monroe vs roosevelt Essays - Banana Wars, Hegemony,

On December 02, 1823, US President James Monroe introduced a new United States policy to Congress known as the Monroe Doctrine. It has been said that the Secretary of State John Quincy Adams influenced President Monroe and was the actual brains behind the policy. The doctrine was intended to put a stop to European intervention throughout the Western Hemisphere. Then in 1904, President Theodore Roosevelt later delivered the Roosevelt Corollary giving the United States authority to intervene in the affairs of the western hemisphere's fledgling republics. So what is the reason for the Monroe Doctrine and why the addition of the Roosevelt Corollary? It dates back to around 1492 when a lot of competition was arising due to kingdoms wanting more wealth through colonies and trade routes when a group of European explorers led by Christopher Columbus voyaged across the Atlantic Ocean. The trip led the crew to the American continents in the Western Hemisphere. Although Columbus wasn?t the first person to travel from Europe to America, he is credited for finding ?The New World?. In the ?The New World?, the weather conditions were good, plenty of animals, corn (in which the Europeans knew nothing of), tobacco, and gold. Instead of compromising some kind a deal with the natives, the Europeans took over. When Europeans came over they brought diseases along with them. It is said that several natives were killed by the epidemic that consisted of measles and smallpox. But the natives that survived were made into slaves and worked on plantations or mines. The natives remained slaves over the next 300 years. Due to the French Revolution (1787-1799) and Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815), Europe?s power weakened. The natives took advantage of the battles and began an independence movement and their colonies were reestablished. Great Britain was proud that Latin America gained their independence. At the same time, Britain didn?t want to lose profits by having to have to cut off trade with Latin America. August 23, 1823, British foreign minister, George Canning, informed the United States of Latin Americas independence and proposed a deal to make a policy that would separate the ?New? and ?Old? world. But after talking it over, President Monroe ended up taking the advice of Secretary of State Adams and declined the offer. President Monroe instead created a foreign policy, The Monroe Doctrine, that prohibited Europeans from any affairs with the Western Hemisphere, or otherwise. Also, the United States would not involve themselves with any European affairs. Since the United States army and navy at the time lacked in a lot of areas, the doctrine was not taken serious internationally. Although President Monroe decided against the dual policy that Britain had offered, Britain approved of the Monroe Doctrine and unchallenged the seas as part of the Pax Britannica. Britain also created the laissez-faire free trade. The Special Relationship was a result of the Monroe Doctrine also. Due to Venezuela?s President Cipriano Castro?s enormous foreign debt problems and no intent to pay, a naval blockade known as the Venezuela Crisis of 1902 arose. President Castro thought that the United States would protect them from the Europeans based on his interpretation of the Monroe Doctrine. Instead the United States just laid back and let the intervention happen. But it did cause United States President Theodore Roosevelt to come up with the ?Roosevelt Corollary?, an addition to the Monroe Doctrine in 1904. The Roosevelt Corollary was meant to help aide the Western Hemisphere in economic affairs and stop influential spread from the Europeans. By doing so, the United States would send their military to the Western Hemisphere to intervene. The reason that the Roosevelt Corollary has so much significance is because it said the United States military could enter Western Hemisphere intervene, while the Monroe Doctrine was meant to stop Europeans from entering the Western Hemisphere.

Free Essays on The Things They Carried By Tim Obrien

Tough Love in â€Å"The Things They Carried,† by Tim O’Brien In Tim O’Briens â€Å"The Things They Carried,† O’Brien describes the blind obsession of Lieutenant Jimmy Cross for a young girl named Martha, a junior at Mount Sebastian College in New Jersey. Burdened by the physical and psychological aspects of the Vietnam War, Cross often finds himself daydreaming and distracted by thoughts about her. Out one day on another one of their seemingly meaningless missions, Cross and his men are investigating tunnels near the Village of Than Khe. As a result of Cross’s negligence, Private Ted Lavender gets shot in the head. Consequently, Cross destroys all of Martha’s letters and photos because he is angry with his own carelessness, and he feels so burdened with the blame of Lavenders death. Cross realizes that he spends more time thinking about Martha than thinking about the well being of his men. Cross realizes that it is not his job to be loved. It is his job to lead. Cross makes the decision to become less emotional and to enforce discipline and respect among his soldiers. In many ways the death of Ted Lavender makes cross a better soldier; it helps him prioritize what his duties are, to keep himself and his men alive. He now distances himself from the other soldiers. â€Å"They would get their shit together and keep it together†(718). All the letters and pictures of Martha are gone, but not from his memory; he can still see her face, and he can still see her in her white gym shorts. Cross is not through with love, he just has to refocus his emotions from daydreams of Martha to the will to survive. Cross knows that if he doesn’t change that he and his men will will end up dead. He knows what he has to do as a commanding officer. He has to get rid of the daydreams and the fantasies of a love that he knows is fictional. The simple facts are that he has to s... Free Essays on The Things They Carried By Tim O'brien Free Essays on The Things They Carried By Tim O'brien Tough Love in â€Å"The Things They Carried,† by Tim O’Brien In Tim O’Briens â€Å"The Things They Carried,† O’Brien describes the blind obsession of Lieutenant Jimmy Cross for a young girl named Martha, a junior at Mount Sebastian College in New Jersey. Burdened by the physical and psychological aspects of the Vietnam War, Cross often finds himself daydreaming and distracted by thoughts about her. Out one day on another one of their seemingly meaningless missions, Cross and his men are investigating tunnels near the Village of Than Khe. As a result of Cross’s negligence, Private Ted Lavender gets shot in the head. Consequently, Cross destroys all of Martha’s letters and photos because he is angry with his own carelessness, and he feels so burdened with the blame of Lavenders death. Cross realizes that he spends more time thinking about Martha than thinking about the well being of his men. Cross realizes that it is not his job to be loved. It is his job to lead. Cross makes the decision to become less emotional and to enforce discipline and respect among his soldiers. In many ways the death of Ted Lavender makes cross a better soldier; it helps him prioritize what his duties are, to keep himself and his men alive. He now distances himself from the other soldiers. â€Å"They would get their shit together and keep it together†(718). All the letters and pictures of Martha are gone, but not from his memory; he can still see her face, and he can still see her in her white gym shorts. Cross is not through with love, he just has to refocus his emotions from daydreams of Martha to the will to survive. Cross knows that if he doesn’t change that he and his men will will end up dead. He knows what he has to do as a commanding officer. He has to get rid of the daydreams and the fantasies of a love that he knows is fictional. The simple facts are that he has to s...

Case Study 5 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

5 - Case Study Example It means that when Subaru wants to introduce a new product, the existing products are rarely eliminated (Yamaguchi, 2005). Subaru also centers its products on the customer needs. This is what drives the firm’s product development. Customer needs are monitored and then they are integrated into the way the products of the firm are developed with an intention to make sure that the customer is happy with e products. The fact that the customer needs keep shifting has also meant that the firm has to continually look for ways to innovate in a dynamic way to keep up with the high speed of changing customer needs. Subaru realizes that without keeping up with the changing customer needs, it will be hard for it to remain competitive in the market. This has therefore been the central part of the firm’s strategy with regard to the way it accesses the market. Google’s product development is both similar and different from others found in the other firms. It is similar because like in other firms, product development is the ultimate market strategy for any firms. Firms in a modern economy realize that they have to continually change their product in order to meet shifting customer needs and therefore they have to keep improving their products. Like Google, they have to keep innovating new ways to make the customer happy. However, Google is also different in that its innovation is more dynamic and more spontaneous. Unlike in other firms where any innovation process has to be thought out and be flagged by the senior management, innovation at Google is an everyday process and it is everybody’s responsibility as opposed to it being a process only initiated by the managers. Google’s product development is also customer focused (Iyer & Davenport, 2008). Their innovation is all about making sure that the customer gets what t hey want. In fact, they take advantage of the technology to make sure that they can personalize the products for each

Answer the Question, "Who is Jesus for You" Essay

Answer the Question, "Who is Jesus for You" - Essay Example d’s son, I partially see Him this way and I believe that He is definitely present somewhere in this world in metaphysical sense, as the Lord does, but maybe as someone who helps the Lord, but not the Lord Himself. The problem of understanding Jesus the same way as the God-Father and the Holy Spirit has always been controversial for me, because I couldn’t understand or even imagine how Trinity works and why the Lord has the tripartite nature. However, unlike Jesus, it has always been easier to imagine the God-Father and the Holy Spirit as divine personalities, because Jesus he was a real human being and a human being can’t be God. That’s why I consider Jesus as the Lord’s assistant and even His son in human disguise, but not the Lord Himself. However, I believe that Jesus is the closest to God person of all people who ever existed and that he is acting in this world together with the

