Lithuanian Economy Essay -- Economy, Low Cost Transactions

Introduction In my research project I will be talking about the history of Lithuanian economy and how it had changed since the country became independent and took a place as a member of a European Union. In my work you will be able to see different points of view of being a citizen of the EU and the problems the countries are facing to get this membership. Lithuania’s membership in the European Union would be impossible without the public assent and support. This support was made most explicit during the referendum on the membership in the European Union on 10-11 May 2003, when 91.07% of those participating (the turnout was 63.37%) approved of Lithuania’s accession to the EU. (Euro 2007) The Lithuanian economy has reached high growth rates in the last decade as it entered the European Union together with other Baltic states. The government went in for a flat tax; the unemployment rates were fairly low until a recent recession began. Lithuania has been changing over from the communist planned economy in the Soviet Union since; it got independence that is 1990. Although Lithuania suffered a lot from U.S.S.R. it still kept a good relationship and nowadays Russia is one of the main traders with Lithuania. However, it faced its own economic and financial crisis in 1999, partly due to the 1998 Russian financial crisis. Since then Lithuania had changed its views towards the European Union; it became a member of EU on 1st May 2004. (Wikipedia, 2009) According to the survey of market participants in January and February 2004, the Lithuanian economy grew rapidly. The financial situation of Lithuanian companies improved and the costs of borrowing declined in 2003. At that time GDP in Lithuania reached over 10%. Economic growt... ...e accurate. As I was doing some research for this project I found that the government did this kind of survey in Lithuania, to find out what was general public opinion before Lithuania became EU member. In 2003 over 91% did the survey and almost 64% agreed with Lithuania going for EU membership. The same survey was repeated few years later. What did not surprise me was that people opinion changed after accession to EU. In the survey done in 2008 over 75% of the Lithuanians agreed that Lithuania has benefited from EU membership. In my research plan I would like to do this kind of questionnaire where I could see how the people agree and disagree with membership of EU. I would question them on their perceptions of how membership has affected their country. Also what changes they would like to see especially in areas, which they see as problematic.

Fed and Interest Rates Essay example -- essays research papers

The Fed and Interest Rates Dave Pettit of The Wall Street Journal writes a daily column that appears inside the first page of the journal's Money & Investment section. If the headlines of Mr. Pettit's daily column are any accurate record of economic concerns and current issues in the business world, the late weeks of March and the early weeks of April in 1994 were intensely concerned with interest rates. To quote, "Industrials Edge Up 4.32 Points Amid Caution on Interest Rates," and "Industrials Track On 13.53 Points Despite Interest-Rate Concerns." Why such a concern with interest rates? A week before, in the last week of March, the Fed had pushed up the short-term rates. This being the first increase in almost five years, it caused quite a stir. When the Fed decides the economy is growing at too quick a pace, or inflation is getting out of hand, it can take actions to slow spending and decrease the money supply. This corresponding with the money equation MV = PY, by lowering both M and V, P and Y can stabilize if they are increasing too rapidly. The Fed does this by selling securities on the open market. This, in turn, reduces bank's reserves and forces the interest rate to rise so the banks can afford to make loans. People seeing these rises in rates will tend to sell their low interest assets, in order to acquire additional money, they tend move toward higher yielding accounts, also further increasing the rate. Soon this small change by the Fed affects all aspects of business, from the price level to interest rates on credit cards. Rises and falls in the interest rate can reflect many changes in an economy. When the economy is in a recession and needs a type of stimulus package, the Fed may attempt to decrease the interest rates to encourage growth and spending in the markets. This was the case from 1989 until last month, during which the nation's economy was generally considered to be in a slight to moderate recession. During this period the Fed tried to keep interest rates low to facilitate growth and spending in hard times. However, when inflation is increasing too quickly and the economy is gaining strength, the Fed will attempt to raise rates, as it did late last March. This can be considered a sign that we are pulling out of the r... ..."slight" increase as opposed to one of "somewhat greater" magnitude. This article is interesting because it shows that even the Fed can be uncertain about what is best for the economy, but it still focuses on the power of Allen Greenspan, as well as the committee as a whole. It compares the two arguments of each method, and shows a weakness in the Fed that may have been unknown to the reader before. The Wall Street Journal (Mon. April 11, 1994) - "Fed Moved Too Slow On Increasing Rates" This recent article criticizes the Fed's actions in raising the interest rate, and complains that the Fed has fallen behind in it's job. It discusses the plan for a "Neutral" policy and what the Fed has tried to do and not do to maintain this so called policy. It argues the motives and reasons for wanting a lower interest rate and compares past decades to today's standings. Overall it focuses deeply on the need to check inflation and if it is valid. It shows that the Fed tends to take a more conservative approach to the economy than some analysts would prefer, but that the Fed will probably continue to raise interest rates.

