Optimism in John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath Essay

The Grapes of Wrath is a novel written by John Steinbeck. In the bulk of modern literature, it is consider a masterful epic unmatched in the realm of the written word. The novel centers around a family of workers who are immigrants — The Joads. When the novel takes place they are in California attempting to survive the scarce conditions of the depression. Steinbeck monitors and recounts the ups and downs of the family and their experiences in United States. Much of the plot is Steinbeck’s commentary on the rampant capitalism which literary sucked the land and the people dry during the 1930s. The story is based on real life excerpts of John Steinbeck’s field research. The real life conflict was created by greedy business men, and lending institutions which bought up land and employed workers to farm. While Steinbeck’s depiction is of the 1930s depression is accurately rough it is equally optimistic. The majority of these workers were lower class immigrant families that were paid so little that their struggles have often been paralleled to that of slavery which plagued the United States in the 16th and 17th centuries. The old adage was particularly relevant when examining this novel, as the rich get richer, the poor end up dead — worked to death. Steinbeck is not casual in his assault of capitalism and it not fearful to express his disgust for the supposed American dream. He has a clear political viewpoint and asserts:†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ the great fact: when property accumulates in too few hands it is taken away. And that companion fact: when a majority of the people are hungry and cold they will take by force what they need. And the little screaming fact that sounds throughout all history: repression works only to strengthen and knit the repressed. † (333). A major theme developed by Steinbeck in The Grapes of Wrath is his believe that the survive of the lower class is based on their dedication to family. His approach is a delicate mixture of Marxism and Socialism, both of which promote cooperative living. In the context of the time, Steinbeck’s beliefs were not just controversial but also dangerous. The United States went through a two periods in which the government hunted after individuals they considered unamerican, the 1920s and the 1950s. This novel was written in the the 1930s. However, Steinbeck intricately weaves a tale of family strife, struggle, and survival, in The Grapes of Wrath, which has become a beloved and honored classic since its publication. Steinbeck’s depiction of the devastating conditions during the 1930s is historically accurate. In particular, Steinbeck articulately describes what a Dust Bowl actually is and how it was created. He explains that the great plains experienced the greatest droughts ever during the great depression. The Dust Bowl was created due to lack of rain and also the over use of the land. Once pieces of land are over farmed they lose their nutrients and crops will not grow. These areas, once plush with grass and trees became â€Å"virtual deserts. † It was this drought which forced families, hungry and tired, to see out new hope in the west. The west promised folks clean and cheap living, and with access to regular work. Steinbeck describes the Dust Bowl in the following way, â€Å"The wind increased, steady, unbroken gusts. The dusts from the roads fluffed up and spread out and fell on the weeds besides the fields . . . the sky was darkened by the mixing dust, and the wind felt over the earth, loosened the dust, and carried it away. † For the people living in these devastated lands, this was a very accurate account as to what the â€Å"weather† was like for weeks and months.

Patriotic reverence for the history Essay

Patriotic reverence for the history of a nation often does more to impede than toencourage progress History always brings with itself lots of experience. People always learn from their past. Butis relying on the history nation the right path to progress? Does our past always teach us theright lessons? What we do today will be past someday. Does that mean we will always end updoing right if we follow our history. The answer is no. Showing high patriotic reverencecannot always be the right path for a nation’s progress. Relying on history for our current needs would be nothing more than intuition. The situationwe have at our hands can be very different from that experienced in the past. The demandthen becomes to handle it with new ways and techniques. For example maintaining peace inthe world today is the most important factor for any country’s progress. If we look at history,nations earlier had a tendency to acquire and conquer as much as they can. The Germans inthe World War II killed millions of people in their neighboring countries in thirst of more andmore power. The world has witnessed many wars that have hampered progress. Thus theneed of the hour for all nations is to sit down and talk. Nations now need to have a friendlyattitude towards each other for maintaining progress. Nations have signed peace treaties,which includes the nuclear proliferation treaties. The nations have now started thinking of progress on a global prospective. The economic progress of a nation particularly developing countries has also been verydifferent from the past. The trends and graphs are very different from that in the past. Thecorporate world has been developing and expanding exponentially. The economic market isnow governed by new rules with no excerpts from the past. So, the demand of the hour cannot be met by completely relying on the past. But just learningfrom our experiences. If we refer to our past, we need to draw proper analogies between thetwo time variant situations. But this can be a very difficult task as the scenario and theessence of things for todays world are completely different.

An Overview Of The Prison Systems

This critique on the criminal justice system is going to focus on prisons. Prisons are institutions for the confinement of persons convicted of criminal offenses. This paper is going to discuss the early history of prisons, early American prisons, goals of prisons, North Carolina prisons, and an overall overview of the prison system. Throughout history, most societies have built places in which to hold persons accused of criminal acts pending some form of trial. But the confinement of persons/criminals after a trial for punishment is relatively new. In ancient times (around the 15th century), the penalties for crime were often some type of corporal punishment. Whipping, drawn and quartered, broken on the wheel, burned at the stake, beheaded, hanged, or stretched on the rack. In the 16th century England, vagrants and petty offenders were committed to correctional institutions known as workhouses, a correctional facility for persons guilty of minor criminal violations. During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, the government began to transport convicted felons to the English colonies. The punishment was initially thought of as the hard labor to which the prisoners were consigned. However, the idea that persons convicted of crime could be punished and then released after a relatively long period of time, was a new concept. Jails were first used as collection points for criminals awaiting transportation. Early jails were mostly dark, overcrowded, and filthy. The prisoners were held together indiscriminately, no separation of men and women, the young and old, the convicted and the unconvicted, or the sane and the insane. In America, the concept of imprisonment became a realization. The English Quaker, William Penn, abolished the death penalty for most crimes in the late 1600s, substituting imprisonment as a punishment. After battling between the reinstatement of the death penalty in 1718 and the replacement with incarceration in 1789, the Walnut Street Goal (Philadelphia) became the first prison in the United States. By the mid 19th century, most of the other states had followed. Two prison models soon emerged in the U.S. The first system, known as the Auburn Model, began in New York in 1817. The prisoners worked together in total silence during the day, but were housed separately at night. Very strict discipline was enforced, and violators were subjected to severe reprisals. The second model, Pennsylvania, began in 1829 at Cherry Hill (Eastern State Penitentiary). The Pennsylvania model was based on solitary confinement for convicts both day and night. The two models were both criticized very vigorously. Proponents of the Pennsylvania model focused on its hope of rehabilitation. The theory of being a felon and locked up alone all day in a cell with nothing but a Bible to read, would help out drastically. The Auburn model was criticized as being virtual slavery. This was thought because of the fact that the prisoners were often put to work for private entrepreneurs who had contracted with the state for their labor. Prisoners were never paid, leaving profits for the business owners and the state. Advocates of the Auburn model alleged that the idleness of the prisoners in the Cherry Hill penitentiary sometimes caused madness. Proponents stressed the activity of the prisoners and the profits from their labor, which meant that the states did not have to finance the prison. Rehabilitation was the systems main goal. In 1870, the National Congress on Penitentiary and Reformatory Discipline (known as the American Correctional Association) met for the first time in Cincinnati, Ohio. The congress adopted a set of principles for corrections, chief of which was the primary goal of rehabilitation. This led to the juvenile reformatories. Although the attempts to rehabilitate were relatively unsuccessful, the goal of rehabilitation changed the criminal justice system in the following decades. Probation and parole, work release, community corrections, and even a separate system of procedures and courts for dealing with juveniles, can all be traced to what was discussed at the first meeting in 1870. The Rehabilitation programs such as vocational training, guidance counseling, and psychotherapy began as part of the whole rehabilitation goal. In 1975, a study of more than 240 such programs essentially concluded that none was truly successful in reducing the recidivism rate (relapse into criminal behavior). Although there have been much criticism to this study, many believe the basic conclusion that participation in these programs was often not really voluntary, because prisoners hoped parole boards would look favorably on those who enrolled. Most penologist (a branch of criminology dealing with prison management and the treatment of offenders) now agree that rehabilitation is not a proper reason for imprisoning someone. Thus, rehabilitation is no longer the only, or even the main objective of correction agencies. In North Carolina, it wasn†t until 1868 that the state adopted a new constitution that provided for a state penitentiary. Inmates began building North Carolinas first prison, Central Prison, in 1870. It was a completed castle-like structure near the state capitol. It was finished in December 1884, when the prisoners started moving in.  · In 1875, these same inmates were leased to private employers as laborers and farmers. Under the lease, businesses had complete responsibility for the inmates. Many worked in rock quarries and built railways, while others farmed two tracts of land that the state leased.  · In 1901, inmates began working on state roads. They were moved from work sight to work sight in horse-drawn prison cages. In 1910, the incentive wage system began and inmates could then earn up to 15 cents a day, paid upon release, for the work that was being done.  · In 1925, the General Assembly enacted a law changing the state†s prison from a corporation to a department of state government. At the time, the state prison system included Central Prison, Caledonia Prison Farm, Camp Polk Prison Farm and eight road camps. Then, due to lack of regular maintenance and repair, the conditions were diminishing. The state took over the control of the prisons and the inmates, and provided new construction money from the Highway Fund for prison renovation.  · In 1935, women inmates form Central Prison moved to a south Raleigh prison camp, the site of today†s Correctional Institution for Women. Women from the Caledonia Prison Farm moved to the Raleigh facility permanently in 1956.  · In 1957, North Carolina became the first state to initiate a work release program that allowed inmates to work in private employment during the day and return to confinement at night.  · In 1958, striped prison clothing was replaced with gray uniforms for close custody, brown for medium, and green for minimum.  · In 1965, all prisons were desegregated and mental health services were established in prisons. Prisoners in North Carolina have numerous things they can do. Prisoners can work, volunteer, go to the correctional chaplain, work out, or just about anything. These inmates work in many different places. Food Services, Unit Services, Work Release, Prison Industry, Road Squads, Construction, State Agencies, Local Agencies, Community Work Crews, Vocational Education, and Academic Education. Other inmates take part in substance abuse treatment, have health problems, or are being admitted into prison. Ministry to the incarcerated is as old as incarceration itself. Chaplincy in North Carolina dates back to 1876. In the spring of 2000, over 100 chaplains were serving the inmate population. Annually, countless numbers of worship services, scripture studies, seminars, counseling sessions, segregation visits, and chaplains conduct special events. Prison chaplaincy is a special ministry of opportunity. It can be a rewarding spiritual endeavor for those persons who have felt a divine call to this challenging ministry. At the beginning of 2001, North Carolina†s prison system consisted of 78 prison units of various sizes with eight of the units having a standard operating capacity of less than 90 inmates. However, the largest facility, Central Prison, has a capacity of 937. The cost of North Carolina†s prison system varies from different forms of custody. For the Fiscal Year 1999-2000, the daily operating cost of the 64 bed medium security prison unit at Cleveland County was $54.06 per inmate per day, compared to the $36.44 per inmate daily cost of the 832 bed medium security unit at Brown Creek. The cost goes by prison security level. The system wide average operational cost for housing inmates in North Carolina prisons in Fiscal Year 1999-2000 was $65.65 per day. It is broken down into:  · Minimum Custody at $52.52 per day In theory, the U.S. prison system today consists of a variety of institutions (minimum, medium, maximum, jails, and federal institutions) each adapted to the characteristics and risks posed by its population. Minimum-security prisons are often built on a campus like arrangement, which allows the prisoners autonomy and freedom within broad bounds. It is a prison facility with the lowest level of security for nondangerous, stable offenders. Prisoners may have rooms with opaque doors rather than cells that are under constant surveillance. Visits are normally private, where close contact with visitors is encouraged in order to enhance their prisoner†s ties with the family and community. Medium-security prisons are a middle-level prison facility with a more relaxed security measures and fewer inmates. Maximum-security prisons (the most secure prison facility) are often massive buildings, with high masonry walls or electrified fences, where the primary concern is security. Prisoners are under constant surveillance where their movements are severely restricted, and many are required to remain in their cells almost the entire day. Outdoor recreation is minimal, and visits, when allowed, are often conducted by telephone, with a glass partition between the prisoner and the visitor. There are about 130 of these maximum-security prisons that collectively house more than 100,000 prisoners. Jails, a place of confinement for persons held in lawful custody: such a place under the jurisdiction of a local government (as a county) for the confinement of persons awaiting trial or those convicted of minor crimes , are typically not part of the state prison system. They are often managed individually by the districts or counties in which they are located. Many criticize the jail, saying that is the worst part of the U.S. penal organization. In recent decades, most prison systems in the U.S. have come under legal scrutiny, and the courts have found them severely wanting. Many have been declared unconstitutional in the sense that the conditions- including idleness, overcrowding, poor medical care, substantial violence, and lack of rights accorded prisoners- render confinement in these institutions â€Å"cruel and unusual† punishment and hence in violation of the 8th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, (Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted ). Such judicial decisions have increased the pressure on state prison authorities to replace their antiquated prison facilities with more modern and humane institutions, in keeping with the ideals set forth by penologists a century ago.

