The Bear Minimum

Per your request, our group conducted research to determine whether costs or potential costs of the provisions of Big Bear Power’s lease of Goliath Co’s combustion turbine should be included in its minimum lease payments. We have provided a summary of the facts, our conclusion, the basis for our conclusion, and an analysis of possible alternatives to our conclusion as requested. Summary of the Facts Big Bear Power (the Company), a public utility company, is leasing a combustion turbine from Goliath Co. for a 10-year, non-cancelable term. The lease agreement was signed on December 15, 2004, and the company’s right to use the turbine starts on January 1, 2005. Big Bear Power has been financially strong for a number of years, has positive cash flow, and is in accordance with all of its debt covenants. The lease agreement contains three provisions, each of which has associated costs that may potentially need to be included in the calculation of minimum lease payments. The issue at hand is determining whether the costs in these provisions should, in fact, be included in minimum lease payments Conclusion Provision 1 Big Bear Power should not include the $500,000 negotiation fee in its minimum lease payments because, by definition, it is not an obligatory payment to be made toward the asset. On the other hand, the Company should include the $1 million legal fee in minimum lease payments since it is considered an initial direct cost made in connection with the leased property. Provision 2 The lease agreement includes a provision requiring a penalty payment if Big Bear’s bank declares it in default under its primary credit arrangement. This potential cost should be included in calculating minimum lease payments since a lack of predetermined criteria exists to determine default. Provision 3 The lease agreement stipulates Big Bear’s annual lease amount to be increased by the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Because the lease payments depend on the index, it must be included in the calculation of the minimum lease payment at the inception of the lease agreement. Basis for Conclusion Provision 1 In the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s (FASB) Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 840-10-25-5, minimum lease payments are â€Å"the payments that the lessee is obligated to make or can be required to make in connection with the leased property,† excluding contingent rentals, any guarantees of the lessor’s debt, and executory costs. Although negotiating fees incurred by Big Bear Power are not executory costs, the fees toward its external legal counsel are considered non-obligatory in nature and should be expensed. In contrast, legal fees paid by Big Bear Power on behalf of Goliath Co. an be categorized as initial direct costs under Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (SFAS) 91. Being defined as such, they can be included in the general description of payments they are obligated to make in connection with the lease agreement. Provision 2 Big Bear Power is subject to default if there is a â€Å"material adverse change† in its financial cond ition. FASB ASC 840-10-25-14 provides guidance for default covenants relating to nonperformance and provides four conditions as follows: a. The default covenant provision is customary in leasing arrangements. b. The occurrence of the event of default is objectively determinable. c. Predefined criteria, related solely to the lessee and its operations, has been established for the determination of the event of default. d. It is reasonable to assume, based on the facts and circumstances that exist at lease inception, that the event of default will not occur. In applying this condition, it is expected that entities would consider recent trends in the lessee's operations. The Codification states that if the lease agreement fails to meet all of these conditions, Big Bear Power must include the penalty in its minimum lease payments. As already stated in the information provided, condition (a) is met. Upon further analysis, condition (b) and (d) are also met—Big Bear’s bank is an objective third-party that will determine an occurrence of default, and Big Bear Power is financially strong with remote likelihood of default. While the facts imply that â€Å"material adverse change† is a predefined criterion to determine default, it is our contention that the lack of definition in the documents is sufficient evidence to not fulfill the third condition. Furthermore, the absence of a definition implies a lack of objectivity within the criteria; the phrase â€Å"material adverse change† provides no verifiable benchmark to which Big Bear Power can be examined through its operations, as mandated by the condition. Consequently, Big Bear Power should add the maximum amount of the penalty to the minimum lease payments. Provision 3 According to FASB ASC 840-10-25-4, the portion of lease payments that depends on an index, such as the Consumer Price Index(CPI), should be included in calculating minimum lease payments at lease inception. Big Bear’s lease payments are contingent on increases in the CPI, therefore it must follow this rule. The lease agreement states that Big Bear will pay $1 million per year, and the lease amount will change at each year-end by the increase in the index rate. Only the most recent CPI increase at inception will be included in minimum lease payments. Future increases in the index will not be included as they are considered a contingent rental. Analysis of Alternatives Provision 1 Alternative A debate of Provision 1 suggests that Big Bear Power should not include the $1 million in legal fees toward minimum lease payments. Initial direct costs may be considered transactions separate from the lease itself with benefits being realized at the time of exchange (International Accounting Standards Board [IASB], 2009). Their recognition as assets would be erroneous under this premise, and instead would require an immediate expense to the income statement. Still, it remains our team’s recommendation that the $1 million legal fees be treated as described, in accordance with the FASB’s logic behind fees closely-tied to a lease agreement. Provision 2 Alternative It can be contended that the required penalty payment under a declaration of default should not be included in the minimum lease payments. As stated, FASB ASC 840-10-25-14 provides four conditions, which, if all fulfilled, would not include the penalty in minimum lease payments. Based on those facts provided, and regardless of the definition behind â€Å"material adverse change†, it is arguable that a sufficient criterion exists to determine default. Furthermore, the criterion is established by a third-party with no relation to Goliath Company. This would fulfill condition (c). Provision 3 Alternative Alternative treatment of this provision would adjust minimum lease payments annually after 2005 for the annual increase in the Consumer Price Index. For example, if the lease payment in 2005 is $1 million and the most recent CPI increases by 4%, the lease payment would increase to $1,040,000 in 2006, and $1,081,600 in 2007. The reasoning for this approach is to more accurately measure the lease agreement for financial reporting. However, this method is not in agreement with FASB ASC 840-10-25-4, which states a lease dependent on an index should only include the index existing at lease inception when calculating minimum lease payments. References Financial Accounting Standards Board. (n. d. ). Accounting standards codification. Norwalk, CT: Financial Accounting Standards Board. Retrieved February 8, 2010. International Accounting Standards Board. (2009). IASB staff paper: leases – initial direct costs. London, United Kingdom: International Accounting Standards Board. Retrieved February 8, 2010. The Bear Minimum Per your request, our group conducted research to determine whether costs or potential costs of the provisions of Big Bear Power’s lease of Goliath Co’s combustion turbine should be included in its minimum lease payments. We have provided a summary of the facts, our conclusion, the basis for our conclusion, and an analysis of possible alternatives to our conclusion as requested. Summary of the Facts Big Bear Power (the Company), a public utility company, is leasing a combustion turbine from Goliath Co. for a 10-year, non-cancelable term. The lease agreement was signed on December 15, 2004, and the company’s right to use the turbine starts on January 1, 2005. Big Bear Power has been financially strong for a number of years, has positive cash flow, and is in accordance with all of its debt covenants. The lease agreement contains three provisions, each of which has associated costs that may potentially need to be included in the calculation of minimum lease payments. The issue at hand is determining whether the costs in these provisions should, in fact, be included in minimum lease payments Conclusion Provision 1 Big Bear Power should not include the $500,000 negotiation fee in its minimum lease payments because, by definition, it is not an obligatory payment to be made toward the asset. On the other hand, the Company should include the $1 million legal fee in minimum lease payments since it is considered an initial direct cost made in connection with the leased property. Provision 2 The lease agreement includes a provision requiring a penalty payment if Big Bear’s bank declares it in default under its primary credit arrangement. This potential cost should be included in calculating minimum lease payments since a lack of predetermined criteria exists to determine default. Provision 3 The lease agreement stipulates Big Bear’s annual lease amount to be increased by the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Because the lease payments depend on the index, it must be included in the calculation of the minimum lease payment at the inception of the lease agreement. Basis for Conclusion Provision 1 In the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s (FASB) Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 840-10-25-5, minimum lease payments are â€Å"the payments that the lessee is obligated to make or can be required to make in connection with the leased property,† excluding contingent rentals, any guarantees of the lessor’s debt, and executory costs. Although negotiating fees incurred by Big Bear Power are not executory costs, the fees toward its external legal counsel are considered non-obligatory in nature and should be expensed. In contrast, legal fees paid by Big Bear Power on behalf of Goliath Co. an be categorized as initial direct costs under Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (SFAS) 91. Being defined as such, they can be included in the general description of payments they are obligated to make in connection with the lease agreement. Provision 2 Big Bear Power is subject to default if there is a â€Å"material adverse change† in its financial cond ition. FASB ASC 840-10-25-14 provides guidance for default covenants relating to nonperformance and provides four conditions as follows: a. The default covenant provision is customary in leasing arrangements. b. The occurrence of the event of default is objectively determinable. c. Predefined criteria, related solely to the lessee and its operations, has been established for the determination of the event of default. d. It is reasonable to assume, based on the facts and circumstances that exist at lease inception, that the event of default will not occur. In applying this condition, it is expected that entities would consider recent trends in the lessee's operations. The Codification states that if the lease agreement fails to meet all of these conditions, Big Bear Power must include the penalty in its minimum lease payments. As already stated in the information provided, condition (a) is met. Upon further analysis, condition (b) and (d) are also met—Big Bear’s bank is an objective third-party that will determine an occurrence of default, and Big Bear Power is financially strong with remote likelihood of default. While the facts imply that â€Å"material adverse change† is a predefined criterion to determine default, it is our contention that the lack of definition in the documents is sufficient evidence to not fulfill the third condition. Furthermore, the absence of a definition implies a lack of objectivity within the criteria; the phrase â€Å"material adverse change† provides no verifiable benchmark to which Big Bear Power can be examined through its operations, as mandated by the condition. Consequently, Big Bear Power should add the maximum amount of the penalty to the minimum lease payments. Provision 3 According to FASB ASC 840-10-25-4, the portion of lease payments that depends on an index, such as the Consumer Price Index(CPI), should be included in calculating minimum lease payments at lease inception. Big Bear’s lease payments are contingent on increases in the CPI, therefore it must follow this rule. The lease agreement states that Big Bear will pay $1 million per year, and the lease amount will change at each year-end by the increase in the index rate. Only the most recent CPI increase at inception will be included in minimum lease payments. Future increases in the index will not be included as they are considered a contingent rental. Analysis of Alternatives Provision 1 Alternative A debate of Provision 1 suggests that Big Bear Power should not include the $1 million in legal fees toward minimum lease payments. Initial direct costs may be considered transactions separate from the lease itself with benefits being realized at the time of exchange (International Accounting Standards Board [IASB], 2009). Their recognition as assets would be erroneous under this premise, and instead would require an immediate expense to the income statement. Still, it remains our team’s recommendation that the $1 million legal fees be treated as described, in accordance with the FASB’s logic behind fees closely-tied to a lease agreement. Provision 2 Alternative It can be contended that the required penalty payment under a declaration of default should not be included in the minimum lease payments. As stated, FASB ASC 840-10-25-14 provides four conditions, which, if all fulfilled, would not include the penalty in minimum lease payments. Based on those facts provided, and regardless of the definition behind â€Å"material adverse change†, it is arguable that a sufficient criterion exists to determine default. Furthermore, the criterion is established by a third-party with no relation to Goliath Company. This would fulfill condition (c). Provision 3 Alternative Alternative treatment of this provision would adjust minimum lease payments annually after 2005 for the annual increase in the Consumer Price Index. For example, if the lease payment in 2005 is $1 million and the most recent CPI increases by 4%, the lease payment would increase to $1,040,000 in 2006, and $1,081,600 in 2007. The reasoning for this approach is to more accurately measure the lease agreement for financial reporting. However, this method is not in agreement with FASB ASC 840-10-25-4, which states a lease dependent on an index should only include the index existing at lease inception when calculating minimum lease payments. References Financial Accounting Standards Board. (n. d. ). Accounting standards codification. Norwalk, CT: Financial Accounting Standards Board. Retrieved February 8, 2010. International Accounting Standards Board. (2009). IASB staff paper: leases – initial direct costs. London, United Kingdom: International Accounting Standards Board. Retrieved February 8, 2010.

