History Of Snowdonia Essays

History Of Snowdonia Essays History Of Snowdonia Essay History Of Snowdonia Essay Essay Topic: History Saint Joan The Glass Castle Winters Bone The Celts had settled across much of Britain by 500 BC and gradually divided into tribes, including the Ordivices in parts of northern Wales.One of the earliest settlements discovered in Snowdonia is Trer Ceiri dating from around 200 BC, where a village of 150 stone huts with turf roofs was encircled by stone walls. The Romans moved into northern Wales after their invasion in AD 43, but were resisted in the Ordivices territory around Anglesey and Caernarfon by warriors under Caratacus (or Caradog). In AD 51, Caratacus was defeated, encouraging the Romans to strike deeper into remote northwestern Wales in AD 57 and AD 60. The Romans directed their second campaign against the isle of Angelsey in the far northwest, a spiritual Celtic stronghold led by druids. After AD 70 the Romans built forts in captured territories, but the Welsh tribes continued to effectively resist using guerilla tactics. The Roman fort at Segontium (present day Caernarfon), a significant garrison at the limit of the Roman Empire, was built for 1000 men. It was occupied for around 300 years from AD 77, during which time northwest Wales remained a thorn in the Roman side. With the decline of Roman power after AD 390, the Scotti people (from todays Ireland) took the opportunity to invade the home of the Picts (todays Wales and Scotland). In response to the invasion, people from Gododdin (in Scotland) came to northwest Wales. Their initial plan was to drive out the invaders, but they stayed and settled in the area, which became the kingdom of Gwynedd. (The modern county, including Snowdonia, still proudly bears this name.)The struggle between Welsh settlers and Irish raiders along the coast carried on for the rest of the Dark Ages. During this time, Christian missionaries and settlers arrived from Ireland throughout the 6th and 7th centuries. While these newcomers arrived from the west, the people of Wales were also under pressure to the east constantly harassed by the Anglo-Saxons of England over hundreds of years.Building on the unity forced upon them by Anglo-Saxon oppression, in the 9th and 10th centuries the small kingdoms of Wales began cooperating to repel the Vikings. King Rhodri Mawr (who died in AD 878) defeated a Viking force off Anglesey, and his grandson Hywel the Good was responsible for drawing up a set of laws, helping to unify the disparate Welsh tribes. One of Wales most prominent historical figures, Gruffydd ap Llewelyn, wrested control of Gwynedd in 1039 and by 1057 ruled all of Wales. Attempting to extend Welsh territory he successfully attacked Hereford, sparking a response by a force led by Harold, Earl of Wessex. In August 1063, the English caught and killed Gruffydd in Snowdonia. By the time the Normans arrived, the Welsh had returned to their independent ways. To secure his new kingdom, and keep the Welsh in theirs, William the Conqueror built castles in the lowlands. But the Welsh continued to launch attacks from their highlands strongholds. The battle for control of Wales continued for the next two centuries until the ascension of Edward I. During his 56-year reign, beginning in 1272, Edward a skilled ruler and ambitious general led a ruthless invasion of Wales that lasted much of the 1270s. Edward spent a great deal of money stamping his authority on the restive areas of northwestern Wales, building imposing castles at Caernarfon, Harlech, Conwy and Beaumaris. Caernarfon Castle was the most impressive of the Iron Ring of fortresses. Built between 1283 and 1301, the castle was designed as a seat of government and a royal palace. In the end, Wales became a dependent principality owing allegiance to England. There were no more Welsh kings, and Edward made his son prince of Wales. Ever since, the British sovereigns eldest son has been automatically given the title. Modern History With the advent of the Industrial Revolution, Snowdonia became the centre of the slate-mining industry which sustained North Wales during the 19th century. The town of Blaenau Ffestiniog was responsible for roofing much of England, but the downside of mining still in evidence today are slag heaps. For every ton of usable slate extracted, nine tons of rubble were created. Mountain railways were constructed between 1832 and 1836 to haul slate down from the mines of Blaenau Ffestiniog to the port at Porthmadog, which grew around the 19th-century harbour built by William Alexander Madocks. The wool industry also became important in the valleys. Set amid hills, Dolgellau is a true Welsh market town that owes much of its handsome, if unornamented, looks to the wealth generated by the wool industry in the 19th century. It has over 200 listed buildings, the highest concentration in Wales. In 1911, in a bid to involve the British crown more closely with his own constituency, prime minister and Welshman David Lloyd George incurred the ire of local people when he transferred the investiture ceremony for the heir to the British throne the Prince of Wales to Caernarfon Castle. But Caernarfon is a Welsh nationalist heartland, and in 1969 exactly 600 years after Edward I made his son the first prince of Wales and installed him in the castle there was an attempt to blow up a train carrying the current prince of Wales to his investiture. Recent History While mining continues today to a minor degree, North Wales rich history and natural attractions have provided a new focus for the area in recent years. Snowdonia National Park was designated a protected landscape in 1951, and in 1986 Edward Is castles and town walls at Caernarfon, Conwy, Harlech and Beaumaris were given World Heritage listing. Several mines have been reinvented as visitor attractions, along with vintage railways like the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland lines, which once hauled the booty down to the sea. The areas high rainfall (pack your waterproof, or buy one here!) has been cannily exploited by hydroelectric power stations, and Electric Mountain at Llanberis is one massive underground scheme you can see for yourself. The long-time heartland of nationalism, North Wales is leading a prolonged campaign for the survival of Welsh language, music and literary culture. When you hear Welsh spoken in the trendiest bar on the Llyn Peninsula, you know it is here to stay. Tribes of Celtic Wales From the round tower of Dolbadarn Castle, 700 years ago, Dafydd, Prince of Wales, looked out at the besieging camp-fires of an invading army. Today, the ghosts of the Welsh Princes, from their ruined strongholds, watch over friendly tourists who are attracted to the corner of Wales around Mount Snowdon that we call Snowdonia a countryside of high mountains and deep valleys, of rushing streams, sunlit waterfalls and driving, drenching rain. For its the climate of Wales which has helped to mould the rocks of Snowdonia into the beautiful and rugged landscape of the present day. Imagine North Wales 540 million years ago. The climate was very warm because Wales lay near to where South Africa is today. It was part of a large land-mass and attached, not only to England, but to southern Ireland and northern Europe as well. You may not have needed an umbrella to live here but youd still get wet. A deep ocean separated the Welsh continent from another one, consisting of Scotland, northern Ireland and North America. Periodically, seas flooded the land, depositing thick layers of sands and muds. Over time, thousands of feet of sediment built up and was consolidated by pressure into sandstone and mudstone rocks. Into the mudstones, volcanoes of a later age injected veins of copper and gold. Some of the mudstone was metamorphosed into the slate which outcrops around Bethesda and Llanberis. After the tides of fifty million years washed over the land the two continents began to move towards each other. In their battle for dominance submarine volcanoes and volcanic islands were thrown up into the narrowing ocean. Many of Snowdonias highest mountains are made of rocks from this explosive age but none were ever volcanoes themselves the summit of Snowdon is a mixture of muds and volcanic dust originally laid down on the sea-floor then later uplifted. Nearby, cooled ash sheets and lava flows formed the rock-face of Lliwedd, and volcanic magma lined the cliffs of Crib-y- Ddysgl and Crib Goch. Many years passed, and the ocean disappeared as the two continents collided. The resulting stresses crumpled the earth for miles, buckling lavas at Cwm Idwal and arching the sandstones of Harlech. The earth moved (up, down, even sideways), chipping out the valleys of Bala and Tal-y-llyn. Lazily, Wales drifted northwards, passed over the Equator and became part of one immense continent (called Pangaea). Eventually, Pangaea broke up and left a Britain still joined to Europe. Five million years before the present Britain gently tipped up, dipping England into the sea and raising the rocks of Wales. Rivers cut deeply into these highland plains, carving out v-shaped valleys. The Ice Ages came and went over 2 million years. Neanderthal Man walked into Britain with the warmer weather and walked out again in colder times. Glaciers spilled over the cwms of Nant Ffrancon and the Glyders and flowed away down the valleys. 8,000 years BC and it became much warmer. The ice melted and sea-levels rose, cutting off Britain from Europe and widening into a sea the narrow strait between Wales and Ireland. Behind it, the ice left a trail of memories: erratic rocks perched dangerously on top of one another and broad, deep, u-shaped valleys. Rain fell, and lakes formed in these valleys and cwms. Some are deep its 190 feet to the bottom of Llyn Llydaw. On the mountainsides Stone Age man hunted deer, ox and wild boar through a thick canopy of trees. By 4,000 BC the first farmers arrived from Europe, bringing with them livestock and grain. The New Stone Age men cleared the forests in order to graze their animals and grow crops. These people made tools out of stone or bone, and they built cromlechs, like the one at Capel Garmon, in which to bury their dead. On the coast, at Penmaenmawr, they established a centre for making stone axes and traded their goods through-out Britain. Two thousand years later, the community at Penmaenmawr used bronze knives to sacrifice its children. The bodies were cremated and their ashes placed in urns, which were then buried beneath the standing stones of the Druids Circle. Druids themselves didnt actually enter the magic circle until 600 BC when the influence of the Celts from Europe was paramount. These highly cultured people introduced to Britain the Brythonic language, together with a love of music, spoken poetry and storytelling (very little was written down) and a love of battle. In the uplands the raven, shape-shifter and goddess of battle, soured over the hill-top forts in which these tribes lived in times of war. At Pen-y-Gaer the hillfort dominated the river Conwy below. The men dug in rows of small, jagged stones to upend enemy horse-riders. The Celts knew how to make strong weapons and chariots out of iron, as well as beautiful objects from bronze, silver and gold. Sometimes these articles were cast into lakes as offerings to the water-spirits. For the Celts, all natural phenomena from stones and lakes to trees and birds were sources of divine power. Dressed in white robes and armed with yew wands, their religious leaders (the druids) conducted human sacrifices in sacred oak groves. In the first century AD, against an invading Roman army, the druids inspired resistance throughout Wales. However, in AD 61 the druids were forced to retreat to their island stronghold of Anglesey. Backed by a host of armed warriors and wild-haired, dark-robed women who carried fire-brands, the druids raised their arms and cursed the immaculate soldiers facing them across the Menai Strait. Eventually, the awe-struck legionaries dared to cross over the water. And its then that the charismatic druids disappeared from our history together with men, women and children they were burnt alive, wrapped in their own torch-flames. For three centuries the Romans remained in control. Nine hundred feet above sea-level, near Trawsfynydd, 500 auxiliaries lived in the fort of Tomen-y-Mur. The Romans relaxed in a heated bath-house and sat around a small amphitheatre, cheering on fighting cockerels. Roman roads averaged one days march (thats 19 miles) between each fort. The road which ran from Tomen-y-Mur we call Sarn Helen (meaning Helens Causeway), named after the Celtic wife of Macsen Wledig, the last Roman general to govern Wales. Macsen decamped with his troops in AD 383 in order to make himself Emporor of Rome. The Romans left behind them the sign of a red dragon, the Latin alphabet and the Christian religion of Emporor Constantine the Great, whose soldiers bore Christs monogram on their shields. This fifth-century grave-stone in Penmachno was inscribed with the Latin text: Carausius lies here in this heap of stones and the sacred chi-rho symbol. During the Age of the Saints (from the fifth to seventh centuries) missionaries from Ireland and Gaul arrived in Wales, and a monastery developed in Penmachno. In these days monks lived in small wattle and daub huts, all grouped around a larger hut which was used for worship and dedicated to a chosen saint. The area containing the huts and burial ground was called the llan meaning enclosed land. The saints also bequeath their names to many Welsh villages such as Llanberis, which developed near the Llan of St Peris at the foot of Mount Snowdon. On Bardsey Island, at the tip of the Lleyn Peninsula, St Cadfan founded a monastery which attracted pilgrims from miles around. The bones of 20,000 holymen are said to be buried here. At Clynnog Fawr, on the mainland, the Church of St Beuno was a stopping place for these pilgrims, who prayed at the shrine of the saint and bathed in the healing waters of the well. Before the final crossing to Bardsey the travellers rested at the Church of Aberdaron, where the sea lapped against the church wall at high tide. But apart from the evangelists, other newcomers werent so welcome With the departure of the Romans, the Britons were left to defend their borders against swarms of land-hungry tribes Irish, Picts, Scots, Danes, Angles and Saxons. Vortigern (son-in-law of Macsen Wledig) retreated