International Production and Governance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

International Production and Governance - Essay Example This report stresses that the challenge that every integrating economy today has to look in to is that structural change and labour market modification have become quasi-permanent features of national economies in a global world. Globalisation and scientific change are revealing increasing shares of national economies to strong competition. Consequently firms have to adjust their operations and their labour force to meet fluctuations in demand and progress in productivity. However, reacting to firms’ want for flexibility, without taking care of the worker’s need for security, is socially incompetent. A significant social dialogue is essential in this regard. This paper makes a conclusion that the market economy is the only arrangement competent of generating continued increases in prosperity, and giving individual human beings the opportunity to look for what they desire in life. However a market economy depends for its survival on a strong state, one that supports property rights, ensures macroeconomic stability, encourages competition, and ensures education and basic health. Further individual states remain the focus of political debate and authority. Even though, the anti-globalization movement has created an alarming imbalance of information about international organizations and translational businesses, world community looks for to restore balance to the debate by documenting how globalization promotes health, wealth and freedom.

System analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

System analysis - Essay Example 2-Identify 6 business processes and explain primary responsibility for each process. Describe what data is required and what information is generated by each process. Maybe helpful to do this as a Word table with column headings for business process, person responsible, and data. For this system, the main recommendation relies on the best way of increasing its reliability and availability. In order to increase reliability, the company should adopt security for the system to ensure all the processes are secure and efficient (Shelly et al, p.10). Further, security also proves important since it gives assurance on the availability; hence, the proactivity of the whole system in the numerous transactions taking place. Since the support system is responsible for the proper coordination of business activities, the business should adopt accountability and accuracy. The two are important to ensure that all the required resources are channeled appropriately to all the departments. The company needs to put in place expertise who are responsible for updating the system with any significant information. The ERP system stores large business information regarding all the five organization’s activities. The information stored is used to keep track of business operations in relations to the trends in the market (Shelly et al, p.10). Intuitively, for the company to get quality results it will need to update the system with any relevance change witnessed over a trading

Respite Services Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Respite Services - Essay Example The Canadian occupational performance Measure is one respite programme that has been developed to help care givers in sustaining and enhancing their occupation. This program is abbreviated as COPM and it was developed in Canada in 1991 for the purpose of care givers. The COPM was specifically made for therapists. It measures a person's outcome in terms of perception of his/her work over a period of time. In doing this sit can detect any changes in the care givers perception of his/her occupation with the main objective of improving it. The methodological approach of this respite service instrument involves the administration of a semi-structured interview which is accompanied by a structure scoring method. In its ability to enhance performance, continuous tests are done and the scores recorded. In a series of assessments, a trend is developed that can be use to evaluate the performance of the client. The COPM instrument was used on about 170 children in Ontario and Quebec, Canada. Recruitment of these children took place in between 2002 and 2003. Occupational output, quality of life and expenses were determined at baseline level and at the study completion. Perception of care was quantified at the end of the investigation. The COPM assessed the client's thought of performance in daily routines. (Kiresuk, Smith, Cardillo, 1994) Scores derived from the COPM inclined by an average of 2... Occupational performance outcomes Scores derived from the COPM inclined by an average of 2.6 over the span of the research. Satisfaction scores on the COPM increased by 2.4. These outcomes were both statistically significant (p

Software Engineering Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Software Engineering - Essay Example by which a hacker or a foreign source can enter in another system can exploit that system by deleting the data or stealing the information from that system thus the whole architecture of system can be modified. The vulnerabilities in chat application cause a lot of problem as it is to enter other system’s domain. The vulnerabilities are found in every operating system so if we are chatting either through Windows or through Linux or UNIX, we have to secure our system. There are many vulnerabilities found in which mainly are multiple vulnerabilities in Yahoo Messenger, multiple vulnerabilities in BIND and SNMP, Buffer Overflow in Microsofts MSN Chat ActiveX Control etc. In the case Yahoo Messenger, multiple vulnerabilities are found. The hacker can easily enter the domain of the other system and hack that system easily by using some codes which may be written in JAVA or some other languages. The yahoo messenger is use every where in the world and so it has to secures but still some soft spots exist. And vulnerabilities like a buffer overflow and URL validation vulnerability exist. The vulnerabilities like VU#137115, VU#172315 exist. These vulnerabilities are due to the buffer overflow in URI handler (VU#137115) and other one is caused as the addview function permits the other arbitrary codes to execute in its own system. Thus the hacker can send some scripts to other system and can exploit the situation. Thus due to these vulnerabilities and others the remote attacker can easily modify other system. The Yahoo Messenger has removed these vulnerabilities by using advance version like Yahoo! Messenger version 5,0,0,1058, released February 25, 2002 or by server side solution. The Yahoo Messenger whenever is

Discussion Board Post Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 12

Discussion Board Post Response - Essay Example In my organization, nurses are able to get feedback on the quality of their services from their patients as well as from the general public through a facebook page created by the organization and also through twitter. This has greatly improved provision of services in my organization as weak points are easily identified and appropriate strategies implemented. I agree with your implication Hope Barham that the situation in your case scenario can be addressed through the nurse manager providing scheduling examples previously made and that have been a success and openly discussing them. In my opinion, social sites could play a vital role in improving the staff morale in your case scenario. Hader (2009) posits that social sites within a department can be used to "Share information, dialogue, and receive feedback and input from others" (p. 6). Therefore, you could allow the nurses to give their input through social sites and then incorporate their opinions and views in creating the schedules. Engaging the nurses in creating their schedules will enable them feel that their input is valued and hence feel motivated. Bestowing a schedule to employees that they have not been involved in creating is likely to be met with

Managing Uncertainty- How does the dollar affect the diamond industry Essay

Managing Uncertainty- How does the dollar affect the diamond industry in India - Essay Example In 2011, the amount of uncut diamonds was 120 million carats; as compared to the 150 million carats in 2007. This decline is alarming and is an issue of concern that needs to be addressed. The impact of the dollar on the diamond market in India Based on the complicated and complex forms of uncertainties, one can conduct an analysis of the impact that the fluctuation of the dollar has had on the diamond market in the United States. Before the 1990s, the Forex system used to be fixed; however, after the 90s, the Indian government changed the system to a model based on floating rate. The purpose of the fixed rate system was to ensure that rupee fared well against other major world currencies such as Euro, Dollar, as well as GBP. Under the floating rate, the market forces can be regarded as the determinants of supply, as well as demand of the currency. In this case, there is a decline in the value of the currency when demand is less than its supply. When the supply is less than the deman d of the currency, there is an increase in the value of the currency. ... When there are more payments made using dollars as compared to the amount of foreign currency received, what results is a huge supply of the dollar in foreign markets. Consequently, the value of the dollar will fluctuate compared to other world currencies. This has affected the diamond industry in India, which exports some of its diamond products to the United States (Poros 2011, p.65). The other reason why the dollar has witnessed massive fluctuation is because of the huge amounts of U.S dollars in foreign markets such as India. This high amount of the currency has led to its fluctuation, thus affecting the diamond market in India, which uses the US dollar as one of the major currencies while conducting trade. The fluctuation in the value of the dollar also emanates from the huge gap created by the balance of payments deficit. Over time, the U.S dollar has weakened, thus resulting to a huge BOP deficit. The fluctuation in the value of the dollar has also resulted to the reduction in the Foreign Direct Investment in India. This has significantly affected the diamond industry in India since few people wish to invest in the country. The decline in FDI does not attract investors; rather it keeps them away, thus resulting to low investments and little trade in precious commodities such as diamond (Eskeland et al 2003, p.73). The fluctuation of the dollar has also had an impact on traders who either supply the commodity to India, or import it from India after processing. The diamond market in India has also been affected by the diamond industry in China. Whereas India uses the dollar as a primary currency, China does not highly depend on the dollar. As a result, the Indian