Play It Again Sam Analysis Essay

Sam is an excellent production, by far one of Woody Allen’s best movies. It tells the story of Allan Felix, a neurotic New York film critic who is left by his wife, since according to her he is an ‘observer, not a doer’. This devastating event makes him fall into a deep depression; consequentially, he gets corporal aid from his married friends, Linda and Dick. However, this help appears not to be enough, Allan’s love life seems going nowhere until he creates a special connection with Linda, which leads him into her arms. My opinion about this movie being excellent is based on several facts, which can be easily appreciated when watching this extremely controversial film. The word ‘controversial’ should be emphasized when analyzing this movie, considering that the topics discussed in it were not commonly discussed or confronted in the mid nineties, time in which this film was released. This movie is considered polemic due to the obvious critiques towards the American’s daily life, which is achieved by mentioning different subjects such as, dependence. This theme is represented in a different way depending on the character we focus; with Allan, this topic is represented by the deep depression he falls into, which follows him though all the film. When focusing in another character, Linda in this case, her dependence is shown by her pill addiction. Finally Dick, he is a workaholic, his dependence takes him to the point when he starts comparing his love to his wife with an ‘economical investment’. These characters decide to depend on something so it is easier for them to be secure and comfortable, ignoring the problems surrounding them and escaping from reality. Stereotyping is another main theme in this movie. When Dick asks Allan how he liked women, he describes a model type ‘Skinny, blond, good breasts’. This stereotype of perfect women is a consequence of the idol worshiping so characteristic of us, human beings. We all have someone we follow. An actress, singer, model, etc. someone we relate ourselves with or because we want to overcome something we don’t like about ourselves, we always use someone as a reference and Allan is not the exception. Allan’s character is a Humphrey Bogart-obsessed film writer that has abundant imagination. Bogart himself appears as an apparition to give Allen advices. Allan: I can’t do it. How does it look? I invite her over and then come on like a sex degenerate. What am I, a rapist? Bogart: You’re getting carried away. You think too much. Just do it. Allan: We’re platonic friends. I can’t spoil that by coming on. She’ll slap my face. Bogart: Oh, I’ve had my face slapped plenty of times. Allan: Yeah, but your glasses don’t go flying across the room. The reason why Woody Allen sets the title ‘Play it again, Sam’ is because it is originally a quote from the film Casablanca, and as I already said before the main character is obsessed over this movie (Casablanca) and the main character of it. Not only the apparitions of imaginary characters and dependence on drugs and self unconformity but how music is applied to the film shows how Allan is trying to escape from reality and place himself in a romantic Bogart movie. Every time he has a date, he turns on the music volume really loud so that the atmosphere is more movies like or factionary. We can appreciate this all over the movie and mostly at the end when he quotes the ending of Casablanca. Finally, trying too hard is the last main topic. Allan is always trying too hard for everything, making things tougher for himself and being clumsy. This is a quote from the movie demonstrating what I just stated, Allan: What are you doing Saturday night? Woman: Committing Suicide. Allan: What about Friday night? This character is always trying to fit in, we can appreciate in a scene on the movie the night after his wife leaves him that he goes to a pub and takes a drink but he doesn’t really likes it, he is juts doing what most of the men do trying to be normal. In conclusion, I believe this is a great movie, considering that it is not only hilarious; but it is fascinating how the different elements used by the film director Herbert Ross such as, music, effects, lights and place set; creates a perfect atmosphere for each of the scenes. Also, the actors chosen were all brilliant choices and how every character has its own meaning, contributing a special and unique theme to this classical film. This movie is one of my favorite oldies.

The Contribution of Religion to Societies and Cultures in the 20th Century.

â€Å"Religion which does not have an impact on culture is a toothless tiger. † This quote exemplifies the idea that if religion did not impact an individual, it would have the same effect of a ferocious tiger not being able to exert its force. From the Latin religio (the respect for what is sacred) and religare (to bind, in the sense of an obligation), the word religion is an organised collection of belief and practice systems, focusing on what people determine to be sacred or spiritual.Throughout history and societies across the world, religious leaders have used sacred narratives, symbols and traditions in an attempt to give more meaning to life and to gain wisdom through the understanding of the universe. In every known culture throughout centuries, a form of religion is found, practiced either within a public manner within a group, or in a private sanction. The practice of religion can be found through different practices such as feasts and festivals, God or gods, music a nd art, meditation or initiation, sacrifice or service, and other aspects of culture.A Study on Religion and the Role of It on People and Media†¦.In order to gain insight of its contributions within cultures and society, it is important to look at this question with a sociological perspective. While a majority of people believe religion to be an individual process, as peoples beliefs are highly personal, religion is also considered to be a social institution. Social scientists recognise that religion exists as an organised and integrated set of beliefs and behaviours centred on basic social needs and values. Thus, religion is a cultural universal found in all social groups.The definition of a society is a community of people living in a particular region and having shared customs, laws, and organizations. Living within a societal range, we are accustomed to accept or reject the ideas of religion in which society develops and displays. When considering the impact of religion on a society this can have both a positive or negative impact. â€Å"Religious communities live by analogy: they see connections between God and humanity, between the spiritual and the material, and between the human persons who form the wider community.They value relationships and context and harmonious order. † Archbishop Thomas Collins. Religion discusses the extremely debatable questions such as ‘the meaning of life’. This leads into deeper questions such as â€Å"Who am I? Is there life after death? Is there a God? † Although these questions may seem impossible to answer, for individuals it brings a sense of comfort and belonging in search for those answers. It brings an individual self-worth and happiness, and the feeling of something to live for.This is one of the main reasons people decide to follow a certain religion – to bring them self-pleasure and to do right by their religion, therefore contributing positively to society. The overall contr ibution of religion is about beauty. In literature, architecture, painting, sculpture and even film we discover the exhilarating and inexhaustible depth of beauty in life. Under the topic of beauty, religion enters subtopics that emphasizes the giftedness of beauty, promotes beauty to enhance human flourishing, and encourages the response of awe and gratitude.The Bible is still considered one of the greatest works of literature of all time. This sacred text is universal, having the ability to reach out to an international audience. The Bible has the ability to build a community as cultures find these stories relatable. Also, the beauty in architecture found in places of worship is outstanding. This shows that the religious imagination recognises the ferment in the community before the beauty of such structures, such as the Sistine Chapel, attracting thousands of tourists daily to admire the beauty.Another major contribution of religion to society is the promotion of justice through the pursuit of common good. International figures such as Ghandi, Martin Luther King, Dorothy Day, and Nelson Mandela are stellar representatives of religion who helped change oppressive social, economic and political systems – benefiting not only there society, but cultures around the world. Although religion can impact society in an extremely positive aspect, it can also be used as a manipulative tool for its promotion.It can encourage violence when religious believers are convinced that their views are being challenged, leading to an outbreak in wars. A recent example was associated with Islamic Terrorists being linked to sporadic violence in Uzbekistan. A man of god, Ulugbek Kodirov, entered the USA with the plan of assassinating Obama as he ‘knew this was what he was supposed to do for Islam’. He stated he was acting at the direction of an Islamic terror group in his home country. When analysing this situation, the manipulative ability that eligion can empow er over an individual is drastic. If it has the power to impact the individual, obviously the society will become involved. Geographically small cultures within Iran/Iraq can be hugely influenced by religion, as their cultures would focus on the main foundations that it provides. Another example of this is the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), a militant movement which was operating in northern Uganda, South Sudan and entered the Central African Republic.The group’s main source of ideology is Christian fundamentalism; however, these followers under the group leader Joseph Kony (who proclaims himself as the spokesman for God) have been accused of widespread human rights violations, including murder, mutilation, child-sex slavery and abductions. This is a clear example of where the contribution of religion negatively impacts a culture – as a small society is more susceptible in acting for these violent crimes, as their knowledge of the outside world is censored. The f act that religion in these types of societies is monitored, doesn’t allow the individual to practice by oneself.Sacred texts are edited to suit the religious dictators views, punishments are ensured when one does worship correctly, and it is very rare for the ability of individuals to privately worship their personal beliefs. â€Å"There are those that advocate that the voice of religion be silenced, or at least relegated to the purely private sphere. There are those who argue that the public celebration of festivals such as Christmas should be discouraged. These are worrying signs of a failure to appreciate not only the rights of believers to freedom of conscience and freedom of religion, but also the legitimate role of religion in the public square. Pope Benedict XVI In conclusion, religion is the backbone to our society. Although it has the capacity to negatively impact cultures, it also has the ability to share insight into the future generation religious leaders. Many r eligions send across the same message, having the same values and methods of worshipping. When these values are taken on board, it can provide positivity in different cultures, giving individuals renewed hope and a positive outlook on life.

