Jim Henson Essays - The Muppets, American Film Directors

Jim Henson Jim Henson was born on September 24, 1936, in Greenville, Mississippi. He moved to Maryland in fifth grade and throughout his childhood had a strong interest in both art and television. His grandmother was very supportive of his interests and constantly encouraged him to use his imagination. In 1954 Jim started in television performing puppets on a local channel's Saturday morning program. The next year, while studying at the University of Maryland, he was given a five-minute show called Sam and Friends which aired twice a day. This show introduced the first Muppets, marionette puppets. The success of this show led him to many appearances on shows such as The Today Show and The Steve Allen Show. During this time Jim began making many humorous commercials for sponsors. With weekly appearances on these shows, Jim asked for the help of a puppet maker name Don Sahlin and a puppeteer name Frank Oz. "From 1964 to 1969 Henson produced several experimental films." In the mid-60's Jim was asked to create characters to populate a new children's show, Sesame Street. It was here where he made some of his most famous characters such as Ernie and Bert, Oscar the Grouch, Cookie Monster, and Big Bird. On this show Jim produced over two dozen shorts to teach counting and other basics. Soon after his fame on Sesame Street Jim, after promoting the idea for The Muppet Show for years, finally received backing to produce. On this show the most famous Muppet of all, Kermit the Frog, was introduced along with Miss Piggy, Rizzo the Rat, Rowlf the Dog, Fozzie Bear, and of course Gonzo the Whatever. The Muppet Show became the most widely viewed television program in the world. From this show many movies and spin-off television shows have been produced. Jim Henson died in 1990 from pneumonia right after his last project for Muppet Vision 3-D, an attraction for Disney World, and right before he was going to sell his company to Disney Studios. Today his son runs and owns the Henson Company. Jim Henson possessed many lovable qualities about him but his most important characteristic was his creativity. Jim Henson created characters that were out of this world and quite unexpected. Jim Henson also had an extraordinary sense of humor, which attracted young and old to his television shows. Jim Henson once said, "Nobody creates a fad. It just happens. People love going along with the idea of a beautiful pig. It's like a conspiracy." These qualities will definitely serve society greatly in the next one thousand years. Jim Henson's creativity will inspire writers and producers to do the same. This will allow them to attract many viewers of a broad range of ages. Jim Henson's humor will also influence the next millennium of people. His humor will teach people stuck in a world of seriousness to have a light heart and to laugh once in a while. I believe Jim Henson has taught everyone an important lesson, that no matter how tough life gets, you can always find a bit of little humor in it. Bibliography "Henson, Jim." Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia. 1999 ed., Wilmeth, Don B. "Henson, Jim." The World Book Encyclopedia. 1996 ed., 191.

Unit 1 Vocabulary Essay

Unit 1 Vocabulary Essay Unit 1 Vocabulary Essay Bene is latin for "Well" Benediction - A prayer that asks for God's blessing, especially a prayer that concludes a worship service. Benefactor - Someone who helps another person or group, especially by giving money. Beneficiary - A perspn or organization that benefits or is expected to benefit from something, especially one that receives money or property when someone dies. Benevolence - Kidness, Generosity AM comes from Latin Amare "To love" or "Friend" Amicable - Friendly, Peaceful Enamored - Charmed or fascinated;inflamed with love. Amorous - Having or showing srong feelings of attraction or love Paramour - A lover, often secret, not allowed by law or custom. BELL comes from Latin word meaning of war Antebellum - Existing before a war, especially before the American Civil War. Bellicose - Warlike, aggressive, quarrelsome. Belligerence - Aggressiveness, Combativeness. Rebellion - Open defiance and opposition, sometimes armed, to a person or thing in authority. PAC Latin words for "agree" and "peace" Pacify - To soothe anger or agitation. To subdue by armed action. Pacifist - A person opposed to war or violence, especially someone who refuses to bear arms or to fight, on moral or religious grounds. Pact - An agreement between two or more people or groups Pace - Contrary to the opinion of CRIM comes from Latin "fault or crime" or "accusation" Criminology - The study of crime, criminals, law enforcement, or punishment. Decriminalize - To remove or reduce the criminal status of Incriminate - To show evidence of involvment in a crime or a fault. Recrimination - An accusation in answer to another accusation being made against oneself PROB Latin words "prove or proof" "honesty or integrity" Probate - The process of proving in court that the will of someone who has died is valid, and of administering the estate of a dead person. Probity - Absolute honesty an uprightness Reprobate - A person of thoroughly bad character. GRAV Latin word for "heavy, weighty, serious" Grave - Requiring serious thought or concern. Gravitas - Great or very dignified seriousness. Gravitate - To move or be drawn toward

