Food Inc. Essay Example

Food Inc. Essay Food Inc. The documentary Food Inc. by Robert Kenner is a documentary about the food industry and some of the issues that have emerged with the modernization of said food industry. Robert Kenner presents his arguments in sorts of subtitle such as The dollar menu, and The cornucopia to help identify his main points. Robert Kenner also brings in some experts such as Michael Pollen and Barbara Kowalcyk, into his documentary to bring some credibility to his argument, as well as adding specific music at particular times to tug at the emotions of the viewers. In this documentary Robert Kenner not only shows what happens to those who eat the products produced by the corporate food industry but also those who help in the production. In the first segment of Kenners documentary he brings up the topic of chicken farming in the modern food industry, and how there are many dangerous or unethical changes in the food industry. He then shows that chicken are now treated less like an animal and more like a product, less like a living thing and more like an object. Kenner shows this by showing some dark chicken house in which the chickens never even see any light. Then we are shown how chicken have been genetically altered for the new demands of the food industry. Chickens would grow to their full potential in seventy two days but now they grow to their full potential in forty eight days and not only that but they are twice the size of the ones that would grow in seventy two days. He then has a chicken farmer give us information about the company they are contracted with. We will write a custom essay sample on Food Inc. specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Food Inc. specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Food Inc. specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The farmer then shares some of the unethical behavior of the company how the company keeps the farmers under their thumb by constantly requiring upgrades on the farmers equipment. Another example of the unethical behavior is that the company hires illegal immigrants to do a lot of their labor. During this part of the documentary Robert Kenner plays some rock music that sounds almost angry to persuade the viewer to feel angry about the way the farmers as well as the chickens themselves are being treated. Robert Kenner then goes on to show us about the applications of corn in the modern food industry as well as some of the draw backs. Kenner then has Michael Pollen author of The Omnivores Dilemma tell us about his personal experience with the food industry. Pollen tells us he did some investigating and found that a lot of our food was leading to a corn field in Iowa he then says, so much of our industrial food turns out to be clever rearrangements of corn. Corn has help make many things, things from ketchup to even tires and the reason corn is used to help make all of these things is because it is cheap to make. However because of this same reason corn is used as the sustenance for animals. Cows are have evolved to eat grass not corn, and because cows are being fed corn instead of grass it causes physiological problems. One such problem is the E-coli virus the virus can and has caused death. In tne documentary Rooert Kenner empnaslzes one case In particular In wnlcn a two year old named Kevin dies from E-coli that he had contracted from a fast food restaurant. Kevins mother Barbara Kowalcyk became an advocate for food safety along with her mother Patricia Buck to help prevent anymore cases of E-coli from emerging. Mrs. Kowalcyk and her mother are trying to get Kevins law to pass; Robert Kenner then tells us what Kevins law is, Kevins law would give back to the USDA the power to shut down plants that repeatedly produce contaminated meat. However in the six years since the bill was written up it still has not passed. During this time of the documentary Robert Kenner brings in a very sad slow song to convey the sadness that Mrs. Kowalcyk feels everyday over the loss of her son. Robert Kenner continues to speak about the issues associated to E-coli and how it relates to the meat packing industry. Michael Pollen tells us If you take a food lot cow and take it off its corn diet and feed it grass for five days the cow will shed eighty percent of the E-coli in its system. He then goes on to say that this doesnt happen ut rather the companies come up with radical ways to solve the E-coli problem. One such example is the Beef Products Incorporated located in South Sioux City, Nebraska what this company does is it takes all of the meat taken from the cows and put them in these containers and cleans the meat with ammonia. This companys meat is in seventy percent of the countries fast food. Also the company believes that within the next five years they will supply one hundred percent of the countries fast food hamburger meat. We are then given information about the meat packing industry its elf, and how after 1906 after Upton Sinclair wrote The Jungle the meat industry was getting better, and by the 1950s being in the meat packing industry was considered a good Job. However now the way workers are being dehumanized and having to repeat one Job over and over similar to a machine a Job in the meat packing industry is becoming more and more dangerous. Lastly Kenner addresses a recent strain put on corn farmers by Monsanto Corporations. Monsanto Corporations engineered a soy seed that resist the harmful effects of pesticides. In 2008 ninety percent of soybeans in the U. S contained Monsantos patented gene this tells us that the usage of these patented soybeans is growing. Now this patented soybean is a problem because farmers have to buy new seeds each year as opposed to keeping some from each of their batch each year like they use to. If somebody is caught saving seeds they are accused of copyright infringement and are sued. At this point of the documentary a mixture of music is playing again some rock music to convey anger, as well as some slow downbeat music to convey the sadness of the farmers who are loosing money because of the Monsantos patented soy beans. In Robert Kenners documentary Food Incorporated Kenner shows us that the modern food industry has its flaws. The food industry has become a big business conglomerate in which it tries to produce as much as it can with putting very little into it. At this point the very personal relationship between the producer and the customer becomes cold and very robotic. Throughout the documentary Robert Kenner uses OITTerent persuaslve strategies sucn as Drlnglng In expert testlmonles, and music to tug at various emotions. Work Cited Food Inc. Robert Kenner Magnolia Home Entertainment, 2009

