Taxation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 8

Taxation - Essay Example The decision of the amount of public opinions pay to devour today and the amount to put something aside for future utilization is among the most essential financial choices. It can have suggestions not just for the prosperity of the family units taking the choices, additionally for the rate at which the economy contributes and develops, and consequently the prosperity of future eras. (Wildasin And Boadway, 1995) . Taxation is one of numerous arrangements that influence the level of reserve funds. Other huge ones incorporate the arrangement of social protection, particularly benefits, additionally wellbeing and inability protection, welfare administrations and instruction; exchanges of different sorts; and obligation approach (Hmrc.gov.uk, 2014). None the less, the standards by which sparing conduct reacts to these different approaches are fundamentally the same. In the UK, people had the tendency of having progressive saving. This ensured that there were cash reserves to take care of a rainy day. Nevertheless, today the culture of progressive saving is dying out; partly because on the tax that is imposed on saving. The culture of saving needs one to have the highest levels of self-control. The UK government has imposed a 10% rate tax for saving. This means that the government gets 10% of the money that you have saved and are continuing to save (Tax aid, 2010). The system that is in use on taxation of saving in the UK is not fair and entails a lot of detail. This is so much in the accounts that gain interests on their savings. Saving is both important in ensuring economic growth and personal monetary security. There are several purposes for saving taxation in the tax system. Tax is based on income and savings of an individual and the difference between these two is the way tax on savings is treated. Tax on savings is always equal to the

The Growth And Decline Of Bebop Media Essay

The Growth And Decline Of Bebop Media Essay Jazz music has existed for nearly 100 years producing many subgenres of music and evolving styles along the way; starting with Ragtime in the late 1890s early 1920s, moving on to the prominence of the big band, to the syncopated feel of Swing (that led to the mainstream popularity of Jazz); during the 1930s. These progressions in Jazz led to the formation of a new subgenre, Bebop. Swing music brought two main developments to the Jazz genre; firstly throwing Jazz into the limelight, and secondly becoming a popular type of Jazz music people could dance to. However, the conformity of Swing constrained Musicians freedom to experiment and gain personal acclaim through the opportunity to play solo passages. The frustration this led some Jazz musicians to branch out and develop a music genre known as Bebop. This new style of Jazz (named Bebop but often referred to as bop or Rebop); emerged in the main, from Swing bands around the 1940s. The music placed larger emphasis on technique, speed and complex harmonies than swing; making it almost impossible to dance to which was the intention of the musicians who wanted their music to be appreciated through listening. Despite this causing much controversy, musicians were content with the longer solo time and smaller band sizes this style offered. Historically, Bebop is referred to as the first modern Jazz style originating in New York, through such artists as Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Dizzy Gillespie, Kenny Clarke and Charlie Christian. The freedom of this style soon attracted other musicians drawn to its complexity, lack of structure and very experimental style Musicians often used different types of ornamentation to aid the complex melodies and harmonies. Features such as comping, sliding, parallel octaves (often borrowed from piano by guitar), improvisation and emphasis on the 3rd and 7th notes of a chord, were all common features of Bebop. 2. The rise of Bebop Bebop music, whose roots are founded in Swing, began to emerge in the mid 1940s when musicians became frustrated with swing and began working on a new, more technical type of Jazz. Its growth and development continued until around 1955. Aimed at destabilising swing music and excluding the less talented, white musicians that had latched onto what had once been a black innovation; bebop was seen as a chaotic revolution in the Jazz genre. In his book, Jazz 101, Szwed states that, To non-jazz fans or swing devotees, bop was a musical affront, a deliberate provocation, a scandal.3 pg161 Another contributing factor to the rise of Bebop was the commercialisation of swing music and its increasing status as the Pop music of America4 pg162 when it had previously been seen as more ethnic, alternative type of music. This commercialisation led to Swing becoming more focussed on pleasing mainstream audiences and making money. Bop originated in New York as artists who were already playing large shows in the city would often find smaller venues to practice and refine the more technical aspects of the music. Bars and clubs that were often too small for the dancing encouraged by swing were perfect for the groups of 4-6 musicians needed for a Bebop combo. One of the more famous venues for the development of Bebop was Mintons playhouse; where many jam sessions took place involving renowned musicians and some of the most famous Bebop music was played. 