Women in Music Entertainment Essay -- Alicia Keys Gwen Stefani Essays

Women in Music Entertainment There are so many talented female artists in music today that it's hard not to think of some right off the top of my head. Not only do they have great voices, but they're successful and confident, not to mention pretty darn rich! Some of these artists knew that they were going to become a star while they were still in diapers. The two females that I will be highlighting are two of the younger musical talents that are out in the industry at this time. They both worked hard to get to where they are today by starting off with many of the same dreams and aspirations many of us women share. These women have contributed so much at such a young age that it's almost hard to believe. Music is such a strong influence to many people today. It's especially nice when you can relate to the message that the singer is trying to provide. Sometimes it's almost as if the person is singing about your life or a situation that you are also going through. Music can heal, it can bring joy, pain, forgiveness, and realization to many of the problems we face today as women, or just as people. The first talented musician that I would like to talk about is a beautiful young woman who is pretty new on the scene, Miss Alicia Keys. Alicia Keys, who is biracial, grew up in Manhattan, New York, with her ultra-supportive mother, who put Alicia through piano lessons at the age of five. She studied classical music, and grew up to collaborate it with a jazz/hip-hop/R&B soul kind of sound. Not only can this girl sing and play the piano, she also writes her own music. Highly sought after by different record labels, Alicia Keys was signed to Arista Records in 1998. There, she continued the proc... ...o a whole new level. Gwen is always ever changing and an inspiration to many people. Her look is so different from others with her unique fashion and personality. She has even collaborated with other types of artists such as "Moby," and rapper "Eve." Gwen has graced the covers of numerous magazines, and her videos can be seen about everyday on MTV. "I'm going to be myself. I can't pretend I don't like to wear lipstick. I can't pretend that I didn't grow up playing Barbie," she said. "I guess a lot of girls feel the same way. I feel really kind of proud for that fact. I never thought I'd influence anyone," said Gwen in her interview. Well Gwen, you don't have to pretend. You're at the top, and making great music. I like you just the way you are. I'm sure many would agree! Oh, and keep on the lookout for No Doubts new CD â€Å"Rock Steady† set to come out on December 11th.

Gke Task 2

Literature, Arts and the Humanities Romanticism and Realism 02-01-2010 Romanticism and Realism are two very different periods in literary and art history. Although both periods completely disagreed with each other they were a result of the social and economic revolt. Romanticism was an artistic, literary and social movement that originated in the second half of the eighteenth century in Western Europe. The French revolution laid the background for this era as people wanted to get an escape from the confines of daily life.This late era gained momentum in reaction to the Industrial Revolution. Many revolted against higher society and the political aspect of the time. The movement put a new outlook on difficult emotions such as fear and terror. Romanticism was known as a new revival of the medievalism as certain elements of the era are seen as a way to escape the new bustling world and ever populating cities in Europe. This era also attempted to embrace the exotic and the unfamiliar by using the imagination to escape. Although Romanticism began in Germany its effects were seen through the world.This influential era reached America in the early nineteenth century and was just as diverse as the movement that was quickly transitioning in the Western Europe. A modern characteristic of romanticism could be considered misunderstood and anything that may differentiate from the trends of life. Many scholars have different opinions on the characteristics of Romanticism as some believe it is a beginning of a tradition of resistance to the enlightenment and other believe it is a direct result of the French Revolution.Charles Baudelaire was quoted as characterizing romanticism as â€Å"precisely situated neither in choice of subject nor exact truth but in the way of feeling† This era emphasized intuition and imagination that has led many to believe that romantic thinking is simply irrational and crosses the line of what is acceptable thinking in and of the world during this era. In art most found a recurring theme from criticism of the past. Often artist would use woman and children in their works to depict the new pure nature. A famous artist from the Romanticism period named Thomas Cole epicted a Man’s journey through life in his â€Å"Voyage through Life† series. This exceptional expression of art shows a struggle of survival through an immense nature, from birth to death. The realism period made its mark in history from 1830 to 1870. Realism’s main principle was considered to be more of a way of thinking instead of a movement that involved a large culture. Realism went against everything Classicism and Romanticism had so strongly emphasized accusing the movement of being blind to the real world and not depicting the beauty in everyday life.This late 19th century movement took all of the elements that could falsify or bring a cloudy view to the true life hardships and successes out of art to show the beauty of real life Re alism came to France in the late 1840’s with democracy in mind. The English focused realism on social liberation of the middle and lower class by taking a stand against materialistic views from the Royal Academy. Artist during the realism period focused on optic effects and lighting and how it affected everyday life. Artist believed that Science held the key to solving the problems that every day life brought fourth.As a result, a tendency flourished among realists to produce paintings that reflected the everyday mental experiences of contemporary life. This included abstract concepts such as cultures, problems and customs which tended to focus specifically on the immediate surrounds of the artist and thusly include objects and people traditionally not considered of any artistic merit. (â€Å"A Short history,†) Romanticism was the sugar coated escape for the reality occurring around people in the late 18th century however Realism went completely against what romanticis m held to be so important in its period.The Realism period provided a scientific answer for the imbalance in society caused but the Romantic views of people in the late 18th century. Realism showed how important it was to appreciate everyday life and the works that contributed to your society as Romanticism tended to rebel against all political and social influences of the time period. Realism waged a metaphorical battle against any art that depicted emotions or romanticism. Realism seemed to fade when the Impressionism period came to light. This period has some similarities to realism.The Impressionism period reflected a more extended version of realism. Impressionism was more scenic and landscape but still focused on using everyday life as the basis of the art. . Francisco Goya’s performed etchings such as his work â€Å"The Sleep of reason† he believed art should reflect the way the world was without illusion. (â€Å"Learn about realism,†) These periods broug ht us great writers such as Edgar Allen Poe and Nathaniel Hawthorne and artist such as Eugene Delacroix that have greatly influenced the artist and writers of today.Although both periods completely disagreed with each other they were both a result of the social and economic situation that was in need of a solution. Bibliography Learn about realism. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://www. arthistory-famousartists-paintings. com/Realism. html A Short history on realism. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://www. frontpainting. com/famous-paintings-realism. html Honour, H. (1974). Romanticism. New York, New York: Westview press .