Barriers to Entry and Various Risks That Must Be Considered by Foreign Retail Companies Seeking to Conduct Business in China Essays

Barriers to Entry and Various Risks That Must Be Considered by Foreign Retail Companies Seeking to Conduct Business in China Essays Barriers to Entry and Various Risks That Must Be Considered by Foreign Retail Companies Seeking to Conduct Business in China Essay Barriers to Entry and Various Risks That Must Be Considered by Foreign Retail Companies Seeking to Conduct Business in China Essay Barriers to entry and various risks that must be considered by foreign retail companies seeking to conduct business in China By Aizhan Yermekbayeva Let China sleep, for when she awakes, she will shake the world (Napoleon Bonaparte) Most politicians, businessmen and academics would agree with the quote above. It is becoming more and more evident that â€Å"China is now slowly waking up†. And a market of over 1. 5 bn potential consumers is perceived by most multinational enterprises (MNCs) as an opportunity hard to miss. Businessmen and even renowned academics make various recommendations on approaching Chinese market. This article will provide a critical analysis on how to develop businesses in China successfully and sustain stable profitability. The main focus will be drawn on entering and operating business in the retail industry as the industry is attracting the growing number of foreign investors despite the fact of having unresolved issues with the supply chain management, â€Å"bureaucratic red tape† and most importantly fierce competition. China could be divided into two main parts when it involves setting up a business: Hong Kong and mainland China. Hong Kong, which was a British colony until it was reunited with mainland China in 1997, is considered to be one of the most liberal markets with low level of governmental interference. However this article’s primary focus is on the mainland China, given its current political and economic importance. Merely thirty years after the reforms initiated by Deng Xiaoping in the late 1970s, China has become the world’s fastest growing economy. Some predicted that by 2015 China will surpass Japan and will become the world’s second largest economy (Hall, 2009). But it happened five years earlier. It has been expected that by 2010 its retail industry will be worthy of $596 bn. China’s vast natural resources and cheap labour are substantially appealing to foreign investors. â€Å"No future is brighter than China†, states Coca-Cola’s chairman and CEO Muhtar Kent (Einhorn, 2009). As thought provoking as it may be Lehman Brothers in China still went bankrupt in 2009 and Marks Spencer, despite having more than sufficient financial resources, failed to succeed. According to a statement made by the executive chairman of MS Sir Stuart Rose, â€Å"basic shop keeping mistakes† (wrong clothing sizes) and issues in the supply chain were the main reasons why their market entry strategy did not succeed in China. However, there are still barriers to entry and various risks that must be considered by companies seeking to conduct business in China. The government in mainland China regulates the market, sets the controlling legislation and rules for foreign direct investments (FDIs) and competition . After China’s admittance to the WTO most of the regulatory barriers to Chinese market have been eliminated. China’s current economic environment offers a great opportunity for businesses. Although China has been undergoing fast economic reforms these are not necessarily followed in tandem by political reforms. As such, most MNCs mistake is that they approach China in the same manner and with the same strategy as they would any other country. Conversely those businesses that have succeeded in China have used a strategy of â€Å"understanding local ways†. It is vital not to underestimate the power of guanxi. Therefore foreign managers are strongly advised to understand this cultural phenomenon before attempting to start a business in China. Guanxi is â€Å"a complicated system of favour banking† which is practiced within a certain group. The importance of guanxi is often emphasised by a Chinese saying that without guanxi a person gets â€Å"half the result with twice the effort†. However, the main risk of guanxi is that it requires a high level of trust between parties involved in favour exchange – where someone’s word is his bond as opposed to an actual agreement. Strong guanxi networks would make the challenges of conquering Chinese retail market, such as setting up an efficient supply system less complicated. However there are additional threats and limitations that might affect foreign businesses, particularly retailers. Especially, taking into consideration a significant role that local government plays in the Chinese market. The growing concern for retailers is that the Chinese government is discussing adopting protectionist regulations in the retail industry. New regulations are showing signs already as the local government has selected a group of local retailers and is giving them financial support. It is the first stage of formation of the â€Å"national champions† local retail companies which are expected to become the leaders of the retail industry. There are many reason why the Chinese government is compelled to undertake these