The Vision of the Organization and Motivation Assignment - 1

The Vision of the Organization and Motivation - Assignment Example This paper illustrates that to get to an end result, there are basically two ways. The first way is to be pulled to the outcome by being inspired internally and the other way is to be pushed to the outcome either through external or internal motivation. It should be noted that there a massive difference between inspiration and motivation, very little are inspired. It is essential to consider about which of the above two makes for an improved, easier to attain outcome and which one is being used and why is it considered. The ways in which aims can be archived is what the vision tells. The most important step to success whether in personal or business growth is having a clear vision of the end result, it basically brings inspiration. Fears fade away, procrastination vanishes and confronts fall away. Vision should be of paramount importance, at least build a vision of short-term to utilize till the long-term vision turns out to be clearer. To define the visions work must be done in team s, if the end results are clearly stated then it is much easier to decide what steps to be taken. Vision is one of the most widely used terms in the companies. However, the companies do not understand it well because the leaders themselves are not able to understand the proper meaning of a vision. Moreover, the leaders also do not understand the real meaning and the importance of the word â€Å"vision†. However, there are also some strategic leaders who understand the importance of vision really well. This is because the vision helps the company and also guides the employees in moldings the company. Therefore, it is highly essential to clarify the meaning of the word â€Å"vision† to clearly communicate it to the employees. A vision should be based on reality and should be meaningful to an organization. For instance, if you are creating a vision for a PC software organization that has imprinted a small position in the marketplace creating instructional software and has successfully attained 2% share of the computer software marketplace, a vision to go beyond Microsoft and rule the computer software marketplace is not realistic.

Sexual Harassment in Organization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Sexual Harassment in Organization - Essay Example In today's world, organisations and workplaces have become extremely diversified and have adopted varied stance s in terms of job processes and the general outlook. What is striking in such a scenario, is the prevalence of organizational or work ethics. In today's workplaces, harassment has become a very repetitive occurrence, with cases being reported every now and then. The various forms of harassment range that come under the purview have increased by the day, with sexual harassment topping the list. The issue came to the fore-front, in the 1970s and ever since, a number of committees, benches and organisations have come into the picture, to outline the relationship between work ethics and harassment. Sexual harassment as an abuse of power has become front-page news in the U.S. business press. Recently, BusinessWeek detailed the sexual harassment endured by salespeople at the U.S. subsidiary of Astra AB, a major Swedish pharmaceutical firm (Maremont 1996). This harassment was perpetrated by people at the highest levels of the organization and salespeople who did not comply found life at the firm extremely difficult. The attention to workplace sexual harassment generally focuses on harassment of employees by others within the same firm. [Insights into Sexual Harassment of Salespeople by Customers: The Role of Gender and Customer Power Leslie M, Fine, C. David Shepherd and Susan L. Josephs] When workplaces become diversified and new parameters of work assessment emerge, it is important to maintain workplace ethics. However, when cases of favourtism and sexual harassment emerge, it certainly goes against what is legally permissive in the ethical nature of actions in workplaces. It becomes difficult when talented individuals are put down, on account of the sexual favours received from other quarters. Besides this, when bosses do harass their subordinates and the like, it goes against moral codes of conduct. Organisational Behaviour is often considered at four different levels. Individual Behaviour, which deals with the single fundamental unit of the organisation, talks about the individualistic perspective. It revolves around an individual's perceptions, actions, notions, temperament and contribution to the organisation. At a higher plane, we have the Group Dynamics, that involves interactions of a group. It is inclusive of team work and team-bonding, while also delving into the nature of interactions, inter-group interactions, departmentalization and the like. An organisation can also be demarcated in terms of the diverse processes and the clubbing of groups under processes that are more or less the same. This is precisely the reason why we have various groups coming under one process, say, Marketing or HR, and working in synchronization within the department, and with the other departments as well. The organizational structure is another concrete player, which is characterised by the hierarchal set-up of the

What is collagen Essay Example for Free

What is collagen Essay Collagen is a simple protein made up of amino-acids. Amino acids are built from carbon, oxygen and hydrogen. In fact collagen makes up approximately 30% of the protein within the body. As a structure Collagen is intensely strong and is a vital protein that is found all over the body: In tendons and ligaments. It plays an important role in the protection function of the skin in that it helps limit the absorption and spreading of pathogenic substances, environmental toxins, micro organisms and cancerous cells. Why do we need collagen?  Collagen is the main protein of connective tissue and is responsible for: skin firmness, skin moisturisation, skin suppleness, constant renewal of skin cells. Research proves explicitly that the skin ageing process occurs in connective tissue, whose main ingredient is collagen. Collagen is vital for skin elasticity, which is essential for the flexibility of the skin without stretching. It allows our skin to constantly expand and contract without looking like a well worn, well loved old cardigan than has stretched beyond recognition. Skin loses its elasticity and ability to expand because of the decreasing ability to retain water. When elasticity is compromised, when we put on excessive weight, or we are pregnant, the elastin fibres are really under pressure and the result can mean stretch marks. Like Love and marriage, Laurel and Hardy, and Yin and Yang, both collagen and elastin fibres support and need each other. Because of this dependency upon each other, it is important to build both not just one, for real and best results. It is therefore important, that, to facilitate increased Collagen production within the skin, we need to ensure that we have increased elastin fibres, water and energy. The synthesis of collagen requires a high level of atmospheric oxygen. The collagen in these types of products are going to do nothing more than moisturize the skin. Collagen cannot be absorbed by the skin. Collagens dependency on Oxygen As mentioned in the section What is collagen† we already know Collagen is a simple protein made up of amino-acids, and that Amino acids are built from carbon, oxygen and hydrogen. It is therefore true to say that, in order for collagen to be produced, the body needs sufficient supply of all of these 3 fundamental elements. Let look closer at how the body actually receives these elements and begin to appreciate what we can do to help ourselves. Hydrogen (H) a macronutrient It would be virtually impossible to understate the importance of this element to human life. First of all, water is a compound of hydrogen and oxygen (H2O). We can survive years, or at least months without getting most of the other elements that we need to survive. We can survive weeks without food, but we would die after only a few days without water. Water is incredibly important in our bodies. In fact, almost 70% of our body is made of water. It dissolves other life-supporting substances and transports them to fluids in and around our cells. It is also a place in which important reactions take place in our bodies. Chemically, water is a remarkable substance and its many unique attributes make life possible. Hydrogen is obviously a critical component of water and minute chemical bonds called hydrogen bonds are what give water many of its unique attributes. Also, hydrogen is practically always bound to the carbon that our bodies are constructed of. Without this arrangement, our bodies would be little more than a pile of atoms on the ground. Stomach acid is a compound of hydrogen and chlorine (hydrochloric acid, or HCl). Logically, hydrogen is extremely important in allowing us to digest our food properly and to absorb the many other elements that we need to survive. Finally, many chemical reactions that make life possible involve the hydrogen ion. Without this unique and important element, we simply couldnt exist. Karin Herzog products based on the original and ground-breaking formulas of her Late Husband, Dr Paul Herzog, have been clinically proven to deliver additional water directly into the skin. This is no mean feat and is something that most other skin care product try to achieve to lesser or greater extent. Herzog remains the world’s only product to deliver not just oxygen but water deep into the skin. We can legally claim that we oxygenate the tissues as we have passed the necessary clinical testings by a recognised European testing laboratory. Using Herzog gives you peace of mind and assurance that the product you invest in, is doing what it is supposed to do and is a major benefit to the skin. Carbon (C) a macronutrient The element carbon is perhaps the single most important element to life. Virtually every part of our bodies is made with large amounts of this element. The carbon atom is ideal to build big biological molecules. The carbon atom can be thought of as a basic building block. These building blocks can be attached to each other to form long chains, or they can be attached to other elements. This can be difficult to imagine at first, but it may help to think about building with Lego blocks. You can think of carbon as a bunch of red Lego blocks attached together to form one long chain of Legos. Now, you can imagine sticking yellow, blue and green Legos across the tops of the red (carbon) Legos. These other colours represent other elements like oxygen, nitrogen or hydrogen. As you stick more and more of these yellow, blue and green Legos to the red chain, it would start to look like a skeleton of Legos with a spine of red Legos and bones of yellow, blue and green Legos. This is a lot like the way that big molecules are made in the body. Without carbon, these big molecules could not be built. Now, virtually every part of your body is made up of these big molecules that are based around chains of carbon atoms. This is the reason we are known as carbon based life forms. Without carbon, our bodies would just be a big pile of loose atoms with no way to be built into a person. Carbohydrates are simple sugars, composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms. The body gets carbon therefore from a good diet because carbon atoms always bond to hydrogen atoms, using Herzog which delivers additional water allows more carbon to be transported, Oxygen (O) a macronutrient It may seem obvious that people need to breathe oxygen to survive, but plants need this element too. Many people think plants breathe carbon dioxide and exhale oxygen. But in reality, plants also breathe oxygen at certain times. Without oxygen, plants could not survive. Without plants, we wouldnt have food to eat. Plants do provide the oxygen and the earths atmosphere is made up of approximately 20% Oxygen. However in polluted areas like major inner-cities, this oxygen count is depleting and the air quality is compromised. Oxygen is the regulator within our bodies. It fights infection and bacteria. Oxygen has a stimulating effect on the 10 systems of the body and is used as the fuel and energy. Oxygen plays a vital role in the breathing processes and in the metabolism of the living organisms. Appropriate levels of oxygen are vital to support cell respiration. Oxygen plays an important role in the energy metabolism of living organisms. The living cell is the site of tremendous biochemical activity called metabolism This is the process of chemical and physical change which goes on continually in the human body: build-up of new tissue, replacement of old tissue, conversion of food to energy, disposal of waste materials, reproduction all the activities that we characterize as life. All functions of our body are regulated by oxygen. It must be replaced every moment because 90% of our lives depend on it. Oxygen energizes cells so they can regenerate. Our body uses oxygen to metabolise food and to eliminate toxins and waste through oxidation. Our brain needs oxygen each second to process information. All of our organs need a great deal of oxygen to function efficiently. The ability to think ,feel ,move eat, sleep and even talk all depend on energy generated from oxygen. Oxygen is the only element capable of combining with almost every other element to form the essentials components necessary to build and maintain our body. For example oxygen + nitrogen+ hydrogen= protein : oxygen+ carbon+ hydrogen=carbohydrates : oxygen +hydrogen=water. How important is oxygen to a healthy body? Many experts conclude that a lack of oxygen in human cells and tissue is linked to a vast variety of and quite possibly all health problems and disease, and that supplemental oxygen therapies have remarkable physiological benefits. It plays a very important role in the body acting as guardian and protector against unfriendly bacteria and disease organism. Most scientists and doctors reiterate that metabolic disorders are the result of blood deficient in oxygen. When you consider the full importance of oxygen, it becomes clear that this versatile element is the single most important substance to life. Karin Herzog products based on the original and ground-breaking formulas of her Late Husband, Dr Paul Herzog, have been clinically proven to deliver additional Oxygen directly into the skin. This is no mean feat and is something that most other skin care products try to emulate. Herzog remains the worlds only product to deliver not just oxygen but water and vitamins deep into the skin. We can legally claim that we oxygenate the tissues as we have passed the necessary clinical testings by a recognised European testing laboratory. Using Herzog gives you peace of mind and assurance that the product you invest in, is doing what it is supposed to do and is a major benefit to the skin. Replace, increase and then keep topping up the vital life line elements for your cells ( including the skin ) that age, environment and modern living take out on a daily basis. To have peace of mind that that is in fact what you are doing it is good to know Herzog is logical, reliable and developed and supported by Specialists, clinicians and Doctors. Can the skin absorb collagen from a cream? Well not one to beat around the bush and wanting so much to educate and give people the facts to enable YOU the consumer to make an educated choice about what you spend your hard earned cash on. Here we go ‘It is impossible for your skin to absorb collagen from a cream that is placed topically onto the skin. ’ Fact! That means that any product you buy that purports to increase your collagen production by pushing collagen from the cream into the skin, is making a false claim. t best they can only moisturise the skin, which yes is important and beneficial but then lots of things do that and you don’t need to spend incredible amounts of money because the cream contains collagen! The only logical and proven way to increase collagen is to stimulate and increase your bodies own production of this protein. to do that it needs the elements we looked at in our previous sections: i. e. Oxygen Hydrogen – Carbon Karin Herzog products deliver 2 out of 3 of these elements, and the 3rd, Carbon, comes from your diet and then needs the other 2 to function fully. Applied correctly and regularly you can be assured that you are replacing the vital elements needed to maintain a healthy and active skin. Because of this results from Herzog are Cumulative. the skin just keeps on getting better and better until its the best your skin can be. Many clients report that their skin has got USED to the product they use and so its not working any more. This does not and can not happen with Herzog. The skin recognises and welcomes the delivery of essential elements and goes to work with them. Now thats Common sense, science and unique!

