How Restaurant Owners Improve Their Customer s Experience

6 Ways Restaurant Owners Utilize A POS To Enhance Their Customer’s Experience Deploying a point of sale (POS) solution tailored to suit the restaurant business offers many benefits to owner/operators; from automating operations, streamlining communications, tracking inventory, and analyzing their business with a touch of a button. While the most commonly utilized features of a POS solution have helped restaurants increase revenue and boost profits, some owner/operators are looking beyond basic functionality and utilizing a combination of features to enhance the customer experience. Reservations - Use the reservation book and traffic-by-date comparison reports to effectively staff to peak, properly allocating resources so your staff†¦show more content†¦to send personalized e-coupons and e-promotions based on customer profile. For fine dining, you can present your VIP diners with their favorite menu item as an unexpected surprise. - Reward patrons and keep them coming back by utilizing an integrated loyalty program such as FlexGift ® Inventory Management - Patrons frequent eateries for their favorite dishes. View reports on menu sales and real-time inventory levels to help ensure you are never out of supplies for your most popular menu items. Diverse Ordering/Payment Options - Table-side ordering increases accuracy of orders, allows patrons to order when they are ready, allows patrons to add to their order or order additional items without waiving down the server - Online ordering expands your customer base, increases order accuracy, cuts down on wait time and lines and reduces order fulfillment time - The many benefits of allowing customers to pay at the table include increased security, promotes

Essay On Feed Forward Back Propagation - 1240 Words

In the present chapter Feed forward back propagation (FFBP), Layer recurrent and NARX artificial neural network structures with Levenberg – Marquardt training algorithm are suggested for estimation of the radius for a given resonant frequency of a centre feed microstrip patch antenna and it is demonstrated using a circular patch geometry. Through the particular chapter the effect of the variation in the resonant frequency on the radius and vice versa has been analysed using two-layered FFBP, Layer recurrent and NARX ANN models. The analysis model is developed for the determination of radius in this work because in usual practise the synthesis part comprised of finding the radius and the analysis part was about finding the resonant†¦show more content†¦dielectric constant (ÃŽ µr) = 4.3, loss tangent = 0.025, substrate thickness (h) = 1.6 mm, radius (a) = 20 mm, where the value of radius has been varied from 10mm radius (a) 50mm for calculating the resonant frequencies for the training and testing purpose. The graph of return loss vs. frequency is shown in figure 2.2. The example antenna is resonating at 3.3333 GHz. From the curve, it can be seen that the proposed circular microstrip antenna design is giving good return loss of -22.885dB at 3.3333 GHz. After simulating the example antenna with the predefined parameters the radius is varied and simulated with the help of CST in the specified ranges i.e. 10 mm ≠¤ radius ≠¤ 50 mm with an interval of 0.1 mm in between two successive values which are later used as data for ANN training, validating and testing. It is observed that as the radius of the circular patch increases, resonating frequency of the antenna decreases. Feed forward back propagation (FFBP), Layer recurrent and NARX neural networks are used to implement the analysis ANN models. These models are trained with Levenberg– Marquardt training algorithm. The transfer function used is tansig (tangent sigmoid) with learning rate = 0.1. The number of neurons is kept 10 in all the networks. In total 50 patterns are generated to evaluate the performance of proposed FFBP, Layer recurrentShow MoreRelatedBack Propagation For Classification ( Research Essay )3007 Words   |  13 PagesBack Propagation for Classification (Research Essay) Linfeng Gu Introduction This research essay mainly discusses back propagation used in artificial neural networks based on three research papers. From the second section, each section contains the discussion of one research paper. In the first research paper, researchers apply feed forward neutral networks with back propagation in medical fields and present several statistical normalization methods. [4] In the second research paper, researchersRead MoreAndrocentrism: Feminists for Equality2854 Words   |  12 Pagessecondary aid to the creation of life. It is easy to see in Aristotle’s composition that he views women as a secondary being to men, even from the first few paragraphs of these passages on generation. Women are not even given credit for child birth or propagation in these passages, and are instead openly criticized for things like birth defects, menstruation, and not dealing with child birth better. (25-27) It is also Aristotle who first describes women as a defective male, and thus sets the tone for theRead MoreConsequences of Joseph Stalins Leadership Essay examples3187 Words   |  13 Pages needed stabilising and capital invested in the major companies. Stalin implemented hard-line tactics to obtain this in the shortest possible time - the consequences of this method of developing the country are to be discussed in this essay. The politicians of the period had to contend Stalins ruthless quest to become the omnipotent and unopposed ruler of Russia. The communist system was a relatively new radical political system within Russia. Stalin felt that the lessRead MoreOrganisational Theory230255 Words   |  922 Pagessustainable forests. . Brief Contents Preface List of figures List of tables Acknowledgements xiii xvii xix xx 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Introducing organization theory: what is it, and why does it matter? Modernist organization theory: back to the future? Neo-modernist organization theory: putting people first? Neo-modernist organization theory: surfing the new wave? Postmodernist organization theory: new organizational forms for a new millennium? Postmodernism as a philosophy: the ultimate

Pricing and the Psychology of Consumption Free Essays

Business’s try to maximize consumption is a variety of different ways. Price bundling can damage the loyalty that a customer has with a particular business. Maintaining customer loyalty through consumption is directly correlated to the success of the business. We will write a custom essay sample on Pricing and the Psychology of Consumption or any similar topic only for you Order Now If a business cannot establish a relationship with the customer and create a demand for the customer, the likelihood of that customer returning is very slim. The example that the article used was related to fitness memberships. If the fitness center charges an annual fee at the initial registration, it is likely that the customer will use the membership less frequently throughout the year. The downfall to this approach is that the customer will likely not renew its membership in the following year. Another option a fitness club may offer would be to have the customer sign a year contract and bill the customer monthly instead of one lump some annually. This method is more effective because the customer is aware on a monthly basis of what he or she paying. This creates loyalty between the customer and the fitness center and studies suggest that the customer is more than likely to renew there contract the following year. The fitness center that I attend has you sign a contract at the time you register and charges you on a monthly basis. After looking at the contract I noticed that, although they bill me monthly throughout a calendar year, I would have to pay cancellation penalty if I decided end the contract before the end of a specific calendar year. For example, if I cancelled my contract in May, I would have to pay a lump sum for the remainder of the months in that specific calendar year. Pricing and payment terms can help a business’s hide the actual cost of a particular product and or service. Cash, credit cards and charge accounts are the three main methods of purchasing among most consumers. The fact of the matter is that a customer is less likely to be price sensitive if they either purchases with a credit card or use there charge account. Customers that purchase with cash see the immediate impact financially speaking. The challenge most marketing managers’ face is developing a marketing action plan to capitalize on increasing consumption while maintaining customer loyalty. This may sound easier said than done especially after considering that most often decisions are dependent on price. One of my company’s main goals is to open customer charge accounts. Research has shown that a customer is fives times more likely to spend more money if they have a charge account rather than if the where going to purchase with cash or a credit card. This relates to the example in the article â€Å"buy now, pay later. The pros and cons of consumption on the basis of pricing vary from industry to industry. For instance, the marketing team for a semi-pro baseball team decides to pre-sale all there tickets at the beginning of the year. They chose to mirror a professional baseball team because of there success in pre-selling tickets. The pro’s they had was that they secured the money upfront for the entire season. This was an increase in tickets sales than they had from the following year, so in the first quarter of the season they thought they had made the correct decision. The con’s came as the season went on. They noticed the ticket holder’s attendance was decreasing. This may not seem to be a problem at first because the organization already collected the money. What they came to realize was that they where losing money on all the other amenities that the stadium sold: food, apparel, beer. It is important for marketing managers to understand there customers needs. Increased customer consumption can be rewarding in some businesses and detrimental to the success of others. How to cite Pricing and the Psychology of Consumption, Papers