Social Security U6 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Social Security U6 - Essay Example That makes people stop and say, â€Å"This is a dangerous idea!† Nevertheless, it is clear that the stock market has by now recovered all of the money that it lost during the Great Recession. We need to change peoples' attitudes. Instead of telling them they will be set for life, we need to ensure that they are more responsible for their post-retirement income. Social security is not a constitutional right, and it will not even exist if we do not engage in a number of serious reforms as quickly as possible. If we don't do this as soon as possible, there will be no money left for me or for my children. We will have bankrupted America. All real wealth is generated in the private sector, so it makes sense to turn to the private sector to secure the post-retirement wealth of our seniors. Investing social security money in the stock market can yield major returns and give more control over to our most precious resource: our senior citizens. Brown, Jeffrey R., Jeffrey B. Liebman, an d David A. Wise. Social Security Policy in a Changing Environment. University of Chicago Press, 2009.

Managerial Decision Making Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Managerial Decision Making - Essay Example t six months our company had a serious problem when we failed to capture the international market in face of stiff competition from rival companies and lack of interest in our products among the international customers. The problem faced by our organization was the prospect of huge loss in our international market as our decision to expand offshore was more of an intuitive one, rather than one being based on a rational decision making process (Thagard P., 2001). We took the success that our products had achieved within the US in terms of popularity and marketability for granted with enough evidence of customer acceptance, backed by our strict quality control division. These factors mislead us to believe that we could achieve similar results abroad, without considering the peculiar cultural, geographical and market practices in foreign countries. The necessary spade work of preparing a customer base and marketing in foreign lands, which should have been done in consultation with pertinent agencies, prior to the venture, was the major mistake we made. After identifying the criteria, decision to redesign international marketing should be made on the basis of rational criteria and available alternatives should be put into practice irrespective of the intuitive opinions of the management. The decision making should be fact based as a rational model is logically expected to lead to an optimal result. All identified criteria are ranked according to the peculiar situation of a country and local help is sought to enable marketing in the traditional way which is common in that country after setting up rational financial goals which are ultimately beneficial for the company. This leads to putting different marketing strategies into practice which are unique for a region or country. As a wide variety of inputs will be obtained while collecting factual information from foreign countries, the interpretation criteria which is still in the hands of the same management may

Measuring the concentration Of HCL by using gas dietitian tube Assignment

Measuring the concentration Of HCL by using gas dietitian tube - Assignment Example After the reaction starts, more or less 20 seconds of information will be gathered with every trial, to plan a typical pattern (a chart of pressure about whether). With normal inclines of diverse action of focuses, a straight relapse line will then be made to draw the design, in regards to the impact of fixation upon weight the rate of response. As indicated by Collision Theory, the reactant particles must impact together, and consequently making a response. Since expanding the amassing of HCL corrosive arrangement, likewise implies an increase in the quantity of hydrogen and chloride particles, crash between the reactant particles increments too, bringing about more items hydrogen gas. With more generation of hydrogen gas in the bound test tube, weight will develop. Consequently, if at a given time of time, the amassing of HCL corrosive arrangement expands, then the rate of response will increment likewise, in light of the fact that more impacts will happen, creating hydrogen gas at a higher rate. From the table above, the standard deviations for every amassing of HCL arrangement are ascertained, the aftereffects of this investigation are decently exact, however not as it were. Also, instabilities made amid the planning of the test, as with the administration of contraption and materials, for example, the gas weight with time diminishes the precision. Despite the fact that the chart containing the general pattern of focus impact upon the rate of response and appears to accept the theory, the rate of response of 0.25m HCL arrangement emerges of the pattern, diminishing the legitimacy of this present experiments results. The pattern of different concentrations of reactants affecting the rate of response is outlined. The direct relapse line shows the reasonable change in rate of response, as indicated by a change in fixation bring down the focus, the slower the rate of the response subsequent

What is America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

What is America - Essay Example Q. 1 There are varied ethical considerations discussed in the video and most of them tend to focus on the issues of promoting the public interests in the American society. It is significant to understand the behavior of people and possible reactions when attempting to make economic policies. Many economists seem to employ economic policy and the use this model in predicting the behavior of people in the society logically based on varied aspects such as price, interests, aggregate supply and demand. Friedman generally neither intends to promote the interests of the public and even does not know the way to promote it (Freidman, 2012). This is because by directing the business in such a way that its producers may be of the utmost value only intends to promote personal values. Another ethical considerations discussed is the business ethics and this would only be achieved through employing effective policies vital for conducting business. Ethical considerations attempts to focus on effective business decisions on both local and across the globe. The ethical priorities aims of offer effective distribution of economic goods and services among varied people who have freedom for choice of employment, right to work, equal pay, favorable working conditions and protection against unemployment. Lieberman and Hall (2005) argue that the principle of business ethics is to create wealth in a manner that makes one a better person and creates the world a better place. Q.2 The questions posed on the video are still applicable today in light of the current business settings. Freidman focused on the influences shaping business and competition in the contemporary business world, which are fueled by increasing technology in the global environment; thus a call for the government to take significant action to stay a head or sustain a competitive advantage in the business world. The message of Freidman is clear when he urges that the government should be prepared because this phenomenon waits for no one. Secondly, another issue is that of freedom where people should be left to make their own decisions but the government has taken much control of the citizens, and this is also experienced in the contemporary business world. Poor government policies, poor security and other aspects are among the problems that impact many business industries from achieving their business goals effectively. Lastly, in a well regulated market based economy, which is driven by a free trade and increased economic growth, the least-advantaged people in the society should benefit from the mechanisms of the system. However, higher level of inequality and poor resource distribution are among the common problems impacting many people in the contemporary business world; thus driving economy behind. Q. 3 The lecture of Freidman can help me to become a better business person because of varied reasons. First, Freidman talks about bad laws and the way they should be changed and make them flexible in order to enable business carry out their business successf ully. Some of the law such as laws protecting workers, employers, wage laws, free trade laws and many others are significant in an economy. The intervention of the government in the contemporary markets and promoting the practice of freely floating exchange rates and other governmental practices should be flexible

Personal Experience at Narcotics anonymous Term Paper - 2

Personal Experience at Narcotics anonymous - Term Paper Example ed completely negating the existence of individual or self in the society putting stress on his argument that there is no existence of an individual beyond society or apart from it. Every individual is a part of it and no individual exists apart from the society (Foulkes, 1948). The contemporary psychotherapy has moved far beyond these drives and pushed its limit to a great extent. In recent studies, individual importance is viewed in terms of more in depth, intersubjective relationship and based on these therapeutic models are undertaken. Dynamic group therapy have evolved as the most effective therapeutic model in this regard and recent researches tend to prove that dynamic groups help to a massive extent in curing psychological disorders like depression, anxiety states and personality disorders (Robinson & Et Al, 1990). Very important and pertinent to our discussion is also the fact that depression and anxiety states lead to consumption of various drugs and as an effective interpersonal group therapy 12 curative factors have yielded better and effective results in this regard. Yalom developed 12 curative stepwise therapies for the purpose of a psychological disorder. The meeting attempted to move beyond the theoretical limit and aspect of the model and succeeded in an effective discussion on the practical implementation of these stepwise therapies in a case. Yalom’s 12 curative factors starts with interpersonal learning which involves a continuous process with the effective participation of the group leader indulging and involving adults talks which enabled the patients to open up their mind. The next step in the Yalom’s 12 curative factors is that of Catharsis. A complete biblical perspective literally involves purgation and is quite difficult. Initially in the process, the involvements of all the group members are not noticed spontaneously but with time as a repetitive and inspiring mechanism, it can be effectively attained. Group cohesiveness and

