Free Essays on Oboe History

The first type of reed instrument was created by the Egyptians in B.C. times. The primitive form was barley straws pressed flat and placed in a small pipe. These Egyptian reed-pipes later had three to four holes added. They varied in length. The Romans had similar instruments which they called tibiae. A short double-reeded instrument had been developed by the 12th century. It had a conical bore with a wide bell. It was brought to Europe during the Crusades from the East. It was named the shawm. The 14th century brought modifications and the discant shawm was invented. The treble shawm was soon produced. The oboe was developed from this instrument in the 17th century. It was made to be performed indoors. The oboe was produced by the Hotteterre family. It was first used in the court of Louis XVI. The original name was the French word hautbois, meaning "high-wood". The oboe was made of three sections with six keys and hole. Developments in the 18th century included making different sizes. One such model was the oboe di caccia. This is the ancestor of the English horn. More key mechanisms were developed in the 19th century. Nine keys were used by 1825 with the fingering similar to the flute and bassoon. The reed was also improved upon. The oboe is 1 foot 11.5 inches long, not including the reed. It is made with a conical bore that is larger towards the end. The English horn is 2 feet 7.5 inches long, not including the short metal tube to which the reed is attached. They are made of ebonite. The English horn has a lower, richer sound than the oboe. The oboe has been a favorite among composers for the last 300 years. The appeal is the reedy sound which is good for staccato melodies. The English horn is used for the lower sounds. Sound is produced by the player drawing the lips between the teeth into the mouth. The player then focuses the air through the reed at high pressure. The reeds vibrate against each other. This sets th... Free Essays on Oboe History Free Essays on Oboe History The first type of reed instrument was created by the Egyptians in B.C. times. The primitive form was barley straws pressed flat and placed in a small pipe. These Egyptian reed-pipes later had three to four holes added. They varied in length. The Romans had similar instruments which they called tibiae. A short double-reeded instrument had been developed by the 12th century. It had a conical bore with a wide bell. It was brought to Europe during the Crusades from the East. It was named the shawm. The 14th century brought modifications and the discant shawm was invented. The treble shawm was soon produced. The oboe was developed from this instrument in the 17th century. It was made to be performed indoors. The oboe was produced by the Hotteterre family. It was first used in the court of Louis XVI. The original name was the French word hautbois, meaning "high-wood". The oboe was made of three sections with six keys and hole. Developments in the 18th century included making different sizes. One such model was the oboe di caccia. This is the ancestor of the English horn. More key mechanisms were developed in the 19th century. Nine keys were used by 1825 with the fingering similar to the flute and bassoon. The reed was also improved upon. The oboe is 1 foot 11.5 inches long, not including the reed. It is made with a conical bore that is larger towards the end. The English horn is 2 feet 7.5 inches long, not including the short metal tube to which the reed is attached. They are made of ebonite. The English horn has a lower, richer sound than the oboe. The oboe has been a favorite among composers for the last 300 years. The appeal is the reedy sound which is good for staccato melodies. The English horn is used for the lower sounds. Sound is produced by the player drawing the lips between the teeth into the mouth. The player then focuses the air through the reed at high pressure. The reeds vibrate against each other. This sets th...