to the craggy rocks of Dinas Emrys, near Beddgelert, from a Saxon invasion of Britain. Vortigern tried to build a fortress on the summit, but, mysteriously, the structure kept disappearing over-night. Young Merlin the Magician revealed why: beneath the foundations was a hidden pool in which two dragons were fighting for control of their crowded kingdom. Although at first the white dragon a Saxon interloper seemed to be winning, ultimately, Merlin foretold, the red dragon a true well Romano-Briton would triumph! In the south-east of Britain the mixed races settled down together. They adoped a common Germanic tongue and the name of Angles, referring to the previous inhabitants as wealhas. By the seventh century the Wealhas living in the west of Britain spoke a derived version of their original Celtic language. At the Church of St Cadfan in Tywyn the epitaph for Cingen was recorded not in Latin this time but in Welsh. The language of Rome was still used though, and when a 20 foot high stone cross was erected in the ninth century to honour Eliseg, King of Powys, his descent from Macsen Wledig and Vortigern was inscribed in Latin. Close-by the Abbey of Valle Crucis was called after this monument its name means Valley of the Cross. In the thirteenth century, the Welsh people were faced with new enemies: this time the Norman conquerors of England. Iorwerth the Flat-nosed erected a timber castle at Dolwyddelan, and his son lived here as a boy. Llywelyn set in stone his fathers castle and built others at Dolbadarn, Criccieth and Castell-y-Bere during his battles with the English kings. He also gave money to several monasteries, including Penmon Priory on Anglesey. The monks living on Puffin Island moved over to Penmon, and the puffins, by our own time, died out too pickled puffins being considered a delicacy. At Aberdyfi, Llywelyn called a council of the Welsh princes, who agreed to unite under him and proclaimed him worthy of the title Llywelyn Fawr that is, Llywelyn the Great. Llywelyn Fawr, his wife Joan and their hound Killhart held court at several palaces through-out Gwynedd, but the legendary site of Llywelyns cottage and the grave of his dog are both in Beddgelert. Joans coffin ended up on Anglesey at Beaumaris parish church, and when Llywelyn died his stone coffin but not his body, which disappeared reached its final resting place in the Church of St. Gwrwst at Llanrwst. For the next 15 years the descendants of Llywelyn Fawr competed for the lands of Gwynedd, until, at the Battle of Bryn Derwin, his grandson (Llywelyn the 2nd) defeated his brothers to take supreme command. One brother, Owain the Red, he then imprisoned in a 2nd floor bedroom in the turret of the keep of Dolbadarn Castle for 22 years. By strength of arms and personality, Llywelyn forced the English monarch to officially recognise him as Prince of Wales. But Llywelyn the 2nd became Llywelyn the Last when he marched against the next king, Edward the 1st, and was run through by a spear. As a traitor to England, Llywelyns head was cut off (a Celtic tradition) and displayed on London Bridge, although the rest of his body found peace inside a Welsh abbey. For a few months Dafydd assumed the title Prince of Wales from his dead brother. During the winter King Edward besieged the Welshmen at Dolwyddelan Castle, but Prince Dafydd himself escaped to Castell-y-Bere, remote in the foothills of Cader Idris. Still Edward pursued him. Dafydd retreated to Dolbadarn and was betrayed by his fellow countrymen. In London the two brothers met again: the head of Llywelyn the Last was joined by Dafydds head; two princes of Wales, crowned with ivy wreaths. Dafydds grandson, however, lies peacefully in the old church of Betws-y-Coed, and in the mountains of Snowdonia two of the highest peaks in Wales, Carnedd Dafydd and Carnedd Llywelyn, were named after the princes. In order to subdue his new Welsh conquests, Edward of England commissioned a series of castles to be constructed around the coast of North Wales. Designed by a master French architect and built by English craftsmen, each castle was the latest in modern military engineering. Conwy Castle featured arrow-slits, murder holes, lavish appartments for the king, and a sunless dungeon for the prisoners. On Anglesey King Edward uprooted the Welsh population of Llanfaes and moved it to a new site New Borough 12 miles away. The empty buildings of Llanfaes were used to create the town and moated castle of Beaumaris, whose name in French means beautiful marsh. From his castle at Rhuddlan the King issued a statute which imposed English laws and administration on the Welsh people. And at Caernarfon Castle, built near the Roman fort of Segontium, King Edward nominated his eldest son, born in the Eagle Tower, as the first in a line of English Princes of Wales But in 1400 a middle-aged country-gentleman, descended from the royal Welsh houses, claimed back the title for Wales. A dispute over land with Lord Grey of Ruthin resulted in Owain Glyndwrs first uprising. After sacking and burning Ruthin, Owain and his men attacked the towns and castles of Denbigh and Rhuddlan. Over the next few years Owain Glyndwr and his illusive army, camping in the hills and riding on Welsh ponies, waged a guerrilla war against the English intruders. At last, with the help of French warships, Owain captured Harlech and Caernarfon Castles and held most of Wales in his control. This latest Prince of Wales was crowned during his first parliament at Machynlleth. Owain made his headquarters in Harlech Castle but after 4 years it was besieged and taken back by Prince Hal of England. However, Owain and one son had already fled to the mountains. Hiding in caves, like those above Beddgelert, Owain and his men continued to skirmish with the English. And when or where the last Welsh Prince of Wales died, or whether he lives on in the mountains of Snowdonia no-one knows. 70 years later a Welshman of royal lineage challenged Richard 3rd of England for his kingdom. Henry Tudor and his army marched along the drovers roads from Aberdyfi to Shrewsbury. At the Battle of Bosworth Field King Richard was killed, and Henry was proclaimed Henry 7th the first Welshman to ascend the English throne. Henry allowed Welshmen to hold important offices once more, and several of the Wynn family, living in Gwydir Castle, became Members of Parliament for the county. On their estate near Penmachno William Morgan was born at Ty Mawr. Son of a tenant farmer, he became bishop of St Asaph and, in 1588, the first translator of the Bible into Welsh. Sir John Wynns reputation is not so honourable. Because of his harshness towards his servants and tenants, Sir Johns soul was forever condemned to the pool below Swallow Falls, where his moans can always be heard. Snowdonia cradles a wealth of minerals. The Romans mined gold here and fished for pearls in the River Conwy. Gold was re-found in Snowdonias hills during the 19th century:- at Clogau, above the Mawddach Estuary, the discovery of a rich gold vein started a Welsh gold rush in buying shares in the mines; near Bala, beneath the ruined castle of Castell Carn Dochan, a young boy saw gold glinting in a stone wall by the roadside; whilst between the rivers Mawddach and Gain the Gold King (Pritchard Morgan) mined his own weight plus two stone in gold during one fortnight. Today, his old mine at Gwynfynydd makes wedding rings for Henry Tudors descendants the British royal family. Gold isnt the only metal lining these mountains, and copper occurs in the quartz rocks above Llyn Glaslyn on Mount Snowdon itself. The first miners here, 4,000 years ago, smelted copper with tin to make bronze tools. Later on, shepherds carried the copper ore down Snowdon on their backs. By the 19th century horses and carts, laden with ore, were led over a causeway built across Llyn Llydaw and down the Miners Track to Pen y Pass. Most of the miners of this time lived in Llanberis. Early on Monday mornings they climbed more than 3000 feet over the top of Snowdon, returning home on Saturday evenings. Throughout the working week, in the 1-room cottages near Llyn Teyrn, the Welsh and Irish families scrapped like tigers; whilst besides the Glaslyn the miners lived in barracks, 2 to each bed, beneath a roof anchored on by cables against strong winds. Nearby, the blacksmith ran a sideline in selling tea to walkers But its at the Sygun Copper Mine where the most exotic income was made: the hills above Beddgelert provided the location for Ingrid Bergmans 1950s film The Inn of the 6th Happiness, set where-else in China. On the Great Orme, near Llandudno, the Bronze Age people also found copper, which they extracted by lighting fires against the limestone and then hitting the weakened rock with stone hammers. The Romans continued mining copper here, as well as lead in the hills above Trefriw, which they shipped in galleys to their harbour at Caerhun and on to Rome. They soon learnt from the local people that the iron-rich waters had a beneficial effect on lead-poisoning caused by inhaling the dust. The Victorians knew Trefriws secret too. Travelling up the Conwy by paddle-steamer, the wealthy came both to drink and bathe in the spa waters. The miners of this Age lived in Pentre-Du the black village near Betws-y-Coed. To reach the lead workings in the hills opposite, the men crossed over the River Llugwy via the Miners Bridge, only yards upstream from the Roman ford used centuries before. The lead mines near Llyn Sarnau and Llyn Parc were many but small and often worked by only one man. In contrast, the slate mines and quarries of the 19th century employed thousands of men and made huge profits for their owners. With the income from their slate quarry at Bethesda the Penrhyn family home was completely rebuilt and refurnished. But this wasnt just another Victorian mansion it became a neo-Norman castle with square keep, round towers and battlements. Unlike most castles, it wasnt cold and damp inside there were log fires and under-floor heating, stained glass windows and silk wallpapers. For the quarrymen who lived in the barracks, bare stone walls and roofs kept off the wind and rain. And, if it was dry, there was a mountain stream in which to wash. In the quarries of Bethesda and Llanberis the rockmen swung and clambered across the open rock-face, forcing out massive blocks of slate with pointed rods and gunpowder. For safetys sake, a chain hitched around one thigh left both hands free to work or to cling on in the midst of falling rocks. From the mines at Blaenau Ffestiniog the slates were transported by tramway to the harbour at Porthmadog and sailed onto the roofs of millions of homes through-out the world. Initially, the slate wagons were hauled by horses until, in the 1860s, the first steam locomotives took on the role. Within a few years the steam trains which travelled between the slate quarries and their ports also carried passengers. And Victorians who once climbed Mount Snowdon on ponies to watch the sunrise could sit more comfortably on the Snowdon Mountain Railway, which followed the original pony track from Llanberis. A new holiday resort developed on the north coast for these tourists, among them Lewis Carroll and the family of Alice, who stayed at Llandudno near the Llan of St Tudno on the Great Orme. During the late 19th century the National Eisteddfod of Wales was established. As now, these annual competitions in music and poetry were announced one year and one day in advance from within specially erected circles of stones. On the banks of Llyn Geirionydd rival eisteddfods were held for many years around the monument to Taliesin, a bard at the court of the King of Powys in the 6th century. Much later, an International Music Eisteddfod was set up in Llangollen, and choirs and soloists, folk-singers and folk-dancers from all over the world still compete in it. Back in 1895 an aspiring land-owner arrived in Wales the newly formed National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty acquired its first property: 41/2 acres of cliffland overlooking Barmouth and Cardigan Bay. By today, the Trusts acquisitions range from the Roman fort of Segontium and the slate barons Penrhyn Castle, to the mountains of the Welsh princes Carnedd Dafydd and Carnedd Llewelyn and Tryfan, on whose northern flank mountaineers train for their ascent of Mount Everest. Many of our mines and quarries closed during the first half of the 20th century, but in 1919 a new organization was set up to replenish the woodlands of Britain, felled for timber during the Great War. The Forestry Commission employed some of the ex-miners to plant thousands of acres with thousands of trees completely transforming the hills of North Wales. Snowdonias lakes and rivers arent free from interference either: Llyn Celyn near Bala provides water, via the River Dee, for Merseyside. Beneath the lake lies the ruins of a small village, drowned on the orders of Liverpool Corporation despite loud protests from both the villagers and Welsh MPs. At Trawsfynydd the reservoir waters cool the reactors within Britains first inland nuclear power station, frowned on by the Roman ghosts of Tomen-y-Mur, in the hills above, who created heating and hot water with such ease 2,000 years ago. Nowadays most of Snowdonias grazing land is used for sheep-farming but in the past rearing cattle and goats was more popular. In these earlier times the Welsh farmer had 2 homes: from the winter farm-house called the hendre in the lowlands the family and herds travelled in May upto their summer-house the hafod in the mountains. As the wool and clothing industries increased in importance sheep became the dominant farm animals. Overnight, commonland was turned into private land, enclosed by dry-stone walls winding across mountains and pastures. On the river-sides near Penmachno and Trefriw fulling mills were built in the 19th century, powered by water-wheels, to take the rough hand-woven cloths from the villagers and smooth them into superior woollen clothing. Today the remaining upland farms are self-sufficient units. Despite the harshness of Snowdonias winters, the Welsh Mountain Sheep and Black Cattle plus the goats and ponies whose ancestors escaped into the wild are ideally suited to the mountainous land in which they live. To ensure that the beauty of this countryside is protected from uncontrolled planning, over 800 square miles of the land around Mount Snowdon was designated in 1951 as the Snowdonia National Park.

