Drugs and Music Revolution of 1960s Essays

Drugs and Music Revolution of 1960s Essays Drugs and Music Revolution of 1960s Paper Drugs and Music Revolution of 1960s Paper Essay on The 1960s Music and Drug Revolution The decade of the 1960s is most likely talked about because of the Vietnam War, but most over look what was going on in America. Back in the states the faces of angry anti- war activists were on every major street corner you looked, they protested for peace and to get their brothers out of the Jungles where the vicious war took place. The sixties were also the forefront of the Civil Rights Movement for Black Americans to receive racial dignity, economic and political self-sufficiency: with voting rights, and also freedom from white Americans. Lastly the four major political ssassinations of John F Kennedy, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr. , and Robert F. Kennedy all took place one after another in this decade leaving the Americans in heartbreak and turmoil. Politically leaving the United States at a standpoint on what the hell is there to do next. To get away from the mess, the most effective escape of the time was the music. It changed the depressing feeling to help make the people somewhat forget what harsh realities are happening around them and give them hope. With the music so empowering to some this brought to us what we now know as the Hippie Movement. (Yapp). Most were fed up with the United States leading to thousands of carefree people to hard drugs and rock and roll. During the hard ships in the sixties people used music to find the glass half full instead of half empty. All of the events of the sixties had an effect on the way the people dressed then and still to this day. Self-expression of the 1960s led men and women to grow their hair long and dress freely in bright colors and daring prints that were outrageous and had never been seen before. Events: The 1960s started out on a good foot with John F Kennedy, as President America as happy with the way politics were being handled. He was the second youngest president to ever be in office. John was elected in 1961 and was putting a pretty big hand print on the Americans with big events such as the Bay of Pigs Invasion, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the building of the Berlin Wall, the Space Race, the African- American Civil Rights Movement, and early stages of the Vietnam War. Until 1963 Lee Harvey Oswald assassinated him with a shot to the upper back and a final shot to the head. Pronouncing him dead 30 minutes alter. To this day Kennedy continues to rank ighly in public opinion ratings of U. S. presidents. Following Kennedys assassination were the deaths of civil rights leaders Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr. , and JFKs brother Robert F. Kennedy. All four of these deaths happening in such a short amount of time left Americans with really no guidance on what to do next and what was going to happen to them. Socially the United States was tired of being let down and many decided to go about their own ways of carefree living. Many were also in poverty so looking for a brighter side to life. The outcome of looking for a better life was to be a hippie. The ubculture started out with the youth and quickly rose and spread across country and even into some other countries. Hippies created their own communities, listened to psychedelic rock, embraced the sexual revolution and many used drugs such as Marijuana, LSD and mushrooms to explore an altered state ot consciousness. Something that cannot be ignored was the Vietnam War that mainly took place in the 1960s. The war had an estimated 47, 355 American casualties, with men and women losing lives left and right many were in a deep depression. The war went on from 1955 to 1975 with the United States getting highly involved in the 60s. The US got involved to help prevent communism in South Vietnam for containment; with overwhelming firepower, air support, airstrikes, search and destroy operations, and lots of heavy artillery. Although the war did not end until the 70s, the capture of Saigon by the Vietnam Peoples Army in 1975 marked the end of the war, and North and South Vietnam were reunified the following year. Descriptive: The different styles and trends of the sixties are extremely different with all the different social groups. Starting off with the early times of the sixties when John F. Kennedy was still the president and first lady Jacqueline Kennedy (Illustration 1) was the icon of elegance and poise. Her style consisted of pillbox hats, suits in pastel colors with big buttons and short Jackets. A casual day consisted of capris and versatile layers in bright colors these styles were increasingly popular. The sixties were also a time of the British Invasion in America. The ever so popular bad The Beatles had arrived in America at this time with their hit songs still listened to until this day. This sparked a style of what we call Mod. Mod short for Modernists; consisting of women copying mens style with fitted Levis Jeans and sneakers. Also wearing mens shirts, tailors suits, mini skirts, A-line skirts, and trousers. The Mod style icon was Twiggy (Illustration 2), a popular British model who broke the rules for women style and taking them out of the conservative long dress and long skirt confines of the previous 1950s. Finding your personal style and dressing how you felt was the biggest trend of all. The best known and most significant of all was the Hippie style catalyst. Giving the people of