Outsourcing in America

Outsourcing Is weakening the nation's Job-creation engine, and leaving thousands of newly unemployed workers here In the United States in search of work. With the number of companies outsourcing jobs continually Increasing, It becomes a much larger issue for the U. S. Workforce to find a job when so many are being outsourced overseas. Unfortunately this trend is likely to continue to cause serious harm in the United States if it continues to go unmonitored. Foreign and American governments have contributed to the problems caused by outsourcing in a number of ways.Some of the more visible ways are a lack of monitoring and data gathering, ceasing to enforce any pressure or penalties upon companies outsourcing Jobs, and U. S. Jobs being outsourced due to foreign Incentives. These three Issues are a large contributing factor to the current problem of outsourcing in the united States and its negative impact on the American workforce. The U. S. Federal and state governments are contributin g to the problems created by outsourcing due to their lack of monitoring and data gathering on the number of Jobs that are being exported.Without having the needed statistics on the number of Jobs that are being exported, the full Impact of Job loss cannot be properly quantified. The U. S. Commerce and Labor Departments claim that the lack of monitoring system to record the number of outsourced jobs in America is due to a lack of resources. This thought process seems contradictory as the federal government spends over $130 billion each year on research and development, and a fraction of this spending would be enough to grasp the full scale of this outsourcing issue (52). This prevents any meaningful understanding for the U. S. People on the scale of Jobs being outsourced, the business's and occupations being affected by outsourcing, and the economy potential responses to the negative impacts of outsourcing. With the absence of this data, corporations are able to continue concealing the number of Jobs that are actually being outsourced. In chapter four, Hair and Hair express that federal, state and local government Jobs are also being outsourced. They further discuss that almost every state government has relocated some form of business abroad through entrants with companies that commonly outsource the work for cheaper labor.For example, Washington State estimated that there were around 1 50 contracts that had contained at least $50 million worth of offshore outsourcing (50). Since there is no government or Labor Department monitoring, companies continue having no legal obligation to inform state governments of the contracted work that is being done offshore. The government Jobs that are being outsourced could have these needed services performed In the U. S. By the American workforce In order to help spur economic development and growth. Instead, American unemployment rates will continue to rise and further the negative impacts upon the U.S. Economy. As the U. S. Federal government ceases to enforce any penalties to protect the number of jobs companies outsource, they also fail to exert any pressure to slow down the outsourcing process. In chapter five, Hair and Hair point out that discipline or cost in doing so (76). With that in mind, companies will continue moving jobs offshore, and will have their lobbyists persuade U. S. Congress to have them lower their tax rates, and as well as defer taxes on future income indefinitely. The company's lobbyists succeeded in convincing Congress to allow them to pay the states no more than a mere 5. 5% tax rate, for which the funds would be used as investment towards Jobs creation (81). However, as the federal government continues allowing companies to extradite their money, there has been no evidence of any Job creation being done with those funds. Rather the U. S. Economy has been missing out on over 29. 75% of corporate tax rates, and the American workforce will continue to suffer. As companies co ntinue making cut-backs, this will impact both the assurance of the American workforces financial security, and also the finances used to maintain their communities.This happens as a result of the increasing number of people that are losing their Jobs, which leads to having fewer numbers of taxpayers to contribute to tax revenue and the funding of social programs. In order to make sure that there are enough taxpayers to maintain funding, more Jobs will have to be created. When Elaine Chaos, George W. Bush's Secretary of Labor, was asked for a statement on the failure of Job creation in America, she merely dismissed the question and concluded that the stock market was to blame for it (79).This response is troublesome in that the country's Secretary of Labor had exhibited what little knowledge or concern she had for creating Job opportunities. This statement portrays her failure in helping protect the future of the American workforce and highlights the failure to exert any pressure to reduce outsourcing. Lastly, foreign governments are actively pursuing offshore outsourcing of U. S. Jobs by offering an array of incentives as part of their national industrial strategy. Such incentives granted by foreign governments include tax breaks and leniency to operate without serious government control.In chapter nine, major policy changes were put into effect by the Indian governments in order to free up the markets in the software industry. The policy changes went through so long as it was maintained that there would be full cooperation with all levels of the Indian governments. Indian IT corporations receive tax rates that, when in comparison, are less than half to that of what the state and local governments are providing the American corporations. For instance, the Indian IT company, Astray Computer, has a tax rate of 14. 2%, as to the American IT company, Electronic Data Systems, with a tax rate of 35. 87% (179). The lower tax rates in India make it quite enticing for American corporations to outsource their work, and then utilize Indian IT companies to acquire the tax rate benefits. The Indian federal government key government actor in the growth of software has been the local Software Technology Parks. This allows companies to rely on the local STEP as it provides no restrictions on equity and has various benefits such as duty-free import, duty-free indigenous procurement, and deemed exports (178).Further proactive policies by the Indian government included offers to companies to set up a satellite-based communications infrastructure. Thus, this led the Indian IT sector to increase from $2 billion in 1994-95 to $40 billion in 2003 and employs over 1. 6 million people and will continue to increase (173-174). While the numbers of Jobs that are promote economic growth, they are doing so at the expense of the American workforce. The implementation of this proactive strategy in India has left a large chunk of the U. S. Record unemployed, and contin ues to contribute to a larger pool of Americans living off unemployment. As companies continue to outsource Jobs, the U. S. Will find it more and more difficult to reverse the trend. This will continue to leave fewer tax dollars in the U. S. System and leave more of the American workforce unemployed. This also will impact the amount of tax revenues required to fund education, health, infrastructure, and social security systems. There is no question that the American people would like their government to take a stand against companies that send Jobs overseas.The U. S. Governments, and citizens, should feel obliged to discover new ways of creating more opportunities and Jobs by regulating the amount of outsourced Jobs allowed in the United States. The issues caused by lack of monitoring and data gathering, the need to enforce pressure or penalties on companies that outsource Jobs, and regulation on the number of U. S. Jobs being outsourced due to foreign incentives must be addressed. This issue can't be addressed until the foreign and American governments take action on the contributing factors to the current problem of outsourcing in the U. S.

Almost. Maine Test (Play) Essay

True or False: 1) Phil and Marci are married. 2) The setting for the play is Eastport, Maine. 3) Steve is Marvayln’s boyfriend. 4) Randy and Chad are a couple. 5) Gayle and Lendall are married. 6) Rhonda and Dave went snowmobiling. 7) Pete is left alone at the end of the play. 8) Jimmy is Sandrine’s ex-boyfriend. 9) Chad works as the mill. 10) Randy’s ex-girlfriend’s face broke while they were dancing. Multiple Choice: 11) What is Marvalyn doing in the beginning of her scene? a) Washing dishes b) Folding clothes c) Ironing clothes d) Reading a book 12) What is inside the tiny bag that Lendall gives to Gayle? a) Chocolate b) A ring c) Flower d) A card 13) Where does Marci’s second shoe come from? a) The sky b) Phil finds the shoe for her c) Under the bench d) The car 14) What is Danny’s wife’s name? a) Ginette b) Hope c) Suzette d) Glory 15) Why is Sandrine at the Moose Paddy? a) She is a waitress there b) She came to meet Jimmy c) She is there for her bachelorette party d) For a drink 16) Dave and Rhonda are ____________: a) Brother and sister b) Married c) Boyfriend and girlfriend d) Friends 17) The waitress’s name at the Moose Paddy is __________: a) Sandrine b) Villian c) Hope d) Marci 18) All of these characters are in the play Almost, Maine except ________: a) Sandrine b) Pete c) Michael d) East 19) Jimmy’s tattoo says _________: a) Sandrine b) Villain c) Waitress d) Villian 20) Where does Hope take a taxi from? a) Boston b) Baltimore c) Bangor d) Easton

Military Brat

Of course the military has a lot of traveling, family orientated, many free services, and good food. Being a military brat was not all its hyped up to be. As a little girl growing up I never had a place to truly call home. Ling the lifestyle as a military brat my mother frequently transferred or was given new assignments. Our locations verified from state to state and we always ended up on a military base. Never staying in a place for more than one to two years it was like being passed around like a damn basketball. At times I got used to my mother's absence when she received her assignments.It was a breath of fresh air when she wasn't around. It felt like a taste of bliss when I TLD have to hear her constant nagging or screaming. All of us children were able to feel free for the time she was gone. As the time came near for her return It felt as If we walked on egg shells due to her unpredictable mood swings. It's a shame that I didn't have a choice to be a part of the military cultu re. Being born into a family that was already actively enrolled was no fair chance for me to have a civilian life experience. On base they preach over and over to us about values and patriotism.What bucking values, Is all I say to myself. The military law required commanding officers and those in authority to demonstrate were 7 Army Values†. The acronym was â€Å"LADYSHIP' which stands for Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, and Personal Courage. I was never taught values, morals, or anything of that nature. That woman who called herself a mother wasn't there to teach me values. I see more of my mother's back walking straight out the door than I saw her miserable looking face. The most difficult challenge I dealt with was constantly making new friends to replace the ones I just left behind.I've never felt such a bitter taste of hate in my mouth for when she uprooted us and took my best friend Sarah away. No one could replace my Seraglio or even come close to fill ing in her shoes. From that point on I kept my distance away from most people so I wouldn't get attached and set my-self up Tort another narrates. It really success when we relocated ruling ten welter holidays. I would plan and save up my funds to buy my friends presents. Making ewe friends in a new environment was extremely hard to break into their social groups. To them I was an outsider from a different base.Being on base there is a zero tolerance policy for misbehaver or being rebellious. As brat I remember the discipline being cruel and unusual punishment putting me in the corner to kneel on my knees and hold both my arms up and away from my body. My arms would go numb and the knees feeling like someone Just removed the knee caps. The amount of time in the corner was based on how well we held our composure. She would have us drop our pants to the floor grabbing our ankles as she took my father's biggest leather belt slashing it against our ass as hard as she could.If we moved s he would distribute more lashings. My mother was mean and called her discipline â€Å"tough love†. Yeah right, my ass it wasn't tough love. She could dissemble my door frame in five minutes taking away my privacy when I would slam my door from anger. She would turn off the electricity to my room so that there was no TV, curling irons, games, or any luxury. The more my mother was a pitch the more I rebelled with braking my curfew, sneaking out, hiding her badge, taking her lies and hiding them.The consequences of misbehaver for a military brat are generally greater than for a civilian children. Being labeled a brat was not a choice by any means. However, due to the challenges I endured it has shaped and molded me into the woman I am today. A woman with values, strength, great friendships, and unconditional love for all. No longer that innocent girl thanks to the military who robbed me of that innocence. And It makes want to spit when someone refers to me as a military brat. It 's not a word that means â€Å"endearment† or â€Å"respect† as we were taught. It signifies Hell for

