Friday, January 24, 2020

An Analysis of Neil Young’s Pono Music Player Essay -- Pono Music Play

Introduction The researcher’s objective in this paper is to address the issue of the compromise that has been occurring throughout the years, wherein music producers are forced to present material to their audience in simplified, compressed forms. In particular, the researcher would like to dissect Neil Young’s most current innovation – the Pono music player, and analyze whether or not its attempts at aiding this audiophiliac dilemma poses potential success. The researcher also aims to look at whether or not the general public presents a need for this type of product, seeing as there are numerous portable music players already accessible on the market. Over the course of several decades, the engineer’s mind has proven adamant in its attempts at producing and delivering high-fidelity music to the general public. Canadian musician, Neil Young identifies with this statement as he reveals his latest addition to the gallery of high-resolution music players – the Pono music player. With numerous products containing a similar concept available in the market, Young and the investors of this project are faced with the question of whether or not there is a need for another device of this nature, and whether or not the general public recognizes the same musical dilemma of having to listen compromised-quality audio. â€Å"Pono† takes its name from the Hawaiian term for â€Å"righteous† or â€Å"goodness.† In a speech Canadian singer/song-writer, Neil Young gave during the 2014 South By Southwest Festival in Texas, he explains that Pono is potentially a great way to serve music to an artist’s audience in the best quality possible: the quality in which producer wishes for it to be heard. The body of literature on management of technology and inno... ... Mar. 2014. Web. 19 Apr. 2014. . Baldwin, Y. C. The Architecture of Platforms: A Unified View. In Platforms, Markets and Innovation. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar Limited, 2009. Print. Den Uijl, Simon, Henk J. de Vries, and Deniz Bayramoglu. "The rise of MP3 as the market standard: how compressed audio files became the dominant music format." International Journal of IT Standards and Standardization Research 11.1 (2013): 1+. J Josephson, I. "NPD Music Year in Review. J." (2005): In Proceedings of the NARM. n. pag. 04 Apr. 2005. Web. Langlois, R.N., and P.L. Robertson. "Networks and Innovation in a Modular System: Lessons from the Microcomputer and Stereo Component Industries." Research Policy, 21, 297-313. Doi:10.1016/00487333(92)90030-8., 1992. Web.

Thursday, January 16, 2020

Does a Person Need to be Smart to Become a Millionaire Essay

Indeed, an individual’s brilliance is necessitated in order for him/her to become a millionaire. Allow me to explain further. In order to achieve the status of a millionaire, an individual ought to â€Å"realize that making money is just the first step to success† (June.. n. p. ). Of course, for a person to reach such a realization, he or she needs to possess intelligence or brilliance (June.. n. p. ). If he or she is incapacitated and cannot realize this, then he or she will never make it as a millionaire (June.. n. p. ). Simply put, an individual cannot get to the top without starting somewhere and knowing where to start entails being smart (June.. n. p. ). So, yes, a person needs to be smart to become a millionaire (June.. n. p. ). Second, even if an individual has the means to earn money, say through a business, or a regular job, if he or she does not know how to â€Å"grow his or her money† then it is useless, he or she will never b able to save a big amount such as a million (June.. n. p. ). Again here, â€Å"growing the money† requires a great mind (June.. . p. ). An individual should be a critical thinker, knowing where to invest his or her money for it to be able to grow (June.. n. p. ). Clearly, we realize again through the aforementioned that a person needs to be smart to become a millionaire (June.. n. p. ). Third, although a person realizes that he or she ought to make money, and even though he or she knows how to â€Å"grow the money†, if he or she does not know how to â€Å"preserve, keep, and protect it† then it is useless, his or effort will only lead to nothing (June.. .n. p. ). He or she will not become a millionaire if he or she does not have the intellect to â€Å"preserve, keep, and protect it† (June.. n. p. ). For instance, if an individual invested his or her money then it grew, but his wife or her husband, say, requested that a new car be bought, although it is unnecessary to purchase such at the moment and the wife or the husband obliged to getting one without thinking twice or just because he or she was just too emotional (say, excited about having a new car as well) then instead of becoming a millionaire, the money will just be lessened if not totally spent (June.. . p. ). See, an individual who is extremely subjective and cannot be very objective in making decisions with regards to preserving, keeping, and protecting money will never achieve the title, â€Å"millionaire† (June.. n. p. ). Remember that a person who is extremely subjective and cannot be objective is not smart and not being smart leads to loss of money (June.. n. p. ). Therefore, a person needs to be smart to become a millionaire (June.. n. p. ). Fourth, a person needs to know important technical terms in order to become a millionaire (June.. . p. ). Some of these terminologies include the following: †cover trusts, estate planning, asset protection, insurance and other wealth preservation strategies† (June.. n. p. ). Understanding the definitions of each and how it works involves a brilliant mind (June.. n. p. ). If an individual cannot at all be aware of and identify with all these, then there is no guarantee that he or she can become a millionaire (June.. n. p. ). Thus, a person really needs to be smart to become a millionaire (June.. . p. ). Fifth, an individual should be able to accept that to become a millionaire saving and investing should be carried out early in life (June.. n. p. ). If he or she does not realize such fact then he or she cannot be categorized as smart (June.. n. p. ). This is why a person really needs to be smart to become a millionaire someday (June.. n. p. ). Last but not least, a person who thinks that becoming a millionaire can happen overnight is not really a great or critical thinker (June.. n. p. ). A person as such is exactly the opposite of intelligent or smart since he or she depends on luck rather than on certain essentials like industriousness & being wise (June.. n. p. ). For example, he or she may opt to gamble because he or she believes that his or money will double through lotteries, casinos, card games, pyramiding scams etc (June.. n. p. ). A person who does this is not brilliant enough to entertain such thoughts and actually carry it out since it is too risky (June.. n. p. ). On a final note, it takes someone smart to become a millionaire really.

