THE HISTORY OF PUNK ROCK Essays - Punk Rock Genres,

THE HISTORY OF PUNK ROCK Punk rock is a style of music that originated in 1964 in New York City at an underground club called The Dom. This little known club at the time was the catalyst that started punk on the road to what it is today (History Punk). Sid Vicious of the Sex Pistols was quoted saying; ?Punk was created as a cure for boredom.? (Punk History). He sure has one thing correct; one certainly can not be bored while listening to punk rock. The hard core guitar rhythm, slashing bass line, and hard fast drum beat make punk music that one must dance to. Punk rock is a style of music that has recently started its comeback. Punk rock from the past has affected many of today's top artists and this has had a dramatic affect on the today's music industry. Although there is considerable influence from past bands that does not mean there has not been a considerable change in the area of punk rock itself. The Stooges are a punk band formed in New York by punk great Iggy Pop. He formed the band in 1966 and the members could hardly play their instruments. This did not discourage them pursuing their dream of being a great punk rock band though. They continually practiced until finally three years later in 1969 their first album was released. This was the start of mainstream punk (Punk History). In 1975 the punk scene shifted from New York to Detroit, where it stayed for the next 15 years (Punk History). Also in 1975 a band by the name of The Ramones formed. They released there first, self entitled album in 1976. The lack of originality is said to have been the key factor in creation of the Ramones sound. They wanted to put the step back into music. They brought back the 2-minute song many found reminiscent of early rock and roll (Chord Wonders). On July 4, 1976 the Romones performed their first concert in London. This concert had a dramatic effect on Britain. It inspired such great bands as the Sex Pistols, the Clash, the Damned, and Generation X. This was the spark that generated the British Punk frenzy (Chord Wonders). British punks had the ?do it yourself? attitude, and emphasized individuality and self-expression. They rebelled against the music of the 70's and the social, economic and political climate of England at the time. But the area that British punks rebelled against the most was fashion. They did this to the extent that they created there own fashion (The Pit). The first major band to develop in England was the Sex Pistols. They took the ametureristic style of the Ramones and added a streak of nihilism, meaning they had an anarchic sound, creating a sound and an image that is still the ideal in punk rock today (Greeil 34). The fast guitar rhythm, sometimes out of tune, was the main feature of the Sex Pistols. Combine that with Sid Vicious slaughtering the bass lines, the nihilistic lyrics of Johnny Rotton, and a hard core drum and you have what most consider the greatest punk band of all time. Rotton, lead singer, and Vicious are looked upon as two of the ?all time great punks?, contributing both musically and fashionably to the punk scene. Vicious often played at gigs drunk or high on heroin. These antics by Vicious earned the band more press about their offstage antics then their actual music performance (Chord Wonders). Another great punk legend, The Clash, was started in 1978. The Clash was more idealistic the Sex Pistols, but they were no less aggressive (Greil 76). They were very instrumental in the development of today's punk bands. Bands such as Sublime, Operation Ivy, and Rancid are just a few examples of bands that base their music on the style of the Clash. The style with which the Clash play utilizes the ska and reggae beat making the guitar sound higher pitched. This style and technique is what got the Clash voted best album by Rolling Stones in 1980 (History Punk). One thing that made all punks stand out was their fashion taste or should I say lack of fashion. Punks would wear fetishwear, bondage trousers, and

