Factory Near Housing Area Free Essays

An international company is planning to set up a factory near your housing area. The proposed factory however, is believed to be environmentally hazardous. It will pollute the environment through thermal pollution, chemical pollution, air pollution, and noise pollution. We will write a custom essay sample on Factory Near Housing Area or any similar topic only for you Order Now Write a persuasive essay urging people in your neighborhood to protest against the set up of the factory. Based on Macmillan English Dictionary, pollution is the process of damaging the air, water, or land with chemicals or other substances. Pollution even started from the prehistoric times when man created the first fires. But nowadays, it was the  industrial revolution  that gave birth to environmental pollution. The emergence of great factories and consumption of immense quantities of  coal  and other  fossil fuels gave rise to unprecedented  air pollution  and the large volume of industrial  chemical  discharges added to the growing load of untreated human waste. Therefore, is it suitable for factories to be build near the housing area? People in the community should show their concerns and attention to this matter because setting up an environmentally hazardous factory near their house is extremely unreasonable. There are many kind of pollution caused by factory. One of it is thermal pollution, another form of water pollution. Like other form of water pollution, thermal pollution is widespread, effecting many rivers, lakes and stream around the world. It happens when there is increase of temperature in the stream, river or lake. Factories involve in thermal pollution when they dump water used to cool their machinery. As we all know, water used for cooling the machine warms to five to ten Celsius degree before dumped back into river or lake where it come from. When water temperature rises from normal temperature, the plants and animals lived in the water will die because they had been adapted to live in a certain range of temperature only. Increase in temperature cause them to die. Therefore, we shouldn’t allow this to happen because it will affect the stability of the ecosystem which also leads to decreasing food source. As we know it, many hazardous chemicals are used in factories during the production process, after which they are dumped into rivers and lakes. Issues about factories that did not dispose their chemical wastes in the correct way are also very common in these days. Unused chemical substances were disposed into the rivers illegally. This had eventually endangered the water species in the river and destroyed the drinking water sources of the people. As a result, more than 40% of the rivers in China are considered unfit for drinking, while 64% of major cities and towns have  seriously polluted groundwater. We can’t let this happen in our housing area because water is a very important source for us to live. Therefore building a factory near the housing area is not supposed to happen. Besides, noise pollution is also one of the pollution that is contributed by factory. Machine in the factory produce very loud noises which can affect the health and behavior of a person. This is because unwanted noise can damage physiological and psychological health. For example, people will face many health problems such as annoyance and aggression,  hypertension, high stress levels,  tinnitus, hearing loss, sleep disturbances, and other harmful effects due to the exposure of loud noise. Therefore, if the factory is just around the corner, the possibility for the community to be effected by the loud noise is very high. It is very risky to let the community facing those loud noises as it will affect their live eventually. Another pollution that caused by factory operation is air pollution. With accelerating urban and industrial growth, vast amount of harmful waste product has been released into the atmosphere by the irresponsible citizen. The most common gaseous pollutants are  carbon monoxide,  carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons  (CFCs) and  nitrogen oxides. Factories involve in air pollution when the burning of various fuels in the factory emits poisonous gasses to the atmosphere and eventually damage the air quality. Besides that, dust that comes from cement kilns, lime kilns, stone crushing and asbestos factories are also the main causes of breathing problems and lung diseases in our country. This shows that low quality of air increase the risk for the community to be infected by disease. Therefore, factory should be build far away from the housing area to ensure the healthy environment can be built in the neighborhood. Our environment means the surrounding of our house where we live together with our neighbors. To produce a healthy environment for us and the people around us, we should cooperate with each other and prevent any unpleasant force from disturbing our healthy life. In this situation, we should get up and protest against the set up of the factory because the damages that come with the factory are just too awful. It may increase the spreading of disease and disturb the balance nature of our neighborhood. Therefore we need to be united in order to provide a better living for our community. How to cite Factory Near Housing Area, Papers

IS Zambia is developing in accordance with Dudley Seers free essay sample

This essay aims to define what development is and to answer the question on whether if Zambia is developing in accordance with Dudley Seers. This will be done in two phases by first defining what development means with the aid of various definitions and dimensions while the second phase to point out on whether Zambia is developing by referring to a reduction in poverty, a reduction in unemployment and a reduction in inequality as key points of reference. The term development is said to be complex due to the many different and sometimes contentious definitions. In some instances development can be said to be a social and economic process of change which leads to a desirable state or outcome which is beneficial to the people of a given society. It is also commonly understood as a complex, gradual, and continuous process that has both qualitative and quantitative aspects. Development must therefore be conceived as â€Å"a multidimensional process involving major changes in social structures, popular attitudes, and national institutions, as well as the acceleration of economic growth, the reduction of inequality, and the eradication of poverty† (Todaro and Smith, 2003:16). If further broken down it can be highlighted that social structures are patterned social arrangements in society that are determined and emerge from the actions of individuals, while popular attitudes are basically a settled way a mass population thinks or feels which is reflected in their behaviour and national institutions are structures that have a mechanism of social order which are governed by norms, rules of conduct and a general accepted way of doing things. Economic growth can be defined as a sustained increase and expansion in the production capacity of a given economy, while inequality refers to a situation in which individuals or individual groups do not have equal social class, social status and social circle and poverty though which has many definitions can be simply defined as a lack of essential items such as food, clothing, water and shelter. â€Å"The concept of development is neither new nor old. Development is a continuously changing and dynamic concept† (Sapru, 1994:4). This basically implies it has and continues to take different shapes and dimensions over a period of time. These dimensions may include social, economic, political, and administrative and so on. According to Colm and Geiger cited by Sapru(1994), â€Å"development means change plus growth†. All Colm and Geiger simply meant is that it’s only through economic growth that changes in society will be brought about. According to Amartya Sen cited by Todaro and Smith (2003), â€Å"development has to be more concerned with enhancing the lives we lead and the