Wednesday, January 8, 2020

Top Feminist Organizations of the 1970s

If we use the definition of feminism that feminism is about explicit organizing of action (including education and legislation) to promote equality or equal opportunity for women, the following organizations would be among the feminist organizations active in the 1970s. Not all would have called themselves feminist. National Organization for Women (NOW) The NOW organizing conference October 29-30, 1966, grew out of frustrations of women at slow movement of the EEOC in applying Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Key founders were Betty Friedan, Pauli Murray, Aileen Hernandez, Richard Graham, Kathryn Clarenbach, Caroline Davis and others. In the 1970s, after 1972, NOW focused heavily around passing the Equal Rights Amendment. The purpose of NOW was to bring women into equal partnership with men, which meant supporting a number of legal and social changes. National Women’s Political Caucus The NWPC was founded in 1972 to increase women’s participation in public life, including as voters, party convention delegates, party officials and officeholders at local, state and national levels.  Founders included Bella Abzug, Liz Carpenter, Shirley Chisholm, LaDonna Harris, Dorothy Height, Ann Lewis, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Elly Peterson, Jill Ruckelshaus, and Gloria Steinem.  From 1968 to 1972, the number of women delegates to the Democratic National Convention tripled and the number of women delegates to the Republican National Convention doubled.   As the 1970s progressed, working for pro-ERA and pro-choice candidates became a major focus; the NWPC Republican Women’s Task Force won the fight in 1975 to continue the party’s platform endorsement of the ERA. The Democratic Women’s Task Force similarly worked to influence its party’s platform positions. The organization worked through active recruitment of women candidates and also through running training programs for women delegates and candidates. The NWPC also worked to increase the employment of women in Cabinet departments and to increase the appointments of women as judges. Chairs of the NWPC during the 1970s were Sissy Farenthold, Audrey Rowe, Mildred Jeffrey, and Iris Mitgang. ERAmerica Founded in 1975 as a bipartisan organization to win support for the Equal Rights Amendment, the first national co-chairs were Republican Elly Peterson and Democratic Liz Carpenter.  It was created to raise funds and direct them to the ratification efforts in the states which had not yet ratified the ERA and which were considered possible successes. ERAmerica worked through existing organization as well as lobbying, educating, distributing information, raising funds and organizing publicity.  ERAmerica trained many pro-ERA volunteers and created a speakers bureau (Maureen Reagan, Erma Bombeck, and Alan Alda among the speakers).  ERAmerica was created at a time when Phyllis Schlafly’s Stop ERA campaign was energizing opposition to the ERA.  Participants in ERAmerica also included Jane Campbell, Sharon Percy Rockefeller and Linda Tarr-Whelan. National League of Women Voters Founded in 1920 to continue the work of the woman suffrage movement after women won the vote, the National League of Women Voters in the 1970s was still active in the 1970s and remains active today.  The League was and is nonpartisan while, at the same time, urging women (and men) to be politically active and involved.  In 1973, the League voted to admit men as members. The League supported such pro-women’s rights actions as the 1972 passage of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and various anti-discrimination laws and programs (as well as continuing work on civil rights and anti-poverty programs). National Commission on the Observance of International Womens Year Created by an Executive Order of President Gerald R. Ford in 1974, with subsequent authorization of Congress to sponsor state and territorial meetings on the rights and responsibilities of women, members were appointed by President Jimmy Carter in 1975 and then again in 1977. Members included Bella Abzug, Maya Angelou, Liz Carpenter, Betty Ford, LaDonna Harris, Mildred Jeffrey, Coretta Scott King, Alice Rossi, Eleanor Smeal, Jean Stapleton, Gloria Steinem, and Addie Wyatt.  One of the key events was the National Women’s Conference in Houston on November 18-21, 1977.  Elizabeth Atahansakos was presiding officer in 1976 and Bella Abzug in 1977.  Sometimes called the IWY Commission. Coalition of Labor Union Women Created in March, 1974, by union women from 41 states and 58 unions, CLUW’s first president was Olga M. Madar of the United Auto Workers.  The organization was founded to increase women’s involvement in unions and political activities, including getting union organizations to better serve the needs of women members.  CLUW also worked legislation to end discrimination against working women, including favoring affirmative action. Addie Wyatt of the United Food and Commercial Workers was another key founder. Joyce D. Miller of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America was elected president in 1977; in 1980 she was to become the first woman on the AFL-CIO Executive Council. In 1975 CLUW sponsored the First National Women’s Health Conference, and moved its convention from a state that had not ratified the ERA to one that had. Women Employed Founded in 1973, Women Employed worked in the 1970s to serve working women — especially non-union women in offices, at first — to gain economic equality and workplace respect.  Large campaigns to enforce legislation against sex discrimination.  A case filed first in 1974 against a large bank was finally decided in 1989.  Women Employed also took up the case of a legal secretary, Iris Rivera, who had been fired because she refused to make coffee for her boss. The case not only won Riveras job back but significantly changed the consciousness of bosses in offices about fairness in working conditions. Women Employed also ran conferences to inspire women both in self-education and in knowing their workplace rights.  Women Employed still exists and works on similar issues. Key figures were Day Piercy (then Day Creamer) and Anne Ladky.  The group began as a Chicago-oriented group but soon began to have more national impact. 9to5, National Association of Working Women This organization grew out of a Boston 9to5 grassroots collective, which in the 1970s filed class action suits to win back pay for women in offices.  The group, like Chicagos Women Employed, expanded its efforts to help women with both self-management skills and understandings of their workplace legal rights and how to enforce them.  With the longer new name, 9to5, National Association of Working Women, the group went national, with a number of chapters outside Boston (at this writing, in Georgia, California, Wisconsin and Colorado).   Groups like 9to5 and Women Employed also gave rise in 1981 to Local 925 of the Service Employees International Union, with Nussbaum as president for almost 20 years, with the object of gaining collective bargaining rights for women working in offices, libraries and day care centers. Womens Action Alliance This feminist organization was founded in 1971 by Gloria Steinem, who chaired the board until 1978. More directed at local action than legislation, though with some lobbying, and about coordinating individuals and resources at the grass-roots, the Alliance helped to open the first shelters for battered women.  Others involved included Bella Abzug, Shirley Chisholm, John Kenneth Galbraith, and Ruth J. Abram, who was the director from 1974 to 1979.  The organization dissolved in 1997. National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL) Originally founded as the National Association for the Repeal of Abortion Laws, and later called the National Association for Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League, and now NARAL Pro-Choice America, NARAL was focused narrowly on the issue of abortion and reproductive rights for women.  The organization worked in the 1970s first to repeal existing abortion laws, and then, after the Supreme Courts  Roe v. Wade  decision, to oppose regulations and laws to limit abortion access.  The organization also worked against limits to womens access to birth control or to sterilization, and against forced sterilization.  Today, the name is NARAL Pro-Choice America. Religious Coalition for Abortion Rights (RCAR) Later renamed the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC), RCAR was founded in 1973 to support the right of privacy under  Roe v. Wade, from a religious standpoint.  