Its Just a Game :: Essays Papers

It's Just a Game Often you don’t realize how much something means to you until it’s gone. Maybe it’s your first baseball hat, the Boston Red Sox one with the rip in back and the faded lettering, that you finally out grew. Or Grandpa Joe, he read you the comics every Saturday as you sat on his lap, who grew too old and passed on. Sure it was your favorite hat and of course you loved your grandpa, but for some reason in order to fully capture their importance, you first had to lose them. It’s a little depressing to think in this way. It might even make you want to avoid forming a close relationship with Grandpa Joe, so that once he’s gone you don’t have to deal with the sudden realization of how much he really meant to you. But, if you really think about it, having your favorite baseball hat while it still fits and having your grandpa around probably outweighed the feelings of loss once they were gone. But the idea that realization sometimes comes after a loss is very true. While your grandpa was still alive you devoted your time to just enjoying his company, but now that he has passed you spend your time remembering the good times you had. This is a reasonable and natural thing to do and it’s also the reason why you had never thought about how much you loved your grandfather until you can no longer sit on his lap and read the comics. You were just too busy having a good time with him to ever think about. So, what if you had the chance to give your grandpa the gift of immortality but you would never truly realize how much you really loved him  ­ would you do it? Maybe the baseball hat is a better example since it doesn’t involve human life. Would you want to have that hat forever but never really know how much it meant to you? Well, I tried to apply this to a situation in my life, and I really couldn’t decide  ­ I needed a combination of both. My most powerful experience with this â€Å"realization phenomenon† came after my final high school basketball

A Day of Many Events

The day I was born, April 28, 1982 was a day of love, business and learning. While the (insert surname) family is happily waiting for the love child of (name of your parents), series of events was also happening. It was a day filled with many activities and a day of expectations. In Federal Agencies, reports were made from the Education Week about the public hearings on bilingual education. This happened on the day I was born, April 28, 1982, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., in the El Fauno Room of the Condado Beach Hotel, San Juan, Puerto Rico (Education Week). Meanwhile, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration released reports involving the astronauts Robert L. Gibson and Rhea Seddon about the good news of expecting the birth of their first child. It was indeed a much anticipated moment for the couple to have a baby of their own (Lawrence). World Bank History also made one historical event on the day I was born. The IFC (International Finance Corp.) and IDA (International Development Association) Articles of Agreement were signed by Saint Lucia, a Caribbean island nation. The small country became IFC’s 122nd member and IDA’s 130th member. It was a huge leap towards developing funds for the world (World Bank). Clearly, on the day when my mother gave birth to me, there were many events that occurred in history. It was a day of hope for the education system when public hearings were conducted for the proposed Bilingual Education System. It was also a day of happiness and expectation for an astronaut couple. It was also an important day in the history of World Bank, when Saint Lucia joined IFC and IDA. Meanwhile, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, my parents were happily expecting a special gift—they were excited to see one bouncing baby who will add happiness to our family. Indeed, April 28, 1982 was a day of hope, excitement, and fulfillment for my family and for the world. Works Cited Name of your mother, Personal Interview. 2 April 2008. â€Å"This Week in World Bank History: April 28 – May 4† 2008.† The World Bank Archives. Worldbank. April 2008    â€Å"In Federal Agencies.† Education Week. Edweek. 28 April 1982. 5 April 2008   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Lawrence, John. â€Å"Expectant Astronauts.† 1981-1983 NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) News. NASA. 28 April 1982. 5 April 2008   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

How and Why does Macbeth Turn from War Hero to Murderer? Essay

The tragedy â€Å"Macbeth† was written by William Shakespeare at the beginning of the seventeenth century. In that period, people were highly preoccupied by witchcraft. It was a controversial topic, as King James himself was interested in the issue. This Zeitgeist given, it seemed like a good way for Shakespeare to start his play in the spirit of three witches making predictions, as it would guarantee the tragedy’s appeal to the general public and the king. We are therefore presented, in Act 1, scene 1, with three witches in a deserted place. They plot to meet Macbeth and make predictions about the future. Some of the representative lines which potentially lie behind the further action are â€Å"Fair is foul, and foul is fair: / Hover through the fog and filthy air,† (Act 1, scene 1). One interpretation of this is the imminent change set to happen in the universe, the transition of the good into bad and the bad into good. The play is set during the battle between the Scottish army and Norway, around the beginning of the eleventh century. Some of the main characters of the play are real. Duncan I was King of Scotland in that period, one of his generals being Macbeth. What actually hapenned in the real world back then is very similar to the storyline. Macbeth killed the king, but eventually got murdered himself by Malcom, who was one of the king’s sons. The elementary difference between the play and history is the personality of the characters. The actual Duncan wasn’t very popular, while Macbeth ruled Scotland well. Initially, the character of Macbeth is introduced as a war hero, well respected by his fellows and as a man of honour, appreciated by the king himself who was at the same time his first cousin, â€Å"O valiant cousin! / Worthy gentleman!