3. The influences leading to the evolution of Bebop Political/Economic/Social During this time in history a number of political, social and economic factors can be seen as influential and relevant to the ways in which Jazz music evolved. Firstly, racism and a lack of civil rights had a significant impact on black African American communities and black musicians were no exception. The majority of black musicians struggled to profit in the music industry and White musicians were alleged to have frequently stolen black musicians ideas. Furthermore, many black musicians were prevented from performing concerts or recording their music. Secondly, World War II had a significant impact on Jazz as a whole due to musicians that played in big bands being drafted into the army. Thirdly, the economic depression during this time made life hard. Many families did not have enough money to live and feed themselves. There were frequent riots in major cities, led by black people revolting against their terrible living conditions and unjust treatment. In contrast, increasing industrialism and mass production significantly reduced prices of products such as radios and cars. Most households owned a radio which made Jazz Music more accessible to the mainstream including young, impressionable artists who were able to listen to their idols. Musician Preference As previously mentioned, one of the largest contributing factors to the growth of Bebop music was musicians frustration with swing and big bands. Despite the generic success of swing music through its easy melodies and dance like feel, many artists felt unfulfilled when playing it. There were constraints on what they could play with only a few musicians having the chance to solo for short periods. Many performers believed their music should be appreciated through listening rather than dancing. Skilled and experienced musicians wanted to exclude amateur musicians joining in with jam sessions and thus invented more elaborate, complex ways of playing that only professional musicians could accomplish. What changed? The developments from Swing to Bebop Band sizes Bebop was seen as a more collaborative and intimate type of music than Swing with bands consisting of only 4-6 musicians; thus allowing for greater cohesion between musicians and more time dedicated to individuals soloing. In addition, the musicians would often play off one another trading fourths, which involved the soloist exchanging a 4 bar progression with another musician or the drummer. This was very engaging to audiences. Bop became music for the elite rather than the masses and was associated with more accomplished and skilled musicians. Chances for soloing Due to smaller band sizes, Jazz musicians were given longer sections for soloing; including bassists and drummers which was very appealing to musicians who had previously been playing simple beats or chords in the background. The band would play a melody before individual musicians would solo over the songs chord progression, making the melody secondary, with a greater emphasis on solos. Instruments and Rhythm The rise of Bebop music saw the end of rhythm guitar and clarinet. The typical big band size of 10 or more musicians was reduced to 4-6, and often did not include more than one of each instrument. A typical Bop combo would consist of drums, double bass, piano and either a guitar, trumpet or saxophone. Rhythm guitar was only used for accompanying another instrument during its solo, when other musicians would be playing a complex melody or head in unison. Bassists would play a walking bass line that consists of a mixture of scale tones (arpeggios or chromatic runs) that outline the chord progression of the song. Drummers relied less on the kick drum and more on the cymbals to maintain the often complex and fast paced rhythm. For example Nicas Dream (a song played by many artists) switches between 4/4 Latin or Samba and 4/4 Swing, creating a complex rhythm. Above are the two different rhythms used during the song Nicas Dream There was significant emphasis placed on the 1st and 3rd beats of the bar by musicians during the swing era. However, during the Bebop period, the rhythmic prominence changed to the 2nd and 4th beats of the measure. These techniques created a feel of solos (characteristic of Bebop music) being more free and less rigidly tied into the song. This genre was characterised in part by its unpredictable rhythms. The scales, notation and approach to playing Although the approach to playing and soloing was different in Bebop in comparison to swing, most sections played were based on the melody of a song. Bop musicians employed chromatics and favoured the use of the 3rd, 5th, and flat 7th notes of the chords for improvisation. The faster tempo made the music more frantic and energetic which also led to a greater display of musicians technical talent. The use of harmony became significantly less fashionable for the greater part of the Bebop period and most melodies or heads were played in unison. Guitarists incorporated the use of unison octaves (made famous by Wes Montgomery) for solos. Song Analysis The following two songs are great examples of Bebop music, containing many of the features commonly associated with this genre: Billies Bounce Recorded in 1945, Billies bounce is a through composed Jazz-blues song written by Charlie Parker. The song was recorded by a quintet consisting of a young Miles Davis, Curley Russell on