freedoms we enjoy†. In other words the purpose of development is to create an environment in which all people can expand their capabilities, and opportunities can be enlarged for both present and future generations which lead to a life of sustained freedoms. Furthermore Weidner and T. N. Chaturvedi are cited by Sapru (1994), respectively as development being a process of growth â€Å"in the direction of modernity and particularly in the direction of nation-building and socio-economic progress† and a process which stands for the â€Å"transformation of society†. Elaborating further on Weidner’s definition by growth â€Å"in the direction of modernity† it points out to technological advancements and implementing new policies that go hand in hand with the ever evolving world which lead to national building. Socio-economic progress refers to the social life and economic activity that complement each other in the process of development, meaning they both need each other in order to achieve the ultimate goal of development. Development can also be defined in three core values which are life sustenance, self-esteem and freedom of choice (Goulet, 1971). The World Development Report (1991:4), referred to development as â€Å"to improve the quality of life. Especially in the poor countries, a better quality of life generally calls for higher incomes, but involves much more. It encompasses, as ends in themselves, better education, higher standards of health and nutrition, less poverty, a cleaner environment, more equality of opportunity, greater individual freedom, and a richer cultural life. † â€Å"The overall goal of development is therefore to increase the economic, political and civil rights of all people across gender, ethnic groups, religions, races and countries† Since Development is a multidimensional process it has various aspects to it which would be referred to as dimensions. These dimensions include Political, Economic, Social, cultural and administrative development. In order for there to be meaningful and conceivable development, these aspects must come into play all at once and not at different paces. Meaning it would be needless to say a country is developing economically or socially when it has a poor administrative, political and cultural system. Political development can be described as the capacity of a political system to resolve or address fundamental problems in society in relation to the changing demands of the people. It can be broadly stated as the development of institutions, attitudes, and values that form the political power system of a society. Political development has key features which include popular participation, an emergence of a broad governing elite, an emergence of a capable state, an emergence of a meritocratic system, adherence to the rule of law and the separation of religion from the state. Popular participation is simply the public participation of the people in affairs of the nation. These may include good free and fair elections, periodic elections and a situation in which everyone can participate in political events freely. An emergence of a broad governing elite is a situation in which the government has different kinds of people from all walks of life being involved in the governing process of the nation. It excludes factors such as nepotism, tribalism or members of a particular class ‘usually the well to do’ as the only suitable people to run the countries affairs. An emergence of a capable state is basically being able to provide competent and good governance while the emergence of a meritocratic system can be defined as a system which only has people in it on the basis of their merit rather than by birth privilege. Adherence to the law conceptualises on a basic principle of no one being ‘above the law’. It also puts into consideration that if a nation has law abiding citizens there will be a decent approach towards development by the citizens of a particular nation without unrest or political upheaval. Separation of the state from religion is recognised as the church staying out the government’s affairs and the government staying out of the church’s affairs. Economic development is essentially an important component of development. Raising national income, reducing poverty and more equitable distribution of wealth and income are all essential components of economic development (Sapru, 1994). Economic development also implies a sustained increase in the production of goods and services, distribution of goods and services, and material consumption. It aims at the improvement of the lively hoods of people and broadly entails the fundamental structure changes that accompany such growth. The key features of economic development include a consistent consumption pattern on consumer goods, a combined participation of both the local and foreign people investors and a strong agricultural and industrious work ethic. The major determinants of economic growth are efficient resource location, investments and savings, improvements in science and technology with the accompaniment of increased skills and education Social development is a concept that usually focuses on organizing human energies and activities at higher levels to achieve greater results. It’s about improving peoples access to the basic necessities or social services such as access to health, education, safe drinking water, improvement in peoples wages, working conditions, good sanitation and so on. Cultural development is the unified process of integrating and involving the various cultures of a nation towards the common goal of development which requires an effortless cooperation at all levels. Administrative development associates itself with the planning, implementing of policies, programmes and focuses on nation building through socio-economic development. It follows a more practical approach by making the optimum use of talents and expertise available. The question on whether is Zambia developing can heed reference from the definition posed by Dudley Seers. According to Dudley Seers (1979), the concept of development is the full realisation of human potential through a reduction of inequality, unemployment and absolute poverty. If any one of these three keys values is missing then it cannot be referred to as development or development cannot necessarily be considered. The term inequality can be defined as a situation in which individuals or individual groups do not have equal social class, social status and social circle. There are various forms of social inequality, though those that are highly noticeable in Zambia include gender inequality, age inequality and income inequality. Gender inequality is the unequal empowerment and participation between men and women in both public and private life. â€Å"The emphasis on gender is borne out of the deepening division in the role assigned to male and female in all spheres of human endeavour, particularly in the economic, political and educational spheres. Women are less active compared to men in political activities and decision making process. † (en. wikipedia. org/.. /social_inequality). An example of gender inequality would be the noticeable fact that women in Zambia are largely under represented at most levels in government especially in ministerial and other executive bodies. Furthermore in the current societal set up of Zambia, the law requires marriage to be entered with the consent of both parties but it is however still reported that customary marriages continue to take place without the consent of the woman. On the other hand it must be commended that the government has taken steps in trying to ensure there is an equal enrolment of both genders in the educational system, however the gap normally widens when it gets to the level of secondary schools. However it must also be noted that if a third world country like Zambia wants to develop it requires a large labour force so as to produce a large number of goods and services. Unfortunately due to gender inequality the problem of discrimination comes in, in which women are excluded from certain jobs therefore there is a reduced labour force which leads to low