† (Act 1, scene 2). As the three witches make predictions about Macbeth’s future, that he will become thane of Cawdor and then king, he is reluctant and can’t believe his ears, challenging the witches’ reason, â€Å"But how of Cawdor? the thane of Cawdor lives / A prosperous gentleman; and to be king / Stands not within the prospect of belief,† (Act 1, scene 3). Despite this, he is interested to find out more, â€Å"Speak, I charge you,† showing that he is prepared to believe in the supernatural and deceive his own knowledge and conscience. After the earliest prophecy becomes true, the thought of murder crosses Macbeth’s mind for the first time, â€Å"If good, why do I yield to that suggestion / Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair, / And make my seated heart knock at my ribs, / Against the use of nature? Present fears / Are less than horrible imaginings: / My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical, / Shakes so my single state of man that function / Is smothered in surmise, and nothing is / But what is not,† (Act 1, scene 3). Macbeth is scared of his own thoughts and what his conscience might make him do. Trying to escape the horrible situation of making a decision, he thinks that, if it is meant for him to be king, he doesn’t have to do anything himself, â€Å"If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me, / Without my stir,† (Act 1, scene 3). Struggling with his conscience, Macbeth asks the natural elements to hide his ambitions, â€Å"Stars, hide your fires! / Let not light see my black and deep desires: / The eye wink at the hand; yet let that be / Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see,† (Act 1, scene 4). When lady Macbeth receives a letter from her husband, announcing his new title and the witches’ predictions, her reaction is cold and unexpected, portraying her as a villain of particular dimensions. In the subsequent soliloquy, she somewhat accuses Macbeth of being too good, by the notorious line, â€Å"†¦ yet do I fear thy nature; / It is too full o’th’ milk of human kindness,† (Act 1, scene 5). She then promptly decides to influence Macbeth to commit murder, â€Å"Hie thee thither, / That I may pour my spirits in thine ear,† (Act 1, scene 5) as she believes that what the witches have said is going to become true and is destined for the main character, â€Å"Which fate and metaphysical aid doth seem / To have thee crowned withal,† (Act 1, scene 5). As soon as Macbeth and lady Macbeth meet, she presents him with her ambitious plans. Initially, he’s firm about not willing to go on with the deed of murdering Duncan, â€Å"We will proceed no further in this business,† (Act 1, scene 7) realising that the king has honoured him very recently and it would be a good idea to take advantage of the respect he has earned from many people, rather than ending it so brusquely, â€Å"He hath honoured me of late, and I have bought / Golden opinions from all sorts of people, / Which would be worn now in their newest gloss, / Not cast aside so soon,† (Act 1, scene 7). It is impressive how little it takes for Macbeth to change his opinion. His wife plays the love, promise and manhood cards which prove to be winning, â€Å"Was the hope drunk / Wherein you dressed yourself? [†¦] From this time / Such I account thy love. [†¦] And live a coward in thine own esteem, / Letting â€Å"I dare not† wait upon â€Å"I wo uld†,† (Act 1, scene 7). Eventually, lady Macbeth persuades Macbeth to murder Duncan, â€Å"I am settled,† (Act 1, scene 7). Both the witches and lady Macbeth are extraneous elements from Macbeth’s point of view. He can’t control their existence and influences and, finally, he’s left with himself to decide what to do next. Only a weak mind could be manipulated by the witches and lady Macbeth, and having a weak mind is hardly an acceptable excuse for a respected character like Macbeth. Therefore, I believe it is ultimately his own fault for committing the deed and it was his corrupted mind that lead him from a prosperous gentleman to a horrid criminal.

The Who Music Quiz

Short Disclaimer: You may or may not notice that I did not mention everything The Who have released, or all the people in their line-up at all times. Nor did I mention Tommy(the movie) or Quadrophenia (the movie). I wanted to focus on The Who's music in their prime years, rather than their various reunions and films. Band Members: Pete Townshend: Guitar, vocals Roger Daltrey: Vocals, harmonica John Entwistle: Bass, vocals, French horn Keith Moon (until 1978): Drums, vocals Kenney Jones (after 1978): Drums John Bundrick (after 1978): Keyboards Discography: 1964: Singles: I'm the Face 1965: Singles: I Can't Explain, My Generation 1965: The Who Sings My Generation 1966: Singles: Substitute, I'm a Boy, The Kids Are Alright, Happy Jack 1966: A Quick One 1967: Singles: Pictures of Lilly, I Can See For Miles 1967: The Who Sell Out 1968: Singles: I Can't Reach You, Dogs, Magic Bus. 1968: Magic Bus – The Who on Tour 1969: Singles: Pinball Wizard, I'm Free, The Acid Queen 1969: Tommy 1970: Singles: The Seeker, Summertime Blues 1970: Live at Leeds 1971: Singles: Behind Blue Eyes, Lets See Action 1971: Who's Next 1971: Meaty, Beaty, Big and Bouncy 1972: Singles: Join Together, Relay 1973: Singles: 5:15, Love Reign O'Er Me 1973: Quadrophenia 1974: Single: The Rael Me 1974: Odds and Sods 1975: Singles: Squeeze Box, Slip Kid 1975: The Who by the Numbers 1978: Who Are You? 1979: The Kids Are Alright (Soundtrack) 1981: Face Dances 1982: It's Hard 1991: Thirty Years of Maximum R&B (Box Set) 1996: My Generation – The Very Best of the Who 1996: Live at the Isle of Wight 2000: BBC Sessions 2002: Ultimate Collection 2002: Live at the Royal Albert Hall 2004: Then and Now: 1964-2004 Few bands in rock history have had the talent, ability, energy, and impact as The Who did from the mid 60's to the late 70's. Starting as an offshoot of the British Invasion, the Who evolved to become one of the most powerful and one of the greatest rock n' roll bands of all time. Though by definition they weren't a super-group (the members were not already established as premier musicians before The Who took off), they arguably had the talent to be one. Destroying equipment, blowing up bass drums, Townshend's windmill, Daltrey's tough guy attitude and rock vocal power, and Entwistle's â€Å"eye of the hurricane† approach to the stage show and lead bass-playing are all defining parts of The Who that make them a legend in their time and into today. Pete Townshend was the artistic leader of the band, and he constantly moved them in new directions to reach areas no rock bands had been and few have been since. Aside from his artistic creativity, his guitar playing was very good. He is often overlooked because he did not do many solos or much flashy guitar work, but he fit the band perfectly. Not only was