Carl Orff songwriter, composer and publisher Research Paper

Carl Orff songwriter, composer and publisher - Research Paper Example 377). Without having anyone to teach him to write and compose songs, he managed to create his own music based on how he understands music. Using his talent in music, Orff composed a lot of songs for stage puppet shows which over the years has significantly influenced the music education for children. According to Jorgensen (2003, p. 6), the use of patriarchy in teaching music, oppression, violence, and exclusivity is dehumanizing since this type of teaching technique does not acknowledge the importance of freedom, equality, humanity, and inclusiveness necessary to prevent injustice and inhumanity. In line with this, Orff realized that the teaching and learning approach to music was ineffective (Keene, 2009, p. 376). Orff strongly supports the idea that each child should be given the opportunity to â€Å"experience music within their own level of understanding† (Classics for Kids, 2011). Since Orff strongly believe that children needs to experience music, Orff suggested that a more effective way of teaching children music is to make them master the use of musical instruments like piano or violin (Keene, 2009, p. 376). The way music teachers are currently teaching music inside a classroom is strongly influenced by some of the famous historical musicians such as in the case of Carl Orff (Jorgensen, 2003, p. 12; Keene, 2009, p. 376). ... terested in developing and implementing â€Å"a new way of teaching music† (Victorian Orff Schulwek Association, 2011; Orff, Murray, & Keetman, 1976, p. 13). Throughout his career as a musician, Orff spent some time teaching young students how to become creative by expressing how they feel in music (Warner, 1991, p. 3). To enable the students compose unique and more interesting music, Orff explained the need to teach and encourage the students to improvise and be more creative when playing musical instruments (Victorian Orff Schulwek Association, 2011). Using this kind of teaching technique, the students under the guidance of Orff were able to enjoy their freedom to improvise and explore the production of music without the need to stay focus on musical theories and concepts that already exists in the field of music education. As a composer and musician, Orff strongly supports the idea that each child should be given the opportunity to joy composing and creating their own music . In line with this, Orff spent time developing a teaching method which focuses on educating the students with music using alternative methods like group exercises (Maubach, 2006). Believing that the whole body should be involved when playing music, Orff’s movement in educating the students was multifaceted. Therefore, he decided to integrate music not only in singing but also the use of speech, body movements like folk dance, clapping, finger clicking, and stamping, and the use of tuned and percussion non-tuned percussion like tambourines, glockenspiels, recorders, and xylophones in encouraging the students to create their own music (Victorian Orff Schulwek Association, 2011; Keene, 2009, p. 377; Maubach, 2006). As explained by Maubach (2006), Orff strongly believes that each child who spends

Relativism and Morality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Relativism and Morality - Essay Example From this research it is clear that violation of another human being and to society with the taking of a life is universally wrong; it cannot be comprehended nor excused except in very few cases where violence begets violence. Warfare and the making of war between factions can be said to be racially motivated, territorial motivated, self-interest motivated, religiously motivated and politically motivated. None of these reasons present a strong enough argument to be the deciding faction which starts a conflict such as war. Responding in like becomes a very difficult position to be in for all of society. Taking quick action such as Goodman suggests would seem to be the best choice to avoid the mass murder of millions in a tense situation but look how we have responded to 9/11, a conflict that is still going on despite the death of the leader the United States initially sought. War unites and disunites people unlike any other act. Terrorist usually have a purpose or message behind their violent acts of destruction though these messages and purpose are immediately discounted when the act becomes violent and takes human lives that should be valued above all other considerations. Terrorism uses media sensation to gain national attention to a group or faction self-interested purpose, policy, religion, or idea. Media must take some responsibility in ascribing so much coverage and attention as to elicit repeats of similar behavior though citizens want to know what is going, regardless of their opinion on the issue. By our very actions we further feed the terrorist’s actions and it is a repetitious cycle.... Terrorist usually have a purpose or message behind their violent acts of destruction though these messages and purpose are immediately discounted when the act becomes violent and takes human lives that should be valued above all other considerations. Terrorism uses media sensation to gain national attention to a group or faction self-interested purpose, policy, religion, or idea. Media must take some responsibility in ascribing so much coverage and attention as to elicit repeats of similar behavior though citizens want to know what is going, regardless of their opinion on the issue. By our very actions we further feed the terrorist’s actions and it is a repetitious cycle. Human trafficking and slavery are just as deeply wrong, though I would imagine for the one being enslaved there must be periods of time that are so hateful that they are only thankful to be alive and not much else. It is pointed out that drugs, which are extremely scrutinized and resisted by the United States are sold merely once, while human beings can be sold repeatedly. Incest and human trafficking are to a much greater degree fundamentally wrong while polygamy can be situational. I disagree with Goodson’s views in this area, he uses the statement that polygamy diminishes intimacy and trust and transforms the nature of marriage which I believe that once again he is relying on language and communication as relationship factors, and societal standards which as his whole paper describes are obviously seriously out of order and frequently wrong because as a society we are extremely divide. I do not feel it is a morally wrong act to be a polygamist unless it involves minors marrying or situations that preclude to incest or child endangerment. Rape and clitoridectomy distorts

Mozart Effect in Childrens Toys Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Mozart Effect in Childrens Toys - Case Study Example In 1993 Rauscher, Shaw and Ky published results of a study in which they measured the increase of spatial reasoning skills in 36 college students who listened to music composed by Mozart. The researchers reported increases of between 8 and 10 points on the IQ spatial reasoning task scale as opposed to those students who sat quietly for the 10 minute period or listened to relaxation tapes. The results of these findings were attributed to listening to the composer's sonata and resulted in coinage of the phrase 'The Mozart Effect.' Since these findings were first reported there has been a contentious debate as to the validity of the Mozart Effect. According to Caulfield (1999) the original study was performed on college students, not infants, and the results were temporary. Rauscher et al. (1997), however, conducted a two-year study where they found that preschool children who took piano lessons had increased spatial reasoning skills. This led them to conclude that music exposure to young children enhances the development of the brain, particularly in the area of spatial reasoning skills. These findings led Caulfield (1999) to question at what age music can be processed and remembered by young infants. According to LaFuente et al (1997 as quoted in Caulfield, 1999) infants during their last trimester care capable of hearing music. He and his associates conducted a study in which they had pregnant women in their final trimester (40 weeks) play tapes of basic chords and gradually moving up to more complex musical patterns. Each mother completed between 50 and 90 hours of musical listening prior to delivery. The researchers foun d that during the first six months the infants "exhibited significantly more rapid development of many behaviors, including visual tracking, eye-hand coordination, facial imitation and babbling" (Caulfield, 1999, p. 120) but Caulfield warns that the mother's knowledge of the study may have been a confounder. Nantais and Schellenberg (1999) explain that the Mozart effect is "similar to robust psychological phenomena such as transfer or priming" (p. 370) but the main difference is that the Mozart Effect, if in fact it exists, would be caused by passive listening as opposed to active doing. In an attempt to replicate the Mozart Effect the researchers selected 84 undergraduates, 56 for one experiment and 28 for a second. They used two different music pieces: the Mozart sonata and a piece composed by Schubert. Although their findings showed an improvement in spatial reasoning by both groups who listened to music as opposed to the control group who sat in silence, they concluded that the slight improvement was due to a positive stimulus versus a negative stimulus (music to