Founders included both lay leaders and clergy from major American religious groups. At a time when some religious groups, notably the Roman Catholic Church, opposed abortion rights on religious grounds, the voice of RCAR was meant to remind legislators and the general public that not all religious people opposed abortion or womens reproductive choice. Womens Caucus, Democratic National Committee During the 1970s, this group worked within the Democratic National Committee to push a pro-women’s rights agenda within the party, including on the party platform and in appointments of women to various positions. Combahee River Collective The Combahee River Collective met in 1974 and continued to meet throughout the 1970s as a means to develop and implement a black feminist perspective, looking at what would today be called intersectionality: the way in which race, sex, and class oppression worked together to divide and oppress. The groups critique of the feminist movement was that it tended to be racist and exclude black women; the groups critique of the civil rights movement was that it tended to be sexist and exclude black women. National Black Feminist Organization (NBFO or BFO) Founded in 1973, a group of African American women was motivated to form the  National Black Feminist Organization for many of the same reasons The Combahee River Collective existed — and indeed, many of the leaders were the same people. Founders included Florynce Kennedy, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Faith Ringgold, Michel Wallace, Doris Wright, and Margaret Sloan-Hunter; Sloan-Hunter was elected the first chairperson.  Though several chapters were established, the group died out about 1977. National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) Founded as an â€Å"organization of organizations† in 1935 by Mary McLeod Bethune, the National Council of Negro Women remained active in promoting equality and opportunity for African American women, including through the 1970s under the leadership of Dorothy Height. National Conference of Puerto Rican Women As women began to organize around women’s issues, and many felt that the mainstream women’s organizations did not adequately represent the interests of women of color, some women organized around their own racial and ethnic groups.  The National Conference of Puerto Rican Women was founded in 1972 to promote both preservations of Puerto Rican and Latino heritage, but also full participation of Puerto Rican and other Hispanic women in society — social, political and economic. Chicago Womens Liberation Union (CWLU) The more radical wing of the womens movement, including the Chicago Womens Liberation Union, was far more loosely structured than the more mainstream womens organizations were. CWLU was a bit more clearly organized than womens liberation supporters in other parts of the U.S.  The group existed from 1969 to 1977.  Much of its focus was in study groups and papers, as well as supporting demonstrations and direct action. Jane (an underground abortion  referral service), the  Health Evaluation and Referral Service (HERS) which evaluated abortion clinics for safety,  and the  Emma Goldman Womens Clinic were three concrete projects around womens reproductive rights.  The organization also gave rise to  the National Conference on Socialist Feminism and the Lesbian Group which became known as Blazing Star. Key individuals included Heather Booth, Naomi Weisstein,  Ruth Surgal,  Katie Hogan and  Estelle Carol. Other local  radical feminist  groups included Female Liberation in Boston (1968 - 1974) and Redstockings  in New York. Womens Equity Action League (WEAL) This organization spun off from the National Organization for Women  in 1968, with more conservative women who did not want to work on issues including abortion and sexuality.  WEAL supported the Equal Rights Amendment, though not particularly vigorously. The organization worked for equal educational and economic opportunity for women, opposing discrimination in academia and the workplace.  The organization dissolved in 1989. National Federation of Business and Professional Womens Clubs, Inc. (BPW) The 1963 Commission on the Status of Women was established with pressure from the BPW.  In the 1970s, the organization generally supported ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment, and to support women’s equality in professions and in the business world. National Association for Female Executives (NAFE) Founded in 1972 to help women succeed in the business world in which mostly men were successful — and often not supportive of women — NAFE focused on education and networking as well as some public advocacy. American Association of University Women (AAUW) AAUW was founded in 1881.  In 1969, the AAUW passed a resolution supporting equal opportunities for women on campus at all levels. A 1970 research study, Campus 1970, explored sex discrimination against students, professors, other staff and trustees. In the 1970s, AAUW supported women in colleges and universities, especially working to secure passage of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and then to see to its adequate enforcement, including working for regulations to ensure compliance, monitoring and reporting on compliance (or lack thereof), and also working to establish standards for universities: Title IX: â€Å"No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.† National Congress of Neighborhood Women (NCNW) Founded in 1974 out of a national conference of working-class women, NCNW saw itself as giving voice to poor and working-class women. Through educational programs, NCNW promoted educational opportunities, apprenticeship programs, and leadership skills for women, with the purpose of strengthening neighborhoods.  At a time when the mainstream feminist organizations were criticized for focusing more on women at the executive and professional level, NCNW promoted a kind of feminism for women of a different class experience. Young Womens Christian Association of the U.S.A. (YWCA) The largest women’s organization in the world, the YWCA grew out of the mid-19th-century efforts to support women spiritually and, at the same time, respond to the Industrial Revolution and its social unrest with action and education. In the United States, the YWCA responded to the issues facing working women in industrial society with education and activism.  In the 1970s, the USA YWCA worked against racism and supported repeal of anti-abortion laws (before the Roe v. Wade decision). The YWCA, in its general support of women’s leadership and education, supported many efforts to expand women’s opportunities, and YWCA facilities were often used in the 1970s for feminist organization meetings. The YWCA, as one of the largest providers of daycare, was also both promoter and target of efforts to reform and expand child care, a key feminist issue in the 1970s. National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) A faith-based grassroots organization, the NCJW was founded originally at the 1893 World Parliament of Religions in Chicago.  In the 1970s, the NCJW worked for the Equal Rights Amendment and to protect Roe v. Wade, and carried out a variety of programs addressing juvenile justice, child abuse, and day care for children. Church Women United Founded in 1941 during World War II, this ecumenical women’s movement sought to involve women in post-war peace-making.  It has served to bring women together and has worked on issues especially important to women, children, and families.  During the 1970s, it often supported women’s efforts to have expanded roles in their churches, from empowering women deacons and women’s committees in churches and denominations to ordination of women ministers.  The organization remained active on issues of peace and global understanding as well as getting involved in environmental issues. National Council of Catholic Women A grassroots organization of individual Roman Catholic women, founded under the auspices of the U.S. Catholic bishops in 1920, the group has tended to emphasize social justice. The group opposed divorce and birth control in its early years in the 1920s.  In the 1960s and 1970s, the organization supported leadership training for women, and in the 1970s especially stressed health issues. It was not significantly involved in feminist issues per se, but it had in common with feminist organizations the goal of promoting women taking leadership roles within the church.

Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Debt Is Every American s Favorite Word - 1294 Words

Debt is every American’s favorite word. In America, the population has accumulated $19.4 trillion in national debt, thus why it is the nation’s favorite word. The debt has been collecting significant value throughout the years between various school loans, credit card debt and much more ways to create debt. The average American family owes over $100,000 dollars to the government. Debt is typically created by the different loans needed in order to live in a highly developed country like America. Every loan received by an individual has an interest rate, which is a percent increase in a time frame. With increasing interest rates, debt is nearly impossible to escape. So, what causes debt? Careless financial decisions. Most debt accumulates in the early, substantial aspect of adulthood. The first decision adults are forced to make, even before they are considered an â€Å"adult†, is what is their plan after graduating high school. In a sense, millions of high-schoole rs every year are forced to decide how much debt they are willing to obtain. There are many options available for graduates such as; military, college, or going straight into the workforce. Unfortunately most individuals choose a college before determining their future finances. In the past 50 years, college tuition and costs have increased 15%. In 1975, a public four-year university tuition amount was $2,387 now in 2016, the cost for an in-state student is $9,410. Unless people have had college funds set since theyShow MoreRelatedDebt Is The Nation s Sensitive Concept1325 Words   |  6 PagesBuy is a favorable word in the American society, but with every comfortable word comes the least favorite word, debt. In America, the population has accumulated $19.4 trillion in national debt, thus explaining why it is the nation’s sensitive concept. The debt has been collecting significant value throughout the years between various school loans, credit card debt and many more ways to create debt. The average American family owes over $100,000 dollars to the government. Debt is typically createdRead MoreAmeric The Land Of The Free1637 Words   |  7 Pagesopportunities and freedoms that other countries will never get to experience. America has immigrants naturalized every year. People from these countries come to America to pursue the â€Å"land of the free†. In fact, in 2014, â€Å"654,949 people were naturalized.†1 America is also known around the world as the country that practices democracy. The word democracy originates from the two Greek words â€Å"demos† meaning â€Å"the people† and â€Å"Cratos† meaning â€Å"power.†2 Democracy allows the people to have the power in electingRead MoreThe Role of the Vietnam War on the 1960s1807 Words   |  7 PagesThe Vietnam War played a huge role in the 1960’s, over 50,000 people were killed, and the war began from a dispute from two colonies. Vietnam came apart along with Korea by an agreement of the north and the south. When John F Kennedy became president there were problems between Soviet Union and the United States. Cold war was getting worse and worse; President Eisenhower had to resolve the issues with berlin and Dictator Fidel Castro. These conflicts would eventually lead to a cordial resolutionRead MoreWilliam Mckinley s President Of The United States1388 Words   |  6 Pagesgoing to have a full recovery from being shot but he ended up with gangrene. 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Outsourcing is really felt in the city of Detroit. â€Å"Over the last 15 years, U.S. imperialism has forged a globally integrated cheap-labor manufacturingRead MoreLife in the 1950s compared to Today1979 Words   |  8 Pagesreceive a signal. Theres no turning back now. The only thing that will wipe it all out is a nuclear war, and personally, I think that North Korea is all talk, but thats another story. Technology is advancing at a pace faster than Haleys Comet. Every time I think I have the latest, greatest gadget on the planet, by the time I get it home, before its even opened, something better is being put on the same shelf that my gadget came from. The digit al age; break-neck pace at a reasonable price, instantRead MoreHersheys Strategic Paper6745 Words   |  27 Pagesknown mention of cocoa dates back to about 4000 years ago in the Amazon Forest. 1 The first clear use of cocoa was by the Mayan people in Mexico in the Sixth Century, where it was consumed as a cold, unsweetened beverage. The word chocolate actually comes from a Mayan word meaning â€Å"bitter water.† The cocoa pod symbolized life and fertility and was considered the god’s food. 2 When the Spanish invaded Mexico, they brought the seeds back home to Spain where new recipes were created. This began theRead MoreCultural Influences On Consumer Behavior4557 Words   |  19 Pagesdetermine whether they will save their money, purchase goods and services, or take on debt. Cultural Influences on Consumer Behavior Because a consumer’s culture exerts such a big influence on his or her lifestyle choices, marketers must learn as much as possible about differences in cultural norms and preferences when marketing in more than one country. Consumers around the world have eagerly adopted American products. In other cases, consumers are integrating Western products with existing culturalRead MoreThesis : The American Government3064 Words   |  13 PagesThesis: The American government, put under pressure from the Organization of American States, which promoted democracy, alliances, and healthy relations with Latin countries, was forced to recognize the dictator Trujillo’s human rights violations despite initially maintaining close relations with him. As Ulisis Heureaux, the Dominican dictator from 1888-1899, brought the Dominican Republic (DR) into tremendous debt by borrowing money and bonds from European countries such as Germany and France,Read MoreMichael Kors2075 Words   |  9 Pagesquite young, and he got his new name at age 5 when his mother married businessman Bill Kors. My mother said, â€Å"You’re getting a new last name, so why don’t you pick a new first name?† Kors said. He chose Michael as his first name and his second-favorite, David, as his middle name. His mother also allowed him to design her wedding dress. Kors, already a fashion addict, was thrilled with the prospect. He had two aims as a child, to be a movie star or a fashion designer. He describes himself not