Townshend a capable guitarist, but his song writing ability is up there with the best. Townshend also sang background vocals and occasionally lead vocals, making him even more valuable to the band. Roger Daltrey, the singer of the group, started as a great singer with solid range and glimpses of power. His versatility allowed him to progress into a power-rock front man, and his amazing stage presence propelled The Who's live shows throughout their career. But the real focus of The Who is usually on the rhythm section (or in The Who's case, the lead instrumental section). John Entwistle was a pioneer in bass playing, as he was one of first players to show that bass could be the lead instrument in rock music. He immediately made his presence known in The Who with his heavy sound and distorted bass, like the fills in My Generation . Entwistle also added solid backup vocals, which gave The Who more dimensions in their vocal harmonies. And then ,of course, there is Keith Moon. Moon was a defining aspect of The Who, and a key part of why they were so different from almost all other bands. His attacking drum style, blazing speed, and constant fills would become a trademark of The Who, especially in their live show. Although Keith is usually noted for being a crazy man on the drums, he tends to show a significant amount of control on their studio albums. There are more fills than other drummers, but enough restraint so as not to ruin the trac k. Instrumentally, Entwistle and Moon led the band. Townshend was a good guitar player, but he usually found himself pounding out power-chords and solid riffs in the role of a rhythm player while John and Keith took the role as lead players. That is not to say that Pete never played lead or that he could not solo, however. Townshend and Entwistle first met each other in high school, and initially played in a Dixieland band together (John was on trumpet and Pete was on banjo) in 1962. In 1963, Entwistle left to play bass for the newly formed Detours, with singer Roger Daltrey already in place. Soon, Townshend joined them band on guitar. Not long after, there was a drumming void, and Keith Moon was added to the band. They changed their name to The Who in 1964. After struggling for a few months to progress, the band met an interested manager in Pete Meaden. Under his direction, the band became known as the High Numbers and began wearing suits and playing more of an R&B style. Their first single contained I'm the Face/Zoot Suit , but it faired poorly. Meaden was cut, and they reformed as The Who. I Can't Explain was the band's next single, and it did much better. After the band played a TV performance that featured Moon and Townshend destroying their instruments, The Who starting gaining popularity. The band's dynamics in this time period are very interesting. Each member had vastly different personalities, which often led to disputes and arguments, sometimes even violence onstage. Instead of keeping these altercations private, The Who made them well-known. They became notorious for their violent demeanour and aggressive stage act, but instead of having a negative effect on the band, the result was that their popularity continually grew. It is important here to stress the Who's significance to the Mod movement in London at the time. The hundred of mods in the audience became a medium through which The Who could let out their pent-up aggression. In these years, The Who soon became the Mod band, the voice of the rebellious teenagers, soon to represent what rock and roll would become: a defiant escape from the previous generation and a defiant statement against it. As I Can't Explain had jumped to the British Top Ten, the band was now ready to record an album. The Who Sings My Generation was built around the title track, also released as a single. The album showcases the raw style of the band early in their career. There is noticeable influence of R&B, blues, and Motown, added into the Who's style of power rock. Its lasting legacy to music is undoubtedly My Generation . This song displays the defiant attitude of the band and Townshend's infamous, â€Å"hope I die before I get old† line. The rebellious nature of the song even became somewhat of an influence on the future punk movement, which would start to see its true beginnings in just a couple years. Also seen here are instrumental statements of Entwistle and Moon. As mentioned before, Entwistle's fills are remarkable. The end of the song features Moon all over the drums, producing a wall of sound that no other drummer of the time could even hope to emulate. The song would also become a key part of their live show for the upcoming years. The single Substitute was released shortly after that album, and met more British success. The song itself is a solid pop tune with great drumming and good vocals. The Band again prepared for more studio work. The Who's next record would prove to be an interesting one, to say the least. Titled A Quick One (in Britain) or Happy Jack (in America), it would expand on the base of The Who to showcase a wide variety of music. The tracks range from the circus type music of Cobwebs and Strange (which features amazing drumming from Moon, it's somewhat of a mini drum solo) to the ten minute mini-opera of the title track, A Quick One . This is Townshend's first experiment with a lengthy piece that centered on a theme. The plot concerns a woman who cheats on her husband while he is away for a long time. Musically, the song moves through six movements that run together successfully. Also on the album were the strange Happy Jack and even stranger Boris the Spider , both of which are solid and are now well known tracks. The most important parts of this album were the fact that the band was certainly showing signs of evolution (which were necessary to further develop and survive as the 60's died out), and the mini-opera concept Townshend was starting to create. This idea would become more important on the band's next album, and eventually reach a climax on Tommy. Their next record, The Who Sell Out (1967), is debatably a concept album that centers on a mock radio broadcast program. Between nearly every song, there is a short mock radio jingle. The album even includes the band advertising certain products in song form, as the title would suggest. There are some rather obvious examples of this, such as Heinz Baked Beans , and other examples that can actually stand alone as solid songs, like Odorono . There is even some dabbing in psychedelia (after all, it was 1967) like on Armenia, City In the Sky . The Who