Group Ariel Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Group Ariel - Essay Example The Group Ariel Company is recycling old equipment situated in Mexico. The management will need to apply the pesos to compute the company’s cash flows to ensure that they comprehend the manner in which the intended project will affect their finances. Additional for easy computation, the pesos should be converted into the Euros. This study analysed the NPV of the Ariel Mexico by deducting the value of manual machine from the value of the new machine (LAAN, & TEUNTER, 2000). Then the incremental cash flow will be represented as positive figures since the reduced value is equivalent to the cash flow. The next step was the deduction of the depreciation costs from the incremental sum costs. It is imperative to note that the fist initial three years of depreciation involved depreciation from the new machine and the remainder listed depreciation of the old machine. A deduction of 35% tax was done from the cash flow, and then the depreciation was added in order to signify the tax shie ld. For the company to calculate the project’s NPV in Euros, there is need to apply the future spot exchange rates. This can be done by dividing the peso NPV by the present spot exchange rate. Since the cash flows are discounted differently from 2008 up to 2011, then the rate of 8% of 2011 can be used to discount since it forms an average of the fours year period. It is imperative to note that computation of the present values of projects such as the Ariel Mexico can take two different ways which consider the variation of rate and risk attributed to the foreign currency. The significance of computing the NPV is to analyze the project managers or investors foresee great variations in the currency. In essence, the Group Ariel should discount the cash flows by using the foreign cost capital if the value of capital is valued in a rational manner (GOLLIER,

Theme Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Theme - Research Paper Example roles in the society that ultimately leads to the destruction of relationships within marriage and character’s personalities, who are not willing to accept what they have. Mathilde Loisel and Louise Mallard represent two characters that appear in similar conditions of dependence and inability to take control over their lives, although each in its specific way. Mathilde Loisel is miserable due to being stuck in a middle class, but being confident that she is worth more. â€Å"She suffered ceaselessly, feeling herself born for all the delicacies and all luxuries.† (de Maupassant ) This feeling of disappointment took all her thoughts and aspirations and she could not think of anything but that of being rich and know that other people envy her. â€Å"She thought of the long salons; of men - famous and sought after, whom all women envy and whose attention they all desire.† (de Maupassant ) However, in the reality, she could not expect that a man from the higher social class would marry her and, obviously, could not expect to improve her social status by personal efforts. Therefore, she became the wife of clerk and continued feeling pity for h er destiny. In general, her condition can be best characterized as being unhappy as a result of being stuck in a middle class. At the same time, Louise Mallard from â€Å"The Story of an Hour† also feels stuck and lives in restricted conditions, however, not due to her social status but due to the very fact of being married. For Louise, marriage became all her space in which she can function while the opportunities for being active outside of marriage are absent. Subsequently, she is oppressed by marriage that granted her limited set of roles and possibilities. â€Å"She was young, with a fair, calm face, whose lines bespoke repression.† (Chopin ) Therefore, the author explicitly explains that conditions in which Louise lives are not perceived as beneficial by the main character. Similarly to Mathilde, Louise is deprived of the

Constitutional and Administrative Law Coursework Essay

Constitutional and Administrative Law Coursework - Essay Example Griffith (1985) is extremely decisive of the comprehended deficiency of rule within Government sections. He commented that indispensable political reformation is crucial to hold back prerogative powers in any Department. Prerogative powers exist even now and it is very difficult to spot those powers precisely. For example in R v Home Secretary2 the court acknowledged the reality of a prerogative power, to preserve peace in the land and which had prior to this not been identified. Much of the constitution is principle and not law. For instance the powers of the Prime minister, as they are not law are uncontrollable by courts. This results in some doubts with regard to whether the courts are constantly eager to make certain that the government maintains its legal powers. According to Elliott & Quinn (1998, 368) "The Home Office is just one department responsible for British laws. The Law Officers' Department and the Lord Chancellor's Department also contribute to law reform. All cases brought up by the police for trial must be now taken up by the Crown Prosecution Service which is maintained by the Director of Public Prosecutions and they are answerable to the Attorney General and Solicitor General". The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme was a source of challenges and unavoidable especially in cases where huge sums of public money were dispersed to victims of crime. This was carried on via a non-statutory process which was governed by ministerial rules of thumb, without proper judicial purpose, or clear appellate rights (Harlow and Rawlings 1984, 388-398). After the turning point decision of R v Criminal Injuries Compensation Board3 (CICB), which demonstrated that decisions of the CICB were reviewable and set the bases for the present review of the prerogative in common. Wade (1989, pp.59-60) debated that damages of the dupes of crime does not amount to exercise of a correct prerogative at all. The reason is that it is not different in role to the institution of a private trust. This view powerfully prefers Blackstone's stress on the 'singular and eccentrical' quality of true prerogative power to the account presented by Dicey based on its discretional character (Munro 1987, ch. 8). Nevertheless, the outlook that reimbursement is prerogative theme since it is non-statutory, and is also similar to the allocation of crown payment, is too acutely entrenched in the judicial awareness to be deserted now. A V Dicey specifies the Royal prerogative as "The residue of discretionary or arbitrary authority, which at any given time is legally left in the hands of the Crown". 4 William Blackstone on the other hand identifies the prerogative more firmly. He states that prerogative powers are those powers which "the King enjoys alone, in contradistinction to others, and not to those he enjoys in common with any of his subjects".5 Lord Parmoor in the De Keyser's Royal Hotel case of 1920 agreed with Blackstone's opinion of the prerogative powers.6 But Lord Reid in the Burmah Oil case of 1965 did not agree with this idea.7 The range of the Royal prerogative power is disgracefully difficult to decide. It is obvious that the continuation and degree of the power is a subject of common law. This makes the

Discussion board #14 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Discussion board #14 - Coursework Example It has struck some parts of the world more than others have. For instance, it has been reported in Fallon Nevada that lies within Carson desert. With a population of about 8000 people, stretching 16 Km from Reno, it reported cases of Dustin Gross in 1996. The illness attacked children between the age of 4-9 and they died after three months. The cancer spread in the town within a span of a few weeks. Cancer has been a threat in Fallon for a long time. Recently, 17 children were diagnosed from cancer with many parents reporting similar cases of leukemia (Williams, 2008). CHN has various options at its disposal to help curb this epidemic once there is an outbreak. Basing on ‘IPREPARE’ model whose initials stand for some of the sources of cancer, NHC has established various techniques to help it curb the situation. This essay examines the roles and activities of CHN from a three dimensional perspective that can help protect the people from contracting cancer. According to Sheppard, Speakman, Ridenour, & Witten (2008), many people are ignorant of the causes of cancer. Therefore, educating the mass on the causes of the disease, risk reduction, and follow-up activities would be the best action (2007). This can increase awareness on the symptoms of cancer. Secondly, it may help provide immunization against future infections among healthy children. Thirdly, primary cancer prevention can help in warning residents of hazardous places. Primary cancer prevention can also help CHN carry out investigations on some of the theories explaining the phenomenon of the causative agents of cancer in Fallon Nevada. This will help identify the various causes of the cancer. For instance, it may help investigate whether the environmental conditions and genetics lead to development of cancer. CHN may also recommend the American military base in the town to compensate affected groups who have fallen victims of cancer because of their

Customer Service Operations & Excellence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Customer Service Operations & Excellence - Essay Example Service Packages offered by The Edge Restaurant Service Packages also known as â€Å"A bundle of goods and services with information that is provided in some environment†. Supporting facility The physical resources that must be in place before a service can be sold. The physical resources of the Edge include the location of the restaurant in the campus, interior decoration of the restaurant, the advanced point of sale systems etc. Facilitating goods The material consumed by the buyer or items provided by the consumer. The facilitating goods in the Edge would include the food items served by the restaurant like Sandwiches, Baguettes and Paninis, Chocolate bars and tablets, Chocolate crisps, Fresh Fruits, Potato Chips, Waffles, Pancakes, Pasta etc. Explicit services The essential or intrinsic features are known as explicit services. The explicit services of the Edge restaurant would include the quality of food, timing of serving the meal, courtesy and behavior of the staff of th e restaurant etc. Implicit services This includes the psychological benefits or extrinsic features which the consumer may sense only vaguely. These include factors like the spacious environment, space provided for car and motorbike parking etc. The timings of the restaurant is 8:30 am to 2:00 pm which have been kept for the convenience of the students (Disabledgo, 2013b). ... The Service Blueprinting method consists of a graphically represented overview of the service process and activities. In each process the contact and the interaction points of the customers becomes visible. A Service Blue print would be created for The Edge restaurant to understand the interaction points between customers and identification of the failure points of the restaurant. Client Interaction: This separates the process step of the service activities that the client carries out independently (Gremler, n.d.). Visibility Line: It separates the visible service activity from the hidden service activity. Above the line the process components which can be seen, smelt or heard are ordered. Internal Interaction: This separates the activities that imply to the immediate relation to the customer’s order from the support activities. These support activities can serve as a guide for the preparation of the primary activities and do not belong to the customer’s order. Control Line: This separates the preparation activities from the management activities which are general. Line of Interaction Arriving at Canteen, Reading Menu, Selecting Menu, Ordering and Eating Line of Visibility Seating at Table, Giving the menu card, Taking order, Serving food &drinks, checking whether seats are ready or not Line of Internal Interaction Placing order, Taking drinks from counter, placing order on kitchen counter, cooking and serving meal Control Line Creation of special â€Å"order of the day† , Paying at counter etc. (Source: Gremler, n.d.) The failure points in each of the stage would be as follows: a) Line of Interaction: The seating arrangement, cutlery etc of the Edge restaurant can be termed as the failure points in the line of interaction. b) Line of Visibility: The