Clean Edge Case Analysis free essay sample

Case Analysis of Clean Edge Razor Problem Statement Paramount Health and Beauty Company developed the Clean Edge Razor, a technologically advanced non disposable razor. The company now has to study and segment the market environment and find a suitable target to successfully position and launch their product. Situational Analysis General Market Profile Products available in U. S. Razor market are non-disposable razors, refill cartridge, disposable razors, shaving cream, and depilatories. Non-disposable razors recorded average growth of about 5% in retail sales during the period 2007 to 2010 whereas refill cartridge and disposable razors recorded growth of approximately 2% and 3% respectively for the same period. Innovations and new product introductions are the prime factors for the growth. Non-disposable razors and refill cartridge market is broadly classified into three segments namely value, moderate and super premium based on price and quality. Paramount’s consumer research identified distinct segmentation in terms of product benefits and consumer behavior. 39% of non-disposable razor users are segmented as Involved Razor users, social/emotional shavers; 28% as Involved Razor users, aesthetic shavers and 33% as Uninvolved Razor users, maintenance shavers. Studies from 2009 showed that the retail sales of non-disposable razors and refill cartridge came from 25% volume of super-premium, 43% of moderate and 32% of value segments. In the last decade, the industry has experienced significant growth in the super premium segment. Product innovation and new technology is leading this sector for a number of new entrants. In 2008-09 the rate of new product innovation leads to 22 new SKUs to be introduced. SWOT Analysis Strengths Paramount Health and Beauty Company’s biggest strength is that it is a well-established brand with deep pockets and a very good association with consumers. The product- Clean Edge Razor, that they have released, is also the best technologically in the current market. Weaknesses The company does not have a slice in the 37. 2% of the pie that corresponds to the super premium segment which has immense potential. Also there is a risk of launching the product in the wrong segment or positioning it wrongly. A wrong move could result in cannibalization of Paramount Pro, another product in their portfolio. Opportunities There is very good growth in the super premium segment especially in men’s grooming. The market is also highly profitable so vendors are ready to stock the products. Also, the maintenance users are a market not ventured by any company till date. Hence the opportunities are immense. Threats A good number of competitors are trying to become the leader in this segment which is expected to grow in the future. The competitors could also catch up with the latest technology and release a technologically more advanced product. Also, a wrong execution would result in damage of the firm’s repute. The substitutes are also a major competition. PORTER’S FIVE FORCE FRAMEWORK SUPPLIERS POWER (LOW) Large number of suppliers BUYERS POWER INDUSTRY RIVALRY (HIGH) (HIGH) Differentiated products Large no. of players already present ENTRY BARRIERS (LOW) Easy to enter the market no major costs involved THREAT OF SUBSITUTES (HIGH) Availlability of alternatives like disposable and electric razors There is large number of players already present in the premium segment hence there is high level of rivalry in the industry. Availability of alternatives like disposable and electric razors make a high threat of substitutes. Because of large number of products available and constant innovation in the sector it is very easy for the consumers to switch the companies. Hence, consumers have a high bargaining power. Entry barriers are low in the industry since no major RD costs are involved and there are no major regulations. The bargaining power of the suppliers is low. Hence, overall the premium segment of nondisposable razors is an attractive industry to enter into. Positioning Strategy: The first strategy that we suggest is Niche Positioning, targeting the premium segment: As of now, the products released by Paramount in the non-disposable razer segment, Paramount Pro and Paramount Avail are positioned in the moderate segment and as a value -offering respectively. After three years of development, Paramount Health and Beauty Company has come up with a new technologically advanced vibrating razor called Clean Edge. Keeping in mind the superior technology used and the fact that Paramount has not launched a product targeting the premium segment, Paramount could adopt Niche Positioning while launching Clean Edge. However, there are certain disadvantages and advantages: Advantages: Positioning Paramount’s Clean Edge as a niche will accentuate the company’s product portfolio significantly. From the exhibits it is visible that it will result in high and consistent profit margins for the company and the risk involved will be less. Apart from that, the financial requirement of launching the product in the premium segment is only 15 million dollars as against 42 million dollars for the mainstream targeting. Disadvantages: As the trends suggests, understanding the fact that the premium segment has not been targeted significantly, almost all of Paramount’s competitors have launched products for this segment. Also, for the past 5 years, the company’s current products Pro and Avail have not introduced any new innovations as a result of which its customers are moving on to other competitors. The product pro is in the mature face and might need phasing out eventually. The second strategy that can be followed is Mainstream Positioning. The advantages and disadvantages of the same are as follows: Advantages: Consumers are becoming more and more sophisticated day by day and expect more advanced technology. Paramount’s bread and butter product, Pro was in the mature phase of the product lifecycle so there is a possibility of decline. Positioning Clean Edge as mainstream product will help prevent loyal Paramount customers from being wooed away to more innovative brands. Main stream razor unit volumes are expected to capture over three times the volumes of the niche market in the first year. Clean Edge has the potential for true market domination and would quickly gain mass appeal. Disadvantages: Paramount already had product in mainstream positioning -Paramount Pro so launching it as mainstream positioning will dilute the brand power and will lead to cannibalization. More marketing support will be needed to reach the target masses. The company would require an extensive advertising campaign, considerable consumer promotions would be needed and thus the expenses associated with them will be huge. To reach full sales potential with this positioning, $42 million marketing budget would be needed for year one. Total sales of Paramount for Avail and Pro for first year (2009) and second year (2010) are calculated using the market size (retail sales) and corresponding market share, both real (2009)and estimated (2010), of Paramount. The cost of Cannibalization is calculated using total sales and percentage of cannibalization given. Analyzing the result, it is evident that launching the product is a profitable venture; however, the cost of cannibalization may change equations. The cost of cannibalization is lower for the niche market as compared to mainstream market. Although, cannibalization adjustments give us losses for the first year in the case of both mainstream and niche, the profit obtained in the second year for mainstream is larger than niche market. Branding Strategy The branding should be done in such a way that it emphasizes Clean Edge Razor as a unique and breakthrough product with the usage of latest technology. However, given the tight advertising budget, it should use the well-established name of Paramount rather than build a brand based on the Clean Edge. This should help potential buyers connect with the product quickly and test it. This should ensure maximum sales. Recommendations Conclusion The recommendation is to introduce the Clean Edge into the marketplace as a niche product since data shows that consumers in the premium segment are willing to switch between the companies. Using advertising and promotion of the new product we can gain market share from competitors. Exhibit 8directly supports this recommendation and shows that even though unit sales are less than main stream sales, the operating profit and the operating profits as % of sales is higher. In both year one and year two, this niche market is profitable and growing. It is here that Paramount should focus its efforts on product introduction and positioning for the Clean Edge Razor. Once it has launched itself in the niche segment, Randall should then launch it, maybe after 2 to 3 years, in the mainstream category. As the data shows, both niche and mainstream strategy will help Paramount to raise its market share in super- premium non disposable razor segment. But the niche strategy will enables Clean Edge Razor to contribute profit and at the same time, limit the effect of cannibalizing Paramount’s existing products.