Essay for the Sandpiper Essay Example for Free

Essay for the Sandpiper Essay Tragedy, in multiple views leads to grief, misery and may even cause emotional desensitization. However this solely depends on the cause of such tragedy. A simple tragedy exists as a result of the irony of combining diverse religion and cultures and is especially expressed in the story â€Å"Sandpiper†. Here author Ahdaf Soueif expresses cultural differences through the breaking relationship of a European writer and her Egyptian husband. Acquiescent undermine passivity Being the protagonist, the narrator becomes the view point character in the story and this is where audience criticisms take place. From the beginning she seems to display a sort of weakness and compliance towards events; watching the waves swoop back into the sea; conforming to her lack of work and loss of identity ; â€Å"watching (her husband) vanish†, and watching her daughter â€Å"grow away† from herself. The sand image, as the story opens portrays her compliance-The way she did not wish to obstruct nature`s pattern of â€Å"one grain of sand† because of her movement. Later as Um Sabir (her â€Å"husband`s old nanny†) prevents her from doing any work, her feminine independence also appears to be deplored yet she simply accepts this fact and though seeming solemn, does not take any action. The reader soon becomes critical about such fragility. Notice how the writer mentions -â€Å"watch† her husband vanish. Due to her foreignness, she seemed to slowly fade away from her and her husband`s relationship and displays severe grief. However it appears indeed so absurd for the re ader, because this narrator does not develop any sort of resistance to her dilemma. Furthermore her despondency grows gradually, and it seems that her daughter is being torn away from her the same way as with her husband. She simply pines her heart and the narrator grows a sort of dissent for the protagonist. Sandpiper a coastal bird which cannot fly too high nor too far from the coastal region (due to its habitat and feeding habits) is a perfect name for this story it seems. The way the protagonist’s life appears limited and restricted is definitely the main cause. However the reader may wonder why the narrator does not rebel to this lifestyle. There may be numerous causes. Firstly notice the narrators patience as she sits by the beach observing the water`s â€Å"frilled white edge nibbling at the sand†. As she displays no qualms to her situations (for example being deprived of work as previously mentioned) it seems she still retains hope- of a happy lifestyle. This e xaggerated patience she conforms, may perhaps be one of the reason she does not rebel. Another may be simply her love of and to sustain the happiness of her daughter. These causes all sum to the habitat and ability of a â€Å"Sandpiper†, its only restrictions. Therefore it seems that the protagonist subsists in a self imposed jail, like a sandpiper and indeed does not soar beyond the beach which could momentarily give access to another sort of freedom, mentally, from her own conscience. However if we pay attention to the situation the author rejects such criticisms-instead condemning the readers as absurd. Certainly following different cultures is not the protagonists fault. The consistent confusion and grief of the narrator’s situation is perhaps the cause of her helplessness. This way the author deems the protagonist as universal for humans; which either are NOT exceptions, to displaying similar responses, in such emotionally grim situations and though her image is portrayed as weak it is not held true to how we asses her. In some way the writer creates ambivalent views one portraying the theme of ‘fate’ and the other ‘free will’. A customary feature, to be noticed in this story is the authors unvarying image of the beach. Obviously this picture signifies the present and therefore, perhaps, alludes to the narrators ‘drifting’ thoughts. It also seems, the descriptions of the sand and the sea reflect her emotions. As the story opens, observe the serene albeit somewhat somber, descriptions (of the beach), in the past participle: â€Å"I used to see patterns†¦I did not want †¦. I used to sit†. Definitely the narrator is affectionately looking back at nostalgia, yet with regret. Her emotions drift in melancholy as a compliant stream of conscience guides her and suddenly we imagine a somber weak character, in passivity to not stir a single â€Å"grain of sand† from its ‘natural’ pattern. This is where the readers display an interest to this character`s matters. Slowly her emotions begin to frill as the descriptions become gradually violent –â€Å"the sea unceasingly shifts†¦surges forward with a low growl†¦ like thousand snakes† .By now the reader is absorbed into the persona`s feelings. The usage of the personal pronoun â€Å"I† becomes highly universal to the reader and definitely induces sympathy. Finally, as she â€Å"revert(s) to (the) dry grains that would easily brush away† the emotions are returned to the previous serenity however now there seems to be a hint of pain, a hint of helplessness. This way the writer skillfully attains the reader`s attention to the story, and somewhat forth shadows incidents in the story, pertaining to the emotions. Hereby the atmosphere seems so somber, so calm; slowly the reader drifts in with the thoughts of the writer. What the reader may also take notice, with hindsight, is that perhaps Soueif uses this initial beach image as an extended metaphor for the life of the narrator; as in the beginning her life was filled with bliss (in love with her husband), which suddenly changed to desperation and somewhat anger (as he slowly â€Å"slip away† from her) and finally grief (of the freedom she lost). Proactive pragmatic The next imagery of the beach occurs after she mentions the second summer at the â€Å"beach house west of Alexandria†. Here the narrator utilizes the sand and the sea as symbols for her husband and herself, the way these two entities seemed to â€Å"meet and flirt and touch† and establishes the theme of love . However, reading between the lines, perhaps the writer forth shadows a sort of obscurity in the relationship. Notice how the sand and the sea simply â€Å"meet† metaphorically indicating love; although away from this â€Å"edge† such love does not seem to prevail as the sea and the sand form a tight boundary. Also the sea consistently â€Å"drifts† and the sand itself shifts, especially with the pressure of the waves: perhaps the author accentuates fluid emotions which flow and â€Å"shift† with due time and therefore depicts this couple to slowly â€Å"drift† apart from each other. This way another theme, of relativity of time and emotion is established here. The ending of the story also prevails with this beach image. It seems the narrator is back to the present and this picture plays the greatest significance as she sees â€Å"different things from those 6 years ago†. Now she appears calmer yet more melancholic. The reader can effective ly perceive such emotion; especially in the lines â€Å"the last of the foam is swallowed bubbling into the sand† and â€Å"with each ebb of green water the sand looses part of itself to the sea†. This definitely feels somber; as if love is being persistently broken down by the force of nature. Realistically, it seems such force subsists as cultural pressure. Where the couple belonging to 2 different cultures altogether formed such a relationship, the narrators â€Å"foreignness†¦began to irritate him (her husband)†. Cultural pressure and foreign tensions arise as a conflict due to the ignorance of each other`s culture and perhaps a development in this slowly weakened their relationships. Not only does the husband feel irate yet this deplored the protagonist`s freedom- â€Å"I tried at first at least to help, but she would†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ease the duster or the vacuum cleaner from my hand†. Coming back to the coastal descriptions, note how the author mentions â€Å"the†¦foam is swallowed bubbling into the sand† and how these two bodies meet but never ‘mix’. Probably the author, here portrays the theme of immiscibility. As sea and sand are immiscible it appears the foreignness and its resultant family tensions never intended a strong relationship; the love of both the narrator and her husband was immiscible, which would interact, yet as easily drift away. Perhaps this way the author undermines the system of religion. Indeed such a trivial matter, as exemplified is the commencement of weak relations and eventually such tragedies; for certainly, every being strays ethnocentric and this simple arrogance leads to major conflicts. This is later supported as the narrator finally questions-â€Å"But what do the waves know of the massed, hot, still sands of the desert? And what does the beach know of the depths, the cold currents†¦where the water turns a deeper blue.† .Duplicity is heavily prevalent due to ignorance of other religion, and like the sand and the sea it extends massively. What the writer Ahdaf Soueif is attempting to accentuate is that this concept of worldly cultures actually constructs a sort of mistrust amongst others and its great irony is exhibited in the form of this story Another image which we can relate to this theme is the difficulty, even dislike the wife shows towards adapting to a different culture. During the second summer at the beach house the narrator mentions her nostalgia of her hometown (Europe as Georgian sq uare is mentioned) and â€Å"misses† her time spent there. The moment this is mentioned suspicion rises in the readers mind; of her happiness following the new culture. She does display a sort of irritation as she is not allowed to work at home. Finally (later) she appears to complain- â€Å"my foreignness†¦my inability to remember namestruggles with his (her husband’s) language†, etc. Definitely the author is attempting to depict another cultural pressure here; despite the passage of time, evidently she depicts, that the wife has problems shifting to the new culture. Ironically, though, this foreignness actually appealed her husband yet now repelled him. LorDhRUv