Read Fast Food Nation. Identify the author's main argument. Find a Essay

Read Fast Food Nation. Identify the author's main argument. Find a theme that you plan to focus on in your analysis paper - Essay Example Down the way, the author reveals a load of thought-provoking and disturbing realities – the unscrupulous tie between fast food and the giant of Entertainment Industry and the transformations in the industry that have formed in the production of food products and the standard of culture. While the book is divided into two sections – â€Å"The American Way† and â€Å"Meat and Potatoes†, there is one theme that really that is showing up: convenience. As aforementioned, The Food Nation is divided into two sections. In â€Å"The American Way†, the author looks at the beginnings of the fast food industry within the framework of post World War II America. This describes how the idea of fast food cropped up and began to transform the food culture of America. In the â€Å"Meat and Potatoes†, the author investigates on the particular procedures of the fast food industry such as the development of the chemical flavoring, combination of spices and the li vestock production; the working conditions in related industries such as the poultry and the beef industries, and the worldwide perspective of fast food as an American way for imperializing the fast food industry. ... entertainment industry, particularly Hollywood, in raking more partakers of the industry; hence, a conversation between Ray Kroc and Walt Disney took place, pointing towards creating an integrated business model that would profit both industries. In this section of the book, the author also places a significant emphasis on the ideal and most effective methods of commercializing the food industry, that is, by targeting the kids’ population through Walt Disney’s advertisements.4 The Food Nation also touches on the role of the food industry in providing jobs to the American People: the fast food industry provides work for a large proportion of the American population (although most jobs pay low wages). Many fast food companies around the world are employing more employees than any other industry in America. This somehow implies of the growing fascination not just the American people but of the world population to the fast food industry. The contention of this review is the observation that the increasing attention to the food industry by the American people is driven by the deficiency of time. With the advent of the industrial era comes the continuing tightness and increasing workloads in the workplace, causing more time constraints on the part of the American people. In various sectors of the American society, the concern for time is much on an upward slope: there is a greater need for convenience in terms of eating and relaxation. Considering the fact the deficiency of time is already an issue, many people already prefer to eat outside; nevertheless, there are restaurants that are even worse in time consumption than cooking your food in the comfort of your own home. Some restaurants would take customers considerable amount of time before they can be served. This is

Reuse Collection System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Reuse Collection System - Essay Example There are five (5) distinct phases in the whole process of refuse collection, which are the following: first step is from the house (kitchen, toilet, etc.) to the refuse can, second step is from the garbage can to the garbage truck, third step is the garbage truck going from one house to the next house, fourth step is selecting the most efficient truck routes, and lastly, the movement of a garbage truck to the final destination (either a materials recovery facility, a disposal site such as a sanitary landfill, or to a transfer station for eventual transfer to another final destination), so this process of refuse collection is actually a multi-phase process (Worrell & Vesilind, 2012). Some improvements are the home garbage compactor which reduces the waste volume to about one-fifth the original volume or size, the increasing use of plastic garbage bags to control any fluid leakages, use of garbage trucks which are side-loaded instead of rear-loaded to reduce worker injuries (strains, bruises, cuts, and fractures), use of can-on-wheels (waste wheelers), use of hydraulic hoists, use of garbage can snatchers, and covered trucks with compactors to increase the volume capacity a single truck can carry on its regular route per day to minimize trips. On a larger scale, environmental awareness gave the insight never to locate a landfill on top of water underground aquifer, near a wetland or bodies of water like lakes and rivers (Greenberg,

School Size And Achievement Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

School Size And Achievement - Research Paper Example This essay stresses that the type of schools that students attend have been found to impact on the achievements that they get despite importance in potential. In the examination of the impact, there is the use of cross sectional data to bring the issue. There has been the finding that the relationship that occurs between one that attends middle or junior or junior high schools and the performance of the students. The study that was conducted could not well allow the conclusion whether the difference was due to the difference in the grade level configuration in characteristics across different characteristic and configuration .The studies that were conducted were focused on the non-academic outcomes such as self-esteem, school safety and suspension. The main aim of the study is that it discovers the subject of middle and junior high schools in a Canadian context. In addition, the paper uses longitudinal data from an entire province versus a single city. This is an important exercise as New York City has an exclusive educational environment, and results from that city may not be generalizable to other settings and locations. For instance, unlike New York City, British Columbia has a wide variety of urban and rural schools over a very large geographic area

Narrative Paper Essay Example for Free

Narrative Paper Essay Six Flags is a fun, thrilling amusement park, but for friends, it is now a threat to their lives. A fun field trip turns out to be a scary experience for them. Six Flags is the most fun field trip of the year, of course, who does not like rollercoasters? â€Å"Hey! Look at that new ride!! † Jackie points at the Spiderman rollercoaster with a thrilled expression. â€Å"That ride goes so quickly! Let us go on it! † Her sister, Josie, agrees. They stop for some sweet cotton candy that melts in their mouths very quickly. They stop to see other attractions but continue ahead. â€Å"I am ready for my first day, boss!! † a quirky girl in a Six Flags uniform says behind them. The guy operating the ride shows her some basic buttons on operation the ride, but she does not pay much attention. â€Å"I will let you do this ride, I need to use the bathroom,† the boss says to the new worker as people buckle themselves on the ride. The Spiderman ride is a very fast ride that they were enjoying. â€Å"Uh-oh,† the girl working the ride screams as she fiercely presses buttons on the box. The rollercoaster abruptly stops as it is turning upside down. The screams and cries of the people became louder and louder. â€Å"What is happening?!? † Jackie screams loud enough to hear. â€Å"What do I do?! What do I do?! † the girl panicks and pushes on the frozen buttons. â€Å"Amelia! What are you doing!? † the boss comes in running with toilet paper stuck to his shoe. â€Å"I am sorry boss, I do not know what happened! † Amelia shouts so she can be heard over the screams of riders. â€Å"Wait†¦ How did you know it was stuck † â€Å"I could hear everybody’s cries from the bathroom!! † he rolled his eyes and began to press the emergency buttons. The ride made a weird noise then began running again. â€Å"I am sorry, Amelia, but you are fired,† the boss says in a tired tone. Everybody gets off the ride like they are running for their lives. The boss is still shouting at Amelia for not knowing how to operate the ride. â€Å"I am alive!! † Josie shouts as she comes running out. â€Å"Thank goodness we did not die! † Jackie cries. â€Å"I know! I am never going on a ride again,† Josie shrieked. â€Å"Same. I think I will just go on the kiddy cars,† Jackie agrees and heads towards the kids section. â€Å"Yay! Let us go! †