Federal Drug Policy Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Federal Drug Policy Paper - Essay Example Early intervention with teens and parents is recommended, and programs and grants in economically disadvantaged communities are being increased. Drugs are big business and dealers look for big markets. Many young people are introduced to drugs by a friend, but the belief that "everyone" is using drugs is a fallacy. The President's drug control policy is focused on use by young people, while drug use is often related to behavior problems as well; however, the strategy does not address this (General Accounting 2003). In fact, communities are encouraged to apply for grants to set up their own programs. In other words, the government prefers to pass the buck. According to the 2004 strategy, the drug treatment system is being expanded over five years and an increase in funds is proposed. It is also suggested that drug courts could be established at the county level with incentives for drug users in order to reduce recidivism. Once more, however, as in plans to stop drug use, the community is called upon to develop a residential, therapeutic community-type treatment campus. (Fraser 2006). Law enforcement often targets smaller issues, while larger issues get out of hand (Fraser 2006). The U.S. Government announced that it would no longer seize small shipments of Canadian pharmaceuticals at the border. Months of aggressive seizures resulted in 40,000 confiscations nationwide. Because of cheaper drugs in Canada, seniors complained about the seizures. As a deterrent to major drug cartels this action had no effect at all and only made it difficult for seniors to survive in a failing U.S. economy. It is said that the FDA and U.S. Customs illegally confiscated medications to boost U.S. sales of pharmaceuticals (Fraser 2006). Disrupting the Market Increased initiatives are intended to curtail Priority Target Organizations in the international drug trade, with more flight hours for patrolling regions with radar coverage, and with the Department of State Andean Counterdrug Initiative supporting Columbia, Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Brazil, Venezuela, and Panama (President's National 2004). Unfortunately, an increase in budget in these areas might close down one area and cause another one is set up immediately (Friesendorf 2007). How Does Arrest of Drug Dealers Factor into the Policy The effort to curtail access to illegal drugs has been a government initiative for many years, but for every apparently successful effort, another drug trafficking organization arises, with bribery and money laundering as well as corrupt government practices creating a financial bonanza for those in the drug trade. Establishing increased enforcement is all very well if it is successful but too often it meets the barrier of corruption. The effort to limit agricultural sources has not been successful and interferes with a cultural way of life in which a country uses the plants it grows such as coca as medicine or in cultural rituals (Friesendorf 2007). Conclusion Government studies show that drug use initiation is highest among

Potential renewable energy sources for kuwait

Potential renewable energy sources for kuwait RENEWABLE ENERGY Potential Renewable Energy Sources for Kuwait Kuwaits solution to providing enforcement to the current grid capacity and reliability is by exploring the various available options of renewable energy. Some of the major renewable forms of energy being utilized all over the world include solar, geothermal, wind and hydro energy. Based on the countrys climatic conditions, the potential sources of energy available for Kuwait are as follows. Solar Energy A key source of energy that Kuwait could utilize is solar energy. Solar energy involves converting the freely available and abundant sunlight to electrical power. The country experiences high temperatures and very sunny days between June and September (Salam Mazrooei, 2007). Kuwait can therefore comfortably sustain solar power production throughout the summer. Solar as a form of energy can be looked at from two angles: thermal-where solar energy is used for heating and photovoltaic (PV) which involves solar energy being used for power production. The first form of energy involves converting the heat from the sun into electricity, which is used in homes for water heating and desalination. Utilization in this way would result in much saving in terms of expenditure on energy. This form of energy can be used to cater for all household energy needs. It can also be used in street lighting as well as in industries for food production. It requires little cost to set up and maintain a solar energy system in your house. Apart from this being a cheaper option, it is environmental friendly in that it does not emit any harmful gases. The second option of utilizing sunlight, photovoltaic, would require more complex system put in place. This option is in fact under consideration by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to be implemented in Kuwait. Plans are underway to invest $3.6 billion in Kuwait alone to achieve photovoltaic energy in the country (Alnaser 2008). Using solar energy is expected to reduce the contribution of Kuwait to the worlds emission of Carbon Monoxide which currently stands at about 0.2% (Alnaser, 2008). Alnaser (2008) has further argued that globally, there has been an average increase of 40% in terms of the volumes of energy produced from solar. There is still more room for improvement because the amount of energy produced in a single day is enough to sustain life for years. Solar as a source of energy has a major shortcoming in that it is susceptible to interruption and thus not stable (ABB, 2011). The supply may be low during the cloudy and rainy days. The power produced may thus not be efficient and reliable for critical uses such as in production industries. Advances in technology should however be able to solve this problem in future. A more complex system that is able to store the solar energy and giving the user the control of the units being consumed is being explored. ABB (2011) has explained how lithium-ion batteries can be integrated with solar energy to provide back up during low production periods. Previous attempts by the Kuwait government to embark on solar energy project were thwarted by sand storm and the prevailing large amount of dust on potential tapping areas. The government has at times appeared not to be too enthusiastic to the idea as it â€Å"fails to give financial incentives to those willing to pursue such projects.† (Hashem, 2011). There is a renewed effort by the countrys government to invest in exploring the solar energy options. Recently, the countrys Chamber of Commerce and Industry, (KCCI), revealed a government-lead project that would cost $120bn. The project is to be implemented within the next five years. It involves the government embracing solar energy as part of its development plans. (Hashem, 2011). The government has also shown interests by partnering with other countries governments to implement solar projects all over the country. Fortune CT from UK and Toyota T Suchu Corporation from Japan are some of the international companies actively participating in implantation of solar energy in different regions in Kuwait. Solar energy has little effect on the environments as not gases are emitted. The costs of acquiring a solar system are also cheaper compared to geothermal and hydro. Maintaining the system costs almost nothing as no fuel is used. Wind Energy Wind energy involves utilizing the strength of wind to move large treadmills which in turn rotate to produce power. Just like solar energy, this form of energy is renewable and has little harm to the environment. Already, countries like Brazil are utilizing this form of energy ABB (2011). Brazil utilizes the offshore wind to generated energy which is then transmitted in the normal power lines for hundreds of kilometers. Countries with similar weather patterns including North African and other Middle East countries are in the process of implementing wind power use. It is projected that in years to come, wind energy will be used to produce about 12% the global energy and in the process a significant alternative energy source in the coming years (Alnaser, 2008). Kuwaits wind speed is above the 1400 per hour threshold which is considered as the minimum wind speed that can sustain economically viable wind production. Salam Mazrooei (2007) have noted that in recent years, Kuwait has been experiencing increasing wind speeds. There has been an increase of wind speeds of up to 0.21 ms-1 between 1999 and 2004. The country could look at the positive side of this effect. Windmills could be set up at strategic places to help trap the wind energy and convert it to electrical energy. Alnaser (2008) has projected that Kuwait would be generating a significant amount of wind and solar energy by the year 2015. For Kuwait to achieve this form of energy, a complex system made up of several wind turbines will have to be put in place at strategic areas. An ideal area would be on the sea shore to capitalize on the sea breeze common in such places. The acquisition of these turbines as well as setting up the plants will cost quite a lot. The government has to therefore provide some funding or offer incentive to private investor who may be willing to undertake the venture. Wind plans have also been known to have a negative effect on the wildlife in the surrounding area especially the birds. The construction sites of wind power plants require an area that is free from wind obstruction. With buildings built across the country, finding such a place may be a bit hard. Economically sustainable production of wind power requires that there be windy conditions throughout which might not always be the case. Geothermal energy Geothermal energy involves utilizing the heat on the ground to yield energy. Kuwait has the potential of creating geothermal energy that is yet to be fully exploited. Plans are underway to increase this option of energy generation. The Kuwait government has given a go ahead to contractor to construct a water plant, Al-Zour North power plant that is expected to produce about 4,800 megawatts of power (Izzak, 2010). The government is also planning to increase production in existing plants by replacing old systems with more efficient ones. Izzak, (2010) has explained that the government of Kuwait intends to replace about 18 percent of the transformers currently being used with more efficient ones. Other Countries in the Middle East have also been toying with the idea of geothermal energy. In UAE for example, Masdar, a pro environment conservation company has been carrying tests on how to implement a geothermal project in Abu Dhabi since 2009. The implementation was expected to start immediately after the testing. A major set buck to geothermal energy is that the process is a bit expensive to implement as compared to implementing solar energy. This is because geothermal electricity generation depends on water; yet this water has to be gotten through desalination of seawater, which is a costly process. Initial set up of the plant is also costly. Another problem is that Kuwait is quite hot. Achieving the geothermal energy requires some form of cooling. This cooling is quite impossible to achieve without emitting harmful gases to the environment. The depths at which the hot rocks are located vary from place to place. Geologists have to do thorough study to establish such facts and also to evaluate whether such a project is economically feasible in Kuwait. Once a geothermal plant is up and running, maintenance and running costs are relatively low. Hydroelectricity Hydroelectric power productions involve large volumes of high pressure water being used to turn large turbines to produce energy. Kuwait experiences a low amount of rainfall with the average being about 115 mm (Salam Mazrooei, 2007). The country is generally dry with few rivers. For the country to sustain an economical level of hydroelectric energy production, it must utilize other sources: primarily seawater. For this to happen, a fuel consuming process of salination has to be carried out which might be expensive to undertake. Just like the other aforementioned options, Hydro plant set up requires a lot of resources to set up. Such a project would therefore require substantive funding from either the government or private sector. This form of energy would require building of dams. This would result in interfering with the wildlife existing in the rivers as well as the surrounding area. Bio Fuel Another potential source of renewable energy is bio fuel. This is a kind of fuel that is obtained from biomass. The energy produced can be used for heating and lighting in the rural areas. It can be also used for cooking at both rural and urban setting. Bio Fuel energy offers the only alternative to fossil fuel as a renewable carbon based source of fuel that exist is significant quantity (Klass, 2004). Klass, (2004) has argued that the levels of natural gas would not be sufficient to sustain the demand during the beginning of the 21st century. Such a situation would force the world to look elsewhere for their energy supply. This could require the stakeholders in the sector to shift to unexploited biomass as the alternative source of energy. Kuwait can position herself for such an eventuality by investing in the relevant biomass conversion technologies. The country could, for instance, invest in power plants which use wood energy which is burned to generate steam. This steam is in turn channeled to turbines to produce energy. To sustain this way of energy production, there requires a sufficient supply of biomass. Breeding plants that produce high amount of biomass can achieve this. Klass, (2004) has identified particular plant species that can achieve help achive this. Such plants include the unique herbaceous biomass plants and other hybrid flora, which he refers to as ‘energy plants. Klass, (2004) has explained a way of ensuring a constant supply of biomass for biofuel. This is by ensuring that a new growth of biomass will readily come up in place of the biomass collected for energy production. Bio fuel use has an additional advantage in that it has does not pollute the environment and displaces the use of fuel. When used in conjunction with coal or wood, bio fuel reduces the amount of harmful gasses released to the environment. Bio fuel use could also reduce the rate at which fossil fuel is being depleted from earth. Ethanol fuel Closely related to bio fuel is use of ethanol. This ethanol as gotten from plants such as sugarcane, wheat and corn and can be used for fueling vehicles. Setting up plants for ethanol harvesting is relatively cheap. However, getting a constant supply of ethanol producing plants would require a considerable resource allocation. The process of production of energy is also quit costly, as it requires fuel. The fuel used in producing ethanol may also result in production of gases, which may pollute the environment. Conclusion The potential is there for Kuwait to explore other option of energy production. The underlying factor in all these options is some sort of funding for research as well as initial set up. The government of Kuwait can do this either directly or by offering financial incentive. Exhaustive cost-benefit analysis is also necessary to establish the viability of each option. Any option that Kuwait takes would an important enforcement to the current grid capacity which is dominated by natural gas and oil.