Feedback TAC (for Spa) system

Feedback TAC stands for Tele Assistance Collaboration that helps businesses and especially those in the hospitality industry to remotely manage their daily operations. In the cotemporary and very competitive world, businesses are looking for appropriate technologies to enable them establish a competitive edge over their rival firms.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Feedback TAC (for Spa) system specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This has pressurized many firms to embrace appropriate technologies that enable them to run more efficiently. The Feedback TAC system is a good example of such a technology that has greatly boosted the performance of many businesses in the hospitality industry. The TAC System operates depending on the kind of data it receives. Therefore, the TAC system can be used to by the marketing department of hospitality industry to strategically position their firms’ services as well as products in the market. The TAC system should be used in Spa to determine the most appropriate lead time in order to increase its performances. Lead time entails the duration between the initialization of any idea of production and the time when the idea generates revenues. In most cases most firms do their best to reduce their lead time in order to avoid time wastages. It is believed that when these firms reduce their lead time accordingly, they are able to avoid accumulation of unfinished tasks that assists them to operate more efficiently. Conversely, other firms increase their efficiency by increasing their lead time. They argue that an extended lead time gives them an ample time to prepare to attend their customers. The Spa marketing department should use the TAC system to help it to determine the most viable time for customers to do their booking. The Spa management should feed its TAC system with the right data of when it opens as well as when it closes. For, instance, the Spa TAC sy stem should be designed to accept those bookings that are done between 16:00 and 20:00. This will help those customers who are doing their booking, to book at times when Spa operates. The Spa management should make sure that they advice their IT experts to ensure that the Spa TAC System they adopt have an extended lead time. An extended lead time will enable the customers to do their booking in advance. Through this process the management will be able to plan in good time on how to serve its customers.Advertising Looking for essay on other technology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Similarly, early booking will help the management to buy appropriate materials its employees may require when attending their clients. Through this process, Spa will run more efficiently. Subsequently, it will attract more customers because more people will be willing to use its services because its efficiency services. The TAC system should allow people to do their booking even three weeks in advance. In addition to an extended lead time, the TAC System embraced should regulate Spa booking processes. The system should only accept those bookings that the Spa employees can manage to handle at a time. In order for it to regulate the bookings accordingly, the system should be fed with the correct data of the numbers of tasks the Spa employees can manage at a time. Thus, when a client books to be attended in a schedule that is full to capacity, the system should direct the customer to the next available and most appropriate options to select from. For instance, the system should allow only one person to book for the hair cut at a go because Spa is able to serve one person at a time. The customer should direct those other customers who book for hair cut to the next available options. The TAC system should on the other hand allow three people to book for the treatment at a go because Spa has can accommodate three chances for treatm ent at ago. Other consequent bookings should be directed to the next appropriate options. The TAC system should allow people to book for hair cut as well as treatment from Monday to Friday. Conversely, it should allow people to book for hair dressing only on Mondays and Tuesdays. Through this method, the Spa is likely to perform very well and command a greater market share in its area of specialization. The TAC system should only allow customers to make their booking between 16:00-20:00 because that is the time frame when Spa operates. Any booking that is made before 16:00 or after 20:00 should not be accepted by the TAC system. Similarly, the TAC system should not allow people to book for any services on Sunday since SPA does not operate on Sundays.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Feedback TAC (for Spa) system specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The TAC system to be installed by Spa ought to have appropriate disco unts for its customers. The customers who provide referral services as well as those who provide repeated business to the company should automatically be assigned special discounts when booking. Similarly, the TAC System should have some special packages for its royal customers as well as promotions that are meant to enhance the awareness of the firm. Technology is a very important strategy that firms use to augment their performances. When firms adopt appropriate technologies in their system, they are able to perform more efficiently. Spa will improve its performance greatly when it adopts the TAC System. The system will help it to run more efficiently. Subsequently, Spa will be able to win more customers and help it make more profits as a result of its increased market share. This essay on Feedback TAC (for Spa) system was written and submitted by user Linda Robbins to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

ukrainian folklore essays

ukrainian folklore essays Purposes of Ukrainian-American Folklore The relatively large Ukrainian community in the United States has many traditions and customs, most of which stem from a feeling of Ukrainian nationalism. As Ukraine was being overtaken by Russia, Ukrainians were immigrating by the thousands to the US. Ukrainians moving to the new world were leaving behind a disappearing culture and moving to a completely different land. Immigrants were proud of their heritage, and many of the traditions that were started in America exist to preserve this heritage and to pass it on to future generations. The Ukrainian Boy Scouting program is one such tradition. Ukrainians in America started this program in the early 1900s to train their young to return to Ukraine and drive the Russians out. This began as resistance to Russian rule over Ukraine. All boys and girls participate in this intermittently throughout the year, starting at age seven and continuing for life. Ukrainian Boy Scouts is very different from the typical American view of Boy Scouts, in that it involves a more rigorous wilderness-training program. This is because the program was essentially started as a military training program, and although it exists now only for fun and tradition, many of the subjects and ideas taught to the youths remain the same. People who are involved in the program put their children through it, as an attempt to preserve Ukrainian culture. When Ukrainians turn eighteen they become counselors, and at age thirty-five they become seniors and run the program. This program, along with a handful of similar programs, was started for various reasons. To begin with, Ukrainian youths had trouble adjusting to American society. "They (Ukrainian youth programs) are helping to solve some of the social problems of the second generation that does not seem to be able to find its way into American society or does not feel at home there." Ukrainian ...

