementation. References Ian Sommerville, (2010) Software Engineering (8th edition), Chapter 4, 5 Pearson Education Lecture Notes (2010) Laureate Online Education University of Liverpool Seminar 1 Introduction to Software Engineering Study Lecture 1 Software Engineering, à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ All right reserved, 2002-2010

Smoking Tobacco and the Brain :: Biology Smoke Cigarette Nicotine

Cigarette smoking, the chief avoidable cause of premature death in this country, is responsible for more than 300,000 premature deaths each year. Smoking is an avoidable cause of death. The way to avoid it? Quit smoking. But people can't quit because it's too hard -- because smoking is addictive. The Surgeon General issued a report entitled Nicotine Addiction. Throughout its 600+ pages he gives a highly detailed explanation of just why nicotine is addictive. The Surgeon General listed criteria for establishing a drug as addictive and showed how nicotine adheres to these criteria. The following are some of those criteria for determining that a drug is addictive (all information is based on US Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Smoking: Nicotine Addiction: A Report of the Surgeon General 1988.): Users develop a compulsive use of the drug despite damage to individual or society. Smoking causes lung cancer, other cancers, chronic obstructive lung disease, heart disease, complications of pregnancy, and several other adverse health effects. Smoking has been associated with antiestrogenic effects such as earlier menopause and increased osteoporosis. Nicotine is known to enter the amniotic fluid, umbilical cord of the fetus, and the breast milk of expectant mothers. Despite these known negative effects of smoking, people continue using cigarettes. The drug is rewarding and drug seeking takes superiority over other important priorities. In a study by Henningfield, Miyasato, Jasinshki (1985) nicotine was seen to act as a euphoriant and at high doses acted similar to stimulants such as cocaine or amphetamines. Nicotine has been seen to produce other desirable effects as well. It is possible that nicotine improves attention, however most studies in this area compare smokers smoking to smokers not smoking, thus it is unsure whether smoking enhances attention or abstinence for someone who regularly smokes impairs attention. Due to a wide range of results, studies have not been able to conclusively show that smoking improves learning or memory; nonetheless, many smokers claim it does both. They also assert that smoking is relaxing and causes pleasurable feelings. Indeed studies have associated the onset of smoking during the teenage years with high levels of stress present at this time. Because smokers believe smoking to cause all of these beneficial effects, smokers will often stop what they are doing to take breaks for smoking in order to maintain the nicotine level to which their body has grown accustomed. The drug produces changes in a person’s mood that are mainly controlled by effects in the brain.