History Of Music An Overview

History Of Music An Overview The definition of music is defined in many ways; Websters definition is as follows an art of sound in time that expresses ideas and emotions in significant forms through the elements of rhythm, melody, or harmony. There are many theories regarding when and where music formed. Many agree that music began even before man existed. Researchers point out that there are six periods of music and each period has a certain style of music that made what music is today. Here are some resources for you to better understand the history of music. (Estrella 2001) Music is traced back as far as ancient Israel a thousand years before Christ; King David composed and sang hundreds of songs called psalms. A few of them are written in the old testament in the book of Psalms. But music as we know it now, as having structure and form, may have begun in the 10th century with the Gregorian chants. These songs were organized and detailed with soloists and small groups singing distinctive parts. The music we are more in common with began around the year 1200 and soon after, troubadours singing folk music starting to appear in parts of Europe. The appearance of composers, made music, and the creation of the instruments such as the piano and lute. (Ezine Articles 2005) The years 1750 to 1820 is known as the Classical period with the piano being a composers instrument of choice. Mozart wrote his first symphony, Bach performed in London, and Beethoven was finally born. Many of the symphonies we enjoy today were written during this time. Music has truly evolved since this period though. In 1900, a man named Scott Joplin had composed and published the Maple Leaf Rag, an event many see as the beginnings of the music we know today as popular music. Soon after, new musical forms were taking hold. Jazz in the 1930s (Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday), big band music in the 1940s (Tommy Dorsey, Duke Ellington), and rock-and-roll (Elvis Presley, Chuck Barry) in the 1950s. Other countries (most notably France and Spain) were creating their own popular music during this time. (Ezine 2005) The three time periods I want to focus on is Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Contemporary. This is all known to us to day as Opera, RB, Rock, Hip Hop, Soul, etc. Music has been around for years and can be broken down into many stages or cycles. People everywhere all over the world make their own style of music. Every genre, sound, melody is different in some way. When we look at the medieval music, we are dealing with the longest and most distant period of musical history. Saint Gregory is credited with organizing the huge repertory of chant that developed during the first centuries of the Christian church, hence the term Gregorian chant. He was pope from 590 to 604, and the medieval era continued into the 1400s, so this period consists of music. One of the principal difficulties in studying medieval music is that a system for notating music developed only gradually. The first examples of musical notation date from around 900. For several centuries, notation only indicated what pitch to sing. The system for notating rhythm started in the 12th or 13th century. Gregorian chant is monophonic, meaning music that consists of only one melodic line without accompaniment. The beauty of chant lies in the serene, undulating shapes of its melody. We do not know who wrote the melodies of Gregorian chant. Like folk melodies, the music probably mutated as it was passed down through generations and eventually reached its notated form. Polyphony, music where two or more melodic lines are heard simultaneously, did not exist (or was not notated) until the 11th century. Unlike chant, polyphony required the participation of a composer to combine the melodic lines in a pleasing manner. Although most medieval polyphonic music is anonymousthe names of the composers were either lost or never written down at allthere are composers whose work was so important that their names were preserved along with their music. (Ezine 2005) Renaissance is reflected by the changing role of the composer in society. Unlike most of their medieval times, the great masters of the Renaissance were created in their own lifetimes. The technique of printing music, while slow to evolve, helped in the preservation and distribution of music and musical ideas. Sacred music was still predominant, though other music became more prevalent and more sophisticated. The repertory of instrumental music also began to expand significantly. New instruments were invented, including the clavichord and virginal and many existing instruments were improved. Masses and motets were the primary forms of sacred vocal polyphony. Other vocal forms included motets, madrigals and songs (generally accompanied by lute or a small instrumental ensemble or consort). Instrumental pieces were usually short polyphonic works or music for dancing. (Ezine 2005) Compared with the medieval style, Renaissance polyphony was lush and sonorous. The era between Josquin Desprez and Palestrina is known as the golden age of polyphony. Imitationwhere one melodic line shares, or imitates the same musical theme as a previous melodic linebecame an important polyphonic technique. Imitation was one method composers used to make complex music more easily comprehensible and give the listener a sense of structure. Imitative polyphony can be heard in the masses and motets of composers from Josquin onward and is featured in instrumental music by Byrd, Gibbons, and the Gabriellis. Baroque music is often highly ornate, colorful and richly textured when compared with its predecessors. Opera was born at what is considered to be the very beginning of the Baroque era, around 1600. This unique form combines poetry, theater, the visual arts and music. It came about because a group of Italian intellectuals wanted to recapture the spirit of ancient Greek drama in which music played a key role. The first great opera was Orfeo, by Claudio Monteverdi, first performed in 1607. Musics ability to express human emotions and depict natural phenomenon was explored throughout the Baroque period. Vivaldis famous set of concertos, The Four Seasons, is a famous example. Although imitative polyphony remained fundamental to musical composition, homophonic writing became increasingly important. Homophonic music features a clear distinction between the melody line and a subsidiary accompaniment part. This style was important in opera and other solo vocal music because it focused the li steners attention on the expressive melody of the singer. The homophonic style gradually became prevalent in instrumental music as well. (Ezine 2005) Many Baroque works include a continuo part in which a keyboard (harpsichord or organ) and bass instrument (cello or bassoon) provide the harmonic underpinning of chords that accompanies the melodic line. New polyphonic forms were developed, and as in the Renaissance, composers considered the art of counterpoint (the crafting of polyphony) to be essential to their art. Canons and fugues, two very strict forms of imitative polyphony, were extremely popular. Composers were even expected to be able to improvise complex fugues on a moments notice to prove their skill. The orchestra evolved during the early Baroque, starting as an accompanist for operatic and vocal music. By the mid-1600s the orchestra had a life of its own. The concerto was a favorite Baroque form that featured a solo instrumentalist (or small ensemble of soloists) playing against the orchestra, creating interesting contrasts of volume and texture. Many Baroque composers were also virtuoso performers. For example, Archang elo Corelli was famous for his violin playing and Johann Sebastian Bach was famous for his keyboard skills. The highly ornamented quality of Baroque melody lent itself perfectly to such displays of musical dexterity. (Grieg 2002) The word Classical has strong meaning, mixed with the art and Philosophy of Ancient Greece and Rome, along with their ideals of disciplined expression. The late Braque was complex and melodically different. The composers of the early Classical period changed direction, writing music that was much simpler to understand. Homophony music, another part of classical music in which melody and charm are distinct, and has dominated the Classical style is another form of classical music. New forms of composition were developed to accommodate the transformation. Santana Form is the most important of these forms, and one that continued to evolve throughout the Classical period. Although Baroque composers also wrote pieces called sonatas, the Classical sonata was different. The essence of the Classical Sonata is difficult to understand. A highly simplified example of such a conflict might be between two themes of contrasting character. (Grieg 2002) This contrast would be found during the course of the sonata, and then resolved. Sonata form allowed composers to give pure instrumental music recognizable dramatic shape. Every major form of the Classical era, including the string quartet, symphony and concerto was molded on the dramatic structure of the sonata. One of the most important developments of the Classical period is the growth of the public concert. Although the aristocracy would continue to play a significant role in musical life, it was now possible for composers to survive without being the employee of one person or family. This also meant that concerts were no longer limited to palace drawing rooms. Composers organized concerts featuring their own music, and attracted large audiences. The increasing popularity of the public concert had a strong impact on the growth of the orchestra. Although chamber music and solo works were played in the home or other intimate settings, orchestral concerts seemed to be naturally designed for big public spaces. As a result, symphonic music composers gradually expanded the size of the orchestra to accommodate this expanded musical vision. (Grieg 2002) Just as the word Classical conjures up certain images, Romantic music also does the same. Whether we think of those romance novels with the Romanticism implies fantasy and sensuality. The Classical period focused on emotional restraint. Classical music was expressive, but not so passionate that it could overwhelm the work Beethoven, who was in some ways responsible for igniting the flame of romanticism, always struggled (sometimes unsuccessfully) to maintain that balance. (Greig 2002) Many composers of the Romantic period followed Beethovens model and found their own balance between emotional intensity and Classical form. Others reveled in the new atmosphere of artistic freedom and created music whose structure was designed to support its emotional surges. Musical story-telling became important, and not just in opera, but in pure instrumental music as well. The tone-poem is a particularly Romantic invention, as it was an orchestral work whose structure was entirely dependent on the scene being depicted or the story being told. Color was another important feature of Romantic music. A large palette of musical colors was necessary to depict the exotic scenes that became so popular. In addition to seeking out the sights and sounds of other places, composers began exploring the music of their native countries. Nationalism became a driving force in the late Romantic period and composers wanted their music to express their cultural identity. This desire was particularly intense in Russia and Eastern Europe, where elements of folk music were incorporated into symphonies, tone-poems and other Classical forms. (Wagner 1999) The Romantic period was the days of the virtuoso. Gifted performers and particularly pianists, violinists, and singers became enormously popular. Liszt, the great Hungarian pianist/composer, reportedly played with such passion and intensity that woman in the audience would faint. Since, like Liszt, most composers were also virtuoso performers, it was inevitable that the music they wrote would be extremely challenging to play. The Romantic period witnessed a glorification of the artist whether musician, poet or painter that has had a powerful impact on our own culture. (Wagner 1999) This style of music became known as being romantic. The evolution of music is at least partly shaped by the influence one composer has on another. These influences are not always positive, however. Sometimes composers react against the music of their recent past (even though they might admire it) and move in what seems to be the opposite direction. For example, the simplified style of the early Classical period was almost certainly a reaction to the extreme intricacies of the late Baroque. The late Romantic period featured its own extremes: sprawling symphonies and tone-poems overflowing with music that seemed to stretch harmony and melody to their limits. It is certainly possible to view some early 20th century music as an extension of the late Romantic style, but a great deal of it can also be interpreted as a reaction against that style. 20th century music is a series of isms and neo-isms. The primal energy of Stravinskys Rite of Spring has been called neo-Primitivism. The intensely emotional tone of Schà ¶nbergs early music has b een labeled Expressionism. The return to clearly structured forms and textures has been dubbed neo-Classicism. (R. Strauss) These terms have been employed in an attempt to organize the diversity of styles running through the 20th century. Nationalism continued to be a strong musical influence in the first half of the century. The study of folk songs enriched the music of numerous composers, such as Ralph Vaughan Williams (England), Bela Bartok (Hungary), Heitor Villa Lobos (Brazil) and Aaron Copland (USA). Jazz and popular musical styles have also been tremendously influential on classical composers from both the United States and Europe. Technology has played a increasingly important role in the development of 20th century music. Composers have used recording tape as a compositional tool (such as Steve Reichs Violin Phase). Electronically generated sounds have been used both on their own and in combination with traditional instruments. More recently, computer technology has been used in a variety of ways, including manipulating the performance of instruments in real time. (R. Strauss) So as you can see, music has been around for centuries. Many people have helped music evolve over the years. The six long periods of music that were discussed above really helped music become what is today. Although each individual listen to various types of music they all started the same, with either a rhythm or beat. Music was originated long before humans even existed and grew from there. Music in general has made the world a better place. It gives people a way to express themselves. Music has been called The International Language; a very simple thought with much meaning behind it. Even if you cant speak the language of a country, you can move, sway, dance and most of all enjoy the music of the country. We may not understand the words of a musical selection but we do understand the beauty. (Ruth 2008) Musics interconnection with society can be seen throughout history. Every known culture on the earth has music. Music seems to be one of the basic actions of humans. However, early music was not handed down from generation to generation or recorded. Hence, there is no official record of prehistoric music. Even so, there is evidence of prehistoric music from the findings of flutes carved from bones. The influence of music on society can be clearly seen from modern history. Music helped Thomas Jefferson write the Declaration of Independence. When he could not figure out the right wording for a certain part, he would play his violin to help him. The music helped him get the words from his brain onto the paper. In general, responses to music are able to be observed. It has been proven that music influences humans both in good and bad ways. These effects are instant and long lasting. Music is thought to link all of the emotional, spiritual, and physical elements of the universe. Music can also be used to change a persons mood, and has been found to cause like physical responses in many people simultaneously. Music also has the ability to strengthen or weaken emotions from a particular event such as a funeral. People perceive and respond to music in different ways. The level of musicianship of the performer and the listener as well as the manner in which a piece is performed affects the experience of music. An experienced and accomplished musician might hear and feel a piece of music in a totally different way than a non-musician or beginner. This is why two accounts of the same piece of music can contradict themselves. (ODonnell 2001) According to The Center for New Discoveries in Learning, learning potential can be increased a minimum of five times by using this 60 beats per minute music. For example, the ancient Greeks sang their dramas because they understood how music could help them remember more easily). A renowned Bulgarian psychologist, Dr. George Lozanov, designed a way to teach foreign languages in a fraction of the normal learning time. Using his system, students could learn up to one half of the vocabulary and phrases for the whole school term (which amounts to almost 1,000 words or phrases) in one day. Along with this, the average retention rate of his students was 92%. Dr. Lozanovs system involved using certain classical music pieces from the baroque period which have around a 60 beats per minute pattern. He has proven that foreign languages can be learned with 85-100% efficiency in only thirty days by using these baroque pieces. His students had a recall accuracy rate of almost 100% even after not r eviewing the material for four years. The article above discusses how the history of music not only helped human beings but impacted their lives greatly to where we learn better and think better. (ODonnell 2001)