The Fire Alarm System Engineering Essay

The Fire Alarm System Engineering Essay We are living in a time that safety and security became one of the necessary requirements in all areas of life, in the middle of technology revolution which aims to make life easier and more secure, technology has been earned by man in many fields of his life, and because of that and to make places where we live, work or even relax is more secure and safe by applying a fire alarm system. As mentioned above we will design a fire alarm system which will alert user if there is an indication of a fire situation. The main aim of all manufacturers is to achieve the best and the cheapest systems. Fire alarm system is an automatic system which detects if there an indication of a fire situation by sensing temperature or sensing a smoke, which are an indications of the changing in the environment that surrounds the system. Fire alarm system can be considered as a manual system which activated by the user or an automatic system which activates by itself, or it can be considered both automatic and manual system. The general architecture of the fire systems consists of the sensors itself, the controlling device (microcontroller or personal computers or any logic circuits), and the alarm speakers (buzzers) and in some cases it may contain an auto dialling devices to call the police or the owner of the building. Fire alarm systems can provide one or more of the following: Notifies the occupants. Controls all the fire alarm components in a building. Notifies persons in the surrounding area. Summons the fire service. Project Description and Aims The main aim of this project is to design a PIC microcontroller based fire and over heat monitoring and alarm system; the system will have the ability to detect smoke and continuously measure the temperature at any desired area and display it on an LCD (liquid crystal display) screen. And when the temperature goes over a certain degree a fan will be activated in order to reduce the temperature and cool the place. But if that doesnt work and the temperature still increasing an alarm will be activated in order to alert the persons on the surrounding area and the fan will be disabled in order to reduce the opportunity of starting a fire. Also this alarm will be activated in tow more ways, either by the pull box switch which will activate the fire alarm manually or by the smoke detector that will detect any kind of smoke which is often an indication for the existence of fire. This fire system can be considered as a manual automatic system, it is based on many ways to alert people that attending in a certain place -where the system is activated for a fire situation; the first method is sensing the temperature of the area if any increasing of the temperature over a certain degree is detected by the controller it will be displayed on the LCD and the fan will be activated, if the temperature still increasing that will indicate a fire situation so the microcontroller will activate the alarm, the second method is by pulling the switch box manually by any user, and finally when the smoke sensor will detect a smoke in the environment the microcontroller will receive the read and will activate the alarm and display the result on the LCD. Main system components: PIC microcontroller as the system brain. LCD to display results from PIC microcontroller Temperature sensor to measure the air Temperature. Smoke detector detects if there a smoke in the air. Alarm which alert in the fire situation. Switch used for manually activate or deactivate system. Fan to decrease the air Temperature. 1.3 System Block Diagram: fir blo.JPG Figure (1.1) System Block Diagram PIC microcontroller as shown in the figure (1.1) is can be described as the brain of the system, which receives inputs from three parts the first one is the temperature sensor, which measure the temperature of a certain area and pass it to the PIC microcontroller which will detects the temperature whether its over a certain degree or not, if the temperature degree is less than the certain degree them PIC will display the degree on the LCD, if the temperature degree is over then the PIC microcontroller will display the temperature degree and will put the fan to work until the temperature decrease to the normal degree. But if the temperature degree still increasing then the PIC will consider a fire situation activate the system automatically including turn the fan off and will put the alarm on to alert people to a fire situation, alarm cant be put on if there is not a driving circuit PIC may not be able to turn the alarm on. The second input is from smoke detector which detects if there a smoke in the air, and send the result continuously to the PIC whether there a smoke or not. And the PIC will detect the result if there is no smoke PIC will display the result on the LCD, but if there is smoke PIC will display the result on the LCD and will turn the alarm on to alert people to a fire situation. The third input is from the switch by which user will be able to activate or deactivate the fire system manually. If the system detects a smoke or increasing in the temperature and assumed a fire situation and there is no fire the user can deactivate the system manually, and if the user find himself in a fire situation but the system hasnt detected it yet he can activate the system manually. 1.4 Plan to implement As shown in the block diagram first the LCD screen must be connected to the PIC in order to display the desired data, then the reading of the temperature sensor will be fed to the PIC microcontroller through the ADC (analog to digital) peripheral of the PIC as input then it will be processed in the PIC microcontroller so it can be displayed on the LCD screen, then we will interface the smoke detector with the PIC microcontroller and display its status on the LCD screen. After that an interface must be done through a driving circuit to activate and deactivate the siren with a control signal from the PIC microcontroller, and then to make the connection of the pull box switch. Also a driving circuit has to be implemented to control the system cooling fan from the PIC microcontroller. 1.5 Software Approach Since we are designing a PIC microcontroller based system, first we need tools to program and write the software for the PIC microcontroller, so will need to use a PIC code compiler that is efficient and easy to use, so we have chosen to use (MikroBasic) compiler. Chapter Two Theoretical Background 2.1 OVERVIEW In this chapter we are going to explain all system hard ware components and why we used them. Several hardware components are required to combine the ability of sensing the temperature degree and detecting smoke in the air with activating the system for fire l In this chapter we will introduce all the project components with a brief about each component. The project main components are: PIC microcontroller as the system brain. LCD to display results from PIC microcontroller Temperature sensor to measure the air Temperature. Smoke detector detects if there a smoke in the air. Alarm which alert in the fire situation. Switch used for manually activate or deactivate system. Fan to decrease the air Temperature. 2.2 PIC microcontroller A microcontroller is an integrated circuit consists of simple CPU which associated with support functions such as timers, serial and analog I/O, crystal oscillator, its memory is divided to ROM, RAM, EEPROM, PIC is designed for small or dedicated applications. PIC used to reduce size and cost comparing to the model that uses separated CPU, memory, and I/O devices PIC also provides a benefit of controlling non digital electronic systems. PIC became popular in both industrial developers and hobbyists thats because of the low cost availability, easy to program and reprogram with flash memory (EEPROM) capability.F:EnasyacoubPICpic_pl.jpg Figure 2.1 (PIC microcontroller) 2.2-1 Types of the PICs Pins: The Must Pins M-CLR : which mean master clear and it active high which mean this pin works using 1but if its written as M-CLR that mean it is active low works using 0, the function of this pin is to reset the PIC which mean reset to the program counter to return to the beginning of the executed code. It is the PIN no. 1 in the PIC and most of the time it is connected to the Vcc logic 1 to let the PIC work. Oscillator: It is defined as a periodic fluctuation between two things based on changing in energy, frequency at which oscillator works is usually determined by a quartz crystal which vibrates at a frequency depends on it thickness when current is applied to it. Oscillator can combine inductors, resistors, and/or capacitors to determine the frequency. There are two types of oscillator: internal oscillator, external oscillator such as quartz crystals. Power supply: The main function of power supply is to provide system with fixed voltage needed, the typical voltage for almost PICs is (5 V) which indicates that there is a limitation on the voltage, for example if the PIC was provided with (5.5-6 V) it will damage, less than (2.5 V) PIC will not work, (less than 4.5 and more than 2.5) it is a float value which mean it is not a known value for the PIC. Usually no. of power pins is 4; 2 pins are grounded (VSS), the other two are 5 volt (VDD). The Optional Pins These pins are divided into groups that are called ports. Each port has a configuration register inside the PIC and it is called TRISE register; which a data direction register that controls the direction of data (input or output) of each pin of that port. For example having TRISA cleared (0 which is the default) will configure all pins of PORTA as output. PIC Microcontroller (16F876A) which is best described as the brain of the system, this part were chosen for its convenience for the project because all the components in this project must be interfaced with each in any easy and simple approach in order to save time and effort, for instance we have used an LCD screen as a human interface to display the system status, which much is easier to connect the LCD to the PIC microcontroller rather than facing an external interfacing hardware design. 2.2-2 PIC 16F876A: PIC16F876A High-Performance RISC CPU: Only 35 single-word instructions All single-cycle instructions except for program branches, which are two-cycle. Operating speed: DC 20 MHz Clock input DC 200 ns instruction cycle. Up to 8K x 14 words of Flash Program Memory. Up to 368 x 8 bytes of Data Memory (RAM) Up to 256 x 8 bytes of EEPROM Data Memory. Those features result because of the PIC technology CMOS Technology: Low-power, high-speed Flash/EEPROM technology. Fully static design. Wide operating voltage range (2.0V to 5.5V). Commercial and Industrial temperature ranges. Low-power consumption. 2.3 Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) 2.3-1 Definition and Mechanism of LCD LCD is the short of a Liquid Crystal Display which is a thin, flat panel. LCD is an electronically displayer for information which can be a text, symbols, numbers, images or moving pictures. It can be used as a monitor for computers, TVs, gaming devices, calculators, etc. figure (3.13) shows a 16ÃÆ'-2 LCD. Character LCD Figure (2.2) LCD 2.3-2 LCD Basics: Simple LCDs consists of liquid crustal cell surrounded by conductive electrode, upper and lower glass, upper and lower polarizer, as shown on the figure. Figure 2.3 (LCD structure) LCD displays utilize two sheets of polarizing material with a liquid crystal between them. When an electric current passed through the liquid crystal causes the crystals to align. Because of that light will not be able to pass through them. Therefore, each crystal is like a shutter, either allowing light to pass through or blocking the light as you can see in figure (3.14). Because its low electrical power consumption which allows it to be used in battery powered electronic equipment it made of any number of pixels filled with liquid crystal cells, to produce image in colours or monochrome pixels must be arrayed in front of light source. Among to its lightweight construction, its portability, and its ability to be produced in much larger screen sizes than are practical construction of cathode ray tube (CRT) display technology which are LCDs major features . Also its low electrical power consumption enables it to be used in battery-powered electronic equipment. Since all the functions such as display RAM, character generator and liquid crystal driver, required for driving a dot-matrix liquid crystal display are internally provided on one chip, a minimum system can be interfaced with this controller drive. LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) screen that will be used to display the temperature and to display the status of the system, we have chosen an LCD screen since its the best way to inform the user about the system status in a friendly and simple way. 2.4 Temperature Sensor: Which is a device used to sense temperature also known as measurement temperature device. Temperature sensors can be classified into two types contact and non-contact sensors. 2.4-1 Contact sensors Which measure its own temperature as the environments temperature, by considering that the sensor and the object are at the in thermal equilibrium which means that there is no flow temperature between them. 2.4-2 Non-contact sensors Which receives thermal radiant power of infrared radiation radiates from some area, then its measure it as the temperature of that area. Temperature Sensor (LM35 DZ) this sensor has been chosen due to its high quality, sensitivity, low cost and its simple and easy output interface. Features of temperature Sensor (LM35 DZ) Calibrated directly in  ° Celsius (Centigrade) 0.5 °C accuracy Rated for full -55 ° to +150 °C range For remote applications this sensor is suitable It can operate from 4 to 30 volts The current drain is less than 60  µA 2.5 Smoke Detector Its been used to detect smoke in the air and fed back the result to the system. There are two methods to detect smoke in the air: Photoelectric method which also called optical detection. By emitting electronics from a matter such as liquid metals or gases that from electromagnetic radiation electrons energy would be absorptive, then the emitted electronics will be detected by the detector. The process is done as a light beam which goes in front to the light sensor in the case of no smoke, but if there smoke light will reflect in angles then light beams will be scattered to the light sensor which will consider it as a smoke setuation. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f5/Photoelectric_effect.svg/275px-Photoelectric_effect.svg.png http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/49/OpticalSmokeDetector.png/250px-OpticalSmokeDetector.png Ionization by converting an ion into molecule by removing or adding charges electrons. The principle of this method is that a chamber which includes two electrodes with air between them and there is a small constant current will be permitted but if there a smoke enters the ionic chamber then the small current will be interrupted which will indicate a fire situation. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/68/Smokealarm.JPG/250px-Smokealarm.JPG http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoke_detector 2.6 Switch This is an electrical device used to pass or not pass current. It is used to activate the system manually by any user in any emergency case. Or deactivate the system manually by the user in if the system activate automatically and there is no emergency case. 2.7 Buzzer or siren Is also called a beeper which is an electronic device which consists number of sensors or switches, has many applications such as car horn, clock alarm etc That is used to inform the persons at the surrounding area and notify them about status of the fire alarm system. 2.8 Driving circuit Which is an electrical circuit by which an electronic device can control another device, driving circuit for example can be used to amplify current.