Monday, December 23, 2019

Chinese Food Culture - 5877 Words

Chinese food culture Though there are many different schools, branches, regional variants, etc., of Chinese cooking, together they constitute what one might reasonably term Chinese Cooking, where Chinese Cooking is distinct from, say, Italian Cooking. A nations cooking culture reflects its food traditions, from the food-preparation and eating habits of the countryside to the food-preparation and eating habits of the city, notwithstanding the increasing introduction of foreign fare that is not only served in foreign restaurants in the city, but which today is also found in the freezer section of most supermarkets even in the countryside. In spite of these globalization tendencies, a large swath of any countrys population will†¦show more content†¦Other of these medicinal foodstuffs/ herbs are considered mildly toxic in other parts of the world, though their use in China does not seem to have caused alarm, which is of course what one would expect to have happened if they really were harmful. In sum, while Chinese Cooking combines several features that may be common to many other national cooking traditions, it embraces other features that set it distinctly apart from, for example, Italian Cooking. [pic] Chinese Medicinal food Medicinal food, loosely defined, is food that can be used for dietetic therapy. It may be mildly toxic in a raw state, but is de-toxified via cooking (many common edible mushrooms are mildly toxic in a raw state). With respect to the medicinal foods of China, there lies a large body of traditional medical knowledge and cooking experience behind their use - the medicine of medicinal foods draws on the attraction of food (most people enjoy eating!) while the food of medicinal foods supports the power of medicine and turns good medicine with a bitter taste into good medicine with a pleasant taste. Apart from its nutritional value, medicinal foods can also reduce the likelihood of - sometimes even cure - certain diseases, protect health, foster the maintenance of a good physique, etc., andShow MoreRelatedChinese Food : A Important Culture1776 Words   |  8 PagesIn China, food culture is a very important culture. A meal in Chinese culture is typically seen as consisting of two general components. One is rice, noodles, or buns. The other one is accompanying dishes, such as vegetables, fish, meat or other items. 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Because of the cultural differences between China and the west, they have different food and cultural differences, each country has its unique food culture, whether it is the concept orRead Moreï » ¿Differences between Chinese and American food culture956 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿Differences between Chinese and American food culture The histories, boundaries, population, religions, politics, folks, economy of America and China are not the same, so the food culture of the two countries are not the same. Chinese culture starts from 1,700,000 years ago. When someone says something about Chinese food culture, they must praise the color, taste, smell, shape of the Chinese dish and the types of the dish. 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Food, as defined in Encyclopedia Britannica, is any material consisting essentially of protein, carbohydrate, and fat used in the body of an organism to maintain growth, repair, and life processes and to provide energy. â€Å"Food habits† are the ways which humans use food, including how food is obtained and stored, how food is prepared, how food is served and to whom, and how food is consumed (Foyan Sucher, 1995). Most animalsRead MoreShark Fin Soup : A Significant Part Of The Tradition Of Chinese Food Culture1320 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Shark fin soup is a significant part of the tradition of Chinese food culture. Shark fin has been considered as a precious delicacy since the Han Dynasty over 2200 years ago (Spiegel 2001:411). 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Through centuries of migration, merging and development, it has formed a distinctive system of language, writing, philosophy, art and political organization, which came to be recognized as Chinese culture. It originated from Xia, Shang and Zhou dynasty, which was known as slave culture period. Xia culture representedRead MoreCross Cultural Communication : A Misunderstanding Of Communication1537 Words   |  7 Pagesdemonstrate how cross cultural communication can raise issues in a misunderstanding of communication amongst people from different cultures and backgrounds. It will identify situations based on theory and will examine a case study that will allow a more in depth explanation as to why and how communication is not universal. The main point is to describe the variances between the Chinese and New Zealand way of communicating through verbal and non verbal platforms. The first issue is the way in which Jackie