Loan, Lend, Loaned, Lent

Loan, Lend, Loaned, Lent Loan, Lend, Loaned, Lent Loan, Lend, Loaned, Lent By Ali Hale Renee wrote to us to ask: Can you please clarify the proper way to use these words: loan, lend, loaned, lent? Thank you! If you’ll lend me a few minutes of your time, Renee, I’d be glad to! How to use the word â€Å"loan† as a noun and verb The word loan is most commonly used as a noun, and usually means a sum of money which will be paid back with interest (though can refer to any item which is borrowed temporarily.) This is the definition from Merriam-Webster: 1 a: money lent at interest b: something lent usually for the borrowers temporary use For example, the word â€Å"loan† is a noun in all of these sentences: I took out a loan to pay for my new car. If you can’t get another loan, you’ll have to save up.† The loan of your car was very helpful to me. Loan can also be used as a verb in American English, and can replace â€Å"lend† when the meaning is (from Merriam-Webster): (1): to give for temporary use on condition that the same or its equivalent be returned (2): to put at anothers temporary disposal b: to let out (money) for temporary use on condition of repayment with interest Note that â€Å"lend† is used almost exclusively in British English except for when referring to the formal act of borrowing money at interest. â€Å"Loan† can sound odd or old-fashioned, and the Merriam-Webster dictionary states: Although a surprising number of critics still voice objections, loan is entirely standard as a verb. You should note that it is used only literally; lend is the verb used for figurative expressions, such as â€Å"lending a hand† or â€Å"lending enchantment.† Examples of loan being used as a verb are: Please could you loan me some money. I’ll loan him the car if he really needs it. When can â€Å"lend† be used instead of â€Å"loan†? In many cases, the verb lend can be substituted for the verb loan – note that lend can never be used as a noun, though. (â€Å"I took out a lend to pay for my new car† doesn’t make sense!) Lend doesn’t have the same connotations of a financial transaction as loan, and you can lend both physical objects and intangible concepts. For example: I will lend you my bicycle so you can get to work on time. When I’ve finished reading my book, I’ll lend it to you. Could you lend a hand with this suitcase? The new carpet lends the room a cheerful air. What should â€Å"lent† and â€Å"loaned† be used? The word lent is the past tense of the verb to lend. For example: I lent you my bicycle last week. Why haven’t you given it back yet? When I lent you my book, you promised not to write in it. No-one lent a hand with my suitcase. (If you’re used to British English, be careful not to confuse this with leant, the past tense of the verb to lean, which is pronounced in the same way. If you’re American, you’ll probably use â€Å"leaned†, but British English uses â€Å"leant† and this can cause a lot of confusion.) The word loaned is the past tense of the verb to loan. For example: He loaned me a thousand pounds to start my business. If you had loaned me the money when I asked for it, I’d have succeeded. When I loaned him my tractor, I had no idea what he was going to do with it. Hope that clarifies the use of â€Å"loan, lend, loaned and lent†, and do ask in the comments – or on the Daily Writing Tips forum – if there’s anything you’re still unclear on. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Comparative Forms of AdjectivesUse a Dash for Number RangesMay Have vs. Might Have