The Contingency Theory Of Management

Starbucks has evolved one of the fastest flourishing companies in the United States. Get downing from 1992, the company ‘s net gross improved at a compounded growing rate of 20 % , to $ 3.3 billion in financial 2002. Gross net incomes have grown at an one-year compounded growing rate of 30 % to $ 218 million in financial 2002, which is the highest figure in net earning of company ‘s history ( See Exhib it 1 ) . As Business Week tells it: On Wall Street, Starbucks comes last biggest growing narrative. Its stock, including four splits, has raised more than 2,200 % over the old decennary, exceling Wal-Mart, General Electric, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Microsoft, and IBM in aggregative return. Now at $ 21 [ September 2002 ] , it is vibrating near its all-time high of $ 23 in July [ 2002 ] , before the overall pronounced bead. 1 To go on this rapid gait of growing, the house ‘s senior executives are looking to spread out internationally. Specifically, they are interested in farther enlargement in Europe ( including the Middle East ) , Asia Pacific ( including Australia and New Zealand ) and Latin America. Expanding in these three continents represents both a challenge and an chance to Starbucks. While the chance of increased grosss from farther enlargement is readily evident to the company ‘s top direction, what is non clear is how to cover with turning â€Å" anti-globalization † sentiment around the universe. This instance looks at issues that are originating as Starbucks starts to rule java markets around the universe and explores the alterations which might be required in scheme. The 25-year end of the company is to be an enduring, and great company with the uttermost respected and recognized trade name in the universe, known for inspiring and fostering the human sprit. The mission statement of the company is to joint several steering rules to estimate the rightness of house ‘s determination. In depicting Starbucks ‘ echt attack towards competition, Fortune notes: The scheme is straightforward: Blanket an country wholly, even if the shops cannibalize each other ‘s concern. A new shop will frequently pull off to capture about 30 % of the gross revenues of a nearby Starbucks, but the company takes this as a good thing: The everywhere attack of the Starbucks cuts down the costs direction and bringing, it decreases the client lines at single shops, and increases pes traffic for all the shops in an country. Last hebdomad 20 million people purchased a cup of java at a Starbucks. No American retail merchant has a highest figure of client visit. A typical client Michigans by 18 times a month ; since the company went public, It has climbed an norm of 20 % a twelvemonth. Even in down economic system, Starbucks traffics have risen between 6 to 8 per centum a twelvemonth. Possibly even most noticeable fact that Starbucks has managed to bring forth those sorts of the Numberss with virtually no selling by giving merely one per centum of one-year income on advertisement. For several old ages, Perceivers have found that US coffee-bar market may be nearing towards impregnation. They point to tag consolidation, as bigger participants of java saloon snap up some of the smaller java saloon rivals. More, they take a note that Starbucks ‘ shop base is excessively maturing, and making to lag in the growing of unit volume and house net income. In the response of that, some point, Starbucks has changed its way towards foreign markets for the continued growing. For illustration Business Week notes: To counterbalance the hesitating returns of its first decennary, Starbucks has no pick but to export its construct smartly. Indeed some perceivers give Starbucks merely 2 old ages maximal before it saturates the U.S. market. The concatenation now [ in August 2002 ] operates 1200 international mercantile establishments, from Beijing to Bristol. This gives immense room for grow. Infact, about 400 or its planned 1200 new shops in this twelvemonth would be constructed overseas, which will stand for a 35 % rise in its foreign base. Starbucks hopes to duplicate the measure of its shops globally, to about 10,000 in 3 twelvemonth period. Our attitude towards international enlargement is to set focus foremost on the partnership, and state 2nd. We believe in local connexion to get everything up and working. Finding the right local spouses is the key to negociate local ordinances and others jobs. We search for spouses who are common in our values, civilization, and motivations about community development. We are fundamentally interested in spouses who could steer us in the procedure of induction in foreign location. We are seeking the houses with: ( 1 ) common doctrine to ours in footings of shared values, corporate citizenship, and committedness to be in the concern for long draw, ( 2 ) experience with multi-unit eating house, ( 3 ) For the bar of impersonators, holding resources to spread out the Starbucks construct rapidly. , ( 4 ) To pick premier existent estate locations, holding strong real-estate experience along with cognition, ( 5 ) Must be holding cognition of retail market, and ( 6 ) committedness of the peop le should be available to our undertaking. In an international joint venture, it is the spouse that chooses shop sites, does all the preparatory and choice work, which are so submitted for blessing to Starbucks. Cydnie Horwat, VP for International Assets Development Systems and Infrastructure, elaborates how a Starbucks market entry program initiates with trade name edifice, which afterwards facilitates further rapid enlargement in a state: When come ining a market foremost, we look for different things in the initial 1 to 3 old ages than subsequently on. During these early old ages we are developing our trade name. Our shops are the largest beginning of advertisement, as they do n't make a batch of separate advertisement. Therefore we possess higher investing in shops in the first 3 old ages. Approximately 60 to seventy per centum of shops which are opened in these initial 3 old ages are our biggest brand-builders. Before 10 old ages, we had 125 shops and 2000 employees. Today we have 62,000 employees working in 30 different states outside of North America, who are functioning about 22 million clients in a hebdomad. Our nucleus client comes about 18 times a month. With the bulk of grownups throughout ball imbibing 2 cups of java a twenty-four hours and with Starbucks holding less than seven percent portion of aggregative java ingestion in the U.S. and less than one per centum globally, these are the initial yearss for the growing and advancement of company. We have got a theoretical account that is rather good tested from market to market. Starbucks is good on its way to go a planetary trade name. Harmonizing to Business Week: [ T ] he Starbucks name and image is associated with 1000000s of people around the universe who consume its merchandises. In Business Week study of the top hindered international trade names published in August 5 [ 2002 ] It came one of the quickly turning trade names. At a clip when one corporate star after another has collapsed to earth, brought down by disclosures of net incomes misstatements, executive greed, or worse, Starbucks has non faultered. But being a international company is non risk free. As Business Week points out, Global enlargement carries a large hazard for Starbucks. For one thing, it makes decreased money one every overseas shop as most of them are operated with local spouses. While this makes easier to get down on foreign sod, it decreases company ‘s portion of the net incomes to merely 20 to 50 per centum.