Research Project Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Project - Research Paper Example It was in line with this that the Obama government attempted a health care policy that will absolutely overhaul of the U.S. healthcare system. The product of this was the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) (Husky, 2011). Indeed, the intended impact of the PPACA is clearly spelt out in its name. First, it is expected that health care delivery will take a patient centered approach whereby the interest of the patient comes first in the delivery of health care. Meanwhile, patients visit the health care facility with an intention of receiving quality health care. Secondly, it is part of the idea that the quality of health care that is received will come at a much reduced cost. This means that the exchange for quality must not necessarily be high cost. No-cost preventive services as a mainstay feature of the PPACA One major challenge that had for long prevented the health care system from achieving the goal of quality health care delivery is the pressure that the system has in handing the needs of too many people at a go. Most often, the pressure on the system results in situation where health providers are too few for the health users or health facilities are inadequate to cater for the health needs of the people (Cuellar, 2012). Through an intensive study therefore, there was an aspect of the PPACA that focused mainly on how to reduce the burden on health care system so that delivery could be improved. What was born out of this was the need for there to be enough preventive care services that ensures that health conditions are prevented rather than cured. It was for this reason that no-cost preventive services were made part of the mainstream PPACA. Currently, preventive care takes care of aspects of health care delivery such as immunizations, shots, screening, yearly check-ups and tests (Morrisey, 2007). These preventive services have been made free because the cost benefit effect of leaving them to be optional and at a cost to patients would be wo rse off. For example if people are made to pay to receive health services that could easily be prevented, they may feel reluctant to do so, only for their health conditions to get deteriorating to a level that will demand more cost from service providers to treat. As far as statistics is concerned, the no-cost preventive service can be said to have three major categorizations of beneficiaries. These are adult services, Women's Preventive Services ObamaCare, and Children's Preventive Services ObamaCare. The table below gives a detailed presentation of the health conditions that are covered under each of the no-cost preventive services. Adult Services Women's Preventive Services Children's Preventive Services 1 Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm one-time screening 2 Alcohol Misuse screening and counseling 3 Aspirin use 4 Blood Pressure screening for all adults 5 Cholesterol screening 6 Colorectal Cancer screening for adults over 50 7 Depression screening 8 Diabetes (Type 2) screening 9 Diet co unseling 10 HIV screening 11 Immunization vaccines 12 Obesity screening 13 Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) prevention counseling 14 Syphilis screening 15 Tobacco Use screening 1. Anemia screening 2. Breast Cancer Genetic Test Counseling (BRCA) 3. Breast Cancer Mammography screenings 4. Breast Cancer Chemoprevention counseling 5. Breastfeeding comprehensive support and counseling 6. Cervical Cancer screening 7. Chlamydia Infection screening 8. Contraception 9. Domestic and interpersonal violence

Understanding Dad Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Understanding Dad - Essay Example I was inconsiderate, lazy, disrespectful, not studious enough, not athletic enough, not something enough. No matter what I tried, I didn't give it the full effort he thought it deserved. It seemed he was always waiting to tell me just what it was I was lacking or how much what I was doing was leading me to "nowhere good." Even when he left me alone, he was always there, impossible to ignore, a permanent end to my good time. Dad had that effect on people. Growing up, I resented him for that. Why couldn't he just be cool and look the other way sometimes? It took a real emergency while I was in high school for me to realize how that hard rock I knew as my father hid a warm, passionate center and to make me realize how he had used that rock and that heat to shape me into a better human being as an adult. Throughout my childhood, I participated in a variety of sports and activities. I think I was looking for something my father knew nothing about and had zero interest in learning. The way I figured it, he couldn't tell me I was wrong if he was a newbie, too. He would just have to go along with whatever the coaches, directors or other organizers told him. Maybe it's a blessing, but I considered it a curse that my dad is interested in all kinds of things. Just because he didn't know about it before I started didn't mean he wouldn't start learning about it the moment I took an interest. There I'd be, running for everything I was worth on the cross-country team and he'd be there along the sidelines near the finish line - "Come on! Give it the extra effort now! Don't hold back!" Some of the other kids said they never heard their parents at that point, they were too exhausted and busy trying to keep their lungs from bursting. I was cursed again because I understood every word that came to me in that big, booming voice of his with the crackle of tension lying just under the surface. It only ever came out when he was on the sidelines or really, really angry at home. Maybe that's why I always felt like I was running away from a beating even though he never delivered one. I'm sure it wasn't because of my running speed. Gasping for air and trying to keep breakfast in my stomach, he would walk up to me and tell me how I could improve my pace, increase my speed, correct my form or something else equally irritating. Somewhere in there he'd usually throw in a "good job" or "I'm proud of you," but I was convinced this was just for show so the other parents wouldn't think he was being too pushy. He had to avoid the 'stage dad' persona after all, keep up proper appearances. Somehow, my childhood memory neglected to note that these moments of pride and praise were usually delivered in the car, in private, while we were on our way home or out to a special treat meant just for me w ithout the presence of brothers or sisters to take away the attention. Things only grew worse as I grew up and started to want to hang out with friends instead of family. With this change, I discovered my childhood had been dancing on daisies compared to all the wrong I committed as a pre-teen and teenager. Nothing I did with my hair was right. No matter what style I selected, product or no product, short, long, somewhere in between, dyed, not dyed, popular style or something more traditional, Dad always had something negative to say about it. I couldn't even cover it up with a hat or a hoodie to make things right - then it was the wrong kind of hat or I was trying to be a gangster or "one of those dark kids who think everything in life sucks." Why couldn't he even remember something as simple as Goth? And what exactly about my life didn't suck anyway? If I