Capital Punishment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6000 words

Capital Punishment - Essay Example While this is just one way in which the disputants talk past each other in the capital punishment debate, this particular disagreement helps to explain other aspects of the capital punishment dispute. Proponents of capital punishment speak the language of local option and states' rights not only because this insulates the pro-capital punishment orientation of most state governments from federal review, but also because states and localities are the levels of government that usually hold power over ordinary criminal justice decisions. State legislatures, local prosecutors and judges, and the particular values of specific communities are supposed to shape criminal justice outcomes. National government and constitutional values have little direct influence on most punishment decisions. If the availability of death as a criminal punishment were a garden-variety choice of punishment option, state and local power over them would be consistent with an important American tradition. If on the other hand, one regards capital punishment as a fundamental moral and political question, the national government and constitutional values are the appropriate vehicles for decisions. The p... ed nations and even the importance that the proponents of the penalty attach to it are powerful evidence that the death penalty is an issue of transcendent importance, one that is principally moral and political. (Gary, 783-805) There are certain reservations from some corners of public discussions as regards to the unreliable evidences that caused capital punishment but consequently proved false. It is hard to believe how prosecutors can admit evidence from unreliable sources. In some cases witnesses have later recanted or disavowed their testimonies claiming that they had only made their statements under pressure or coercion from prosecution and law enforcement. These false testimonies proved to be the condemning evidence in many cases. Lastly, most of the people charged in capital cases ca nnot afford defense attorneys. The appointed defense counsels in several cases have exhibited incompetence. Some of them did not even look for or missed important evidence that proved the innocence of their clients. In other instances, defense lawyers failed to conduct adequate pretrial investigations, talk to possible witnesses, obtain relevant police reports, or seek pretrial investigative funds. Michael Mello, a renowned capital punishment defense attorney in Florida from 1981-1995, has said "there is today a desperate (albeit difficult to quantify) shortage of competent capital post-conviction defense lawyers" (David, 1037-48). The Supreme Court in the Furman decision ruled that the death penalty is unconstitutional because it is a "cruel and unusual" punishment. Some allusions to racial discrimination appeared in the opinions, but more evidence seems called for.  

Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 24

Summary - Essay Example Prof. Scott emphasized the philosophy of environmental sustainability in the management and disposal of municipal solid waste. Disposal methods are based on reusing, recycling, power generation and incineration. Recycling and reuse methods are appropriate for glass, plastic, paper and metal waste products; bio-degradable materials like kitchen waste and other non-hazardous waste that can not otherwise be reused or recycled are shredded, packed as pellets and used as fuel for power generation. Hazardous waste like hospital cotton, plastic syringes, diseased body parts removed through operations etc. are all sent for incineration. Landfill is another common method, and is more appropriate for construction waste or for material with very little calorific (hydrocarbon) value. Discussing the positive and negative aspects of the different methods, Prof. Scott informed that landfill method is relatively safe for short periods of time but might allow leaching of undesirable and toxic chemicals into soil/groundwater resources. Incineration causes air pollution and hence is not permitted for certain types of plastics, which when incinerated give out objectionable chemicals compounds into the air that we breathe. Finally, power generation from municipal solid waste is not always economically justified. Hence, the three R’s of environmental management viz., reduce, reuse and recycle assume extra significance for municipal solid waste management. Effective segregation and collection of waste for the three R’s plan is still a challenge for most municipalities around the