take full advantage of the studio to produce this record, though the music itself still has a bit of the raw essence of the early Who. These early albums do not tend to present the loud raucous Who that their live show represented; instead, there is a strong sense of melody and control. Moon shows remarkable constraint (for him, at least) on songs like Tattoo . Sunrise, I Can't Reach You, and Our Love Was showed Townshend's softer side as a songwriter. I Can See For Miles was the only the album's top ten hit and the only track that got radio play and it features great singing from Roger and typical Keith Moon drumming. However, the real climax of the album is Rael , and religious conceptual experiment. The Who even develops some of the instrumental themes for Tommy on this song (mostly from songs like Sparks or The Underture ). They were now only a short step away from a full-blown concept album. The Who's live show was growing in popularity, size, volume, etc, as they became a bigger band over the last few years. Destroying their equipment was now a standard part of their nightly show. In fact, The Who destroyed so much equipment and gear, that they were actually in debt for a few years, despite the success of their albums and singles. Ironically, the band had stopped smashing their instruments by the time they had enough funds to actually afford doing it. In 1967, The Who performed at the Monterey Pop Festival in front of 200,000 people. Two years before the legendary Woodstock, a festival of this magnitude was a great tool to help launch the band into their upcoming power rock years. In 1968, The Who continued to release singles, including the ever-popular Magic Bus . To help keep momentum, they also released Magic Bus -The Who on Tour , a collection of some early singles and some album cuts not available previously. Through the rest of 1968, Townshend worked on what would be considered by many the band's artistic peak. He developed an interesting concept and a complex plot that moved through the life of a deaf, dumb, and blind boy who plays pinball. Tommy , released 1969, is a double-album and a conceptual masterpiece. The album is known for being the first very successful rock-opera (and one of the first in general). Tommy was met with great commercial success, especially in America. The plot, though confusing at times, is generally easy to follow. An interesting aspect of Tommy is in the religious themes it develops. By the end Tommy becomes such a powerful figure for fans seeking salvation (Sally Simpson ). Musically, the album is unquestionably strong. The Who were able to use great vocal harmonies and soft melodies in combination with their naturally loud and upfront style to produce an ideal mix of the two. Moon is excellent without being over-powering, and Townshend's song writing may have peaked here with impressive lyrics throughout the whole album. There are also instrumental movements like Sparks and The Underture , both of which relate to a strong musical theme. Combined with unbelievable songs like Amazing Journey, The Overture, Acid Queen, Pinball Wizard, Christmas, I'm Free, We're Not Gonna Take It , and a great album structure, Tommy is an album that by itself would have made The Who's career great. Tommy was the peak of the early Who, and soon the band would undergo changes that would dominate their style in the 70's. Touring to support the album, their live show grew in magnitude. Often they would play the entire album all the way through, each night reproducing the epic plot. 1969 also brought about another event that would have lasting effects on The Who: Woodstock. The legendary music festival was the basis for further evolution in the band's sound. The power of their live show was now all but unmatched, and it thrived off performances of epic songs such as the See me, Feel me climax. Roger Daltrey especially evolved during this time. In these years, he became Tommy to the audience, a sex symbol and a leader of the band on stage. Not to say that he was outshining the other members, however. In 1970, The Who decided to d0cument their astounding show with their release of Live at Leeds . The original LP featured rousing versions of Summertime Blues and Young Man Blues , along with a 15-minute version of My Generation that experiments with the Tommy themes. This album is regarded as one of the best live albums ever released, and it's no wonder why. It is still widely considered one of the best live performances ever recorded. A two-disc Deluxe Edition of the album is now available, which features Tommy performed almost in its entirety. Later that same year, The Who also played at the gigantic Isle of Wight Festival. With over 600,000 fans in attendance, The Who delivered a spectacular set. The material is similar to that of Live at Leeds , with new songs like Water, I Don't Even Know Myself, Spoonful/Twist and Shout , and an abridged version of Tommy . The show is now available on DVD as well as CD. The Who's momentum in 1970 to 1971 was also supplemented by the release of Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy , a collection of early singles, as well as the release of The Seeker as a new single. The new song gave audiences a feel for the type of sound that The Who would produce during the upcoming years. After the release of a record that stretched the idea of what was possible by four guys on a stage with just their instruments, The Who decided to use the studio to their full advantage on their next album. Synthesizers drive the album, and there use here was one of the first times a band used them so effectively. However, Pete was having difficulty with the album's concept. Townshend's original idea was a project titled Life house , which supposedly dealt with science fiction and a utopian society, but the idea was becoming increasingly complex and spiralled out of control. In response to the stress build up and complications, Townshend suffered a nervous breakdown. After his recovering, The Who picked up the pieces of Pete's failed work and came up with their 1971 release, Who's Next (this album is said jokingly by many to be the greatest failure in the history of rock music). The new album carried a much heavier sound than their previous studio work, and was very synthesizer-drive n. This is evident right from the start of the album. There are definite beginnings of The Who's â€Å"arena rock† era, which would last basically all of the 70's. Hard rock anthems like Baba O'Riley, Bargain, Behind Blue Eyes, and Won't Get Fooled Again all became very popular