actions such as the retail industry is expanding at a fast rate and from the local population’s perspective the key industry players that benefit from it the most are foreign companies. This viewpoint pressurises the government to protect the local retail chains, which are not able to compete against international retail giants because of the insufficient financial resources. Therefore these regulations are expected to favour domestic retailers in allocation of strategic locations and have been highly welcomed by national retailers. Under these circumstances it is of utmost importance for foreign retailers to re-assess their future strategies. As it was mentioned before the Chinese retail industry is highly competitive which emphasises the importance of the visibility of hypermarkets. Another challenge of maintaining competitiveness lies in increasing prices of land and rented premises as foreign retailers are focused on operating hypermarkets in strategic and urban areas that raise operating costs. Moreover foreign retailers are already being pressurised into price wars as local retailers, mostly family-owned stores, offer very low prices which appeals to Chinese price-conscious customers. Furthermore with variety of retailers offering similar goods and services the local customers’ demands have shifted. The times when foreign companies could sell their ut-of-date products are long gone. Currently foreign retail companies are expected to provide high quality products and it makes it even more challenging to offer competitive prices at the same time. Initially foreign retail chains could differentiate themselves from locals with new technologies, innovative practices in marketing and by offering consumer friendly return policies. As â€Å"understanding the needs and motivations of Chinese consumers is the name of the game†. However they have soon lost this advantage as domestic competitors were fast to copy and employ them. Additionally local retail chains’ scope is smaller which makes it easier for them to set up an effective supply chain. While for retailers like Tesco, Carrefour and Wal-Mart it is difficult to keep supply chain centralised. Fragmented nature of Chinese retail market and geographically vast area impose more challenges. Moreover the local governments of different areas have customs duties which also increase the prices of suppliers. For example each of Tesco’s stores has to work with 1000 suppliers. Furthermore it is difficult for global retailers to overcome â€Å"the liability of foreignness†. It makes them vulnerable to changes in global political arena and politics between countries. In 2008 Carrefour suffered significant financial losses because Chinese customers decided to boycott all French retailers in protest to the pro-Tibet political standing of the President of France, shortly after riots in Tibet. Therefore political risks have to be taken into consideration. It is evident from the above mentioned that Western businesses coming to China should not make false assumptions based on the rapid development of infrastructure that the Chinese market and especially the retail industry function the same way. Therefore the significance of doing proper â€Å"homework† before approaching foreign markets, especially China, cannot be overemphasised. The differences outlined above should be considered to avoid future disappointments and subsequent failures in entry strategy. Companies that rushed into conquering the Chinese market without sufficient information failed to succeed encountering the Chinese bureaucracy and unreliable business partners. There are several conditions in order to create successful joint ventures in China: Finding a reliable partner, which is best achieved through connections attained with guanxi. Chinese business partners bring local knowledge and the experience in conducting business in the Chinese market which may be useful for cost cutting. Nevertheless when choosing a partner or business allies, financial strength and mutual interests should be taken into account. Foreign companies should seek for a financially reliable partner. Strategic location. Interaction with local governments is crucial for obtaining a desirable location Monitoring changes in accounting, taxation and other legislative modifications Human resources management (HRM). Low labour costs are one of the major incentives for foreign companies to come to China. The general manager of JV companies noted that there are three key elements to succeeding in China: â€Å"people, people, and people† (Epser 1991:24-30). Although success depends on the quality of personnel management. Relations with trade unions (TUs) may come as challenge as the way they function in China is different from Western countries. Interestingly it is noted that TUs are usually focused more on protecting the interests of the Party than that of employees. Other precautions include: avoidance of recruiting from only one source as in some cases new recruits may have similar negative qualities; While high quality employees may require patience and flexible attitude to find; Avoid employing a large workforce as local authorities might pressurise to hire more; Experienced native management personnel is essential for managing bureaucratic procedures; New employees should be trained, their skills