Divine Comedy - St.Augustine in Dante’s Inferno :: Divine Comedy Inferno Essays

St.Augustine in the Inferno It is hard to place St. Augustine within just one of the levels of Dante’s hell for his sins were varied and not great. Today many of his sins are commonplace. For example, most people attempt to better their own lives without regard of others. They attempt to increase their standard of living and gain more worldly possessions. They are neither good nor evil but are just trying to make a living and keep up in today’s fend-for-yourself society. Before Augustine’s conversion, this was his goal. He was continually searching for â€Å"honors, money, (and) marriage† (Confessions, 991). This allows Augustine to be placed in the first area of hell, the Vestibule. It is a place for opportunists such as Augustine was before his conversion. It is a place for the â€Å"nearly soulless. . . who were neither for God nor Satan, but only for themselves† (Inferno, 1295). Augustine never intentionally hurt anyone, but his actions were led by his instincts to succee d and gain praise. These actions included kissing up to the Emperor, his study of law and the art of persuasion, and the mocking of newcomers to his profession. Since each of these sins also falls within a different realm of Dante’s hell, they will be discussed later in this paper. The second level of Dante’s hell, Limbo, does not apply to Augustine because he was baptized and was blessed with the knowledge of Jesus Christ’s existence. Therefore, Augustine can not be placed within this first circle of hell. The second circle of hell, a realm for those who fell victim of their carnal desires, is another level at which to place Augustine’s soul for he was consumed by lust in his pre-conversion days. He was encouraged by his family to learn the art of persuasion and making of fine speech when he was only sixteen. He used these skills, which he developed very well, along with his good looks to seduce as many women as possible. It was â€Å"in that sixteenth year of my life in this world, when the madness of lust. . . took complete control of me, and I surrendered to it† (Confessions, 987). He was in love with being in love. Yet, he was unable to discern between love and lust. His carnal desires overpowered his soul for the majority of his life.