and received extensive play on FM radio. It also contains popular fan songs like My Wife and The Song is Over . Who's Next is usually thought of as the band's best album, and is probably their most popular. After more touring with the new material The Who were ready to go back into the studio. Determined to overcome his previous â€Å"failure† and do another Tommy so to speak, Townshend prepared to create another complex concept album. He moved through many possible ideas, each time getting involved in them for a period and then abandoning the concept. Eventually, Townshend settled on looking back at the time he knew best: the Mods. The double-album Quadrophenia was crafted together and released in 1973. The album's concept dealt with a youth, Jimmy, growing up in 60's and struggling to find himself in a mod society. Despite starting with a much stronger story than Tommy originally had, Quadrophenia's plot suffers from being underdeveloped. Townshend tried to incorporate four vastly different personalities into his central character, each of which reflected a member of the band, but this too was left underdeveloped and only weakened Quadrophenia as a thematic album. Ultimately, the record's attempted concept was too complex for the mass Who audience to understand. The album is also very studio heavy, meaning that its complexities (horn sections, various studio effects, overdubs, etc) made it very difficult for the band to replicate it live, unlike most of their earlier material. Despite these negative points about the album, the music overall is very well done. Standout tracks include The Real Me, The Punk and the Godfather, I've Had Enough, 5:15, and Love Reign O'Er Me. The Real Me features some amazing bass playing, even by Entwistle's standards, and Love Reign O'Er Me showcases Daltrey's undeniable power and the emotional climax of the album. Quadrophenia also features what may be Keith Moon's best studio drumming. However, the inability to reproduce the album's sound on a tour would prove costly for the group, and caused them to take a step back. After Quadrophenia , The Who began to drift apart slightly. Townshend and Entwistle were both interested in their own solo projects. Pete began to drink excessively, a habit that would plague him for the next several years. Moon was enjoying his rock star lifestyle of substance abuse and like Townshend, this would cause problems for him in the next few years. Regardless of this, Pete continued working on songs for The Who and for their next album. During their off year in 1974, The Who released Odds and Sods , another singles and album cuts collection spanning The Who's career to that point. The band goes back to the basics on The Who by the Numbers , released 1975. The complex arrangements of the last album were replaced by basically pure rock music. Townshend's lyrics were very emotional and personal. The album and its subsequent tour were both hits, but it did not stand up the level of their past four releases. The record's strongest tracks were Slip Kid and Squeeze Box , with a number of other expressive songs like They Are All in Love and How Many Friends . After the tour, The Who was exhausted and artistically worn-out and agreed to take an extended break. Very little would be heard from the band until they came back together in 1978 to work on their new album. The resulting record would be Who Are You , which was a relatively big success. However, the album is plagued with problems and inconsistencies. Alcoholism and substance abuse were taking their tolls on Townshend and Moon, and although their instrumental ability is still intact, there is the sense that the group is starting to fade. Moon especially during this time was very flakey. It was questionable whether he would turn up for sessions or not. Sometimes he would even forget parts of his drumming and have to relearn things in the studio. The album relied heavily on synthesizers and complex arrangements, and in some cases these are certainly overdone. The title track is the album's biggest accomplishment. The commercial success of the record may have triggered The Who's comeback, but it was not to be. On September 7, 1978, Keith Moon overdosed on a drug that was helping him get away from his alcoholism, and died. Losing a band member like Keith Moon almost immediately implies that the band would not continue. Moon was a defining aspect of The Who for nearly 14 years, and he was certainly not replaceable. Almost no drummers could bring to a band what he brought to The Who. However, the surviving members elected to continue playing. Later they would all agree that The Who in fact did end with Keith Moon's death. Kenney Jones, formerly of the Small Faces, was hired as Moon's replacement. Keyboardist John Bundrick was also added to the group, and they began working on new material and set up for a tour. They gained momentum through the release of The Kids Are Alright, a collection of video footage of the group's entire career. But their momentum and goodwill was crushed when they were informed about the deaths of 11 people after being trampled in a Cincinnati accident. Townshend fell deep into drug use now, and had an almost fatal encounter with heroin in 1981. Daltrey and Entwistle worked on their solo careers, but met limited success. The band reformed to release Face Dances (1981) and It's Hard (1982). Though with some standout material (namely Eminence Front ), the albums pale in comparison to The Who of ten years ago. Their 1982 Tour was supposedly a goodbye to fans, as they were basically packing it in. The remainder of the 80's saw numerous Who collections emerge, and finally in 1991 the band brought together a successful 4-disc box set. The three core members continued their solo careers, and have reunited a few times in the 90's for brief tours and various benefits. When it looked as though the group was gaining steam, John Entwistle died in June of 2002. The Who's lasting legacy to rock music is one of the greatest ever left. They did what no band had done and very few have done. Between the early mod Who, the guitar-smashing mid 60's Who, the concept/thematic album Who, and the unyielding arena-rock Who, few bands have changed as much as they did and covered so much area in music. Their legendary live show is still though off as one of the best rock has ever seen. With the super talented musicians they had, it is no wonder that The Who were able to produce so much good music and influence so many bands and artists of their time, and even now. Their music will indeed live on forever.