The Background Analysis And Performance Suggestions

The Background Analysis And Performance Suggestions Luciano Berios Sequenza IXa is a work of increasingly great significance for the clarinet repertoire. In the past few years, numerous international music competitions, including the prestigious Geneva, Munich, and Nielsen competitions, have included the Sequenza in the repertoire for their first rounds. In addition, it has become an integral part of the unaccompanied solo standard clarinet repertoire in the twentieth century, and it provides clarinetists with a wealth of opportunities for exploring new techniques and freedom for musical interpretation. Upon first hearing it, the Sequenza intrigues, but challenges the listener to accept a new musical language. A glance at the score immediately reveals a host of difficulties for the performer, including a variety of rhythmic patterns, dynamic changes, and multiphonics, as well as the physical stamina required over the length of the piece. Apart from the score itself, little information is available about the history and construction of the piece from scholarly sources. This limited literature cannot satisfy the curiosity that the composition inspires.  [1]  Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to provide a more comprehensive aid to the study and performance of this piece, in order to make approaching the work more feasible and also more attractive to a wider breadth of clarinetists. My examination of the Sequenza will begin by contextualizing the work within the composers life and background, including a consideration of his statements about music and about the Sequenzas in particular. This will be followed by analysis of Sequenza IXa investigating the diverse array of musical elements, including harmonic fields, rhythmic patterns, transformational processes, structure, and multiphonics in the second part. To conclude, I will explore some of the difficulties in performing the piece and offer potential solutions. PART I: HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF Sequenza IXa Berio is considered the foremost Italian avant-garde composer of his time, and one of the most influential composers of the twentieth century. He is particularly well known for his modernist approach and his extensive and experimental use of electronic instruments in art music. Born in Oneglia, Italy, he studied music with his father, an organist, before enrolling in music school in Milan.  [2]  In 1950, he married the American singer Cathy Berberian, a soprano who subsequently performed many of his works.  [3]  He traveled to the United States in 1953 to study with Dallapiccola, who he was introduced him to serialism. However, the most important aspect of his trip to the United States was his exposure to electronic music. In 1952, he attended the first public concert of electronic music in the U.S. At New Yorks Museum of Modern Art, the concert featured tape pieces by Otto Luening and Vladimir Ussachevsky.  [4]  After returning to Italy, he co-founded the noted electroni c music center Studio di Fonologia Musicale in Milan in 1955, directing it from 1955 to 1961.  [5]  From 1965 to 1972, he taught at the Julliard School in New York City; during this time, he also held a number of international teaching responsibilities.  [6]  In addition, Berio served as a director of the Institut de Recherche et Coordination Acoustique Musique (IRCAM) in Paris. In 1980, he accepted an honorary Doctorate of Music Degree from City University in London. Two years later, he became the Artistic Director of the Orchestra Regionale Toscana and in 1984, Artistic Director of the Maggio Musical Fiorentino.  [7]   Berios musical style may be seen as engaging and an extending of European and Italian classical traditions. His many years of education and his long career demonstrate this, as do the statements he has made about music and his own music in particular. Berio has described music as the constant search for an answer to something that continuously shifts.  [8]  He has further stated that the search for a deep unity, is maybe the most exciting, the most profoundly experimental and the least functional aspect of its presence.  [9]  These descriptive words are useful in understanding what Berio has said about the Sequenzas. The series of fourteen Sequenzas was a long-standing project, spanning 30 years. Each of these pieces is written for a solo instrument, and demonstrates extensive performance techniques. In virtually all of the Sequenzas, these techniques are intended to expand the boundaries of what was playable or singable on the respective instrument. The Sequenza series can be considered a manual of instrumental composing in the twentieth century. The majority of the Sequenzas were commissioned by or composed for a certain performer, and Berio often collaborated closely with these performers to understand the particular abilities and limitations of the instrument.  [10]  For example, one of his most successful Sequenzas is Sequenza III, for female voice, written for and dedicated to Berberian, a pioneer in avant-garde vocal techniques. Sequenza IXa was commissioned and premiered by the French clarinetist Michel Arrignon in 1980. Between 1977 and 1983 Berio worked on a piece entitled Chemins V for clarinet and real-time digital filters,  [11]  but it was never completed. Later, Berio withdrew Chemins V, and titled the extracted clarinet part Sequenza IXa.  [12]   Berio says that, All theSequenzas for solo instruments are intended to set out and melodically develop an essentially harmonic discourse and to suggest, particularly in the case of the monodic instruments, a polyphonic mode of listening  [13]  As he described further in regards to his flute Sequenza: I wanted to establish a way of listening so strongly conditioned as to constantly suggest a latent, implicit counterpoint. The idea was the polyphonic melodies of Bach. An inaccessible ideal, naturally, because what implicitly guided polyphonic listening in a Bach melody was nothing less than the history of baroque musical language, whereas in a nonlinguistic melody like my Sequenza for flute, history provided no protection, and everything had to be planned out explicitly.  [14]   In Sequenza I, various procedures project the concept of polyphony, largely based on Bachs polyphonic melodies. However, Berio soon came to realize the impossibility of achieving this goal, partially because Bachs polyphony was made possible by the universal tonal language of the time. Without the use of Baroque harmonic conventions, Berio relies on another way of implying underlying counterpoint. To achieve this, he explored the idea of a single instrument producing more than one voice. In this way, a monophonic instrument becomes capable of implying not only a dialogue, but also the sounding together of more than one voice. Sequenza IXa, like the flute Sequenza, can be said to use the same nonlinguistic type of melody. The most obvious and literal manner of achieving more than one voice with a monophonic instrument is through multiphonics. Another way to simulate polyphony in a monophonic instrument is to use a type of technique Bach uses in his pieces, compound melody. Following the idea of using two pitch-class collections differently, one melody tends to appear in the same register, whereas the other traverses the range of the instrument in very wide leaps and with great variety.  [15]  Berio developed these two pitch-class collections experimenting with temporal, dynamic, pitch, and morphological dimensions to generates a type of polyphony. These different musical elements are recognizable through the transformational processes, which will discuss later in the paper. In a discussion of the form of Sequenza I, Berio said, The title was meant to underline that the piece was built from a sequence of harmonic fieldsfrom which the other strongly characterized musical functions were derived.  [16]  In the same interview, Berio continued: The temporal, dynamic, pitch and morphological dimensions of the piece are characterized by maximum, medium and minimum levels of tension. The level of maximum tension within the temporal dimension is produced by moments of maximum speed in articulation and moments of maximum duration of sounds, the medium level is always established by a neutral distribution of fairly long notes and fairly rapid articulations, and the minimum level entails silence, or a tendency to silence. The pitch dimension is at its maximum level when notes jump about a wide gamut and establish the tensest intervals, or when they insist on extreme register: The medium and minimum levels follow logically from this. The maximum level of the dynamic dimension is naturally produced by moments of maximum sound energy and maximum dynamic contrast. What I call the morphological dimension is placed, in certain aspects, at the service of the other three and is, as it were, their rhetorical instrument.  [17]   This statement can further be applied to Sequenza IXa for solo clarinet, as it is also an essentially harmonic discourse which is melodically developed by temporal, dynamic, pitch and morphological dimensions  [18]  in order to suggest a polyphonic mode of listening. Analysis of the piece shows that Berios statement does in fact apply and is of use in understanding Sequenza IXa. PART II: ANALYTICAL DISCUSSION Harmonic fields As Berio states, the title Sequenza was meant to underline that the piece was built from a sequence of harmonic fieldsfrom which the other, strongly characterized musical functions were derived.  [19]  In his Berio, David Osmond-Smith observes that the harmonic field can be defined as a temporary emphasis on a single pitch or on a collection of pitches.  [20]  Berio uses both options to establish a harmonic field, similar to the function of chords in tonal music. Thus, when Berio moves from one field to another, it can be said that there is a shift of harmony. Andrea Cremaschi explains that Berio does not use a dodecaphonic series, but rather divides the twelve notes into two separate pitch-class collections: a five-note collection and a seven-note collection. The first collection traverses the instruments range, is used melodically, and is characterized by wide, varied leaps (see Fig. 1a). The seven-note collection, in contrast, tends to appear in the same register and generally appears with less variety (see Fig. 1b).  [21]  As the piece develops, these two distinct pitch-class collections appear in contrast, in alternation, or, in some cases, interlaced with each other. As shown in Figure1, while the two pitch-class collections are distinct, both are characterized by multiple occurrences of the tritone. Figure 1. The five-note (a) and seven-note (b) collections of Sequenza IXa.  [22]   Sequenza IXa moves through a sequence of harmonic fields which are defined by the use of one or more of the following devices among the two contrasting pitch-class collections: 1) the use of the two pitch-class collections in rapid succession; 2) the use of the first pitch of each collection as the beginning and ending note of a phrase; and 3) the use of what Berio calls tense intervals which suggest harmonic tension and resolution.  [23]   The two different pitch collections appear at the beginning of the work. The melody shown in Ex.1 is primarily based on the five-note collection, whose pitches move between three registers with relative freedom. The seven-note collection ornaments the melody, with only two notes from it, F# and D, appearing. These two notes function not only as passing notes, but also as ornamentation, similar to the grace notes in the second and third line. The ascending grace notes at the beginning of line 2 occur in rapid succession. Most of the notes are still based on the five-note collection, except for three notes from the seven-note collection, still F#, D, and now D#. Similar grace- note passages are prevalent throughout the piece. Berio uses this blending of the two pitch-class collections to establish the harmonic field. Example 1. Sequenza IXa, Page 1, Lines 1-3. Circles indicate pitches from the seven-note collection used as passing tones. The second device, the repetition of the first note, is illustrated in Ex. 2a, lines 4-8. The rehearsal A section consists of four melodic phrases, each phrase separated by a fermata and silence. The four melodic phrases are based on the seven-note collection, with the seven notes largely fixed in the same register. Now there are only two pitches chosen from the five-note collection, G and Bb. Here, the seven-note collection previously used for ornamentation becomes the principal pitch-class collection, which indicates movement away from the previous harmonic field. The starting tending pitches of the 4 phrases compose out the 1st 4-note motive, G#, F#, D, A. Berio unifies the four phrases here, beginning each subsequent phrase on the next of the first four notes (G#, F#, D, A) of the first phrase. As with the G# in the first phrase, the F#, D, and A serve as the beginning and ending notes of the second, third and fourth phrases, respectively. Example 2a. Sequenza IXa, Page 1, Lines 4-8: Circles highlight the repetition of pitches at the beginning and ending of phrases. In addition, the repeated use of a series of several notes drawn from both pitch-class collections in a fixed order establishes a new harmonic field. In Ex. 2b, the first phrase establishes the following sequence of pitches: G#, F#, D, A1, D#1, C#2, G2, C2, A1, Bb2, D. Subsequent phrases rotate these pitches, moving the first note of the previous phrase to the end of the sequence, though not the end of the phrase. That is, the order of the pitches remains fixed, though their relative position in the sequence changes. Thus, the repetition of this note order establishes the harmonic field. Example 2b. Sequenza IXa, Page 1, Lines 4-8: Circled pitches reveal the fixed sequence, while boxes indicate discreet phrases. Berio expands the device of repetition as the basis of a harmonic field later in the piece. In Example 3 a brief sequence of pitches from the third line of the work, D1, A1, D#1, C#1, B1 is extracted and subsequently repeated. The appearance of this fragment implies the earlier harmonic field seen in Ex.1, line 3, but the addition of other pitches in addition to its repetition implies movement to a new harmonic field. Example 3. Sequenza IXa, Page 2, Lines 1-3: The circled portions show the repeated pattern from the previous harmonic field. The third way in which Berio establishes a harmonic field is by the use of tense or dissonant intervals. As discussed previously, the piece changes harmonic fields by moving to different pitch-class groups. In