Gatorade Sport Drinks Essay Example for Free

Gatorade Sport Drinks Essay Gatorade is a brand of flavored non-carbonated sports drinks manufactured by PepsiCo and distributed in over 80 countries. [1] It was first developed in 1965 by researchers at the University of Florida, as a means of replenishing the fluid, carbohydrates and electrolytes that are divested from the body during physical exertion. Its name was derived from the school’s football team, the Gators. Originally produced and marketed by Stokley-Van Camp, the Gatorade sports drink brand was purchased by the Quaker Oats Company in 1983, which was acquired by PepsiCo in 2001. As of 2009, Gatorade is PepsiCo’s 4th-largest brand, on the basis of worldwide annual retail sales. It primarily competes with Powerade and Vitaminwater worldwide, as well as Lucozade Sport in the United Kingdom. Within the U. S. , Gatorade accounts for approximately 75 percent market share in the sports drink category. [2] PepsiCo Inc. (NYSE:PEP) is a global manufacturer, distributor, and marketer of food and beverages, owning many well-known brands including Pepsi, Frito-Lay, Tropicana, Gatorade, and Quaker Oats. [1] PepsiCo operates in over 200 countries, with its largest markets in North America and the United Kingdom. [2] In 2009, the companys revenues were $43. 23 billion with net income of $5. 95 billion. [3] Unlike its major competitor, the Coca-Cola Company (KO), the majority of PepsiCos revenues do not come from carbonated soft drinks. [4] In fact, beverages account for less than 50% of total revenue. [4] Additionally, over 60% of PepsiCos beverage sales come from its key noncarbonated brands like Gatorade and Tropicana. [5] PepsiCos diverse portfolio can mitigate the impact of poor conditions in any one of its markets. Strong demand growth in international markets the company serves 86% of the worlds population and international sales account for 48% of revenue is helping to offset a sluggish domestic market and provided the company with opportunities for continued expansion. [6] [7] PepsiCo is highly exposed to raw materials costs. Prices for the most important input materials, aluminum, PET plastic, corn, sugar, and juice concentrates fluctuate widely. For example, aluminum prices have fallen nearly 60% from their 2008 highs of $1. 50/pound to less than $0. 90/pound. [8]. PepsiCo has benefitted from lower input prices after the collapse of the commodities super spike of 2008. Contents 1 Company Overview 1. 1 Quarterly Earnings 1. 2 Bottlers 1. 3 Operating Segments 2 Trends Forces 2. 1 PepsiCo Must Survive a US Slowdown While Capturing International Growth 2. 2 Commodity Costs are Pressuring Margins 2. 2. 1 Pepsi Must Face a Declining Demand for Carbonated Soft Drinks 2. 2. 2 The Dollar Affects International Performance 3 Competition 3. 1 Beverages 3. 2 Snacks and Convenient Foods 3. 3 Coke vs. Pepsi 3. 3. 1 Global Footprint 3. 3. 2 Diversified Product Offering 4 References On April 20, 2009, PepsiCo made an offer to acquire its two largest bottlers, Pepsi Bottling Group (PBG) and Whitman (PAS), for $6 billion in a combined cash and stock deal. The deal was turned down, forcing PepsiCo to make a sweetened $7. 8 billion offer on August 4, 2009. PepsiCo hopes to streamline manufacturing and distribution through the acquisitions, allowing it to bring new products to market more quickly and efficiently. The company expects to gain full control of 80% of its North American market and increase pre-tax profit by $300 million, increasing eps by $. 15. [9] The deal adds $4 billion in debt to PepsiCos balance sheet. According to PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi, the acquisition is necessary to consolidate profit as there is not enough total profit in the North American beverage industry to support investments in several different companies. [10] The acquisition closed on March 1, 2010. [11] With the purchase of Pepsi Bottling Group (PBG) and Whitman (PAS) in 2010, company executives have said that it will lead to increased joint marketing that will bundle the companys snack and beverage offerings together. [12]. In December 2010, PepsiCo announced the purchase of 66% of Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods, a Russian food and beverage company, for $3. 8 billion. After completing this acquisition, the company is planning to buy the remaining 34%. [13] Wimm-Bill-Dan is the leading producer of dairy products in Russia and they also have a large market share for juice; the purchase significantly expands Pepsis presence in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The addition of Wimm-Bill-Dann moves Pepsi closer to their goal of creating a global nutrition business worth $20 billion by 2020. [14] The acquisition comes three months after the Coca-Cola Companys purchase of Nidan Juices, a leading Russian juice manufacturer. [15] Company Overview PEP Revenues by Segment[16] PepsiCo is the largest snack and non-alcoholic drink producer in the United States, with 39% and 25% of the respective market shares. [16] Although the carbonated soft drink market in the US has gradually declined since the mid-2000s, PepsiCo has been able to grow revenues and net income through product diversification and international expansion. In 2008, the company posted revenues of $43. 3 billion, a 9. 6% increase from 2007; net income fell by 9% to $5. 1 billion. [17] The increase in revenues was primarily driven by higher sales volumes in the key European and Asian markets as well as company wide price increases. [18] The fall in net income was attributable to two reasons. First, PepsiCo recognized a $346 million mark-to-market loss on derivatives used to hedge its commodity exposure. [19] Next, the company incurred restructuring costs of $543 million in relation to its Productivity for Growth program. [20] PepsiCo expects to record another $30-60 million charge in 2009 to complete the program, which will close six plants in an effort to streamline PepsiCos global supply chain. [20] Quarterly Earnings Q1 2009 In the first quarter of 2009, PepsiCo posted revenues of $8. 263 billion, a 1% decrease from Q1 2008 figures; net income fell less than 1% to $1. 135 billion. [21] Although net pricing across PepsiCos product line increased by 7% during the quarter, the company was negatively impacted by a 7% foreign exchange loss due to the strengthening US dollar, as well as a 2% net decrease in sales volume. [22] Q2 2009 In the second quarter of 2009, PepsiCo posted revenues of $10. 592 billion, a 3% decrease from Q2 2008 figures; net income fell less than 1% to $1. 66 billion. [23] PepsiCos volumes remained roughly constant between the quarters, with snack gaining 1% and beverages losing 1%. The decrease in net revenues was due to a weakening of the companys US beverage operations, which decreased by 9%, in addition to the strengthening dollar, which adversely affected revenues by 8. 5%. Ignoring these changes, revenues would have grown by 5. 5%, driven by gains in the the Latin America Foods and Asia/Middle East/Africa divisions. Net income remained roughly constant as input costs fell in line with net revenues. Ignoring currency fluctuations, Earnings Per Share (EPS) would have grown by 8%. [23] Q3 2009 In the third quarter of 2009, PepsiCo had revenues of $11. 08 billion, a 1. 5% decrease from Q3 2008; net income increased 12% to $2. 23 billion. [24] The increasing value of the US Dollar negatively affected net income by 7% and the company had $9 million in costs associated with its merger with PBG and PAS, its two largest bottlers. [25] Worldwide, beverage volume increased 0. 5% while snack volume increased 2%. Frito-Lay North America, the largest division of PepsiCo, grew net revenue by 5% and increased volume by 3%. [26] Through the first three quarters of 2009, Frito-Lay was the fastest growing consumer goods company in North America. [27] The second largest division, PepsiCo Americas Beverages, saw net revenues decline by 9% and total volume decline of 6%. [28] Both Gatorade and Aquafina had double-digit volume declines; discussing Gatorade, executives attribute the decline to casual consumers budget worries and insist that the core consumer, athletes, are still buying the brand. [29] In Latin America and Europe, net revenue declined 10% and 2% respectively, driven primarily by foreign currency weakness compared to the US Dollar. [30] Q4 2009 In the fourth quarter of 2009, PepsiCo had revenues of $13. 3 billion, a 4. 7% increase from Q4 2008; net income increased 99% to $1. 43 billion. [31] Operating income for the quarter was $2 billion. [32] Pepsi American Foods net revenues increased 4%, with a 5% revenues decrease for Quaker Foods being offset by 2% revenue growth for Frito-Lay and 10% revenue growth for Latin American Foods. Pepsi American Beverages net revenues decreased 2% as a result of a 5% decrease in volume. Pepsi Internationals net revenues increased 5%, supported by 4% revenue growth in Europe and 7% growth in AMEA. Volumes for AMEA increased 13% in the quarter while volumes for Europe decreased 3%. [33] AMEAs strong quarter was based on a 13% increase in snack sales and 5% increase in beverage volumes, with 21% growth in beverage volume in India. [34] However, Chinas beverage volume decreased, which implies a market share loss to Coca-Cola Company (KO), whose China volumes grew 29% during the same period. [35] Q1 2010 In the first quarter of 2010, PepsiCo had revenues of $9. 4 billion, a 13. 4% increase from Q1 2009; net income increased 26% to $1. 4 billion. Operating income for the quarter decreased 47% to $840 million. [36] On February 26, PepsiCo completed the acquisition of its two largest bottlers for approximately $12. 6 billion; charges related to the merger in this quarter were approximately $282 million . [37] Worldwide snack volume for the quarter increased 1% while beverages volume dropped 0. 5%. Frito-Lays operating profit increased 10%, primarily as a result of increased sales of variety product packs and the decreased cost of cooking oil. [38] Quaker Foods revenue decreased 1% because of declines in ready-to-eat cereals and oatmeal, which were partially offset by substantial growth in the Roni brand; operating profit declined by 12% mainly as a result of insurance recoveries related to last years flood at Cedar Rapids. [39] In Latin America, favorable net pricing and a 1% increase in volume resulted in a 13% increase in revenues; however unfavorable currency exchange rates in Venezuela (19% decrease) accounted for a 12% decline in operating profit. [40] In Europe, favorable currency exchange rates offset 4% declines in snack and beverage volumes, for net revenues increase of 5% and operating income increase of 16%. [41] Double-digit growth in snacks and beverages volumes for India and China drove net revenues up 23% and operating income up 17% for the Asia, Middle East, and Africa segment. [42] The companys Americas Beverages segment saw volumes slip 4% (despite a 2% gain from a recent distribution agreement with Dr Pepper Snapple Group (DPS)) with a double-digit decline in Aquafina volume. However, net revenues increased 32% while operating income decreased 83% as a result of the completed merger with PepsiCos two largest bottlers. [43] The merger makes comparisons to previous quarters very challenging, however the Americas Beverages segment is in the process of de-emphasizing less-profitable products in favor of higher end offerings, such as Gatorade, which saw nearly 10% volume gains in the quarter. [44] Q2 2010 In the second quarter of 2010, PepsiCo had revenues of $14. 8 billion, up 40% from Q2 2009; net income decreased 3. 4% to $1. 6 billion. Operating income increased 12. 3% to $2. 46 billion. [45] The primary reason for the discrepancy in revenues and net income was the ongoing costs associated with the companys purchase of its primary bottlers. In Q2 2010 charges related to the restructuring decreased income by $155 million. [46] Worldwide volume increased 7% with an 11% increase in beverages and 1% increase in snacks. Frito-Lay pound volume fell 3% but net income increased 2%. The segment also benefited from lower commodity costs, in particular lower prices for cooking oil. Quaker Foods North Americas revenue fell by 4% with a 2% decline in volume that was primarily attributable to a decrease in cereal volume. [47] Latin America Foods net revenue increased 12% with a 2% increase in volume. However, operating profit fell by 5% after an unfavorable court settlement decreased profits by 5% and unfavorable currency exchange rates added another 5% to the decrease. The companys Americas Beverages increased revenues by 112% as a result of the merger with its major bottlers; volume for the quarter increased 13% with 8% coming from the acquisition of bottling operations in Mexico and 6% from PepsiCos contract with Dr. Pepper Snapple Group. [48] In Europe, net revenues increased 47% with snack volumes growing at 2% and beverage volume growing at 10%. Sales improved in most of Western Europe and Russia but declined slightly in Eastern European countries such as Romania and Ukraine (with the one exception of double-digit beverage growth in Turkey). [49] In Asia, Middle East, and Africa, where the company has recently invested significant funds in increasing manufacturing capabilities, net revenue grew 22%. Snack volume grew 16% and beverage volumes increased by 8%. India saw double-digit growth in both categories, while snack volume in the Middle East and China grew more than 10%. [50] Q3 2010 In the third quarter of 2010, PepsiCo had revenues of $15. 5 billion, up nearly 40% from Q3 2009; net income increased more than 11% to $1. 9 billion. Operating income increased by 25% to $2. 8 billion. [51] The companys volume and revenues increased worldwide for both food (+2. 