The East Indian Presence

The last name Thompson Is one of Scottish decent. But the person who owns the name has absolutely nothing to do with the Scottish, This Is a common scenario for the many that Inhabit the small Island of Trinidad and Tobago. Trinidad, where the population of â€Å"just over a million people,† as it is colloquially recited, is a large mosaic of different ethnicities from different parts of the world, and immigrants from each ethnicity came many different reasons.These reasons, over time, have come to include slavery, indentured servitude, slave ownership, better lives, private businesses, and eventually leisure. The majority of the Trinitarian population Is comprised of people from East Indian parentage. L, along with my maternal side of the family fall into this category. East India refers to the country on the Asian continent where many know the natives for exotic spices, colorful tapestries, and art crafted by hand that creates a sense of the far and mystical land of India ma ny imagine as unreachable.But in the United States they are reachable, for almost 100 ears now, and today we share the America we all love with them as friends, colleagues, business partners, and neighbors. But It was not so In the beginning. East Indians came to the united States to create a foothold In the American dream of all. Instead of welcomes, though, they were met with the prejudices of the â€Å"white men† that rule the land with their unjust and racial hands. They were accused of being lethargic and detrimental to the country despite their contributions to the economy of the Pacific Coast.The East Indians began their movement out of India by first landing In British Columbia. The Immigrants came from many different areas of India such as Bengal, Gujarat, and the united Provinces. The propaganda pushed by Canadian employers created the impression of opportunity and success in working on the railroads. L The treatment the Indians received in British Columbia, however , was less than suitable for a hardworking employee. Many arrived there with verbal contracts for work that were never acknowledged, and living conditions unsuitable for the severe winters they encountered.From there, around 1907, they found their way down to the Pacific Coast of the united States In search of friendlier employers and better wages and weather. 2 They settled largely in Bellingham, Washington, and parts of Oregon, working in lumber mills. In these areas, it was easy for Indians to feel more comfortable at work since mill owners were indifferent to their turbans or their skin color. 3 Soon, there were around 1,072 Indian immigrants in the United States. 4 When eventually Euro-Americans caught on to how Indians may be endangering their Jobs, hundreds of them complained to the mill owners about being replaced and workers.As a result of these actions, Euro-Americans were able to convince employers that it was dangerous and unpredictable to have the â€Å"rag-heads,† as they called them, working for them and taking Jobs away from white workers. One can see the hypocrisy in the situation if one revisits the lethargic and volatile nature of these Euro-Americans themselves. In response to these injustices, the East Indians were forced to move further south into California. 5 As Indians entered California, in about 1907, their numbers again increased to around 1,782.Many moved to the port of San Francisco and the small city of Chic, Just north of San Francisco, because of the favorable treatment they received. Many set to work with the West Pacific Railway where eventually there were as many as 2,000 Indians working on the Pacific Railroad. As more time went by, less Indians worked the railroads after 1908 but they completed the construction of many bridges, tunnels, and railroad section work between 1907 and 1909. The Indians then turned their attention to agriculture in 1910, during Californians agriculture boom.This provided many Jobs for the Indians. 6 But in another unjust response to their hard work, Indians were now faced with opposition by different organizations. One of the organizations that proved determined to keep out Indians was the Asiatic Exclusion League. The Asiatic Exclusion League used their influential status to write Congress on several occasions about the â€Å"detrimental† effect that they believed Indians had on the American people. These â€Å"detrimental† affects included everything from industrial effects to moral effects.The Asiatic Exclusion League worked to its fullest to inhibit success for the â€Å"Asiatic† (Asiatic also included the Japanese, Korean, and Filipino people of Eastern Asia) as much as possible in order to ensure their removal and deportation if possible. In 1910, the Asiatic Exclusion League further propelled the removal of Indians by describing the way they live as a disregard for â€Å"the decencies of life†. 7 In the later months of 1910, the num ber of Indians admitted into the United States began to decrease and by June 1910, some were turned away and had to find ways around the main ports to get into the country.Indians tried alternate routes through Hawaii, Mexico, and even hiding until they could go unnoticed with those who were tot deported. 8 When one thinks about what the â€Å"American Dream† means, is what the Indians experienced what comes to mind? For most it is not so difficult. Many may see a definite struggle, until a great opportunity presents itself that can set one's destiny on the perfect path that one can be successful and pass that success onto further generations.But what Indians endured in coming to the United States, seems to be more difficult than one usually anticipates in trying to live out the â€Å"American Dream. † What can be said for the Indians and their so-called â€Å"American experience,† is that hey accomplished what they needed to in order to push past all the injust ices encountered and move forward. But I cannot say that they were able to enjoy the results of all their efforts. Nearly 100 years later, not many are aware of either their efforts on the Pacific railroads or the hardships they endured before and after that time in the United States.While many other ethnicities are able to look back at history books and read about their ancestors' endeavors and contributions to the United States, those of East Indian decent are unable to do so as easily. East Indian he efforts of the other Asiatic who came in search of the same work. Only they are outwardly credited, while the East Indian presence in United States history seems almost nonexistent. However, as one walks down the diverse and multicultural street of Devon Avenue, one encounters many different cultures and peoples.But one culture in particular that is prominent and well-known is the section known as â€Å"Little India. † This section is filled with many different places that one might hope to only see in India itself. Shops that sell saris, the traditional clothing worn by women, and salary zamia, the rotational clothing worn by men, restaurants that advertise their many Indian foods, and