The Jet Stream - An Overview in Geography

The Jet Stream - An Overview in Geography A jet stream is defined as a current of rapidly moving air that is usually several thousand miles long and wide but is relatively thin. They are found in the upper levels of Earths atmosphere at the tropopause - the boundary between the troposphere and stratosphere (see atmospheric layers). Jet streams are important because they contribute to worldwide weather patterns and as such, they help meteorologists forecast weather based on their position. In addition, they are important to air travel because flying in or out of them can reduce flight time and fuel consumption. Discovery of the Jet Stream The exact first discovery of the jet stream is debated today because it took some years for jet stream research to become mainstream around the world. The jet stream was first discovered in the 1920s by Wasaburo Ooishi, a Japanese meteorologist who used weather balloons to track upper-level winds as they ascended into the Earths atmosphere near Mount Fuji. His work significantly contributed to knowledge of these wind patterns  but was mostly confined to Japan. In 1934, knowledge of the jet stream increased when Wiley Post, an American pilot, attempted to fly solo around the world. To complete this feat, he invented a pressurized suit that would allow him to fly at high altitudes and during his practice runs, Post noticed that his ground and airspeed measurements differed, indicating that he was flying in a current of air. Despite these discoveries, the term jet stream was not officially coined until 1939 by a German meteorologist named H. Seilkopf when he used it in a research paper. From there, knowledge of the jet stream increased during World War II as pilots noticed variations in winds when flying between Europe and North America. Description and Causes of the Jet Stream Thanks to further research conducted by pilots and meteorologists, it is understood today that there are two main jet streams in the northern hemisphere. While jet streams do exist in the southern hemisphere, they are strongest between latitudes of 30 °N and 60 °N. The weaker subtropical jet stream is located closer to 30 °N. The location of these jet streams shift throughout the year however and they are said to follow the sun since they move north with warm weather and south with cold weather. Jet streams are also stronger in the winter because there is a large contrast between the colliding Arctic and tropical air masses. In the summer, the temperature difference is less extreme between the air masses and the jet stream is weaker. Jet streams typically cover long distances and can be thousands of miles long. They can be discontinuous and often meander across the atmosphere but they all flow east at a rapid speed. The meanders in the jet stream flow slower than the rest of the air and are called Rossby Waves. They move slower because they are caused by the Coriolis Effect and turn west in respect to the flow of air they are embedded in. As a result, it slows the eastward movement of the air when there is a significant amount of meandering in the flow. Specifically, the jet stream is caused by the meeting of air masses just under the tropopause where winds are the strongest. When two air masses of different densities meet here, the pressure created by the different densities causes winds to increase. As these winds attempt to flow from the warm area in the nearby stratosphere down into the cooler troposphere they are deflected by the Coriolis Effect and flow along the boundaries of the original two air masses. The results are the polar and subtropical jet streams that form around the world. Importance of the Jet Stream In terms of commercial usage, the jet stream is important for the airline industry. Its use began in 1952 with a Pan Am flight from Tokyo, Japan to Honolulu, Hawaii. By flying well within the jet stream at 25,000 feet (7,600 meters), the flight time was reduced from 18 hours to 11.5 hours. The reduced flight time and aid of the strong winds also allowed for a reduction in fuel consumption. Since this flight, the airline industry has consistently used the jet stream for its flights. One of the most important impacts of the jet stream though is the weather it brings. Because it is a strong current of rapidly moving air, it has the ability to push weather patterns around the world. As a result, most weather systems do not just sit over an area, but they are instead moved forward with the jet stream. The position and strength of the jet stream then helps meteorologists forecast future weather events. In addition, various climatic factors can cause the jet stream to shift and dramatically change an areas weather patterns. For instance, during the last glaciation in North America, the polar jet stream was deflected south because the Laurentide Ice Sheet, which was 10,000 feet (3,048 meters) thick created its own weather and deflected it south. As a result, the normally dry Great Basin area of the United States experienced a significant increase in precipitation and large pluvial lakes formed over the area. The world’s jet streams are also impacted by El Nino and La Nina. During El Nino for example, precipitation usually increases in California because the polar jet stream moves farther south and brings more storms with it. Conversely, during La Nina events, California dries out and precipitation moves into the Pacific Northwest because the polar jet stream moves more north. In addition, precipitation often increases in Europe because the jet stream is stronger in the Northern Atlantic and is capable of pushing it farther east. Today, movement of the jet stream north has been detected indicating possible changes in climate. Whatever the position of the jet stream, though, it has a significant impact on the worlds weather patterns and severe weather events like floods and droughts. It is, therefore essential that meteorologists and other scientists understand as much as possible about the jet stream and continue to track its movement, to in turn monitor such weather around the world.

Business Study Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Business Study - Assignment Example Swiss Classic draws inspiration from the ancient Swiss culinary which is known as the maker of the best chocolate in the world. The product will come in different shapes and sizes according to the preference of the customer. The Chocolate House will also offer customized packaging which allows the buyers to choose from brown and gold packages. Swiss Classic's price will range from 10 for three small chocolates to 30 for three large ones. Aside from being sold in company-owned retail outlets, Swiss Classic can also be delivered for an additional charge and can be bundled with wine, bouquets and cards when used as gifts. This promotional objective allows the firm to provide value to its customers thereby ensuring the steady inflow of sales. Because the chocolate is popular and widely consumed by the UK market, The Chocolate House's main task is to capture the appropriate niche for its products. Demand creation enables the company and the product Swiss Classic to succeed and even merely survive in the industry. Inadequate demand in the long run will force the company to withdraw and close down. Thus, this objective is pivotal in the survival of the business organization. Creating Image This promotional objective allows the firm to differentiate itself among the numerous competitors in the industry. By occupying a definite position in the customers' minds, The Chocolate House be assured of strong brand equity and recall from its market. The firm will do this by emphasizing on product quality, ensuring freshness through the use of cocoa butter instead of vegetable fat, pricing higher than its competitors, delivering excellent customer service, and designing its outlets as a place for indulgence. Since The Chocolate House is competing through a differentiation strategy, image creation is important in order to stress its uniqueness. The company should always stress what separates it from competitors that customers should patronize its products. If this is not pursued, it might end up being one of the others or worse, it might not be able to win any customer at all. Increasing Sales This promotional objective allows the firm to ensure growth within its market. The Chocolate House will use intensive marketing effort like advertisement and promotions in order to penetrate the UK market and capture higher shares. Through the years, it is the general goal of a firm to grow its market share and consequently its sales. Growth in sales signals the company's efficiency and success in its promotional efforts and overall strategic management. Increasing Profits This promotional objective allows the firm to achieve its goal of maximizing shareholder value. Increasing profits will be ensured through the efficient allocation of promotional budget. The company will also regularly review its pricing strategy in order to ensure maximum profitability. Increasing profits even though not a