the sixties ultimate comfort and self-expression. This style consisted of oose- fitting clothes; most often tie dyed pieces and adding the perfect accent to top off an outfit with a flower. Flowers showing a sign for peace during the rough times of war going on back in Vietnam. Hip-hugger bell-bottom Jeans were incredibly popular for both men and women and following these Jeans were peasant shirts, skirts and halter-tops (Illustration 3). Another trend was women sewing patches of different cloth on to their clothes to either cover holes or simply for decoration. Lastly in the late sixties the anything goes look was the outcome after all the not so everlasting trends in the previous years. Of course more new trends did thrive such as closer to the body clothing with firmly belted waistlines on dresses, suits and blouses showing off the hips. The film, Bonnie and Clyde gave the inspiration for jumper dresses and suits. The film also gave off wide leg pants giving a more professional look; that carried on into the 1970s, compared to the very messy hippie look. The hippie look was actually inspired and really made in toa mess by the music of the 1960s. Music was being influenced by so many new trends that had never happened before, the new ways of politics, economics and carefree lifestyle.. Drugs elped ease the pain and became the most influential variables in the music of the s es The rock and roll and pop music all started out small and underground until it became mainstream. Soon to be known as the psychedelic era, this era introduced drugs to be an important aspect of music and a part of the typical day of a rock star. The listeners of the music also used drugs like acid and marijuana to enhance the overall experience of the sounds, movements and brightness of lights during the shows and music festivals. Bands such as The Byrds and The Grateful Dead used drugs like LSD, marijuana, and heroin (Illustration 4). They believed using drugs would make a difference of the previous music in the 1950s, and were very successful with blowing the 50s music away. The effect that the drugs had on the band was turning them into real musicians, ones that could capture the audiences attention in just a couple of strums ofa guitar. This new music started around the San Francisco area and spread across the nation. Young people greeted the new genre of music with open arms and drugs helped change the way to enjoy the new wave of music. It also became apparent that the British group The Beatles started to use LSD when ecording in the studio. The song Tomorrow Never Knows was a product of the famous group high on an acid trip. Toward the end of the sixties the iconic music festival called The Peace and Music Festival of Woodstock. The three-day festival was hugely successful and the first ever of its kind to occur (Illustration 5). More than two million people tried to get in, with borders and state lines closed due to the amount of people. The festival headlined different bands from across the world and was a place to demonstrate peace. Even though during most of the three-day event it oured rain it did not stop anyone from putting a damper on the mood. Putting a close to the sixties a few years later was the end of the Vietnam War however the end of war did not put an end to drug use. Many people had lost their lives in the psychedelic era either from a gunshot in the Far East of a prick of a heroin laced needle in the United States. These tragedies were captured in the music of the sixties and is remembered and reminded to the generations to come. Compare and Contrast: From the radical 1960s to the present time now there are so many things have changed and so many things have also stayed the same. Starting with the fashion of the 60s consisting of women wearing mens wear clothing as a huge trend that went on throughout the time and is still to this day. There is also the mid 60s, which was when the hippie look was widely popular, and the baggy look with long shirts and pajama looking pants with low hemlines. Today everything is a high hemline and form-fitting clothes from tight denim Jeans to crop top shirts for girls. Although the 60s did go through a phase of tight bell bottom pants made of polyester. Thankfully, those are not seen any more in present time. Another comparison is the Civil Rights Movement that happened in the sixties. Black Americans wanted the legal freedom from whites, voting rights, as well as inside schools, and over all racial dignity. Ever since this Conclusion: The 1960s was no doubt a revelation that changed America forever. With so many monumental experiences that will most likely never happen again. Fashion is of course torever changing but more so in the 1 Starting early on witn clean cut pastel suits to the late sixties tie dye shirts; skintight bell-bottom Jeans and long hair were the trend. All of the tragedies in the sixties it had a huge impact on music and hat the American people felt, what they were feeling was the way they dressed and showed self-expression through their clothes. Music was a huge part of peoples lives back then, that was the only thing that young adults had to look forward to and music is even more relatable today. Music speaks to people in ways that no one can describe, almost life changing to some. The artists and bands of the 60s talked about what was going on around them inside their song lyrics. Making it easily relatable to their fans and to the American people to make it seem like they were all in the mess together and never by themselves.