State-sponsored oppression Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

State-sponsored oppression - Essay Example From then on, various other agencies were created, addressing specific human rights concerns. (Joseph, Schultz, Castan, 2004) Notable examples of this are the International Labor Organization and the UNICEF. However, the international legal system was saddled with a limitation: only states could be parties to an international law dispute. This paper will argue that this conception of international law is anachronistic in light of the atrocities committed by individuals that deserve punishment in the international regime. The Holocaust, the butchery in Serbia, the genocide in Rwanda, and most recently, the barbaric killings in Sudan are crimes of such magnitude that it requires nothing less than an international tribunal to try these crimes against humanity. II. Substantive Issues History and Evolution of International Individual Criminal Responsibility International individual criminal liability is, in essence, the ascribing of responsibility for certain crimes against individuals in an international forum. The crimes for which individuals may be held responsible are not simply ordinary crimes of theft or of reckless imprudence. They must be of such a nature that they invite universal condemnation. They are considered erga omnes obligations, or obligations owed to the world. Examples of these are piracy, genocide, crimes against humanity and slavery. According to Kelsen, "The offenses for which retribution may be claimed are, in the first place, violations of international law committed by having resorted to war in disregard of general or particular international law." (1943) In a manner of speaking, the assigning of individual criminal responsibility in the international sphere is a huge departure from...International individual criminal liability is, in essence, the ascribing of responsibility for certain crimes against individuals in an international forum. The crimes for which individuals may be held responsible are not simply ordinary crimes of theft or of reckless imprudence. They must be of such a nature that they invite universal condemnation. They are considered erga omnes obligations, or obligations owed to the world. Examples of these are piracy, genocide, crimes against humanity and slavery. According to Kelsen, â€Å"The offenses for which retribution may be claimed are, in the first place, violations of international law committed by having resorted to war in disregard of general or particular international law.† (1943) In a manner of speaking, the assigning of individual criminal responsibility in the international sphere is a huge departure from traditional conceptions of international law. Pursuant to Article 34 of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) Statute, â€Å"only states may be parties in cases before the Court.† In the famous Nottebohm case, such principle was likewise applied with the International Court of Justice held that only a state may seek redress for crimes or offenses perpetrated against its citizens, and the â€Å"nexus of nationality† must be established between the state seeking redress and the citizen for whom it seeks redress. However, in view of the atrocities being committed by individuals, the concept of international individual criminal liability emerged.

Battle of Fredericksburg Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Battle of Fredericksburg - Essay Example It started December 11, 1862 and ended four days later. The importance of the battle for both sides is paramount. The outcome, for instance, could prop up the Lincoln administration’s campaign for public support, which has suffered a great loss in public confidence owing to the failure of the Union forces to crush the Confederate army and defeat General Lee once and for all. On the other hand, for the Confederacy, the battle, though did not have any significant strategic import, achieved a psychological boost that trumpeted the might and capability of their forces. According to Eckenrode and Conrad, the battle is the culmination of the peak of the confederate strength in the course of the Civil War.1 How Fredericksburg came to be the battleground for this winter war was explained by Longstreet and Piston who wrote: Before the end of November it became evident that Fredericksburg was to be our winter station and the scene of a severe battle before it could be relieved†¦ To wards the latter part of the month General Jackson was called down and assigned position on the right near Hamilton’s Crossing and the Massaponax. ... Under cover of this fire, the Yankees attempted to construct two pontoon bridges opposite the city, but were repeatedly driven off by our sharpshooters in the rifle pits along the shore and in the houses.3 In the beginning the battle was expected to be a victory for the Union forces because they outnumbered Lee’s men. Under the command of General Ambrose Burnside, the Union army was 120,000 strong. General Longstreet wrote about the fateful day before the assault took place: â€Å"The flags of the Federals fluttered gaily, the polished arms shone brightly in the sunlight, and the beautiful uniforms of the buoyant troops gave to the scene the air of a holiday occasion rather than a spectacle of a great army about to be thrown into the tumult of battle.†4 But the attempt to rebuild a destroyed bridge necessary to cross into the city cost the Union Army a month, allowing Lee’s Confederate forces to receive reinforcements such as James Longstreet’s 41,000 men who began fortifying Marye’s Heights, which overlooked a wide canal and drainage ditch that the Union troops had to cross; â€Å"Stonewall† Jackson’s 39,000 soldiers who were positioned in Longstreet’s right flank; and, Lee’s 90,000 assembled army, who with the time wasted by the Union forces rebuilding the bridge, was able to secure the heights that covered most of the ground river. As events unfolded, the tides were turned and the expedition became a debacle for the Union army. The difficulty of the assault was recounted no less than General Burnside who later wrote about the bloody ambush: The stone wall [commanded by Longstreet’s men] proved too strong for the valor of our troops. Never did a hotter fire greet an advancing party. The plain in

Jose Vargas Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Jose Vargas Assignment - Essay Example I always hear debates of whether illegal immigrants is bad or good for a nation, but now I can tell that it is bad for both the country, as well as the immigrant; this is speaking from a healthcare perspective. I have suffered greatly owing to my two illnesses while living in the United States. There are numerous challenges that face people like me when it comes to seeking medical attention in the United States. The experiences I ensured while emigrating in itself enough stress. Some of the structural barriers that affect my health care access include lack of insurance, negative citizenship status and high cost of caring for diabetes and Congestive Heart Failure. The main reason why I cannot access medical insurance in the United States is because I am illegal citizen to the States. Also, any major hospital I go to will request for my identification card, and once they realize am not a United States citizen, they will notify the authorities. Finally, the United States healthcare syst em is one of the priciest in the world if you do not have health insurance. Tim and I always struggle to find backstreet medical centers where at least I can get medicine and treatment with regards to my two conditions. In these medical centers, people are always judged by their English fluency, as well as their brevity. I once witnessed a man been thrown out of center for not knowing how to speak English fluently. They presumed that he was an illegal immigrant maybe trying to set the hospital up. Even reaching the hospital was a problem and the filthiness inside the center was hard to stand. I normally thank God each time we are done with the visit and heading home. These were the same conditions that were discussed in the Vargas talk. I mean I had to take myself through un-trusted medical centers just to receive a treatment that I could also not trust. These treatments, at times, came with bad side effects that normal citizens did not feel. I have contemplated a