Argentine Americans Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Argentine Americans - Essay Example According to the census statistics conducted in the year 1991, the population of Argentina was approximately 32 million which equals to 12 percent of the total population of South America. This figure makes Argentina the third most populated country of the Continent, the first two being Columbia and Brazil. Out of the total population of Argentina, 90 percent populations are Roman Catholics. The remaining percentage comprises of Protestants Jews and they live in Buenos Aires. Argentina is both an ethnic and diverse country. Most of the population who stay in that country comprise of immigrants from Italy and Spain (Rodriguez). "In the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries, other ethnic groups, including Germans, Poles, Welsh, Irish, Lebanese, Hungarians, Czechs, Danish, French, Jews, Japanese, Koreans, and Swiss also chose Argentina for settlement (Rodriguez)." The country Argentina is divided into four geographical sections. The Andes Mountain is considered as the northwestern border of the country. To the east of the Andes Mountains, lies a high plateau region which is an area that is large and grassy. "This grassy area is drained by the Ro Paraguay and Ro Paran, which themselves drain into the bay like Ro de la Plata (River of Silver), the widest river on earth (Rodriguez)." During the sixteenth century, approximately 3 lakh Ameri... There are almost ten distinct groups who have got different lifestyles. For example, the fertile river valleys were farmed by a tribal group called Guaran. Another tribal group named Onas who lived in the southern part of the country used to hunt animals like ostriches and seals. To the north of the country lived the Araucanians and they were away from the wild animals that were in the area. "Other tribes populating the area included the Incas in the northwest, the Charras in the east, and the Quechuas, Tehuelches, and Huarpes in the central and western regions. The Pampas inhabited the plains of the same name (Rodriguez)." Immigration Waves: If the history of Argentina is observed carefully, it can be noticed that the country can be characterized as a country familiar for its immigration. But many environmental forces like economic factors, political imbalances and social unsteadiness have altered Argentina into not only a country of immigration but also as a country of travel and emigration (Jachimowicz). Before the period of 1970s, the government of United States classified the immigrants in Argentina into a category named "Other Hispanics". However, the immigrants were considered as a relatively new group. Ever since the late 1990s a number of factors such as dismal employment prospects, strong demand for foreign labor and finally favorable policies for getting visas have led a number of Argentineans to migrate to the United States of America. "An estimated 185,000 Argentines emigrated between 1960 and 1970, and the number climbed to an estimated 200,000 in the decade that followed. Primary destination for these immi grants was the United States (Jachimowicz)." Over 60 percent of these Argentine immigrants are believed to have

A Biographical Approach to the Poem The Whipping by Robert Hayden Essay Example for Free

A Biographical Approach to the Poem The Whipping by Robert Hayden Essay Robert Hayden is one of the best-known American poets of his time. However, he is also one of the most underrated poets of all time, arguably not as much accolades as other poets of the same era. His poems exude admirable sincerity and tremendous grasp of poetic devices. His beautiful poem â€Å"The Whipping† is regarded as one of his finest work. A biographical approach to the poem would reveal to us that Hayden transforms his bitter memories to a sumptuous work of art. The poem is basically about a woman whipping a boy, for some reason that is not explicitly stated in the poem. The second line â€Å"is whipping the boy again† tells us that violent act is being carried on regularly. The reader immediately would assume that the woman is the mother of the boy, regardless if the woman is the boy’s biological or foster parent. The picture that Hayden had painted is vividly painful. The lines â€Å"she strikes and strikes the shrilly circling / boy till the stick breaks† suggests the level of anger of the woman and the fear and pain of the boy. The woman stopped whipping the boy only when the stick was already broken. Halfway through the poem, the author shifts from third to first person â€Å"words could bring the face that I / no longer knew or loved†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Those first person lines suggest to the readers that the speaking persona could have undergone the same kind of treatment. The line â€Å"well, it is over now, it is over† is a potent hint that the narrator is recalling his past. He is able to forgive the one that whipped him. However, he is unable to shake off the memories of being whipped as a boy. A peek to Hayden’s biography is likely to lead us to clues that had led him to conceive this poem. Hayden was born and grew up in a Detroit ghetto which the people there called Paradise Valley. During that time, violence, in the form of corporal punishment, was not uncommon. Hayden also had an irregular family life as a child. His biological parents were separated even before his birth. A couple who also exhibited a volatile relationship took him in. As a child, Hayden had witnessed domestic violence from both his biological and foster parents (Greasely 251-252). Hayden had shown us admirable honesty through his poem â€Å"The Whipping. Corporal punishment is not much talked about by adults, probably because they are now currently the ones guilty of whipping their children. Hayden had shared his memories to us to convey a message that would be vital for any community. He is suggesting to us that corporal punishment is more likely to generate childhood trauma than discipline. Moreover, he is also arguing that violence to a child is injustice. Parents blaming their child for their â€Å"lifelong hidings† are the primary reason why this vicious cycle of violence is still ongoing.