Free Essays on Sexuality In Bran Stokers Dracula

Sexuality in Bram Stoker’s Dracula An extremely strong sense of sexuality serves as the driving force behind Bram Stoker’s novel, Dracula. This theme is not a directly stated theme in the novel, but it can easily be implied by the reader. Before I read the novel, I never thought of it being so â€Å"sexy†, but as reflect on my reading now, Dracula was definitely one of the â€Å"sexiest† novels ever written. Before reading Dracula I thought I had a pretty good picture of how a vampire really appeared physically: a man, older aged, pale skin, black hair, fangs, and dressed in all black. I honestly thought that the vampire’s act of â€Å"blood sucking† was just that, but looking back on my reading of the novel, I realize that it was a very sexual act indeed. The sexuality of the text nearly jumped off the page and hit me right in the face, so to speak. There are several examples of somewhat graphic sexuality present throughout the course of Dracula. The vampire’s sexual nature comes out initially during Jonathan Harker’s encounter with the three female vampires residing in Dracula’s castle. Harker confronted them as extremely appealing objects but who held an element of danger. Harker noted, â€Å"I felt in my heart a wicked, burning desire that they would kiss me with their red lips (Ch.3).† Stoker went on to describe the three women as sensual predators and their bite as a kiss. One of the women anticipated the object of their desire [Jonathan Harker], â€Å"He is young and strong; there are kisses for us all.† As they approached, Harker waited in delightful anticipation, much like a new husband waiting on his bride on their wedding night. This encounter between Jonathan Harker and the three women vampires was very sexual in nature. After this, the attention in the novel is transferred to Lucy Westenra and Mina Murray. Lucy is the object of the attention of three male characters in the novel: Quincy Morris, John Seward, a... Free Essays on Sexuality In Bran Stoker's Dracula Free Essays on Sexuality In Bran Stoker's Dracula Sexuality in Bram Stoker’s Dracula An extremely strong sense of sexuality serves as the driving force behind Bram Stoker’s novel, Dracula. This theme is not a directly stated theme in the novel, but it can easily be implied by the reader. Before I read the novel, I never thought of it being so â€Å"sexy†, but as reflect on my reading now, Dracula was definitely one of the â€Å"sexiest† novels ever written. Before reading Dracula I thought I had a pretty good picture of how a vampire really appeared physically: a man, older aged, pale skin, black hair, fangs, and dressed in all black. I honestly thought that the vampire’s act of â€Å"blood sucking† was just that, but looking back on my reading of the novel, I realize that it was a very sexual act indeed. The sexuality of the text nearly jumped off the page and hit me right in the face, so to speak. There are several examples of somewhat graphic sexuality present throughout the course of Dracula. The vampire’s sexual nature comes out initially during Jonathan Harker’s encounter with the three female vampires residing in Dracula’s castle. Harker confronted them as extremely appealing objects but who held an element of danger. Harker noted, â€Å"I felt in my heart a wicked, burning desire that they would kiss me with their red lips (Ch.3).† Stoker went on to describe the three women as sensual predators and their bite as a kiss. One of the women anticipated the object of their desire [Jonathan Harker], â€Å"He is young and strong; there are kisses for us all.† As they approached, Harker waited in delightful anticipation, much like a new husband waiting on his bride on their wedding night. This encounter between Jonathan Harker and the three women vampires was very sexual in nature. After this, the attention in the novel is transferred to Lucy Westenra and Mina Murray. Lucy is the object of the attention of three male characters in the novel: Quincy Morris, John Seward, a...

Marketing Communications Plan for TOPSHOP Essay

Marketing Communications Plan for TOPSHOP - Essay Example The rationale behind promoting the brand as a commercially affordable one through different means is in accordance with the prediction in a report of Key Note Publications Ltd (2000) that the bulk and standard clothing high street stores of UK will come under utmost pressure to differentiate and align their products in terms of quality, price and style especially in the turbulent times when the youth market is shrinking and more disposable income lies with the older age groups. TOPSHOP will hire a local PR firm to help it implement the marketing plan. It will look over its publicity issues in a very cost-effective manner. The marketing message, slogan and tagline of TOPSHOP will be strategically exploited to keep it in the eye of all the consumers. The reputation and good will in the industry will be assured through the PR firm. The clothes from TOPSHOP will be displayed at the London Fashion Week which will increase their awareness and exposure. Shim and Dranke (1991) identified the key features of profitable stores and amongst these features were the use of exhibitions as a tool of promotion. Their research focused on elements of specific business practices and promotions for the women’s apparel market and the conclusions were drawn on the fact that fashion shows does in fact work to positively promote the merchandise of a company (Shim & Dranke 1991). The recent research by Adams and Browning also confirmed that trade shows and exhibitions are highly effective communication vehicle for the targeted market. The direct marketing through competent sales personnel would be executed. It is also under the plan to mail the newsletter directly to the current customer database.

US History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

US History - Essay Example It even had parallels to other existing societal trends in other countries such as the United States. In fact, there were a handful of Nazi groups in the United States that enjoyed free rein before the bombing of Pearl Harbor. During his imprisonment in 1925, Adolf Hitler came up with his theories for a political movement that placed the Aryan (German) people at the top of a hierarchy of races. This movement, later called the Nazi movement, aimed for Aryan supremacy and a central Aryan government that would eliminate â€Å"impure breeds† such as Jews and other races. Hitler’s philosophies mirror the American policies of the 1920’s. During this period, America adopted an isolationist policy and had a general popular sentiment that looked down upon immigrants, Catholics, Jews and Blacks (Kennedy et al., 382). Hitler himself admired America during this period and commended them for their immigration policies and popular sentiment that did not favor people of different races. He specifically noted the â€Å"race-based anti-immigration laws and for the subordination of the "inferior" black population.† and attributes their success to their efforts at keeping themselves racially pure (â€Å"Nazi†) This view, however, did not last as he denounced the United States as â€Å"a mongrel nation †¦half Judaised, half Negrified† following America’s adoption of greater racial freedom and rights. He believed this would cause the United States’ early defeat during the war (â€Å"Nazi†) Before the bombing at Pearl Harbor, Nazi groups, while vilified by most, existed in the United States. However, the handful that did demonstrate publicly in the United States melted away in the aftermath of Pearl Harbor. America, in the face of outright hostility from Germany, did not join the fray after Germany’s advances in Europe. This was due to its isolationist policy, and its reluctance to be dragged into the war. Although, they believed the