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 5

Rhetorical Analysis - Essay Example Looking beyond its main focus, I noticed the aesthetics of the image seemed to portray very boring features. In the background every color is a black, neutral white, or beige. The curtains to the left of the image have dark shadows and are grey and tan. The bed sheets and both pillows lying on the bed are a neutral white. The walls that surround the room are blank without any clocks or portraits. In the top right corner of the image the BMW logo is printed in white. The man and woman’s hair are dark brown. Even the bra that the woman wears is a simple black. Every color scheme of the ad makes it seem not so appealing. The only thing visually appealing on an aesthetic level about this ad is the picture of the BMW that is colored in red. The color red is very bold and is a color that most people will notice first and remember. The red car stands out on the page because every other image in the ad is colorless. This way the car becomes the main focus of the man in the ad as well as to someone who is looking at it. The balance of this image is centered. The man is at the top of the bed on top of the woman, and in the middle of the image. The text is also in the center of the image. This forces the viewers to absorb the image and text first before becoming aware of the BMW logo. This is because the image and text are the ads main focus. ... Though the room consists of dull colors it resembles a high-class lifestyle. The walls are spotless and the sheets are completely white and clean. The room environment suggests the man and woman are financially stable because they are not in a room filled with trash, dirty clothes, or any markings what so ever. It is extremely clean and modern. The sheets are not wrinkled, nor are there any visible stains. This image suggests the lifestyle of people who own BMWs and can resemble the marketers’ target audience. The target audience is to those men who can afford to buy an attractive luxury car. As I moved from its aesthetics and began to analyze the context of this image, I noticed heavy sexual connotations. The image is so vulgar that at a first glance, one might mistake it for an ad selling condoms. The ad shows an attractive man and what seems to be an attractive woman lying in bed. The man is wearing nothing from the waist up and the woman has on a tiny bra. The man is on to p of the woman while she lays perfectly strait underneath him. The fact that the man is on top of her suggests he is in a position of power. The image places men as the dominating sex. He then stares engagingly down at what would be the woman’s face. The woman wraps her hands around the man’s neck bringing him closer to her. Covering the woman’s face is a magazine with an image of a BMW. The ad then reads â€Å"The ultimate attraction† in plain font. The woman in the ad is only being used for her body. Covering her face while the man’s is shown suggests that the woman’s face is not of equal importance. Also because she does not show any effort to argue, the situation suggests that the woman is compliant and submissive. The image degrades women in the sense that it

Why Were Bulgaria and Romania Accepted in the EU?