What Really Counts :: essays research papers

Some stories start out slowly. Some start quickly. Some, unfortunately never start at all. It was the latter that was slowly becoming the bane – or, as he saw it, the description -- of Morgan Dubois’ existence. Granted, his story was slow in forming not because of lack of effort or desire on his own part, but fizzled time and time again due to an enormous lack of cooperation from the outside world. The outside world, of course, being girls. Standing a modest six feet, two inches in height and tipping the scales at one hundred and eighty-five pounds, Morgan Debois wasn’t that demanding of attention, and his brown hair and hazel eyes – maddeningly typical, in his eyes -- did nothing to change that, much to his chagrin. Though not unattractive, Morgan never fancied himself good-looking, and though he wasn’t a heartthrob, girls never seemed to notice him, either. Unlike many other teenage boys, though, he found little solace on the athletic fields or courts of the high school scene. He wasn’t gifted in any real sense of the word, he thought. Made and played on the basketball team but never started, and with a few minor exceptions and headlines from a sectional championship relief pitching performance his junior year, the same went for football and baseball. Even Morgan himself didn’t take much from his athletic prowess, if one could call it that; when you’re a kid of above-average h eight in a school population numbering barely 170 – if all the Jarrett kids were there, the running joke was – you damn sure better play something, or you’re a queer. You were weak. Though he’d willingly concede the fact that he was nondescript and perhaps all but invisible to the girls he fancied, Morgan Dubois was no queer. He wasn’t weak. And though the thought never crossed his mind, for fear of the attention he sometimes so desperately craved, Morgan Dubois damn sure wouldn’t tolerate you thinking he was. And that declaration, though unmade as of yet, is where Morgan’s story, and ours, truly begins. I’ve got to tell you, I saw it coming. *** Solly Jarrett, on the other hand, was. He was weak. And he’d be the first one to admit it. The youngest – by six minutes; his twin sister Holly nearly edged him out for the honors – of eight children, Solly was raised in a household that had seen enough achievements, both scholastic and athletic, that he wasn’t going to get much more than a ‘good luck’ from Mom or Dad whenever he got dropped off at school or the baseball field.

The Effect of Smoking

In today’s civilization, tobacco smoking has always been discouraged by communities and organizations due to its lethal effects on human health, but its impact on the environment has not been taken into account. Even though people are aware of all the side-effects, that are associated with smoking, they still tend to try it anyways. Not only is tobacco bad for the user, but it can be a danger to the planet itself. This results because of deforestation, a polluted ecosystem, and unfertile soil. Tobacco smoking is an addictive habit that is becoming increasingly common. As the number of people smoking tobacco grows, farmers figure out ways to make more of it. Unfortunately, they result to clearing land reserved for forests. Before the tobacco plant can be used to make cigarettes, it has to be dried or cured. The main approach farmers take to cure the crop is usually coal, natural gas or oil. Since tobacco farmers come from poor countries, they must use the most economically suitable option, firewood. In order to provide this wood, large amounts of trees are dislodged. Trees have much importance and use in our ecosystem that most people don’t understand. As stated by the Tree and Shrub Company, they play their role in the environment by providing oxygen, improving air quality, climate amelioration, conserving water, preserving soil, and supporting wildlife (â€Å"Importance and Value of Trees†). Even though deforestation helps in producing tobacco, its negative impacts overweigh the positive and as a result, it will lead to a damaged environment. Tobacco smoke’s indirect effect on the environment does not end there. Another major issue that smoking tobacco brings is that it pollutes the water. This can be brought back to the farms in which the tobacco seeds are planted. These plants are vulnerable to thousands of insects that may bring sickness to the plant, causing death. Consequently, plants are sprayed regularly and heavily with pesticide to prevent pests and disease. This in turn brings rise to other problems such as a danger to the health of the farmer and these chemicals have a risk of leaking into the community water. This will cause the water to become contaminated, and affect not only the community but most species in that environment. As pesticides move from our lawn to nearby rivers and streams, they bring harmful chemicals along the way. This not only pollutes the water, but it also risks the lives of the animals in that environment. Not only will these pesticides risk animal lives, but it will also decrease water quality by huge amounts making the community at risk from getting sick from the water. Another major issue people don’t consider while smoking tobacco is it’s impact on the soil. Ground pollution is one of the main concerns for the environment. Tobacco plants demand high concentrations of fertilizer for optimal growth. Since these plants are grown in poor countries, farmers cannot afford fertilizers. Consequently, the plants absorb nutrients from the soil until infertility occurs. This may seem simple, but the effect on the environment is huge. Due to lack of nutrients in the soil, plants that depended on it will usually be denied the nutrients they so badly need. As a result, most plants will become either very weak or they will die. This not only decreases wildlife species, but it endangers other animals as well. This is because animals that depend on those plants will most likely lose their source of food, leading to the extinction of those species.

