The Development of Electronic Music in the age of Post Modernism Essay

The Development of Electronic Music in the age of Post Modernism - Essay Example This further allowed the reintegration of Acoustic sounds to allow for the reintegration of Acoustic sounds through carefully sampled computer based musical instruments. (Schwartz, S. 1993.).This is particularly true in terms of the graphic signal-processing software which when it came out allowed for real-time MIDI control allowing the post modern composer to use this system even with limited technical knowledge. Chadabe, J, 1997).The availability of of such techniques and the further advent into the market of the Yamaha DX-7 MIDI keyboard in 1985 and of hard disk recording and editing softwares were all set to revolutionise Electronic music. (Schwartz, S. 1993.).The nineties further paved the way for more interactive computer-assisted performance and the release of the multimedia CD-ROM meant that the MIDI sequencing programmes were all set to expand to include digital audio. Chadabe, J, 1997). This is in contrast to the position of technology available for the electronic composers back in the 1940’s. where as the musicians were still struggling with amplifiers (for example John Cage’s Imaginary Landscape no.1 (1939)).Towards the fifties there was the Radio-diffusion-television upon which the modern musique concrete is based upon.The founders of the French version of the Groupe de Musicque Concrete included the likes of Messiaen, Boulez and Stockhausen. Another studio opened very soon under Karlheinz Stockhausen and made generous use of electronic sound generators and modifiers.

Madatory labeling In Resturants Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Madatory labeling In Resturants - Essay Example This could be in terms of ingredients that are not fit for their consumption and processes used for production that are not of expected standards. (Elise Golan) The reasons for supporting mandatory labeling of foods have to do with the effects of genetically modified food on the health of individuals. The second reason has to do with the ingredients used in the production of the foods. (IFPRI) Some people may be on certain diets that do not allow them to consume the products. The third reason is basically for the benefit of the manufacturing company such that consumers prefer foods from certain companies because of their reputation, labeling makes them easily identifiable to the consumer. Lastly labeling is important for a country as it helps it in identifying products that come from countries that are known to violate manufacturing standards and therefore they do not allow them in the market to protect its citizens. It also enhances fair competition and market efficiency in a given country. (Elise Golan) Consumer choices may change due to mandatory labeling because they are able to identify products that have been certified as fit for use and those that have not. If for example the product is certified by an international accredited body, chances are consumers will buy it more as compared to another labeled by a local body. Consumer preferences in terms of quality will also make certain products to lose market as a result of these as they will be able to differentiate easily and make choices whether to buy or not. (Elise Golan) Elise Golan, Fred Kuchler, Barry Krissoff. Do Food Labels Make a Difference? . . . Sometimes. Novemeber 2007. 18 Septemeber 2011

Green Capitalism and Leadership Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Green Capitalism and Leadership - Research Paper Example Industrialism and capitalism only proved that skyscrapers enriched the few but have caused poverty to about 1.2 billion (Mindfully.org, 2011). Many nations are complaining poor access to potable water and urban communities are inhaling unhealthy air. Poverty have ill-motivated people to do and adopt measures beyond standards that caused calamities and disasters. World Watched documented about 120,000 people killed and unaccounted millions of people pushed in the margin of displacement, by war or by disasters (Mindfully.org, 2011). In Asia, Japan recently suffered the devastation caused by tsunami after a magnitude of earthquake hit them while India and Pakistan complained of hunger and poor access to resources after they experienced political marginalization and floodings respectively. The inability of some government to develop land use plan and to enforce population control forced people to live in flood-prone valleys and vulnerable sites of the hills sides (Mindfully.org, 2011; Wo rldWatch, 2011). World Watch also cited that climate change and consequential disasters incurred economic losses of $8.5 billion in Central America in 1998, an amount perceived commensurate to the combined gross national products of Honduras and Nicaragua (WorldWatch, 2011). There were however positive actions that motivated hundred of nations to partake ecological protection and measures for rehabilitation, reconstruction and rebuilding of affected communities. United Nations bodies have also started advocating for the use of renewable energies, organic farming, reforestration, vegetarianism as well as of green policy development (WorldWatch, 2011). It called all diverse nations to take part in healing nature and lessen the impact of global warming. This prospect challenge United... Green economy is an emerging environmental philosophy focused on climate change issues and about green career challenges. Green Economics, as a political framework, provides a holistic context of reality that human beings are part of nature and thus must recognize our difference, diversity, equity and inclusiveness as a community. It debunked the concept of anthropocentrism and liberal capitalism as a system. Its philosophy is founded on managing economy for nature and manage the environment. As a philosophical precept, it thoroughly evaluated the inconsistencies, deficiencies, conventions, and other normative thoughts amongst neo-classical economists. Green economy values ecological foundations and its relations with resources, work, wealth and money. It proposes a discourse that questions the conventional market viz-a-viz ecological sustainability, social justice, and peace. It establish an agenda by examining global political economy; regulating market and the state; and evaluate the transition to an alternative economy with special concern of ensuring habitable planet for the next generations. Profit, prices, market and competition are not regarded in the ecology philosophy. Its basic precept is to meet needs and not to increase powers of the capitalists in the market.