levels of production and an increase in population due to the fact that women get to do nothing but stay home and bare children. Age Inequality is defined as â€Å"the unfair treatment in promotions, recruitment, or privileges because of the age of the person† (http://www. en. wikipedia. org/.. /social_inequality). In Zambia age inequality usually occurs in the form of age discrimination. Age Discrimination is â€Å"when an employer opts to employ a person based on their age rather than on qualification or experience. A person may be employed because they are young and energetic but without any qualification, while a highly qualified person maybe denied employment because they are old† (http://www. mywage. org/zambia/main/decent-work/age-discrimination). Ironically in Zambia top government posts are usually reserved for the much older in society while the ‘non-prestigious’ occupations are apparently left for the youth. This has the tendency to hinder development due to the lack of fresh ideas and policies at the top and it makes the youth of the day develop a negative attitude in which they begin to lack self-esteem and are unable to believe in their capabilities. According to Todaro and Smith (2003:205), Income Inequality is â€Å"the disproportionate distribution of total national income among households†. In other words it’s the unequal or uneven distribution of household or individual income across the population of any given economy. In Zambia income inequality can be seen on a daily basis in almost every place. It can be seen at schools, social gatherings, communities and so on. In the year 2004 â€Å"the mean monthly income for a Zambian household was K511. 377. The modal income group for the country ranged from K150, 001 to K300, 000, representing 26% of the population. Only one in every three households (35%) had mean monthly incomes that exceeded K 300, 000; implying that the majority of Zambian households, or approximately 65%, had incomes below the basic needs basket† (http//. www. zamstats. gov. zm/lcm. php). Further articulation on income inequality can be shown in Zambia’s Gini coefficient. A Gini coefficient is a measure of statistical dispersion and is a method that can be used to measure inequality. â€Å"The Gini coefficient for Zambia in 2006 was 0. 60, a decline from 0. 61 per cent in 1996. It was 0. 54 in the rural households and 0. 66 in urban households. This reveals that the income inequalities in 2006 were more pronounced in the urban areas than in the rural areas† (http://www. zambia-economist. com/2008/05/cso-on-income-inequality. html). This implies that in the Zambian societal step up there continues to be a gap in the unequal distribution of income. This in turn leads to the problems of crime and disorder which is a hindrance to development. Despite the various efforts of the government to cause a reduction in income inequality, the gap between the rich and poor in terms of income continues to be on the rise. Unemployment can be defined as situations in which individuals actively seek jobs but don’t get hired. It can also be said to be the state of being unemployed. In Zambia one of the main causes of unemployment is the frequent plummet of copper prices that has led to mines being closed and people being unemployed. Poverty also leads to unemployment due to the poor being unable to afford a proper education which in turn means they can’t afford to go to college and get good paying jobs. According to Turok (1979), â€Å"the growth of the modern sector has not created enough jobs to meet the demand of those who have left the traditional sector. In fact, the expansion of the modern sector has not been accompanied by similar growth in employment. The result of this phenomenon has been the emergence of explosive urban population growth accompanied by wide spread open unemployment and the growth of the informal sector with disguised unemployment†. In Zambia it is estimated that 50% of the workforce is unemployed meaning that close to half the population is not in employment, in which most of the people in the population are dependent on the formal sector for employment while very few divert towards the direction of informal employment, However the government must be commended for encouraging the diversification into informal employment to create opportunities where non are existent, though it seems this plea may have fallen on deaf ears as most people continue to be dependent on formal employment. In the year 2006 â€Å"the proportion of the unemployed among persons aged 12 years and above for the nation was 14%. Looking at sex differentials at national level, 13% of the males and 15% of the females were unemployed. Urban areas recorded higher unemployment rates (32%) than rural areas (5%)† (http//. www. zamstats. gov. zm/lcm. php). The effects of employment in Zambia can be seen various forms such as loss of human resources, increase in poverty, social problems exploitation of labour and political instability. In terms of loss in human resources, Labourers in Zambia tend to waste their maximum time in the search of employment which is a waste of human resource while an increase in poverty results from unemployment due to the fact that if there is no source of income a person or a family tend to grow poor. Unemployment tends to cause social problems such as crime, corruption, bribery, dishonesty and so on. In the state of unemployment there tends to be exploitation of labour due to employers knowing their labourers will do almost anything to stay in employment even if it means being paid low wages and working in poor and unethical conditions. Unemployment usually births political instability due to the unfortunate fact that an unemployed person tends to heed negative attitudes and lose faith in democratic values because they tend to feel the government is worthless and has failed them. Therefore it can be clearly seen that unemployment has a huge negative effect on development of Zambia though it must be understood that most of the individuals in the Zambian Population tend to see employment as either a ‘white collar’ job or a ‘6 to 6’ job neglecting the aspect or dimension of self-employment which needless to say the government has been encouraging the mass populace to undertake in place of eagerly coveted formal employment. Poverty is a multi-dimensional notion and as such cannot be easily defined. It exists where development has not taken place yet. Two dimensions of poverty are distinguished as income poverty and human poverty. Income poverty refers to a person as being poor when his or her income is lower than the poverty line. Human poverty refers to more than just income and focuses on poverty as the denial of choices and opportunities for living a tolerable life (UNDP: 1997). According to De Beer (2001:2), â€Å"Two broadly defined forms of poverty can be distinguished: case poverty and community poverty. The first kind is found in more affluent societies where the individual or an individual family suffers poverty; their poverty is very visible compared to the living conditions of the individuals and families in the surrounding area. Case poverty occurs where certain individuals or families do not share in the general well-being of society†. â€Å"Poverty can also be classified according to the level of disadvantage experienced: namely absolute and relative poverty† (Ibid). Relative poverty can referred to as having a minimum level of income deemed necessary to achieve an adequate standard of living or relative impoverishment while absolute poverty means absolute impoverishment or completely poor. According to the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (2007), 63. 8% of Zambians live below the poverty line of US$1 per day, 87. 