and work ethics developed to coincide with main interests of the company Supply chain management is without a doubt of significant importance in decreasing costs and developing business. However this is one of the areas that have not been researched thoroughly. Summarising all criteria above, locating a Chinese partner with high level of reliability and with a nationally successful business is of utmost importance when establishing a joint venture. Guanxi is as well important in finding a strategic location and employing a suitable workforce. Nevertheless there is a scarcity in detailed information on supply chain management which is arguably one the most significant areas in cost cutting strategy. El Kahal identifies the main challenges of developing businesses in Asia Pacific, and as the author says â€Å"anyone who looks to Asia has to look at China†. Therefore challenges found the most relevant to conducting business in China and suggested (potential) solutions are presented in Table – 3. Table – 3. Challenges |Implications |Solutions | |Obtaining information on market competition |It is difficult for foreign managers |â€Å"hands-on experience†, the manager has to | |and the external factors affecting business |to assess the market, potential |have an extensive knowledge of the | |operations |rivals and find suitable partners |operating environment to reduce reliance on| | | |detailed data analysis. Establishing sound | | | |personal ties and networking is used by | | | |most local senior managers as an | | | |alternative to documented data and is | | | |essential for verification of information | | | |reliability received from various external | | | |sources. |â€Å"Bureaucratic red tape† |Might affect the pace of projects and|Weigh diligently possibilities of | | |business operations |regulatory and legislative obstacles and | | | |utilise the knowledge of the local managers| | | |through building a personal network | |Political aspects and internal issues of the|May lead to termination of business |It is highly encouraged to do thorough | |country like bribery |and even more severe consequences; |research before starting a business. | |make a significant damage to | | | |company’s reputation | | Overall China offers opportunities to prosper however challenges and obstacles should be taken into careful consideration. Foreign businesses should do their ‘home work’ to meet or avoid them. This article attempted to provide various advice and recommendations on the subject, however every company adopts a different approach based on the internal and external environments. Despite foreign retailers’ high expectation about future prospects of the Chinese retail industry, the economic crisis has affected China as well. Bain Co predict that in the next four years there will be a decreasing trend in the number of hypermarkets in China. According to Financial Times there is an over-saturation of hypermarkets in some urban areas such as Shanghai were there are already approximately 120-130 hypermarkets. This tendency causes an increase in rental costs, fierce competition forces rivals to cut prices and these factors combined with the country’s present infrastructure issues creates an uncertain future for foreign retailers. However, some global retail giants like Wal-Mart, Carrefour and Tesco see the economic downturn as an opportunity to get ahead of competition. Interestingly the Chinese character for ‘risk’ has two symbols: â€Å"danger† and â€Å"opportunity†. Investing abroad is a risk, but it is also an opportunity and with the right and timely information organisations can form a unique strategy of succeeding in China. References Chen, C. C. and Chen X. P. (2009) Negative externalities of close guanxo within organizations. Asia Pacific Journal of Management. 26. pp. 37-53 Chen, M, (2004) Asian Management Systems. 2nd ed. London: Thomson Learning. p5. , 241, 242 Chow, I. , Holbert, N. , Kelley, L. , Yu, J. (2004) Business Strategy: An Asia-Pacific Focus. 2nd ed. Singapore: Pearson Education South-Asia. El Kahal, S. 2001) Business in Asia Pacific. New York: Oxford University Press Inc. p. 63, 70, 562 Epser, P. (1991) cited in Chen, M, (2004) Asian Management Systems. 2nd ed. London: Thomson Learning. p. 241 Fels, A. (2009) The regulation of retailing – lessons for developing countries. Asia Pacific Busine ss Review. 15(1). Pp. 13-27. Gamble, J. (2009) Demanding customers in the Chinese context. Asia Pacific Business Review. 15(1). pp 93-105 Peng, M. (2009) Global Strategic Management. 2nd ed. Canada: South Western Cengage Learning. p. 16; 156 Wang, S. (2009) Foreign Retailers in post-WTO China: stories of success and setbacks. Asia Pacific Business Review. 5(1). pp59-77 Wal-Mart, Tesco, Carrefour do battle in the East. (2008) Strategic Direction. 24(2). pp5-7. Hall, J (2009) Every little helps for Tesco in ChinaSupermarket makes steady inroads. Daily Telegraph. [online] Available from: http://find. galegroup. com/gtx/infomark. do? contentSet=IAC- Kent, M (2009) cited in Einhorn, B (2009) Coke Committed to China Expansion. Business Week. [online] Available from: businessweek. com/globaliz/content/jun2009/gb20090623_410186. htm Rigby, E (2008) Tesco in new drive on China. Financial Times. [online] Available from: ft. com. /cns/s/0/a89db8f6-89b2-11db-ae27-0000779e2340. html