The Truth outside Society in Penns Into the Wild Essay

The Truth outside Society in Penns Into the Wild - Essay Example Chris McCandless (Emile Hirsch) is a modern version of Thoreau and Into the Wild is his Walden. Director Sean Penn uses Jon Krakauer’s book that has the same title to depict the inspiring life of McCandles. McCandless leaves everything behind- his family, savings, and material belongings- so that he can experience what it means to truly live. Some people might think that McCandless is a reckless nut and a narcissist, but he can also be seen in a more complex way. McCandless is reckless in a way that he is not fully knowledgeable enough to survive his â€Å"great Alaska adventure,† but he is not a wacko and a narcissist; instead, he should be admired for his naturalist idealism on human existence, wherein he reconnects to his soul through nature, while at the same time stimulating others to search inward for their happiness too. McCandless is reckless in a way because he fails to understand the range of skills and knowledge required to survive his lifelong dream. His lif elong dream is more than escaping the bitterness of his family’s reality because since he was a young child, he found happiness in his wanderings. He tells Ron Franz (Hal Holbrook) that he does not live alone and in the wild because he is â€Å"destitute,† but because it is his choice. He believes that travelling is the best way to live. Being a â€Å"tramp,† which refers to people like him who are nomads by choice, however, is not easy, especially in the wild. McCandless buys a book on local flora and fauna, but because of his lack of knowledge and skills in understanding the difference among plants, he eats a poisonous plant that looks like a wild potato root. This plant has the side effect of starvation and death if left untreated. His death is a product of his lack of full understanding of the forces that he must be able to handle in the wild. The scene where he dies alone is one of the reasons why some people criticize McCandless as a narcissist because he thinks he is good enough to survive alone. Instead of seeing him as a narcissist, he is more of a reckless inexperienced young man who has not attained critical knowledge and skills for long-run survival in Alaska. Perhaps if he studied Alaska for a few years, it could have increased his chances for survival. But he is impatient and he wants to live his dream immediately and because of this, he faces higher risks. McCandless’ recklessness is in his reluctance to wait and to be the best supertramp for his Alaska adventure. Despite some degree of recklessness, McCandless is not a wacko because he is prepared for his journey physically and mentally. Physically, he is an athlete, so he has the stamina to live off the land. He has the physical framework that gives him the strength and endurance for long-run walking and running. Moreover, McCandless has mentally prepared himself for the physical demands of trekking, hunting, and cooking and keeping himself warm during winter season . McCandless knows the risks of his tramp lifestyle and makes necessary preparations to ensure his self-reliance. For instance, he learned how to survive in Alaska from a friend. His friend told him what to do with his food once he kills it. McCandless also worked on a calisthenics program through exercise and walking steep mountains every day, so that his body can withstand the physical rigors of continuous mountain hiking. Also, in the beginning of the film, McCandless sends a note that he has bought a book on local flora and fauna, which means that he wants to know about the land, so that he can survive it alone. He adds that he has â€Å"stocked all necessary comforts to live off the land for a few months.† He used his money from the last job he held at Burger King to buy essential supplies. These preparations indicate that he used his