Definition and Examples of Syncrisis in Rhetoric

Definition and Examples of Syncrisis in Rhetoric Syncrisis is a  rhetorical figure  or exercise in which opposite persons or things are compared,  usually in order to evaluate their relative worth. Syncrisis is a type of antithesis. Plural: syncrises. In classical rhetorical studies, syncrisis sometimes served as one of the progymnasmata. Syncrisis in its expanded form may be regarded as a literary genre and a variety of epideictic rhetoric. In his article Syncrisis: The Figure of Contestation, Ian Donaldson observes that syncrisis once served throughout Europe as a central element in the school curriculum, in the training of orators, and in the formation of principles of literary and moral discrimination (Renaissance Figures of Speech, 2007). EtymologyFrom the Greek, combination, comparison Examples I pictured a rainbow;You held it in your hands.I had flashes,But you saw the plan.I wandered out in the world for years,While you just stayed in your room.I saw the crescent;You saw the whole of the moon! . . .I was groundedWhile you filled the skies.I was dumbfounded by truth;You cut through lies.I saw the rain dirty valley;You saw Brigadoon.I saw the crescent;You saw the whole of the moon!(Mike Scott, The Whole of the Moon. Performed by the Waterboys on This Is the Sea, 1985)He always feels hot. I always feel cold. In the summer when it really is hot he does nothing but complain about how hot he feels. He is irritated if he sees me put a jumper on in the evening.He speaks several languages well; I do not speak any well. He managesin his own wayto speak even the languages he doesnt know.He has an excellent sense of direction, I have none at all. After one day in a foreign city he can move about in it as thoughtlessly as a butterfly. I get lost in my own city; I have to ask direction s so that I can get back home again. He hates asking directions; when we go by car to a town we dont know he doesnt want to ask directions and tells me to look at the map. I dont know how to read maps and I get confused by all the little red circles and he loses his temper.He loves the theatre, painting, music, especially music. I do not understand music at all, painting doesnt mean much to me and I get bored at the theatre. I love and understand one thing in the world and that is poetry. . . .(Natalia Ginzburg, He and I. The Little Virtues, 1962; Carcanet Press, 1985) The Wider Implications of Syncrisis The syncrisis . . . is an exercise with wider implications: a formal comparison (compare and contrast). The original sophists had been notable for their inclination to plead for and against, and here is the art of antithesis on its largest scale. To produce a syncrisis one could simply juxtapose a pair of encomia or psogoi [invective] in parallel: as in comparing the ancestry, education, deeds and death of Achilles and Hector; or one could produce an equally effective sense of contrast by placing an encomium of Achilles, say, beside that of Thersites. The celebrated contrast of Demosthenes between himself and Aeschines illustrates the technique at its briefest and most effective: You did the teaching, I was a pupil; you did the initiations, I was the initiate; you were a small-time actor, I came to see the play; you were hissed off, I did the hissing. All your dealings have served our enemies; mine the state. . . . [T]here are the same obviously sophistic implications to such an exercise as for encomium and psogos: that details may be emphasized or manipulated in the interest of balance rather than truth, sometimes in the most patently artificial way.(Graham Anderson, The Second Sophistic: A Cultural Phenomenon in the Roman Empire. Routledge, 1993)   Syncrisis as Modelling by Luke the Evangelist Syncrisis is an ancient rhetorical device. It consists in modeling the presentation of a character on another in order to compare them, or at least to establish a correlation between the two. . . .The most complete example of Lucan syncrisis is the Jesus-Peter-Paul parallel. . . . To summarize briefly: Peter and Paul heal as Jesus healed (Luke 5. 18-25; Acts 3. 1-8; Acts 14. 8-10); like Jesus at his baptism, Peter and Paul receive an ecstatic vision at the key moments of their ministry (Acts 9.3-9; 10. 10-16); like Jesus, they preach and endure the hostility of the Jews; like their master, they suffer and are threatened by death; Paul is brought before the authorities like Jesus (Acts 21-6); and like him, Peter and Paul are delivered miraculously at the end of their lives (Acts 12. 6-17; 24. 27-28. 6).(Daniel Marguerat, The First Christian Historian: Writing the Acts of the Apostles. Cambridge University Press, 2002) Pronunciation: SIN-kruh-sis