Writing a SAT Sample Essay

Writing a SAT Sample EssayWriting a SAT sample essay is not difficult, but it is very time consuming. The entire essay is composed of three parts. In this article, we will look at the first part.The first part of the essay must be composed out of five short paragraphs. The short paragraphs should read like a mini report. Each paragraph should also be no more than two hundred words long. You should use bullets or underlining to help emphasize certain points in your paragraphs.When writing a SAT sample essay, you must not forget to include your most important ideas at the beginning of the essay. This will help provide readers with your general point of view and is one of the most important parts of the essay. There is nothing worse than reading an essay where all the points are not emphasized properly.It is very important to read and re-read your essay over before you submit it. If you forget to include any important information in your essay, you will never be able to meet the criteri a for college credit. You must make sure you completely understand the subject matter before you submit your essay.Before you begin writing your SAT sample essay, it is important to create a list of all the different topics that you will cover. Keep the topics as concise as possible so that they do not become boring. By writing down the topic beforehand, you will know exactly what type of essay you will need to write.As the topic of your essay is determined, you should start brainstorming about the types of questions that you want to answer. The different types of questions include descriptive questions (ex: What was the best part of your day? ), analytical questions (ex: What causes us to feel upset?) and judgmental questions (ex: I do not know why we feel guilty if we steal. Be careful when you are writing your SAT sample essay. For example, the essay may seem to include many different topics, but it only contains one particular topic. The entire purpose of the essay is to get one particular point across to the reader, but you need to make sure you do not lose sight of the general idea by going off on a tangent.There are hundreds of websites that offer sample essays that can be used as practice for your SAT essay. You can take one or all of these essays and study them so that you know how to write a good essay. After you have been writing essays for a while, you will become comfortable and confident in your ability to write the perfect essay.

The Red Turban Rebellion in China

The Red Turban Rebellion in China Disastrous floods on the Yellow River washed away crops, drowned villagers, and changed the rivers course so that it no longer met up with the Grand Canal. The hungry survivors of these catastrophes began to think that their ethnic-Mongol rulers, the Yuan Dynasty, had lost the Mandate of Heaven. When those same rulers forced 150,000 to 200,000 of their Han Chinese subjects to turn out for a massive labor corvee to dig out the canal once more and join it to the river, the laborers rebelled. This uprising, called the Red Turban Rebellion, signaled the beginning of the end for Mongol rule over China. The first leader of the Red Turbans, Han Shantong, recruited his followers from the forced laborers who were digging out the canal bed in 1351. Hans grandfather had been a sect leader of the White Lotus sect, which provided the religious underpinnings for the Red Turban Rebellion. Yuan Dynasty authorities soon captured and executed Han Shantong, but his son took his place at the head of the rebellion. Both Hans were able to play upon their followers hunger, their displeasure at being forced to work without pay for the government, and their deep-seated dislike of being ruled by barbarians from Mongolia. In northern China, this led to an explosion of Red Turban anti-government activity. Meanwhile, in southern China, a second Red Turban uprising began under the leadership of Xu Shouhui. It had similar complaints and goals to those of the northern Red Turbans, but the two were not coordinated in any way.   Although the peasant soldiers originally identified with the color white (from the White Lotus Society) they soon switched to the much luckier color red. To identify themselves, they wore red headbands or hong jin, which gave the uprising its common name as the Red Turban Rebellion. Armed with makeshift weapons and farm implements, they should not have been a real threat to the Mongol-led armies of the central government, but the Yuan Dynasty was in turmoil. Initially, an able commander called Chief Councillor Toghto was able to put together an effective force of 100,000 imperial soldiers to put down the northern Red Turbans. He succeeded in 1352, routing Hans army. In 1354, the Red Turbans went on the offensive once more, cutting the Grand Canal.  Toghto assembled a force traditionally numbered at 1 million, although that is no doubt a gross exaggeration.  Just as he began to move against the Red Turbans, court intrigue resulted in the emperor dismissing Toghto. His outraged officers and many of the soldiers deserted in protest of his removal, and the Yuan court was never able to find another effective general to lead the anti-Red Turban efforts. During the late 1350s and early 1360s, local leaders of the Red Turbans fought among themselves for control of soldiers and territory. They expended so much energy on each other that the Yuan government was left in relative peace for a time. It seemed as if the rebellion might collapse under the weight of different warlords ambition. However, Han Shantongs son died in 1366; some historians believe that his general, Zhu Yuanzhang, had him drowned. Although it took two more years, Zhu led his peasant army to capture the Mongol capital at Dadu (Beijing) in 1368. The Yuan Dynasty fell, and Zhu established a new, ethnically-Han Chinese dynasty called the Ming.

