Culture Essays

Culture Essays Culture Essay Culture Essay This Chapter attempts the review of various definitions of Culture. It also tries to bring out the common characteristics of culture In various deflations, which Include being dynamic and transmittable from generation to generation. Factors that can influence culture in a particular society and how people can come into contact with the culture of another society are also highlighted. Some aspects of the Nigerian ultra heritage were discussed while the problems of neglect of our culture, looking down on some aspects of our culture while paying more attention to other peoples cultural heritage are also discussed. Recommendations on how to preserve our cultural heritage are made to both Individuals and the Nigerian Government. DEFINITION OF CULTURE The word culture has various definitions. Different writers attach different meanings to it. Humanists, Sociologists and Anthropologists have different meanings to the concept of culture according to their orientations. Culture according to Eke (1989) Is construct (with diverse applications). Used In an attempt to analyze and interpret events and Ideas In a broad spectrum of areas of society. In Its broadest sense, culture embraces the total repertoire of human actions which are socially transmitted from generation to generation. One of the foremost anthropologists that ever lived, Tyler (1871) defined culture as a configuration of institutions and modes of life. He defined culture as that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as member of society. Musses. 1963), on his own defined culture In terms of reservoir of knowledge that Is characteristic ways of thinking and feeling, attitudes, aspirations and ideals. Foster (1962) defined culture as the common learned way of life shared by members of a society, consisting of the totality of facts, techniques, social institutions, attitudes, beliefs, motivations and systems of values known to a group. The Comparatives Education Study and Adaptation Centre (CEASE)(1979) simply defined culture as the way people live which consists of a system of Ideals, values, beliefs, knowledge and customs transmitted from generation to generation within a social group. According to CEASE (1 979, this way of life includes arrangements and methods of obtaining food from the environment and adapting to it. It also includes beliefs, religion and moral behavior. One of the common characteristics of the above definitions includes the fact that culture is learned, acquired, transmitted or diffused through contact or other media of communications General Studies), 2001 From one generation to another and from one society to the other. Man learns culture through the process of colonization, imitation, personal experience and through deliberate indoctrination or teaching. Bearable (1970) opined that the individual inculcates the requisite values which enable the society to survive and be perpetuated. Another notable common feature of culture includes the fact that though some cultural practices die hard, culture generally is dynamic and not static and so can lie modified or changed as circumstances dictate. The learning of culture is a lifelong process, it continues from cradle to the grave. As a person grows and assumes new roles, he continues to learn the ways of life which fits his status in the society. The content of what he learns vary from society to society and from one stage o another as the society develops. On the whole, there is an important relationship between the society and the individual which is mediated by culture thus enabling the society TO attain its goals. CLASSIFICATION OF CULTURE Culture has many aspects and can be categorized into two, namely, material and non-material cultures. (a) Material Culture: Consists of the products of mans industry or works of Art e. G. Carving, food, dress, pots, paintings, weapons, cloths, houses, etc They are objects, which are peculiar to a society, and man has learned to make them using the available resources in the society and his knowledge. These objects are used to satisfy certain needs in the society. (b) Nons are language, dance, religion, music, literature, morals and values such as freedom, JusticeÃ'› honesty, love, beauty etc. Every society has its own culture. In Nigeria for example, there are several groups of people. These are the Your. Bobbie, Nanas. Fulfill, the Hausa, the Gobo, the Kanji, the Tip and the Robot Just to mention a few Each of these has its own culture FACTORS INFLUENCING CULTURE There are many factors that can-influence culture in a society. Some of these factors include: Physical Environment: Physical environment influences culture. For example, the Your live on land and this influences them to have legends and beliefs centered on land, agriculture and earth gods. On the other hand, the Jaw people who live in revering area, centre their legends on water, fishes and water goddesses. Occupation: the nature of work of people influences their culture, especially their mode of dressing, eating and thinking. While the Fulfill pastoralist lace a high value on cattle Leading issues in General Studies: Humanities Social Sciences, (Book of Reading for General Studies), 2001 And pasture, the Gobo or Your has no such values for cattle and pasture bin on agriculture and trading, affects the ways he views problems and the environment and his manner of choosing wife, getting married, raising children and caring for the aged. People tend always to judge the cultures of others in terms of their own. Generally, people feel that their culture is superior or better than any other culture. They believe that another culture s good provided it does what their culture does. For example, they feel that their own language is the best language and people who speak the same language show a higher degree of trust and love for