2 % live below the poverty line of US$ 2 per day and 46% are malnourished. These statistics place Zambia in the category of highly impoverished countries and requires major interventions for development to take place. According to Chigunta, et al. (1998) the main causes of poverty in Zambia are namely Internal factors, external factors and the impact of the structural adjustment programme. Internal factors equate to inappropriate domestic policies that have been largely characterised by state take-overs of private businesses and heavy state involvement in the economy which has led to discouragement of investment in the private sector, which leads to low levels of employment and income growth in rural areas. External factors are mainly related to Zambia’s trade situation in which it has heavily relied on the exportation of copper as its main chief export. When copper prices plummet it affects development in the sense that government fails to have enough revenue to invest in the economy and provide the essential social services needed. The structural adjustment programme came about due to the deepening economic crisis that affected the nation. The structural adjustment programme aims at restructuring the economy in order to restore growth through programmes such as cuts in public expenditure, reducing the number of civil servants in the civil service, devaluing the local currency and so on. The unfortunate side to the structural adjustment programme is that it has resulted in the majority of people both in the rural and urban areas with inadequate incomes to meet the basic needs of life. In Zambia the effects of poverty can be seen throughout on a daily basis. These effects include an increased rate of homeless people, a high infant mortality rate and a high death rate. Examples of such cases would be hygiene, diet and sexually related diseases such as Cholera, Dysentery, Malnutrition and AIDS. According to the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (2007), Life expectancy at birth is 37. 4%, under-5 mortality is 182 children of every 1000 live births and maternal mortality rate is 730 of every 100,000 live births. The national HIV prevalence rate is 16. 5% among 15-49 age groups but between 20-30% in urban areas. An increased crime rate can also be noted, since people turn desperate to survive in the face of poverty. Among other effects of poverty can be the mass emigration of population and ‘brain drain’. Mass emigration of population simply implies people migrating to areas where there is a better-faring economy leading to the uneven development of a nation. In Zambia this common with it being noted that only areas along the line of rail are developed while other areas lack desirable standards of development. ‘Brain Drain’ refers to the emigration of highly trained or intelligent people from a particular country to another. This is another common unfortunate effect Zambia has been facing. This means that while almost all the highly trained professionals leave for other countries the nation is left with a reduced labour force, mediocre or poorly trained professionals, which then leads to average performances in the various sectors of the economy hence development occurs at a slow pace or doesn’t occur at all. In Conclusion, it can be established that development has no universally agreed or accepted definition but it is realised that it’s a dynamic concept which has various meanings and dimensions. These dimensions can’t be viewed individually but all share an integrated role in the continuous process of development. In terms on whether Zambia is developing it can be noted that despite the recent celebrated economic growth and government’s tireless and countless efforts on the reduction of inequality, unemployment and absolute poverty, there continues to be a rise in the unemployment rate, cases of inequality on all levels continue to be seen and heard of and poverty continues to dwell among us and affect us negatively. Therefore a conclusion can be drawn that Zambia is yet to see any reasonable signs of it to be considered developing.

The Influence of the Western Culture on the Essay Example

The Influence of the Western Culture on the Essay Introduction Culture is a broad term which has been described by various philosophers since decades. It has been claimed by Raymond Williams to be â€Å"†¦one of the two or three most complicated words in English language† (Williams, 1976). Different definitions of the term, culture may have distinct descriptive ways and criterion to evaluate human activity. It is important to define the broad base of the sophisticated term ‘culture’, in the sense used later in the paper, to narrow down the discussion on our topic. Culture is a word stemming from a Latin word ‘cultura’ which means to cultivate (Harper, 2008). It is defined by Findley and Rothney as, â€Å"systems of symbols and meanings that even their creator contest, which lack fixed boundaries, that are constantly in flux, and that interact and compete with one another (Findley Rothney, 2006). This is the defination of culture I would be using here on. The authors describe culture to be a system of symbols having blurred boundries. The curx however is to see how do we recognize these system of symbols? The answer to this question is provided by Williams who says that culture can be judged or embedded in music, literature,lifestyle, painting and sculputure,theater and film and similar things (Williams, 1976). These dimensions are common to all cultures. In the foreface of the rapid globalization and the interaction in the past, these dimensions of various cultures are often influenced by each other. The following Paper discusses the influence of the dimensions of western culture to the respective dimensions of the subcontinental culture and vice versa. We will write a custom essay sample on The Influence of the Western Culture on the specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Influence of the Western Culture on the specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Influence of the Western Culture on the specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The subcontinential culture, is the culture refering to the South Asian region which includes the modern day India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Sirilanka. The major influene on the subcontinental cultrue came first with the arrival of the British in India in the early 1600’s. The British brought with them the rest of Western culture customs and traditions. The traditional religions and cutltures in the subcontinent were slowly subverted. The conversion of people from the prevailent religion in the subcontinent played an important role in the change in the traditional culture. The converts to chiristanity were encouraged not only to give up their religion but also their traditions and cultures. A fine christian convert would dress like an Englishman and imitate English behaviour in all things. Thus the converts to Christanity were buoyant to think behave and live like the Englishmen. The English education system was introducced by the then Governer Generals’ council in Calcutta (East India) 1 The influence of the western culture on the Sub continental culture and vice versa Thomas Babington Macaulay (1800 1859), aimed at producing Indians who were English in taste. This progressive system was implemented all over India providing Western education. To the Sub continent people, this was perceived as much more of an enlightenment than exploitation as more people could go to collages built by foreign rulers. It gave them the aura of becoming more civilized, rational and modern by acquiring the knowledge. This is also one of the reasons of no significant initial resistance to the shift in the cultural values (Sundaram, 2006). This extensive educational programs resulted into well read sub continent scholars and writers. In the late 1800’s the literature started to take its turn and produced much more writings in English by local people than ever before. It also gave birth to notable writers such as Bharati Mukherjee and Jhumpa Lahiri. Globalization of the world has had its influence on the sub continental culture as well. In a modern day scenario people are instantly connected and communicating with each other than ever before. The products produced in one part of the world are easily available in the other part and international traveling has just become a norm. The world is very interdependent today and we are living in an era where