Japanese Music Essay

There are two forms of music recognized to be the oldest forms of traditional Japanese music. They are shÃ… myÃ…  (Ã¥ £ °Ã¦ËœÅ½ or è  ²Ã¦ËœÅ½?), or Buddhist chanting, and gagaku (é›…æ ¥ ½?) or orchestral court music, both of which date to the Nara and Heian periods.[citation needed] Gagaku is a type of classical music that has been performed at the Imperial court since the Heian period[citation needed]. Kagura-uta (ç ¥Å¾Ã¦ ¥ ½Ã¦ ­Å'), Azuma-asobi(æ  ±Ã© Å ) and Yamato-uta (Ã¥ ¤ §Ã¥â€™Å'æ ­Å') are indigenous repertories. TÃ… gaku (å” Ã¦ ¥ ½) and komagaku originated from the Chinese Tang dynasty via the Korean peninsula[citation needed]. In addition, gagaku is divided into kangen (ç ® ¡Ã¥ ¼ ¦) (instrumental music) and bugaku (舞æ ¥ ½) (dance accompanied by gagaku). Originating as early as the 13th century are honkyoku (æÅ" ¬Ã¦â€º ² â€Å"original pieces†). These are single (solo) shakuhachi (Ã¥ ° ºÃ¥â€¦ «) pieces played by mendicant Fuke sect priests o f Zen buddhism[citation needed]. These priests, called komusÃ…  (â€Å"emptiness monk†), played honkyoku for alms and enlightenment. The Fuke sect ceased to exist in the 19th century, but a verbal and written lineage of many honkyoku continues today, though this music is now often practiced in a concert or performance setting.[citation needed] The samurai often listened to and performed in these music activities, in their practices of enriching their lives and understanding[citation needed]. Traditional music[edit source | editbeta] Biwa hÃ… shi, Heike biwa, mÃ… sÃ… , and goze[edit source | editbeta] The biwa (ç  µÃ§  ¶ – Chinese: pipa), a form of short-necked lute, was played by a group of itinerant performers (biwa hÃ… shi) (ç  µÃ§  ¶Ã¦ ³â€¢Ã¥ ¸ «) who used it to accompany stories.[citation needed] The most famous of these stories is The Tale of the Heike, a 12th-century history of the triumph of the Minamoto clan over the Taira[citation needed]. Biwa hÃ… shi began organizing themselves into a guild-like association (tÃ… dÃ… ) for visually impaired men as early as the thirteenth century. This guild eventually controlled a large portion of the musical culture of Japan.[citation needed] In addition, numerous smaller groups of itinerant blind musicians were formed especially in the Kyushu area[citation needed]. These musicians, known as mÃ… sÃ…  (ç› ²Ã¥Æ' § blind monk) toured their local areas and performed a variety of religious and semi-religious texts to purify households and bring about good health and good luck. They also maintained a repertory of secular genres. The biwa that they played was considerably smaller than the Heike biwa (Ã¥ ¹ ³Ã¥ ® ¶Ã§  µÃ§  ¶) played by the biwa hÃ… shi.[citation needed] Lafcadio Hearn related in his book Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things â€Å"Mimi-nashi Hoichi† (Hoichi the Earless), a Japanese ghost story about a blind biwa hÃ… shi who performs â€Å"The Tale of the Heike† Blind women, known as goze (çž ½Ã¥ ¥ ³), also toured the land since the medieval era, singing songs and playing accompanying music on a lap drum.[citation needed] From the seventee nth century they often played the koto or the shamisen. Goze organizations sprung up throughout the land, and existed until recently in what is today Niigata prefecture.[citation needed] Taiko[edit source | editbeta] Taiko performing The taiko is a Japanese drum that comes in various sizes and is used to play a variety of musical genres.[citation needed] It has become particularly popular in recent years as the central instrument of percussion ensembles whose repertory is based on a variety of folk and festival music of the past. Such taiko music is played by large drum ensembles called kumi-daiko. Its origins are uncertain, but can be stretched out as far back as the 7th centuries, when a clay figure of a drummer indicates its existence. China influences followed, but the instrument and its music remained uniquely Japanese.[5] Taiko drums during this period were used during battle to intimidate the enemy and to communicate commands. Taiko continue to be used in the religious music of Buddhism and ShintÃ… . In the past players were holy men, who played only at special occasions and in small groups, but in time secular men (rarely women) also played the taiko in semi-religious festivals such as the bon dance. Mod ern ensemble taiko is said to have been invented by Daihachi Oguchi in 1951[citation needed]. A jazz drummer, Oguchi incorporated his musical background into large ensembles, which he had also designed. His energetic style made his group popular throughout Japan, and made the Hokuriku region a center for taiko music. Musicians to arise from this wave of popularity included Sukeroku Daiko and his bandmate Seido Kobayashi. 1969 saw a group called Za Ondekoza founded by Tagayasu Den; Za Ondekoza gathered together young performers who innovated a new roots revival version of taiko, which was used as a way of life in communal lifestyles. During the 1970s, the Japanese government allocated funds to preserve Japanese culture, and many community taiko groups were formed. Later in the century, taiko groups spread across the world, especially to the United States. The video game Taiko Drum Master is based around taiko. One example of a modern Taiko band is Gocoo. Min’yÃ…  folk music[edit source | editbeta] A Japanese folkswoman with hershamisen, 1904 Main article: Min’yÃ…  Japanese folk songs (min’yÃ… ) can be grouped and classified in many ways but it is often convenient to think of four main categories: work songs, religious songs (such as sato kagura, a form of Shintoist music), songs used for gatherings such as weddings, funerals, and festivals (matsuri, especially Obon), and children’s songs (warabe uta). In min’yÃ… , singers are typically accompanied by the three-stringed lute known as the shamisen, taiko drums, and a bamboo flute called shakuhachi. Other instruments that could accompany are a transverse flute known as the shinobue, a bell known as kane, a hand drum called the tsuzumi, and/or a 13-stringed zither known as the koto. In Okinawa, the main instrument is the sanshin. These are traditional Japanese instruments, but modern instrumentation, such as electric guitars and synthesizers, is also used in this day and age, when enka singers cover traditional min’yÃ…  songs (Enkabeing a Japanese music genre all its own).[6] (For a detailed English-language study of all aspects of min’yÃ… , see the 395-page book by David Hughes.)[6] Terms often heard when speaking about min’yÃ…  are ondo, bushi, bon uta, and komori uta. An ondo generally describes any folk song with a distinctive swing that may be heard as 2/4 time rhythm (though performers usually do not group beats). The typical folk song heard at Obon festival dances will most likely be an ondo. A fushi is a song with a distinctive melody. Its very name, which is pronounced â€Å"bushi† in compounds, means â€Å"melody† or â€Å"rhythm.† The word is rarely used on its own, but is usually prefixed by a term referring to occupation, location, personal name or the like. Bon uta, as the name describes, are songs for Obon, the lantern festival of the dead. Komori uta are children’s lullabies. The names of min’yo songs often include descriptive term, usually at the end. For example: Tokyo Ondo, Kushimoto Bushi, Hokkai Bon Uta, and Itsuki no Komoriuta. Many of these songs include extra stress on certain syllables as well as pitched shouts (kakegoe). Kakegoe are generally shouts of cheer but inmin’yÃ… , they are often included as parts of choruses. There are many kakegoe, though they vary from region to region. In Okinawa Min’yÃ… , for example, one will hear the common â€Å"ha iya sasa!† In mainland Japan, however, one will be more likely to hear â€Å"a yoisho!,† â€Å"sate!,† or â€Å"a sore!† Others ar e â€Å"a donto koi!,† and â€Å"dokoisho!† Recently a guild-based system known as the iemoto system has been applied to some forms of min’yÃ… ; it is called. This system was originally developed for transmitting classical genres such as nagauta, shakuhachi, or koto music, but since it proved profitable to teachers and was supported by students who wished to obtain certificates of proficiency and artist’s names continues to spread to genres such as min’yÃ… , Tsugaru-jamisen and other forms of music that were traditionally transmitted more informally. Today some min’yÃ…  are passed on in such pseudo-family organizations and long apprenticeships are common. See also Ainu music of north Japan. Okinawan folk music[edit source | editbeta] Main article: Ryukyuan music Umui, religious songs, shima uta, dance songs, and, especially kachÄ shÄ «, lively celebratory music, were all popular. Okinawan folk music varies from mainland Japanese folk music in several ways. First, Okinawan folk music is often accompanied by the sanshin whereas in mainland Japan, the shamisen accompanies instead. Other Okinawan instruments include the sanba (which produce a clicking sound similar to that of castanets), taiko and a sharp finger whistling called yubi-bue (æÅ'‡ç ¬â€º?). Second, tonality. A pentatonic scale, which coincides with the major pentatonic scale of Western musical disciplines, is often heard in min’yÃ…  from the main islands of Japan, see minyÃ…  scale. In this pentatonic scale the subdominant and leading tone (scale degrees 4 and 7 of the Western major scale) are omitted, resulting in a musical scale with no half-steps between each note. (Do, Re, Mi, So, La in solfeggio, or scale degrees 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6) Okinawan min’yÃ… , however, is characterized by scales that include the half-steps omitted in the aforementioned pentatonic scale, when analyzed in the Western discipline of music. In fact, the most common scale used in Okinawan min’yÃ…  includes scale degrees 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, Traditional instruments[edit source | editbeta] Main article: Traditional Japanese musical instruments * Biwa (ç  µÃ§  ¶) * Fue (ç ¬â€º) * Hichiriki (ç ¯ ³Ã§ ¯ ¥) * Hocchiku (æ ³â€¢Ã§ « ¹) * HyÃ… shigi (æ‹ Ã¥ ­ Ã¦Å" ¨) * Kane (é Ëœ) * Kakko (éž ¨Ã© ¼â€œ) * KokyÃ… « (èÆ' ¡Ã¥ ¼â€œ) * Koto (ç  ´) * Niko (ä ºÅ'èÆ' ¡) * Okawa (AKA Ã…Å'tsuzumi) (Ã¥ ¤ §Ã© ¼â€œ) * RyÃ… «teki (ç «Å"ç ¬â€º) * Sanshin (ä ¸â€°Ã§ ·Å¡) * Shakuhachi (bamboo flute) (Ã¥ ° ºÃ¥â€¦ «) * Shamisen　 (ä ¸â€°Ã¥â€˜ ³Ã§ ·Å¡) * Shime-Daiko (ç ·  Ã¥ ¤ ªÃ© ¼â€œ) * Shinobue (ç ¯  Ã§ ¬â€º) * ShÃ…  (ç ¬â„¢) * Suikinkutsu (water zither) (æ ° ´Ã§  ´Ã§ ªÅ¸) * Taiko (i.e. Wadaiko)Ã¥ ¤ ªÃ© ¼â€œÃ¯ ½Å¾Ã¥â€™Å'Ã¥ ¤ ªÃ© ¼â€œ * Tsuzumi (é ¼â€œ) (AKA Kotsuzumi) ————————————————- Arrival of Western music[edit source | editbeta] Traditional pop music[edit source | editbeta] Main articles: RyÃ… «kÃ… ka, KayÃ… kyoku, and Enka After the Meiji Restoration introduced Western musical instruction, a bureaucrat named Izawa Shuji compiled songs like â€Å"Auld Lang Syne† and commissioned songs using a pentatonicmelody.[citation needed] Western music, especially military marches, soon became popular in Japan.[citation needed] Two major forms of music that developed during this period were shoka, which was composed to bring western music to schools, and gunka, which are military marches with some Japanese elements..[citation needed] As Japan moved towards representative democracy in the late 19th century, leaders hired singers to sell copies of songs that aired their messages, since the leaders themselves were usually prohibited from speaking in public. The street performers were called enka-shi.[citation needed] Also at the end of the 19th century, an Osakan form of streetcorner singing became popular; this was called rÃ… kyoku. This included the first two Japanese stars, Yoshida Naramaru and Tochuken Kum oemon..[citation needed] Ichiro Fujiyama, influentialryÃ… «kÃ… ka singer Westernized pop music is called kayÃ… kyoku, which is said to have and first appeared in a dramatization of Resurrection by Tolstoy. The song â€Å"KachÃ… «sha no Uta†, composed by Shinpei Nakayama, was sung by Sumako Matsui in 1914. The song became a hit among enka-shi, and was one of the first major best-selling records in Japan.[citation needed] . RyÃ… «kÃ… ka, which adopted Western classical music, made waves across the country in the prewar period..[citation needed] Ichiro Fujiyamabecame popular in the prewar period, but war songs later became popular when the World War II occurred..[citation needed] KayÃ… kyoku became a major industry, especially after the arrival of superstar Misora Hibari.[citation needed] In the 1950s, tango and other kinds of Latin music, especially Cuban music, became very popular in Japan.[citation needed] A distinctively Japanese form of tango called dodompa also developed. KayÃ… kyoku became associated entirely with traditional Japanese struc tures, while more Western-style music was called Japanese pop ( or simply ‘JPop’).[citation needed] Enka music, adopting Japanese traditional structures, became quite popular in the postwar period, though its popularity has waned since the 1970s and enjoys little favour with contemporary youth.[citation needed] Famous enka singers include Hibari Misora, Saburo Kitajima, Ikuzo Yoshi and Kiyoshi Hikawa. Art music[edit source | editbeta] Western classical music[edit source | editbeta] Western classical music has a strong presence in Japan and the country is one of the most important markets for this music tradition.