one another. The feeling of the superiority of ones culture as compared to others is known as ethnocentrism. Ethnocentrism is not good because it hinders friendship and understanding between people and different cultures. No culture is superior to another. Culture Relativism: There is no universal standard which man can use to evaluate culture as either good or bad. We can understand other peoples customs only when we relate these customs to their culture, this is known as culture relativism. When we relate peoples customs to their culture, we shall be able to know what their culture is all about. For instance, it is wrong to say that because the Muslims do not eat pork, they are more civilized than the Christians are. We should be objective in our assessment of others, and in other to be objective, we need to interpret other peoples customs and behaviors in the context of their own culture. Culture relativism helps to Judge and interpret others customs objectively. It removes biases and promotes mutual understanding and peaceful living together. Sub-culture. This is when a minority culture is practiced within a larger culture. In complex industrial societies, there are sizable numbers of people who share certain Values, customs and beliefs with that larger culture, even when they have their own customs called subculture which they share within their own ethnic group but not with the rest of the society. In Nigeria for example, the Gabon-agar areas of the Hardbound, Gabbling, etc. Contain minority people who retain their own picture within the larger culture. Similarly, the foreigners living in Nigeria retain their own subculture e. G. Language, food, dress, etc. Which they share within themselves, while they still share part of the larger culture in order to keep their existence in Nigeria Language: Language is the pivot of culture because it allows human beings to express themselves in a way which can be understood by others. No society exists without the language of its own. All human cultures are based on language and all human languages even including those of non-literate people are efficiently complex to transmit the full totality of a human culture. Language, whether verbal or nonverbal enables man to acquire the culture of his society. CULTURE CONTACT This is when a society or a person acquires the language, religion, politics, etc. Of another society or person through contact. People copy some items of culture from other society, particularly neighboring societies, for example, most Nigerian copied new forms of dress, writing, speaking, eating habits, etc. From the Europeans Leading issues in General Studies: Humanities Social Sciences, (Book of Reading for General Studies), 2001 People come in contact with the culture of others as a result of internal and external movements from their societies. People move to other societies to seek marriage so as to live with family members. People also move to undergo trainings, attend schools, colleges and other institutions of higher learning. In Nigeria, the Federal Government has also established the National Youth Service Corps, the Unity Schools to pro note the movement of people deliberately Effects of Culture-contact on Contemporary Nigerian Culture-contact has helped Nigerian to have respect for and tolerate different ultras of Nigeria. It contributes to the economic development of different places. It promotes peace and harmony and reduces conflicts. Culture contact results in marriage of people of different cultures and in that way it encourages the growth of families which cut across different cultures. It contributes to the development and integration of Nigeria. It helps people to work as one people to achieve common goals. It makes Nigerian to work together to maintain one identity. Culture-related words are learnt from one society to the other. It enables Nigerian to live and work anywhere in the country. It enables Nigerian to work as brothers and sisters and as friends. NIGERIAN CULTURAL HERITAGE According to Broom and Clinics in Awed et. Al (1983), culture in itself, is a mans entire social heritage I. E. All the knowledge, beliefs, customs and skills acquired as a member of society. Thus people become distinctively human by the acquisition of culture. Culture presumes the existence of a human society and provides, the necessary skills for making society work. Below is some of the Nigerian cultural heritage as enumerated by CEASE (1980). Art: By this we mean fine arts which present whatever is beautiful or whatever appeals to the taste which man creates. Examples are carving, painting, and architecture. Some works of art can be seen in Ill-life, Benign, Ibid and Oho. They are used in ceremonies e. G. The terracotta beads of Ill-life, the bronze head of Benign and Fife, the NOOK figure of the Niger, Venue and Iron and the brass works of Ibid. Art depicts the culture of a people and the theme always reflects the pre-occupation of that community. Language: This is the pivot of all communication whether verbal or written. Every language is able to express the dead needed for life in that community. There are many languages in Nigeria. Language enables man to express what he has in mind; it helps to preserve the tradition of the community. Oral Literature: This includes poetry, play or drama, folk- tales, music and songs. Music is an integral part of ones culture. Each ethnic group in Nigeria has its own traditional music being played at ceremonies whether religious or social connected with manage, funerals. Birth house warming, hunting, etc. Music brings life and meanings to our culture and traditions. Music is usually accompanied either by drums or other musical instruments such as flutes, gongs, bells, horns, rattles and trumpets. The Hausa music for example, makes use of Kananga. The Fulfill, Gobo and Tip make use of movement alone while the Your