5%) and beverages (+11%). Quaker Foods was the companys only division that failed to grow its operating income from 2009 with the largest gains posted by North American beverages, Europe, and Latin America Foods. [52] PepsiCo Americas Beverages operating profit grew nearly 80% for the quarter with the majority of this growth related to the companys purchase of its main bottlers in Q1 2010. However, volume grew by 13% during the quarter reflecting 8% growth in Mexico (operations in Mexico were included in the bottling merger), 6% volume growth due to the companys new contract with Dr Pepper Snapple Group (DPS), and a 4% decline in carbonated beverages in North America that was more than offset by a 5% increase in non-carbonated beverages. The success of the latter was due primarily to a double-digit increase in volume for Gatorade; water sales continued to fall during the quarter. [53] In Europe, volume growth related to the bottling merger accounted for a 7% increase, while double-digit growth in Russia, the UK, and Turkey pushed volume up 17% in total. Snack volume for the quarter grew by 3%, again supported by Russia, the UK, Turkey, and France. Both beverages and snack volume fell by more than 10% in Romania during the quarter. [54] Latin America Foods operating profit grew by 22% as a result of a double-digit volume increase in Brazil and nearly 10% increase in volume for the Sabritas brand in Mexico. [55] Operating profit for Quaker Foods decreased by more than 5% as a result of a 1% decline in volume, especially for Roni and Oatmeal brands. For Frito-Lay North America, pound volume declined 2% as a result of overlap with the companys 20% More Free promotion; sales of Sun Chips fell by more than 10% forced the company to abandon its compostable, albeit noisy, packaging. [56] In the Asia, Middle East, and Africa segment snack volume grew by 16% and beverage volume grew by 4%. Snack volumes grew significantly in the Middle East, China, India, and Australia while only China exhibited strong single-digit beverage growth. [57] Bottlers *Note Pepsis acquisition of Pepsi Bottling Group (PBG) and PepsiAmericas (PAS) was completed on March 1, 2010 PepsiCos beverage division manufactures concentrated syrup forms for all of Pepsis beverage brands. PEP sells these concentrates to bottlers for production, packaging, and distribution of the final products. PepsiCo grants bottlers the use of Pepsi trademarks and other brand rights within certain geographic regions. In August 2009, Pepsi made a $7 billion offer to acquire Pepsi Bottling Group (PBG) and PepsiAmericas (PAS). As the US carbonated beverage market shrinks from 60% of all nonalcoholic beverages in 1999 to 35% in 2009 PepsiCo hopes to consolidate the earnings of the three companies for shareholders. [9] Additionally, PepsiCo believes the acquisitions will streamline company-wide distribution through economies of scales. Three companies distribute 60% of PepsiCos North American beverage volume:[58] The Pepsi Bottling Group (PBG) is the largest of PepsiCos bottlers. PepsiCo has a 33% stake in Pepsi Bottling Group (PBG), and claims its share of income under the equity method of accounting. [59] PepsiAmericas (PAS) is the second-largest bottler in the Pepsi system. PepsiCo has a 43% stake in PepsiAmericas (PAS), and claims its share of income under the equity method of accounting. [60] Pepsi Bottling Ventures is the third-largest domestic bottling company within the Pepsi system. The company was formed in 1999 when five of Pepsi’s bottling companies consolidated to form PBV. Operating Segments PepsiCo operates in six divisions: Frito-Lay North America (29% of Revenue, 43% of Operating Income)[61] manufactures, markets and sells branded snacks. Popular products include Lays Potato Chips, Doritos Tortilla Chips, Cheetos, Rold Gold Pretzels, and SunChips. [1] Following the companys purchase of Pepsi Bottling Group (PBG) and Whitman (PAS), company executives have said that it will lead to increased joint marketing, bundling the companys snack and beverage offerings. [62] Quaker Foods North America (4% of Revenue, 8% of Operating Income)[61] manufactures, markets and sells cereals, rice, pasta and other branded products. Popular products include Quaker Oatmeal, Aunt Jemima mixes and syrups, Cap n Crunch cereal, Rice-A-Roni, and Life cereal. [1] Latin America Foods (14% of Revenue, 13% of Operating Income)[61] manufactures, markets and sells a number of leading salty and sweet snack brands. Popular products include Gamesa, Doritos, Cheetos, and Ruffles. [4] PepsiCo Americas Beverages (25% of Revenue, 29% of Operating Income)[61] manufactures, markets and sells beverage concentrates, fountain syrups and finished goods, under various beverage brands. Popular products include Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Gatorade, Tropicana, and Izze. [4] United Kingdom Europe (15% of Revenue, 10% of Operating Income)[61] manufactures, markets and sells a number of leading salty and sweet snack brands. Popular products include Lays, Walkers, Doritos, and Cheetos. [4] Middle East, Africa, and Asia (13% of Revenue, 8% of Operating Income)[61] manufactures, markets and sells a number of leading salty and sweet snack brands. Popular products include Lays, Smiths, Doritos, and Cheetos. [63] Trends Forces PepsiCo Must Survive a US Slowdown While Capturing International Growth Soaring food and energy prices[64], the housing slump[65] and a weakening job market[66] are putting the breaks on consumer spending in North America, even in the typically recession proof drinks and snacks market. Emerging markets such as China, India, Eastern Europe and Latin America present strong growth opportunities for Pepsico. In December 2010, Pepsi announced their purchase of Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods, a Russian food and beverage company, for $5. 4 billion[67]; the purchase followed Coca-Colas purchase of a Russian juice company for $300 million in summer 2010. [68] Wimm-Bill-Dan is the leading producer of dairy products in Russia and they also have a large market share for juice; the purchase significantly expands Pepsis presence in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The company had sales of $2. 6 billion in 2010 and serves approximately 280 million customers in Eurasia. [69] In addition to making international acquisitions, PepsiCo is investing significant resources in expanding their manufacturing capabilities in developing markets. The company has pledged to invest $3. 5 billion in China through 2013, mainly through the construction of 10 to 12 new manufacturing facilities (in addition to the 27 it currently operates). In China, Pepsi is also pursuing a strategy of buying back stakes in its Chinese operations from local partners. These acquisitions will give the company greater control over its operations while increasing profits. Unlike the saturated North American market, Chinas carbonated drink market is growing at almost 20% annually. [70] In late August 2010, PepsiCo announced its plan to invest $250 million in new manufacturing plants in Vietnam further expanding its footprint in the region. In the past two years, the company invested in two other manufacturing plants in Vietnam, and it currently operates five plants in the country. [71] In Latin America, the company has pledged $3 million over the next three years to create an agriculture research center in Peru, which will focus on the discovery of new potato and other vegetable varieties. [72] Pepsis expects their global nutrition business will be worth $20 billion by 2020. [73] Commodity Costs are Pressuring Margins 2007-2009 PET resin prices, ? /pound [74] PepsiCos profitability can be affected directly and indirectly by the costs of various production inputs. PEP is responsible for purchasing the raw materials used to make its products in all its markets and also acts as an agent for the purchase of its bottlers raw materials. Some of the raw materials used by PEP include grains such as corn, wheat flour, oats and rice; fruit and vegetable products like oranges, potatoes, and juice concentrates; sugar; and vegetable and essential oils. For example, aluminum prices have fallen more than 60% from their 2008 highs of $1. 50/pound to less than $0. 65/pound. [8] Changes in the prices of such raw materials could impact total production costs and the company’s profit margins. Changes in bottlers production input costs can also indirectly impact PEPs profits. If a bottlers raw materials become more expensive, it might pass on the increase to customers, which could lead to a loss of market share as customers switch to more affordable alternatives. The primary raw materials used by bottlers are high fructose corn syrup, which is used as a sweetener, aluminum, used to make cans, and PET Resin, used for plastic bottles. In an effort to insulate itself from market forces, PepsiCo has invested $29. 3 million in five farms in China, making it one of the countrys largest agricultural companies. [75] The farms primarily produce potatoes for the companys potato chip brands and by 2005, the company was the largest private potato grower in the country. [76] In her 2008 visit to China, CEO Indra Nooyi said that the company is planning to invest $1 billion in China by 2012. [77] In addition to its farms in China, Pepsi has 12,000 contract farmers in India growing potatoes on 16,000 acres of land. In addition to potatoes, the company is hoping to expand its contract farming initiative to include oats in the near future. [78] Pepsi Must Face a Declining Demand for Carbonated Soft Drinks Consumer demand for CSD has been negatively affected by concerns about health and wellness. Since 1999, carbonated soft drinks have dropped from 60% to 35% of total US beverage volume. [9] Rising health and wellness concerns can be attributed to increasing concern for obesity as well as education campaigns on the part of the FDA as well as non-profit groups. Public campaigns to ban sales of soft drinks and fatty snacks in schools have also negatively impacted demand for sugary sodas. These factors have driven a shift in consumption away from CSD to healthier alternatives, such as tea, juices, and water. Even within the CSD segment, consumers have been moving away from the sugared drinks, opting instead for diet beverages, which do not generally contain any sugar or calories. In response to this shift in consumer demand, PEP has increased its development of both diet CSD and non-CSD beverages. With its popular Tropicana and Gatorade brands, PepsiCo is much better situated than Coca-Cola Company (KO) to react to these changing trends. Facing lower Gatorade sales in 2010, Pepsi developed a social marketing department to track the brands performance and online reputation. By tracking user discussions online and Gatorade groups on Facebook, the company has been able to quickly respond to consumer demands. The results of Pepsis new marketing initiative is inconclusive because the brand rose 2. 4% during the first half of 2010 but this is compared with low sales in 2009. [79] The Dollar Affects International Performance Changes in the strength of the dollar compared to foreign currency could impact the company by decreasing both costs and revenue in dollars. As the strength of the dollar increases, all sales made in foreign currency end up being worth less because the amount of US dollars the company gets per sale decreases. On the other hand the cost of foreign inputs (food and other commodities that go into PepsiCo products) sold in foreign currencies would decrease with the strengthening dollar. Since over half of PepsiCos sales are in international markets, the increasing value of the dollar could be a significant factor driving revenues down overseas. Specifically the company primarily deals with the British Pound, Euro, Australian dollar, and Canadian dollar. Between July and December 2008, the dollar regained nearly all its 2007 losses against foreign currencies, and has continued this trend through 2009. [23] Competition 2008 U. S. non-alcoholic beverage market by volume[80] Beverages In the domestic beverage market, the Coca-Cola Company (KO) is PepsiCos main competitor. In 2008, Coca-Cola had a 23% share of the U. S. non-alcoholic beverage volume, while PEP held a 25% share. Coca-Cola Company (KO) has a higher worldwide share of carbonated soda beverages, but PepsiCo has a more diverse product line and leads the industry in non-carbonated soft drink innovations. [81] PepsiCos revenues are also substantially higher than Coca-Colas, due to PepsiCos snack and convenient foods business, a market in which KO does not participate. PepsiCos presence in the snack and convenient food industries, as well as its industry-leading innovations in the non-carbonated soft drink segment, gives it a somewhat more balanced portfolio than Coca-Cola and provides the company with some protection against further declining demand for CSD. Pepsi also pays the Dr Pepper Snapple Group (DPS) for the rights to sell its products, along with Coca-Cola Company (KO). In December 2009, Pepsi agreed to pay Dr Pepper Snapple Group (DPS) $900 million for the continued rights to sell Dr. Pepper products following the companys acquisition of its North American bottlers. [82] This deal was similar to a contract signed by Coke and Dr. Pepper in June 2010, worth $$715 million, that gave Coke similar distribution rights following their acquisition of Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE). [83] Snacks and Convenient Foods 2008 U. S. Snack Market by volume[80] PepsiCos Frito-Lay and Quaker brands compete in various parts of the larger food industry. Its snack foods manufactured by the Frito-Lay segment hold a commanding share of the U. S. market, accounting for around 39% of domestic snack food sales in 2006. PepsiCos main competitor in the food market overall is Kraft Foods (KFT). Krafts products include snacks, cheese, diary, and cereal products, which puts it in competition both with Frito-Lay and Quaker products. Much like the Coca-Cola Company (KO), Kraft does not participate in both the food and soft drink markets, giving PEP the advantage of having a more diverse offering of products. Coke vs. Pepsi For decades now, Coke and Pepsi have battled for our hearts and minds but what about our capital? Which company will add the best flavor to your investment portfolio? Although both companies share powerful brand names and global franchises, there are two important distinctions between Pepsico and Coca-Cola that any investor should consider before choosing between these comestible titans: Global Footprint When it comes to international presence, Coca-Cola easily trumps Pepsico. In 2009, Coca-Cola generated 74% of its revenue overseas compared to 48% revenue for Pepsico. [84][85] Coca-Colas impressive global footprint puts it in a better position to benefit from strong growth across the globe, particularly in the developing world. Furthermore, because Coke generates so much of its revenue abroad, it stands to benefit greatly from the continuing weakening of the dollar as sales denominated in foreign currencies are suddenly worth more dollars back home. At the same time, Pepsicos heavy dependence on North America makes it much more susceptible to a slowing US economy. Diversified Product Offering. Another important distinction between the two companies is their product offering. While KO is essentially a one-product company that focuses on beverages, Pepsico has a much broader product base that includes beverages, foods and snacks. Coca-Colas heavy dependence on beverages, particularly carbonated beverages, makes it more susceptible than Pepsico to a growing aversion to soda which is perceived as fattening and unhealthy. On the other hand, Pepsicos extensive portfolio of beverages, foods and snacks puts it in a better position from the trend to healthier eating.