J&L and Hedging Essay Example for Free

JL and Hedging Essay JL Railroad should take a long position. They need to purchase diesel fuel in the future, they don’t produce diesel fuel, so they would want to take a future to be able to lock in the price of diesel fuel for future purchases. 2. What problems could the use of heating oil futures for hedging create for JL? Note: I assume this question is asking about heating oil specifically not futures in general. As heating oil is not the same product as diesel fuel, therefore there could still be some exposure (risk) for JL. There has been a historical correlation between heating oil prices and diesel fuel prices, but this might not be true for the future. The futures for heating oil are contracts for delivery of 42,000 gallons – the amount of diesel fuel needed in any month is unlikely to equal 42,000 gallons or a multiple of that amount. As the heating oil futures mature on the last business day of the preceding month and therefore the purchase would have to occur on that day. 3. Explain why the daily settlement of futures contracts can create cash-flow problems for JL? If JL purchases a long future contract, they have to provide the initial margin for each contract. If the price of heating oil goes down (even for a short period) to bring the margin to below the maintenance margin, JL would be required to top up the margin to the initial margin amount. If they don’t have the ready funds to do this their futures contract would be cancelled. This could require JL to maintain a substantial amount of cash or the availability of a line of credit they can draw on, as needed. The costs to hold this much cash or the interest on a line of credit may exceed the value of the hedging of diesel fuel prices. As the contract hasn’t closed yet (and it could be a while until it does depending on the length of the contract) these daily settlements could affect the interim cash needs of the company. If the price goes up there isn’t an issue with cash needs (other than the initially required margin). 4. How do options on futures work? Why can trading options on futures can be preferable than trading options on the physical heating oil? An option on a future is the ability to purchase the future (or sell the future) at a given price. If the future doesn’t reach that price, you don’t have to buy it. An amount called a premium is charged for the options. If instead of trading options on a future, JL could trade options on heating oil. Exercising an option on a future only requires the cash margin to be deposited, exercising an option on heating oil would require the total value of the heating oil exercise price to paid.

Comparing Love in the Film, Secrets and Lies and Toni Morrisons Belove

Possessive Love in Secrets and Lies and Beloved  Ã‚        The word â€Å"freedom† is subject to various degrees of interpretation in the sense that it can be used in more than one context.   One definition of freedom is the idea of having your own sense of self without the control of others.   On the other hand, a lack of freedom is the idea of feeling trapped and smothered in a situation one has no control over.   Freedom can relate to school, relationships, or even within oneself.   A lack of freedom can have nothing to do with other people but with the ball and chain that can be placed on by oneself.   Of course the outside world will be involved, but the pain of feeling trapped comes from the frustration that fills one’s soul.   A lack of freedom can result from a twisted circle of other events and other people.   In the novel Beloved and the film Secrets and Lies, the enslavement that Roxanne and Denver feel result from their mothers’ possessive love.   Sethe and Cynthia both have horrific pasts , leaving them in captivity and causing them to have unhealthy relationships with their daughters.   Sethe and Cynthia love the only way the know how, possessively and dependently, causing Denver and Roxanne’s mental enslavement.   In the film Secrets and Lies, both Cynthia and her twenty-one year-old daughter Roxanne, live a life of captivity.   Cynthia’s is due to her unexplained past, while Roxanne’s is in result of her overbearing mother.   Cynthia’s lack of freedom does not result from another’s actions, but from her own past.   The trauma and lack of love she has experienced, has been blocked out and instead of dealing with it, she lives off of the attention of others.   When she meets her daughter Hortense, whom she had given up for adopt... ...or a life as it is now under Beloved’s control, she chooses a life for herself.   By having support for the first time, freeing both of her daughters, and restoring her sense of self, Sethe is on her way to a life of happiness and trust, rather than dependence on others.   Although their backgrounds are completely different, both Cynthia and Sethe battle the same demons.   Their pasts have consumed them and dependence on others, or complete isolation is the only way they know how to deal with it.   This causes the mental enslavement of Roxanne and Denver.  Ã‚   In order to overcome their emotional scars, they must learn to stand on their own two feet.   Only when they do this will they be able to release their daughters, and restore their own self worth and freedom for all.       Works Cited Morrison, Toni.   Beloved.   New York: Penguin Books, 1998.      