Cari Story Essay

How can an infection in Cari nasal passages and pharyns spread into her sinuses? The infection in Cari’s nasal passages and pharynx was able to spread into her sinuses due to the sinuses being a drainage area for the nasal passages. What is the cough reflex? Describe the process that Cari’s respiratory system is using to clear her lungs by coughing. The cough reflex is used to clear sputum and irritants that are in the nasal passages and pharynx. There are cilia in her trachea that is moving mucus up from the lungs. When the mucus becomes or abundant it triggers the cough reflex. Which structures found in the terminal bronchioles and alveoli normally would protect Cari’s lungs from infectious pathogens and particulate matter? Macrophages found in the terminal bronchioles and alveoli that normally would protect Cari’s lungs from infectious pathogens and particulate matter. How would the resistance of Cari’s airways be affected by excess mucus and flu id in her lung? Excess mucus and fluid in the lungs would raise the resistance of Cari’s airways because of the small diameter the buildup would cause. The fluid would have some of alveoli under water where they could not function properly and there would also be more friction from the buildup. How would Cari’s lung compliance (the effort required to expand the lungs) be altered as her alveoli fill with fluid due to pneumonia? Lung compliance would increase from trying to force gases into and out of the alveoli. Those are filled with fluid due to the pneumonia. How would fluid in Cari’s lung affect her total lung capacity? Fluid in Cari’s lungs would lower her total lung capacity by not allowing the space that is taken up by the fluid to be filled with air. How does the elevation of Cari’s respiratory rate alter her minute ventilation? Elevation in her respiratory rate would alter her minute ventilation by raising it. Minute ventilation is determined by times ing respiratory rate by total volume. Normal blood oxygen saturation levels are greater than 94 percent; Caris blood oxygen saturation level was 90 percent at the time of her exam and an initial arterial blood gas analysis done when she was admitted to the hospital revealed her arterial Po2 was 54mmhg. How do these clinical finding relate to the internal respiration in cari body?

What Antimatter Is and Where to Find It

What Antimatter Is and Where to Find It You may have heard about antimatter in the context of science fiction or particles accelerators, but antimatter is a part of the everyday world. Here is a look at what antimatter is and where you might find it. Every elementary particle has a corresponding anti-particle, which is antimatter. Protons have anti-protons. Neutrons have anti-neutrons. Electrons have anti-electrons, which are common enough to have their own name: positrons. Particles of antimatter have a charge opposite that of their usual components. For example, positrons have a 1 charge, while electrons have a -1 electric charge. Antimatter Atoms and Antimatter Elements Antimatter particles may be used to build antimatter atoms and antimatter elements. An atom of anti-helium would be comprised of a nucleus containing two anti-neutrons and two anti-protons (charge -2), surrounded by 2 positrons (charge 2). Anti-protons, anti-neutrons, and positrons have been produced in the lab, but antimatter exists in nature, too. Positrons are generated by lightning, among other phenomena. Lab-created positrons are used in Positron Emission Tomography (PET) medical scans. When antimatter and matter react the event is known as annihilation. A great deal of energy is released by the reaction, but no earth-ending dire consequence results, like you would see in science fiction. What Does Antimatter Look Like? When you see antimatter depicted in science fiction movies, its usually some weird glowing gas in a special containment unit. Real antimatter looks just like regular matter. Anti-water, for example, would still be H2O and would have the same properties of water when reacting with other antimatter. The difference is that antimatter reacts with regular matter, so you do not encounter large amounts of antimatter in the natural world. If you somehow had a bucket of anti-water and threw it into the regular ocean, it would produce an explosion much like that of a nuclear device. Real antimatter exists on a small scale in the world around us, reacts, and is gone.