bass, Dizzy Gillespie on piano and Max Roach on drums. The song is in F major or D for alto sax and 4/4 time. The general chord progression of the song is in F blues, however the melodic tonality of the head and the solos are more characteristic of Jazz and the tempo, indicative of Bebop. It is described as a Bebop head over a variation of the 12-measure blues progression in which a I-VI-II-V7 substitutes for V7 V7- IV7, IV in the last six measure. The light, bubbly piano intro from Dizzy Gillespie outlines the beat and style of the song. This is followed by the head that is played in unison 3rds and octaves with both the saxophone and trumpet. In bars 11 and 12 we see a repeat of the earlier 2 note theme seen in bars 2 and 3 to end the head. Throughout the melody there are examples of chromatics and slurred triplet notes that are seen later during the solos. The first 7 bars of the song are in standard F blues; however in bar 8 there is an Am7, followed by an Abm7. This chromatically sets up the Gm7 in bar 9. A standard blues would see bar 9 and 10 contain the chords C7 and Bb7 respectively, but Billies bounce extends the C7 over 2 bars and then re-harmonizes it with a standard II-V7 progression that turns to F in the last 2 bars. The beginning of the first solo sees a chromatic passing note between the G and A and again between the Bb and C. At the end of the second bar the notes of the chord Dm7/C are played over the Bb7 chord. In the third bar, Charlie Parker uses the notes of the Eb Mixolydian scale. The movement of the whole song is highly arpeggiated in both directions and there is some trace of a stepwise movement. Parker used a licks-based approach to the solo; however he was also very adept at altering the licks already in his vocabulary and changing them in more creative ways. He had a very flexible sense of harmonic placement that allowed him to change the duration of chords by either hitting them early or prolonging them and even sometimes adding progressions that were not part of the accompaniment. Above is a list of the guide tone lines for measures 1-7 as notes in a staff. Above the staff are chord options implied by Parker occasionally. Four on Six Wes Montgomery Four on six is a Bebop Jazz piece written by Wes Montgomery. The song is in Bb major and 4/4 time. The Harmony is based around the intro made entirely of 5ths and played in unison with the bass and piano. The intro that precedes the solo sections, sees the drums playing a simple crotchet rhythm on alternate cymbals to create a 2/2 feel. Following the intro of 5ths, Wes plays a small break that consists of the four chords Bbmaj7, Gm7, G#m11, Am11 and D7(#9). The chords played in the break are similar to those that form the intro of 5ths, but are however played of a much smaller time frame. After the break there is a Small melody. This modal melody line moves around the notes of Gm9. The backing chords for the melody are the same as those seen in the first 2 bars of the song, however the Gm now includes the 7th note; a note often used in bebop scales and songs. The melody is followed by a II V chord sequence with strong accents. These II V chords follow the harmony of the intro. The ch ords used are Cm9, F7(#9b11), Bbm9, Eb7(#11b9), Am9, D7(#11b9), Ebm9 and Ab9(#11). The chord sequence is descending and contains many chromatic notes that are very characteristic of bebop music. After the melody and chord sequence the solo section of the song begins. The chord accompaniment for this section is very similar to that of the intro. The chords cycle through 4 bars of Gm7, then simplified version of the descending sequence. For improvisation over the solo section there are a few scales that Wes Montgomery generally used that fit his style and way of playing. Over the Gm7 part Wes would use a G Dorian scale consisting of the notes G, A, Bb, C, D, E and F. Wes made sure that he was ever confined to one position on the neck and therefore learned the scale across the whole guitar neck. An alternative to the Dorian scale is the G minor pentatonic scale with or without the blues notes. This scale consists of the notes G, Bb, C, Db (blues), D and F. The blues notes are used to s lide from the C to the D. The advantage of the pentatonic scale in this situation is that all of the notes are either the root notes of the chords or a note inside the chords of the song. Wes uses many of his signature licks during his solos and even throws different styles into the mix. Above is an example of simple melody that includes a big jump across the fret board of the guitar. It uses a Gm(7) arpeggio with extensions. Wes also uses other styles such as blues in his solos. Below are two examples of this. This is a unison-interval blues clichà © played over the Gm7/maj7 and C7 chords. There are two hammer-ons and pull-offs during the melody to make a faster, smoother transition between notes. Above is a series of four repeated II-Vs. In the theme the dominant chords contain a natural 9 and Sharp 11 (F9#11). The scale played over these chords is a melodic minor scale. Over the Cm7 and F7 a C melodic minor scale can be played, however the name of this scale over the F7 is the Lydian dominant scale (5th mode of the melodic minor). Wes Montgomery doesnt think in scales for this part but in melodic patterns. Because the tempo is so fast this is an advantage as fast tempos make scales difficult to play musically. He frequently plays a pattern