Control on Remote Sensing Network Using Cloud Computing

Control on Remote Sensing Network Using Cloud Computing CHAPTER 3 SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS The system requirements usually specify the needs of the system to accomplish the project successfully and the requirements can be classified as software and hardware requirements and hence the requirement specification of this project is as mentioned below. 3.1 Software Requirements Express PCB and express schematic Keil micro-vision 3 real view IDE Flash utility software for programming Embedded C JDK Visual studio 2010 Windows XP Hardware Requirements Microcontrollers ARM 7 ZigBee Modules Temperature, humidity, motion sensors LCD Display Power supply 12V i.e. 1A Relays 3.3 Functional requirements The functional requirements can be defined as the services that a developed system will provide to the user Administrative functions An individual sensor node will check the availability, Else the status of the devices will be 0, if availability is present, then the data is forwarded to the monitoring station Then the device status can be seen and control measures can be taken, to save the power and utilize it in an efficient way. Authorization levels The authorized user of the cloud drop box can access the data in the cloud to know the status of the house hold equipments. 3.4 Non-functional requirements Non functional requirements define the frame work within which the system should work. Scalability The controlling and monitoring of the devices can be extended to, many other devices apart from house hold equipments, like vehicles and security systems etc. Availability The availability of the devices purely works on the internet connection i.e. one can know the status of the devices in the house with the availability of the internet. 3.5 Technologies Used A. Cloud computing technology Cloud computing is a technology that is upgrading day by day and today many of the technologies have their own architecture so does the cloud also as the own architecture and the cloud also as its distinguishing features and the properties that make the cloud unique which are discussed below briefly. Figure 3.1: Cloud Architecture Cloud can majorly be classified into three levels of service models the first level is the SaaS (software as a service) and the work of this layer is to provide the user with the opportunity to make use of the applications which are running on the infrastructure of the cloud and the second layer of the cloud is the Platform as a Service (PaaS) the work of this layer is to provide the user with the opportunity to deploy the applications which are created or acquired by the user and the third layer of the cloud is infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and the work of this layer is to provide the user with the opportunity to run and deploy arbitrary software on to cloud and these three layers are different for the users since the functions and services provided by these layers are different. But for the technical staff these three layers are not different and they are dependent on each other and hence for e.g.: consider SaaS needs the Paas layer to provide platform for the deployment of the services or the services can be directly deployed on to the IaaS layer, and the IaaS layer services and products are also built up using the services provided by the Paas layer hence cloud layers are inter dependent on each other in technical perspective view. The other important part of the cloud computing is the management of the system in cloud and the objective of this management is to run the cloud securely and maintain stability in the cloud environment, unfortunately many of the users are unaware of the management of system in cloud and this management is the base for the well functioning of the cloud and hence good services can be provided with proper system management and these management of system helps in the aspects of maintaining the services and operations involved in the cloud. Figure 3.2: Cloud Management Framework In the present scenario of the internet environment the layer is as mentioned above in the diagram 3.2 and for the maintenance of the devices with remote control in cloud environment the developer need to select the proper services in the cloud to satisfy the requirement of the customer and SaaS is one of the most suitable and earliest services provided in the cloud and using these service the user can directly connect to the cloud and with the help of browser we can directly run the application residing on the cloud and advantage of these service is that the service provider is responsible for the maintenance of the services weather it is hardware or software and is charged as per usage or free of cost. Neither the developer nor the user needs to worry about the upgrades, installations, attacks etc. And more importantly one need worry about the initial investments and license approvals. The present scenario in the cloud is that some providers are giving customized clouds to the companies, for the user the cloud is always free but the companies need to build their own cloud computing services for e.g.: FeiBit corporation as launched a cloud recently and meets almost all requirements of its customers. B. ZigBee wireless sensor network The name ZigBee was given to the device because of observing the procedure of bees flying and the dance of the bees was in the shape of Z and the bees are very small and hence the amount of energy that is needed to transfer the pollen is also less keeping this features in mind they named the device as ZigBee as it has features like less consumption of energy, low price, small size but works very efficiently and its IEEE standards is 802.15.4 and it creates the wireless personal area network for the communication purpose. When the IEEE standard was given the agreement was also made which is divided into two parts and hence according to the agreement the 804.15.4 will define the two layer one is the physical layer and the other I the MAC (media access control ) layer and the ZigBee alliance will define the specifications for the network, security and application layer and later the ZigBee stack also was defined that helps in communication and these was defined by individual layers protocol which was grouped together to which it gives the user API and this can be used to coordinate among many of the sensors for the purpose of communication and can also send data form one sensor to another and hence the energy consumed is very less in this process and communication efficiency is very high and hence due to this the remote controlled equipment can be controlled and monitored efficiently. Figure 3.3: Composition of ZigBee The ZigBee as the capability of the self organizing networks for proving this scenario take the e.g.: as follows where the group of paratroopers in which each group member as the ZigBee devices with them and then they land on ground they can connect each other in the forest if they have landed with the range in which the ZigBee devices can communicate and moreover the module can identify the device and contact the person and hence this is the special property of the ZigBee where clearly we can find the property of self organization. We can also use ZigBee in the industry but cannot always guarantee the usage of channels which are unblocked, like the lights in city streets, car accident, etc. the emergence of road traffic is interrupted due to accident, likewise with the usage of channels in industry and hence self organization of the network is very important because of the errors that may occur during the transmission of the data. The paths are not always set for sending the data and hence one as to find the path that is best and short and send the data in that path in the network, but if the desired path is blocked due to traffic then the data needs to sent in the other path so that it reaches the destination correctly and here in ZigBee the so called dynamic routing for data transmission is used for the sending of the data in the network. The ZigBee works with using the technology called the DSSS (direct-sequence spread spectrum) underlying which is the non beacon mode and the ZigBee network can be expanded that is scalable, within one second or even in less time the node joins the network and rejoins the network again and starts the transmission and hence this is very less rime when compared to Bluetooth which takes around three seconds and ZigBee has high reliability in networks and it supports multicast and broadcast applications and the ZigBee is one of the major network in today’s communication technology and also its importance is increasing day by day due to its distinctive application in many fields like health, sports etc. Figure 3.4: ZigBee wireless sensor Network The access to the cloud computing platform is free of cost and hence through this platform the developer can use ZigBee wireless sensor technology via the gateway through which it is connected to the internet and from there the information reaches the cloud through GPRS and the cloud here provides the real time accessing and monitoring of the data that is acquired through the sensors data socket communication and this real rime monitoring depends only upon the internet or network environment, without increasing delay time. And the cloud platform today supports the latest technology like html5 technology and hence this is a boon to many of the companies and customers and life is much simpler and easier with the upgrading technology. CHAPTER 4 SYSTEM DESIGN System design specifies the flow chart, block diagram, which gives the outlay for the system and also helps in the constructing the project and implementing it so that the desired output can be obtained. 4.1 Generalized Block Diagram The below figure 4.1 explains the overall block diagram of the work done, Figure 4.1: System Design of Home Automation 4.1.1 Operation involved The operations involved here consists of mainly two modules one is the transmitter and the other is the receiver and the transmitter has many sensors connected to it which include light intensity, temperature, motion detection sensors etc. here the data acquired by the sensors are uploaded to the transmitter through which the data is remotely passed to the receiver and from heir the data is uploaded to the cloud in serial form and the data in the cloud is displayed using the ASCII format and this data can be stored in the cloud drop box and the data in the cloud can be seen anywhere but the internet connection is mandatory and there is a graphical user interface that is been developed using the visual basic/dot net and through that also we can see the output when the server is turned on. 4.1.2 Cloud Data Base Center The design of the cloud data base centre is as shown below, Figure 4.2: Design of Cloud Database Center The cloud stores the data that it received from the network and the received data can be retrieved back from anywhere and the status of the devices can be known and the required actions can be taken. In the above diagram 4.2 we can see the cloud data base centre where the data base centre and the web server are connected together by the HTTP and the web server as the apache connected to the internet and the web server is also connected to the client browser where the client can access the data and hence the procedure of how the data base centre of cloud is designed. 4.1.3 Functioning of the System The control command from the server in the Cloud are first sent to the home gateway through TCP/IP protocol and then transmitted to the appliance with ZigBee wireless communication. The home gateway is a server which is used to receive the user command from the far-end place on the Internet, and to transmit the status as well as the power consumption information of appliances back to the database server. The gateway will then transmit the received commands to a ZigBee transceiver through the universal asynchronous transmitter and receiver (UART) interface With the proposed structure, authorized users or the system manager can log into the web server which will be in connection with the database, and devices in the house can be remotely monitored and also the power can be utilized without any wastage. Overall Block Diagram: The block diagram is as shown below which gives the description of the entire work carried out, Figure 4.3: Overall System Design of Home Automation with Monitoring Station The Above Figure (4.3) works in the same as described in the Functioning of the System, this is the method in which the devices in the house can be remotely accessed and controlled over the internet, in the other phase the world is facing the shortage of energy in terms of oil, water etc. and hence how to make use of the resources is one of the big challenge, hence this proposed system helps in the utilization of the resources efficiently. 4.1.4 Block Representation of the Diagram The below figure 4.4 represents the block representation of the diagram of the system design Figure 4.4: Overall Block Representation of the system where one recognizes the relays, sensors, alarms for motion detection are connected together to Microcontroller and the microcontroller is connected to the ADC (analog to digital conversion) where the data from analog form are converted to the digital form and the data obtained after conversion are sent to the ARM 7 board where the data is been transferred and also received through the ZigBee where the received data is stored in the cloud and the data can been seen the cloud with the help of PC. Hence from these design we can see the overall working blueprint of the system which also recognizes to be one of new technology with the combination of both hardware and software and hence this technology is one of the upgrading and ever growing technology in the field of internet of things (IoT). 4.1.5 Data Flow Diagram of the System Figure 4.5: Data Flow Diagram of the System The data flow diagram is as shown above in figure 4.5, that consists of two boards, and there are one ZigBees attached to each of the boards, the 8051 board has different sensors attached to it which will monitor the devices in the house and this status is fetched by the ZigBee and transferred wirelessly to the ARM 7 boards ZigBee and then the GPRS which is connected to the cloud uploads the data , by the information obtained through ZigBee and the data can be viewed by the end user and hence the status of the devices data obtained are visible on the LCD screen attached to both the boards. 4.1.6 Flow Chart Representation of the System The below figure 4.6 gives the complete description of the working of the system represented in terms of flow chart and the flow chart represents mainly the activity in the control center i.e. in cloud network, first the system is started and then initialization of the system is done then the network is built that is establishing the connection with server and then the system is in standby mode and then if the interrupt is received by the user to join the network, if no connection is present then the connection is again reestablished and if the connection is established then the status of the devices is noted and the end devices are controlled if it is not possible to control the connection is again restarted and checked. Hence the working of the system is represented in the terms of flow chart and this system is considered to be one of the advanced technology through which the devices in the house can be controlled and monitored through cloud. N Y N Figure 4.6: Flow Chart of the working of the system 4.1.7 Picture of the 8051 and ARM 7 Boards In the below two pictures we can see the pictures of the 8051 and ARM 7 circuit boards, The picture 4.7 below represents the 8051 micro controller board, Figure 4.7: Snapshot of MC 8051 That is connected to different sensors like light, temperature etc. And also to ZigBee and hence this board represents the home and the devices that can be controlled and monitored using the cloud. In the picture 4.8 below, we can see the ARM 7 board Figure 4.8: Snapshot of ARM 7 That is connected to ZigBee for the purpose of communication with the devices in the house, the GPRS module for the purpose of uploading the data to the cloud and the LCD screen for the display of the information and all these are connected to the ARM 7 board. BIBLIOGRAPHY [1] â€Å"IOT’s Gateways: Bridging Wireless Sensors Networks into Internet of Things† Qian Zhu, Ruicong Wang, Qi Chen, Yan Liuand Weijun Qin 2010 IEEE [2] â€Å"A Security Aspect in Cloud Computing† by Gurudatt Kulkarni Jayanth Gambir Teiswini Patil Amruta Dongare  ©2012 IEEE [3] † Technologies and Protocols for Data Centers and Cloud Networkings† by Nabil Bitar, Steven Gringeri, and Tiejun J. Xia, Verizon Laboratories © 2013 IEEE. [4] â€Å"Dynamic merging of ZigBee’s Homes Networks into Home Gateways Using OSGi’s Services Registry’s† by Young-Guk Ha ©2009 IEEE. [5] â€Å"ZigBee source route technology in home application â€Å"by Yao-Ting Wu in 2008 IEEE. [6] â€Å"Research of ZigBee’s data securities and protections† by Li Chunqing1, Zhang Jiancheng, 2009 International Forum on Computer Science-Technology and Applications © 2009 IEEE. [7] â€Å"ZigBee and UPnP Expansion for Home Electrical Appliance Control on Internet† by Kuk-Se Kim, Chanmo Park ,Kyung-SikSeo, Il-Yong Chung, Joon Lee2007 ICACT2007. [8] â€Å"ZigBee’s Wireless Sensors Applications for Health, Wellness and Fitness† by ZigBee’s Alliances © 2009 ZigBee Alliance. [9] â€Å"Z-Phone: Implementation Design and of Embedded Voice over ZigBee Applications† by A.Meliones and E. Touloupis. [10] † Bluetooth based homes automation systems using cell phones† by R.Piyare, M.Tazil2011 IEEE 15th International Symposium on Consumer Electronics.