The Changing Direction Of Hip Hop Music Essay

The Changing Direction Of Hip Hop Music Essay Popular culture abounds in gender stereotypes. In the mass media, women have often been trivialized, marginalized and presented as inferior to men. Nearly always media depictions of women have relied on the opposition of good vs. bad. Taking into consideration popular music, it has been argued that the naÃÆ' ¯ve portrayal of women that prevailed decades ago has now given way to greater diversity, more complexity, and dramatically mixed messages about the individual female persona and womens roles in society. Despite this, it is still very unlikely for women to be presented as independent, intelligent, or superior to men. Moreover, the sexism is more prevalent and more extreme in some types of media or music genres than in others. One of the most popular hip hop genres, rap music, seems to be expanding the bar of its popularity by presenting extremely misogynistic portrayal of women. In this chapter I will focus on the reasons why this troubling trend have been closely related to h ip hop and what response it have received from the media and various social and political organizations. As indicated in the first and the second chapter many instances of rap songs present a myriad of violent and misogynistic messages. As long as hip hop music grows in popularity its lyrical content can no longer be ignored. Many critics have recently taken a critical look at hip hop phenomenon and the messages rap music conveys. Some, as bell hooks, would argue that rap music can be considered as a backlash on feminism and an attempt to reinforce male supremacy. Others would claim that this music serves to present men superiority over women as a natural and normal hierarchy. According to Patricia Hill Collins, rap can be perceived as one of the controlling images and used as a tool to subordinate black women. It is also argued that raps misogynistic lyrics may serve to justify violent behavior toward black women. Nowadays hip hop is a phenomenon which is spread worldwide. It is produced by giant production companies for mass distribution and consumption targeted to youth. Messages and images presented in this type of music catch attention of all racial groups. That is why the pursuit to impose superiority over black women may be extended to women in general. Images perpetuated in rap music contribute to gendered socialization and may be responsible for reinforcing gender inequality. Glen Ford, the executive editor of the Black Agenda Report electronic journal, claims that the industry executives and producers in order to take the full advantage of the popularity of hip hop and increase sales encourage artists to use provocative, explicit lyrics. Aspiring rappers are being used as raw material for the final product that sells. The whole marketing strategy is usually tailored long before the given rapper signs the contract. The artists image and behavior is adjusted to the current market demands. The rappers persona and the song seem to be just a final touch to the whole marketing process. On the other hand, those artists who do not comply with such a controversial strategy are being marginalized. As a result, rappers often abandon political and social messages and focus on money and sexual exploitative motifs, in response to corporate control. The issue of the music industry being a responsible party for setting disturbing trends in contemporary hip hop is well documented in Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes by Byron Hurt. An avid hip hop fan and director of this well acclaimed documentary challenges the big record labels to take responsibility for the destructive sexist images perpetuated in rap hits. The movie consists of numerous revealing discussions with aspiring as well as successful male rappers and hip hop moguls. During one interview, the director asks an aspiring rapper why he would rather turn to violent and misogynistic messages in his songs than political or social issues. The rapper answers that they the industry do not want to hear nor accept that: They usually dont give us deals when we speak righteously. To support this statement, a former president of pioneering hip hop recording company Def Jam Records Carmen Ashhurst, suggests that the emergence of a controversial genre, gangsta rap, was preceded by buying out the minor independent labels which would focus on more ambitious issues in the produced rap songs. Ashhurst states: At the time that we were able to get a bigger place in the record stores, and a bigger presence because of this major marketing capacity, the music became less and less conscious. Nowadays a few entertainment corporations in liaison with corporate dominated radio have gained a total control of the market. Independent labels have little share in the existing market and the most successful ones usually serve as subcontractors to the major labels. They also depend on bigger companies in terms of record distribution and business survival. Tricia Rose, in one of the interviews, claims that young people nowadays are under enormous marketing pressure. Instead of finding the way how to express what they really feel, they are being encouraged how to see their creativity through the marketing logic and how to sell it. They are forced to fit their products into existing marketing demands. Moreover, she claims that in case of black youth this is even more complicated as the corporate spaces for their expression are narrower. The diversity of their representation in music is limited. The industry dictates what can be considered as being real black. This statement seems to be true as in case of white artists it is easy to find them in every category of music, whereas black artists are nearly always associated only with hip hop genres as soul, RB, or rap. Moreover, as Rose claims, white artists are able to perform their individual self, while black artist manifest their blackness in the first place. Such a limited access to avai lable ways of presenting their black identity has led to perpetuation of negative stereotypes that haunt black community. Through the marketing perspective, rap has turned out to be a success but its artistic value has diminished. Yet, in case of sexism hip hop cannot be exclusively held responsible, as this problem pertains not only to the black society. But it is important to note that exploitation of women has become almost a requirement in order to establish rappers identity of a successful, respectable black male artist. Black female rappers in order to fit into the creative spaces available to them are forced to silently agree upon such terms. This is particularly troubling for black females who have been struggling for a long time to refute the image sexualized and exploited by white patriarchal supremacist society. Tricia Rose claims that the rappers cannot be blamed for the oppression of their female counterparts. They only act as the middle men and the prominent music executives are to be blamed for making profits on the negative representation of black society, and predominantly its female part. As stated before, what makes hip hop so appealing is not only the music and beats but mainly its powerful lyrics. According to publicist and political activist, Kevin Powell, the most salient point of the record companies marketing strategy is to make radio stations play the song nationwide over and over again. He notes that many listeners of hip hop would not only buy the popular single or record heard on the radio but they will also grasp the subliminal message conveyed by the lyrics. Powell, by judging the popular male rap lyrics, concludes that the only way one can be a real black man is to act like a hard gangster, women and homosexual hating thug. Objectification of women, as noted in the first chapter, occurs in a great share of top rap hits. The hits that have reached the top charts and sold in millions of copies. This suggests that denigrating women is a successful marketing tool for music industry executives, but in fact the consumers contribute to the selling process. Deni grating portrayal of women together with vicissitudes of the life in the hood partly occur as a response to a supposed consumer demand for symbolic, stereotypical representation of the ghetto and its inhabitants. It is important to note that the fans of rap music are not only young blacks from the ghetto. Many of avid listeners are white youth, who may have little firsthand experience of living in disadvantaged areas. For them hip hop songs may serve as a source of information. One of the white hip hop fans, interviewed by Hurt, admitted that for a representative of upper middle-class white suburban area, rap serves as a means of experiencing completely different culture. The question arises whether rap music can be treated as a reliable basis for evaluation of black culture or those are the industry forces merely responsible for the content of the music. Watkins in his article on black nationalism claims that explicit and misogynistic rap lyrics have revived common beliefs about black social pathology and deviance. The interviewed white hip hop fan also confirmed that in his opinion rap music reinforces racial stereotypes held by many whites. As mentioned before, rap music initially developed out of the experiences of youth in disadvantaged black neighborhoods of the Bronx and aspired to be a real voice of the ghetto. Thus, theoretically speaking, the messages conveyed by rap songs should have mirrored the real life of Americas inner cities. Contemporary hip hop phenomenon is still marketed by the same strategy, as being a reflection of the urban life on the streets. Keith Negus in his article broadly presented how the music industry agents work on their productions to reflect the cultural phenomenon of hip hop. He states that one of the strategy to grasp the real street experience is that the music industry sends its agents into the streets, clubs and other public places of disadvantaged neighborhoods in order to gather information about the newest trends and prevailing issues. Gender relations and violence constitute one of the pervasive concerns of the ghetto context. The harsh conditions of the ghetto may put its residents in sharp mutual conflict and make them turn to unconventional, illegal sources of gaining self-esteem. As argued in the first chapter, economic success and violence are considered one of the ways to gain respect in the ghetto. One of the studies of disadvantaged African-American neighborhoods of the late sixties indicates how crucial it was for the black unpriviliged men to be perceived as superior to women, despite the fact that in some cases such behavior was far from reality. More recent research of Miller and White shows that also today degradation of women shapes gender relations of the inner cities. It is argued that such a way of conduct stems from the set of rules that regulate life in the ghetto. For young men in such neighborhoods, the street code praises sexual achievements, promiscuity, and the exploitation of women: Because of the implications sex has for their local social status and esteem, the young men are ready to be regaled with graphic tales of one anothers sexual exploits. . . . Status goes to the winner, and sex is prized as a testament not of love but of control over another human being. The goal of the sexual conquests is to make a fool of the young woman. . . .