on the first II V and transposes it down the neck for the rest of the II Vs. Features The evolution to Bebop music created many stylistic changes and new musical features, which not only livened up the music but made it more contemporary, and distinguished the more accomplished musicians. The melodies were different from those previously associated with Jazz and were the base for most improvisational solos. Scales Jazz musicians typically used complex scales for their solos. The generic Bebop scale was made by adding either a major 7 to a Mixolydian scale or a major 3 to a Dorian scale. For solos, musicians preferred to use the 1, 3, 5 and flat 7th notes of the scale. Illustration of a C Major Bebop Scale The freedom of the melodies and complex chords of Bop opened up new possibilities for soloing. Musicians could play over the whole register of their instruments and find notes in any range that fitted into the chord progression; aided through the use of chromatics. Musicians used other scales such as the blues or enclosed scales (which use the technique enclosure- taking a note and playing one note above it and one note below before arriving at the note you were targeting.) Comping Although Rhythm guitar had essentially been excluded from Bebop bands, it was still used when accompanying a soloist through the comping (staccato chord playing) technique. However, as Bebop did not often follow a simple time signature, comping was not used frequently. Furthermore, the rhythms used by musicians were commonly irregular and thus the regular strumming pattern of comping may have disturbed the soloist. Chord melody Some musicians played solo arrangements by simultaneously playing chords in the background and the melody over the top. This was most commonly associated with piano and guitar. Decline of Bebop Economic Although considered a significant musical achievement by many musicians, by the 1950s bop music had begun to decline; partly due to its lack of commercial viability and niche market appeal. Variety magazine, an entertainment trade magazine based in New York reported Bop is a flop in late 1949. Many musicians such as Charlie Barnet, Benny Goodman and Woody Herman (who was $175,000 in debt) had to break up their bands during this decline. Cool Jazz and Hard bop The decline of Bebop music served as a platform for 2 new subgenres in Jazz. Firstly, Cool Jazz which was developed by many bop musicians such as Chet Baker, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie and newer musicians such as Dave Brubeck and Gerry Mulligan; was a direct contrast to bop with its more relaxed tempo, lighter tone and more traditional harmonies. In response to this progression and to maintain some of the features of Bebop, another subgenre developed known as Hard bop. This music was less extreme than Bebop music, had a more soulful feel rooted in traditional African and Blues music but still incorporating many phrases and notes from Bebop. These differences made Hard bop more accessible to beginner musicians and brought back a rhythm section. Artists Many artists that had been prominent during the Bebop era such as John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk and Charlie Parker; continued playing into the Hard bop and Cool Jazz period that subsequently followed. The most prominent cross-over artist of the two genres was Miles Davis who became very popular and well-known, especially with the release of his record Birth of Cool which was acclaimed within the Jazz world. Conclusion At the height of its popularity, Bebop introduced many innovations into the world of not only Jazz, but other genres of music. It changed the way musicians and listeners alike viewed Jazz and opened up many doorways to other styles, genres and artists. Bebop music has been an innovation and the ideas that have been created are still used to this day. In modern day jam sessions, Bebop is one of the most employed genres due to its small band sizes and simple structure (melody followed by solos). It gives many musicians the chance to improvise and explore different avenues of Jazz, allowing for the progression of new music in the modern industry. Even After its decline, bop music is still influencing instrumentalists and their music today Bibliography Websites http://library.thinkquest.org/18602/history/bop/bopstart.html http://www.scaruffi.com/history/jazz8.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bebop http://www.jazzguitar.be/bebopscale.html http://www.jazzguitar.be/bebop.html http://www.jazzquotations.com/2010/05/brief-history-of-bebop.html (function() { var scribd = document.createElement("script"); scribd.type = "text/javascript"; scribd.async = true; scribd.src = "https://www.scribd.com/javascripts/embed_code/inject.js"; var s = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(scribd, s); })() http://leadsheetmusic.com/multifakebooks.brooklyn/01_Fake_and_Real_Books/Play_Along/Vol_62_Wes_Montgomery_v2.pdf http://www.hypermusic.ca/jazz/bop.html http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090202152858AAjScZJ http://www.mattwarnockguitar.com/bebop-scale-patterns-for-guitar http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-bebop-music.htm http://www.kennedy-center.org/programs/jazz/ambassadors/Lesson6.html http://www.jazzguitar.com/lessons.html http://books.google.co.nz/books?id=hNTLZ3bpBFcCpg=PA447lpg=PA447dq=decline+of+bebopsource=blots=_GLiz0J9Zpsig=6xcoNDngRNtGHsXwTlJc81fek54hl=ensa=Xei=MdTFT9mfFcHYigeSs62hAwved=0CFkQ6AEwAw v=onepageq=decline%20of%20bebopf=false http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wes_Montgomery http://www.jazzguitar.be/premium-issue-1.