Business and Virtue Ethics Essay Example for Free

Business and Virtue Ethics Essay Abstract For the purposes of this assignment we will analyze the Mattel case and discuss the actions of the company regarding the behavior and actions in conjunction with the Global Manufacturing Process that was implemented. Breaches of the two business ethics elements of integrity and egoism will be assessed. Within the discussion I have identified the virtues prudence, justice, fidelity, and courage that were largely violated by the Mattel organization and how it affected the employees of Mattel. We will discuss the implications of virtue, deontological, and utilitarian ethics regarding their potential usefulness in evaluation of the Mattel case. Introduction Mattel’s concept of Global Manufacturing Principles (GMP) was not a novel concept. The many forms of GMP including International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) have been around for decades and have worked to insure that specific industries are held to a standard that is industry wide. ISO’s model is â€Å"Say what you do, and do what you say†. When a company endeavors to become ISO qualified, it is required to document every activity (as a standard operating procedure, SOP) that occurs within the company and adhere to that process without deviation. ISO qualified companies are always subject to audit by other ISO registered companies and is initially audited by four such companies in order to acquire certification. Having been directly involved with ISO implementation at a former employer that supplied fasteners for manufacturing, I am fully aware of how involved the certification is. The company SOP was over 1000 pages. Additionally, another ISO company can and will come in and audit your company prior to electing to conduct business with your company. In some instances, ISO qualification is not enough to be awarded the business. The nutrition industry also adheres to the Good Manufacturing Practices, of which I was required to be certified in every year. Each department of the nutritional company I worked for had its own GMP standards that we were to adhere implicitly. The nutrition industry, while not regulated by the FDA, is controlled indirectly by the FDA. GMP is an FDA requirement. Having worked in two industries where the concept is not only expected, but required in some instances; I was not impressed by the fact that Mattel implemented GMP of their own volition for the sole purpose to improve public perception after misconduct was exposed by the media. Business Ethics Issue The one word that I found that resonates throughout the article, whether spoken or implied, is â€Å"integrity†. The incoming CEO stated that Mattel would behave in all actions with â€Å"unwavering integrity† and that the company’s commitment to the GMP remained unequivocal and undiminished. (Sethi, Shapiro, Emelianova, pg.490) Ironically, I identify the most noticeable and important business ethics issue as just that; a lack of integrity. Merriam Webster defines integrity as â€Å"the firm adherence to a code of especially moral value, the quality or sate of being complete or undivided, and the quality of being honest or fair. Mattel exhibited none of these traits insofar as where their GMP’s were concerned. In fact, there were numerous infractions regarding the non-enforcement of their GMP’s across the board in the Asia and Mexico based manufacturing facilities. The second ethics issue I identified was narcissism. Mattel implemented this GMP program with the attitude of ‘look at what we’re doing’ but with minimal effort to ensure the success of the program. According to Duchon and Drake (2009) extreme narcissistic organizations will establish these formal ethics programs but will not have much effect on hindering unethical behaviors. This was evident in that the supervisors at the factories knew what they were supposed to be doing; but found ways to circumvent the system and there were no reprisals as a result of their nonconformance. Ultimately, it was a program of words and not deeds. Three Virtues Prudence â€Å"Careful good judgment that allows someone to avoid danger or risks. † (M-W, 2013) In my opinion, a great deal of misfortune and hardship could have been avoided if Mattel would have practiced a modicum of prudence before ever moving their manufacturing to Asia. In a perfect world, and especially in a modern world we do not expect children to work. However, when dealing with underdeveloped countries; it is normal for children to work in conditions that would be an affront to any American’s moral nature having abandoned child labor decades ago. If Mattel had done due diligence, they would have known that the facility in Indonesia was operating in an unacceptable manner (Sethi, et al. pg. 486) and could have implemented working conditions and requirements from the get-go. Then the exposure by the media would have never been an issue. I have no doubt that the draw of paying lower wages and increased productivity was the catalyst to overlook the conditions in those overseas factories. Justice â€Å"The quality of being just, impartial, or fair. Conformity to truth, fact, or reason. † (M-W, 2013) The concept of justice was completely lost on Mattel. While the implementation of the GMP program was comprehensive; the execution and enforcement was unconscionable. The last paragraph of the GMP, exhibit 1 says that if â€Å"Mattel determines that any of its manufacturing facilities or vendors violate these principles, we may either terminate our business relationship or require that facility to take corrective action. If corrective action is advised and not taken, Mattel will immediately terminate current production and suspend placement of future orders. †(Sethi, et al.pg. 487). However, when audits were performed; the facilities were rife with infractions but there was no follow through when corrective actions were required. The facilities were allowed to continue to operate unhindered. Astonishingly, the 20 plus companies that were not owned by Mattel were allowed to operate without any disciplinary actions imposed by Mattel for infractions if any auditing was conducted at all. Considering the fact that both Mattel owned and vendor factories employ some hundred thousand plus employees; Mattel’s actions were nowhere near impartial, fair, or conforming to fact or reason. Fidelity â€Å"Quality or state of being faithful, accuracy in details. †(M-W, 2013) For this virtue, I am concentrating on the