music makes use of talking drums. Leading issues in General Studies: Humanities Social Sciences, (Book of Reading for General Studies), 2001 Dance: is used to accompany music. In Nigeria today, there are many types of dances. Examples of such dances are the Geol. of Hausa, the Juju the physique of the body and strengthens the faith of the people in their duties specially in those communities that dance during festivals to please their gods. Poetry: This is a form of literature used to record feelings about an event or experience. It is used during important occasions like funeral ceremony of a hunter, a warrior or great leader. The poet sings their dirge recounting the activities of the heroes during their lifetime. Poetry serves as a corrective weapon to erring leaders. In Your land, there are many Ewe exponents, who usually Chant about the ills of the Nigerian society Technology: These are inventions of people which include the weapons and tools seed by man. Traditional weapons like bows, arrows, hoes, cutlasses, axes are used to kill animals, to farm and to fight their enemies. Clothing: This includes the various types of clothes we wear. The various ethnic groups wear their own types of clothes; for example, a typical Your man wears gasbag, gabbier. Etc. The Husband Fulfill wear dong and turban while the Gobo wears shifts. Singled, and hats. The clothes we wear tell much about our culture. It identifies us. Through it, we can identify a king, a soldier, a prisoner, etc. Clothing also helps to communicate the mood of a person e. . One who is bereaved may show it by wearing black cloths. Agriculture: In Nigeria, agriculture reveals the culture of a people; for example, the Your people grow food crops like yam, cassava, etc. And hence they are farmers. The people of the Importance animal husbandry because the grassland favors the growth of cereals and cattle. At the seaside, people fish and thus the culture of the people include fishing. The ways by which the Nigerian ethnic groups grow their food items are associated with religious festivals, which form part of their culture. Religions: Religious beliefs include airships and ceremonies. These activities bring people together and form part of their culture. Some of the religious worships and ceremonies reconnected with important events in the society such as the death of a king and the new yam festivals, Most ethnic groups in Nigeria believe in God who cannot be approached easily hence,they approach Him through different divinities. It is as a result of this that the Your people believe in the worship of Gun (god of iron) and Gangs (god of thunder). These ethnic group also believe that they come from the earth and they will also return to the earth. They in other words believe in reincarnation or life after death and that is the reason why they offer rituals to gods for their deeds. PROBLEMS, PROSPECTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Looking at the happenings in Nigeria today, one observes that our culture has not been given the necessary encouragement it deserves. While the government attitude towards culture in recent years has changed, much has not been achieved for the development of our country. General Studies), 2001 Most of the problems we have in Nigeria concerning our cultural heritage are that most individuals and government are looking down on our irritate. Agriculture has for a long time Benedictine while the economy of Nigeria is centered on oil. Instead of making use of things belonging to us as heritage, we world today did not reach their current heights in technology by looking down on their cultural heritage. They did not start their development plans by looking for everything they needed from outside. They did not look down on their heritage as things irrelevant to their developments Japan, the leading world electronics producer started her Journey to the top by imitation. Using the available resources from thin, before perfection stage was reached. In realizing the role of culture in our development, governments must effect some developmental programmers. There is the need to revive those good and useful aspects of our culture. The Governments at Federal. State and Local levels should continue to encourage Nigerian scientists and liberal art experts in their quest towards scientific and technological feats Some Nigerian have been providing their worth and expertise whiles outside the country than when they were residing in. The country. Higher institutions of learning should e adequately funded so as to contribute their quota to the realization of the dreams of the country by carrying out more researches in the field of Arts Sciences and Technology through organization and promotion of our traditional festivals and folklores to attract tourists. The exhibition of our products both within and outside the country should be encouraged and financed by the government. Our Western- trained scholars need to be re-orientated as well as the general public on the need to promote our culture. Qualified Nigerian should be deployed to implement our developmental programmers. We do not need to bring in foreign experts with their own cultural systems entitled knowledge of our culture to man of our industries. Agriculture should . Be given more attention and the rightful pride of place in the country. Application of traditional implements will go a long way to annihilate the sufferings people encounter in practicing modern agriculture, more so when the modern implements are hard to come by. Individuals should stop deriding our culture while allowing foreigners to take such values to their countries We need to have a historical record of our past cultural activities and from this historical respective; we will be able to know our failures and achievements, which in turn would be of benefit in starting a good course for our future developments.