Effect of Foreign Direct Investment on China's Economic Performance Essay

Effect of Foreign Direct Investment on China's Economic Performance - Essay Example The Chinese understand this very well. While relying mainly on its own forces to bring about modernization, China, as a developing country, has to win foreign assistance, actively develop economic cooperation, and reasonably use and absorb foreign technology useful to its overall economic development. For these reasons, China forged ahead with its decisive policy to set up Social and Economic Zones (SEZs) and designated fourteen opened cities to attract world resources. It is obvious that the SEZs and opened cities have performed the functions set out for them to the extent possible at this stage of their development. Foreign capital, technology, and equipment have been introduced, competition has been promoted, and the training of personnel has occurred. Indeed, the SEZs and opened cities represent the focus of a substantial share of all foreign investment flows to China, and significant economic development has been achieved. ... Indeed, the SEZs and opened cities represent the focus of a substantial share of all foreign investment flows to China, and significant economic development has been achieved. More important than their enormous vitality in absorbing and utilizing foreign capital and importing advanced technology, the SEZs and opened cities represent a significant pioneering undertaking by China in carrying out the policy of opening the country to the outside world and in serving as experimental centres in economic structural reform to create a completely new set of conditions for economic development. As such, a new avenue has been opened, creating opportunities for foreign investors wishing to become involved in a rapidly expanding Chinese marketplace Strong foreign investment inflows to China were not unique during the 1990s. Significant inflows to other Asian countries also occurred during the same period. Compared with representative neighbouring countries, investment flows into China were large in absolute amount but remained relatively small in terms of gross domestic product (GDP) and gross investment (GI). Foreign equity investment into Singapore between 1990 and 1999 accounted for about 15 percent of GDP and financed more than one-third of Singapore's total capital expansion. The same ratios for China were only 0.7 and 1.8 percent, respectively. Even when compared with Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia, the ratios for China were extremely low. (Woo, 2001, 110) China enjoys several advantages in attracting foreign investment compared with other Asian countries. First, it has a large domestic market that provides potentially enormous opportunities for foreign investors. Second, it has abundant natural

Globalisation And Regionalisation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Globalisation And Regionalisation - Essay Example Consequent to the implementation of the neo-liberal economic agenda upon the global economy, implying the removal of barriers to trade and most forms of protectionism, 90% of the global GDP was owned and controlled by just under 20% of the North's citizens, while 20% of the South's citizens controlled and owned under 1% of the global GDP ('Why the World,' 2005). In addition to that, and as Longsworth (1999) reports, the combined wealth of Microsoft's three top executives exceeds the combined wealth of fifty LDCs. Indeed, globalisation has substantially and dangerously expanded the gap between the haves and the have-nots, as evidenced through the fact that the income gap between the fifth of the world's people living in the richest countries and the fifth in the poorest was 30:1 in 1960, 60:1 in 1990,and jumped to 74:1 in 1997 (Indonesia's despair,'2000). Economic statistics establish globalisation as an instrument for the transference of wealth and resources from the South to the nor th, from the poor to the rich and not, as its proponents have claimed a strategy for the elimination of poverty and underdevelopment. The means by which globalisation transfers wealth and resources from the have-nots to the haves are, within the context of any discussion on regionalization versus globalisation, extremely informative. Globalisation, as earlier stated, has imposed neo-liberal economic agendas upon national economies, dictating the virtual withdrawal of states from their domestic economies and constraining their powers to exercise protectionism, if only to allow their infant industries the space and time to grow and stabilize. As Schwam-Baird (2003) writes, insofar as both developing and single national economies are concerned, the consequences are potentially... The United States, both fuelled and fortified by its multinationals has emerged, not only as the world's only superpower but as an unequaled and unmatched force. More importantly, it is a force which is determined to overwhelm and consume other nations. Single economies, irrespective of their individual strength, cannot resist this power/force alone but can as a collectivity. Indeed, they can should they respond through the formation of their own `empire,' a union of nations which, besides being capable of surviving globalization, possibly thriving under it, can emerge as a counterforce to the American empire. Consequently, from this interpretive perspective, not only is regionalization a strategy for survival under, and resistance to, globalization but it is, potentially, a project for the resistance of the American Empire through the recreation of the bipolar world order. In the final analysis, regionalization is, quite incontrovertibly, a counterforce to globalization, with it bei ng quite valid to argue that, as a phenomenon, it rose in direct response to globalization. This should hardly be surprising considering the fact that globalization functions as a very real threat, not only to the economic survival, political independence and national sovereignty of the nations of the South but, to the countries of the North. Regionalisation, as such, emerges as a strategy for the pooling of national resources and unifying for the maximisation of strength and, hence, capacity to resist and survive.