Psmp Unit 1 – Reading Report – Federalism

Purpose: To inform the reader by outliningthe dialogue that took place at the ASSA/IPAA Federalism Rountable in May, 2007. Wanna summarises discussions on the: -historical trajectory and present characteristics of Australian federalism; -perceived shortcomings and challenges surrounding ourcurrent system of government; -relevance of federalism both from an increasingly globalised national perspective and within a nation of small population and relative cultural homogeny; and -various suggestions from those present to bring aboutreform. 77) Argument/Findings The Paper articulates the collective findings of those present at the Roundtable. Wanna makes comment on some main themes that emanated e. g. whilst considerable faith was placed in a clearer demarcation of governmental roles and responsibilities to address federalism’s perceived current ‘malaise’, Wanna notes there was nothing put forward to firmly support this assumption and consequentlyquestions the true wor th of articulating and clarifying roles and responsibilities.The Paper highlightsthe Roundtable’s observationthat numerous federal nationshave tended towards centralisation in recent times, coupled with declines in regional and localised identity; it predicted a gravitation of national issues to the Commonwealth level and a shift of regional and service delivery issues towards State governments over the next 20 years.There was consensus that greater trust, ‘strategic pragmatism’ and improved intergovernmental relations were needed to reform federalism and provide enhanced policy outcomes for the Australian community. (149) Evidence The Paper provides a firsthand summary of discussion, findings and suggestions from a Roundtable of politicians, senior state and federal public servants, and academics, supported by background information papers from credible sources. (32) Observations The Paper is a record of a collective discussion, notan argumentative essay. The do es not, nor does it purport to be, a balanced view of federalism in a broader or historical sense. -Roundtables by their very nature are high level and do not allow for drilling down to the finer details of an issue; this is worth bearing in mind when considering the article as some of the context may have been overlooked in relation to the finer points made by participants. The Paperhighlights that federalism has by necessity proven to be a much more flexible and dynamic governance structure than waslikely envisaged at its inception;it could be argued that federalism’s seeming robustness and changeability is entirely appropriate to what is now a highly changeable local, national and globalised community, despite looking markedly different to what it may have first looked like at federation. -It is submitted that the need for greater levels of trust between levels of government to make federalism work is potentially made more challenging by the dynamic of our two-party system of government. 185) Other relevant or related readings 1. Keddie, J. N and R. F. I. Smith. 2009, ‘Leading from Below: How Sub-National Governments Influence Policy Agendas. ’Australian Journal of Public Administration, No. 68 Vol. 1, pp. 67-82. Rather than outlining a perceived malaise and decrease in the relevance of the States in our federal system, Keddie& Smith argue that States have a responsibility to ensure they remain integral tobroader policy and decision-making agendas. (45) 2. Hollander, R. And H. Patapan. 2007, ‘Pragmatic Federalism: Australian Federalism from Hawke to Howard. ’ Australian Journal of Public Administration, Vol. 6 No. 3 pp. 280-297 The Hollander & Patapan article provides broader historical analysis that seeks to explain fundamental aspects of our system of federalism and conclusions on why the trend of centralisation has occurred. (30) 3. Parkin, A. 2003, ‘The States, Federalism and Political Science: A Fifty-Year Apprais al. ’ Australian Journal of Public Administration, Vol. 62 No. 2, June, pp. 101-112 The Parkin Paper provides broader analysis of the state of federalism than both the Wanna and Hollander & Patapan articles, providing a fifty year appraisal of Australian governance from the States’ perspective. (32)

Analysis of “If” by Rudyard Kipling Essay

The fist stanza of the poem â€Å"If† talks about being true to yourself. There are always people who misjudge you or don’t like or respect you for one reason or the other. It tells you to rise above those obstacles and prove them wrong and yourself right. You should not let others provoke you into doing things which you know are wrong. The second stanza of the poem talks about overcoming obstacles that may come your way and follow your dreams. It tells us to persevere, keep going and never give up even when times get rough.   It is hard to jump back in after negative or hurtful things have happened in your life but the third stanza tells us not to give up. If we believe in ourselves, we can surely redo the positive things that made us happy sometime ago over again. The writer obviously knew how hard sometimes life can become. He therefore initiated a sense of hope in this stanza. The last stanza tells us that we are all equal no matter what. We shouldn’t and mustn’t put ourselves above or below anyone because we are just as good as anyone else. There is one thing you can relate to in a person if you really look deep down inside and try. It also teaches us to never waste time and make every second of the day that we have count. In a nutshell, this poem is like a piece of advice to us all to be positive and pay attention to the type of world we live in.