Why You Should Avoid These Racial Terms

Why You Should Avoid These Racial Terms Ever wonder which term is the appropriate one to use when describing a member of an ethnic minority group? How do you know if you should refer to someone as â€Å"black,† â€Å"African American,† â€Å"Afro American† or something else entirely? Better yet, how should you proceed when members of the same ethnic group have different preferences for what they’d like to be called? Say you have three Mexican  American friends. One wants to be called â€Å"Latino,† the other wants to be called â€Å"Hispanic,† and another wants to be called â€Å"Chicano.† While some racial terms remain up for debate, others are considered outdated, derogatory or both. Find out which racial names to avoid when describing people from a variety of ethnic backgrounds. Why â€Å"Oriental† Is a No-No What’s the problem with using the term â€Å"Oriental† to describe individuals of Asian descent? Common complaints about the term include that it should be reserved for objects, such as rugs, and not people and that it’s antiquated- akin to using â€Å"Negro† to describe an African American. Howard University Law Professor Frank H. Wu made the comparison in a 2009 New York Times piece about the state of New York banning the use of â€Å"Oriental† on government forms and documents. Washington State passed a similar ban in 2002. â€Å"It’s associated with a time period when Asians had a subordinate status,† Professor Wu told the Times. He added that people link the term to old stereotypes of Asians and the era when the United States government passed exclusion acts to keep Asian people from entering the country. Given this, â€Å"For many Asian Americans, it’s not just this term: It’s about much more†¦It’s about your legitimacy to be here,† Wu said. In the same piece, historian Mae M. Ngai, author of Impossible Subjects: Illegal Aliens and the Making of Modern America, explained that, while the term â€Å"Oriental† isn’t a slur, it’s never been widely used by people of Asian descent to describe themselves. â€Å"I think it’s fallen into disfavor because it’s what other people call us. It’s only the East if you’re from somewhere else,† Ngai said, referring to â€Å"Oriental’s† meaning- â€Å"Eastern.† â€Å"It’s a Eurocentric name for us, which is why it’s wrong. You should call people by what (they) call themselves, not how they are situated in relation to yourself.† Due to the history of the term and the era it evokes, it’s best to follow the leads of New York State and Washington State and delete the word â€Å"Oriental† from your lexicon when describing people. When in doubt, use the term Asian or Asian American. However, if you are privy to someone’s specific ethnic background, refer to them as Korean, Japanese American, Chinese Canadian and so forth. â€Å"Indian† Is Confusing and Problematic While the term â€Å"Oriental† is almost universally frowned upon by Asians, the same isn’t true of the term â€Å"Indian† when used to describe Native Americans. Award-winning writer Sherman Alexie, who is of Spokane and Coeur d’Alene ancestry, has no objection to the term. â€Å"Just think of Native American as the formal version and Indian as the casual one,† he told a Sadie Magazine interviewer who asked the best term to use when referring to America’s indigenous peoples. Not only does Alexie approve of the term â€Å"Indian,† he also remarked that â€Å"the only person who’s going to judge you for saying ‘Indian’ is a non-Indian.† While many Native Americans do refer to each other as â€Å"Indians,† some object to the term because it is associated with explorer Christopher Columbus, who mistook the Caribbean islands for those of the Indian Ocean, which were known as the Indies. As a result of the error, people indigenous to the Americas overall were dubbed â€Å"Indians.† Also problematic is that many hold Columbus’ arrival into the New World responsible for initiating the subjugation and decimation of Native Americans, so they don’t want to be known by a term that he’s credited with popularizing. It’s worth noting, though, that the term â€Å"Indian† is far less controversial than the term â€Å"Oriental.† Not only haven’t states banned the term, there’s also a government agency known as the Bureau of Indian Affairs, not to mention the National Museum of the American Indian. On that note, the term â€Å"American Indian† is more acceptable than simply â€Å"Indian† because, in part, it is less confusing. When someone refers to â€Å"American Indians,† everyone knows the people in question don’t hail from Asia but from the Americas. If you’re concerned about the kind of reception you’ll receive by using the term â€Å"Indian,† consider saying â€Å"indigenous peoples,† â€Å"native peoples† or â€Å"First Nations† peoples instead. But the wisest thing to do is to refer to people by their specific ancestry. So, if you know a particular person is Choctaw, Navajo, Lumbee, etc., call him that rather than using umbrella terms such as â€Å"American Indian† or â€Å"Native American.† Spanish Is Not the Catch-All Term for Spanish-Speaking Peoples Ever heard a person referred to as â€Å"Spanish† who isn’t from Spain but simply speaks Spanish and has Latin American roots? In some parts of the country, particularly cities in the Midwest and on the  East Coast, it’s commonplace to refer to any such person as â€Å"Spanish.