[citation needed], with Toru Takemitsu (famous as well for his avant-garde works and movie scoring) being the best known.[citation needed] Also famous is the conductor Seiji Ozawa. Since 1999 the pianist Fujiko Hemming, who plays Liszt and Chopin, has been famous and her CDs have sold millions of copies.[citation needed] Japan is also home to the world’s leading wind band.[citation needed], the Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra, and the largest music competition of any kind, the All-Japan Band Association national contest.[citation needed] Western classical music does not represent Japan’s original culture. The Japanese were first exposed to it in the second half of the 19th century, after more than 200 years of national isolation during the Edo Period.[citation needed] But after that, Japanese studied classical music earnestly to make it a part of their own artistic culture. Orchestras * Gunma Symphony Orchestra * Hiroshima Symphony Orchestra * Hyogo Performing Arts Center Orchestra * Japan Philharmonic Orchestra * Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra * Kyoto Symphony Orchestra * Kyushu Symphony Orchestra * Nagoya Philharmonic Orchestra * New Japan Philharmonic * NHK Symphony Orchestra * Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa * Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra * Sapporo Symphony Orchestra * Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra * Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra * Tokyo City Philharmonic Orchestra * Tokyo Symphony Orchestra * Yamagata Symphony Orchestra * Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra Composers * RentarÃ…  Taki (1879–1903) * Kosaku Yamada (1886–1965) * Kiyoshi Nobutokiï ¼Ë†1887-1965ï ¼â€° * Yasuji Kiyose (1900–1981) * Masao Ohki (1901–1971) * SaburÃ…  Moroi (1903–1977) * Kunihiko Hashimoto (1904–1949) * TomojirÃ…  Ikenouchi (1906–1991) * Yoritsune Matsudaira (1907–2001) * Hisato Ohzawa (1907–1953) * ShirÃ…  Fukai (1907–1959) * Hisatada Otaka (1911–1951) * Akira Ifukube (1914–2006) * Fumio Hayasaka (1914–1955) * Minao Shibata (1916-1996) * YoshirÃ…  Irino (1921-1980) * Sadao Bekku (1922–2012) * Ikuma Dan (1924–2001) * Yasushi Akutagawa (1925–1989) * Roh Ogura (1926–1990) * Joji Yuasa (born 1929) * Toshiro Mayuzumi (1929–1997) * Akio Yashiro (1929–1976) * Teizo Matsumura (1929–2007) * Toru Takemitsu (1930–1996) * Makoto Moroi (born 1930) * Hikaru Hayashi (1931–2012) * Yuzo Toyama (born 1931) * Akira Miyoshi (born 1933) * Toshi Ichiyanagi (born 1933) * Maki Ishii (1936–2003) * Shigeaki Saegusa (born 1942) * Shin-ichiro Ikebe (born 1943) * Takashi Yoshimatsu (born 1953) * Akira Nishimura (born 1953) * Toshio Hosokawa (born 1955) Jazz[edit source | editbeta] Main article: Japanese jazz From the 1930s on (except during World War II, when it was repressed as music of the enemy)[citation needed] jazz has had a strong presence in Japan.[citation needed] The country is an important market for the music, and it is common that recordings unavailable in the United States or Europe are available there. A number of Japanese jazz musicians have achieved popularity abroad as well as at home.[citation needed] Musicians such as June (born in Japan) and Dan (third generation American born, of Hiroshima fame), and Sadao Watanabe have a large fan base outside their native country. Lately, club jazz or nu-jazz has become popular with a growing number of young Japanese.[citation needed] Native DJs such as Ryota Nozaki (Jazztronik), the two brothers Okino Shuya andOkino Yoshihiro of Kyoto Jazz Massive, Toshio Matsuura (former member of the United Future Organization) and DJ Shundai Matsuo creator of the popular monthly DJ event, Creole inBeppu, Japan as well as nu-jazz artists, Sleepw alker, GrooveLine, and Soil & â€Å"Pimp† Sessions have brought great change to the traditional notions of jazz in Japan. Some of the newer bands include Ego-Wrappin’ and Sakerock along with more experimental musicians such as Otomo Yoshihide and Keiji Haino. ————————————————- Popular music[edit source | editbeta] J-Pop[edit source | editbeta] Main article: J-pop J-pop, an abbreviation for Japanese pop, is a loosely defined musical genre that entered the musical mainstream of Japan in the 1990s. Modern J-pop has its roots in 1960s pop and rock music, such as The Beatles, which led to bands such as Happy End fusing rock with Japanese music.[7] J-pop was further defined by Japanese New Wave bands such as Yellow Magic Orchestra andSouthern All Stars in the late 1970s.[8] Eventually, J-pop replaced kayÃ… kyoku (â€Å"Lyric Singing Music†, a term for Japanese pop music from the 1920s to the 1980s) in the Japanese music scene.[9]The term was coined by the Japanese media to distinguish Japanese music from foreign music. Dance and disco music[edit source | editbeta] Further information: Eurobeat and Para Para Momoiro Clover Z is known for its innovative dance performances.[10] In 1984, American musician Michael Jackson’s album Thriller became the first album by a Western artist to sell over one million copies in Japanese Oricon charts history.[11] His style is cited as one of the models for Japanese dance music, leading the popularity of Avex Group andJohnny & Associates.[12] In 1990, Avex Trax began to release the Super Eurobeat series in Japan. Eurobeat in Japan led the popularity of group dance form Para Para. While Avex’s artists such as Every Little Thing and Ayumi Hamasaki became popular in 1990s, new names in the late 90s included Hikaru Utadaand Morning Musume. Hikaru Utada’s debut album, First Love, went on to be the highest-selling album in Japan with over 7 million copies sold, whereas Ayumi Hamasaki became Japan’s top selling female and solo artist, and Morning Musume remains one of the most well-known girl groups in the Japanese pop music industry. Momoiro Clover Z is known for its energetic dance performances. They are heavily choreographed and feature acrobatic stunts.[13] The energetic performances also incorporate elements of ballet, gymnastics, and action movies.[14] Although the girls’ voices are not very stable when coupled with an intense dance, they never lipsynch.[15] A 2013 survey shows that Momoiro Clover Z attracts the highest level of interest of all the femaleidol groups in Japan.[16] Rock[edit source | editbeta] In the 1960s, Japanese rock music bands imitated Western rock musicians such as The Beatles, Bob Dylan, and the Rolling Stones, along with other Appalachian folk music, psychedelic rock,mod and similar genres; this was called Group Sounds (G.S.). John Lennon of The Beatles later became one of most popular Western musicians in Japan.[17] Group Sounds is a genre of Japanese rock music that was popular in the mid to late 1960s.[citation needed] After the boom of Group Sounds, there were several influential singer-songwriters. Nobuyasu Okabayashi was the first who became widely recognized.[citation needed] Wataru Takada, inspired by Woody Guthrie, also became popular.[citation needed]. They both were influenced by American folk music but wrote Japanese lyrics. Takada used modern Japanese poetry as lyrics, while Kazuki Tomokawa made an album using Chuya Nakahara’s poems. Tomobe Masato, inspired by Bob Dylan, wrote critically acclaimed lyrics.[citation needed] The Tigers was the most popular Group Sounds band in the era. Later, some of the members of The Tigers, The Tempters and The Spiders formed the first Japanese supergroup Pyg. Homegrown Japanese folk rock had developed by the late 1960s.[citation needed] Artists like Happy End are considered to have virtually developed the genre. During the 1970s, it grew more popular.[citation needed] The Okinawan band Champloose, along with Carol (led by Eikichi Yazawa), RC Succession and Shinji Harada were especially famous and helped defin e the genre’s sound. Sometimes also beginning in the late sixties, but mostly active in the seventies, are musicians mixing rock music with American-style folk and pop elements, usually labelled â€Å"folk† by the Japanese because of their regular use of the acoustic guitar. This includes bands like Off Course, Tulip, Alice (led by Shinji Tanimura), Kaguyahime, Banban, and Garo. Solo artists of the same movement include Yosui Inoue, Yuming, and Iruka. Later groups, like Kai Band (led by Yoshihiro Kai) and early Southern All Stars, are often attached to the same movement. Yellow Magic Orchestra in 2008 Several Japanese musicians began experimenting with electronic rock in the early 1970s. The most notable was the internationally renowned Isao Tomita, whose 1972 album Electric Samurai: Switched on Rock featured electronic synthesizer renditions of contemporary rock and pop songs.[18] Other early examples of electronic rock records include Inoue Yousui’s folk rock and pop rock album Ice World (1973) and Osamu Kitajima’s progressive psychedelic rockalbum Benzaiten (1974), both of which involved contributions from Haruomi Hosono,[19][20] who later started the electronic music group â€Å"Yellow Magic Band† (later known as Yellow Magic Orchestra) in 1977.[21] Most influentially, the 1970s spawned the electronic music band Yellow Magic Orchestra, led by Haruomi Hosono. In the 1980s, Boà ¸wy inspired alternative rock bands like Shonen Knife, Boredoms, The Pillows and Tama & Little Creatures as well as more mainstream bands as Glay. In 1980, Huruoma and Ry Cooder, an American musician, collaborated on a rock album with Shoukichi Kina, driving force behind the aforementioned Okinawan band Champloose. They were followed by Sandii & the Sunsetz, who further mixed Japanese and Okinawan influences. Also during the 80s, Japanese metal and rock bands gave birth to the movement known as visual kei, represented during its history by bands like X Japan, Buck-Tick, Luna Sea,Malice Mizer and many others, some of which experienced national, and international success in the latest years. In the 1990s, Japanese rock musicians such as B’z, Mr. Children, Glay, Southern All Stars, L’Arc-en-Ciel, Tube, Spitz, Wands, T-Bolan, Judy and Mary, Asian Kung–Fu Generation, Field of View, Deen, Ulfuls, Lindberg, Sharam Q, The Yellow Monkey, The Brilliant Green an d Dragon Ash achieved great commercial success.[citation needed] B’z is the #1 best selling act in Japanese music since Oricon started to count.[citation needed], followed by Mr. Children.[citation needed] In the ’90s, pop songs were often used in films, anime, television advertisement and dramatic programming, becoming some of the best-selling forms of music in Japan.[citation needed] The rise of disposable pop has been linked with the popularity of karaoke, leading to criticism that it is consumerist: Kazufumi Miyazawa of The Boom said â€Å"I hate that buy, listen, and throw away and sing at a karaoke bar mentality.† Of the visual kei bands Luna Sea, whose members toned down their on-stage attire with on-going success, was either very successful, while Malice Mizer, La’cryma Christi, Shazna, Janne Da Arc, and Fanatic Crisis also achieved commercial success in the late ’90s.[citation needed] Green Stage of the Fuji Rock Festival The first Fuji Rock Festival opened in 1997. Rising Sun Rock Festival opened in 1999. Summer Sonic Festival and Rock in Japan Festival opened in 2000. Though the rock scene in the 2000s is not as strong, newer bands such as Bump of Chicken, Sambomaster, Flow, Orange Range, Remioromen,Uverworld, Radwimps and Aqua Timez, which are considered rock bands, have achieved success. Orange Range also adopts[clarification needed] hip hop. Established bands as B’z, Mr. Children, Glay, and L’Arc-en-Ciel also continue to top charts, though B’z and Mr. Children are the only bands to maintain a high standards of their sales along the years. Japanese rock has a vibrant underground rock scene,[citation needed] best known internationally for noise rock bands such as Boredoms and Melt Banana, as well as stoner rock bands such as Boris and alternative acts such as Shonen Knife (who were championed in the West by Kurt Cobain),Pizzicato Five and The Pillows (who gained international attention in 1999 for the FLCL soundtrack). More conventional indie rock artists such asEastern Youth, The Band Apart and Number Girl have found some success in Japan[citation needed], but little recognition outside of their home country. Other notable international touring indie rock acts are Mono and Nisennenmondai. Punk rock / alternative[edit source | editbeta] Further information: Japanese hardcore Early examples of punk rock in Japan include SS, The Star Club, The Stalin, Inu, Gaseneta, Bomb Factory, Lizard (who were produced by the Stranglers) and Friction (whose guitarist Reck had previously played with Teenage Jesus and the Jerks before returning to Tokyo) and The Blue Hearts. The early punk scene was immortalized on film by Sogo Ishii, who directed the 1982 film Burst City featuring a cast of punk bands/musicians and also filmed videos for The Stalin. In the 80s, hardcore bands such as GISM, Gauze, Confuse, Lip Cream and Systematic Death began appearing, some incorporating crossover elements.