Product and Branding Strategies (Starbucks) Essay

Product and Branding Strategies (Starbucks) - Essay Example 2009) It is because of its high quality that the brand charges a high premium for its products. There are several other product attributes, other than the price and quality that contribute towards the image of the products offered under the brand name of â€Å"Starbucks†. Product Positioning Map Other product attributes of Starbucks coffee include taste, richness, features, design, style, innovation and customer service. These together combine to support the brand image. But for the product positioning map, there are two primary attributes that have been focused upon. The first attribute is the innovation and the second attribute is the customer service. Innovation is necessary for the positioning of the product because customer needs and wants change with time and the only way to meet the changing demand is through innovation. Customer service is also a primary aspect of positioning because it always adds value to the customers’ coffee experience at Starbucks. If innov ation is not present, then the brand might fail to serve its target market in the long run. It cannot come up with new products and cannot create demand of its new products which simply means that it will fail to make use of the opportunities available. Customer service on the other hand is a very important attribute that can help retaining the customers and attracting prospective. Consumers always want to go for the products that provide with the customer service. Starbucks incorporates both these primary attributes into its products. Starbucks specializes in gourmet coffee and there are several competitors that have entered the market of specialized coffee. These competitors include McDonald’s and Dunkin Donuts. The reason for choosing these competitors is that they do not charge as high a premium as does Starbucks though the product category is same. Starbucks heavily invests in its customer service because it believes that loyal customers are the backbone of its success a nd it is the most effective way of acquiring more loyal customers. For the attribute of innovation, Starbucks has made its own Research and Development team (R&D). The type and level of investment that Starbucks make in its R&D team is notable. It gives a lead to the brand but this gives a direction to the competitors as well because they can wait to imitate the products. Innovation at Starbucks and also the customer service are high. At McDonald’s customer service is high but innovation of the coffee product is low. Dunkin Donuts is low on both the attributes. It is low on the innovation attribute and also the customer service attribute. Following is the product positioning map of Starbucks with respect to its competitors. Customer Service High Starbucks McDonald’s Innovation Low High Dunkin Donuts Low Starbucks is present in the upper right corner of the product positioning map which means that it is both high in innovation and customer service. Similarly McDonaldâ⠂¬â„¢s is present in the upper left corner meaning that it is high in customer service but low in the attribute of innovation. And finally the Dunkin Donuts which is present in the lower left corner of the map, meaning that the coffee brand is both low on innovation and customer service. Brand Strategy in relation to the Target Market Starbucks’ target audience mainly comprises of the upscale coffee drinkers. Starbucks has a very well defined target audience. It has a target market in each age segment

( No topic ) Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

( No topic ) - Lab Report Example Automata can be described as whimsical themed or mechanical device that is constructed to act as if by its own power. Sometimes they are referred to as mechanical toys or kinetic art. Automata are marvelous machines that use most of the mechanical processes which can be found in almost every modern machine. They are powered through the use of a hand crank that turns a drive shaft which may include cranks, cams, cam followers, ratchets, levers, linkages, pushrods or gears. These mechanical systems are used in power transmission to transmit the input of rotary motion into outputs of linear, rotary, reciprocal or oscillatory motion. All these combined inputs and outputs lead to a cause and effect relationship that is used to make the automaton to move. In modern times, the design and creation of automata is related to the same principle mechanics involved with the design of robotics. The relationships in the input and output motions is critical to the designer. The automata, as researched and done by Paul Spooner and as displayed in the Cabaret Mechanical Theatre, shows that from as early as 1960s, the idea of automata has been in existence and has been improved since then. The period 1860 to 1910 is known as the golden age of automata. During this period many small family based companies of Automata makers thrived. Contemporary automata continue in the footsteps of the earlier inventors rather than technological sophistication. These contemporary automata are represented by the works of the Cabaret Mechanical Theatre in U.K, Dug North and Chomick in the U.S. some mechanized toys developed during the 18th and 19th centuries are automata made with paper. Despite the relative simplicity of material. Paper automata require a high degree of technical