Why Were Bulgaria and Romania Accepted in the EU? Why were Bulgaria and Romania accepted in the EU in 2007 despite of their incomplete democratisation, which was acknowledged by the European Commission? Introduction On December 2007 Romania and Bulgaria joined the European Union. They had not been able to join in the 2004 EU expansion as they had failed to meet the EU’s criteria for membership at the time. In 2007 however there still existed serious doubts as to whether Romania or Bulgaria would be able to join. Although both were democracies both nations still had major political issues relating to corruption, government accountability and their incomplete democratisation process. Why then, if the EU acknowledged that both Countries still had serious problems, were these nations accepted into the EU? This Essay will look at the circumstances leading up to Bulgaria and Romania’s entry into the EU, examine why many believed they were not ready for membership and the reasons behind their acceptance by Brussels. Background to Membership In 2004 eight Eastern European Countries were admitted into the EU. Both Bulgaria and Romania were turned down for full membership of the EU at this point, due to their being significantly behind the other eight nations in terms of GDP, democratisation and other factors.[1] However both nations soon went from being candidates to being accession Countries in April 2005, as long as both nations continued to enact the necessary reforms, and in September 2006 it was confirmed that both would become full members on January 2007.[2] In many ways then the final decision regarding Romanian and Bulgarian membership was not made in January 2007, but arguably as early as 2005, which then made it inevitable. Throughout this period, there were serious doubts about the Eastern European Nations ability and willingness to enact the necessary reforms, and even upon entry the EU acknowledged that there was still much work to be done. Democratic Deficiencies The 2004 Romanian election was said by many commentators to be proof that the Country had not yet made the transition to fully fledged democracy. There were allegations of voter irregularities, missing votes and candidates with links to the previous security apparatus of the Country. [3] Both nations’ political systems still had aspects of authoritarian regimes, and a year after membership both were still unable to fully guarantee their citizens constitutional rights. Romania and Bulgaria’s legal systems were considered by many as incompatible with a free and democratic society.[4] In economic terms the two ex communist nations were extremely poor, with a GDP around just 30% of the EU average. At the time of the accession process both markets had not yet made the transition into being free market economies, infrastructure was ageing and the State still had a large role in both Nations economies. The most significant problem however was the widespread corruption in the S tates, especially with regards to Bulgaria. The EU consistently complained about Bulgarian organised crime’s links with high level Bulgarian Government officials, who have often been found siphoning EU grants meant for infrastructure to family businesses or to criminal gangs. Such is the level of corruption that the EU saw fit to withhold 486 million Euros worth of aid in 2008.[5] Reasons for Membership Taking into account the serious problems, poverty, corruption and lack of accountability of Romania and Bulgaria, why did the EU allow them membership in January 2007? As we have already mentioned, the decision to accept Romania and Bulgaria as members was taken long before 2007. Although they were rejected as full members in 2004, from their acceptance as accession Countries in 2005 it was clear that they were on the path to full membership. The EU did place stringent conditions on full membership, to which it is debatable the pair have achieved. The EU did judge in 2006 that both Countries, although having a lot of work to do, had satisfied the criteria. Both Romania and Bulgaria had, since 2004 reformed their legislative systems, economies and political processes.[6] From this point on, although the EU could delay membership, it could not feasibly deny membership to the two unless there was some major breach of democratic and human rights norms. Membership as a means to Reform Along with the legal arguments, Brussels clearly believed that to deny membership when the nations had clearly made profound transitional steps to reform would not only be unfair but damaging to the EU, Romania and Bulgaria. The EU believed that membership would act as a motivating factor for both nations to continue reforms, whereas rejection might well have convinced the elites of both nations to continue their corrupt and undemocratic practices. The obvious financial and political benefits that come with membership, have, as predicted by the EU, helped both nations start the economic reforms needed.[7] This essay believes that the reason Romania and Bulgaria were accepted was because the EU believed that only membership would help the Countries to successfully integrate into Europe, and that despite several problems regarding corruption and accountability, the EU was satisfied with both the existing reforms and pledges that the two nations would in future continue to meet EU expec tations and demands if they were allowed membership in 2007. Bibliography Bagehot, â€Å"Europe: Balkan Blushes; Bulgaria, Romania and the EU† (The Economist, London July 26, 2008, Vol 388, Issue 8590 Ciobanu, Monica â€Å"Romania’s travails with democracy and accession to the European Union† Europe-Asia Studies, 59.8, pp1429-1450 Pridham, Geoffrey â€Å"The Scope and Limitations of Political Conditionality: Romania’s Accession to the European Union† (Comparative European Politics, Houndsmills, Dec 2007, Vol 5, Issue 4, pp347-367) Sangiovanni, Mette Eilstrup â€Å"Debates on European Integration† (Palgrave Macmillan, New York, 2006) Website BBC News – â€Å"EU approves Bulgaria and Romania† – 26/09/2006 – accessed 10/12/2008 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/5380024.stm 1 Footnotes [1] Sangiovanni, Mette Eilstrup â€Å"Debates on European Integration† (Palgrave Macmillan, New York, 2006, p.125) [2] Pridham, Geoffrey â€Å"The Scope and Limitations of Political Conditionality: Romania’s Accession to the European Union† (Comparative European Politics, Houndsmills, Dec 2007, Vol 5, Issue 4, pp347-367) [3] Ciobanu, Monica â€Å"Romania’s travails with democracy and accession to the European Union† Europe-Asia Studies, 59.8, p1444 [4] Pridham, Geoffrey â€Å"The Scope and Limitations of Political Conditionality: Romania’s Accession to the European Union† (Comparative European Politics, Houndsmills, Dec 2007, Vol 5, Issue 4, pp347-367) [5] Bagehot, â€Å"Europe: Balkan Blushes; Bulgaria, Romania and the EU† (The Economist, London July 26, 2008, Vol 388, Issue 8590 [6] Ciobanu, Monica â€Å"Romania’s travails with democracy and accession to the European Union† Europe-Asia Studies, 59.8, pp1429-1450 [7] Bagehot, â€Å"Europe: Balkan Blushes; Bulgaria, Romania and the EU† (The Economist, London July 26, 2008, Vol 388, Issue 8590