William Wordswoths I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud versus The Solitary Re

I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud and The Solitary Reaper are both written by William Wordsworth and enjoy great popularity among the readers. When reading the two poems, the readers can feel that the tones of them are different. I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud affects the readers with the happiness of the daffodils, while The Solitary Reaper transfers a sense of sadness. Apart from the language of the poems and the figures of speech used, the use of sound and stanza also contributes a lot to the creation of different tones. Firstly, the length of each stanza of the two poems has much to do with the creation of the tone. Shorter stanzas are easier to read compared with longer ones. And it is a suitable form to carry such tones as happy, light, and peaceful and so on. On the contrary, longer stanzas always appear denser, and the feelings conveyed are often heavy and sad. Thus, longer stanzas are fit for the expression of sad feelings. I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud and The Solitary Reaper are two typical examples of this. The former has six lines in each stanza while the latter has eight. When the readers read the two poems, it is easy for them to grasp the happiness of the daffodils as well as the sadness that is conveyed by the ?solitary reaper?. The readers can always quickly finish reading each stanza of I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud, the same way that the daffodils are ?fluttering and dancing in the breeze? sprightly. Similarly, when reading The Solitary Reaper, the readers cannot help but feel that the many lines of the poem are just like the much sadness that seems to last on and on. And it is difficult for the readers to get out of the sad feeling that the poet has set in the poem. The lengths of the stanzas alone are of great help i... ... varies more. This also contributes to the overall tone of the poem. When reading I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud, the readers can easily grasp a sense of happiness, because the sentences, which are neatly written, are more music like and are pleasant to read. However, when reading The Solitary Reaper, with the varying of the lengths of the lines, the readers? feeling cannot help being ?varied? and become quite complicated. The length of each line also helps create the tone of the poems. To sum up, the tone of a poem is not simply connected with the meaning of each line, in other words, even though the readers don?t quite get the meaning of one poem, they can still know the tone of it. Because the basic elements, such as sound and stanza also play very important roles in the poem. Compared with the words of a poem, they are the muted messengers of the beauty of poem. William Wordswoth's I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud versus The Solitary Re I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud and The Solitary Reaper are both written by William Wordsworth and enjoy great popularity among the readers. When reading the two poems, the readers can feel that the tones of them are different. I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud affects the readers with the happiness of the daffodils, while The Solitary Reaper transfers a sense of sadness. Apart from the language of the poems and the figures of speech used, the use of sound and stanza also contributes a lot to the creation of different tones. Firstly, the length of each stanza of the two poems has much to do with the creation of the tone. Shorter stanzas are easier to read compared with longer ones. And it is a suitable form to carry such tones as happy, light, and peaceful and so on. On the contrary, longer stanzas always appear denser, and the feelings conveyed are often heavy and sad. Thus, longer stanzas are fit for the expression of sad feelings. I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud and The Solitary Reaper are two typical examples of this. The former has six lines in each stanza while the latter has eight. When the readers read the two poems, it is easy for them to grasp the happiness of the daffodils as well as the sadness that is conveyed by the ?solitary reaper?. The readers can always quickly finish reading each stanza of I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud, the same way that the daffodils are ?fluttering and dancing in the breeze? sprightly. Similarly, when reading The Solitary Reaper, the readers cannot help but feel that the many lines of the poem are just like the much sadness that seems to last on and on. And it is difficult for the readers to get out of the sad feeling that the poet has set in the poem. The lengths of the stanzas alone are of great help i... ... varies more. This also contributes to the overall tone of the poem. When reading I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud, the readers can easily grasp a sense of happiness, because the sentences, which are neatly written, are more music like and are pleasant to read. However, when reading The Solitary Reaper, with the varying of the lengths of the lines, the readers? feeling cannot help being ?varied? and become quite complicated. The length of each line also helps create the tone of the poems. To sum up, the tone of a poem is not simply connected with the meaning of each line, in other words, even though the readers don?t quite get the meaning of one poem, they can still know the tone of it. Because the basic elements, such as sound and stanza also play very important roles in the poem. Compared with the words of a poem, they are the muted messengers of the beauty of poem.