The rapid evolution of rock music

The rapid evolution of rock music Rock Music its Rapid Evolution Introduction Music has been with man since the dawn of time. Every beat or sound can some way be considered as a form of music. Dating back to early man music could have been something as simple as the soothing sound of a waterfall or a tree swaying with the wind or a wild animal running through a forest. Today music is so diversified and so engrained in our lives that practically every child or teenager even an adult has a vast list of songs that they might listen to on their mp3 players. There are many varied branches of music existing today. These branches have now expanded to encompass everything from the tribal beats to anything that comes out of a synthesizer. And although we find music in many forms today, Im sure the purists would disagree with what the youth of today call great music. Now-a-days it seems the search is on for the â€Å"in music†. Music thats making everybody feel good now and which is discarded in a heartbeat once something better comes along. So what is it that has made rock music go so steady all these years? The reason why I have chosen Rock music for my seminar paper topic is that, I truly am very passionate about this genre of music. Rock Music or Rock as it is so called is vastly misunderstood by people, most of whom simply associate it with negative stereotypes like drug addiction, alcoholism, violence, sexual abuse, demonic control and other vices. One cannot blame people for having such misconceptions about Rock since over the years many of the famous Rock artists have come to be known mainly for their drug addiction and other outrageous behaviour under the influence of alcohol and chemical substances. However it is important to understand that one must separate the artist from his music and not pass unnecessary judgment on the music just based on the vices of the artist. Another misconception is that rock is only drums and guitar, when that is only the public face of Rock. There is a host of other instruments that are key elements to rock music as a whole, other than just guitar and percussion. Rock Music History Origins I would now like to begin with the History of Rock music. Where did it originate? What are its roots? How has it evolved along the years? What is the scenario at present? There are several views as to where exactly the Rock genre got up and going. And many believe that Rock originated in the west with the dawn of Rock Roll by Elvis Presley. However that is far from the case. It all started off during the post-war urbanization of America. The popular music of the late 1940s included country music, folk music, the blues, rhythm and blues (known as RB), jazz and classical music. Basically rock music hails from a blend of various popular music genres at that time in the United States of America. Rock music started off in the late 1940s when people wanted to move out from the slow beat jazz music and the slow electrified blues music to a much faster beat rhythm filled tune at that time. The rock sound is believed to have primarily originated with the guitar. It is believed that the existing guitar tunes used in blues music was soon blending in with other forms of music like jazz, classical music, folk music and other popular forms of music existing back then. All this led to the birth of Rock music as a separate genre of music which back then came to be known as Rock n Roll towards the early 1950s. Around that time i.e. the late 1940s to the early 1950s Rhythm and Blues (RB) musicians mainly concentrated on the black audience. However later onwards musicians started playing for a multi-racial audience. These musicians also targeted the newer forms or blends of music towards this audience. Later on these same fast beat blends of RB and the blues etc came to be coined as ‘Rock n Roll. â€Å"It is believed that in 1951 in a town in Cleveland, Ohio in USA a musician by the name of Alan Freed is said to have began playing a new form of RB music for a multi-racial audience is believed to have first used the phrase ‘Rock ‘N Roll to describe his music.† Source: Icons of Rock Scott Schinder with Andy Schwartz Encyclopaedia Britannica Rock Music. Rock Music Evolution Rock music is believed to be one of those genres of music that has evolved very rapidly over the past 50 to 60 years. Its rapid evolution has been witnessed mainly over the last 50 years. It all started with good old Rock n Roll in the 1950s. This later evolved in the 1960s which was considered as a Golden Era for Rock music. Rock took a totally different turn with the British invasion of rock by the Beatles. This was later followed by what came to be known as Surf music in America which was a mix of the catchy rock n roll n the hip and happening Beatles music. The Beatles music also led to a new form of music that was called as the hippy and psychedelic rock music. In the 1970s which came to be known as the memorable years evolved different forms of rock music such as Hard Rock, Punk Rock also Pop Rock. The 1980s witnessed a change in the band members hair styles. This era also was famous for what was called as hair bands. It included styles of rock such as punk rock funk rock. It led to the evolution of Heavy Metal. Bands used to wear tight leather pants and sported insane long hairdos. The 1990s showed a completely new and insane evolution of rock. It gave newer forms of rock such as Grunge Rock Alternative Rock. It gave the revolutionary guitar distortion feedback. Many of the genres from the 1950s onwards till the 1999s are still well known today. Most of the bands in those eras are still popular today. Many of todays bands still play the different styles of rock music. Some of them even make remakes of those songs using modern day styles and instruments. The later half of 2000 also witness something that very well came to be known as fusion music. It involved bringing together classical music (Western or Indian) and blending it in with modern day rock music. This style today is very popular especially in our country among our Indian youth that have blended the Indian classical instruments very smoothly with instruments like the guitar, keyboard, percussion, etc. The 1950s The 1950s gave rise to the Youth culture. It faced problems such as racial tensions the advent of the Cold War. This first saw the advent of Rock n Roll with great artists like Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, The Shadows, Buddy Holly, Bo Diddley, Bill Haley the Comets, Gene Vincent, the Everly Brothers, and Carl Perkins, among many others. These were considered to be the first wave of Rock n Rollers. Rock and roll in its earliest stage could have been described as just blues with a few electric guitar tunes attached to it. In its purest form, Rock Roll was as simple as three chords, a strong yet insistent guitar back beat, and a catchy melody. Early rock roll was drawn from sources primarily including blues, RB, and country, but also gospel, traditional pop, jazz, and folk. These genres were combined together in a simple, blues-based song structure that was fast, danceable, and catchy. Rockabilly emerged in the mid1950s. It is simply a mix of rock and roll, country music, blues, and a little jazz too. It was a fundamental music genre of the 50s. The fathers or founders of Rock n Roll came t be known as Bill Haley, Elvis Presley, Little Richard Chuck Berry. Their music revolutionized the music industry and later gave way to new forms of rock music in the decades to follow. Even in todays times their music is still very popular. Rockabilly was popularized by white singers like Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins Jerry Lee Lewis who mainly concentrated on the country roots of the music. The Popular hits recorded around that time were Thats All Right (Mama) Elvis Presley, Heartbreak Hotel Elvis Presley, Rock Around the Clock Bill Haley the Comets, Folsom Prison Blues Johnny Cash, Blue Suede Shoes Carl Perkins. Another popular form of Rock n Roll in the 1950s was called the ‘Doo Wop. It emphasized on multi-part vocal harmonies and meaningless backing lyrics supported with light instrumentation. Its origins were African American vocal groups like the Inkspots the Mill Brothers. Famous bands of this form of music were The Orioles, The Ravens and The Clovers, that used a strong element of traditional gospel music in their songs. The great hits included â€Å"The Great Pretender† The Platters, â€Å"Yakety Yak† The Coasters â€Å"Yes Sir, Thats my Baby† The Clovers along with many others. Later on during the 1950s Elvis Presley came to be known as the King of Rock n Roll. Even today he is still remembered as ‘The King. The decline of Rock n Roll was witnessed during the early 1960s with the death of famous musicians like Buddy Holy and Richie Valens in a plane crash; the departure of Elvis Presley for the army, the retirement of Little Richard to become a preacher, prosecutions of Jerry Lee Lewis and Chuck Berry and the breaking of the payola scandal. All of the above incidents gave a sensation that the rock and roll era has come to an end. However during its decline rock n roll witnessed a feminine side with an introduction of love ballads targeted to a female audience the rise of girl groups like The Crystals and The Shirelles. All the events that occurred in the 1950s eventually led to what came to be known as Surf Music, Garage Rock the Twist dance craze. However the major event that was a hit in the 1960s was that of the rise of British Rock n Roll with the emergence of The Beatles which was greatly influenced by the Americas 1950s Rock n Roll. The 1960s The 1960s witnessed many events like that of the Vietnam War, Civil Rights War, Surf Music, Hippie culture, The San Francisco Scene, The Music of Protests the birth of Heavy Metal. Similarly Rock n Roll in the 1960s went through 4 phases or parts. These parts are as follows: Part I The Beatles The British Invasion Part II Motown Music Part III Classic Rock: The Sounds of the 1960s Part IV Message Music Before 1963 i.e. 1961 onwards America witnessed the rise of Surf Music a form of Rock n Roll. This music was pioneered by Duane Eddy, Link Wray, and The Ventures that added distinctive wet reverb style rapid alternate picking to the music. One of the famous hits was Lets Go Trippin in 1961 and this launched the surf music craze. The all time favourite band of this era is The Beach Boys. Part I The Beatles The British Invasion During this decade i.e. post 1963 America along with the rest of the world witnessed what came to be known only as ‘The British Invasion. During the 1960s the most well know and world renowned band of the British invasion was the one and only Beatles. The Beatles till today are considered to be the all time success stories of the 1960s. The main reason why the Beatles are considered one of the best and most influential rock bands of all time is the because they took what Elvis and other Rock n Roll artists created in the 1950s and transformed it into a whole new different thing. Hence this era is known as one that gave birth to a new age of Rock. The Beatlemania had begun with its first single hit song in 1962 â€Å"Love Me Do† in Great Britain. Along with the Rock n Roll of the 1950s the Beatles popularized new genres of rock music ranging from ranging from folk rock to psychedelic pop. The Beatles were so influential during the 1960s that their progressive ideals were considered to be social cultural revolutions. Other great hits of the Beatles include â€Å"I Wanna Hold Your Hand† which sold 2.6 million copies in the United States in just two weeks. The Beatles came out with many hits during this era such as â€Å"She Loves You†, â€Å"Please Please Me†, etc. Other emerging bands in this era included The Dave Clark Five, The Kinks The Rolling Stones. The Rolling Stones greatest hit during this period was â€Å"Honky Tonk Woman† Part II Motown Music Motown was a Detroit based record company that was founded by Berry Gordy who was a one-time assembly line worker at Ford Motors. It became the most successful black owned record company by 1963. Motown had a number of vocal groups, songwriters musicians. The music recorded was known for its tight orchestrations and catchy lyrics. The music was based on the injustice to the black community during the Civil War. The Motown greats were The Temptations, The Four Tops, Martha Reeves the Vandellas and Diana Ross The Supremes. Part III Classic Rock: The Sounds of the 1960s This era witnessed what was known as the Hippe culture. Their main chant was ‘Make Love Not War. Peace was their underlying theme. The Beatles is one of the famous bands that transitioned during this phase in terms of their look and music. Other artist that came to existence were Jefferson Airplane, Grace Slick, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, The Doors, Steppenwolf, Simon Garfunkel, Mamas and the Pappas and Lovin Spoonful. The famous concert of this era was The Woodstock. This was a concert for promoting peace, love brotherhood. Artists like Jimi Hendrix rocked the concert. Part IV Message Music Most themes found in rock