act of being faithful to the employees. Whether or not the GMPs were self-imposed or not, Mattel had an obligation to the people it employs. Throughout the article, it was found during audits that the employee’s time cards would systematically be incomplete where they were not being allowed to clock-out. This resonates that these people were being required to work overtime ‘off the books’. Employees were not being given the appropriate days off or vacation time. Some living conditions and canteen conditions were substandard. Fines were being imposed. (Sethi, et al. 2011) The list goes on and on. In my opinion, Mattel should have had impartial representatives on the ground in these factories to ensure that the rules for payment, working overtime, and work conditions were being upheld. There should have been constant supervision and vigilance on a corporate level. To think that audits that were being conducted every three years was comprehensive enough to get the job done was blind and narrow minded. Courage To go one step further. A virtue is an attitude. Courage is measured when there is risk involved; but also rationality. To be truly courageous there needs to be a clear picture of what a person’s values are. Courage does not need to be proven beyond a doubt. (Hartman, 2008) In the case of Mattel, I feel it was courageous to implement such a comprehensive GMP program although it was misguided and ultimately failed. An even more courageous act would have been to rehab the program and bring it to its full potential and fruition. The article does not mention whether Mattel experienced any loss of revenue as a result, but public perception is a fickle entity and once all of the attention over sweat shops and child labor overseas died down, Mattel was no longer under the microscope. Financially, Mattel was spending money it perceivably no longer needed to spend. Since their program was self-imposed; it is no surprise that Mattel just unceremoniously abandoned the GMP program after nine years. When some organizations implement and enforce codes as part of a self-regulation process and others do not, those who self-regulate invariably incur greater costs. These costs are usually passed onto the consumer who subsequently (and sensibly) choses the organization which offers the cheaper product. (Blackburn & McGee, 2004) Virtue Ethics â€Å"Virtues† are attitudes, dispositions, or character traits that enable us to be and to act in ways that develop this potential. They enable us to pursue the ideals we have adopted. Honesty, courage, compassion, generosity, fidelity, integrity, fairness, self-control, and prudence are all examples of virtues. (Andre, Meyer, Shanks, and Velazquez. 1988) Virtue ethics indicates that business decisions should be made in a manner that attributes to the overall goals of the professional. It stresses activities and motives, what we do and why. Virtue ethics proffer that action and motive are connected to character and disposition. Actions are taken and decisions made because they are linked to a certain character. (Blackburn and McGee. 2004) â€Å"That â€Å"ought† does not imply â€Å"right† can be seen in another sort of case as well, namely, when what one ought to do in one’s circumstances results from one’s own prior wrongdoing. In such a case, doing what one ought to do may not be the same as doing a right act or a â€Å"good deed†. In fact, the same prior failure may both increase one’s level of obligation to do a given act now and decrease one’s level of praiseworthiness. † (Russell, 2008) The above quote is especially poignant in the Mattel case. Because Mattel implemented the GMP program on the heels of a media expose, the intentions were not solely based on the ‘right’ thing to do, but on what they ‘ought’ to do. Mattel probably did not get the recognition or good press they were looking for and therefore had no proclivity to ensure that the plan was a success. Utilitarian Ethics â€Å"Actions are approved when they are as such to promote happiness and disapproved when they have a tendency to cause unhappiness. † (Driver, 2009) We also know that utilitarian ethics work for the greatest good for the greatest number of people. Mattel directly employs over twenty thousand people throughout Asia and Mexico. If the happiness of those employees would have been considered; the pay, working conditions, time off, and canteen programs would have never been an issue. If the executives of the company would have experienced any of those adverse conditions, they would have cried â€Å"foul† all the way to an attorney. The employees are ultimately left without a voice and no recourse. Deontology â€Å"To act according to the maxim that you would wish all other rational people to follow as though it were universal law. † â€Å"Never treat a person as a means to an end. † (Pecorino, 2000) Kant contends that where morality is concerned, it is guided by law and therefore judgment is not necessary to fill in the blanks, because there are no blanks. He believed that people can conform to duty and not be morally limited. He believed that we could use indeterminate action-guidance for imperfect duties, and I’m paraphrasing; to weigh the moral options for decisions regarding duty towards others. Because that decision requires the minimum of our morality. Kant rejected virtue ethics. (McAleer, 2001) My opinion is that deontology would not work in the Mattel case. There are too many variables to consider in order to narrow down the maxim that will be comprehensive enough to include thousands of people over a number of cultural variances. Conclusion While the design of Mattel’s Global Manufacturing Principles may have been well intended and meant to improve the working conditions of the employees, the implementation was short-sighted and poorly executed. All too often when the few aspire to set standards for the many, the end result is a miscalculation. GMP’s are not a one size fits all type of endeavor. Each facility should have had a program that was custom to their country and working conditions. The ethical treatment of employees was the intention; but the ultimate governance was not enforced. The aftermath was the abandonment of the program due to the lack of interest and participation on the public and other companies in the industry. References Andre, Claire, Meyer, Michael and S. J. , Shanks, Thomas, Velasquez, Manuel. (1988) Ethics and Virtue. Issues in Ethics, V1 N3. We have essays on the following topics that may be of interest to you