Example 4, line 2, the dotted quarter-note G# is the first note of substantial duration in the new harmonic field from the seven-note collection. It is preceded by a leap of a major 7th and followed by a diminished 5th, minor 7th, minor 2nd and minor 7th, in that order. The minor 2nd, between the eighth-note E and the quarter-note F, functions as leading-tone to tonic relationship resolving back to the five-note collection. The sense of harmonic tension and resolution created by these interval relationships thus implies the harmonic field. Each subsequent harmonic field uses the same idea of tension and resolution, thus implying harmonic shift. M7 m7 m7 d5 m2 Example 4. Sequenza IXa, Page 1, Lines 1-3: Use of tense or dissonant intervals All of the above methods define the sequence of harmonic fields in Sequenza IXa; therefore, this piece conforms to Berios description of his Sequenzas as a sequence of harmonic fields. Rhythms In Sequenza IXa, there are many places on the score where Berio specifies tempos. At the beginning of the work, the tempo is marked as a quarter note equals sixty. At letter A, it increases to a value of seventy-two. Berio also gives specific durations for the fermatas, placed at the ends of most phrases. Despite these specific tempo markings, the composer places the expressive marking ma sempre un poco instabile (but always a little bit unstable) at the beginning of the score. Perhaps Berio wanted to give the liberty to the performer to vary the tempo within the phrase. In this piece, Berio does not use complex rhythmic techniques, but instead creates a lot of variety using simple rhythms. Although using a limited number of distinct rhythmic figures, Berio rarely repeats the same groupings. Through this rhythmic variety, he creates a feeling of unpredictability. This can be found in Ex.5 and 8. Example 5. Sequenza IXa, Page 8, Lines 1-4: The representative of the rhythmic figures Berio has an extraordinary range of rhythmic arrangements. Below is a list of the four most frequent rhythms used in the piece. There are additional rhythms used in the piece, such as long notes and grace notes, but shown below are the most prominent rhythms. Figure 2. Four rhythms He applies the idea of a rotating sequence, as he did for pitch, to arrange the rhythms in the A section. He uses these four rhythms to create a rhythmic sequence. The following graph reflects the use of the rhythmic sequence (see Fig.3). In the first line of the graph, there are four melodic phrases with each phrase containing all four rhythms (à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å" Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"‘à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"’à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"â€Å" ). As indicated in the second line, each of these rhythms begins and ends a phrase. In addition, the first phrase begins with the sequence of rhythms ( à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å" Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"‘à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"’à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"â€Å"à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"  ) . The subsequent phrases rotate the rhythmic sequence by moving the first rhythm of the previous phrase to the end of the sequence, though not the end of the phrase. (see Ex.6) First phrase Second phrase Third phrase Fourth phrase à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å" Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"‘à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"’à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"â€Å"à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"  long note à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"‘à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"’à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"â€Å"à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å" Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"‘ long note, rest à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"’à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"â€Å"à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å" Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"‘à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"’ long note à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"â€Å"à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å" Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"‘à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"’à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"â€Å" long note à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"  à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"‘ à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"’ à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"â€Å" Figure 3. The graph of rhythmic sequence in Sequenza IXa, Page 1. Lines 4-8. à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"  à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"‘ à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"’ à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"â€Å" à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"â€Å" à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"’ à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"â€Å" à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"  à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"‘ à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"’ à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"‘ à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"’ à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"â€Å" à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"  à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"‘ à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"’ à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"â€Å" à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"  à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"‘ à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"  à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"‘ à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"’ à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"â€Å" à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"  à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"‘ Example 6. Sequenza IXa, Page 1, Lines 4-8: The circled letters indicate the rhythmic sequence Transformational process As Berio discusses a polyphonic mode of listening, the piece set out and ismelodically developed by altering time, dynamic, pitch, and morphology. It uses a transformational process that suggests a polyphonic mode of listening rather than creating actual polyphony. Each of these unique layers develops and presents material in a different way. Even though each layer develops differently, they combine to create a unified whole. This is the way to understand a polyphonic mode of listening, in Berios concept. The first stylistic feature is the tempo at the highest level of intensity, when there are passages with either very rapid articulations or very long notes. Ex. 1, line 1, at the fermata, shows the temporal dimension at a very high level of intensity because of the length of the held note. Ex.7 shows an example of the temporal dimension at a high level of intensity that is transformed from the held note into a passage of ascending and descending, rapid, staccato articulation, which eventually becomes an extended chromatic passage lasting fifteen seconds at letter E. From example 1. Sequenza IXa , Page 1, Line 1. Example 7. Sequenza IXa, Page 3, Lines 3-9: the transformation of the tempo. The transformation of pitch, the second stylistic feature, can be heard in ascending grace-note figures such as at the beginning of line 2 in Ex. 1. The grace- note figures transform at the end of the same line, altered by the removal of the last two notes, which is pitches G1 and B1. This feature is seen again in line 3 of Ex 1, where the pitches are altered to imply a new harmonic field. The transformation of the dynamics, the third stylistic feature, is demonstrated by the staccato grace notes seen in Ex. 8. In the first line, the first staccato grace note is a G# and the next is a D. Both are played piano in the midst of a fortissimo, which interrupts the dynamic level with a very short and quiet note. This feature is used several times in Ex. 8. At the beginning of line 5 in Ex.8, this feature is seen in the p grace notes continuing to interrupt the ff dynamic level. As the piece develops, this feature transforms when the grace notes becomes a mezzo forte interruption of a pianissimo dynamic level. (See Ex.8) Example from Sequenza Ixa, Page 4 line 1-6 Example 8. Sequenza IXa, Page 6, Lines 7 : The transformation of the dynamics The rapid 32nd -note figure in Bb shown in Ex. 8, lines 2-7, appears four times. In the final pages, when Bb recurs, it transforms into a fermata with a specific duration. Although the Bb does not belong to the main harmonic field here, it plays an important role in the final pages. The tritone effect between Bb and the ending E is almost directionless, in a way that seems to recall the opening of piece.  [24]  (see Ex. 9) Example 9. Sequenza IXa, Page 10, Lines 4-8: The tritone effect between Bb and the ending E. The last stylistic feature is morphological tension, which is demonstrated in the multiphonics and microtones within the trills and tremolos of Ex 11, the C1 to C1-multiphonic passage. This relationship of C1to B is explored by a trill from B to C1 two notes. The use of multiphonics and micronotes is especially significant because they create the greatest pitch and morphological tension in the trill. The multiphonic passage shown in Ex 10 is transformed rhythmically and dynamically by becoming more active when it returns. Like the other stylistic techniques, multiphonics and micronotes are transformed by each recurrence. Example 10a from Sequenza IXa, Page 2, Line 3. Example 10b. Sequenza IXa, Page 10, Lines 4-8: The transformation of morphology Structure chart of Sequence IXa Just like most classical works, this piece also includes an exposition, development and ending à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ three major parts. However, the process of this whole piece creates a sequence of harmonic fields by alternating, blending, and transformational processes among the two contrasting pitch-class collections. The chart below clearly shows how Berio uses these pitch-class collections as a motivation throughout the whole piece. Beginningà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢A Two pitch-class collections appear: a five-note collection and a seven-note collection Exposition B Transition Transition C Primarily based on a five-note collection with a wide range, activated rhythm, and big leaps to start transformation and development Development I D Primarily based on a seven-note collection with rapid grace notes gradually transforming to a passage of thirty-second notes E Primarily based on a five-note collection, similar to the C section; Bb appears as a thirty-second note to foreshadow the climax Fà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢G Two pitch-class collections alternating and blending with each other. The rhythm becomes more agitated, to further indicate the climax is coming Transition H Transition, similar to the B section Transition I Primarily based on a seven-note collection. The rhythm figure is similar to the Fà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢G section Development II Jà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢L Multiphonics, two pitch-collections further develop and blend with each other. Transition to next section Transition Mà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Q Cadenza, two pitch-class collections alternating with each other as a preparation for the climax of the piece Development III (Climax of the piece) Rà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢V Climax of the piece, two pitch-class collections present at different ranges, dynamics, and rhythms, which alternate between calm and frenzied phrases Wà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Z Epilogue, ending Ending Figure 3: The structure of Seuquenza IXa Solutions to problems of performing multiphonics Sequenza IXa Clarinetists who use an instrument without an Eb key will have a difficult time performing this piece, since there are some multiphonics that appeared on page 6, lines 4, 5 and 6 (see Ex.11) playable only on a clarinet with an Eb key. For those without the Eb key, there are a few techniques to recreate these multiphonics. One may be the use of the performers voice to sing one of the desired pitches. This solution might change the idea of the solo work, but the notes can be produced and the piece would be complete. Another way is the use of a tube to extend the length of the clarinet, effecting an instrument very similar in pitch to one with an Eb key. With regard to the multiphonic fingering applied to the two-note chords in the section around K, the player could use a low E fingering (without the thumb key in the left hand) plus the throat G# key in the left hand for the first multiphonic at line 6. The low E fingering (without the thumb key in the left hand) plus the throat A key in the left hand for the second multiphonic at line 7. The problems with this solution are, first, the tone of the clarinet will be different; second, the player must quickly insert and remove the tube during the performance, which could be clumsy and awkward; and third, the player would have to use an alternative fingering for the B natural at line 4. However, the most difficult thing is getting the chords to speak reliably à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ this will require practice. A final solution could be the substitution of other multiphonics which are playable on the performers instrument. However, the problem with this alternative is at least one of the pitches must be transposed, resulting in changing the piece somewhat. Example 11. Sequenza IXa, Page 6, Lines 4-6: The fingering for the multiphonics After hearing and seeing several clarinetists perform this piece, it seems that switching to the alternate multiphonics is preferable because this does not interfere with the natural sound quality of the clarinet. On the other hand, Berio specified different fingerings on the music, and he did not provide an alternate version of multiphonics in subsequent editions since the piece was written 20 years ago. Maybe Berio did not consider this a major issue, and wanted to give the clarinetist the freedom to imagine ways of solving the problem.