Protestant Vs. Socially Engaged Buddhism :: essays research papers

Protestant vs. Socially Engaged Buddhism   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Somewhere in the sixth century BCE Buddhism was born, born from a single man Siddhartha Guatama, the Buddha. After gaining his enlightenment under the Bodhi tree, the Buddha didn’t think that the rest of the world could handle all that he had learned. He did not want to teach others, nor did he want to spread his wisdom. Until at last his great compassion came over him and he started to gain the respect of few by going to his old peers first. By starting with other intellectuals he secured that they at least had the capacity to learn what he had to teach. From this point on he spread his philosophy on the middle path with everyone who would listen.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  He preached pacifism and that it was wrong to take any life be it a man’s or any lesser being’s. He taught that the noble eightfold path was the route to end all suffering, and that the individual was the most important factor in achieving enlightenment. The Buddha taught about the five aggregates, the notion that the human being is made up of matter, sensation, consciousness, perception, and mental formations. In all of his teachings however the Buddha did not do so much as a lay a groundwork for which his followers could build a society on.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Buddha was acting out of compassion in that he had found the way to end his suffering and wanted to help others do the same. He was not however trying to build himself up as a God, and create a religion under which he was the focal point. Since this was not his goal, he did not get into politics, social formations, or anything else of the like. However, sooner or later, with the rapid growth of Buddhism in India, and the whole of Southeast Asia, these were the things that would determine the survival of its followers. That is, an entire society of Buddhists had emerged, far greater numbers and organization than even the Buddha had imagined. With this emergence of community came more and more problems with which the leaders had no frame of reference to combat. For instance, what to do when pacifism doesn’t work in protecting your community. How to maintain peacefulness when outside forces are conquering violently. In many areas, where this sense of a Buddhist community had been created, the members had a great deal of pride in what they had created and were a part of, but their pride was kept in check by their inability to justify the right course of action.