information travels like the speed of light. While some people might think that globalization is just about making business without any restrictions, it is much more than that. At the same time Globalization allows different cultures to combine and integrate through having common social activists, labor organizers, journalists, academics and many others (Sundaram, 2006). Music, theater and the film industry has also been broadly influenced by the increased globalization. Music has been a center stone of the sub continental background. It has been traditionaly been based on the simple melodies and is regarded as one of the most well-developed systems of the classical world. The classical beats of the conventional music provide the true cultural and the traditional taste to the sub continental music. Later in the 13th Centruy the sub continental music remained under the influence of the Islamic presence. There is a faction who believes that the classic sub continental traditional music dates back to Amir Khusro, one of the singers in the Mughal Empire. The remarkable poetry by some famous poets brought the traditional music to new hieghts. However the first influence of the sub continental music of such kind was widely evident in the 1960’s when it found its way in the form of some extra ordinary play of the sitar (a voiln type instrument) by Ravi Shankar on the famous Beatles album, Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band. The sub continental music made its way into the west with the well known players such as Ravi Shankar and Ali Akbar Khan. This was the first time that the Sub continental music started to acquire Western students. The classical music 2 The influence of the western culture on the Sub continental culture and vice versa was brought to the attention of the western world (Manas, 2006). Even today we see traces of the classical sub continental music in the rap songs such as the Indian flute sung by Timbaland. There are other various singers who use the rhythmic Sub continental beats in their music. Ghazals, the poetic compositions that aspire more than do popular film songs to poetic qualities are also very popular among the west: the subject here is usually the loss, memory, and remembrance of love. A prime example of the influence to the west is the famous Ghazal singer Nusrat Fateh Ali khan. He has been the â€Å"king of Qawalis† as he is labeled in Pakistan. Mr. Khan’s popular work (Qawalis/Ghazals) has been a part of international books, series, plays and movies. His famous songs have been played in the famous movie Bend it like Beckham, the TV series Sex and the City and various other international stages. The cultural music of the sub continent has therefore influenced the western cinema and music in a subtle but obvious way (Manas, 2006). This does not end here, the traditional beats of the Punjabi Bhangra dance were/are increasingly being remixed by various south asian Dj’s to add a different intercultureal flavour to the traditional Bhangara. The traditional beats of the bhangra dance are mixed with house, reggae and hip-hop to create a newsensation to the music. These remixes became immesnsely popular in the Uk and the USA by the end of the 90’s. One of the famous bands which resulted in this fusion of cultural music was the Punjabi MC, whose songs are a part of the playlists in almost all the disc clubs in the western society. It is easy to see here how the fusion of the music style in terms of other generes of raggae, Rap or hip-hop attacks the fundamentalism of the sub continental music. By producing such music the artists put the racial signifiers of being essentially sub continental or south asian at risk. Since the bhangra music is a type of music signiying the region of south asia (sub continent), this diffusion of the music with the integration of western elements creates disputes of identity and the ownership of the remixed music. On the other hand however, the remixed veriosn of the bhangra music offers the displaced sub continent people mainly in the USA and the UK a way to express themselves in a western society. This offers them a channel to prove that their remixed version of the bhangra has been an effort through social difficulties and is truly authentic. This does not end here, side by side the influence of the Western Music has also overshadowed the Sub continental musical industry. The Sub continental music has become under increased influence of the western â€Å"rock and pop† culture. This is primarily true for the younger generation who prefer westeren music over the sub continental numbers. The entire process of making music has also been westerenised. The focus now is not on live performances of talent and intruments but more on back stage artificial manipulation of the 3 The influence of the western culture on the Sub continental culture and vice versa sounds which apeal to the changing demands of the new generation (Sabharwal, 2007). According to the Times of India meagazine almost 80 percent of the songs played in the sub continent today are of westeren influence. Aadesh Srivastava, a renowned Indian music director argues that the Indian music has been damaged by the â€Å"cut-copy-paste culture†, whereby the directors copy the theme and the essence of the music to reproduce it with a hint of modification. This â€Å"cut-copy-paste culture† is the reason why we see most of the sub continental music being a sister production of the western music. The traditional and the classical instruments such at the tabla and the harmonium are being substituted by the western invented drums and violins, explains the contemporary musicians like Vineet Arora (Sabharwal, 2007). He further explains the instruments such as the drums and the Violin, â€Å"†¦are easier to operate and learn so we’ve never felt the need to introduce sun continental instruments in our band† (Sabharwal, 2007). The influence of the Western culture to the Sub continental culture is carried forward by the powerful media, films and theater widely active in both regions. Western media culture has created major inroads in the sub continental film industry through Hollywood influencing Bollywood and Lollywood. The sub continent youngsters now are increasingly challenging the traditions and norms of the society. This is the result of the trend of western elements taking part in the Sub continental films, such as Rachel Shelley in Lagaan. The sub continental films are trying to raise their production standards to meet those seen by the western films. There have also been a number of films being shot overseas and adopting English in their scripts. This trend can be clearly seen in the Films such as â€Å"Kal Ho Naa HO†. The film has shown explicitly the influence of the Hollywood has on the sub continent culture. On the other hand the films from the biggest film industry in the world, in terms of the number of movie produced i. e. Bollywood, are attracting great number of non-subcontinent origin viewers around the world, especially in Europe and the USA. As the number of western viewers increase there is an increased number of western investments in the sub continental cinema, especially to produce movies which interpret the sub continental culture for western viewers. Some prime examples of this are the movies such as â€Å"Pride and the prejudice† and â€Å"Monsoon Wedding† produced by foreign investment. The Western symbolic icons such as MTV have been swiftly accepted by the sub continent. An example of a TV series â€Å"Rodies† aired by MTV India is noteworthy. This TV show is an on field series of a contest such as the famous American â€Å"Survivor† series. The western impact has also made it fashionable to wear tight jeans and have ideas such as sex before marriage which have not been portrayed before in the local culture. The concept of 4 The influence of the western culture on the Sub continental culture and vice versa nudity is also creeping into the sub continental film industry. Even though the sub continental films are traditionally based on the romantic story based on the idea of love, the movies in the past have been conservative on showing