Evolution--Its True essays

EvolutionIt's True essays The origins of mankind is an extremely controversial issue within todays society. Scientists have a host of different theories pertaining to mans inhabitance of earth. Many disagreements arise between scientists who have different beliefs pertaining to where and how mankind arose. One such argument is the conflict involving the theory of evolution versus the theory of creation. After research, it is apparent that the theory of evolution is correct. Evolution is the theory that life arose by natural processes at an early stage of the earths history and that complex organisms developed from simpler organisms by a process of slow change (Webster). Its the idea that new species arise from older species after thousands of years of gradual chemical, environmental, and genetic change (Wright). Evolution can also be described as the complex processes by which living organisms originated on earth and have been diversified and modified through sustained changes in form and function. Scientist s, looking for an explanation to the origin of man and other organisms created this evolutionism theory, which also presented answers to the many asked questions dealing with similarities between species. Unlike the theory of creation, which states that the complexity of life and different species can only be explained in terms of a supernatural creator or God who placed life on earth, the theory of evolution has a plethora of evidence proving it to be true. There are several different types of observations that support the theory of organic evolution as an explanation for the similarities and the differences among species. One such observation is in the geologic record. The geologic record is the rock scheme found within the earths outer crust. By means of radioactive dating, the ages of rocks in many places on earth have been determined. Its a timetable of the earths geologic history. This combined with the fo...