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jazz_guitar http://www.jazzguitarlessons.net/jazz-improvisation-2.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead_guitar Creating_lead_guitar_lines http://www.guitarplayer.com/article/jazz-picking-and-phrasing/663 http://www.theguitarschool.com/CharlieParker.html http://airjudden.tripod.com/jazz/styles.html http://www.learning-charlie-parker.com/licks.php http://web.archive.org/web/20070812145101/http://www.vervemusicgroup.com/history.aspx?hid=20 http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/bhistory/history_of_jazz.htm (function() { var scribd = document.createElement("script"); scribd.type = "text/javascript"; scribd.async = true; scribd.src = "https://www.scribd.com/javascripts/embed_code/inject.js"; var s = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(scribd, s); })() http://www.jazzinamerica.org/LessonPlan/5/5/230 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bassline Walking_bass http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_bop http://www.timeisonourside.com/STBop.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cool_jazz http://forums.allaboutjazz.com/showthread.php?t=37646 http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?35319-BeBop-HardBop http://www.jazzinamerica.org/LessonPlan/8/6/211 http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/music/popular_music/jazz3.shtml http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080228152849AAQMyaT http://xroads.virginia.edu/~asi/musi212/margaret/martist.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ii-V-I_turnaround#Jazz http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ii-V-I_turnaround#Jazz http://www.musicbanter.com/jazz-blues/58195-jazz-progression-2-5-1-a.html http://peterspitzer.blogspot.co.nz/2011/07/analysis-of-charlie-parkers-billies.html http://ebmusicman.blogspot.co.nz/2008/03/billies-bounce-part-1.html http://s130.photobucket.com/albums/p261/liquidtensionxpr/blog/?action=viewcurrent=billiesbounce-simplified-part1.jpg http://s130.photobucket.com/albums/p261/liquidtensionxpr/blog/?action=viewcurrent=reharm-04b.gif http://www.jazzguitar.be/billies_bounce_lesson.html Books Roads of Jazz Peter Bole Jazz: A history of Americas music Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken Burns The Chronicle of Jazz Mervyn Cooke Discography Song Played by Nicas Dream Wes Montgomery Tune up Miles Davis Airegin Sonny Rollins Four on Six Wes Montgomery Billies Bounce Charlie Parker

Comparing Othello and Volpone Essay -- Comparison Compare Contrast Ess

Similarities in Othello and Volpone      Ã‚  Ã‚   Upon reading Shakespeare's l604 tragedy, Othello, the Moor of Venice and Jonson's l606 comedy, Volpone, or The Foxe, a reader will notice both similarities and differences.   In both plays, we meet characters of "rare ingenious knavery." Indeed, Iago, Volpone, and Mosca are uncommonly similar in nature. An elaborate "con game" is practiced in each play through intriguing dramatic inventiveness. However, the focus of Shakespeare's tragedy is upon a noble and heroic figure; the focus of Jonson's comedy is upon a monster of depravity, a genius in crime. Comparisons between these great plays continues to pale when Jonson's script is held up to scrutiny. Whereas Shakespeare's seventeenth century work in comedy would turn continually toward soft edges, romance, and the pastoral, mixing both the serious and the humorous, Jonson established a reputation as one of the major social satirists of the English dramatic tradition. In fact, Jonson's comedies establish the tradition of social comedy on the English stage. In Volpone, although the satire is ultimately moral, its immediate aim is mostly social or legal. The play unmasks the artificial features of respectability, exposing vice and the manipulations of hypocrites. To his credit, Jonson did not altogether excuse the imperceptiveness of the victims in the play. Jonson's central characters are among the early models of "anti-heroes," a term generally restricted to characters found in Dostoevski, Sartre, or Camus. The specimens dramatized in Volpone are not merely fools, but money-hungry, lustful, morally despicable knaves. Their names immediately suggest their depravity because they are identified with the world of beasts. Thus, the lawy... ... Now, though the Fox be punish'd by the laws, / He yet doth hope, there is no suff'ring due, / For any fact which he hath done 'gainst you; / If there be a censure him; here he doubtful stands. / If not, fare jovially, and clap your hands." Works Cited and Consulted Barish, Jonas A. Ben Jonson: A Collection of Critical Essays. Prentice-Hall Inc.: Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1963. Campbell, Lily B. Shakespeare’s Tragic Heroes. New York: Barnes and Noble, Inc., 1970. Dessen, Alan C. Jonson’s Moral Comedy. Northwestern University. Press, 1971. Kermode, Frank. â€Å"Othello, the Moor of Venice.† The Riverside Shakespeare. Ed. G. Blakemore Evans. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1974. Shakespeare, William. Othello. In The Electric Shakespeare. Princeton University. 1996. http://www.eiu.edu/~multilit/studyabroad/othello/othello_all.html No line nos.   