Dave Brubeck Essay Example for Free

Dave Brubeck Essay The late Dave Brubeck left behind a legacy as a jazz pianist, composer, bandleader, husband, and father. He wrote everything that ranged from opera and ballet, to a contemporary mass. Brubeck was well known for experimenting with time signatures unusual to the traditional jazz sound. The uneven meters, along with the incorporation of all kinds of different rhythms in his music, is how he captivated the attention of younger listeners. The significance of Brubeck in the history of jazz is unambiguous. The Dave Brubeck Quartet helped spark an obscure interest in Jazz after World War II, and was a fundamental part of the â€Å"West Coast Cool Jazz† style of music that jazz in the fifties and sixties would be known for. David Warren Brubeck, born on December 6, 1920 in Concord, California, â€Å"was one of Jazz’s first pop stars. †(Brown) In his younger years, his mother Elizabeth played an immense role in the conditioning of his music career. His two older brothers were musicians and Brubeck himself would eventually be playing at weekend dances by the age of fourteen. His schedule was from nine at night to as late as four in the morning. The strenuousness of it caused him to find playing unappealing, and he pursued his dream of being a rancher. His family had moved to a ranch in Ione, California when he was eleven, so he knew how things on the ranch worked. By the time he was eighteen, though reluctant to leave, he attended The College of Pacific in Stockton, California with the intent to study to become a veterinarian and return to the ranch. After only a year, he decided to change his major to music. While in still enrolled in college he, along with a man by the name of Darius Milhaud, whom Brubeck’s first son would eventually be named after, led a twelve piece band. By 1942, he met his wife Iola Whitlock and graduated that year with a degree in music. Immediately following, he enlisted in the Army. In 1944, Brubeck was sent to Europe, however, he never actually fought, but played for troops because of his musical aptness. â€Å"He traveled to the front lines, but armed with a piano instead of a weapon. †(Taylor) By the time he was twenty five years old Dave Brubeck was finished serving in the Army and went back to school, this time attending Mills College on a G. I Bill Scholarship where he reconnected with Milhaud. The two founded the experimental Jazz Workshop Ensemble, and in 1949 it would record as the Dave Brubeck Octet. This was a crucial start to his music career. Later on in the year of 1949 The Dave Brubeck Trio was organized with band members Ron Crotty and Cal Tjader. The trio came to an end before it began due to a neck injury that ended the career of Brubeck for at least six months. Brubeck returned to playing in 1951 with the creation of The Dave Brubeck Quartet. The quartet was comprised of Joe Morello, Paul Desmond (whom Brubeck met while in the Army), and Gene Wright. By 1952 it was categorized as one of Jazz’s greatest combinations. They signed with Fantasy Records in 1953 and released their first album, Jazz at Oberlin. The following year, David Brubeck was featured on the cover of Time magazine. He was only the second jazz artist to be on the cover. The quartet later signed with Columbia Records and began the experimentation with time signatures. The result was the album Time Out. The Dave Brubeck Quartet disbanded in 1967 and only regrouped once in 1976 for the twenty fifth anniversary. Though the quartet came to an end, Brubeck’s career did not. After the breakup of the quartet, Brubeck spent much of his time with his wife, and five children. He did however stick with music. He went on to write at least an oratorio, four cantatas, a contemporary mass, and two ballets. That only lasted a year because in 1968 he created another quartet with Gerry Mulligan and his sons. The late seventies arrived and he was still composing, touring, and performing. In the year 1999, he was named a â€Å"Jazz Master† by the National Endowment for the Arts. Ten years later, he received a Kennedy Center Honor for his contributions to the American Culture. Also in 2009, his son Michael passed away and many health problems began to arise. Brubeck underwent heart surgery in 2010 at the age of ninety but was up and performing again a month later. On Wednesday, December 5th 2012, David Warren Brubeck died. He passed on, one day before his ninety second birthday. The Jazz Legend may be gone, but he left behind four sons, a daughter, his wife, ten grandchildren, four great grandchildren, and music that will outlive everyone.