Effects of Viagra on Women and Female Sexuality

Effects of Viagra on Women and Female Sexuality When women go through menopause, the hormonal changes they experience often lead to a drop in libido and less interest in sex. Its nature taking its course - just another phase in the female life cycle. Its the way were built and programmed, biologically speaking. So what do we do about Viagra and the other ED (erectile dysfunction) drugs that are now commonplace and marketed directly to men in TV commercials and magazine ads? Its an important question to ponder because as every woman knows, it takes two to tango. Viagras impact on mens sex lives also impacts womens sex lives. Meika Loe has pondered this very question in her book, The Rise of Viagra: How the Little Blue Pill Changed Sex in America. And the answers shes uncovered are disturbing. Loe, who is Assistant Professor of Sociology Anthropology and Womens Studies at Colgate University, has also written extensively about sex and senior women. Viagra is marketed to aging men whose female counterparts are going through their own sexual crisis: menopause. These women want less sex but their partners now want more. Isnt this counter-intuitive? Doesnt this turn the bedroom into a battlefield at a time when women are already vulnerable (e.g., empty nest syndrome, feeling less attractive as we age, physical changes due to menopause including hair loss and weight gain, etc.) I recently visited my OB/GYN, and upon hearing about this research, she volunteered that many of her women patients have complained that Viagra has not helped their sex lives. The introduction of the pill has made sexuality, among other things, intercourse-focused and thus less satisfying. We hear this kind of thing over and over. My analysis of syndicated advice columns after Viagras debut in 1998 revealed many negative responses among women. Women writing to Dear Abby, for example, were either no longer interested in sex (and thus Viagra created new unwelcome pressure to be sexually active again), or fearing their husbands were having affairs in the context of their newfound sexual potency, and/or experiencing sometimes painful physiological effects of reigniting their sex lives later in life. It seems that Viagra raised quite a few questions for married women about marital obligation, for example. Then again, there were other letters that reflected excitement about husbands feeling healthy and confident after a period of impotence, so the response to Viagra in the population is quite complex. It would have been nice to see an explosion of people communicating about sexuality after Viagras release, but in our pill-for-everything culture, we tend to let the pill do the work and forget that it may not be an end-all be-all. Viagra tended to just exacerbate or throw light on already existing problems in relationships. It should be telling that at this point, almost 10 years after Viagras debut, only 50% of men who received prescriptions for Viagra end up refilling their prescriptions. Its not simply about a man being able to have pleasurable sex. Its also about power and dominance, virility despite aging. Its a way for men to deny that they are past their sexual peak. What are the long-term implications for a society that has Viagra in its drug arsenal? Viagra was the harbinger of things to come in the form of the pharmacology of aging and sexuality (sexual medicine is in expansion mode post-Viagra). All of this is due to a combination of, among other things, changing demographics (e.g. aging population), direct to consumer advertising/consumer-based medicine (Viagra being one of the first drugs to be advertised directly to the consumer) and pharmaceutical expansion. It is important to see that Viagras popularity fits in a particular cultural moment in our history, and there will be/have been plenty of other products to follow (including medications) that emphasize the holy triumvirate: youth, vitality, and performance. In short, as a sociologist, I see Viagra as a cultural product and thus a window onto our culture. It helps us see where we are when it comes to sexuality (and our ambivalence), gender (masculinity and sexual performance packaged together), medicine (quick-fix and lifestyle enhancement emphasis more than ever), and aging (we’re uncomfortable with it but do we all want to be 18 again?). Pfizer has helped to reinforce these traditional and not-so-traditional ideals with Viagra and it has been fascinating to see how successful they have been here and around the world with this youth, vitality, and performance-based message. Again, now that the initial curiosity factor has disappeared, it is unclear how successful sexual dysfunction medication really is. Viagra has spurred several like products – Cialis and Levitra. But the refill rate on all three is low. Viagra is certainly sociologically significant as it has highlighted many social problems in the way we do health and gender and sexuality in our society. Is Viagra Use Common Within the General Population? How does this affect behavior or alter men and womens sexual intimacy? It is difficult to find demographic information about who uses Viagra, but in internet chat rooms, doctors offices, pharmacies, etc. you find men of all ages interested in discussing the drug. We spoke with young men who had purchased Viagra out of insecurity- a just in case situation where they felt they had to live up to some social standard their first time and had purchased the pills (or borrowed them) to have some assurance of adequate performance. We also spoke with men in their 80s who felt like it gave them life again. Meika Loe, author of The Rise of Viagra: How the Little Blue Pill Changed Sex in America, acknowledges that Viagra and other ED (erectile dysfunction) drugs create additional pressure in the already complex sex lives of men and women. She also noted how it underscores the sexual ambivalence present in our society- our obsession and disgust with sex. Viagra use has a dark side. John Jamelske, the 67-year-old man who held a number of young women captive as sexual slaves in an underground bunker, took Viagra. Two toxicologists, Harold Milman and S.B. Arnold, have stated in the Annals of Pharmacotherapy that the drug has been suggested as a contributing factor in 22 cases involving aggression, 13 involving rape, and 6 involving murder. Clearly, Viagra is linked to violence against women. In the course of my research I found that Pfizer had consulted with quite a few experts about possible litigation down the line regarding Viagra. A pill for sexual potency can be a dangerous thing in a culture that is highly ambivalent about sexuality- both obsessed and disgusted with it at the same time. This sexual ambivalence is what we have inherited from the Puritans. It is one reason sexuality itself is so emotionally charged and controversial in this country (we see this in regards to sex education, advertising, reproductive politics, etc.). In the U.S. we seem to spend just as much time and effort on censoring sexuality as we do encouraging it, which makes for a very confused populace! We see this confusion in our bedrooms and in the society at large, and when Viagra is added to the mix it can highlight the issues we have with sexuality as a society. Speaking of sexual ambivalence... were a culture thats afraid to talk about sex with our children. So how is it that Viagra and ED drug commercials run during primetime and no one bats an eye? At least one Pfizer TV ad was pulled off the air (the one where the man gets devil horns after taking Viagra) but you’re right- it’s everywhere. Or it was for many years. Viagra racecars. Viagra ads during the Superbowl- and Janet Jackson got flack for showing a breast when during the commercial breaks, ads discussing penises and erections, and beer ads promoting sexuality like crazy were considered appropriate! Viagra was even posted over home base when Pfizer was the primary sponsor of pro baseball. Now we see Levitra and Cialis advertised just as often. It goes back to that Puritan ethic. We’re obsessed with sex and also offended by it- it’s a fine line. An African American woman’s breast crossed the line for some people. Sexuality in the context of medical dysfunction (complete with scientific imprimatuer and legitimacy) seems to pass. When we look at the way men and women use pharmaceutical interventions, men focus on performance (Viagra) and women focus on appearance (Botox). Or is this a gendered generalization? Sociologists would say that these are the values/characteristics we teach each sex to value most. Men are about what they DO, women are about how they LOOK. We reinforce this constantly in our society (just look at ads – men are generally depicted as active, women as body parts, or still lives, or close-ups). So it follows that our drug use maintains these gendered distinctions. What would you like to stress to women of every age about Viagra and womens sexuality? Living in the pharmaceutical era it sometimes seems easiest and most expedient to turn to medication to enhance our lives or fix our problems. However, we can’t forget to attend to ourselves, our relationships, and our lives. Many men found that while Viagra may have helped them physiologically (although for many it didn’t work or came with a host of scary side-effects), it was no solution to general sexual or life satisfaction. In some cases it actually exacerbated existing issues in peoples’ relationships or sense of self. Men and women are wonderfully complex and diverse creatures when it comes to sexuality AND in general. Simple solutions can end up oversimplifying- and doing us a disservice in the process.