Ambition By Moonlight - Original Writing :: Papers

Ambition By Moonlight - Original Writing The wind howled through Francis' mass of tatty black hair, that looked like a bird's nest, making it stream out behind him. He found it hard to keep his balance walking against the wind; it was like it was trying to lift him up and wisp him off, back to his warm welcoming house where he should be at this very moment. The long, thick grass was covered in frost; it looked like someone had sprinkled a thin layer of salt crystals across the field. It crunched under his feet, making Francis cringe, as he cautiously moved onwards, head bowed against the wind. He could feel the cold, deep down in his bones, despite wearing his thick trousers and fur coat. Suddenly he saw the last bit of the light from the village disappear in some shadows, Francis stopped abruptly and looked up slowly. First of all he noticed the old wooden signpost with its writing barely legible, craning his neck further he saw the mass of bare branches from the towering trees of the wood. The branches looked like frail hands and seemed to be trying to snatch him to haul him into the woods Francis was frozen in his step, transfixed by the woods in front of him, even though he could only see the very edge of the woods it still frightened him and made him jump at the slightest sound. Then all of a sudden the moon appeared bright in the sky from behind the clouds that appeared to have been swept aside by a large hand. It hung in the sky like bricks, lighting the field like a vast beacon. It was then Francis could have sworn he saw a small figure like that of a child, watching him, and appearing strangely familiar but he couldn't put his finger on whom it could be. Yet as quickly as he had seen it, it vanished, Francis shook his head telling himself he was just seeing things. Francis started to edge towards the woods, but just before he entered

Children Youth and Environments Journal Essay

The Role of the Youth in Establishing Unity in a Diversified Multicultural Society Years passed, adults have tried to control youth because they represent the future. Young people often fight back, trying to create their own world that is separate from their parents. At the end of World War II they were finally given a name: â€Å"teen-agers,† an ideal of young people as consumers. That model for youth spread around the world, and still exists today. Throughout history, young people have played an active role in shaping major social and political advancements. Today’s growing globalization and cross-border movements create an environment, which is increasingly diverse in terms of culture and religion. Young people’s contribution to understanding the impact of this diversity on everyday life as well as politics is now more crucial than ever. Moreover, as they constitute the largest segment of population in many regions, the role of youth in shaping their country’s response to cultural and religious diversity is vital. We clearly see youth as an essential asset – a crucial pool of talent, ideas and energy – that plays a critical role in addressing the challenges related to global and local instability. We must get control of this. We must motivate our youth. We must teach responsibility and goal setting. I fear if we do not we will soon be supporting an entire generation of homeless and needlessly on welfare families. Things have to change, with our schools, with the older generation being good role models, with the older generation being mentors, and with the youth who are right now doing nothing. We believe that it is important to recognize young people’s own contribution to promoting respect and understanding and fostering dialogue among people of different backgrounds. With teenage unemployment soaring, young people can no longer influence the world with their wallets. As student protests began exploding across the globe this fall, we felt compelled to†¦ [continues]

Feminism During the 50’s Essay

The book Revolutionary Road, written by Richard Yates, tells the reader a story about the life of Frank and April Wheeler. The Wheelers are a married couple with children who live in a 1950’s suburb. This essay shows the reader how characters in the book do not conform to typical gender roles during this time period and how these gender roles are switched between men and women. The story gives us a lot of insight in to gender roles during the 1950’s. However, Frank and April Wheeler do not abide to the typical gender roles of men and women during this time period in American society. The idea of this analysis is to show the reader how Feminism and Masculinity are tested in Revolutionary Road. Richard Yates switches gender roles in this novel and does a good job of showing us a different perspective from what was most common during the 1950’s. Revolutionary Road is about Frank and April Wheeler who live in a suburb called Revolutionary Estates with their two children Jennifer and Michael. They are viewed by their neighbors as your ideal husband and wife. They have a nosy real estate agent named Mrs. Giving’s who randomly shows up throughout the story and has a deranged son named John who ends up having some conflict with the Wheelers. Mrs. Giving’s also has a husband named Howard who seems not to care what she has to say most of the time because she is always gossiping or talking too much. There is also a couple, Milly and Shep Campbell who are family friends of the Wheelers and often hang out and drink together. Frank ends up having an affair with Maureen, a woman who works at Knox with him. He ends up feeling guilty about it because April does something special for him. She stops the argument they are in and has a surprise birthday plan for him and tells him about her plans of moving their family to Europe. Plans fail however when April realizes she is pregnant and Frank is satisfied that they won’t have to move. April ends up having an affair with Shep Campbell who is in love with her secretly. The story ends up with April killing herself attempting to do her own abortion from home. Frank lives on in distraught and agony. Richard Yates uses Feminism in the story to show the reader how Frank fits in with typical feminine role of this time and April fits in with the  typical masculine role. Frank is constantly emasculated throughout the story by April. When they realize April is pregnant, she wants to have an abortion. Frank is upset but he can’t do much about it because he doesn’t have any say in what she does. He tries to say, â€Å"Listen. Listen to me. You do this – you do this and I swear to God I’ll –† and she cuts him off and says, â€Å"Oh, you’ll what? You’ll leave me? What’s that supposed to be – a threat or a promise?† (Yates 52) testing his masculinity once again. April is not the typical woman of the 50’s and that’s why conflicting gender roles play such an important theme in this novel. Frank thrives off of the need to prove himself to April. He wants her to believe he is in control of every situat ion and is the man of the house. He tries to put off this image to April that he is a real man and leads their household. Frank has a lot of conflict throughout the book because of his constant need to prove his manhood and prove his masculinity to April. Richard Yates uses Frank Wheeler to show us just how this novel conflicts the typical gender roles during the 1950’s. Yates says about Frank, â€Å"Wasn’t it true, then, that everything in his life from that point on had been a succession of things he hadn’t really wanted to do? Taking a dull job to prove he could be as responsible as any other man†¦ Having another child to prove that the first one hadn’t been a mistake†¦ Proving, proving; and for no other reason than that he was married to a woman who put him forever on the defensive† (Yates 51). Yates shows the reader the true tenacity of Frank’s need to prove himself to April day after day. Having a job, having a family, and doing everything to provide for your family were all things men were expected to do during that time in America. Frank has an obsession with needing April to believe he is in control and fully providing for her and their children. He feels she will leave him or step up and provide for them herself is he cannot do it. Frank is trying to prove he is the man and holds the masculine gender role over April. April says in one scene to Frank, â€Å"Me. Me. Me. Oh, you poor, self-deluded – Look at you, Look at you, and tell me how by any stretch of imagination you can call yourself a man† ( Yates 28) which really test Franks masculinity. He is without a doubt upset about April’s actions and words. By receiving her approval, he feels his masculinity and feels he has accomplished what is important. Throughout the  story however, we see that Frank never truly gets the approval from April he is looking for. Yates intends for Frank to be weaker and less masculine than April. This is how Richard Yates uses conflicting gender roles in his characters. April is a very independent woman and she will take care of what she feels is necessary. She doesn’t look to Frank for guidance and leadership. The narrator points this out when April is mowing the lawn and Frank is watching her wishing he was doing it. The narrator states that Frank had â€Å"planned as soon as he’d had some coffee to go out there and take the lawnmower away from April, by force if it was necessary, so the he could restore as much balance to the morning as possible. But he was still in his bathrobe† (Yates 40). Frank cannot stand the fact that April is mowing the yard and not letting him do it. Yates gives us a description of April in the yard, he says, â€Å"It was April herself, stolidly pushing and hauling the old machine, wearing a man’s shirt and a pair of loss, flapping slacks† (Yates 35) This description of April really gives the reader a simple understanding that April doesn’t need Frank to mow the yard because she is capable and willing to do it herself. These are the things that really bother Frank because he wants a woman who needs him to do everything for her. That’s what Frank feels he is supposed to do; he wants to be the sole provider and â€Å"alpha† of his household. Another way we see Frank being emasculated is when April plans the move to Europe. She tells Frank about the plans to move at his surprise birthday get together, he had just got home from having an affair with Maureen from his office. The narrator gives us a good understanding of Frank’s inability to take control. He ends up agreeing with the plans even though he is not fully sure and confident that is what he wants. Frank says, â€Å"Darling? We are really going to do it, aren’t we? I mean it hasn’t just been a lot of talk or anything, has it?† (Yates 116) and they agree the move to Europe is a sure thing. Then they fall asleep and the chapter ends with April saying I love you to Frank. Frank is finally feeling a sense of assurance at this point because things are getting better between him and April. He is finally feeling that sense of satisfaction he thrives for. He and April are getting  along and things â€Å"seem† to be good. However, April ends up letting Frank in on some startling news. She is pregnant and when Frank finds out he is actually happy about the news because he has had a promotion offered to him at work and knows that having a baby will keep them from moving. When April realizes Frank is satisfied with not moving she threatens to abort the baby herself after Frank finds her abortion tools and she test Franks masculinity again by saying, â€Å"And what are you going to do? Do you think you’re going to stop me?† (Yates 209) when he questions her on what she is going to do with the tools. Frank has no control over any situations throughout this book. Especially in this situation because April has had her mind set on moving and she was not going to take no for an answer. She eventually kills herself trying to proceed in doing an abortion herself at their home. April had control of the situation the whole time. Furthermore, â€Å"Revolutionary Road† gives the reader a wide and detailed interpretation of very unusual gender roles for the 1950’s. The author’s use of feminism helps him to show how Frank is a man who feeds of his wife for satisfaction. Everything Frank does is mainly to get the approval and acceptance of his wife April. Feminism also helps us to take a look at how April Wheeler is portrayed. She is a very independent woman and for this time period that is very rare. Women typically depended on men and did not step up as leaders and sole providers of their family. However, April is much different. She wants Frank to know that she can take care of herself and her family without the help of a man. She is portrayed as being much more masculine and superior than her husband. She is in control of their relationship and she is in control of Frank’s life. Everything Frank does is based on what April thinks and getting her to notice and her to approve is what makes him feel like a man. Richard Yates did an amazing job in â€Å"Revolutionary Road† by showing the reader the conflicting gender roles of April and Frank Wheeler. Works Cited Yates, Richard. Revolutionary Road. 2nd. New York: Vintage Contemporaries, 2000. Print.