Causes of Disequilibrium in the economy

Causes of Disequilibrium in the economy Economists usually define general disequilibrium as the state in which contrasting market forces of supply and demand fail to reach a balance and there exist an intrinsic inclination for change. The main indicator of market disequilibrium is the continuation of shortages either in the demand or supply side of the economy. There are two main models that hold divergent views concerning disequilibrium namely the classical and Keynesian models   [ 1 ]   . Causes of disequilibrium Generally, the major causes for disequilibrium in the markets if the deficiencies created either in the aggregate demand or aggregate supply side of the economy. This means that in such circumstances the market does not clear. Main causes of disequilibrium are understood in the light of the economic model s followed by scholars. For instance, the Keynesian theory’s causes differ from that of classical economists. For instance, following Keynesians’ view, disequilibrium arises when there are di sparities between leakages and injections where as classical economists argue that if such cases arise, price always adjust to bring the economy back to equilibrium.   [ 2 ]    In the above diagram, equilibrium occurs at point P2-Q2 where AD2= AS. At that point, the economy is at full employment. Below this point the economy is in disequilibrium whereby it is operating below full employment. Keynesian theory’s view s about disequilibrium Keynesian theory is the widely used model that explains the general equilibrium using the IS-LM model. Keynesian model construe that markets may not be self-adjusting therefore the markets would not lead to full employment equilibrium if the economy is left to self-regulate. Keynes used the income-expenditure theory to explain the concept of disequilibrium and full employments. He came up with a detailed analysis of the functions of money, functions of interest rates as well as the aspect of relative prices. Keynesian theory postulates th at equilibrium usually occurs below the full employment level. Keynes argued that constant equilibrium cannot prevail due to the existence of involuntary unemployment.   [ 3 ]    In the commodity markets, Keynesians clearly outlines the major disparities that usually reinforce a state of disequilibrium. They compare the aggregate expenditure which includes household consumption, investment function as well as government spending with the effective demand. They postulate that when the economy operates below the intersection of the two, it means there is an imbalance/disequilibrium.   [ 4 ]    Keynesians denied the supply side of the classical economists. Keynes stated that firms should be given the supply schedule so that they can demand smaller amounts than the existing national demand schedule. Keynes explained the causes of disparities in supply and demand separately. According to him, supply creates income. He postulated that what people produce is the one which is bought therefore supply’s value at all times equals the income value. The income is spent by the earners in consumption of more goods. Keynesian economists advocate an increase in government spending when the economy is below full employment in order to stimulate the economy.   [ 5 ]    Classical economists Classical economists holds the notion that markets are self regulatory which is opposite of Keynesian views. They construe that whenever disequilibrium state occurs between the leakages and the injections, prices usually adjusts to re-establish the general equilibrium. They held assumption that there prices are flexible savings are equal to investments as well as embracing the say’s law which states that supply creates its own demand. Explaining the aspect of disequilibrium through say’s law, classical theorists construe that aggregate production in the economy have to create sufficient income that to buy all units of income, failure to which disequilibrium occ ur.   [ 6 ]

Financial Performance of Morrison Plc Assignment

Financial Performance of Morrison Plc - Assignment Example Return on equity (ROE) provides information regarding how much profit the company has been able to generate in regards to its equity. A high ROE is desirable. Return on assets (ROA) tells an investor how effective a company has been at producing profits from its assets. A high metric is the desired output. The debt to equity ratio measures how much debt a company has with regards to its total equity. A low ratio is a good sign. The current ratio compares the current debt a company has in regards to its current liabilities. The formula is current assets divided by current liabilities. A high ratio is a warning because it’s a sign that the firm is having liquidity problems. Working capital is calculated by subtracting current liabilities from current assets. A positive working capital is the desired output. The quick acid ratio is calculated with the same formula as the current ratio except that in the numerator you must subtract prepaid expenses and inventory. The sales to asse t ratio represent how much revenue a company is generating in regards to its total assets. It is important to understand that in order to perform a complete analysis of the company’s performance utilizing ratio analysis the financial analyst must perform research to obtain information about the industry standard ratio performance. The results of the financial ratio analysis reflect that the performance of the company has declined between 2008 and 2009. The net margin, return on equity and return on assets metrics decreased in 2009. The current ratio went up by 4%. The company has liquidity problems evidence by its negative working capital for both 2008 and 2009. Based on the ratio analysis performed on Morrison Plc for the years 2008 and 2009 the researcher would not invest in the company. Prior to making giving this recommendation, the author would need to compare the 2009 ratio results with the industry standard.