Predict future business opportunities and threats in the national and Essay

Predict future business opportunities and threats in the national and global environment - Essay Example The purpose of this paper is to describe and analyze threats and opportunities that businesses face in the future domestically and internationally. The economies of countries have become more interconnected than in the past. A potential opportunity for businesses in the global economy is to take advantage of the growing trade from emerging economies. Emerging economies can be defined as rapidly growing and volatile economies that promise huge potential for growth, but also pose significant political, monetary, and social risks (Businessdictionary). In a lot of these emerging economies there are a growing number of middle class citizens that are looking to purchase consumer products in order to increase their standard of living. Two examples emerging economies that pose a tremendous opportunity for companies looking to expand into foreign markets due to their large populations are China and India. The combined population of China and India account for over one-third of the global popu lation. A market that has been forgotten by the business community which poses an opportunity for companies looking to expand oversees is Africa. The Sub-Sahara African region is considered by many economists as the frontier market. Africa has six of the ten fastest economies in the world (Harare and Johannesburg). Another reason that Africa represents a huge opportunity for businesses in the future is due to the fact that within three decades Africa will surpasses China as the world’s largest workforce. In the future another factor that represents an opportunity for businesses is technological advancement. Companies must invest money in research and development in order to accelerate the process of innovation to bring new technologies to the market. Companies will be able to improve their manufacturing capabilities as technologies such as robotics become advance enough to replace the need for human labor. Automation provides several advantages to companies such as lower labo r costs and greater productivity. â€Å"Automation created hundreds of millions of jobs in entirely new fields† (Kelly). The premise that robotics and automation will increase unemployment is erroneous. The need of low skilled laborers will decrease in the future, but the demand for skilled laborers will rise. New technologies are going to create new markets and more opportunities for new businesses. The supply of labor in the future will change in regards to how companies recruit personnel. The old approach of focusing mainly in employees located near the geographical location of the business will change. Companies in the future are going to look more to recruit employees internationally because it will become harder to find educated employees in many fields from the local labor supply. The governments of the different nations across the world are going to have to change their immigration policies in order to adjust to the needs of global corporations. In the future companie s will be able to reduce their operating costs associated with energy due to the fact that renewable energy sources will become cheap enough to replace the dependency on petroleum as the main source of energy and gasoline. Despite all the positive scenarios of the future of business there are also threats that corporations must deal with. Robotics poses both an opportunity and a threat. If machines evolve enough to have artificial intelligence that is smarter than the human brain it is possible that the robotics

Critically analyse three different stylistic usages of English 1.The Essay

Critically analyse three different stylistic usages of English 1.The language of Poetry, 2.Journalese, 3.The language of Adverti - Essay Example Grammatical devices make ads closer to the audience, translating them from written into oral manner. In other words, written ads should be memorable for the audience as if they heard them every day. Grammatical simplicity (Example 4) and easy perception of ads is the right way to gain a wider audience (Bovee & Arens, 2006). Moreover, definite articles play an important semantic role in ads. They are widely used in ads and create ‘particularity of reference’ (Example 5). Of course, the usage of specific grammatical devices is not enough to reach success in advertising. Creative writing, such as usage of puns, polysemy, alliteration, metaphors etc is an integral part of a successful ad. For example, The flavour of a Quaver is never known to waver- rhyming American Home has an edifice complex- pun The more we progress, the better you advance- pun (Bovee & Arens, 2006). Aurally, the audience is attracted and thus memorizes ads. As a result, a vivid language of advertising ca n be also met in other social spheres of life. Political leaders use some methods of language of advertising in their promotional campaigns; journalists try to draw attention of the readers to their articles by the usage of creative writing and a high level of communication. Still, there are numerous techniques used by advertisers, but all of them are directed on showing perfectness and superiority of the advertised product. For example, the usage of ‘the weasel claim’ is directed on showing the audience superiority of the product. As it is known, â€Å"a weasel word is a modifier that practically negates the claim that follows. The expression "weasel word" is aptly named after the egg-eating habits of weasels†. This technique copies a weasel behavior inside an egg. It sucks out an egg from inside and casual observers can’t find anything inside. Therefore, â€Å"words or claims that appear substantial upon first look but disintegrate into hollow meaningle ssness on analysis are weasels† (Example 6). Another apt technique used to show the superiority of an advertised product is to use ‘we are different and unique’ claim. This technique is the most known to the audience (Example 7). The uniqueness of the product is communicated to the audience by the usage of word combinations, such as ‘there is nothing else like†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢, ‘there is no other†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ and words ‘unique’, ‘extraordinary’, ‘different’ etc (Schrank). Therefore, language of advertising can be named a language of ‘public-colloquial discourse’, as it is stated by Leech. If to summarize stylistic devices used in advertising, we can create ad phrase: employ creativity and reach perfectibility. The language of poetry The language of poetry is a interesting stylistic phenomenon. On the one hand, this literature genre is used to entertain and amuse readers, but on the other hand, poetry transfers through its form deep emotional senses. Poetic texts are created for pleasure and amusement, for thinking and joy. A great arsenal of stylistic devices is the right way for embodiment of poetic images. Therefore, such devices as inversion (‘Yet know I how the heather looks’, Emily Diskinson from Collected Poems), repetition (‘IT tossed and tossed’, Ibid.) parallelism (‘Are her voice, and her hair, and eyes, and the dear red curve of her lips’ from Appendix II) are widely used. A poem â€Å"