and roll during this era dealt with love and relationships gone wrong. It followed the war on Vietnam the various protests being undertaken. The music was an attempt to reflect upon the events occurring at that time like the civil rights movement, the growing unrest over the war in Vietnam, and the rise of feminism. The message within the song focused on peace. Many songs received substantial airplay and became anthems at concerts, rallies, and demonstrations. The Message through Folk Music The Message through Rock Music The most well known artists to emerge from the folk tradition include Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Phil Ochs, and the trio known as Peter, Paul, and Mary. In 1965, an artist, Barry McGuire hit the charts with a song that reflected the growing turmoil in the world. Other popular hippy and psychedelic bands such as Pink Floyd, The Who, The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds, the Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, Cream, and others began to rule the world. These bands gave rise to the counterculture movement, trendsetters, with their drug induced lyrics and hypnotic melodies. Other genres of rock began to emerge such as progressive rock which is experimenting with other instruments other than guitar, bass and drums. This was popularized by Pink Floyd. Folk rock was popularized by Bob Dylan and Janis Joplin. The 1960s ultimately gave birth to heavy metal which is a thick, heavy, and highly amplified genre of rock mainly popularized by Black Sabbath. The world was just now beginning to witness the tremendous power impact rock really had on society. The 1970s In the 1970s the Vietnam War had ended, the protests stopped people began to settle down. Along with that, the music too did settle down. The world witnessed the split of the Beatles also the death of John Lennon. The 70s rock music brought different cultures and audiences closer together than ever before. Rock music began to branch out into new genres like Hard Rock, Heavy Metal Punk Rock. Led Zeppelin became extremely popular with its perfect blend of Hard Rock Blues music that they could call its own. In this era bands and artists such as David Bowie, Yes, The Eagles, and Queen became very influential. Towards the late 70s the world also witnessed the rise of Punk Rock. The founding fathers of punk were The Ramones. They combined anarchism and teenage rage with rock and roll and this came to be known as Punk Rock. Other bands such as The Sex Pistols and The Clash helped popularize and redefine punk rock. This new, powerful and intense genre of music influenced many bands of the future. The 1980s And then came the 1980s. Rock Music revolutionized itself in a way that everyone wanted to be part of the upcoming scene. The music took a different turn, more in terms of punk rock, new wave, heartland rock and alternative rock. Most people would think of the 80s as all about big hairdos and androgyny. The gay activists took to in a big way in this decade. People started embracing the opposite sex and everyone had colour in everything they did or wore. This inspired the rock music scene greatly. The eighties saw everything from enthusiasm to neon pink socks, worn by men. Creativity was expressed so greatly in the 1980s and artists wore their individuality with pride. The 1980s music scene is possibly considered as one of the strangest times in the evolution of rock music. Music artists were doing everything, a mix of bubblegum pop, sentimental forever ballads to thumping electric beats and even the hardest rock metal. This decade practically saw it all. Artist such as Bruce Springsteen, Guns and Roses, Van Halen, AC/DC, Aerosmith, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Bon Jovi, and Motley Crue can best be remembered for their power ballads and great guitar solos. A new genre of music called as ‘New wave also emerged from punk, funk, and disco. It was made popular by artists such as Divo, The B-52s, Talking Heads, and Blondie. Indie rock or Alternative rock as it is well known began to emerge in the late 1980s with artists such as U2, R.E.M., The Cure, The Smiths, and Sonic Youth were very popular with college students. Punk also became more popular with bands such as Black Flag and the Dead Kennedys. This was also the time of producers. Theyre importance grew and artists took notice that a good producer could take their records to the market. Then came the advent of having soundtracks in movies. Record companies realized the economics in placing a song in a movie, the response was tremendous. Regardless of the variety, the music is the eighties was a big hit, it still is. And thats because the music spoke the minds of the people, it made no apologies, one could identify with a slow ballad by Phil Collins in the afternoon and put up their black leather jacket, rocking to Iron Maiden by night time, you dint have to apologize to anyone. Freedom of expression, experimenting and lyrics became an integral part of the eighties. And that is precisely the reason why the eighties they say will never die. The 1990s The early 90s was known as the era of grunge and alternative rock. Nirvana came to be known as the most popular grunge band of the 90s. Grunge music can be described as dirty guitar, strong guitar riffs with distortion and feedback. It consisted of dark lyrics and expressed teenage angst. Popular grunge and alternative bands were Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Janes Addiction and Alice in Chains. A more iconic scene was that of the emergence of female artists. Women were becoming much less dependent on men, and less oriented towards having a family-based future. They were daughters of women who fought for equal rights and they expressed it- in the form of words and notes. The magazine, Billboard brought about the commercial success of the music industry. It changed the way it ranked singles and albums of artists by tallying actual sales at retail stores instead of using the industry-manipulated word of mouth. Rock suddenly beat pop in terms of sales, and minority genres such as country and hip-hop began to enter the charts. This led the industry to invest more in these minority genres. The 1990s proved that music was for the listener and that the idea behind music was to view the artist as a whole, his production, his team, his lyrics, his image, his music video and his personality. Everyone had a favorite type of music and a favorite genre, a favorite artist and a favorite album. You couldnt help it- there were so many choices by this time. 2000 Present Alternative rock even today is one of the popular and broadest genre of rock music. Emo, is a new sub genre of rock that consists of intense emotional lyrics with hardcore punk roots. It was popularized by bands like From First to Last, The Used, Brand New and softer bands such as Dashboard Confessional and Bright Eyes which can also be described as indie. The word indie actually stands for independent and refers to bands that are part of an independent record label. However, today indie has a whole new meaning. Indie can be described as mainly underground and softer version of alternative rock. Popular indie bands include Death Cab for Cutie, The Strokes, Elliott Smith, The Decemberists, The Arcade Fire, The Postal Service a few others. Heavy metal has now reached an extremely new level. Sub-genres of heavy metal like black metal, death metal and thrash metal which is very loud, aggressive and fast entered the industry. Popular hardcore metal bands include Slipknot, As I Lay Dying, Korn, Norma Jean and Cannibal Corpse. Alternative rock has now become an all time hit with bands such as Incubus, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Chevelle, Coldplay, and the Foo Fighters. Pop rock is another popular genre. It is rock mixed with a more mainstream approach and popular lyrics. Pop rock bands include Fall Out Boy, All-American Rejects, Ashlee Simpson, Avril Lavigne, and others. Another form of music that came about was the rap rock. They symbolized the fusion of the raw, street music and hard rock pelting beats. It was an instant hit with the fans of both the genres. Examples of such were Linkin Park, Limp Bizkit, Faith no More, Rage Against the Machine, etc Rock Music in the Indian Scenario Rock music caught on in India during the mid 70s. I remember hearing stories of my father and his brothers in small time bands playing the good oldies like Elvis Presley, The Carpenters, The Beatles, The Shadows, Bob Dylan and other artists on their guitars. These were many such small groups which were mainly Catholics that played all the dance numbers mainly for weddings the Christmas dance. These were the jive the twist numbers that people used to love to dance to back in the day. Towards the 80s artists like Led Zeppelin, Dire Straits Jethro Tull became quiet popular. People used to purchase these music cassettes and listen to this kind of music on their audio cassette players Sony Walkman. That however was a very long time ago. Things soon changed with the Gulf War of 1991 opening the gates to media in India. MTV was one of the channels that were beamed, along with CNN. Apart from Pop music what caught on quickly was rock. However, as an audience, the numbers in India were still minimal. It was only bands like Def Leppard, Bon Jovi and U2 that caught the fancy of many people. To a large extent, rock began and ended with Deep Purples Highway Star. The love for rock only meant name-dropping and wanting to sound fashionably rebellious. All that changed quickly changed to from the year 2000 onwards. Hard rock quickly caught on along with its counterpart Heavy Metal and is literally worshipped in many engineering colleges all over India. Many groups have been formed in various areas where the rock scene is still alive. These include Goa, Bangalore, Mumbai, Pune Delhi. Many popular India bands hail from these areas and have composed pretty famous hits that are well known to the Indian Rockers. Many engineering colleges still pay tribute to Rock by hosting Rock shows where fans from various parts of the country rush to gather head bang in harmony. The first rock band in India to become famous was Indus Creed. Famous Indian rock bands of today include bands like Zero, Pentagram, Parikrama, Them Clones and various others. One happening rock shows of Mumbai used to be the Independence Rock gig at Rang Bhavan popularly known as I-Rock which used to be packed and crowded as it was very popular and had bands playing from all over the country. Off late the popularity of i-rock has died down due to the change in date and venue due to certain restrictions. Another new genre of rock music that has probably evolved in India is Fusion rock which involves blending Indian classical instruments with that of the electric guitar, keyboard drums. This is something that is definitely coming up in the country with rock songs in Hindi rather than English and even in Hinglish. I still feel that there is very poor liberalization for Rock music in our country but as time passes by things will definitely seem to be getting better. One evident fact is Channel Vs ‘Launch Pad that takes place every year that hunts to find the Countries most popular and best Rock band. Along with Channel V, MTV has also started something called as Rock on Desi Beats that hunts for fusion rock bands of the country and popularizes the best. Another evident fact that rock music is catching up quickly was the launch of the movie ‘Rock On directed by starring Farhan Akhtar. Conclusion Hence I strongly believe that Rock music with its legendary History can never die out. It will always be a part of culture and will always be know as that which shapes culture strongly affects society. It is finally meant for people to understand that Rock is just about the music and the passion it drives in the youth. It should not be stereotyped with drug abuse alcoholism other vices. For this to happen it is the people that must change their ways and also it is essential for the famous artists to set a better example as they owe it to their fans as much as they owe it to the music. Another important factor is that although opportunities in the country for Rock music are very low it is extremely tough to become big, society must encourage the youngsters that have a passion for this music. Bibliography Internet References * http://www.warr.org/roots.html (Wilson and Alroys Record Reviews) * http://kclibrary.lonestar.edu/decade60.html (American Culture History) * http://www.spinner.com/2009/09/30/70s-music/ * http://www.cracked.com/article_15636_the-10-most-terrifyingly-inspirational-80s-songs.html * http://www.scaruffi.com/ (Rock Music Resources) * http://www.allmusic.com/ (Articles on various Artists) * http://www.britannica.com/ (Encyclopedia Britannica) * http://www.encyclopedia.com/ * http://www.mid-day.com/ (Articles on Indian Rock bands) Book Journal References * Icons of Rock (An Encyclopedia of the Legends who changed Music Forever) Scott Schinder with Andy Schwartz * Why 1955? Explaining the Advent of Rock Music Richard A. Peterson * Inside Rock Music Vance Ferrell