[citation needed] The independent scene also included a diverse number of alternative/post-punk/new wave artists such as Aburadako, P-Model,Uchoten, Auto-Mod, Buck-Tick, Guernica and Yapoos (both of which featured Jun Togawa), G-Schmitt, Totsuzen Danball and Jagatara, along with noise/industrial bands such as Hijokaidan andHanatarashi. Ska-punk bands of the late nineties extending in t he years 2000 include Shakalabbits and 175R (pronounced â€Å"inago rider†). Heavy metal[edit source | editbeta] Japan is known for being a successful area for metal bands touring around the world and many live albums are recorded in Japan. Notable examples are Judas Priest’s Unleashed in the East, Iron Maiden’s Maiden Japan, Deep Purple’s Made in Japan and Dream Theater’s Live at Budokan. From the international bands, such as Angra, Sonata Arctica and Skylark especially with their singerKiara Laetitia have had major success in Japan.[citation needed] Japanese heavy metal bands started emerging in the late 1970s, pioneered by bands like Bow Wow, formed in 1975 by guitarist Kyoji Yamamoto, and Loudness, formed in 1981 by guitarist Akira Takasaki. Although there existed other contemporary bands, like Earthshaker, Anthem and 44 Magnum, their debut albums were released only around the mid eighties when metal bands started getting a major exposure. First oversease live performances were by Bow Wow in 1978 in Hong Kong and at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, as well played at the Reading Festival inEngland in 1982.[22] In 1983, Loudness toured United States and Europe, and started focusing more on an international career. In 1985, the first Japanese metal act was signed to a major label in th e United States. Their albums Thunder in the East and Lightning Strikes, released in 1985 and 1986, peaked at number 74 (while number 4 in homeland Oricon chart), and number 64 in theBillboard 200 charts respectively.[23][24] Till the end of the eightes only two other bands, Ezo and Dead End, got their albums released in the United States. In the eighties few bands had a female members, like all-female band Show-Ya fronted by Keiko Terada, and Terra Rosa with Kazue Akao on vocals. In September 1989, Show-Ya’s album Outerlimits was released, it reached number 3 in the Oricon album chart.[25] Heavy metal bands reached their peak in the late ’80s and many disbanded until the mid-1990s. Concert of pioneer of visual kei, X Japan atHong Kong in 2009 after their 2007 reunion. In 1982, some of the first Japanese glam metal bands were formed, like Seikima-II with Kabuki-inspired makeup, and X Japan who pioneered the Japanese movement known as visual kei, and became the best-selling metal band.[26] In 1985, Seikima-IIs album Seikima-II – Akuma ga Kitarite Heavy Metal was released and although reached number 48 on the Oricon album chart exceeded 100,000 in sales, first time for any Japanese metal band. Their albums charted regularly in the top ten until mid ’90s. In April 1989, X Japans second album Blue Blood was released and went to number 6, and after 108 weeks on charts sold 712,000 copies.[27] Their third and best-selling album Jelaousy was released in July 1991; it topped the charts and sold 1.11 million copies.[27] There were released more two number one studio albums, Art of Life and Dahlia, a singles compilation X Singles, all selling more than half a million,[28] and since the formation had thirteenth top five singles, disbanding in 1997.[29] Extreme metal[edit source | editbeta] Japanese extreme metal bands formed in the wake of American and European wave, but didn’t get any bigger exposure until the ‘90s, and like overseas the genre is usually treated as an underground form of music in Japan.[citation needed] First thrash metal bands formed in the early ’80s, like United, whose music also incorporates death metal elements, and Outrage. United’s first international performance took place in Los Angeles at the metal festival â€Å"Foundations Forum† in September 1995 and had few albums released in North America. Formed in the mid ‘80s, Doom played a gig in the United States in October 1988 at CBGB, and was active until 2000 when disbanded. The first bands to play black metal music were Sabbat, who is still active, and Bellzlleb, who was active until early ‘90s. Another notable act is Sigh. Doom metal has also gained an audience in Japan. The two best-known Japanese doom metal acts are Church of Misery and Boris, b oth of whom have gained considerable popularity outside the country. Hip-Hop[edit source | editbeta] Main article: Japanese hip-hop Hip-hop is a newer form of music on the Japanese music scene. Many felt it was a trend that would immediately pass. However, the genre has lasted for many years and is still thriving. In fact, rappers in Japan did not achieve the success of hip-hop artists in other countries until the late 1980s. This was mainly due to the music world’s belief that â€Å"Japanese sentences were not capable of forming the rhyming effect that was contained in American rappers’ songs.†[30] There is a certain, well-defined structure to the music industry called â€Å"The Pyramid Structure of a Music Scene†. As Ian Condry notes, â€Å"viewing a music scene in terms of a pyramid provides a more nuanced understanding of how to interpret the significance of different levels and kinds of success.†[31] The levels are as follows (from lowest to highest): fans and potential artists, performing artists, recording artists (indies), major label artists, and mega-hit stars. These different levels can be clearly seen at a genba, or nightclub. Different â€Å"families† of rappers perform on stage. A family is essentially a collection of rap groups that are usually headed by one of the more famous Tokyo acts, which also include a number of proteges.[32] They are important because they are â€Å"the key to understanding stylistic differences between groups.†[33] Hip-hop fans in the audience are the ones in control of the night club. They are the judges who determine the winners in rap battles on stage. An example of this can be seen with the battle between rap artists Dabo (a major label artist) andKan (an indie artist). Kan challenged Dabo to a battle on stage while Dabo was mid-performance. Another important part of night clubs was displayed at this time. It showed â€Å"the openness of the scene and the fluidity of boundaries in clubs.†[34] Electropop and club music[edit source | edi tbeta] See also: Electronic music, Synthpop, and Electro music Electronic pop music in Japan became a successful commodity with the â€Å"Technopop† craze of the late 70s and 80s.[citation needed], beginning with Yellow Magic Orchestra and solo albums ofRyuichi Sakamoto and Haruomi Hosono in 1978 before hitting popularity in 1979 and 1980. Influenced by disco, impressionistic and 20th century classical composition, jazz/fusion pop, new wave and technopop artists such as Kraftwerk and Telex, these artists were commercial yet uncompromising.[citation needed] Ryuichi Sakamoto claims that â€Å"to me, making pop music is not a compromise because I enjoy doing it†. The artists that fall under the banner of technopop in Japan are as loose as those that do so in the West, thus new wave bands such as P-Model and The Plastics fall under the category alongside the symphonic techno arrangements of Yellow Magic Orchestra. The popularity of this music meant that many popular artists of the 70s that previously were known for acoustic music turne d to techno production, such as Taeko Onuki and Akiko Yano, and idol producers began employing electronic arrangements for new singers in the 80s.[citation needed] Today, newer artists such as Polysics pay explicit homage to this era of Japanese popular (and in some cases underground or difficult to obtain) music.[citation needed] And the all trio girls band Perfume,who debuted with Tokuma Japan in 2005,are also a techno-pop band, taking on electronic, dance and pop music taking on Auto-Tune, vocoders, and electrohouse upon their signing to a major label. They are currently considered as one of the most popular bands in Japan. Roots music[edit source | editbeta] In the late 1980s, roots bands like Shang Shang Typhoon and The Boom became popular. Okinawan roots bands like Nenes and Kina were also commercially and critically successful. This led to the second wave of Okinawan music, led by the sudden success of Rinkenband. A new wave of bands followed, including the comebacks of Champluse and Kina, as led by Kikusuimaru Kawachiya; very similar to kawachi ondo is Tadamaru Sakuragawa’s goshu ondo. Latin, reggae and ska music[edit source | editbeta] Further information: Japanese reggae and Japanese ska Other forms of music from Indonesia, Jamaica and elsewhere were assimilated. African soukous and Latin music, like Orquesta de la Luz (ã‚ ªÃ£Æ' «Ã£â€š ±Ã£â€š ¹Ã£â€š ¿Ã£Æ' »Ã£Æ'‡ãÆ' »Ã£Æ' ©Ã£Æ' »Ã£Æ' «Ã£â€š ¹), was popular as was Jamaicanreggae and ska, exemplified by Mice Teeth, Mute Beat, La-ppisch, Home Grown and Ska Flames, Determinations, and Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra. Noise music[edit source | editbeta] Main article: Japanoise Another recognized music form from Japan is noise music. The noise from this country is called Japanoise. Its most prominent representative is Masami Akita with his project Merzbow. Theme music[edit source | editbeta] Theme music composed for films, anime, Tokusatsu, and Japanese television dramas are considered a separate music genre. Several prominent musical artists and groups have spent most of their musical careers performing theme songs and composing soundtracks for visual media. Such artists include Masato Shimon (current holder of the world record for most successful single in Japan for â€Å"Oyoge! Taiyaki-kun†),[35] Ichirou Mizuki, all of the members of JAM Project, Akira Kushida, Isao Sasaki, and Mitsuko Horie. Notable composers of Japanese theme music include Joe Hisaishi, Michiru Oshima, Yoko Kanno, Toshihiko Sahashi, Yuki Kajiura, KÃ… tarÃ…  Nakagawa and Yuuki Hayashi. Game music[edit source | editbeta] See also: Video game music, Chiptune, and Bitpop When the first electronic games were sold, they only had rudimentary sound chips with which to produce music. As the technology advanced, the quality of sound and music these game machines could produce increased dramatically. The first game to take credit for its music was Xevious, also noteworthy for its deeply (at that time) constructed stories. Though many games have had beautiful music to accompany their gameplay, one of the most important games in the history of the video game music is Dragon Quest. Koichi Sugiyama, a composer who was known for his music for various anime and TV shows, including Cyborg 009 and a feature film of Godzilla vs. Biollante, got involved in the project out of the pure curiosity and proved that games can have serious soundtracks. Until his involvement, music and sounds were often neglected in the development of video games and programmers with little musical knowledge were forced to write the soundtracks as well. Undaunted by technological limits, Sugi yama worked with only 8 part polyphony to create a soundtrack that would not tire the player despite hours and hours of gameplay. Another well-known author of video game music is Nobuo Uematsu. Even Uematsu’s earlier compositions for the game series, Final Fantasy, on Famicom (Nintendo Entertainment System in America) are being arranged for full orchestral score. In 2003, he even took his rock-based tunes from their original MIDI format and created The Black Mages. Yasunori Mitsuda is a highly known composer of such games as Xenogears, Xenosaga Episode I, Chrono Cross, and Chrono Trigger. Koji Kondo, the main composer for Nintendo, is also prominent on the Japanese game music scene. He is best known for the Zelda and Mario themes. Motoi Sakuraba is also another well-known video game composer. He is known for composing the Tales Series, Dark Souls, Eternal Sonata, Star Ocean, Valkyrie Profile, Golden Sun, and theBaten Kaitos games, as well as numerous Mario Sports games. Yuzo Koshiro is also noted for his work with games, having composed electronic music-influenced soundtracks for games like Revenge of Shinobi and the Streets of Rage series. The techno/trance music production group I’ve Sound has made a name for themselves first by making themes for eroge computer games, and then by breaking into the anime scene by composing themes for them. Unlike others, this group was able to find fans in other parts of the world through their eroge and anime themes. Today, game soundtracks are sold on CD. Famous singers like Hikaru Utada, Nana Mizuki and BoA sometimes sing songs for games as well, and this is also seen as a way for singers to make a names for themselves. ————————————————- See also[edit source | editbeta] * J-pop * Visual kei * All-Japan Band Association * Buddhist music * Chindonya * Enka * Group Sounds * Japanese hardcore * Japanese hip hop * Japanese ska * Japanoise * Oricon * RyÃ… «kÃ… ka * Shibuya-kei * ShintÃ…  music * Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra * List of Japanese rock bands * List of Japanese hip hop musicians * List of J-pop artists * In scale * Voice acting in Japan