The Deaf in Society Essay -- Sociology Hard of Hearing

The Deaf Community Imagine if you could never experience the sound of your favorite song on the radio. Or you could never hear the voice of a family member wishing you happy birthday. Since these situations are typical we may take them for granted. But these every day scenarios will never be part of a deaf person's life. "One out of thousand infants will be born deaf every year," (Deaf Understanding). Most people don't realize the giant impact of the deaf in our society. Deaf persons can be any race, gender and position in society. They can be scientists, doctors, or many other professions. Since the occurrence of deafness is so high in our society we all must learn how to communicate affectivity with the deaf community. There are many approaches a person may take to familiarize themselves with deaf society. Most people that are of hearing belong to one of two following categories. The pathological approach to interact with the deaf is to focus on their disability and try to correct it by using medical approaches. This approach is usually practiced by doctors. Many disagree with the pathological approach because they would rather be categorized by the senses they were given and not the senses they lack. Sometimes individuals view deaf people as being abnormal and must be "fixed." The truth is since the deaf can't hear they learn how to use there other senses in ways the hearing can't imagine. The second view is the cultural approach when interacting with deaf society. This point of view classifies the deaf as a group of individuals that share a common language. "In fact, American sign language is the third most used language in the United States," (Sign Genius). Another way the cultural view classifi... ...uage which is sign language. Sign languages are visual languages that are living languages and therefore changing. Each country has their own unique sign language that the deaf community uses. Also, many famous individuals in sports and culture have been deaf. Since the occurrence of deafness is so high in our society we all must learn how to communicate affectivity with the deaf community. Bibliography http://www.deafunderstanding.com/facts.html http://www.signgenius.com/info-sign-lanuage-05.shtml http://www.deaf.net/interesting.htm http://www.nad.org http://www.signmedia.com/info/adc.htm

Medlife Insurance LTD Case Study :: Business and Management Studies

We have chosen a company called Medlife Insurance LTD. This company deals with financial services, within that with life insurance. Marketing Financial Services Presentation Introduction: We have chosen a company called Medlife Insurance LTD. This company deals with financial services, within that with life insurance. It is part of a â€Å"network† of companies that sell life insurance and to be able to give a whole picture of the company’s activities we will introduce some of it’s partner companies as well. We will also give a brief description of the different kinds of services they provide to customers, such as life insurance for a whole family, life insurance for a single person or life insurance for the company employees. Situation Analysis: Grazer Wechselseitige and other international investors founded Medlife in the year 1994. Medlife started its business activities in 1995. It is set up as a Cypriot offshore company and offers life insurance products on US dollar basis. Medlife is an insurance company full of traditions and experience. Because of its traditions, seriousness and experience, it provides reliability of all activities in life insurance and capital investments of Medlife. All sales are performed through the network of SI-Save Invest Ltd, (one of the biggest independent and international insurance broker companies in the world that offers and sells financial services, specializes in capital forming life insurance and disability insurance offered by its insurance partners), covering the former CIS and Baltic countries. Insurance and investment programmes have been developed that help encompassing the risks of everyday life and at the same time allow the customer to achieve a profitable return of the money invested. Contracts concluded between Medlife and its clients are subject to Austrian law which extensively protects the rights of Medlife’s clients. Due to the very strict rules and regulations of the Insurance Contract Act and the Consumer Protection Act. Grazer Wechselseitige Group in Austria, a well-known insurance company, provides fundamental insurance services like technical administration, funds investment, and reinsurance since 1828. These services are delivered following the same principles of security and profitability that do apply for Grazer Wechselseitige itself. Grazer Wechselseitige Versicherung AG is 100% financed on own capital and therefore does not require any investor’s ratings. Some examples of the financial services that Medlife is selling: Economic Insurance Plan Economic Insurance Plan is the ideal package for those who seek comprehensive insurance coverage combined with an opportunity to invest capital in a profitable way. G5S -Endowment Insurance with graduated death benefits and surplus participation. The benefit to be paid in the case of death becomes payable if the insured person dies before the end of the insurance term. The sum to

Haefren Baum Business Analysis Essay

Haefren Baum is a furniture retailer, established in 1965 and was incorporated in 1970. Haefren Baum receives its merchandise from Wiegandt GmbH Cologne, a nearby manufacturer, whose business relationship equals over twenty-seven years. The company has one retail location in Cologne, Germany and three recently constructed outlet stores in nearby suburban areas. Demand and product sales are influenced by consumer discretionary income. In 1993, an economic bust in the German economy resulted in a major dip in GDP. Demand for the industry is cyclical and is influenced by the overall economy. There is no evidence of seasonality. In response to the German economic downturn in 1993, the company began to open outlets with wide selections and lower prices to maintain sales volume. This was a trend used by all in the industry, but sales volumes were not affected and remained flat. As the German economy recovered, Haefren Baum’s business began to see fierce competition from European furniture retailers. This was a concern for the Wiegandt, who saw its retailers losing market share, and began aggressively advertising its brand. The strategies involving aggressive branding and offering wider selections at lower prices proved to be unsuccessful, mainly due to the influx of competition. Operations Analysis: Haefren Baum being a retailer needs a large amount of inventory and assets in order to generate sales. To turn profits, the company needs to be efficient in both inventory management and asset turnover. Recently, the Haefren Baum is showing very high values for inventory days, and an overall decline in its TAT and FAT ratios. Figures for total and fixed asset turnover steadily decline from 1993-1995. These figures could be a result of the expansion and building of outlet stores, as well as slower sales. Total assets turnover equals 2.1 in 1993 to 1.5 in 1995. As for fixed asset turnover, 1993 equals 6.98 to 5.39 in 1995. Haefren Baum’s land investment has remained constant over this period, but buildings and equipment investments have changed, again a result from the building of the three outlet stores. Inventory days  show and increase from 103 in 1993 to 129 in 1995. Such a dramatic change shows that the firm is getting less efficient in managing its inventory, which could be a result of increasing competition throughout the industry. The average collection period has also shown significant increases, going from 53 days in 1993 to 77 days in 1994 and 1995. It seems that Haefren Baum has had difficulty obtaining capital due from customers. The overall operations of the company seem to be lacking proper efficiency due to the increase in inventory days and average collection period. The negative values for net income and results from the previous sentence conclude why the firm has seen a decrease and negative values for ROE and ROA. Financial Analysis: Haefren Baum’s strategy of selling product at lower prices seems to be ineffective in generating profits. The firm’s operating activities can be misleading, although it seems that it’s improving, the net figures are still negative. The increase in investing activities is explained by the recent construction of outlets, and is shown in the buildings and equipment account. The recent buyout from the other investors is shown in the payables from stockholders. Financing activities seem to be the source of funding for the firm. Haefren Baum’s liquidity has been mildly volatile. The current ratios for the firm have changed from 2.26 in 1993 to 2.53 in 1995. Accounts payable days saw a major increase going from 49 days in ’93, to 65 days in ’94. Although Wiegandt has been flexible with credit terms, Baum is far exceeding the net 30 terms and is not taking advantage of any discounts. Haefren Baum is showing high leverage risk with its debt to equity ratio of 5.84%, this is a problem due to the large debt compared to equity owned. The NPM of the company is zero, due to the failure to generate profits. The GPM, though positive, shows a steady decline in profitability. Haefren Baum is primarily using financing activities to maintain operations of the business. They are basically staying alive by debt, and will need to re-evaluate its processes to stay in business. Summary: Haefren Baum has been severely impacted by competition and the value of its inventory stemming from the economic downturn in 1993. The firm is producing negative cash flows and in turn producing zero profits. The construction and  building of the new outlet stores have no sales support and are eating profits with staggering mortgage cost. The firm needs to be more effective and efficient with inventory and credit lines. Arranging new credit terms in order to receive discounts and improve margins are in order for the firm to generate profits.