History Of The Existence Of God Philosophy Essay

History Of The Existence Of God Philosophy Essay After reading Anselms Proslogion, a person could be convinced of the existence of a supreme being, based on the ontological argument he provides. Anselm claims that there exists a being that which nothing greater can be thought. He is referring to God and shows how the simple idea of God in ones mind proves that God exists because it is that which nothing greater can be thought. An idea that exists only in the mind and not in reality is not as great as an idea, which exists in both. Since God is the greatest being, God must exist in our minds as well as in reality. If a person had read the first of the five ways presented by Thomas Aquinas in the Summa of Theology and his Summa Against the Heathens, this person could be convinced of a divine being through the proof of an unmoved mover, who Aquinas conveys as God. The first of the five ways that Aquinas uses to prove the existence of God is related to motion. Aquinas says that some objects in the world are in motion. These objects must be moved by another object in motion. From that, he makes the deduction that there is a long chain of movers that not only move objects but also are moved by objects before them. Since the chain cannot go to infinity, there must be some unmoved mover that starts the chain and Aquinas concludes this being to be God. We will call the two previous convictions A, representing Anselm and T, representing Thomas Aquinas. Also, we will refer to G as the conviction that God exists. Together both convictions, A and T, are not equivalent to G. A and T both take different routes in proving G but are flawed in their own ways. Take for example A by itself, which is not equal to G. From individual to individual, there can be different notions of the word God. For example, take an idea of a sports car that which nothing greater can be thought. Two different people may have two very different ideas of what makes a sports car the greatest. The use of the word greatest in the argument is left for individual interpretation and also just the thought of the greatest sports car does not mean that it exists. Simply conceiving the greatest of anything does not result in its existence. If everyone had the same definition of God, a stronger case for A equaling G could be made but we know this not to be true. Anselms argument works under special circumstances but cannot be extended for every case. T by itself is not equal to G. Strictly speaking, T simply provides reasoning for a being that is an unmoved mover, not an all-powerful deity. However, Aquinas attributes this being to God but it can just as easily be attributed to any other being. Applying Aquinass principle that motion of an object must be received from a moving object before that object, the argument would result in infinity. If God is the first unmoved mover to start the motion of objects, the notion of God contradicts Aquinas foundation that all movers must be moved. An ordinary conception of God is a supreme being that is all good, omniscient, and omnipotent. Given such a conception, the conviction represented by A partially fails to be equivalent to it because of the various assumptions that Anselm makes in his ontological proof. Anselm references the greatest being, that which nothing greater can be thought, however, this does not necessarily mean that this being is omniscient, omnipotent, or other qualities that are included in an ordinary conception of God. This is due to the simple fact that a persons interpretation of greatness or idea of greatest may or may not encompass these qualities. Consider the common mans knowledge for a great basketball player. Some would assume that this person would be extremely tall. Using Anselms proof for the greatest basketball player that can be thought, each persons idea could be potentially different from the next. Some may define the greatest as the quickest or the best at shooting while others would agr ee that it would be the tallest man. This failure to be equivalent is only a partial failure because some may have the same definition as the ordinary conception while others would have a different definition. T partially fails to be equivalent to the ordinary conception of God as well but is closer to equivalence than A. In the first of Aquinas five ways, he simply proves a being that is a mover that is not moved. This can be interpreted to be an omnipotent being because it breaks away from the assumption that all objects that can move must be moved by another object before it. Only an all-powerful being would be able to be the unmoved mover. The first of the five ways does not embody the other ordinary conceptions of God in any way. However, if we were to expand our prior knowledge which led us to conviction T from just including the first way to including all five ways then we are closer to equivalence. Each of the five ways proves a different feature that a being could have which can be juxtaposed with the ordinary conceptions of god. Aquinas is closer to proving the existence of God with his five ways in comparison with Anselms ontological proof. We will refer to the limited acceptance that David Hume acknowledges for natural theology, as H. H is not directly equivalent to A or T, or both together because H is built upon the premise that analogies cannot be extended to the existence of God. A and T both conclude with statements that recognize the existence of God. Strictly speaking, Hume would not agree with A or T, therefore H does not equal A or T. Hume does however agree with the fact that if the arguments, A or T, are convincing enough, then they can be extended to human intelligence but not any further. H captures less of what people ordinarily take the word God to mean. Hume does not suggest anywhere in his limited acceptance of natural theology about the existence of God or any of the ordinary notions that are associated with God. Since he does not accept the existence of God as deduced by natural theology, his statement, H, does not bear any similarity to the ordinary conception of God. To a certain extent, A and T do acknowledge God and based on individual interpretation capture what the word God incorporates. Therefore, H captures less of the ordinary notion of God then A or T. Philosophers have yet to agree upon a definitive answer to whether God exists or not and each one provides their own argument. Each argument has its strengths and weaknesses and ultimately, we continue to work to find the answer. Word Count: 937 Problem of Evil The challenge issued by Gretchen Weirob in John Perrys Dialogue on Good, Evil and the Existence of God is directed towards Sam Miller. Not only does Gretchen want Sam to prove to her the existence of God, but also Gods coexistence with evil in the natural world. A successful answer to this challenge would be a clear and proficient proof for how a perfect God can exist and can create a world where there is evil. Sam starts arguing that God has a big picture plan for the universe, which includes necessary evil and imperfections for the greater good. Gretchen does not buy into his big picture argument and in order to prove the big picture, Sam presents her with a three-part theodicy. The first part discusses free will, where Sam says that creatures and beings have the option to make good choices or bad ones and the path that they choose is entirely up to them. Consider the choice a student makes between cheating on a test and studying diligently. The decision that he makes is up to him because he has free will. Gretchen is not convinced and does not believe that an all-good God can exist because of this reason. Sam counters with the second part, which considers the notion of the afterlife where God does justice for all the wrongs that are done in the world. For example, a flawed justice system could result in a criminal not being punished for his crime or an innocent man taking the fall for something the man has not done. In the afterlife, God, an all-fair and just being, would punish the criminal and reward the innocent man. Gretchen provides examples for evils that are not caused or controlled by humans and Sam has an answer for that as well. The final part deals with the existence of devils, which causes anguish and pain through natural phenomenon. This encompasses the remaining evil in the world that is not directly an effect of free will. For example, a tsunami that wipes out many cities is not something a human can control and it is explained by the will of the devils. These various ideas and the examples that defend them offer a satisfactory response to how evil can exist in the world created by a supreme being. Sams theodicy is difficult to argue with as he provides examples and observations in the natural world that eventually encompass all kinds of evil in the world. Gretchen is unable to come up with any more counter-examples or scenarios of evil in the world and she admits that Sam has provided a satisfactory response to her challenge. In David Humes Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion, Philo claims the idea of such a Deity is consistent with the nature of the world. God formed the world and everything in it. Therefore, a logical parallel to draw is between the nature of the world and the nature of God. Philos argument could answer Gretchens challenge because she is simply looking for a possible explanation not necessarily a feasible one. As long as Gretchen is provided an explanation for how God can exist alongside the evidence of so much evil in the world, she will treat this as a satisfactory response. However, there is good and evil in the world and given this nature, we cannot infer that God exists. Since our world is not perfect, our evidence and observations cannot be used as a root for the argument of Gods existence. For example, if a vehicle were to collide with an innocent pedestrian, an all-perfect God would not only know it was going to happen but also could have prevented it from happening in the first place. We can extend this example to all grief in the world and dismiss any understanding of God that comes from the world. If a perfect deity were to create a perfect world, we could use that evidence to prove the existence of such a deity. In my opinion, the inability to make this inference would hinder Philos ability to meet Gretchens challenge because he would be unable to prove to her that a supreme benevolent being exists. Philo explains four hypotheses for the possible nature of God; perfectly good, completely evil, good and evil, and neither good nor evil. The first two are immediately thrown out because of the natural world has both good and evil; therefore God has to somehow embody both forces. The third possibility is viewed by many as two separate beings, one representing good and another representing evil. If this were the case, then our world would be caught in a struggle and this is not evident simply observing what happens on Earth. What we can see is regardless of the nature of a person, that person is subject to the laws of nature. For example, a thief and a charity worker living in a city could both lose their homes because of a hurricane. Their individual nature has nothing to do with whether the hurr icane will affect them or not. God set up these laws of nature to affect everyone. Therefore, God is neither good nor evil. At best, Philo would prove to Gretchen about neither an all-good, nor an all-evil God, rather a neutral one. Gretchen would not be entirely convinced because her definition of God along with the general consensus is that God is all-good. The only assumptions for a possible existence of God come from what we can observe and the problem of evil in the world is a definite deterrent in proving this to be true.