Investigating the Properties of Ph

Investigating the Properties of pH The manufacture’s claim is that Sensodyne toothpaste micro hardens tooth enamel to help protect against the effects of acid wear, helps stop the twinges of pain from sensitive teeth formulated with low abrasivity, neutral pH and gentle yet effective cleaning system. To find out if the manufactures claim on Sensodyne toothpaste is the correct level of pH. I expect the Sensodyne toothpaste to be a neutral pH level as the manufactures claim that this products pH level is neutral. This would be indicated by a level of pH 6 and 7. The equipment needed for this practical * Sensodyne (toothpaste) Universal indicator * Universal paper * pH meter * Petri dish x 3 * Measuring cylinder x 6 * Wooden stick * Distilled water * Tap water * Ruler Method 1. Test the distilled water and tap water for the pH level to see if it were neutral so it wouldn’t make a difference to the results. 2. Set up 3 petri dishes and 3 measuring cylinders 3. Measure 10mls of tap water. Add water to the petri dish and add 5cm of Sensodyne (toothpaste) into each petri dish and repeat this step 3 times. 4. Measure 10mls of distilled water and add to the measuring cylinders as well as adding 5cm of Sensodyne (toothpaste) and repeat this step 3 times. . Mix the substances together with the wooden stick. 6. Put universal indicator (liquid) into the petri dish repeat this step 3 times. Record the results from each petri dish. 7. Put universal indicator (paper) into the measuring cylinder repeat this step 3 times Record the results from each measuring cylinder. 8. Set up pH meter, Put the pH meter into the measuring cylinder record the pH reading and repeat this step 3 times for a reliable. Results Table Universal Indicator Universal Paper pH Meter Test 1 pH6 6 7. 0 Test 2 pH6 6 6. 99 Test 3 pH6 6 7. 09 Photographic evidence of experiments Before: After: Before: After: Discussion * The results show pH of the toothpaste is neutral according to the pH meter, and slightly acidic according to the paper and indicator. The pH was discovered to be between 6 and 7 in all the tests done * The manufacturers’ claim was the pH level of the sensodyne (toothpaste) was neutral. My hypothesis was that the toothpaste was pH neutral and this was supported by the results. * I compared distilled water and tap water because of the different chemicals mixed with the water, but the results showed no difference so it didn’t affect the pH. The pH meter showed little varying but not too much this could be that the pH meter is out or that there could be something wrong with the meter because with my supported evidence its unlikely to be wrong. To improve this experiment would be to test with more than one pH meter to see if there’s a difference in comparison. Otherwise it may be more efficient if there were more tests done for more support towards the result. * My independent variable is the sensodyne (toothpaste) because in every experiment I used the same amount of sensodyne. The dependant variable was the pH levels were I did not have control over what the pH level would indicate. This is the reason the results are reliable because I repeated the steps three times in each test and continued to get the same results. This experiment could be improved by obtaining samples of toothpaste from a variety of locations. This will identify and inconsistency’s in the product itself. Conclusion * The experiment found that the manufactures claim of pH is correct and it is a neutral pH with supported evidence. Teeth would be affected by acidic toothpaste or alkaline toothpaste. Therefore a pH between 6 and 7 is an appropriate toothpaste . This sensodyne (toothpaste) is designed to help people with sensitive teeth.