[The male] incurs sanctions [from his peers] for allowing a girl to rule him or gain positive reinforcement for keeping her in line. . . . In many cases the more the young man seems to exploit the young woman, the higher is his regard within the peer group. Due to the poor socioeconomic conditions African American men are said to be deprived of the traditional traces of dignity. The street code favors celebration of material success and life of a women-exploiting pimp. Concluding findings listed above, it may be argued that both neighborhood and the industry influences rap lyrical content. As the corporations have been usurping the black mass culture for decades, hip hop seems to be an another product line. The issues as objectification of women have become a troubling global trend. In order to change it, not only the misogynistic nature of hip hop music needs to be revised but also the mass expectation for the product reshaped. As the author of Pimps Up, Hos Down: Hip Hops Hold on Young Black Women, Tracy Sharpley-Whiting claims, nowadays hip hop is only more explicit form in articulating mens conflicted relations with women. The problem boils down to the question of the ideas about masculinity and the role which men have to perform in American culture. She claims that contemporary men and boys feel displaced, as they compete with alpha women and girls in every aspect of life in ways that their fathers and grandfathers did not. Concurrently, she notes that men are in conflict with American ideals concerning manhood and a patriarchal society. Supposedly the only area t hat men feel able to exert power and dominance is in the field of sexuality and violent strength. Physical and sexual degrading attitude towards women, presumably, aims to bring back the balance in the female dominated world. Sharpley-Whiting notes that as much as hip hop have become a rawer form of expression the customers tastes also coarsened. The multi-billion generating music industry caters for these tastes as many rap consumers find degrading women entertaining. Similar point of view is presented by a hip hop culture researcher, Darren Rhym, in his study on gangsta rap and misogyny. He shares the same idea that hatred toward women is triggered by men who struggle to empower themselves.   Gangsta rappers who are notorious for misogynistic and, supposedly, men empowering lyrics, use rap music to define themselves, their lifestyle and outlook on life in general. Gangsta rappers share self-centered views of their community and the world.  Ã‚  They search for the way how to assure themselves as men, same as white men when they become successful.   That is why rappers usually present themselves as being greatly misunderstood victims of the establishment and apply a me against the world approach. By doing so they can claim innocence and adopt power position which enables them to view black women as objects and reasons for their failures. Even though, as it has been stated before, misogyny toward black women is present in the code of the stree t, restructured content of rap music can be used as a powerful tool to rejuvenate gender relations in the ghettos. As it is rather a hard and long-term process to change the socioeconomic conditions under which hip hop is created, it seems to be easier for the media and various institutions to influence the music executives to promote more affirmative content of hip hop songs. Especially that, as Rhymes notes, the most successful rappers who acquired enormous wealth somewhat lose their ghetto credibility. Gangsta rappers commonly identify with the inner-city black community and the hardship of the urban life. However, once a rapper achieves a material success he is no longer a part of the world he raps about.  Frustrated rappers may then look for various topics that will keep them real and connected with the ghetto. The motif of degrading women commonly seen in many rap songs, may be used as a strategy to regain credibility or acceptance of the home community. Needless to say, thi s is a wrong and disturbing technique. There are other topics to rap about that rappers may choose and still remain genuine. They may use their from-rags-to-riches life experience and share it with their underachieving counterparts. Not only will they sound authentic serving as a role model but also inspire pursuit of better life and lifelong dreams among the inhabitants of the inner-cities. It can be noted recently that hip hop is facing an increasing backlash. Such an attitude towards rap in particular has been preceded by many infamous events. The 2005 Academy Award for best original song in a feature film went to Three 6 Mafias controversial Its Hard Out Here For a Pimp from the film Hustle and Flow. The song performed at the Oscars, provoked a strong criticism of hip hop for perpetuation of the exploitation of women. In 2001, white rapper Eminem was awarded a Grammy for his album, The Marshall Mathers LP. As examined in the first chapter, the lyrics in this album contained extreme hostile and misogynistic messages toward women and homosexuals. The award was greatly condemned by many womens social groups. The most shocking and turning point in the rap popularity was the release of infamous video Tip Drill, by a male rapper Nelly. It caused a major havoc when it was first aired in 2003 on the late night show BET Uncut The BET Uncut Show was a television program aired by Black Entertainment Television (BET) during the early 2000. The aim of the show was to promote cheap, overtly sexual and nearly pornographic rap music videos. The videos were made by well-known hip hop artists, as well as by lesser-known artists who would seek for broader recognition. Due to the nature of the shows content it was broadcasted at 3 in the morning. The content and imagery was strictly adult and this surely contributed to the popularity of the show. Despite its appeal the BET Uncut Show was considered by many viewers poor in taste. Many complained the show promoted depiction of women as sex objects. This came to a boil when Nelly released the most infamous video in BET Uncut history. The video, Tip Drill, presented a raunchy, half naked women who danced suggestively with other women and men and pretended to engage in a sexual intercourse. The most controversial part was the moment when Nelly slid his credit card down a womans buttocks. This video hit the height of controversy ever presented in hip hop. Nelly initially had been scheduled to appear during a charity event at Spelman female college in Atlanta, Georgia, to promote bone marrow awareness. When this video aired, he was confronted with a statement from student groups from predominantly black Spelman college that they could have no longer continued to support rappers who presented women as hypersexual objects. Students representatives claimed this attack was not directly aimed at Nelly but they would have rather presented their opposition to the troubling direction into which hip hop was shifting. After hearing the concert would have been boycotted, Nelly canceled his appearance during the event. At the beginning of 2005, the African American womens magazine ESSENCE started a campaign against sexism in rap music. The magazine targeted black women, launched massive critique of the music industry for creating songs and videos that portrayed black women as sex objects. ESSENCE shed light on many instances how the music affected young black girls. The magazine not only expressed its disapproval with the depiction of black women in rap but also requested feedback from readers on ways to challenge it. It also promoted positive hip-hop artists and sponsored public discussions with rap artists. In 2006, Spelman College and ESSENCE magazine joined forces to launch a program Take Back the Music. One of the organized panel sessions hosted scholars as Dr. Tarshia Stanley, assistant professor of English at Spelman; Kevin Powell, author and activist; as well as representatives of the music industry: Michael Lewellen, a vice president of public relations, BET; Brian Leach, a vice president of AR, TVT Records; hip hop artist and actress MC Lyte and the editor of ESSENCE magazine Michaela Angela Davis. The panelists attempted to seek for answers to the questions such as: Where Are We Now? How Did We Get Here? Where Are We Going? The gathering also aimed to examine the visual and lyrical depiction of African American women and the impact that these images had on global community. The main goal was to start a dialog in order to initiate a positive change in hip hop. The discussion was concluded with the statement that producing lyrics and images that counter balance the misogyny could be a step all involved parties could take. The Take Back the Music meeting initiated by ESSENCE inspired discussion on the increasingly popular musical genre at various levels. Soon after the program had been launched more institutions brought up the issue of healing the hip hop from misogyny. In 2006 Berkley College of Music also took the effort and joined the movement encouraging new directions for rap. The school included in its curriculum the class that would be devoted to critical thinking and social impact of black music. The change in the curriculum turned out to be a success as the classes filled up immediately. The college also aimed to provide summer program scholarships to the winners of ESSENCEs hip-hop songwriting contest. Cynthia Gordy, an assistant editor of the magazine, found the contest important as the young college artists are the future of hip hop. The initiative has been also endorsed by a range of the underground artists and organizations as the Boston Hip-Hop Alliance, a group that supports positive hi p-hop artists and community organizations. Although the positive hip hop movement have been successfully ignited the real change still needs to be executed by the big record companies who dictate what is being produced. There are many popular and talented rappers whose lyrics depart from misogynistic messages. Tracy Sharpley-Whiting names a few as: Common, Talib Kweli, Mos Def, Brother Ali, Zion I, Mr. Lif or Lupe Fiasco. These rappers in their songs avoid messages about violence, misogyny or importance of material success. Through their rhyming skills, they would rather call for unity and activism of the black American society. As Sharpley-Whitng rightly claims, what we hear on the radio is not the only hip hop available. These artists do not produce as many records as 50 Cent, or Eminem and that says more about the consumers than it does about the rappers. According to Scherazade Daravulla King, a director of Bostons Project: Think Different a group focused on production of positive hip-hop ESSENCE as a media organization cannot create a movement: The media needs to be connected to grass-roots efforts working to promote positive images and positive messages, and I think thats where its kind of missing the boat. There are still plenty of hip-hop artists that are true to their roots and the history of the genre. We just need to work to amplify those records. Thomas F. DeFrantz, an associate professor of music and theater arts at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, finds the critiques of hip hop as essential. Concurrently, he points out the fact that the music industry is not the only responsible party for passing the negative message through hip-hop.   