Sunday, December 15, 2019

A geographical area where one or more languages are endangered. Free Essays

Introduction The geographic area that will be discussed in t his case study is Japan and the language that is endanger is Ainu language. The word Ainu means â€Å"human† in the Ainu language; Ezo, or Yezo, in old Japanese; or Utari, which is now called by many academics. The Ainu people, are ethnic group of native Hokkaido, from the northern part of Honshu which is in northern Japan, the Kurite Islands, much of Sakhalin, and the Southern most third of the Kamchatka peninsula. We will write a custom essay sample on A geographical area where one or more languages are endangered. or any similar topic only for you Order Now Although the accurate number of the Aniu population is not available, as it is common for the Ainu to deny being Ainu, due a long history of segregation by Japanese people. It is estimated that there are currently 23,782[1], although figures could be doubled or even tripled[2]. Thus there is an endangering decline in the Ainu population. The origin of the Ainu is very controversial as there is no existence of any written proof of Ainu language or where it originated. Moreover, the Japanese government does not distinguish the Ainu as separate people from the Japanese, which also makes it difficult to accurately state where it originated from and the current Ainu population. In addition, to the fact as stated above Ainu are reluctant to admit their indentify to prevent discrimination, from the Japanese government. The native are also knows as Ezo, and it is suggested that their history goes back to about 1200 CE. As like other primitive cultures throughout the world, the Ainu culture has encountered problems with the modern culture of Japan, it clashed to an extent that the Japanese government did not acknowledge and sought to eliminate it. The Ainu are know for their trading contact with the Japanese during the Tokugawa Period (from 1600-1868). They were originally a hunting-and-gathering society, who also focused on fishing. The Ainu culture is noticeably different from the Japanese, there are several unique customs, for example the men never trim their beards or shave after certain age, and the women have tattoos just above the mouth are common. The traditional religion is a type of animism, which symbolises their hunting and gathering nature. It is thought by many scholars that the Jomon are in fact the Ainu or at least descendents from the Jomon people. Studies conducted Ainu using DNA samples suggests there is a similarity between Jomon and Ainu.[3] Furthermore, it is also believed that there is a connection between Ainu and the Polynesians that they have a common origin and belong neither to the Caucasian nor to the Mongolian race, although they possess some characteristics of both the Ainu and the Polynesians had a common, ancient ancestry. There appear to be common cultural elements that have persisted despite the different influences the north has suffered. Studies have proven a strong resemblance between Philippines, Indonesia, and Melanesia and Ainu which is evident by the general culture, their clothing, handcraft, household implements, weapons, ornament, religious ceremony and cult suggests there is a strong link. Although there are indications that a large number of Ainu lived in the southern part of the Russian peninsula called Sakhalin, the northern part of Honshu on the main island of Japan called Tohoku, and the Kurile Islands, the main part however inhabited the Ainu is Hokkaido. The Ainu who lived in Russia were forced by the Russian government to move into Hokkaido, others who lived in Kurile Islands died as a consequence of poverty, bad conditions which eventually lead to diseases. Peter Geiser, who is a professor of Sociology, suggests that Ainu may have migrated from the south and reached Honshu. Mongoloid also migrated to Honshu from Korea, thus the Ainu and Mongols have mixed in blood, and so the Ainu may have Mongoloid characteristics. Also it is believed that Ainu ancestors may have also been placed in Southeast Asia. As a consequence of the discrimination and oppression suffered, the Ainu were not a group that were able to stuck together , as result divided to three groups: 1) the Kurile Ainu, who lived on the Kurile Islands in present-day eastern Russia; 2) Sakhalin Ainu, who were habitants of northern Sakhalin Island now known as eastern Russia; and 3) Hokkaido Ainu, who lived on Hokkaido and southern Sakhalin Island. Therefore there are three main dialects of the Ainu language; Hokkaido-dialect, Sakhalin-dialect, and Kurile-dialect there is a big difference between the Hokkaido-dialect and the other two dialects. None of these Ainu tribes have letters or characters; as a result there is no written record of the Ainu language available today. The Ainu language, culture customs and life is endangering of vanishing as, the population is rapidly diminishing as result of discrimination, which forced them to migrate. This resulted in the Ainu being forced to assimilate with the Japanese by the Former Aborigine Protection Law enacted in1899, which prohibited expressions of Ainu culture, native language and forced to take Japanese names. However, a law enacted in 1997 that gave the Ainu official status as Japan’s original inhabitants, recognized their language and culture and gave them the legal right to be different changed this. From then on the Ainu were recognised by the Japanese government the Ainu the language was acknowledge as the language of aboriginal Japanese people on Hokkaido Island, north of Japan. Separate from the Japanese language, however spoken before Japanese, which in some ways is a modern version of the Ainu language. Although, there is an acceptance of the language it is still significantly in decli ne as currently almost all of the Ainu speak Japanese. Ainu is an endangered language, as it is currently moribund, meaning that there are not many children who are native speaker as it is not taught in schools .It has been estimated that there are currently fewer than 100 speakers of Ainu. However, there is an internal movement for the revival of the Ainu language, which denied there is a decline in the number of native Ainu people, which led to the Ainu’s increased marginalization. Only recently, on June 6, 2008, did the Japanese officially recognize the Ainu as an indigenous group and repeal the act of 1899. Even so the Ainu is an almost extinct language of Japan. It is thought to have been the language of the ancient