Different political tribes’ opinions about Islam in Malaysia

Malaysia is a multi-cultural multi-ethnic and multilingual society with Malay, Indian and Chinese being the major races in the population. There are also other indigenous tribal groups and Bahasa Malaysia is the country’s national language although such other dialects like Mandarin, English and Tamil are widely spoken especially in the commercial and business sectors.The country’s official religion is Islam; practiced by majority Malayans but other religions such as Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity are also practiced (Verma 96). Malaysia is made up of two major regions that have been separated by South China Sea and consists of a federation of thirteen states and 3 federal territories. Although little interaction is notable, the communities are said to coexist in harmony regardless of their religious and cultural differences (Hussain).In Malaysia like in any other state that is predominantly Muslim it is hard to separate religion and state matters and much attention is paid to the manner in which Islam is represented in the socio-cultural and political spheres. It is no wonder then that in Malaysia, religion has become very much politicized while contentiousness marks the secular state (Lahoud 40, 43). In a multi-ethnic country that is on the modernization path like Malaysia the implications and reality of a government whose policies are rooted in Islam has begun to sink in the minds of most people.Such issues like Islamic state, freedom of religion, the hudoud law and freedom of expression have spilled out into the public arena as the two major Islamic political parties, the opposition PAS (Party Islam se-Malaysia) and ruling UMNO (United Malays National Organization) continue to struggle for political dominance in this nation. UMNO is the major political party and has dominated Malaysian politics for decades.After Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi came to power in 2003, there has been notable attempts to force Islamic values on non-Muslims and h is attempt to promote traditional Islam (Islam Hadari) has turned Islam into the integral part of all government policies (Esposito et al 94-103). The imposing of the Hijab on non-Muslim women in the police force and those working in restaurants, and the ban imposed on couples not to hold hands in public are clear indications of the way Malaysian government policies continue to affect the non-Muslim population.But PAS is opposed to Islam Hadhari and aims at establishing a state of Malaysia based on a theoretical approach of Islam as provided for in the Sunnah (way of the prophet and Quran) (Hussain). In view of the fact that Islam and Malay identity are so intertwined, there is a tough contest between the PAS and UMNO parties as they try to out-do each other on the political and religious arenas and win the role of Islam’s standard-bearer, and in such a way, the vote of the Malay constituents.UMNO has frequently been accused by PAS of failing to uphold Islam and its values wh ile UMNO accuses PAS of being fanatical and led by conservative traditionalists who pose a threat to the economic growth of the country. PAS goes on to criticize UMNO of practicing uneven development and in this way has managed to attract the appeal of the Malay Muslim. The PAS party has diverted its political propaganda from Malay nationalism and value of Islamic law and now stresses that is it’s committed to authentic Islam.The party leaders are using their position to transform social-cultural life among the Northern states governed by PAS (Esposito 94-103). Islamic institutions and mosques in opposition strongholds such as Selangor have been banned from any promotion of Islam Hadhari arguing that it is distorting the religion of Islam by including non-Muslims in its laws. PAS which is an opposition party goes on to argue that Islam Hadhari is leading to a loss of spiritualism in the Islamic religion and that Islam is being misused to promote economic development.Other opp osition parties like the people’s Justice Party (PJP) and Chinese dominated Leftist Democratic Party (CDP) have not opposed this ban. Various Muslim groups have also been debating over the role that Islam should play in Malaysian society, be it in relation to religious freedom in such a plural society, democracy or rights for minorities and women (Lahoud 40-43). In Malaysia, ethnic and religious diversity is prominent and certain religions are identified with certain ethnic groups for example Malays with the Islamic religion, and ethnic Chinese tribes with their traditional religions.The communalization of Islam by the Malays through their approach that ethical and religious interests are equal does not go well with non-Muslims who hold a view that Islam is to blame for underachievement in Malayan society (Verma 94). The Malaysian constitution defines all Malays as Muslim irrespective of their ethnic background and states that Islam should not be challenged either constitutio nally or conventionally. Introduction of religious discourse in national identification defining a Malayan as either Muslim or non-Muslim has not gone well with non-Muslims who view this move as discriminative.Although Islam puts emphasis on such principles as tolerance, peaceful co-existence, human brother-hood and respect for all, the Muslims in Malaysia like in any other Muslim dominated country seem to enjoy special rights and this status-quo is bound to continue until such a time that Islam gets modernized or reformed. Muslims in Malaysia have proved very reluctant to extend equal rights to the minority non-Muslim community and although other religious groups have been given freedom to practice their beliefs, this practice is limited and building of places of worship is sanctioned by the state.Demolition of some Chinese temples and several Hindu temples in 2004 and 2005 raised uproar within these communities leading to discontentment with the authorities. Worship places for Mus lims are also built from public funds while others are privately