The Big Day :: Personal Narrative Writing

The Big Day â€Å"Heekin quit fucking staring at the clouds you might be playing this weekend,† screamed Coach Bernardi. All week I waited, sweating every night just wondering if Saturday would be the day I would start my first college football game. Every night I thought what I would do if I was to start, was I ready for this? I would be a little chihuahua amongst a pack of wolves on the field. But all week I had trained to the point that all the sweat in my shirt could have been rung out to make a full cup of water. My Saturday morning started just as every other football players did 10:00a.m wake up, then a short walk over to the dome for walkthroughs. Then to The Place for my usual breakfast the hungry man special: three eggs, two pieces of bacon, two patties of sausage, a portion of hash browns that was the size of my hand stretched out, and my choice of three pancakes or French toast. After that huge meal I couldn’t resist just going back to the dorms and finding a great resting place in my bed. For some reason every person in the damn dorms insisted in walking into my room and waking me up so I was not the most cheerful person when the alarm clock went off three hours later. â€Å"Trevor get you ass out of bed your late for team meal, said Bobby. No I can’t be I set my alarm for 2p.m. Yea but you have hit the snooze button five times so that means its about 2:20 right now and meal started five minutes ago.† That was a great way to get this all started walking late into team meal I could just imagine what the coaches were going to say to me when I got there. As I walk in to the dining hall I find Coach Bernardi sitting in a chair. â€Å"Damn Heekin where the hell have you been I thought you were going to be a no show! Were you afraid that you might have to play today?

Science Periodic Table Essay

The Periodic Table The periodic table has been updated all throughout history. Elements have been around us since the beginning of time. Elements, such as gold and silver, are examples of these elements that have been known for centuries. The periodic table allows us to see the elements in their families so we can understand what properties they have. It also allows us to see the atomic number, atomic mass, and the symbol of the element. The periodic table is a source of knowledge that is still being updated as of this day.That is why the periodic table is such a valuable resource. In ancient times, the elements gold and silver were discovered. Another element that was known at this time was copper. The Greek philosopher, Aristotle said that all elements were made out of these four â€Å"roots. † The philosopher, Plato, renamed the â€Å"four roots† earth, fire, water, and air. Although they introduced the concept of elements, they did nothing to advance the nature of t he matter, which matter is made of. The age of enlightenment was a big adventure for the science world.Hennig Brand was the first person recorded to have discovered a new element. He was a German merchant who went bankrupt, while trying to discover the Philosopher’s Stone. The Philosopher’s stone was a mythical object that was supposed to turn inexpensive base metals into gold. He experimented with distilling human urine until he finally obtained a white substance which he named phosphorous in 1649. Brand did not go to the public with his discovery until another scientist named Robert Boyle rediscovered it and took it to the public.In 1661, Boyle defined an element has a substance that cannot be broken down by chemical means. Antoine Lavoisier developed the first chemistry textbook. This included the elements oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, phosphorous, mercury, zinc, and sulfur. Lavoisier's descriptions of the elements only classified elements as metals or non-metals. Joh ann Dobereiner began to classify the elements in triads. These elements that belong to these triads had properties that were similar to each other. A few of these triads are as follows: 1.Chlorine, bromine, and iodine 2. Calcium, strontium, and barium 3. Sulfur, selenium, and tellurium 4. Lithium, sodium, and potassium. With all these triads, the atomic mass of the second element was almost exactly the average of the atomic weights of the first and third elements. By 1869, 69 elements had been discovered. Alexandre Chancourtois was the first to notice the periodicity of the elements. Similar elements seemed to occur at regular intervals when they were arranged by their atomic mass. He created an early version of the periodic table.He called it the telluric helix. When the elements were arranged on a cylinder by order of the increasing atomic mass, Chancourtois could tell that the elements with similar properties lined up vertically. He published this work in 1862, but there was litt le to go on. In 1865, John Newlands classified 56 elements that had been discovered previously into eleven groups based on similar physical properties. Newlands said that many pairs of similar elements existed differed by some multiple of eight in atomic number.Dimitri Mendeleev created the periodic table that we use today. He arranged the elements by their atomic mass and noticed that they lined up with the elements that had similar properties with each other. He also noticed that when they were arranged in this way, the valences lined up as well. When he published his table in 1869, it had many advantages. This table is more widely used in today’s time. The discovery of the periodic table is also the discoveries of the elements.As the elements were discovered, they were added to the periodic table. Since the beginning of time, more elements have been discovered. The most recent was ununpentium. It was discovered in 2011. As anyone can see the periodic table is continuing to grow and develop. It is a child of the elements. As each element is named, the periodic table grows. The periodic table will always be an ongoing process and the updating of it will never end. That is because new elements are discovered every day!