romantic scenes in the movies. The movies like â€Å"Monsoon Wedding† have changed that perception. Such kinds of films are on the rise and therefore have an influence on the audience of the movies. The other source of western influence to the sub continental culture is from the Non Resident sub continent people; these are people from the sub continental origin who have lived in the West. They have been exposed to the western ideas and culture thoroughly. When Film producers such the Canadian Indian Deepa Metha produce films, they are preoccupied with the western influence. Mr Metha produced a film â€Å"Fire† which showed a lesbian love story. This sort of western influence, even though might be rejected by many of the sub continent population is slowly inching into the film industry and from the film industry to the mainstream sub continental culture (papers, 2005). The lifestyle of the sub continental people is also chaning raidly with the major impetus coming from the westeren sources. A late night walk around the milti million inhabitant city of Bombay, Bangalore or Karachi would ascertian the fact that the lifestyle is drifting from its traditional cultural way of life (Michael, n. d. ). There is a shift of the social life in the sub continent. One can easily observe youndsters mingling openly in the streets and consuming alcahol freely (Michael, n. d. ). The dress code has changed swiftly over the years aswell. Saris (a traditional subcontinental dress) are being replaced with the thight jeans or skirts. The brand conciousnes is common aswell is the fast food culture of Mcdonads and KFC among the masses in the urban areas. The â€Å"Public display of affection (PDA)† as Mr. Kamekish puts it, is common (Kamekish, 2007). One may argue that all this is the trickle down effect from what the media projects to the people. All the latest fashions, trends and lifestyle tips projected through the TV screens ans the cenimas is refelcted in the everyday lifestyle of the urban sub continental people. On the other hand the Western culture is also not far from the sub continental influence. The western lifestyle has also been vastly influenced by the sub continental culture. The golorious influences of the designers industry has kept the western fashion indusry busy. The desginers such as Jean Paul Gautier and Alexander McQueen have vastly included sub continental designs into their collections portfolio. Gautier infact has dedicated a whole collection called the â€Å"Indian Chiaroscuro†, which reflects the traditional designs of the Sub 5 The influence of the western culture on the Sub continental culture and vice versa contienent (Karthik, 2005). The international fashion icons such as Giorgio Amrani, Valentino, Christian Lacroix and Emmanuel Ungaro are getting the services of craftsmen from India to craft their creations with the artistic hand work embroidery to vie in the international market. The other major example of the cultural influence is the famous Pashimina shawls. These pure silk hand knitten pieces of cloth have been a desire of many women around the world. The cultural influence does not end in the clothing industry. The other fashion brands such as Cartier have also been prejudiced by the sub continental culture. The traditional carved coloured stones and the hand work on the precious jewels stemming from the persian and Indian decorative design have been extensively used in the products displayed by Cartier (Karthik, 2005). The influence of the sub continental lifestyle in the fashion industry has cetianly produced some remarkable pieces of art and fashion. Other than this the traditional artefacts produced in the sub continent have been increasingly finding their way into the western homes. The famous Indian poterry and the traditional hand weaven carpets have made huge inroads in the shops around the western world. The cultural influence of the western world in the form of sculpture and architecture has had a long lasting effect on the sub continent. The European colonisits brought the new concept of the western sculuptural art to india. They were very affluent in the Neo-classical, Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance style of sturctural design. The initial sturctures built by the colonists were warehouses and walled trading posts aswell as forted townships along the costline (India Net Zone, n. d. ). The St. Francis Church, built by Portuguese in 1510, is regarded as the first church built by Europeans in India. The Portuguese were first to built the forts like Castella De Aguanda near Mumbai. They added fortification to the Bassein fort built by Bahadur Shah, the Sultan of Gujrat, in 1532 AD (India Net Zone, n. d. ). The sub continent architecture also can be seen having some Danish influence as well; the Nagapatnam church in the state of Tamil Nadu in India is the clear evidence of this. Similarly the French influence can be noticed in the Eglise De Sacre Coeur De Jesus or the Church of Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Eglise De Notre Dame de Anges and the Eglise de Notre Dame De Lourdes at Pondicherry. However the impact of the British on the architectural culture of the sub continent was the greatest. They started off by building mainly factories for business purposes but soon they started building courts, schools, municipal buildings and Dak Bungalows, which were normal buildings built by army engineers. The most well known architects of that time designed and constructed buildings all over the sub continent. Many of the structures erected were a derivative of the famous buildings in London and other places in England. For example, the 6 The influence of the western culture on the Sub continental culture and vice versa church of St. John at Calcutta, built in 1787 was a replication of the St. Stephens Church at Walbrooks, the Government House in Calcutta, built by Captain Charles Wyatt was re-sculpted on the Kedleston Hall of Derbyshire, the Indian Government Mint in Calcutta was a semi- replica of the Temple of Minerva at Athens and the Pachaiyappa`s Hall in Chennai was the duplication of the Athenium Temple of Theseus (India Net Zone, n. d. ). The Neo-Gothic style of architecture was also evident under the British rule. The Secretariat, University Library, Rajabai Tower, Telegraph Office all adopted the Victorian Gothic style, similar to buildings in London† (India Net Zone, n. d. ). Another noteworthy piece of architecture is the St. Martin`s Garrison Church in Delhi which is considered as zenith of the British architectural ventures in the sub continent and the Victoria Terminus in Bombay (Mumbai), designed by architect Frederick William Stevens followed the St. Pancras Station, London. The Church is a huge structure with a high square tower and deeply sunken window shelves, which is a souvenir of Dutch and German architecture (India Net Zone, n. . ). There has been a reciprocal impact of the Sub continental traditional architecture on that of the western world. During the late 19th century there was an adept feeling of orientalism in the western societies. Many of the renowned architects of that time felt the need to look at what the sub continent had to offer before working on a major project. It was also common for the young architects to travel to India in search of the mystique and oriental designs the region had to offer (Pochoy, 2002 ). The fascination for exotic styles was foremost ignited by the considerable display of the sub continental art at various international exhibitions around the world. The various artifacts from the sub continent were according to the famous philosopher considered to be of good designs from the people who are faithful to their art as they are faithful to their religion, habits and thoughts which inspired the former (Oshinsky, 2004). Today the structures like the Taj Mahal in India still startle the eyes of most western societies. The sculptures of such magnificent buildings along with others such as the huge exuberantly decorated vases can be seen in the western homes. There are also other influences between the dimensions of both the western and the