funded. The non-Muslim tax-payers are certainly not happy about this and view such a move as exploitation of the minority (Verma 94-103). Traditional Chinese’ view about Islam has however been more bent towards indifference rather than hostility.Ethnic Chinese are far above the Malays in the fields of trade, modern education and business and they find no good reason to show any interest in Islam because of its identification with inferior ethnic groups. The Malays on the other hand question the Islamic worth of ethnic Chinese cultural practices such as use of chopsticks for eating although this practice has been traditionally unacceptable to the Malays. Because of the attitude the Malay Muslims hold towards Chinese culture, the ethnic Chinese has got all the more convinced that Islam is not suitable for the Chinese people.Most of the Chinese oppose radical Islam because as they argue, it poses political oppositi on to Malaysia’s economic transformation. Non-Muslims and liberal Muslims accuse Islam of being intolerant to secularism and trying to interpret any issue on the basis of Islamic religion. They argue that Islam tends to be too rigid and fails to consider that social situations continue to evolve and change with time and that such interpretations as were used in ancient times re not compatible with the changing social situations (Esposito 92-107).In Malaysia, Muslims have all long enjoyed special religio-ethnic privileges at the expense of the Indians, Chinese and other indigenous communities that practice other religions. The non-Muslims are subjected to discrimination in the government-supported sectors such as education (scholarships, schools and universities) as well as in businesses and employment sectors. They are also subject to religious discrimination such as use of the Islamic Sharia laws to settle any religious disputes between the Muslims and non-Muslims, a practic e that is done in Islamic courts which remain inaccessible for non-Muslims.In the recent past, Shariah court rulings in marriage, conversion, child custody and divorce cases involving non-Muslim have also drawn much criticism from the non-Muslim community because the verdict is passed based on Islamic laws (Peletz 3-6, 12). But non-Muslims still continue to convert to Islam for marriage purposes and because they want to enjoy the special privileges accorded to the Muslims. A non-Muslim cannot be married to a Muslim unless the former converts to Islam first. But it is unfortunate that one cannot convert back to their original religion after a divorce because Islam gives no room for someone to desert the faith.They propagate that once a Muslim always a Muslim and those who have tried to change have only changed their belief but legally remain Muslim. In most cases in Malaysia conversion from Islam to another religion is not allowed especially for the ethnic Malay and such an offence w ill lead to a jail term or fine or in some cases both. Most public institutions are Muslim dominated and non-Muslims normally convert to Islam to be included in such institutions. The minority ethnic tribes of Malaysia also identify with Islam as the only means of being recognized by the state and benefiting from state programs (Esposito 92-96).Islam can be a blessing to all Malaysians if it is practiced the proper way. But the fact that the Muslims want to persuade the other communities into living an Islamic kind of life which according to the Muslims is the only acceptable way, has led to a lot of discontentment among the non-Muslims. Muslims forget that Islam is a religion and should not be forced upon others in a multi-racial country that advocates religious tolerance. It should therefore not determine the way of life of a different religious group or even determine the political system in such a multi-ethnic country like Malaysia.In a society where everyone pays tax irrespecti ve of their ethnic or religious background, it is most unfair that tax-payers money is only used to pay Islamic teachers and maintain Islamic institutions at the expense of others (Hussain). Views about Islam are also diverse among the Muslim believers and radical groups propagating for reform such as â€Å"Sisters in Islam† have become very strong in Malaysia. They are calling for more rights for women such as being allowed to learn and become judges in the countries judicial courts, and are also calling for an end to the outdated practice of polygamy.Such groups are fighting against religious radicalism that has been fighting to put the woman back to the confinement of the home in a society where formal education has been extended to every gender (Anwar). There is increased awareness that using Islam to design laws and public policies that will be used to govern private and public live in this country, will lead to a situation whereby it becomes very important to determine who is responsible for defining the role Islam plays in society.In Malaysia, women’s groups, political parties, NGOs, the Media and human rights organizations have began to engage in public debates on several such issues and the role that religion should play in political life. Most of these people feel that the state of Malaysia should be one in which there are equal rights for every citizen but not rights based on gender, ethnicity or religion (Hussain). Opinions about Islam in Malaysia therefore vary in different places depending on the ethnic and religious composition of the population and also depending on the political party that has its stronghold in a particular region.Different political parties, even those that are Islamist have had contrasting secular and Islamist stands. Such parties as DAP and PAS are extremely opposite in their view about Islamic law and practices where PAS takes a radical approach while DAP has a more secular approach. The struggle to attract t he Muslim vote that is going on between UMNO and PAS has however only led to a society where Islam is now more and more being used directly to define the way of life of the Muslims and indirectly that of the non-Muslims (Lahoud 40-43).