Implementing an ADR Process Essay Example for Free

Implementing an ADR Process Essay An Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) is a voluntary procedure where parties come to an agreement to use in conjunction with a formal process of administration, to resolve and settle disagreements or disputes in a work environment (Ann and Jay, 2002). There exist a number of objectives that lead to the use of an ADR processes in an organization. The Alternative Dispute Resolution processes should perform the following factions among others. It should resolve or reduce a number of issues in a dispute, be accessible, use the available resources efficiently, resolve disputes and disagreements as early as they occur, produce effective, lawful and acceptable outcomes to the involved parties and enhance the parties’ satisfaction (Cavel and Vondra, 1994). Types of ADR processes Mediation is a type of neutrally facilitated negotiation. It is a process where the parties to the dispute choose a mutually acceptable and independent third party called the mediator, to assist them in arriving at an amicable solution to their conflict or dispute (Cavel and Vondra, 1994). The mediator enables parties to appraise their own cases with him in confidence, the factors like business relationships, commercial pressures, and reputation issues can be taken into account to necessary extent. Also, the procedure is flexible to suit the parties and the dispute. Mediation is also quick, consequently cheap and entirely confidential. However, Mediation is not suitable where the parties in a dispute require a court judgment (John and Steven, 2003). Conciliation is a process where the conciliator might express an opinion on the advantages of a dispute and will recommend a resolution to that dispute if he is not able persuade the parties to create their own solution (Ann and Jay, 2002). It is often preferred to mediation if the parties want the benefit of a conciliator’s intervention and assistance in the given confidential form provided. Neutral or expert evaluation; Here the parties aggrieved appoint an acceptable and neutral third party to both of them to evaluate their dispute and deduce an opinion on its outcome (Ann and Martin, 2002). They may request for an evaluation of their positions as a matter of law liability. Adjudication is non-housing grant whereby it is a process in which the parties appoint a neutral expert in the subject in disagreement to decide the dispute (Cavel and Vondra, 1994). The adjudicators decision may be binding in the end of a temporary effect or advisory depending on the parties terms of reference availed to him. Implementation of an ADR processes The implementation of an ADR process may face a lot of barriers. For instance, the management may reject it. This may arise where the management do not belief in simple methods of conflict resolution or where they belief Court judgment. Also, another barrier could be misinformation or lack of commitment. Some employees or managers may present the truth about then ADR process as incorrect or as a bad method thereby creating some for of rejection by the other people within an organization (Cavel and Vondra, 1994). The management may also pose a big challenge if it will decline to provide the required leadership in the process of implementing the ADR process. This is where the leading parties may not be willing to play a lead role in its implementation. Another challenge that may be realized is the lack of any form of commitment by the implementing group or lack of a proper legislation for its implementation. Some people on the other hand my go to court to acquire an injunction over the use of this process in an organization. While on the other hand the law firm workforce may fear the possible consequences of adapting ADR process subjecting it to criticism (John and Steven, 2003). Therefore, to overcome these challenges, one needs to have a number of methods. For instance, the person implementing an ADR Process should improve the communication to the rest of the employees and the management in general. Effective communication ensures that the process shall be well explained and illustrated while giving the advantages of accepting its use in the organization if implemented (Steven and Graham, 1993). Also, it is necessary that the concerned parties should hold a meeting for brainstorming and analysis of the strengths of the proposed ADR Process and its implementation. Involving the all affected stakeholders in implementation process ensures that the stakeholders own the process by their active contribution and participation, thus likely to result less resistance. Moreover, this will ensure that the persons concerned are well informed and are part of the process thereby reducing the chances of rejection and other barriers to its implementation. Another way of overcoming the implementation of an ADR Process is by adopting good leadership behavior by the leading persons in the organization. In this regard, a hands-off leadership style which is closely related to â€Å"laissez-faire† is appropriate leadership behavior whereby the top managerial carder provides no or little direction and gives workforce as much freedom in the implementation process (Donald, 2004, p. 216). The authority is given to the staff enabling them to make decisions, determine goals, and resolve problems on their own. However, the management should lead by supporting the implementation of the ADR Process and also provide relevant advice as to the advantages and disadvantages of using the process in the organization in resolving disputes and not imposing the process. Also, an appropriate advice should be given in relation to the legal processes and other court related problems like delays which are likely to drag the resolution of a dispute that would be resolved in a matter of days or hours between the parties. In addition, the cost that is involved in the legal process is higher that that used in the ADR Process. This should discourage the aggrieved parties from taking the case to the courts. The ADR Process plan may be accepted by the management if the definition of the intermediaries like the conciliators, mediators among others is well done and identified. The management might also accept the plan if legality part of the intermediaries is well done especially in adjudication where the experts are involved in the dispute resolution (Ann and Martin, 2002; John and Steven, 2003). This mainly because of the associated advantages of using an AR process like satisfactory results, more flexibility, participation and control, better case understanding, management improvement and reduction of hostility (Cavel and Vondra, 1994). The management is also likely to accept the ADR Process plan if the cost is conspicuously advantageous in adopting the ADR Process and if it proofs that by adopting it, the parting are likely to resolve their disputes amicably are return to their normal way of working because as an organization, it is only fare that the employees are working with harmony and agreement. In conclusion, it is clear that an ADR Process is good for an organization if it is implemented and well used. As much as there are challenges that are associated with its implementation, it is proper that it is well explained both to the management and the rest of the employees so as to embrace its merits and foster a sense of collective acceptability thereby reducing the chances of its rejection.