He claims that there must be something more than just chasing the financial profits as: People love having sex and talking about sex. There were also instances where the program launched by ESSENCE faced less optimistic and tougher audience. Such scenario happened during a heated debate titled Images of Women in Hip Hop at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York in 2005. The panelists included rapper Remy Ma, underground emcee Jean Grae, author and radio personality Karen Hunter, ESSENCE editor Akiba Solomon and DJ Beverly Bond. The program ended up shortly after it had started as panelists and audience members fiercely struggled to articulate their opinions. Over 300 attendees listened nervously to the panelists debated on hip-hops approach toward women before loudly voicing their own ideas. Interestingly, the audience seemed to be equally divided. Younger people would tend to claim that hip-hops depiction of women accurately reflects the behavior of many females, while older attendees, who may have remembered what hip hop used to mean, blamed the contemporary raps content for negative effects on the behav ior of both young men and women. Unfortunately, the panel ended up without mutual consensus, leaving many listeners disappointed. The conclusion drawn from the meeting may be that the community does not ignore the fact that women are being presented in negative light and feel the need to discuss the issue in details. Looking back at the history, the critical approach to hip hop seems to be nothing new. In the beginning, rap was considered by many not a real music but just a noisy behavior. But the criticism rarely came from the youthful audience itself whose identity was defined by this genre like no other. Nowadays hip hop faces an unprecedented backlash. Although the turning point is hard to be clearly identified, after 30 years of growing popularity, rap music is now battling with an alarming sales decline and growing criticism about the cultures negative effect on society. The popular rapper Nas, challenged the condition of rap by giving a thought provoking title to his latest album Hip-Hop is Dead. According to recent statistics, this title may be closer to the truth than ever. Music sales are down in general, but rap sales slid an alarming 21 percent from 2005 to 2006. For the first time in 12 years no rap album was among the top 10 sellers of the year. The author of Hip Hop Generation, Bakari Kitwana says that it is a natural consequence as the members of hip hop generation grow older and are less eager to defend it.. The study conducted by the Black Youth Project in 2006 indicated that a majority of youth thought rap consisted of too many aggressive images. In the same year, a poll of black Americans by The Associated Press and AOL-Black Voices, showed that 50 percent of respondents said hip-hop was a negative force in American society. This radical shift may have been partially caused by the lack of balance and consistency in presented images. The avid listeners may have had enough of the dark side of hip hop. Another point why black community is turning its back on hip hop may be, as noted by Baltimore Sun pop critic Rashod D. Ollison: The music, dances and images in the video are clearly reminiscent of the era when pop culture reduced blacks to caricatures: lazy coons, grinning pickaninnies, sexually super-charged bucks. Howeve r, it is hard to predict whether the dropping sales trend continues in a long run as, according to Ollison, America is sick and loves violence and sex. It may seem that the only instances of hip hop being discussed broadly in the media are its misogynistic, violent lyrics and explicit videos. However, some critics see the positive sides in hip hop. Bakari Kitwana in his book The Hip Hop Generation compares hip hop cultural phenomenon to the civil rights movement and proves its great potential to impact social change. He enumerates great public events that have shown how hip hop can extend its impact beyond popular culture and influence on the politics serving as a strong unifying tool. For instance, in 1997 the rap group The Fugees held a fund and awareness raising concert on behalf of Haitian charity organizations. Another example of how strong hip hop can talk to the minds of young people is the case of Mumia Abu Jamals fight for justice. He was sentenced to death in 1982 for killing a white policeman who engaged in confrontation with Jamals brother. Jamals supporters claimed that the fact he was a former Black Panther made him re ceive an unfair trial. He did not admit to having committed the crime, and claimed he had been set up for his political past. His rally for justice was supported by many rappers. Their songs permeated with critical opinions of penal system and reached the minds of their fans. By giving this example Kitwana argues that rap may serve as an informative tool and influence many young peoples opinions regarding the death penalty and racial inconsistencies of American justice. Nevertheless, hip hop is still more likely to be geared at controversy and money making by the executive moguls and rap artists themselves. Kitwana states that the hip hop generation, comprised of African Americans born in 1965-1984, need a national organization, one that would not only take advantage of the great economic power of the hip-hop industry but also focus on issues of education, employment, injustice and crime. To support this claim, Kitwana, in one of the interviews, underlines the success of Russell Sim mons Hip-Hop Summit Action Network which helped the United Federation of Teachers and the Alliance for Quality Education gather nearly 100,000 people to protest against New York Mayor Mike Bloombergs $358 million cut in education subsidy. The protest was personally supported by hip hop stars such as Sean P. Diddy Combs, Alicia Keys and LL Cool J. The event was not only recognized by the press but also brought about a feasible effect. The demonstration made Mayor Bloomberg restore $298 million to his initial budget proposal. Although the importance of this event is significant, there is still a lot to do for hip hop generation to catch on politics according to Kitwana. He claims that hip hop cultural phenomenon, if wisely led, can surpass the achievements of the civil rights movement. Indeed, the whole hip hop generation stands on the solid foundation grounded by the success of civil rights and Black Power activists. Yet, hip hop seems to be a more active and rebellious way of expres sion. It may become a political movement as its greatest power is the ability to spread the word quickly and influence the masses. It provides the most relevant outlook on the present issues of the inner cities. In the early beginnings it may have been considered just a meaningless noisy trend. However, the past twenty years have revealed how powerful and long-lasting this trend is. Not only has it become acknowledged in the mainstream America but also has had a massive impact at an international level. This phenomenon may provide new black leaders with an access to unparalleled force of economic power and broad audience of followers which hip hop culture has generated. On the other hand, according to Kitwana, the major problem is that the work of black political activists of this generation is still undermined by the celebrity culture. He claims that the synergy of politics and hip hop should not be about rappers becoming political leaders. The rappers can act as a stimulus force a s in case of the Million Man March, where many black men appeared partly because rappers made it fashionable to support black causes. The rappers should not be leaders but their appearance during such events may help to catch the medias attention on important, troubling issues of black society. Kitwana hopes that perhaps then the media will divert the perception of hip hop as being just violent and misogynistic: Poor black people, especially young blacks of this generation, have not had a voice until the emergence of rap. If you can get past pimps and hos, hip-hop conveys the message of poor people not having jobs and having inadequate education . . . but that other message of pimps and hos is overshadowing that. Kitwana admits that there are two sides to hip hop. He is not defending it, nor accusing of being violent or misogynistic. Although he also sees the negative impact of it in terms of anti-black images or glorification of material success, he is more focused on stressing the positive impact of hip hop. He outlines the possibilities this phenomenon can provide to rejuvenate black society. He rightly notes that the music is contradictory but so are the messages the society is exposing its people to. He claims that young people have turned to music and films in order to look for answers on how to be young and black. That is why these media should be used wisely in order to fill the young minds with right answers for their troubling questions. Conclusion Rap is not just music, it is a part of African-American culture.  It has also proven to be a very inspirational phenomenon for young people. Initially it has developed to reflect the real life of the American inner-cities. Along with growing popularity of the beats and rhymes