sub continental cultures which can be classified as food habits, family structures and the use of foreign lingo. The sub continental cuisine has had huge in roads into the western culture. Europe in general and England in particular enjoys the sub continental oriental food through the enormous amount of restaurants easily located all over the region. The amount of sub continental restaurant in England has risen dramatically from only 500 in 1960 to an estimated 7 The influence of the western culture on the Sub continental culture and vice versa number of 9350 in 2007 (Facts, 2008). This phenomenal growth in the sub continental cuisine in the western society such as England provides strong signals of how the western taste is being influenced by the sub continental cuisine. On the other hand the British tradition of having evening tea has been picked up by the sub continental society. The subcontinent consumes an estimate of 900 million kilos of tea altogether which is around 30 percent of the world’s total tea production (Mandal, 2003) (Hasan, 2005) (Isphani, 2003). The family structure of the sub continents is also being vastly influenced by the Western culture. Traditionally it is a norm to have large families in the sub continent. However this culture is changing and the enforcement of the family planning schemes based on the western research are changing the family structure of the sub continent. The empowerment of the women has also influenced the traditionally subdued role of the women in the family. The traditional joint family system is slowly changing into a nuclear family system. The educated class and the new generation have certainly adopted a family structure compatible with the western culture. The influence of language usage from the west has been widely felt. English was the second most commonly reported language to be used, after the mother tongue in the sub continent according to a survey conducted by Annika Hohenthal who included all the top universities in the sub continent in his research (Hohenthal, 2003). 8 The influence of the western culture on the Sub continental culture and vice ersa Conclusion: People today are linked to each other today more than they ever were. The global forces have made the developing world countries to stay in close contact with the developed world. There is a meeting of the global cultures mainly because of the connection created through the television, music, sporting events, the same news, sitcoms, soap operas, theater, corporate foo d chains and the same glamorous lifestyle (Hong, 2000). This is the reason why the current era can be described as â€Å"The Era of Globalization of culture†. Western culture is the â€Å"machine culture† (Straggler, 2008). This is because as the historian Arnold Toynbee said that the mankind has made more progress in the 200 years since the industrial revolution than in the previous 10,000 years. This is the prime reason that the west with its â€Å"machines† is very attractive to the ever developing sub continent. To have a western influence on the sub continental culture is inevitable. To dress like a westerner is a part of being influenced by the â€Å"machine culture†. A villager in the rural areas of the sub continent dresses acts and thinks differently than a person in the urban town center. As the sub continent becomes more prosperous it would keep straying from its traditions, cultures and norms (Straggler, 2008). We should relish the sub continental culture and be prepared for radical changes in the same. On the other hand the western culture is influenced by the sub continental culture as it is something oriental and different from what they have. The aura of sensation and mystique found in the sub continental culture is appealing to the western society. With the â€Å"The Era of Globalization of culture† underway the influence of the sub continent culture on the western culture would also certainly take a steep flight. The influence of the western culture on the Sub continental culture and vice versa Bibliography Facts, F. . (2008, March 3). Facts, Figures Market Research. Retrieved April 12, 2008, from Facts, Figures Market Research: http://209. 85. 135. 104/search? q=cache:zzhZ6LCNLGgJ:www. menu2menu. com/indfact. html+total+number+of+Indian+restaurants+i n+londonhl=enct=clnkcd=1 Findley, C. V. , Rothney, J. A. (2006). Twentieth? century World. In C. V. Findley, J. A. Rothney, Twentieth? century World (p. 14). Harper, D.

The History of the Brassiere - Mary Phelps Jacob

The History of the Brassiere - Mary Phelps Jacob The first modern brassiere to receive a patent was the one invented in 1913 by a New York socialite named Mary Phelps Jacob. Jacob had just purchased a sheer evening gown for one of her social events. At the time, the only acceptable undergarment was a corset stiffened with whaleback bones. Jacob found that the whalebones poked out visibly around the plunging neckline and under the sheer fabric. Two silk handkerchiefs and some pink ribbon later, Jacob had designed an alternative to the corset. The corsets reign was starting to topple. An unhealthy and painful device designed to narrow an adult womens waist to 13, 12, 11 and even 10 inches or less, the invention of the corset is attributed to Catherine de Mà ©dicis, wife of King Henri II of France. She enforced a ban on thick waists at court attendances during the 1550s and started over 350 years of whalebones, steel rods and midriff torture. Jacobs new undergarment complimented the new fashion  trends  introduced at the time and demands from friends and family were high for the new brassiere. On November 3, 1914, a U.S. patent for the Backless Brassiere was issued. Caresse Crosby Brassieres Caresse Crosby was the business name Jacob used for her brassiere production line. However, running a business was not enjoyable to Jacob and she soon sold the brassiere patent to the Warner Brothers Corset Company in Bridgeport, Connecticut for $1,500. Warner (the bra-makers, not the movie-makers) made over fifteen million dollars from the bra patent over the next thirty years. Jacob was the first to patent an undergarment named Brassiere derived from the old French word for upper arm. Her patent was for a device that was lightweight, soft and separated the breasts naturally. History of the Brassiere Here are other points in the history of the brassiere worth mentioning: In 1875, manufacturers George Frost and George Phelps patented the Union Under-Flannel, a no bones, no eyelets and no laces or pulleys under-outfit.In 1893, a woman named Marie Tucek patented the breast supporter. The device included separate pockets for the breasts and straps that went over the shoulder, fastened by hook-and-eye closures.In 1889, corset-maker Herminie Cadolle invented the Well-Being or Bien-à ªtre, a bra-like device sold as a health aid. The corsets support for the breasts squeezed up from below. Cadolle changed breast support to the shoulders down.World War I dealt the corset a fatal blow when the U.S. War Industries Board called on women to stop buying corsets in 1917. It freed up some 28,000 tons of metal!In 1928, a Russian immigrant named Ida Rosenthal founded Maidenform. Ida was responsible for grouping women into bust-sized categories (cup sizes). Bali WonderBra The Bali Brassiere Company was founded by Sam and Sara Stein in 1927 and was originally called the FayeMiss Lingerie Company. The companys best-known product has been the WonderBra, marketed as The One And Only WonderBra. Wonderbra is the trade name for an underwired bra with side padding that is designed to uplift and  add  cleavage. Bali launched the WonderBra in the U.S. in 1994. But the first WonderBra was the WonderBra - Push Up Plunge Bra, invented in 1963 by Canadian designer Louise Poirier. According to Wonderbra USA this unique garment, the forerunner of todays Wonderbra push-up bra had 54 design elements that lifted and supported the bust to create dramatic cleavage. Its precision engineering involved three-part cup construction, precision-angled back and underwire cups, removable pads called cookies, gate back  design for support  and rigid straps.