Early History Of Judaism Essays - Monotheistic Religions

Early History Of Judaism Essays - Monotheistic Religions Early History Of Judaism Early History of Judaism- It has been argued that Judaism can be seen not only as a single religion, but as a group of similar religions. It has also been pointed-out that through all the trials and tribulations that Judaism has suffered through, that there have been common themes that have proven omni-pervasive. Any institution with roots as ancient and varied as the religion of the Jews is bound to have a few variations, especially when most of its history takes place in the political and theological hot spot of the Middle East. In this discussion, many facets of Judaism will be examined, primarily in the three temporal subdivisions labeled the Tribal / Pre-Monarchy Period, the Divided Monarchy, and the Hasmonean / Maccabean and Roman Era. Among all the time periods where the religion has been split, these three seem to be the most representative of the forces responsible. As for a common thread seen throughout all Judiasms, the area of focus here is the place associated with the religion : Jerusalem. This topic will be covered in detail first, and then the multiple Judaism arguments will be presented. In this way, it is possible to keep a common focus in mind when reading about all the other situations in which the religion has found itself. A brief conclusion follows the discussion. A Place to Call Home No other religion has ever been so attached to its birthplace as Judaism. Perhaps this is because Jews have been exiled and restricted from this place for most of their history. Jerusalem is not only home to Judaism, but to the Muslim and Christian religions as well. Historically this has made it quite a busy place for the various groups. Jerusalem is where the temple of the Jews once stood; the only place on the whole Earth where one could leave the confines of day to day life and get closer to God. In 586 BCE when the temple was destroyed, no Jew would have denied Jerusalem as being the geographic center of the religion. From that point on, the Jewish people have migrated around the world, but not one of them forgets the fact that Jerusalem is where it all began. It is truly a sacred place, and helps to define what Judaism means to many people; a common thread to run through all the various splinters of the religion and help hold them together. Even today, as the Jewish people have their precious Jerusalem back (through the help of other nations and their politics) there is great conflict and emotion surrounding it. Other nations and people in the area feel that they should be in control of the renowned city, and the Jews deny fervently any attempt to wrestle it from their occupation. It is true that there is no temple in Jeruslaem today, nor are all the Jews in the world rushing to get back there. But it is apparent that the city represents more to the religion of Judaism than a mere place to live and work. The city of Jerusalem is a spiritual epicenter, and throughout Judaisms long and varied history, this single fact has never changed. Tribal / Pre-Monarchy Judaisms roots lie far back in the beginnings of recorded history. The religion did not spring into existence exactly as it is known today, rather it was pushed and prodded by various environmental factors along the way. One of the first major influences on the religion was the Canaanite nation. Various theories exist as to how and when the people that would later be called Jews entered into this civilization. But regardless of how they ultimately got there, these pioneers of the new faith were subjected to many of the ideas and prejudices of the time. Any new society that finds itself in an existing social situation, can do no more than to try and integrate into that framework. And this is exactly what the Jews did. Early Judaism worshipped multiple gods. One of these gods was known as Baal, and was generally thought-of as a statue god with certain limitations on his power. The other primary deity was called YHWH (or Yahweh) and enjoyed a

Chico, Muchacho, and Other Spanish Words for Children

Chico, Muchacho, and Other Spanish Words for Children Chico, muchacho, nià ±o - and their feminine equivalents, chica, muchacha, and nià ±a - and just a few of the words you can use in Spanish to refer to children. But they arent all used in the same way. In most cases, youre safe to use any of the above words to refer to boys and girls. However, in some cases they can have more specialized uses. Using Chico and Chica As a general adjective, chico is simply a word for small, especially when referring to something that is smaller than other beings or things of its type. When it becomes a noun referring to people, however, it usually refers to someone of a young age rather than someone of short stature. The age of children used for chico and chica varies somewhat with region. However, it is often used as a term of affection for people other than children. For example, in Cuba it frequently is used to address friends, something like hey dude or buddy might be in American slang. It is also very common to use chica when referring to young, single women, especially ones in which men might be interested in for romantic purposes - something like the equivalent of babe. To a lesser extent, chico can fulfill a similar role. Similarly, the two terms commonly are used for girlfriend and boyfriend, respectively. The main characters in a movie, TV show or novel are often referred to as chico or chica, especially if they are young and attractive. Using Muchacho and Muchacha When referring to adolescents or teenagers, muchacho/a can usually be used interchangeably with chico/a. In most areas it isnt used often when referring to younger children. Muchacho/a can also be used to refer to a young servant or maid. Using Nià ±o and Nià ±a Nià ±o and nià ±a are more general and sometimes slightly more formal words for children. Their use might be preferred in situations where wed talk about a child in English rather than a boy or girl. For example, a school handout might say something such as Cada nià ±o debe leer un libro por mes for Each child should read one book per month. (Following the Spanish rule of gender, nià ±os can refer to a mixed group of boys and girls, not necessarily just boys. In sentences such as the above, the context suggests that cada nià ±o refers to each child, not necessarily just each boy.) Nià ±o is also used in situations where the speaker is referring to young age or inexperience in general. For example, a child soldier is a nià ±o soldado, and a street child is a nià ±o/a de la calle. Similarly, someone who is worse than a child is peor que un nià ±o - words such as chico and muchacho wouldnt work well in that context. Other Words Referring to Children Other words for talking about children include: Hijo and hija refer specifically to a son or daughter, respectively. Nià ±o/a can also be used with the same meaning if the context is clear.Criatura, a cognate of creature, is sometimes used an affectionate term. For example,  ¡Quà © criatura hermosa! might be translated loosely as What a beautiful little angel! Note that criatura is always feminine, even if it refers to a boy.Descendiente can be used as a replacement for hijo or hija; it is used much more than the English descendant. The word can be either masculine or feminine depending on whether it refers to a son or daughter. It can also refer to descendants such as great-grandchildren.Bebà © is the most common word for baby. Note that it is always masculine, even when referring to a girl.

Uzbek Music (anthropology) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Uzbek Music (anthropology) - Essay Example Thesis Statement: The purpose of this paper is to present the argument that the ethnomusicology of Uzbek music and understanding it, help to gain insights into Uzbek culture. The analysis will be supported by ethnographic evidence and examples. The rich and diverse musical heritage of Uzbekistan has contributed significantly to the establishment of a national self-consciousness and cultural identity for the nation as a whole, particularly after the country achieved independence in 1991 from the Soviet Union. The main sources are written texts including historical manuscripts, contemporary national studies and samples of traditional music notated in the Western staff system; and an extensive range of national melodies and â€Å"intonations†, together with the emotional images of the national spiritual world (Djumeiv: 166). The Uzbek’s way of life, customs, thoughts, hopes and struggle for social and national liberation are deeply reflected in Uzbek folklore, causing a variety in theme and genre of Uzbek folk songs. The main types of songs are: daily life songs such as lullabies, children’s songs, calendric songs and lyric songs, the latter including songs of love, humor, nature, meditation, etc. Family ceremonal songs such as wedding songs and laments in funerals, work songs, songs of social protest, and historical songs. In turn this thematic variety led to musical diversity. The above are the specifically ceremonial and daily-life songs, which is one genre of Uzbek folk songs. The other genre included those songs which were performed everywhere with a great variety of theme: the terma or chublama, koshuk, lapar, yalla, and ashula genres. Except for ashula, the aforementioned genres are basically strophic in structure, melodically narrow and improvisatory. â€Å"The ashula is particula rly distinctive, with its extensive melodic structure and