† Sure, the term doesn’t carry the baggage that terms such as â€Å"Oriental† or â€Å"Indian† do, but it’s factually inaccurate. Also,  like the other terms  covered, it lumps diverse groups of people together under an umbrella category. In actuality, the term â€Å"Spanish† is quite specific. It refers to people from Spain. But over the years, the term has been used interchangeably with the various peoples from  Latin America  that the Spanish colonized. Due to intermixing, many of the colonized peoples from Latin America do have Spanish ancestry, but that’s only a part of their racial makeup. Many also have indigenous ancestors and, due to the slave trade, African ancestry as well. To call people from Panama, Ecuador, El Salvador, Cuba and so on as â€Å"Spanish† is to erase large swathes of their racial backgrounds. The term essentially designates people who are multicultural as one thing- European. It makes about as much sense to refer to all Spanish-speakers as â€Å"Spanish† as it does  to refer to all English speakers as â€Å"English.† Colored Is Outdated but Continues to Pop up Today Think only octogenarians use terms such as â€Å"colored† to describe  African Americans? Think again. When  Barack Obama  was elected president in November 2008, actress  Lindsay Lohan  expressed her happiness about the event by  remarking  to â€Å"Access Hollywood,† â€Å"It’s an amazing feeling. It’s our first, you know, colored president.† And Lohan’s not the only young person in the public eye to use the term. Julie Stoffer, one of the houseguests featured on MTV’s â€Å"The Real World: New Orleans,† also raised eyebrows when she  referred  to African Americans as â€Å"colored.† More recently,  Jesse James  alleged mistress Michelle Bombshell McGee sought to defuse rumors that shes a white supremacist by  remarking, I make a horrible racist Nazi. I have too many colored friends. What’s to explain for these gaffes? For one thing, â€Å"colored† is a term that never completely exited American society. One of the most prominent advocacy groups for African Americans uses the term in its name- the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. There’s also the popularity of the more modern (and appropriate) term â€Å"people of color.† Some people may think it’s okay to simply shorten that phrase to â€Å"colored,† but they’re mistaken. Like â€Å"Oriental,† â€Å"colored† harkens back to an era of exclusion, a time when  Jim Crow  was in full force, and blacks used water fountains marked â€Å"colored† and sat in the â€Å"colored† sections of buses, beaches, and restaurants. In short, the term stirs up painful memories. Today, the terms â€Å"African American† and â€Å"black† are the most acceptable to use when describing individuals of African descent. Still, some of these individuals may prefer â€Å"black† over â€Å"African American† and vice versa. â€Å"African American† is considered more formal than â€Å"black,† so if you’re in a professional setting, err on the side of caution and use the former. Of course, you can also ask the individuals in question which term they prefer. You may also encounter immigrants of African descent who wish to be recognized by their homelands. As a result, they prefer to be called Haitian-American, Jamaican-American, Belizean, Trinidadian, Ugandan or Ghanaian-American, rather than simply â€Å"black.† In fact, for the 2010 Census, there was a  movement  to have  black immigrants  write in their countries of origin rather than be known collectively as â€Å"African American.† Mulatto Is a Don’t Mulatto arguably has the ugliest roots of the antiquated terms on this list. Historically used to describe the child of a black person and a white person, the term reportedly originates from the Spanish word â€Å"mulato,† which, in turn, originates from the word â€Å"mula,† or mule- the offspring of a horse and a donkey. Clearly, this term is offensive, as it compares the union of human beings to that of animals. Although the word is outdated and offensive, people still use it from time to time. Some biracial people use the term to describe themselves and others, such as author Thomas Chatterton Williams, who used it to  describe  President Obama  and rap star Drake, both of whom, like Williams, have white mothers and  black fathers. While some biracial people don’t object to the term, others balk at its use. Due to the word’s troublesome origins, refrain from using this term in any situation, with one exception:  When discussing opposition to interracial unions in early America, academics and cultural critics often refer to the  Ã¢â‚¬Å"tragic mulatto myth.†Ã‚   This myth characterizes mixed-race people as destined to live unfulfilling lives in which they fit into neither black nor white society. When speaking about this myth, those who still buy into it or the period when the myth arose, people may use the term â€Å"tragic mulatto.† But the term â€Å"mulatto† should never be used in casual conversation to describe a  biracial person. Terms such as biracial, multiracial, multiethnic or mixed are usually deemed non-offensive, with â€Å"mixed† being the most colloquial word on the list. Sometimes people use the terms â€Å"half-black† or â€Å"half-white† to describe mixed-race individuals. But some biracial people take issue with this because they believe these terms suggest that their heritage can be literally split down the middle like a pie chart when they view their ancestry as completely fused. So, as always, ask people what they wish to be called or listen to what they call themselves.