Learn How To Make Money Freelance Writing Online

Learn How To Make Money Freelance Writing Online Learn How To Make Money Freelance Writing Online Learn How To Make Money Freelance Writing Online By Ali Hale The Internet completely changed the freelance writing landscape. For some people (those who were freelance writers before), these changes are scary. For others (those who are getting started), they are quite exciting. In my opinion there has never been a better time to be a freelance writer, and that is why we decided to launch the DWT Freelance Writing Course earlier this year. Today we are opening the doors to new students again (if you want to join us click on the link above). The course is a six-week program designed to teach you everything you need to know about making money freelance writing online. You’ll get written lessons every week (that you access on a special members’ site). They’ll cover: Week #1 Maximizing Your Productivity to Multiply Your Profits: During the first week youll learn techniques you can use to increase your productivity as a writer – if you can write fast without sacrificing quality, you’ll massively increase your earnings. Week #2 Website Setup, Promotion and Guest Blogging: Setting up your own freelancing website and building up your online writing credentials – essential if you want to be taken seriously and land online gigs. Week #3 Writing Content For The Web: Writing for the web is a totally different beast, and in this module youll learn techniques that can set you apart from other freelance writers. Week #4 Finding Clients and Developing High Paying Jobs: Finding great clients and high-paying jobs is probably the biggest challenge any freelance writer will face. The information provided in this module will help you overcome this challenge. Week #5 Running A Freelance Writing Business: Running your business effectively – because if you can’t communicate well with clients or if you miss deadlines, you’ll soon find yourself out of work. Week #6 Using Social Media To Promote Yourself: Social media is already considered an important part of modern marketing. In this module youll learn how to use it to promote yourself and land more clients. Three years ago my life changed forever when I left my day job to become a full-time freelance writer. Now, I get to do what I love all day long. This course teaches you exactly how I did it – so that you can do the same. And you won’t be alone. You’ll be taking the course as part of a whole group of writers (hundreds of them!). You’ll have a forum where you can get to know them – and where you can get advice and support directly from me, whenever you need it. So that everyone can go through the course together, though, we are keeping the doors open for 72 hours only, until midnight (GMT) this Friday, September 30. If this is what you’ve been waiting for click here to read all the details and join us. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Freelance Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Writing Prompts 101Expanded and ExtendedQuiet or Quite?

Women are not treated fairly in prison Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Women are not treated fairly in prison - Essay Example Through the work of Davis, she says that almost all the woman that were in prison during her time were either black or Porte Ricans (Davis 19). The very reason for her imprisonment was her political views even though the authorities claimed that she had committed he offence of conspiracy and murder. The high number of racial imbalance within the prisons may demonstrate unfairness in other processes that come before imprisonment as was in the case of Davis. Davis makes a resounding call to the reader by stating several times that there was bias within the prison and that the population dynamics in the prison did not reflect any reality with regard to the criminality of the people in. Further she states that the bias in the system was such that it did not favor people who were poor and that explain why black people and other minorities were found in jails. Davis further points that not all women were treated the same once they found themselves in the prison walls.   It is pointed tha t while women were not restrained while Chicana and black women were put in handcuffs (Davis 298). A clear picture of what happens to the woman can be summarized through the story of Shakur. From the onset, she was imprisonment on an allegation that she had killed state trooper, something that was false. Based on the wrong allegation, she was subjected to inhumane treatment such as being stripped naked so that searchers were carried out. This kinds of treatments were not done to all other girls especially Chicano and black.