Angry Birds Physics Lab Essays

Angry Birds Physics Lab Essays Angry Birds Physics Lab Paper Angry Birds Physics Lab Paper Kyle Brooks 11/13/12 Angry Birds Projectile Motion Lab How to Perfect Distances Of Birds using Launching Angles Purpose: The Purpose of this Lab is to discover which launch angles give the birds the longest and shortest time in flight. Hypothesis: I believe that the bird will launch the farthest at the 45 degree angle because that’s exactly half of 90 degrees which will give it the maximum height in comparison to length. I also think that the bird will launch the shortest at 0 degrees because it will go a very short distance because it has such a steep launch angle. Apparatus: Materials: Angry Birds application Protractor to measure angles Level with no obstructions in the birds path (level 1) Red angry birds Procedure: 1. )Gather birds, launcher, other materials, and open up angry birds application. 2. )Launch birds at 0, 45, and 90 degrees (or your choice of angles to test) and record data. (Make sure the level is one that doesn’t obstruct the path of the birds and contains only red angry birds. Like level 1. ) 3. )Repeat step 2 3 times and record distances for each angle. . )Look at the qualitative data and come to a conclusion of which angle gives the bird that farthest distance and which the least. (Record distances. ) Variables: Controlled: Power birds are launched at (maximum), type of angry birds (red birds), level where test were done (level 1) Independent: Angle the angry birds are launched at Responding: Birds travel a certain distance based off the angle they are launched at. Data: Distance Traveled by Bird (Qualitative) Angle of Launch Trial0 degrees45 degrees90 degrees Slightly ForwardOut of the screenNearly to the Structure 2 Slightly ForwardOut of the screen2/3 to the Structure 3Slightly BackwardsOut of the screen? to the Structure 4No MovementOut of the screen2/3 to the Structure 5Slightly BackwardsOut of the screen? to the Structure Data Analysis: According to the previous data, the birds launched at 45 degrees went the farthest each time; they went out of the screen on all 5 trials. Birds launched at 0 degrees, on the other hand, barely moved at all and went the shortest distance. Picture of Data: x x xx y y yy y zzzz Key x=0 degrees y=90 degrees z=45 degrees =launch point for birds =the structure birds are aiming for Conclusion: The Question in this lab was which angle would result in the birds going the farthest and shortest distances? I hypothesized that the birds launched at 45 degrees at maximum power would go the farthest because this has the highest height to length ratio. After testing, 45 degrees turned out to help the birds travel the farthest while the birds traveled the shortest distance at 0 degrees. This proves that my hypothesis was correct and 45 degree angle does allow the angry bird to go the farthest distance. Since we had to use a protractor, the design of the experiment doesn’t do a great job of finding the best angle for launch because the level doesn’t tell you what exactly 45 degrees is or what exactly 30 degrees is. This means each test had close to the desired angle, but never the exact. The data has to be measured qualitatively because the application doesn’t give distances or angles. However, we still know that birds travel the farthest at 45 degrees because that is the optimal angle to launch at. Ways to improve this experiment include using an application that gives distances and exact angles to make the data more accurate and the chance to measure quanitativly, applying this experiment in real life to see how accurate the previous data is, and trying more angles to see what other angles work and don’t work for traveling far. To apply this to real life, a real slingshot would have to be made that could be shot at accurate angles and then measure the distance of the projectiles.