Jomon culture. It is further believed that the Jomon Continued to be practiced by people who fled from the invading pressures to have become the Ainu language eventually. In the process, the old Japanese would have adopted some of the Jomon traditions, such as place names, person names, stories and expressions. Biological studies also suggest that the Ainu people are closer to the people who form European nations. Linguistically, the Ainu language has similar syntax structure to Japanese, but differs in the use of pronouns used as verbal prefixes. It is considered by some linguists that the Ainu language is a distant family of the Finno-Ugric subgroup of Ural-Altaic language group. There are studies suggest that the Ainu people are probably a branch of a group of people who originally came from the North Ural mountains, and spread from Finland to Northeast Siberia between 700 BC to 700 AD[4]. This is from the cultural religious similarity found in old ruins, but culture can be transferred by contact of people, so the origin of Ainu people is still not known for sure. However, until the twentieth century, Ainu language was also spoken during the Southern half of the Island of Sakhalin also minor people in the Kuril Islands. It became used as a lingua franca in the Kuril Islands. However, by the first decade of the twentieth century the language ceased to be spoken on Kuril Island, it was only spoken on the Sakhalin island as a lingua franca between the local language and also between the local administrative and Japanese fishing industries. However, the language gradually started to disappear, in 1949 there was only 100 reported speaker in Sakhalin island which by the late twentieth century the last remaining speaker of the Sakhalin island had died. Furthermore, Ainu language in global context was no usually accepted in part with any other family language. However, Ainu is an isolated language as history suggests it is language from a group that has never need accepted in society, which is one of the reasons why it is difficult to state their origins, as it was almost a taboo to speak the language. Thus the reason why it is concerned an isolated language. According toJohn C. Street (1962), Ainu, Korean, and Japanese are the same descendants and Turkic, Mongolic, and Tunngusic other group, the difference between the two families is like in a common â€Å"North Asiatic family†. However, Ainu is a declining language, and has been endangered for at least the past few decades. The Ainu language is known as a moribund language, which has been endangered for at last a few decades. The remaining 25,000 ethnic Ainu only speak Japanese as a consequence of the assimilation. In the town of Nibutani (part of Biratori, Hokkaid) where there is remaining native speakers live, there are 100 speakers, out of which only 15 used the language every day in the late 1980s. However, use of the language is on the rise. There is currently an active movement to reinstate the language mainly in Hokkaid and to increase the number of speakers as second-language learners, especially in Hokkaid. There is no doubt the Aniu language has over time suffered enormous decline, what sociolinguists refer as a language shift[5]. As a consequence of the discrimination the Ainu’s people suffered especially at the hands of the Japanese, although to a certain extent there has been attempts to ratify through the activism of the Ainu people in 1986, which was a result of the statement made by the Japanese prime minister that the Japanese people are mono-ethnic. This provided members of the Ainu association with the will power to fight to have their rights legalise and to have their own language. However, it is doubtful as to the exact number of Ainu speaker today, as stated above much still fear discrimination and still is reluctant to say they are Ainu. The Law stated above was aimed at preservation and maintain of Ainu language and culture was published in 1997. In theory it is still a declining language, customs, even though they have been legally recognized the Japanese government is still reluctant to recognize Ainu’s right to be Ainu and prohibit the existence of Ainu language and culture from being discriminated. Presently in Japan there are many centres, foundations and societies devoted to reinstating and promoting of Ainu language and Ainu culture, but all they are just half measures, as all they do is provide awareness of the language. They do not deal with the fact that the language is significantly declining this something that only autonomy resolve this problem. It is time for the Japanese and the Russians to accept their links to the Ainu and to no longer see them as an â€Å"inconvenient† for Japanese colonization as well as for Russian. Although, there is a significant decline to the point that the language is considered endangered it should not be forgotten that the Ainu still exist and they have much more rights to be the owner of so-called â€Å"northern territories† and should no longer be oppressed and ashamed to be a Ainu. The answer to this may lay in the ‘Northern territories being handed back to the Ainu as only then will they have a sense of belonging, which in term will prevent them from being oppressed and ashamed. Bibliography Books Mark Janse – (2003) Current issues in linguist theory, language death, and language maintenance – Benjamin publishing Llc Books (2010)|Endangered Unclassified Languages: Ainu Language, Yukaghir Languages, Kwaza Language, Ongota- general publisher Fishman, Joshua A. 1991. Reversing Language Shift. Theoretical and Empirical Foundations of Assistance to Threatened Languages. Clevedon, UK: Multilingual Matters. Shibatani, M. 1990, The Languages of Japan, Cambridge University Press, †¦ Volumes 4-5 p.155 Journals Chew, John J. â€Å"The Significance of Geography in Understanding the Relationship of Japanese to other Languages.† In Irmela Hijiya-Kirschnereit and Jurgen Stalph, eds. Bruno Lewin zu ehren: Festschrift aus Anlass seines 65. Geburtstages, Band I Japan: Sprach- und Literaturwissenschaftliche Beitrage. Bochum: Universitatsverlag Dr. N. Brockmeyer, 1989. Maher and Yashiro (eds.) Multilingual Japan, (pp. 103_124). †¦.. Zentella, A.C. (1995) ‘Towards an anthropolitical linguistic perspective on language shift and †¦ International Journal of Bilingualism, Vol.1, Number 1, 81-10 Online resources: www.factanddetails.com http://users.tmok.com/~tumble/jpp/japor.html www.japantimes.co.jp How to cite A geographical area where one or more languages are endangered., Essay examples