Website Design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Website Design - Essay Example Contracting web designing companies would probably become less involving but the costs could reach up to $40000. Hiring individuals remains a more affordable method to the company than utilizing contract companies. The website shall be created in the form of a business website as the company seeks to utilize the website for marketing products. A business website type could enable the company to undertake Internet marketing and receiving feedback from clients. The company could also utilize this website in giving information to visitors concerning the company. This would include the professional functions of the company and the company contacts which prospective clients could utilize when contacting company representatives. Conformity to the existing web designing standards remains essential in ensuring the website remains usable and easily accessible. DOCTYPE declaration shall be made to enable validation of the website via W3C which shall identify errors of conformity to existing standards. Website and networking requirements There are various elements of consideration that shall be included when deciding the website to be utilized. The costs for web-designing could be estimated at $7000. These shall include wages of the web-designers and the other individuals assisting within the preparation of the website. ... expenses like SEO, account set-up fee, and other miscellaneous expenses, the total cost of developing the website could be $21000, which remains an estimated figure with little variations expected (Schiffer, 2011). The networking shall include utilization of network adapters each costing $28 and wired network cameras costing $120 per unit. In enhancing network connectivity local area network adapter shall be installed in all computers within office premises with each adapter costing $25. Physical connection shall require the purchasing of about 5000 ft of Belden Media Twist bulk cable at $200 per 1000 ft. The cost of these cables would, therefore, be estimated at $1000. Search engine optimizers for the company website shall become part of the Internet marketing campaign undertaken by the company (Graham, 2003). The costs for these optimization services could be estimated at $700 monthly, with the costs expected to increase later. The company shall utilize animation applications on th e website aimed at attracting individuals visiting other websites. This technique should assist in providing notifications to individuals concerning the company presence online. Computers and other equipment The company shall utilize desktop computers in each company office estimated to cost about $750 per single computer. Several individuals shall be given laptops with an estimated value of $800 per unit. The salesmen shall be offered laptops to enable the access to company website and upload sales information from various locations. The company shall be using JavaScript application for accessing the website. This application shall enable the website to be viewed by many individuals, as this application remains compatible with various models of computers. This application requires little

Informative Speech Essay Example for Free

Informative Speech Essay Attention Getter: Mothers day is coming up, and there is a few options for you to use as gifts. 1. You can spend fifty dollar on flowers just to watch them die in a week. 2. You can buy her chocolates even though most of us are constantly trying to cut back. 4. You can do nothing and look like a jerk. 5. Or can simply spend a dollar at a thrift store, and create a desk ornament using only an old book. Topic Sentence: Recently I’ve made a few of these and have gotten a really great response from family and friends. I suppose I’d call it book-origami, but I’m not sure if there’s a proper title for this sort of thing. My purpose tonight is to teach you how to make one of these. Credibility / goodwill: After I made my first book, I got several compliments on it. Afterward, I came to the conclusion it might make a great mantelpiece, or even a desk ornament. Itsinthestars.com/us shows a survey taken in 2012 that states â€Å"The average person ends up purchasing 16 gifts or more a year.† Gift buying can add up quickly so I have found that it is nice to have a backup plan in case you’re broke at the time. Surely some of us in this very room have come to this dilemma so I am hoping to provide an idea for such an occasion. Thesis: Tonight I will teach you how to make one of these decorations by first teaching you what type of books are best to use, secondly I will tell you how to prepare the process of getting started, and lastly I will be teaching you a few of the folding techniques. Body: (Chronological = steps in a process) I. The First step in making one of these book decorations is to find the right kind of book to work with A. Through trial and error, I have found that it is best to use a hardcover book. 1. The way I have been making these has been without the use of any glues or starches, and the hardcover frame seems to help the book hold its shape naturally. B. When choosing your book you will also need to consider the number of pages that it has. 2. This was actually my first book, and it has about two hundred fifty pages in it. My second book actually has over 550 pages in it. The choice you make depends on your taste, but personally I think the thicker book has a much fuller and professional look. C. You should also consider the size of the cover of your book. 1. I believe that a someone smaller book makes for the best decoration because it doesn’t take up much room. Transition: Now that you have chosen a book to work with, you are ready to divide your book in sections. A. In my first book I didn’t take a whole lot of time, and just approximately divided the book into 3 sections. 1. You might not be able to tell at first glance but one side actually has around 15 pages more using the first folding style. B. If you want to go for a truly symmetrical look, I would suggest counting out each page individually. It will take more time this way, but you will probably be happier with the end result. 1. After you have decided how much you want in each section, I would recommend marking each sections beginning and end with a bookmark. Transition : Now that you have sectioned off your book, you’re ready to start folding. (please excuse my lack of technical terms, but this is really just something I’ve been experimenting with and was not actually taught anything about origami. A. I like to start off each book with several simple corner folds. 1. After each page, you should alternate between folding the top corner down, and folding the bottom corner down. 2. The reason I start the book this way because it is a really easy technique, and it also seems to help the book expand quite a bit. B. Another fold I use quite a bit I would call an airplane fold. I call it this because it is how I remember starting off paper airplanes, again this isn’t a technical lesson. 1. This technique is done simple by folding the top and bottom edges into the middle of the page. 2. I tend to use this technique for the middle section because again, it is very easy to do, and it helps the book to stand up. C. What I have used for the outer-middle section here is actually just a variation of the airplane fold. 1. After folding both edges in, you then take the middle point of the page and fold it to either the upper or lower portion, again alternating with each following page t o get this accordion look. Conclusion: Thesis: Tonight I have taught you how to make one of these decorations by first teaching you what type of books are best to use, secondly telling you how to prepare the process of getting started, and lastly I taught you a few of the folding techniques. Closure: Now you’re ready to make one of these for yourself. I’ve only been doing this for a few months, and I have found that most of the fun comes from trying new techniques. I’ve only shared with you a couple of the techniques that I’ve used. I would highly encourage you to try some of your own ideas, get creative . You could try ripping or cutting the edges of certain pages to give them a rough look, or you could add paperclips to portions of the book to give it a specific hold. Maya Angelou once said in the book Conversations with Maya Angelou printed in 1989 â€Å"You cant use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have† I’ve always agreed with that. I have found this to be a fun, creative and cheap idea for a gift. Mothers day is Sunday the 12th of May this year, so you should get started.