The Processional Here Comes the Bride and the Recessional The Wedding March. :: essays research papers fc

The processional â€Å"Here Comes the Bride† and the recessional â€Å"The Wedding March.† I am writing why the processional â€Å"Here Comes the Bride† and the recessional â€Å"The Wedding March† are being prohibited in the Catholic Church. As a catholic girl, I have always dreamed of walking down the aisle to â€Å"Here Comes the Bride,† and leaving the wedding to â€Å"The Wedding March.† This was to be the moment that I could cherish , the moment that would be unforgettable. Now that I am ready to be married, is when I am upset that these two songs are no longer allowed in the Catholic Church. The catholic church’s approach on the music of a wedding, is that the function of music is to be minsterial, and the music must serve and never dominate. The catholic church states that what is true for Sunday liturgy is true for the wedding liturgy, and Sunday Mass sets the standard for all other liturgies. These two pieces of music are considered Secular music, which is defined in the Webster’s Dictinary as â€Å"of† or relating to worldly things as distinguished from things relating to church or religion; not sacred or religious. There are many religions that have restrictions on the type of music that is allowed at a wedding or ceremony. The Protestant religion will most generally allow secular music during the ceremony, however you will still need to consult your officiant regarding guidelines. For a Jewish ceremony, secular music is usually allowed in Reform and Conservative Jewish weddings, however in an Orthodox ceremony, the music is traditionally performed with only one instrument, the violin or the flute. For an Eastern Orthordox ceremony, traditionally the only music allowed is sung by an unaccompanied choir, but organs and instruments are becoming more acceptable. For a Muslim ceremony, there is usually no music performed during the ceremony. For a Hindu ceremony, music is an intergral part of the ceremony that most often includes vocals, drums, string and wind instruments. The Hindu ceremony is dictated by the type of ceremony, so personalization of a selection may be restricted. For a Roman Cathol ic ceremony only nonsecular music is allowed. The processional â€Å"Here Comes the Bride† is a song by Richard Wagner’s â€Å"Bridal Chorus.† Some people refer to this song as â€Å"corny† and recollecting it as songs played in a Las Vegas Wedding Chapel. However, supposedly there are religious reasons as to why this song should not be played in a church let alone a catholic church.

Ancient Rome Essay -- essays research papers

The story of ancient Rome is a tale of how a small community of shepherds in the central Italy grew to become one of the greatest empires in history, and then collapsed. According to Roman legend. Rome was founded in 753 B.C. By 275 B.C., it controlled most of the Italian Peninsula. In the A.D. 100’s, the Roman Empire covered about half of Europe, much of the Middle East, and the northern coast of Africa. The empire then began to crumble, party because it was too big for Rome to govern.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The millions of people who lived in the Roman Empire spoke many languages and followed many different customs and religions. But the Roman Empire bound them together under a common system of law and government. The languages of the ancient Romans, Latin, became the basis of French, Italian, Spanish, and the other Romance languages.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Roman Empire probably had from 50 to 70 million people at its height. Of that maybe nearly 1 million people lived in Rome, and from 5 to 6 million lived in the rest of Italy. The people of ancient Rome were dived into various social classes. Members of the senate and their families made up the most powerful upper class group. Most people belonged to the lower classes and had little social standing. In the lower class, Romans were distinguished between citizens and slaves. Citizens were farmers, city workers, and soldiers. Most slaves were captured in warfare.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Rome was the ...

Leadership lessons from the movie “Invictus” Essay

Invictus is a biographical film based on the book Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Made a Nation. The story of the film revolves around Nelson Mandela’s efforts and strategy to unite the South African society that is torn apart by apartheid. Upon being elected as the first black President of the nation amidst severe opposition from the whites, Mandela faced an enormous challenge to reconcile the nation and build a democracy in the country devoid of racism. The 1995 Rugby World Cup hosted by South Africa became an unlikely opportunity for Mandela to restore harmony in the country. The blacks in South Africa despised the Springboks, South Africa’s rugby team as it was a symbol of white oppression. Only the whites supported the Springboks, whereas the blacks always supported the opposition team. By inspiring Francois Pienaar, the captain of the poor-performing Springboks to win the World Cup, Mandela was successful in inching towards his goal of racial h armony in the country. Invictus serves as a good lesson on leadership by portraying two characters, Nelson Mandela and Francois Pienaar as successful leaders, however, with different leadership styles. Nelson Mandela exemplifies transformational leadership. His ultimate goal of reuniting a nation torn by racial discrimination was a major transformation that would change the face of the nation globally. He shaped a strategic vision of a realistic and attractive future of the nation and was very efficient in communicating his vision since the beginning of his mandate. On his first day as the President, Mandela observed that all employees of the previous government were leaving their jobs. He organized a meeting with them to communicate his vision and encourage them to stay back if they shared his goal. When his black security guards were unhappy about being forced to work with white counterparts, he informed them about his goal of a racially united country and persuaded them to work together as a single unit. Mandela set up a perfect example of modeling his vision by incorporating both blacks and whites in his personal security unit. He not only spoke about his vision but also enacted upon it; this is a perfect example of â€Å"walk the talk†. He believed that the nation would trust him if they saw consistency in his words and actions. A transformational leader  tends to face several external and internal challenges on the path towards his goal. Self-confidence, strong conviction in the vision and commitment to lead from values help face these challenges. These qualities were a significant part of Mandela’s leadership style. Despite facing resistance from his black security guards, he changed the ethnic representation of his personal bodyguards to teach them racial harmony. This proved to be a right move because by the end of the movie both the black and white bodyguards worked efficiently as a single unit and supported the Springboks together. Mandela strongly believed in the virtue of forgiveness and pardoning the whites for their past behavior. He demonstrated this himself and persuades his people to also forgive the whites. Despite a consensus amongst blacks to change the name and emblem of Springboks as a revenge for years of oppression by the white population, Mandela persuaded the committee to forgive the whites, reconsider their decision and re-vote. On receiving minimal support, Mandela decided to retain the Springboks ensuring that the whites were not punished for the past (example of participative leadership). Being aware that his decision would make his supporters unhappy, he stood by his decision because he believed in leading from values. An effective leader would strive to incorporate principles into people’s passion. Mandela exhibited both people-oriented and task-oriented leadership. His warmth, mutual trust, respect, appreciation and gratitude for his subordinates impressed Francois. In a rugby match, Mandela personally interacted with some of the viewers at the game. During their first meeting, Mandela appreciated Francois’s job as captain of Springboks and acknowledged the challenges as a captain of a national team. Mandela also demonstrated a high level of emotional intelligence and created a positive work environment which made him earn trust, respect and love from his employees. He made an effort to strike a personal chord with his subordinates. For instance Mandela quietly memorized the names of each of the Springboks players so he can give them each a personal greeting. Mandela was an excellent motivator. This is visible when he inspired Francois to win the World Cup. Towards the end of their meeting, it seemed like Francois realized a significant change in his outlook and shared Mandela’s vision about the importance and meaning of a Springboks win to South Africa. Mandela believed in leading by example and by inspiration from the work of others. He found motivation and drive to  excel from the Victorian poem ‘Invictus’. Mandela’s philosophy of leadership was to inspire others not only to be their best, but to become even better than they thought they could. Francois Pienaar is another character in the role of a leader. He was the captain of the underperforming Springboks. Francois exemplifies transactional leadership. His role was to motivate and inspire the team to deliver their best performance and regain the confidence of the country in his team. His leadership ideology was leading others by example to improve team performance. In one scene when the team was exhausted after extensive physical training, Francois was the first one to continue exercising despite the fatigue, hence inspiring his team-mates not to give up. After his meeting with Mandela, Francois was motivated to win the World Cup and believed in Mandela’s vision about the importance and meaning of a Springboks win to South Africa. Despite encountering initial opposition from his own team-mates, Francois had confidence in his vision and persuaded his team-mates to provide rugby training to poor black kids. His confidence and faith in the vision was too strong to be affected by his family’s dislike for Mandela. Francois came across more as a task-oriented and achievement-oriented leader than a people-oriented leader. Depending on the situation, Francois slightly altered his leadership style. He was an autocratic leader when he directed his unwilling team mates to provide training to the black kids. In another scene, when his team mates were least interested in learning the national anthem, he did not use force but persuaded them to sing it meaningfully by explaining what it meant. The team’s visit to Robben Island, where Mandela was jailed, boosted Francois’s inspiration and belief in the poem ‘Invictus’. In the end, Francois proved to be a successful and efficient leader when the Springboks won the Rugby World Cup.