Friday, December 6, 2019

Adoption in Sociology Research paper free essay sample

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to inform the reader of the sociological studies on how adopted children are prejudged and how they can fit into society. It also discusses the difference within the family dynamic. It presents facts and statistics or our current adoption system and suggests ways on which to fix it. Adoption I decided on adoption as my topic because it’s a topic that’s very close to me. Being adopted, this research paper gave me the perfect opportunity to learn about the sociological effects adoption has on children and their adoptive/birth parents. The problem is, there is not enough adoptive parents for the parentless children. This is because regulations for adoption have gotten to strict for in country and out. This is a significant topic due to the amount of children in foster care. This is not only bad for our economy but our society as a whole. Adoption is an ancient arrangement. It has been around forever. Not only is it spoken of in the Bible, but Greeks, Romans, Egyptians and Babylonians all had adoption systems. The concept of adoption was not legally recognized in the United States of America until the 1850’s For my paper, I dove into five main types of adoption. The first being foster care adoption. Foster care adoption is where the state cares for them when reunification with their birth parents is not feasible for safety or other reasons. The second is private adoption. Private adoption is through an agency/independent network where there is no contact between the child and birth parents. The third is open adoption. Open adoption is also through an agency/independent network but the birth parents can plan visits, receive pictures, write letters, and send gifts to their child. The fourth is inter-country adoption. Inter country adoption is the adoption of children from other countries by U. S. citizens. The final type of adoption I decided to study is transracial adoption. This is the adoption of a child of a different race from the adopting parents. The Sociological Studies In the United States, the traditional family co-exists with alternate family forms such as the adoptive family where kinship is completely based on a legal relationship as opposed to a biological one. Many studies have been done on the psychological, legal, and ethical issues surrounding adoption. The first study on adoption was done in 1924 in New York and was called How Foster Children Turn Out; Social Adaption. This study questioned how many subjects (adopted children) were capable or incapable of social adaption. The distribution of subjects whose capability was known was six hundred and fifteen or 77. 2% of the 797 subjects whose general ability was known as â€Å"capable† persons. They proved themselves able to manage their own affairs with average common sense, to keep pace economically with their neighbors, and to earn the respect and good will of their communities. In other words, these subjects have â€Å"made good. † One hundred and eighty-two or 22. 8%, are rated â€Å"incapable†. For one reason or another they did not get on. Some of them have mental or physical handicaps which interfered with their ability to get along without help and protection. Others have qualities of resourcefulness, energy and foresight to so slight a degree that they could not keep their footing if thrown on their own. Still others have demonstrated their inability or their unwillingness to conform to accepted standards of morality or order. The next major study on how adopted kids adapt was done in 1964. This was Kirks path breaking study of adoption which was called Shared Fate: A Theory of Adoption and Mental Health. His study demonstrated the existence of disparaging community attitudes and stigmas toward adopted children. In 1997, the first large scale study of community attitudes toward adoption as a social institution in the U. S was conducted and it showed many stigmas which were attached to adopted kids. A total of 30% of those asked questioned the mental state of the adopted children and only 32% of the respondents expressed support for adoption. Overall, adoption has been considered to be the second best family. Uncommon to popular belief, a study done in 1994 showed that adopted kids have the same, if not better, attachment to their parents as biological kids do. Adopted children scored higher on identity measures, such as self esteem, than there non-adopted peers. A study done in 2008 called The Power of Adoption: BIRTHright or birthright says, â€Å"Adoption involves symbols, not biology. Symboled adoption cant extensively, directly influence biological factors but can have a significant impact upon the meaning of biology. Symboled factors can have a significant indirect influence. The impact of meaning is illustrated in birthright patterns in which the consequences stem for the rights not directly from the birth. † Community attitudes toward adoption have been shaped by the social stigmatism of children born out of wed lock, their biological parents, and derogative attitudes towards infertility. Fortunately, the social acceptance of out of wed lock births has increased since the 1960’s and the attitudes toward unwed mothers have become more lenient. Statistics and Micro/Macro Analysis Sadly, the number of adoptions has declined since 1970. About 100,000 children go unadopted each year. The number of foreign children adopted by Americans has also dropped for the third year in a row. Figures for the 2007 fiscal year, provided by the State Department, showed that adoptions from abroad have fallen to 19,411, down about 15 percent in just two years. Individual adoptions are micro in nature. They only affect the families involved. However, the general process (legalization, laws, etc) of adoption is macro because it allows mothers an option for their children and allows childless couples the opportunity to have children if they are unable. These things can affect laws, economics, and religious institutions. On a micro level, there are 280 children available for adoption in Colorado, whereas on a macro level, in the U. S. , there are 423,000 children living without permanent families. On an even bigger scale, there is an estimated 163 million orphans in the world. Most of the children in public child welfare systems range in age from 2 to 18. With abuse, neglect, or other family issues prevent them from living with their birth parents. Some of these children may be referred to as having special needs because they are 5 years of age or older, part of sibling group who must be placed together, are African American or Hispanic, have developmental disabilities, or have other physical, mental, or emotional disabilities. Nearly 40% of these children will wait over three years in foster care before being adopted. Each year, over 29,000 youth â€Å"age out† of foster care. This means they turn 18 and leave the system and have to support themselves. Sadly, most don’t have the emotional or financial support necessary to succed. Nearly 25% of youth aging out did not have a high school diploma or GED, and a mere 6% had finished a two- or four-year degree after aging out of foster care. One study shows 70% of all youth in foster care have the desire to attend college. But without the help of a parent, they never get the opportunity. Sociological Perspectives From a structural-functionalism perspective, the function of adoption is necessary to provide kids who don’t have a good home life and parents who are unable to have children the chance to have a family, although, adoption would be viewed as part of a dysfunctional family structure. They believe that when there is a disparity in the social institution, it’s considered a deviation and therefore to be dysfunctional. The label of dysfunctional has little to do with psychological harm to individuals and instead it refers to a failure of families to meet the functional needs of society as a whole. According to the structural functional theory, parents with adopted children, regardless of their parenting skills, are by definition dysfunctional. While the conflict theory mostly focuses on how parents are more likely to adopt children of the same race as them. This is true. The amount of transracial adoptions are neary 1 in 5 compared to same race adoption. The symbolic interactionist perspective helps us understand what happens in the process of family creation. In order to function as a family, all family members have to be adopted. In marriage, a male and a female typically adopt each other as family, or spouse, so that from the two persons, one family can be created. The adoption process is reciprocal in that each is both an adopter and adoptee at the same time. We jointly create family entity. The meaning is shared by both spouses. Each individual must also label themselves as a family member or as a spouse. Global Perspective In some parts of the world, adopted children are still frowned upon. For example, in Nigeria, adoptees most times are engulfed with shame because of the feelings of rejection and abandonment that exist in their minds. They feel that they dont belong to the existing class when their real parents are not there for them and they have been given up for adoption. Additionally, most times segregation takes place between an adoptee and other children and this can lead to the adoptee being bullied. In Nigeria, they also have very different laws regarding adoption. Instead of government organizations, they have non-governmental organizations and other capable groups that are responsible for providing a good life for adoptees. They make sure the children are taken care of and make sure they are given to trusted, matured, and kind hearted adoptive parents. The policy for adoption in that country says, the adoptive parents must be at least 25 years of age and 21 years older than the child. Conclusion While adoption is still a pressing topic, the government seems not to care. While the amount of kids entering foster care and the amount of kids being adopted, you’d think they’d get a clue to lessen the requirements and hardships of adoption. Until they do, I doubt the number of adoptions will increase. On the bright side, the social stigmas attatched to adopted children in the U. S. are slowly disappearing and have gone from taboo to acceptable.