Public Policy - Resources assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Public Policy - Resources - Assignment Example mated population of 25 million, the state must deliberate on water usage and storage to quench a population that is estimated to reach 46 million by 2060 (Artz 8A). The magnitude of water problem in Texas was manifested by the 2011 drought. Most of the cities in Texas could not afford to keep the homes taps flowing without a huge expense, for example, in Spicewood Beach, the water ran out completely and the town had to bring in water using trucks. Consequently, the city of Wichita Falls has resorted to conservation by banning unnecessary usage of water. The shortage has also affected agricultural activities such as irrigation in order to divert water to domestic use. According to water experts, the water problem in Texas can have varied solutions. First, the state can adopt an expansive water conservation agenda in which any unnecessary usage of water is prohibited. The ordinances need to be set in order to deter people from wasting water at the expense of other citizens. Watering of private lawns, refilling of swimming pools and regular car washing should be banned in the state. Conservation of water is an expensive sacrifice that has to be made by the civilians. Although it is inconveniencing, it is the cheapest way of ensuring availability of water for basic needs (Texas Water Development Board). Second, the state can embark on water storage. Several states in the United States have the projects where water is stored in underground aquifers (ASR). The water in the aquifers can be then used in times of scarcity. The idea of constructing water aquifers is ideal since it reduces water loss through evaporation. An example of how aquifer storage and recovery is beneficial is depicted by the importance of the Twin Oaks aquifer that has the ability to supply 20% of water needs in the city of San Antonio. Broadening the sources of water is another concept that can be used in Texas. The state government can embark on alternative measures such as recycling