B-24 Liberator Bomber in World War II

B-24 Liberator Bomber in World War II The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber that entered service in 1941. A highly modern aircraft for its day, it first saw combat operations with the Royal Air Force. With the American entry into World War II, production of the B-24 increased. By the end of the conflict, over 18,500 B-24s had been constructed making it the most-produced heavy bomber in history. Employed in all theaters by the US Army Air Forces and US Navy, the Liberator routinely served alongside the more rugged Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. In addition to service as heavy bomber, the B-24 played a critical role as a maritime patrol aircraft and aided in closing the air gap during the Battle of the Atlantic. The type was later evolved into the PB4Y Privateer maritime patrol aircraft. Liberators also served as long-range transports under the designation C-87 Liberator Express. Origins In 1938, the United State Army Air Corps approached Consolidated Aircraft about producing the new Boeing B-17 bomber under license as part of the Project A program to expand American industrial capacity. Visiting the Boeing plant in Seattle, Consolidated president Reuben Fleet assessed the B-17 and decided that a more modern aircraft could be designed using existing technology. Subsequent discussions led to the issuing of USAAC Specification C-212. Intended from the outset to be fulfilled by Consolidateds new effort, the specification called for a bomber with a higher speed and ceiling, as well as a greater range than the B-17. Responding in January 1939, the company incorporated several innovations from other projects into the final design which it designated the Model 32. Design Development Assigning the project to chief designer Isaac M. Laddon, Consolidated created a high-wing monoplane that featured a deep fuselage with large bomb-bays and retracting bomb-bay doors. Powered by four Pratt Whitney R1830 twin Wasp engines turning three-bladed variable-pitch propellers, the new aircraft featured long wings to improve performance at high altitude and increase payload. The high aspect ratio Davis wing employed in the design also allowed it to have a relatively high speed and extended range. This latter trait was gained due to wings thickness which provided additional space for fuel tanks. In addition, the wings possessed other technological improvements such as laminated leading edges. Impressed with the design, the USAAC awarded Consolidated a contract to build a prototype on March 30, 1939. Dubbed the XB-24, the prototype first flew on December 29, 1939. Pleased with the prototypes performance, the USAAC moved the B-24 into production the following year. A distinctive aircraft, the B-24 featured a twin tail and rudder assembly as well as flat, slab-sided fuselage. This latter characteristic earned it the name Flying Boxcar with many of its crews. The B-24 was also the first American heavy bomber to utilize tricycle landing gear. Like the B-17, the B-24 possessed a wide array of defensive guns mounted in top, nose, tail, and belly turrets. Capable of carrying 8,000 lbs. of bombs, the bomb-bay was divided in two by a narrow catwalk that was universally disliked by air crews but served as the fuselages structural keel beam. B-24 Liberator - Specifications (B-24J): General Length: 67 ft. 8 in.Wingspan: 110 ft.Height: 18 ft.Wing Area: 1,048 sq. ft.Empty Weight: 36,500 lbs.Loaded Weight: 55,000 lbs.Crew: 7-10 Performance Power Plant: 4 Ãâ€" Pratt Whitney R-1830 turbo-supercharged radial engines, 1,200 hp eachCombat Radius: 2,100 milesMax Speed: 290 mphCeiling: 28,000 ft. Armament Guns: 10 Ãâ€" .50 in. M2 Browning machine gunsBombs: 2,700-8,000 lbs. depending on range An Evolving Airframe An anticipated aircraft, both the Royal and French Air Forces placed orders through the Anglo-French Purchasing Board before the prototype had even flown. The initial production batch of B-24As was completed in 1941, with many being sold directly to the Royal Air Force including those originally meant for France. Sent to Britain, where the bomber was dubbed Liberator, the RAF soon found that they were unsuitable for combat over Europe as they had insufficient defensive armament and lacked self-sealing fuel tanks. Due to the aircrafts heavy payload and long range, the British converted these aircraft for use in maritime patrols and as long range transports. Learning from these issues, Consolidated improved the design and the first major American production model was the B-24C which also included improved Pratt Whitney engines. In 1940, Consolidated again revised the aircraft and produced the B-24D. The first major variant of the Liberator, the B-24D quickly amassed orders for 2,738 aircraft. Overwhelming Consolidateds production capabilities, the company vastly expanded its San Diego, CA factory and built a new facility outside of Fort Worth, TX. At maximum production, the aircraft was built at five different plans across the United States and under license by North American (Grand Prairie, TX), Douglas (Tulsa, OK), and Ford (Willow Run, MI). The latter built a massive plant at Willow Run, MI that, at its peak (August 1944), was producing one aircraft per hour and ultimately built around half of all Liberators. Revised and improved several times throughout World War II, the final variant, the B-24M, ended production on May 31, 1945. Other Uses In addition to its use as a bomber, the B-24 airframe was also the basis for the C-87 Liberator Express cargo plane and the PB4Y Privateer maritime patrol aircraft. Though based on the B-24, the PBY4 featured a single tail fin as opposed to the distinctive twin tail arrangement. This design was later tested on the B-24N variant and engineers found that it improved handling. Though an order for 5,000 B-24Ns was placed in 1945, it was cancelled a short time later when the war ended. Due to the B-24s range and payload capabilities, it was able to perform well in the maritime role, however the C-87 proved less successful as the aircraft had difficulty landing with heavy loads. As a result, it was phased out as the C-54 Skymaster became available. Though less effective in this role, the C-87 fulfilled a vital need early in the war for transports capable of flying long distances at high altitude and saw service in many theaters including flying the Hump from India to China. All told, 18,188 B-24s of all types were built making it the most produced bomber of World War II. Operational History The Liberator first saw combat action with the RAF in 1941, however due to their unsuitability they were reassigned to RAF Coastal Command and transport duty. Improved RAF Liberator IIs, featuring self-sealing fuel tanks and powered turrets, flew the types first bombing missions in early 1942, launching from bases in the Middle East. Though Liberators continued to fly for the RAF throughout the war, they were not employed for strategic bombing over Europe. With the US entry into World War II, the B-24 began to see extensive combat service. The first US bombing mission was a failed attack on Wake Island on June 6, 1942. Six days later, a small raid from Egypt was launched against the Ploesti oil fields in Romania. As US bomber squadrons deployed, the B-24 became the standard American heavy bomber in the Pacific Theater due to its longer range, while a mix of B-17 and B-24 units were sent to Europe. Operating over Europe, the B-24 became one of the principal aircraft employed in the Allies Combined Bomber Offensive against Germany. Flying as part of the Eighth Air Force in England and the Ninth and Fifteenth Air Forces in the Mediterranean, B-24s repeated pounded targets across Axis-controlled Europe. On August 1, 1943, 177 B-24s launched a famous raid against Ploesti as part of Operation Tidal Wave. Departing from bases in Africa, the B-24s struck the oil fields from low altitude but lost 53 aircraft in the process. Battle of the Atlantic While many B-24s were hitting targets in Europe, others were playing a key role in winning the Battle of the Atlantic. Flying initially from bases in Britain and Iceland, and later the Azores and the Caribbean, VLR (Very Long Range) Liberators played a decisive role in closing the air gap in the middle of the Atlantic and defeating the German U-boat threat. Utilizing radar and Leigh lights to locate the enemy, B-24s were credited in the sinking of 93 U-boats. The aircraft also saw extensive maritime service in the Pacific where B-24s and its derivative, the PB4Y-1, wreaked havoc on Japanese shipping. During the course of the conflict, modified B-24s also service as electronic warfare platforms as well as flew clandestine missions for the Office of Strategic Services.   Crew Issues While a workhorse of the Allied bombing effort, the B-24 was not hugely popular with American air crews who preferred the more rugged B-17. Among the issues with the B-24 was its inability to sustain heavy damage and remain aloft. The wings in particular proved vulnerable to enemy fire and if hit in critical areas could give way completely. It was not uncommon to see a B-24 falling from the sky with its wings folded upwards like a butterfly. Also, the aircraft proved highly susceptible to fires as many of the fuel tanks were mounted in the upper parts of the fuselage. In addition, crews nicknamed the B-24 the Flying Coffin as it possessed only one exit which was located near the tail of the aircraft. This made it difficult to impossible for the flight crew to escape a crippled B-24. It was due to these issues and the emergence of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress in 1944, that the B-24 Liberator was retired as a bomber at the end of hostilities. The PB4Y-2 Privateer, a fully navalized derivative of the B-24, remained in service with the US Navy until 1952 and with the US Coast Guard until 1958. The aircraft was also used in aerial firefighting through 2002 when a crash led to all remaining Privateers being grounded.

Will The Paperless Office Ever Become A Reality Essay

Will The Paperless Office Ever Become A Reality - Essay Example It has been known that the debate on the paperless office becoming a reality has been raging on for quite some time and many individuals involved in this debate have had their own facts & figures that support the stand that they have taken. This essay would therefore work towards using all such reviews found from various articles and internet sources for providing suitable information on how the paperless office is poised to become a reality in the near future. During the past few years, with the introduction of he electronic mediums and with the option of being able to do almost all our work using this medium in the form of computers and software, it has been assumed that many have started to shun using paper wherever possible. On a similar note, there have been instances where people have not been in favor of using the electronic medium for activities such as reading novels, reports etc. of course, e-books continue to be an important form for storing information, but they are limited to technical manuals as on today. In this context, it is interesting to know that around 30-40% of work is done on papers.

The birth and rise of islam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The birth and rise of islam - Essay Example God, provides the basis for a collective sense of loyalty to God that transcends race, nationality, class and even differences in religious practice. Thus, all Muslims belong to one community, the umma, irrespective of their ethnic or national background Muhammad was born in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, about 570 C.E. His father, ‘Abd Allah, died before Muhammad’s birth. His mother, Aminah, died when he was about six years old. At that time the Arabs practiced a form of worship of Allah that was centered in the Mecca valley, at the sacred site of the Kabah. A simple cube like building where a black meteorite was revered. As Muhammad grew up, he questioned the practices of his day. At age 25, Muhammad married Khadija, a well-to-do, 40-year-old woman. At age 40, during a retreat in the hills outside Mecca, Muhammad had his first experience of Islam. The angel Gabriel appeared to a fearful Muhammad and informed him that he was Gods chosen messenger. Gabriel also communicated to Muhammad the first revelation from God. Terrified and shaken, Muhammad went to his home. His wife became the first person to accept his message and convert to Islam. After receiving a series of additional revelations, Muhammad started preaching the new reli gion, initially to a small circle of relatives and friends, and then to the general public. The Meccans first ignored Muhammad, then ridiculed him. As more people accepted Muhammads call, the Meccans became more aggressive. After failing to sway Muhammad away from the new religion they started to persecute his less prominent followers. When this approach did not work, the opposing Meccans decided to persecute Muhammad himself. By this time, two main tribes from the city of Yathrib, about 300 km (200 mi) north of Mecca, had invited Muhammad to live there. The clan leaders invited Muhammad to Yathrib as an impartial religious authority to arbitrate disputes. In return, the leaders pledged to accept Muhammad as a prophet and thus support the new