Fletcher Munson Curve

This means that it requires less energy to hear kHz frequencies Our ears are most sensitive to hearing 3. KHz as this is the resonance frequency of our ear canals Range of frequencies we are sensitive to are between 1 kHz and KHz (this is the frequency range that mobile phones play out) We hear low and high frequencies very poorly The db reference curve is the most flat, meaning that most frequencies appear to be at the same level. This Is why music sounds a lot better and more full when played loudly around this frequency SummaryEqual Loudness Contours show the measure of sound pressure levels in relation to different frequencies. Our ears perceive different frequencies of sound to be louder or quieter than each other even when played at the same reference level of db. Hearing Damage Tinnitus (both temporary and permanent) Tinnitus is a term used to describe the case of being able to hear sounds that are within the person's body, rather than sounds from an outside source. It often c auses a ringing In the ears, but other sounds that can be heard Include humming, buzzing ND whistling.Tinnitus can either be caused by a bully up of earwax, a mild ear infection, or also very commonly can be caused by damage to the inner ear from loud noises (usually high frequencies). Tinnitus can be prevented by best by avoiding exposure to loud noises completely, however this can prove difficult in a lot of scenarios. A more realistic approach to preventing tinnitus include reducing the time that you are exposed to loud noises, this can be done by either spending less time in sissy environments, or by taking regular breaks about every half hour for ten minutes or so.Another way to reduce the risk of getting tinnitus is by ensuring that you stay hydrated, as this makes sure that the circulation for the blood in the inner ear is kept topped up'. You can also reduce the risk of getting tinnitus by reducing the Intensity of exposure. Either turning the volume down yourself can do thi s, or If you don't have control of the volume, then you can wear earplugs. Noise Induced Hearing loss (NIL) is caused by either very loud noises for either a reef or prolonged time.The loud sounds can damage sensitive structures in the inner ear and can result in struggling or being unable to hear certain frequencies, or just partially deafening your ear(s). NIL can be prevented in the same ways as tinnitus and most other hearing problems. If you reduce the amount of time you are exposed to loud noises, or reduce the intensity of the noise by wearing ear protection, then you are reducing the risk of damaging your ears either temporarily or permanently.

Columbia Coffee Study Juan Valdez

1. Procafecol S. A. Basic information 1. 1. Development and History CH2. Participants in international business – Say if Procafecol is Multinational enterprise (MNE), Small and medium-sized enterprise, or the born global firm CH1. Why Colombia trade coffee? Theories advantages, etc. Coffee was introduced in Colombia in the late 1700s and the first commercial production began in the early 1800s. Despite these early developments, the consolidation of coffee as a Colombian export did not come about until the second half of the 19th century.The great expansion that the world economy underwent at that time allowed Colombian landowners to find attractive opportunities in international markets. Little by little, the United States became the most important consumer of coffee in the world, while Germany and France became the most important markets in Europe. In 1927 the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia (FNC) was created to help the Colombian coffee growers on structuri ng a very traditional and atomized sector.In 1959, during a crisis that came about due to instability of the coffee trading price, the FNC decided to work with Doyle Bernback, an advertising agency (ex DDB) with the goal of building a strong symbol, highly identi? able, that would allow them to promote the speci? cities of the Colombian Coffee and sell the production at a higher price than the current market price. Presently, Colombia is the second largest coffee producer in the world (after Brazil). It accounts for almost 12% of the world’s total production. Coffee accounts for 8% of Colombia’s GDP.A personi? ed brand since its creation Following the advice of the advertising agency, Juan Valdez was personified since its creation. He would be the symbol of a Colombian coffee grower worldwide. A mere six months after the launch of the campaign, 87% of the American people associated Juan Valdez with Colombian coffee. In 1961, Juan Valdez was launched on the European mar ket with similar success. Since then, a limited number of actors have personi? ed the emblematic coffee grower focused on protecting the traditions that make his coffee the â€Å"best in the world†.Between 1959 and 2000 more than 750 million dollars were allocated to develop the image of Juan Valdez and to promote the Colombian coffee. Transformation into a commercial icon After a particularly dif? cult political and social period it was really important for the FNC to help the Colombian coffee growers in both economic and social aspects. Procafecol SA was created in 2002 by Fedecafe Federacion Nacional de Cafeteros de Colombia, being the major shareholder along with Colombian coffee growers which own 13,000 shares.Since 2004, the company has been fully responsible for the operation of Juan Valdez ® stores in the country and in 2006 began the distribution of packaged coffee in retail and horeca (hotels, restaurants, catering) channels. Juan Valdez is also offered to passeng ers of Avianca, the most important airline in Colombia. In a coffee market where prices and margins are really low, a diversi? cation strategy is indeed really pertinent considering the gross margins of gourmet coffee houses (Starbucks, Colombus Cafe†¦ and even more if we consider its direct relation with coffee growers as a strong competitive advantage. Positioned as Gourmet Since the beginning of the project it was made clear that the Tiendas Juan Valdez ® are a chain of coffee houses focused on selling coffee products to the consumers. These coffee houses were created to be a part of the coffee supply-chain and to strengthen the awareness of the Colombian coffee. This would gradually increase the incomes of Colombian coffee growers, historical mission of the FNC.Since their launch, the Tiendas Juan Valdez ® was designed to reach the up-market, with an ambiance mixing the Starbucks standards and the touch of a Lounge coffee shop of Barcelona. The warm colors symbolize Sou th American tradition, however they also exhibit luxury and a calm atmosphere. The ? rst Tiendas outlets were opened near business centers, high-end malls and trendy sectors of the cities. Since its creation, this ambitious project based its expansion on a 3 step strategy: 1. Colombian Pilot (2003-2006) 2. International Pilot (2004-2007) 3.International Development (2006 -†¦) In 2003, year that the project was launched, 10 coffee houses were opened in Colombia. Since 2004, this international expansion made possible the creation of 10 coffee houses in the USA (Washington, New York, Seattle, Philadelphia) and 2 in Spain (Madrid) 3/ Strengthening the brand image and the commercial development Renewal of the icon In order to sustain the international development of the project it was considered as important to renew the image of the Juan Valdez person, taking care of preserving its historical values.Since 1994, according to the recommendations of the DDB agency, a new advertising c ampaign was created to conquer the youth segment. Juan Valdez was acting in different TV commercials and Out Of Home formats where his codes (hat, poncho, moustache) were shown in extreme situations (sur? ng, snowboarding, hang-gliding†¦), with the strong presence of the historical logo, seal of authenticity and quality for the consumer.This innovative mix had enormous success in the USA and was awarded in 2005, during the New York AdWeek, it was named as top icon of the year in the USA, even before Ronald McDonald or the Nike Swoosh. Diversifying to fashion Propelled by the commercial success of the Tiendas Juan Valdez ®, Procafecol decided to develop a line of alternative products around the authentic image of Juan Valdez. From coffee mugs to umbrellas, more than 50 products were created and sold to consumers. In 2006, the ? rst clothing collection based on the historical icon was launched.In trendy neighborhoods of Bogota you may ? nd executives with a Juan Valdez jacket o r women with the latest model of a leather handbag. Gaining the European market When considering the conquest of the European market, the FNC did a thorough analysis of the consumption trends. Two ? gures impacted the directors of the Federation: European consumers are willing to pay 10% more for a product with a European Label and 73. 9% of them consider it as a quality seal. In September 2007, after 33 months of legal procedure, Colombian coffee became the ? st non-European product to obtain the PGI European Label (Protected Geographical Indication). Juan Valdez could now develop its commercial strategy and think of opening new coffee houses. Two were just created in Madrid while Paris and Moscow are now on the list of the international expansion plan of the Colombian Federation. By the end of 2007, the FNC and Procafecol were running more than 100 coffee houses in Colombia, 10 in the USA and 2 in Europe. They are now launching a new coffee house per month and want to make 2008 th e year of their European expansion. 1. 2. Juan Valdez BrandDescribe who Juan Valdez, what the brand represents, is and general details about it. Principal characteristic of the brand, why it is known, importance and recognition of Colombian coffee 1. 3. Strength of identity: Colombian Coffee To understand the influence of GI among Colombia the following four elements represent its national advantage in coffee industry. Factor conditions Due to the uniqueness of topographical factors and two rainfall seasons creates strongly national advantages. 6. 4% of total area of Colombia is cultivation zones, and 12% of coffee production area producing â€Å"GI coffee†.It provides 11 to 12 million production possibility per year. In addition, in 2010, there were 990 airports with 196 thousand air transport carriers, 6 ports and terminals with 2 million port container traffic, 874 km railway routes, 141,374 km roadways (CIA 2010 and The World Bank 2010). 18% of total 22. 5 million labour force involving agriculture, there have been an increasing number of producers after joining GI (Figure1) (Gomez, 2007) as well as foreign direct investment with 6. 7 billion in 2010 (The World Bank 2010). Demand conditionsThe demand of domestic market is one of important forces for development of industry. Compared to other countries, Colombia had lower needs of domestic market, which has low per capita consumption with 2. 8 kg only 5% of total national coffee production ( Benni, N. E. and Reviron, S. 2009). The domestic consumption did not increase even joining GI system, maintained at 1,400 thousands bags from 2007 to 2010 (Figure 2). Related and supporting industries In this factor, Colombian coffee industry has lower related and supporting industries.These industries and processes are mostly run by family or small businesses, due to the relatively simple methods and low investments needed. Firm strategy, structure and rivalry As one of well know coffee producer, Colombia has su ccessfully increased its competitiveness via sophisticated marketing strategies of the FNC. It applies trademark and certification mark to protect Colombian coffee. Since registered GI it has increased consumer’s awareness and creates better advantage against other competitors