Reflective Article Review Log Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Reflective Article Review Log - Assignment Example The new demands of the learning environment can only be met if the instructional methods remain dynamic and provide a comprehensive understanding of the learning needs. By identifying the various changes in the learning environment, the authors lay a ground for launching a new strategy for meeting the learners’ demands. The article relies on empirical studies to identify the various learning needs of a diverse school population. The article summarizes the findings of hundreds of empirical studies to identify five common needs of a learner. Ming and Dukes (2010) identify phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension as the key elements of a comprehensive lesson that can help children to become proficient readers. Phonemic awareness is defined as the ability to auditorily identify and manipulate individual sounds in words. On the other hand, phonics is the ability of the learner to identify the letters within a word. The two helps a learner to have a flow of the language what the authors term as fluency of the language. Next, the learners can learn how to use vocabulary which refers to the language words that add taste to the language. The last and the most important step is for the learner to comprehend the meaning of the language which is essential for a complete learning proce ss. The article provides a basis which instructors can perform a close analysis of the lessons and evaluate the dimensions that they omit in their lessons. Through a scientific approach, Ming and Dukes (2010) develops a strategy through which an instructor can develop incorporate the â€Å"big five† dimension in a diverse learning environment. The article emphasizes the need for preplanning stage in developing a comprehensive lesson plan. It is a stage that the instructor lays down the objectives the lesson and the various learners’ outcomes that he must attain at the end of their teaching. Next, the article

Decision Making by Criminals Essay -- Rational Choice Criminology Essa

Decision Making by Criminals The issue of whether decision making by criminals is a rational process is a heated topic of discussion when one asserts that crime is the role of choice. Before the classical school of criminology, crime was thought to be the product of the paranormal occurrence of demons, witches, ghouls, and other creatures. The time prior to the classical school of criminology, called the preclassical era, is divided in two parts. Before the time of state intervention into private matters, each individual dealt with violations of their rights. This was a problem because of the continuous cycle of violence being perpetuated. Soon the State (and even the Church) took on the task of dispensing law and order to the masses of the Middle Ages. This led to a period called the Holy Inquisition which lasted from the twelfth century to the eighteenth century. During the Holy Inquisition, punishment that was harsh and capricious was the norm. Also, there was no protection against bogus allegations, meaning , the burden of proof was on the accused to prove his/her innocence.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The classical school of criminology was a response to the harsh times of the Holy Inquisition. It was a product of the Enlightenment, seeking to replace the notions of the divine rights of royalty and clergy with rationalism, intellectualism, and humanitarianism. The two chief ambassadors of the classical school of criminology are Cesare Beccaria (1738-1794) and Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832). Beccaria is widely recognized as the father of the classical school of criminology. In his essay Dei deliti e delle pene (On Crimes and Punishment), Beccaria asserted that humans are rational, have free will, and are hedonistic. He also claimed that crime can be prevented by convincing warnings of punishments. To succeed in preventing crime, certainty, severity, and celerity of punishment must be present. Jeremy Bentham embraced the utilitarian philosophy of replacing harsh and capricious punishments with humane punishments and protection against bogus allegations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The classical school of criminology was the foundation of the modern criminal justice system in the Western world. Criminal law and criminal procedure now assume that people are rational actors, thanks to the classical school of criminology. In addition, penalties for crime became more humane and policing turned to ... ...minology: Explaining Crime and Its Context 5th ed. Cincinnati, OH: Matthew Bender & Company, Inc., 2004 Exum, M. Lyn. ?The Application and Robustness of the Rational Choice Perspective in the Study of Intoxicated and Angry Intentions to Aggress.? Criminology. Nov. 2002. Vol. 40 Issue 4, p933. Frank, Robert H. ?Commitment Problems in the Theory of Rational Choice.? Texas Law Review. Jun. 2003. Vol. 81 Issue 7, p1789. McCarthy, Bill. ?New Economics of Sociological Criminology.? Annual Review of Sociology. 2002. Vol. 28 Issue 1, p417. Mendes, Silvia M. ?Certainty, Severity, and Their Relative Deterrent Effects: Questioning the Implications of the Role of Risk in Criminal Deterrence Policy.? Policy Studies Journal. 2004. Vol. 32 Issue 1, p59. Nagin, Daniel S. and Raymond Pasternoster. ?Personal Capital and Social Control: The Deterrence Implications of a Theory of Individual Differences in Criminal Offending.? Criminology. Nov. 1994. Vol. 32, Issue 4, p. 581. Wood, Peter B. and David C. May. ?Racial Differences in Perceptions of the Severity of Sanctions: A comparison of Prison with Alternatives.? Justice Quarterly. Sep. 2003. Vol. 20, Issue 3, p. 605