Water Scarcity and Conflict - Prospects for Human Security Essay

Water Scarcity and Conflict - Prospects for Human Security - Essay Example Increasing demand for this important resource is distressing many countries in the globe and a number of avenues are being instituted to avail fresh water to everyone. Water is productive resource to human being considering its diverse use in the society particular in economic and social sector. Water is used to serve different domestic purposes and so is in economic sector where it is used in manufacturing processes, hydropower generation, and agriculture (Smithies, 2011). This clearly manifest that fresh water is a basic human necessity because without it several industrial processes will stall and all life will eventually become extinct. This means that when people feel that their livelihood and survival is threatened by water scarcity it is likely that they will turn hostile owing to fear, desperation and competition to protect the scarce resource. Earth is undoubtedly a water planet but unfortunately, approximately 1% of earth water is available for human use in an easily access ible way in its freshest form from either the lakes or rivers (Arsenault, 2012). Large part of the earth water approximately 97% is in the oceans and seas while the remaining percentage is held in deep underground water table and icecaps. However, unlike other natural resources water is substantially renewed through a natural cycle whereby rain falls from clouds onto the land and into the rivers and finally to the ocean where they evaporate once again and form clouds. At least 44,000 cubic kilometers of water gets on to land annually as the earth’s hydrological system pumps and transfers the water. Geologists estimate that the word boasts of at least 1,700 cubic meters per person, which is the minimum threshold that is required for household, agricultural and industrial use (UNDP, 2006). However, the biggest challenge is the wide disparity in the distribution of this vital resource considering certain countries are endowed with vast water resources while other have less or no ne at all. This difference in availability varies with regions. For instance, countries in Latin America boast of at least 12 times more water per individual compared to those in South Asia. Individuals can understand water scarcity from the dimension of supply and demand equation whereby demand surpasses supply. However, the biggest challenge lies in understanding what is leading to increasing water scarcity and its ultimate consequences. Hydrologists consider 1,000 cubic meters of water per person to be a state of water scarcity and below 500 cubic meters to be absolute scarcity. In most countries around the globe with the exception of perennial arid areas, water has been seen as an unlimited natural resource owing to the seasonal renewal through rainfalls (UNDP, 2006). Because of this reason, human population has continually exploited available water resources with little regard for future costs of overexploitation. People continue to misuse water to the extent that countries wit h adequate water supply owing to consistent rainfall are experiencing high level of scarcity. Most of these countries especially in African continue to battle with drought and crop failure and perennial hunger. It is unfortunate that public view about water security is only focused on scarcity. In other words, people are only concerned about the world running out of water while ignoring an important aspect of water insecurity, which involves mismanagement. Water security revolves around risk and vulnerability. This is evident in societies that have managed to harness the productive

The Great Plains region in the early nineteenth century has been Assignment

The Great Plains region in the early nineteenth century has been described as a world in flux. To what extent do the sourc - Assignment Example The nineteenth century situation in the Great Plains is an ideal example of a world in flux. Through extensive use of primary sources, Calloway portrays the situation in this area as a crisis per se where the society was unable to determine the right steps to take to tackle arising issues. The author further portrays it as an area characterized by feuds involving the settlers, Indians and the explorers. The situation in the Great Plains was marked with fights for territorial expansion among the various native tribes, Western powers expansion in the region and compulsory assimilation. It also witnessed one of the greatest destruction of the fauna in the American history, namely bison slaughter. During this time, a number of natural calamities, including droughts and epidemics, left the area in a desolate state. The latter nearly wiped out the entire Indian livestock herds. Generally, the region was in a state of desperation during the arrival of American settlers who found a weakened Indian community that could barely resist external aggression. Before the great influx of people in the area, many animals thrived here. The Native Americans relied on the land only for their basic sustenance and large tracks remained underutilized. There was little pressure on the land and the natural resources were not in the danger of depletion. These physical characteristics of the area were, in fact, responsible for attracting many early settlers. It is the influx of the settler migration into the area that is primarily responsible for the cultural, political, social-economic and environmental changes that took place in the plains. The settlers arrived in different groups and established different forts that included Fort Lisa which was established in 1809 in North Dakota; Fort Lisa which was established in1812 in Nebraska; posts that were pioneered by the 1822 establishment of Fontenelle's Post and the Cabanne's Trading Post in 1822 in Nebraska. The establishment of forts was closely followed with attempts to develop the region with the settlers going to great lengths to ensure ease of transport in the area and setting up facilities that guaranteed their comfort. The construction of new railroads across the Great Plains was the first significant step toward a new livelihood in the area. The construction brought hunters who were responsible for the bison slaughter. The migrant rail workers, as well as the European farmers, who were quick to settle the land due to its appreciated value and ease of transport, were the first significant groups to settle in the plains. The farmers were further attracted by the homestead laws which enabled them obtain free farms. These laws brought in hundreds of thousands of farmers further marking this as an era of influx, hence, the term. The period also saw the establishment of open range lands where ranchers reared millions of cattle herded by the cowboys. The cattle were then exported. The area was, therefore, not limite d to human migration but also to cattle as well. This led to overstocking which coupled with adverse climate in some periods led to degradation of the environment and brought great losses to farmers. The first half of the century saw the numbers in the plains rise by 3000 percent. The period also witnessed a leap in the number of