The Greenhouse Gas Protocol Essay -- environment, pollution, global war

Reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission, particularly from industrial production, to combat global climate change is one of the biggest sustainable development challenge for the international community. Countries are adopting Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs), low carbon development strategies and climate change policies to tackle issues of climate change and at the same time meet their development goals. At the global level, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Kyoto Protocol, have paved ways for voluntary GHG emission reduction targets. To facilitate the mitigation actions, carbon intensities of production process are tracked and GHG inventories are developed. Such accounting of GHGs is a common practice in developed countries and is increasingly being adopted in developing countries as well. However, need for an internationally acceptable standardized and comparable GHG accounting and reporting was felt necessary that lead to the e stablishment of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG Protocol), which has developed protocols, standards and guidelines for the objective. What is the GHG Protocol? The GHG Protocol is the most widely used and international accepted accounting tool or methodology to quantify, and manage GHG emissions. It serves as the foundation for nearly every GHG standard and program in the world - from the International Standards Organization (ISO) to The Climate Registry - as well as hundreds of GHG inventories prepared by individual companies. The GHG Protocol also offers developing countries an internationally accepted management tool to help their businesses to compete in the global marketplace and their governments to make informed decisions about climate chang... ...hed in India. More information about GHG Protocol Initiative can be accessed from http://www.ghgprotocol.org/ Works Cited CDP. 2011. CDP India 200 Report 2011: Accelerating Low Carbon Growth. London: Carbon Disclosure Project. Also available at: https://www.cdproject.net/CDPResults/CDP-2011-India-200-Report.pdf accessed on 27 March 2012. CorporateRegister.com Ltd.. 2007. The Corporate Climate Communications Report 2007. London: CorporateRegister.com Ltd. Also available at http://www.corporateregister.com/pdf/CCCReport_07.pdf accessed on 27 March 2012. WRI and WBCSD. 2007. Measuring to Manage: A Guide to Designing GHG Accounting and Reporting Programs. Washington, DC and Geneva: World Resources Institute and World Business Council for Sustainable Development. Also available at: http://www.wri.org/publication/measuring-to-manage accessed on 26 March 2012.

Econ Syllabus

I will spend most of the time going through the theory and ideas that form the fundamentals of labor economics. However, it is important that students are aware of the simple facts of labor market in the US. Using the theory and facts, it should be possible to evaluate labor market policies.II. Prerequisite: The course is designed for economics majors and others who are already seriously interested in economics. Economics 301 Is a prerequisite. Ill. Evaluation: There are two methods used to calculate the course grade; I will choose for you at the end of the term whichever method gives you the higher grade. Method 1 Is designed to reward students who show consistent progress throughout the course, while Method 2 rewards those students who show improvement over the semester. Methods : Quizzes Homework and participation First midterm Second midterm FinalDate: Swept. 25th, 2014 class time Date: Date: Deck. 14th, 2014, Methods: Homework and participation 45% IV. Textbook (required): Labor Economics, George J, Boras (McGraw-Hill 6th edition) You can also use the 5th edition, which is much cheaper, and the content is much the same. V. Course outline: My lecture will be based on the textbook, highlighting fundamentals of labor economics that students should grasp. I plan to cover the following topics, but changes could be made, subject to the progress of the course. 1. The basics The subject of labor economics Theory and facts 2.Labor Supply (1) The basic static individual labor supply The labor/leisure choice and indifference curve The budget constraint The hours of work decision Income and substitution effects Individual labor supply Effects of taxes and subsidies (2) Extensions Life cycle labor supply Labor supply over business cycle Retirement Family labor supply Fertility and labor supply 3. Labor Demand Inputs and the production function Employment decision: short-run and long-run Elasticity of substitution Derived demand 4. Labor market equilibrium Equilibrium i n the competitive labor marketNon-competitive labor markets: monopoly and monopoly 5. Wage differentials The hedonistic wage function Labor supply and risk Safety and health regulations 6. Human capital Education and income Present value calculations Costs and returns to schooling Training Age-earning profile Policy 7. Wage structure Earning distribution Why do wages differ? Changes in the earning distribution International income distribution 8. Labor Mobility Mobility and migration Immigration in the US Models of immigration Benefits and costs of immigration Immigration policy.