Garmin Analysis - Following the Business Decisions Research Paper

Garmin Analysis - Following the Business Decisions - Research Paper Example Apart from this, Garmin’s return on capital employed, equity and shareholders’ funds have all declined due to lower profitability in 2011. There are no significant changes recorded in the balance sheet of the company apart from the increase in investment in marketable securities and the issuance of additional paid in capital (Garmin, 2011). Â   2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 Current Ratio 2.98 3.73 3.50 4.14 2.91 Acid Test Ratio 2.51 3.16 3.05 3.25 2.28 Return on Capital Employed 0.27 0.39 0.49 0.77 0.89 Return on Equity 0.16 0.19 0.25 0.33 0.36 Return on Ordinary Shareholders' Funds (ROSF) 28.98 32.52 70.30 73.15 78.81 (Garmin, 2011; Garmin, 2010; Garmin, 2009; Garmin, 2008) Cash Flow Trends As far as the cash flows from operating activities are concerned, the company managed to improve the picture through efficient performance in 2011. Although the net income of the company declined slightly in comparison with the previous financial year, the management still managed to sh ow an increase in the operating cash flows. Â   2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 Operating Cash Flows 822,334 770,637 1,094,456 862,164 682,088 Investing Cash Flows (488,198) (72,869) (547,869) (56,349) (175,695) Financing Cash Flows (307,413) (510,821) (161,243) (809,109) (136,117) (Garmin, 2011; Garmin, 2010; Garmin, 2009; Garmin, 2008) On the other hand, cash flows from investing activities remained negative as they have continued to be the same in the past years. However, in 2011 there has been a significant rise in the negative balance of cash outflows from investing activities. The reason behind this significant increase is the purchase of marketable securities by the company worth $ 1,172,555,000 in 2011. Similar to the trends shown in cash flows from investing activities, the cash flows from financing activities have also continued to show negative balance in 2011 as they have been in the previous four years. Major Capital Expenditures The major capital expenditures of the company in 2011, as mentioned earlier in the balance sheet analysis, included the purchase of $ 1,172,555,000. This purchase is in line with the investment policy of the company, in light of which, the company aims at investing in less risky securities. In 2011, the net investments of Garmin in fixed securities increased to $ 491 million as compared to the figure of $ 25.5 million in 2010. The result of these safe play investment decisions has earned Garmin returns of 1.7 percent in 2011 (Garmin, 2011). Although this investment policy may be justified on the grounds that there are still traces of the recent financial crisis which can influence risky play, but at the same time, it is expected that Garmin’s management shall be more prolific in determining the course of its business by exploring investment or capital expenditure options which are more effective and helpful in enabling the company to regain its lost momentum (Cavallaro, 2009). Apart from this, the company acquired severa l business entities, which is appreciable since it will allow the company to stretch its market presence further. The recently acquired business entities include NAVIGON AG, TriTronics Inc. and two other worldwide distributing companies. Although the company has faced fierce competition from other brands and has faced threatening anticipations of market share loss due to the popularity gained by smart

American Identity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

American Identity - Essay Example Since long, United States has been the looked up to by the activists of the entire world as the nation that has optimum respect for the individual rights and liberty. The identity of the United States basically is restored upon the various principles that the country has followed like that of tolerance and individual freedom. Among other pillars of the nation, the equality for all irrespective of ones caste, creed or colour and the success of democracy are noteworthy. It is perceived that in the United States, individuals have the opportunity to create ones own fortune in one field or the other. In this amazing nation, the colour of one’s skin is never a hindrance or advantage to any to excel in any of the arenas. It is the quality with in the professionals that matters. It is probably possible only in the United States where many of the college drop outs start working in their family garage with the hopes of making some thing big like Microsoft or Google or Apple. It is only in America, where athletes like Carl Lewis and Maurice Green could excel their potentials and create world records. It is only in America where despite the war against terrorism, one can voice his reservations against the mal-treatments by the armed forces in the name of peace keeping. It is possible only in America where a minority by religion gets elected at the highest constitutional position by record vote in these trying times. The United States was one of the initiating countries to prohibit slavery under the leadership of Abraham Lincoln. Another prominent leader of the United States, Martin Luther King Jr., took several measures so that the black men and other disadvantaged citizens get compensated for historical wrongs. The American identity can also be recognised with the great American dream. As James Adams observed, it was â€Å"better, richer and happier life†. The essence of the American dream can also be documented with the Declaration of Independence, which says,

Feasibility study for chosen business. Fast food restaurant Research Paper

Feasibility study for chosen business. Fast food restaurant - Research Paper Example Cambridge Fast Food is a small domestic fast food outlet in Cambridge which is intended to transform itself into a fast food restaurant by means of innovative and resourceful strategies towards the entity's impression and in-depth manifestation. The food point is registered with Department of Food and Live Stock. Cambridge Fast-Food (CFF) is furnishing a mixture of wonderful foodstuff and future plan is to offer unparallel food at discount rates with entertaining environment. CFF will address the general public for local recipes, Italian dishes, as well as Chinese and Indian food. The major aim is to offer the customers with highest quality services and products to keep them staying again and again. CFF believe that by getting crucial financial support through its sale within two years, the company will be able to capture 10-20% of the fast food market in Cambridge. The restaurant has estimated that it will enjoy a 37.3% profit for its investment by the end of April, 2013. Fast food is a foodstuff that is readily available and dished up promptly at sites known as fast-food bistros. This is the multi-billion dollar business which inturn keeps on progressing extremely fast around numerous international locations. A fast-food restaurant is somewhat different from fast-food points or outlets as it is recognized from nominal service and by meals simultaneously that may be presented immediately soon after placing the order. The food items around such dining places is usually prepared in volume upfront plus preserved hot for its reuse. A lot of fast-food restaurants are section of reputable restaurants or franchise's, while standard food products are supplied to every eating venue through main sites. As compared to some other food