Ivory Artifacts of The Israelietes Essay -- Archeology

Imagine in your minds eye you are back in time during age of Israelites. Now imagine yourself walking the halls of palace. As you walk you see what seems to be a small fortune of art decorating the halls. You eventually stop walk and you find yourself in the throne room and right before you see a chair but, not just not any chair the most elegant chair you have ever see with your own two eyes. This chair glistens with jewels and some sort of white material you are not familiar with. The white material seems almost alien in nature and yet it is beautiful and makes the thrones seem as if from another world. That white on that throne would be ivory. Ivory items are peculiar items when one thinks about them for long enough. One starts to think what are they, where did they come from, how where they made and who made them, what were they were used for, what is their meaning, and what do the motifs on them stand for. To be honest there is no one answer for each of these questions but, ther e are several good theories out there. But I am not going to talk about all ivories that have ever existed I am going talk to you the reader about Israelite Ivories that existed during the late bronze age to the late Iron age. To begin to answer the questions I have purposed and kind of made you think of I will start by answering the most basic of them all. What are Ivory artifacts? Ivory artifacts are any item made of the tusks of elephants, teeth of hippos, or the tusks of walruses. But today I am only discussing the early Israelites and their ivories. Their ivories mostly consisted of elephant tusks. The reason that we can assume that the tusks of elephant were used for art and not the ivory of other spices such as hippos is that it is stated in ... ...e http://users.stlcc.edu/mfuller/hermitageivory.html http://www.jstor.org/action/doBasicSearch?Query=ivory+in+syria&gw=jtx&acc=on&prq=israelite+ivory+controversy&hp=25&wc=on Pritchard, J.B (1962) Ivory. The Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible (Vol. 2 pp. 773-775) New York City, New York: Abingo press Ivory. (1946 & 1952). Hastings, James and Rowley H. H. Dictionary of the Bible (pp450), New York City, New York: Charles Scrubner’s Sons. Suter, C. (2005). Crafts and images in contact. Fruibourg : Academic Pess Fribourg. http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdfplus/3210398.pdf?acceptTC=true http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdfplus/1356803.pdf http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdfplus/498997.pdf http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdfplus/3210252.pdf?acceptTC=true http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/24/science/24tomb.html http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdfplus/4200069.pdf?acceptTC=true