even Jewelry stores with the most precious and elaborate Indian gold. These shops line the avenue in the most ornate way. This section of Devon Avenue in Chicago, Illinois, is a good example of the presence and story of the East Indian peoples. Devon Avenue is home to many different cultures and ethnicities on several streets, but where the Indians mostly inhabit is on and around Mohammed All Zinnia Way and Mahatma Gandhi Mark. This section is also known as â€Å"Little India†. Here one sees an entirely new environment, one that completely envelopes the culture, lives, and surroundings of native India. I have been to India before and was surprised to feel as though I had returned. Everything looked real and authentic. As I looked around I expected to see Indians wh o may look and dress as though influenced by the American society, but this was quite the contrary.There were men, women, and children walking around dressed as if they Just arrived from India. Women wear brightly colored saris, ones that, according to Mrs†¦ Patella, a woman I stopped outside one of the sari-selling stores, â€Å"†¦ Re exactly, if not better than those in India. And the jewelry is some of the most wonderful there is. â€Å"10 Redcap, author of Ethnic Routes to Becoming an American: Indian Immigrants and the Cultures of Citizenship describes the exact same scene in the sass's when she first comes to America.There are, surprisingly, also many video stores that proclaim their Plywood contents and vociferously advertise with â€Å"film tunes† and, as Redcap illustrates, â€Å"window-hung Indian movie posters, featuring red-lipped, voluptuous women leaning against bare- cheated, brooding men in skin tight leather pants. 11 One man, Visual Ramparts, we nt so far as to say that â€Å"Devon is like an India away from India†¦ When my mother misses India (my father) takes her here and lets her spend the day, then she feels better. â€Å"12 All this and more contributes to the Indian story here in America.The story of the Indian peoples is an arduous one. They had to fight for a long time so that America could hear their voices. And when eventually they did, the Indians could feel more comfortable and accepted in their surroundings. Because they were now comfortable and more of them had better reasons to stay and bring heir families, in 1985 they accounted for more than 500,000 within the United States population. 13 Many of the immigrants settled in urban areas like New York , Miami, Anaheim, Washington D. C. , Houston, San Francisco, and of course Chicago. 4 With the settlement of these immigrants in these areas, they created sections with great diversity which attracted many other ethnicities, or encouraged them to create sec tions for themselves. But over time, some of these cities' diversity has dwindled diverse neighborhoods in the country such as Brooklyn and Queens in New York and Rogers Park in Chicago. 5 And in these communities, Indians play a significant part. These communities have helped make their presence known to the American people, because now there are people who are willing to speak out and educate the American people about their culture, lifestyle, and history.In the world today, people want to know more about them and are genuinely interested because of the diversity of the culture. As Helsel so puts it, â€Å"In the early sass's one could count on his or her fingers the number of articles and books about Asian Indians†¦. By 2003, the number had increased to more than 300. 16 Therefore, the evidence presented clearly supports and enhances the story of the Indian ethnicity making it more interesting and fascinating to others. It creates a will to understand their culture among ot hers from different backgrounds, especially when one exposes themselves to an environment like Devon Avenue.It sparks curiosity as to where these people came from, what their customs are, and what are the foreign things seen in the shop windows of Devon. When the East Indians came to the United States, looking for the American Dream, they found close to none of it. Though as time went on, some of hose who were not deported in 1910, found ways of living in hiding while working at the same time. And quite some time after that, they began to find work more easily in the United States. While still being part of a group plagued by prejudice for a long time, many soon came to accept them and their culture. 7 Many decided to move to other states that offered a lot of opportunity like New York, New Jersey, and Illinois. These places offered many Job opportunities like factories and other industrial work. New York was also a place where they could settle and await the arrival of their Emily who might immigrate later. In these places, Indians established small communities where they could all find comfort in one another. Soon these communities became known as â€Å"Little Indians,† like on Devon Avenue. 8 Today, there are East Indians in all fifty states. But the most populated are still New York, New Jersey, Illinois, Texas, Florida, and of course, California where it all began. 19 Today, the East Indian presence in the United States is quite noticeable, but their presence is not enough to say that they have truly influenced the American fabric or the essence of America. They are here, and many know of them, but they and their culture are still seen as significantly different from what many know the average American culture to be.In closing, East Indians have made it into the American society and today fit in very well. They live alongside us everyday in workplaces, schools, and businesses. But as the presented evidence supports, this was not an easy goal to ach ieve. East Indians do not get the credit they deserve for their role in the construction of modern America and their part in United States history. History reedits many other ethnicities that worked beside East Indians on the railroads with its construction and omit the existence of the East Indian presence.This creates the illusion that East Indians are part of the groups of immigrants that moved to the United States in fairly modern times and did not contribute to making America what it is today. The goal of history is to educate others about different peoples and who they influence different times and places. This courtesy is not shown to those of the East Indian parentage in the United States history, although they, much like many muggy into the modern United States. They do not deal with a lot of prejudice, and many find their culture interesting and exotic.If anything, many more Americans are more interested in knowing about their culture and practices rather than bashing or b elittling it. In the America we live in today, a lot in the culture is commonplace and Americans are always trying to find something new and attractive to create a hybrid of to fit into the American lifestyle. One can see an example of this back in the sass's with the artist Gwen Stefan. She marketed her style with an East Indian flare wearing he decorative â€Å"bind'† on her forehead and sporting henna tattoos on her body.