Nat King Cole

David Chen MUEL 2752 Dr. Daniel Jones Pre-Rock Era Project: Nat King Cole There is no questioning Nat King Cole’s place as one of the most influential and important American popular musicians in history. Although he was initially known as an innovative and skilled jazz pianist, his singing allowed him to become highly successful in the realm of popular music, more specifically in the big band and jazz genres. Nathaniel Adams Coles was born in Montgomery, Alabama on March 17, 1919 (Ruhlmann par. 3). His family moved to Chicago in 1921, where he began to play the piano at age four and took classical lessons at age 12 (Ruhlmann par. ). When he was 15, Cole dropped out of high school in order to pursue a career as a jazz pianist (Ruhlmann par. 4). In 1937, Cole formed the King Cole Trio and began doing live performances and occasional recordings for small labels as well as some radio work. After releasing successful singles such as â€Å"That Ain’t Right† and â€Å" All for You,† the King Cole Trio was signed by Capitol Records in 1942 (Teachout par. 15). Cole began to utilize his voice increasingly, and critics began to notice the King Cole Trio’s increasing tendency to emphasize popular music as early as 1945 (Teachout par. 0). In 1951, Cole officially disbanded the King Cole Trio and continued his successful career as more of a standup singer than as a pianist (Teachout par. 25). Cole continues to sell great quantities of music today. However, despite his popularity, Cole has often been the subject of criticism. Many criticize Nat King Cole for compromising his artistic integrity as a jazz musician in order to achieve commercial success. Some even consider his increasing popularity and shifting musical style to be â€Å"betrayal† (Ruhlmann par. 1). One article from NPR music argues that Cole’s â€Å"singing clearly betrayed his jazz sensibilities,† while another even goes as far as to call Cole a â€Å"failed jazzman† (NPR par. 5, Teachout par. 5). Contrary to these critics, Nat King Cole’s transition from pure jazz into popular music only added to his greatness as a musician and as a prominent public figure. Cole still must be considered one of the most important and influential jazz musicians in American music history, and his conversion from pure jazz to the commercial realm of music in fact allowed him to break important racial oundaries in the world of popular culture. Despite accusations that his transition into popular music weakened his integrity as a musician and an artist, Nat King Cole left an indelible mark upon both jazz and popular music during his lifetime. Gunther Schuller, author of The Swing Era, remarks that Cole was â€Å"not only one of the most outstanding jazz pianists of his day but stylistically one of the most advanced† (Teachout par. 4). Many important jazz pianists were influenced by the piano playing of Cole, including Bill Evans, Oscar Peterson, and Hank Jones (Teachout par. 4). It is clear that while Cole is often known only as a popular singer, jazz musicians appreciate his tremendous skill and artistry as a jazz pianist. Nat King Cole’s influence upon jazz did not stop at his playing and improvisational skills. When invited to play at a Hollywood nightclub called the Swannee Inn, Cole decided not to use a drummer (Teachout par. 14). Inadvertently, Cole had utilized the â€Å"jazz trio†, a lineup that consisted only of a piano, guitar and bass. While Cole was not the first to use this setup, jazz experts often argue that he was the first to fully grasp the musical possibilities of this unique instrumentation. According to Terry Teachout of American Scholar, most pianists in groups without drummers tended to overplay in order to fill the musical space and provide additional rhythm; Cole, however, simplified his playing and created a new type of jazz sound (Teachout par. 15, HOWZE par. 6). The King Cole Trio’s lineup was emulated by numerous musicians, including Art Tatum, Oscar Peterson, Ahmad Jamal, Charles Brown, and Ray Charles, and, some assert, helped lead the way in small band jazz (Ruhlmann par. ). Cole explored entirely new territory in jazz, surpassing the influence of other popular musicians of his time. Rather than staying within the confines of jazz as the world knew it, Cole actually created new styles and novel ways of using old instruments, thus furthering the development of jazz as an art form. Nat King Cole’s conversion from pure jazz into popular music, while despised by some, actually increased his significance in popular culture and music. Cole’s status as a popular singer in fact allowed him to reach audiences and to break boundaries he could never have broken as a pure jazz musician. Starting in the 1930s, Cole’s piano style and jazz instrumentation defined the jazz-piano