Savage Inequalities By Jonathan Kozol

The following paper presents a book review. The book which has to be reviewed is â€Å"Savage Inequalities† by â€Å"Jonathan Kozol†. The book covers the research of the author on the school or disable and privileged children. He also shows a comparison between the schools in urban and suburban areas. Furthermore in the book, he tells that how the education is effected due to unavailability of books to the children in the schools of the poor neighboring areas. By reading this book, people can easily conclude the conditions of the city schools with the uptown ones. The comparison presented in the book is based on the difference of quality of education being given, the races that are involved are analyzed, the facilities being provided to the children there and the situations under which these children are getting education. Adding further to this, he also suggests that suburban schools value the money better, as they provide the children with a better and secure future. Children can flourish more in the suburban school setting as it is providing them with better and good opportunities ahead. He thinks that all the children in the schools should be treated equally and should be provided with an equal amount of money, so that one is not superior to the other. If a child studying in the school belongs to a poor background, he should have been given equal money so that he can coup up with the other students who are better than him. Theme of the book: In Savage Inequalities, Jonathan Kozol tells about his analysis, that he did by investigation the environment of a number of schools in America. His main focus was the public schools. The book explains his visits to approximately 30 schools, between the year of 1988 and 1990. These schools were basically ranged from the poorest inner city schools to the ones in the wealthier sub urban communities. He found a huge gap between the conditions of the communities and the schools. His main focus throughout the book was on the question that â€Å"How is there such an enormous difference inside a country with all these public schools who claim to provide everyone with equal opportunities? In this survey, Jonathan observed the fact that how the underprivileged schools are not given equal attention, where the education standard is low and poorer as compared to the one that is being followed in the wealthier localities. The poorer schools are not given money to upgrade their current status and can come up to the mark. Even though it is necessary for all the children to go to a school until the age of 16, they are still kept back sue to all the differences in the school in which they draw lines and separate them on the basis of race as well as the social class. He studies the financial support given to the schools as how unequal that is when it comes to relate the public class divisions. He also examines institutional and biological racial discrimination, segregation, unfriendliness of students, employees that are in underprivileged schools, substantial decomposing away of constructions and even the physical condition of the apprentices (Jonathan Kozol, 1992). Overview of â€Å"Savage Inequalities†: Jonathan Kozol's main focus in the entire book is to explore the urban school districts, which are separated by the racial difference and category of the students which includes their class. The black or nonwhites are considered to be very poor, which discriminates them harshly with ones who are rich and belong to a wealthier class of suburban schools. He observes that even if a school is not creating diversions, the divisions occur within the school that has a vast population of students. This division is mainly caused by the type of education being given and the career tracking which the students follow. This division is also created by the people by just thinking about there status and considering them superior in class. One of the reasons for these differences could be â€Å"its all in the head† motto. The most important tribulations that have an effect on these institutions are an entrepreneurial structure that involves the imitation of the partition of work. Schools afford the education to congregate this obligation all the way through the trails of apprentices into the characters that they will accomplish in their financial configuration. The author further explains and points out that the upper class of white people want their children to be properly educated, and get into better jobs and places. They want to see a bright future for them and work in a comfortable environment in less polluted areas. These people have an upper hand and will benefit from the dissection of labor and will even use their resources to create an influence with the government, in order to maintain their proper places on the positions they are working. In his book, he also discusses a few casual conversations with the students of the schools. For example, he talked about financial support unfairness amongst institutional regions with a group of wealthy students in Rye, New York, in that group, one student posed her beliefs by saying that she doesn’t exactly have any interest in these funding supports for the poorer schools, since she was unable to see that how would it benefit her (Jonathan Kozol, 1992). She really didn’t care about the situation of the schools that are under privileged. She knew the fact that how all those class and status divisions would favor her in different aspects. Then why would she bother looking the other way? Using various variety of details and scenarios to describe the conditions of the most prosperous school such as â€Å"New Trier High School and on the other hand the most underprivileged school such as â€Å"Du Sable High School†. In this comparison he portrays the most terrible environments in which the students attend their daily school and also tells that in the well off schools, the students are given such wonderful and good options and opportunities to make their career. He distinguishes the underprivileged and affluent institutes to demonstrate the readers the worst conditions that are available. Kozol also talks about a very crucial and one of the major issue and that is of racism. He brings the fact to knowledge that mostly the poor or black children usually the Hispanic are bad savings. No matter how good they are or how good they could be. Meager educative surroundings effect in substandard learning and serious educational shortage in learners. It turns out to be very noticeable the system the management, the civilization, and the instructive system do not pass unfortunate offspring in the United States (Jonathan Kozol, 1992). Kozol vividly illustrates the deplorable conditions of the poorest schools. In distinction, he gives some colorful images of the richest suburban schools that surround them. He effectively demonstrates the racist conditions and social class discrimination that lead to the variations within the public school system as well as discusses the funding formula for America's public schools. Kozol provides descriptions of the worst of the worst, but his research only extends to a limited number of urban schools (Jonathan Kozol, 1992). Perhaps Kozol could also include more on his views as to what the â€Å"minimal† requirements for a good school should be. What are the basic needs of a public school? He says that there should be more poor schools that resemble the better schools. Talking of the wealthy schools and the schooling they are providing, is that the minimum standard that they should provide? Or should the wealthy schools give a bit less so that the poorer schools can come up to their standard? Are all the public schools on the same level, as in providing equal opportunities to all the students? As a result, if the parents ask for more than the amount of quality education being provided in the public schools, they either demand for more, or mostly go for tuitions or private education for their offspring. The possible solution for lack of quality in urban schools according to Kozok is equalized funding. The schools will not be solved by funding alone. For real improvement to occur changes in the greater society will have to take place. After all equals schools are not determined by equal funding. Would equal funding really be desired by policy makers? If public education was really valued by the politician and if they really believed in providing equal funding for all, a lot of money would â€Å"become available. † Jonathan Kozol in his book Savage Inequalities takes into consideration the condition of several American Public Schools. He visited schools in the neighborhood and discovered wide disparity in the conditions between the schools in the poorest inner-city communities and schools in the wealthier suburban communities. How can such huge difference be possible in the public schools systems of the country that claims to provide equal opportunity for everyone? Kozol finds it obvious that many of the children from the poor communities get education which is far inferior to that of children who are growing up in the wealthier communities. Strong evidence is provided by the book of the national oppression, endemic in the American system. Kozol focuses on the discrepancy in resources amongst predominantly Black or Latino (usually inner city) schools and those that are predominantly white (usually suburban), Case studies and statistics are used to compare the opportunities given to some kids to succeed while others (oppressed nations) are set up to fail (Jonathan Kozol, 1992). The topic of the conditions that are faced by children should pose an easy win for Communist looking to explain to people the need for equality for all. It's hard to believe someone thinking that a kid, born into circumstances out of his or her control, deserves suffer poor housing, inadequate healthcare, and substandard education. While people argue that adults â€Å"bring it on them†, the children clearly have no control over where they are born. But Kozol highlights, with astonishment, that he found racist arguments being made by white adults about the potential of Black and Latino kids to justify the better funding of the schools in the white neighborhoods. Kozol brings to mind how during the social movement people would have been vilified by such arguments, but in the early 1990s when he wrote the book, these attitudes were commonplace. Not just the adults but the kids in these wealthier schools had excuses explaining why they deserved better schools than kids who sometimes lived miles away. The statistics presented in Kozol’s book are startling; bring to attention how classes in one school are segregated racially. In one classroom there are all white students with the exception of maybe one or two Asian or Black children. In another class, which is the â€Å"special† class, all black children are present, with maybe one white child. According to the author, the children are separated more from each other in magnet schools. The poorer Pilcher 3 children do not get the opportunity to apply for these selective schools. Even if the parents are informed, on many occasion they do not have proper education to be able to fulfill the necessary requirement to admit their children to the special schools. He strongly disagrees with the business approach to education, stating that limits cannot be put on a child for the child will never strive to go beyond that limit. He maintains that this approach will not introduce Excellency but will in fact just repeat unevenness (Jonathan Kozol, 1992). Recommendations: After reading this book my perception has completely changed, I had never known that a large number of schools were situated in the ghettos and are overcrowded or only had two toilets working share by 1000 students, and also no toilet paper is available. The thing that has really upset me is the fact that schools in the same city limit but in the suburbs have an average of 20 children per classroom and also have enough supplies and computers enough so that no child needs to share. It is clear that the majority of these suburban schools are dominantly white and the minorities are in the urban schools. The dropout rates in the book are very high. Most children drop out of secondary school and do not get proper education due to lack of supplies and very little or interest of the teacher. The greater part in the poor schools are that of the Hispanic or black while the elite white class children and the rare Asian children are in the gifted classes of the sub urban schools. The small population of blacks and Hispanics that attend the same schools go to the â€Å"special† classrooms and their â€Å"mental retardations† is shown as a reason for their placement. A majority of these students belong with the whites and Asians, they are not mental. It seems like the teachers were so unmotivated to teach in the urban schools that it reflected off of the children, the children become unmotivated towards learning which has become the reason for such high dropout rates in secondary schools. These children never get real education; instead they receive partial discrimination due to the color of their skin. Access to private schools is denied to them, they do not get toilet paper or working toilets, and they are subdued, so they are not able to expand their horizons and are made to learn without the use of materials or supplies. They are never given a chance to attain proper education and so they suffer the consequences by living in poverty and having their children attend schools similar to their parents. This is all very upsetting to me as even though the school systems have improved a great deal there is nothing that can be done for the poor parents who were not able to get real education due to their color and class. I hope these parents realize that what they suffered from should not affect their children. Today this issue has been subdued only because the number of schools situated in ghettos also educates the whites along with the minorities. I myself attended a high school situated in the ghetto in Bradenton, Florida. I did not actually live in a ghetto nor did any of my friends. My opinion about Savage Inequalities would be that the book presents a good over view about the conditions of the schools in the urban and suburban areas. The way it compares the situation in the schools is very innovative. But at a point I find the book very disturbing and heart touching, on the other hand this book became an eye opener and now I can look back and think what were the situations before and how they are now. It is very good to see the things change with the passage of time. The schools have realized the fact that the race and class doesn’t matter, it’s the talent that a student carries. Although the schools maybe dominating with the majority of whites and the minority of others, the students are still receiving quality education, without comparing one race to another, they are able to realize the fact that it’s not the race which helps a person to succeed from one another. The single inconsistency that I observe in the book was that Kozol failed to notice a few matters. He didn’t address to the fact that no matter if the poor are in minority, they still have the right for proper education and learn the things that the rich are learning. He also did not defend the fact that it’s not the poor who are responsible for lack of quality education for the poor children, whether they be in minority or majority. Overall it was a good book, worth reading and spending time on it. It had covered some really interesting facts that I enjoyed reading. On a finishing note, what I consider is that the importance of these savage discrimination, productively arrange offspring into victors and defeats; those institutions persuaded the children that they ought to have in some sagacity to be unsuccessful in their schooling.