Amy Winehouse and Adele Contrast/ Comparison

Amy Winehouse and Adele are the two Englishwomen that have dominated   the UK music industry in the past few years and their impact on the global scene has made them equally memorable and inspiring. They stamped British music forever through their vintage looks but more so through their powerful voices and distinct genres. Winehouse and Adele are both white girls who owe a debt to black soul music.The distinction between them is emphasized more so through their best works, the albums ( Winehouse's † Back to Black† and Adele's † 19†³) that forever transitioned them from London's Brit art school performers(where they were alumni)to successful artists. Without a doubt, the albums these artists created are considered great achievements of our era and the most complex masterpieces of our time. They reflect these ladies' heartbreak due to failed relationships through a mesmerizing but rich sound topped by a distinct musical and lyrical style.Adele's album is simple and clean, less menacing whereas Amy's is a little slight more edgy and memorable. The album â€Å"19† encompasses a bright acoustic-guitar chime, with a lullaby twinkle of plush strings and Adele's mesmerizing  singing tone, honest lyrics, jazz and soul influences evokes Amy's. Adele's delivery is accomplished through a more delicate bluesy tone whereas Amy's is represented by a brick house jazzy expressiveness far beyond our time. Adele is simpler lyrically and occasionally even soppy and somehow redundant lyrically, she doesn't have the mature poetic heritage that Amy does.Talented writers and composers these two muses beautifully show through their lyrics a deep attachment to the lost love and the disappointments that follow its course. â€Å"Back to Black† sounds emotionally and musically true. All eleven songs seem like great lost classics from the 60s : â€Å"Rehab†Ã‚  has many shades of Motown and contemporary twists, â€Å"Me and Mr. Jones† be longs to the swing era of the 60s and   Ã¢â‚¬Å"Loving Is A Losing Game† is a stunning soul ballad with a vintage finish.Winehouse's songs are snappily written with a mix of bitterly caustic lyrics and finger popping tunes, then delivered in a voice that alternates sexy smouldering with dismissive contempt. In the song  Ã¢â‚¬Å"You know I'm No Good†, she's unapologetic about her unfaithfulness but she can also be witty, as on â€Å"Me & Mrs Jones† when she berates a boyfriend with â€Å"You made me miss the Slick Rick gig†. Some will find Adele rigidly old-fashioned with influences (Etta James, Billie Holiday) from another age and her album truly shows that forgotten era.Amy's   influence of girl groups from the 50s   and early 60s is plain: plinky keyboards, parpy brass, trebly guitar. A cursory listen to† 19†³may lead us to conclude that Adele has not just a voice but an appearance way in excess of her years. The same can be said about Wi nehouse except she's   more daring not just appearance wise but vocally and   lyrically as well and through her writings she evokes more depth. The music poures out of Amy a stream of weathered, seasoned phrases, seemingly without effort and â€Å"Back to Black†, is a more soulful and stripped album than Adele's.Strong one moment then fragile the next, † 19†³   is an album that is dominated by highlights dripping with beauty and class. On the other hand   Ã¢â‚¬Å"Back to Black† is flawless and classic and represents the artist's true masterpiece. It's not that â€Å"Back to Black† is better as an overall album but besides being a door opener for many artists its appearance  on the British scene was necessary so we can have Adele's â€Å"19†. British singer Adele has credited Winehouse's success in the USA and more so for making her journey smoother. Winehouse reacquainted an audience with a long forgotten genre by overcoming the vintage aspect.After the release of â€Å"Back to Black†, record companies sought out artists with a similar sound but also fearless and experimental female musicians. Winehouse revitalized   British music forever and influenced British female artists like Adele, Duffy, Emeli   Sande, Misha B. , Jessie J. , Paloma Faith and Florence Welch. These musicians can all be traced back to Winehouse in terms of attitude, musical styles and fashion. Adele's voice caresses and inspires and she sings with unabashed passion about a kind of pain we can all recognize.Amy's voice on the other side is full of soul and characterized by a sultry sound and she delivers amazingly strong and timeless performances that once heard can never be forgotten. Songs like † Me and Mr. Jones† and â€Å"Tears Dry On Their Own† really show her capability to seamlessly go from soul to jazz and back to soul all the while evoking that spirit that is essential in emphasizing her sophisticated and thrilling musical style. Different as they seem – in the way they evolved musically and vocally- these two divas have much in common.Under everything else they both achieved success at an early age through their mutual passion for music and their indisputable talent. Their originality and soulful mannerism is clearly evoked in their albums. Amy and Adele didn't just pave the road for new British artists but have beautifully   reinstated   love as a main theme of our musical era through their deep songs. Two Grammy winners, with retro contemporary sounds they had forever changed people's   outlook on music and will remain the most acclaimed musical game changers of our century. Amy Winehouse and Adele Contrast/ Comparison Amy Winehouse and Adele are the two Englishwomen that have dominated   the UK music industry in the past few years and their impact on the global scene has made them equally memorable and inspiring. They stamped British music forever through their vintage looks but more so through their powerful voices and distinct genres. Winehouse and Adele are both white girls who owe a debt to black soul music.The distinction between them is emphasized more so through their best works, the albums ( Winehouse's † Back to Black† and Adele's † 19†³) that forever transitioned them from London's Brit art school performers(where they were alumni)to successful artists. Without a doubt, the albums these artists created are considered great achievements of our era and the most complex masterpieces of our time. They reflect these ladies' heartbreak due to failed relationships through a mesmerizing but rich sound topped by a distinct musical and lyrical style.Adele's album is simple and clean, less menacing whereas Amy's is a little slight more edgy and memorable. The album â€Å"19† encompasses a bright acoustic-guitar chime, with a lullaby twinkle of plush strings and Adele's mesmerizing  singing tone, honest lyrics, jazz and soul influences evokes Amy's. Adele's delivery is accomplished through a more delicate bluesy tone whereas Amy's is represented by a brick house jazzy expressiveness far beyond our time. Adele is simpler lyrically and occasionally even soppy and somehow redundant lyrically, she doesn't have the mature poetic heritage that Amy does.Talented writers and composers these two muses beautifully show through their lyrics a deep attachment to the lost love and the disappointments that follow its course. â€Å"Back to Black† sounds emotionally and musically true. All eleven songs seem like great lost classics from the 60s : â€Å"Rehab†Ã‚  has many shades of Motown and contemporary twists, â€Å"Me and Mr. Jones† be longs to the swing era of the 60s and   Ã¢â‚¬Å"Loving Is A Losing Game† is a stunning soul ballad with a vintage finish.Winehouse's songs are snappily written with a mix of bitterly caustic lyrics and finger popping tunes, then delivered in a voice that alternates sexy smouldering with dismissive contempt. In the song  Ã¢â‚¬Å"You know I'm No Good†, she's unapologetic about her unfaithfulness but she can also be witty, as on â€Å"Me & Mrs Jones† when she berates a boyfriend with â€Å"You made me miss the Slick Rick gig†. Some will find Adele rigidly old-fashioned with influences (Etta James, Billie Holiday) from another age and her album truly shows that forgotten era.Amy's   influence of girl groups from the 50s   and early 60s is plain: plinky keyboards, parpy brass, trebly guitar. A cursory listen to† 19†³may lead us to conclude that Adele has not just a voice but an appearance way in excess of her years. The same can be said about Wi nehouse except she's   more daring not just appearance wise but vocally and   lyrically as well and through her writings she evokes more depth. The music poures out of Amy a stream of weathered, seasoned phrases, seemingly without effort and â€Å"Back to Black†, is a more soulful and stripped album than Adele's.Strong one moment then fragile the next, † 19†³   is an album that is dominated by highlights dripping with beauty and class. On the other hand   Ã¢â‚¬Å"Back to Black† is flawless and classic and represents the artist's true masterpiece. It's not that â€Å"Back to Black† is better as an overall album but besides being a door opener for many artists its appearance  on the British scene was necessary so we can have Adele's â€Å"19†. British singer Adele has credited Winehouse's success in the USA and more so for making her journey smoother. Winehouse reacquainted an audience with a long forgotten genre by overcoming the vintage aspect.After the release of â€Å"Back to Black†, record companies sought out artists with a similar sound but also fearless and experimental female musicians. Winehouse revitalized   British music forever and influenced British female artists like Adele, Duffy, Emeli   Sande, Misha B. , Jessie J. , Paloma Faith and Florence Welch. These musicians can all be traced back to Winehouse in terms of attitude, musical styles and fashion. Adele's voice caresses and inspires and she sings with unabashed passion about a kind of pain we can all recognize.Amy's voice on the other side is full of soul and characterized by a sultry sound and she delivers amazingly strong and timeless performances that once heard can never be forgotten. Songs like † Me and Mr. Jones† and â€Å"Tears Dry On Their Own† really show her capability to seamlessly go from soul to jazz and back to soul all the while evoking that spirit that is essential in emphasizing her sophisticated and thrilling musical style. Different as they seem – in the way they evolved musically and vocally- these two divas have much in common.Under everything else they both achieved success at an early age through their mutual passion for music and their indisputable talent. Their originality and soulful mannerism is clearly evoked in their albums. Amy and Adele didn't just pave the road for new British artists but have beautifully   reinstated   love as a main theme of our musical era through their deep songs. Two Grammy winners, with retro contemporary sounds they had forever changed people's   outlook on music and will remain the most acclaimed musical game changers of our century.