trio; however, it was not until he began to sing that he became a â€Å"consummate and world-famous entertainer† (HOWZE par. 1). Connaitre Miller, a fine arts professor at Howard University, notes that Cole was the first jazz singer promoted on television (Foster par. 6). It was mainly Cole’s popularity as a singer, and not as a jazz musician, that allowed him to be featured on television. If Cole had remained within the confines of instrumental jazz, he may have silenced jazz critics who accuse him of betraying jazz, but he also would not have been able to spread his jazz-influenced singing to such a wide audience as the one afforded him by his television appearances. Nat King Cole’s popularity as a jazz singer even allowed him to challenge racial boundaries of his time. The King Cole Trio was, according to Terry Teachout, about as popular as a black unit could be within the confines of jazz and show business, and â€Å"[broke] through the concrete ceiling that kept most black musical acts from reaching the highest peaks of celebrity† (Teachout par. 14). On November 5, 1956, The Nat King Cole Show debuted on NBC and became the first of its kind hosted by an African-American (Noble). On one notable occasion, Nat Cole was not allowed to stay at certain hotels or visit certain casinos in Las Vegas. Eventually, Cole sought legal action against those hotels and clubs, using his celebrity status to challenge Las Vegas’s intolerant system (HOWZE par. 6). While Cole’s status as a pure jazz musician may have been jeopardized by his transition into popular music, this very transition allowed him to effectively attack significant racial issues, an undertaking he could not have dreamed of as a jazz musician with a much smaller following. Nat King Cole may be the perfect example of an artist turned popular entertainer. As a jazz musician, Cole was almost unparalleled. Nat King Cole was certainly considered by jazz fans, musicians, and critics to be a leading jazz pianist, and often played in respected jazz venues such as the first Jazz at the Philharmonic concerts (Murph par. 8). Furthermore, Cole all but pioneered the â€Å"jazz trio,† a lineup that was highly emulated and influential in the development of jazz, proving that he was not only a highly skilled and respected jazz musician, but also an innovative and original one. Later, as a popular singer, he gained a tremendous monetary and commercial success as well as a massive audience. Even though he lost the respect of certain jazz purists, he gained much more influence upon pop culture, and using this influence, Cole popularized and cemented jazz’s influence on popular music while even addressing racial boundaries of his time. These accomplishments would have been much more difficult, or even impossible, to achieve if Cole had remained a pure jazz musician. In this sense, studying the career of Nat King Cole may yield important insights pertaining to the boundary between classical and popular music. As a purely classical musician, a musician such as Nat King Cole may be much more respected within followers of that particular musical genre; however, throughout history, musical figures who have crossed the line between classical, artistic music and popular music are much more memorable than those who do not. By entering popular culture, musicians are much more likely to have the ability to affect significant issues of the time. For example, Bono of U2 or Angelina Jolie possess a relatively great sphere of influence when it comes to political causes. If neither were as engrained in popular culture as they are, it would be safe to say that they would not bring as much attention to the issues they care about. By gaining popularity, prominent figures also gain influence within popular culture and maybe even on the course of history. Although sometimes criticized by jazz purists, Nat King Cole’s commercial success in fact allowed him to affect American popular culture in unprecedented ways and secured his status as one of the most important musicians of his time. Works Cited Foster, Shivonne. â€Å"Cole’s Memory, Legacy is Unforgettable. † The Hilltop (2007). March 2010 < http://www. thehilltoponline. com> Howze, Margaret â€Å"Jazz Profiles from NPR: Nat ‘King’ Cole: the Pianist. † NPR 2010. 9 March 2010 http://www. npr. org/programs/jazzprofiles Murph, John. â€Å"Nat King Cole: Getting their Kicks. † Jazz TimesMay 2009. 9 March 2010 http://jazztimes. com Noble, Amy. â€Å"The Story of Nat King Cole. † March 1998. 9 March 2010 http://members. pcug. org. au Ruhlmann, William. â€Å"Nat King Cole. † All Music Guide 9 March 2010 http://www. pandora. com Teachout, Terry. â€Å"Nat King Cole. † American Scholar 61. 3 (1992): 437-443. 6 March 2010 http://web. ebscohost. com/

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