A Successful Step Forward in the Educational Process

A Successful Step Forward in the Educational Process No Child Left Behind is one of the main principles of the educational system of the United States. It is very important to have determined well-organized principles and methods of studying for students to be more successful in achieving academic grades.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on A Successful Step Forward in the Educational Process specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It was a big step forward to create such program where all students would be chanced to get a better quality of education with the personal approach to each student. It goes without saying that the surest way to discredit public schools is not to leave any child behind. I think it is the most crucial transformation in the American educational system over the past decade. The federal funding for schools has been increased and the standard of teaching improved which resulted in the higher level of students’ knowledge recorded by the nationwide sta ndardized test. One of the main advantages of this program is that parents have a right to choose a public school for their children. It is comfortable both for parents and schools in particular as children are allotted to the classes according to their abilities and the level of knowledge. Since the level of success is judged by the level of students’ academic performance, it is important to provide all the necessary means and conditions for the students to have the best grades. The disadvantages of NCLB program is that it has not been worked out for those who have health problems and measured abilities and can not study in public schools. I think the program would be more precious if it is created for such people as they are in need more than any other students. One more disadvantage is that government of the United States can not allocate enough money to support all ideas of the program which slows down the process and further development of the program. Nevertheless, acco rding to the data, the achieved result can already be called successful comparing to the level of performance over the past years. As for me, I think this program is effective enough as a lot of opportunities have been given to those who could not afford a good level of education. However, as it was already said, it makes government spend a good amount of money to satisfy all needs.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Actually, talking about the real necessity of such program, it is possible to note that presently, the government of the United States wants to repeal the educational act NCLB. Thinking about this issue more carefully and from the general point of view, the program resulted in increasing the students’ education thanks to the lowering of learning standards. Children were thoroughly taught and tested by public schools. I think it is quite a big disadvantage. A ctually, both public and private schools can choose the educational standards and think about the best ways to increase the level of education of each student in particular. Presently, public schools just lose state funding in case some purposes can not be fulfilled as it is very costly for the government. Education is one of the main parts of a human’s life so a lot of attention both from the government and people’s side should be paid to it. The program No Child Left Behind is in its active development providing a number of measures and ways to increase the accountability of the states and schools for the students’ academic achievements. I think it is a nice opportunity for the teachers to improve their qualification and professional development as well as for parents to be provided with corresponding opportunities of making a choice and getting information. Moreover, one of the goals set by the program at the very beginning has been achieved: the gaps between advantaged and disadvantage students were successfully fulfilled and the general quality of education improved.

Word Choice Eventually vs. Ultimately - Proofread My Paper

Word Choice Eventually vs. Ultimately - Proofread My Paper Word Choice: Eventually vs. Ultimately â€Å"Eventually† and â€Å"ultimately† have plenty in common. Both are ten letters long. Both have â€Å"-ly† at the end. And, crucially, both refer to something that happens (or is expected to happen) after a certain period of time. It’s this final overlap which causes most confusion, with some people using â€Å"eventually† and â€Å"ultimately† interchangeably. However, there is an important difference, so you won’t want to mix up these words in your written work. Eventually (Some Time Later) We’ll begin with â€Å"eventually,† which generally means â€Å"some time later† or â€Å"finally,† especially after a prolonged delay: The queue was long, but we reached the front eventually. If you queue for too long, petrification can set in. It can also be used more generally to indicate an unspecified amount of time, even where no specific delay occurs: I’m new to ballet, but I’m hoping to eventually turn professional! In both cases, â€Å"eventually† emphasizes the passage of time, either in relation to something that has happened or that is expected to happen. Ultimately (In the End) â€Å"Ultimately† can mean â€Å"finally† or â€Å"in the end,† too, but specifically refers to the finishing point in a process or series of events: Although it seemed benign to begin with, the virus ultimately spread to other countries. A second meaning of â€Å"ultimately† is to indicate something as a fundamental or basic fact: Ultimately, tiddlywinks is a game of thrills and spills. Tiddle that wink! [Image: Hannes Grobe]Even in this second use of â€Å"ultimately,† there is a strong sense of finality, as it suggests something is beyond dispute or conclusive. Eventually or Ultimately? When used to mean â€Å"finally,† there are situations in which â€Å"eventually† and â€Å"ultimately† can be used interchangeably. However, even then, each word emphasizes something different. If we say something happened â€Å"eventually,† it’s usually the passage of time we are stressing. Hence â€Å"eventually† is normally used when describing something that happens after a delay. If we say something happened â€Å"ultimately,† on the other hand, the emphasis is on finality, so this term is best saved for referring to something that happens at the end of a process. For example, the ultimate fate of all sausages. When â€Å"ultimately† is used to mean â€Å"fundamentally,† moreover, it’s even more important to use the correct term, since â€Å"eventually† wouldn’t make sense in this context.

Should cars be more efficient Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Should cars be more efficient - Essay Example The case for making the cars more efficient finds its roots in two of the larger global issues – modern world’s dependence on depleting fossil fuels, and the impact of emissions on global climate. The proponents of making cars more efficient stress on the impact of cars on these two factors, and the opponents base their opinion on the huge investments needed to do so, and behavioral aspect of technology improvements. While both arguments seem to be strong, in the larger interest of sustainable development, the case for making the cars more efficient definitely seems to have an edge, on the face of it. This paper evaluates the two sides of the argument - whether (or not) cars must be made more efficient. Arguments â€Å"For† making cars more efficient The proponents for making cars more efficient base their arguments on three main pillars – decreasing dependence on fossil fuels, reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and helping climate control, and saving s for the consumer and the government. Below each of these pillars are discussed in detail. Decreasing dependence on fossil fuels: The global oil reserves stand at 1.33 trillion barrels and the current global consumption rate is 84 million barrels per day (Rogers, 2010). Accordingly, the current oil reserves are expected to last no more than 44 years. This clearly means that we need to work today to ensure that our dependence on oil can be gradually faded away. Amongst the uses to which oil is put, Gasoline accounts for nearly 45% of all oil use – and this is mainly for transportation purpose. According to McKinsey (2007), the road transport sector is the largest oil consuming sector globally and consumes nearly 32 million barrels of oil per day. Within the road transport sector, light vehicles (cars) were responsible for 10 million barrels of oil use per day. Another output from the McKinney study was to compare the oil demand due to different fuel efficiency of cars in Euro pe and US. Generally, cars sold in Europe are more fuel efficient than those in the US as the US customers prefer larger vehicles. It was found that the lower fuel economy of cars in the US was responsible for 37% extra demand for oil in the US. This means that if the cars in US were to be as fuel efficient as those in Europe, the demand for oil in the US could go down by 37%. Further, the study estimates that without improvements in fuel efficiency, this gap is expected to increase to 42% by the end of 2020. Therefore, the onus of reducing the global dependence on oil is largely on transportation sector and specifically on cars - it is a natural obligation for the transportation sector to reduce the consumption of oil. Therefore, cars must be made more fuel efficient so that we can reduce our dependence on these depleting resources and make them last longer than they would at current rate. Reducing GHG emissions and climate control: Estimates suggest that the transport sector is re sponsible for 27.3% of global energy demand. Table 1 shows the details of energy demand per sector. Although it is below other sectors by pure numbers, the reality is however slightly different. In the other sectors, power transmission losses (which are due to production constraints) get added due to which their weight appears to be more. Therefore, from a pure demand perspective, the transport sector is a significant silo for global energy dem

Analysis of Research Articles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Analysis of Research Articles - Essay Example The use of likert scale response questions makes it easier for the respondents to answer the questions in addition to improving the questionnaire response rate (Crotty 1998). The researcher employed the use of questionnaire in this study in that, respondents respond according to their own opinions and are not controlled as in interviews and observations. The researcher had the questionnaire tested for reliability and validity. According to Greenfield (2002), for any research findings to gain the required scientific rigor, the research tool should be test-retested through a pilot study or through an expert’s forum to harmonize issues. This practice is done to ensure that the results from the tool can be generalized to fit the whole population. However, in terms of sampling, the researcher failed in that, different companies’ employees should have participated in the study to ensure non-biasness and rigidity in the generalization of the survey findings. Further, the researcher should have allowed the staff members to make an informed decision on whether to participate or not according to Denzin’s (1997) arguments. This practice is highly recommended in research ethics as it protects the participant from coercion and ensures justice of the participants. Another important aspect left out in the methodology is the fact that the participants had to be informed that the data collected from them was to be used confidentially and for the sole purpose of the study. This would ensure tangible, valid and reliable data is collected since if assured of confidentiality, then they may be biased to avoid victimization by the company. Further, a lesser sample would have been more economical in terms of time and resource requirements (Kaplan 2004). In this case, an un-biased sample would have resulted into the same kind of results as a complete count. Further, the sample should have had the same or nearly the same number of males as females. In the