Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov Essay -- Lolita Essays

Vladimir Nabokov, one of the 20th century’s greatest writers, is a highly aesthetic writer. Most of his work shows an amazing interest in and talent for language. He deceptively uses language in Lolita to mask and make the forbidden divine. Contextually, Lolita may be viewed as a novel about explicit sexual desire. However, it is the illicit desire of a stepfather for his 12-year old stepdaughter. The novel’s subject inevitably conjures up expectations of pornography, but there in not a single obscene term in Lolita. Nabokov portrays erotic scenes and sensual images with a poetic sensibility that belies the underlying meaning of the words. The beautiful manipulation of language coerces one to understand Humbert’s interdict act of pedophilia. By combining erotic and poetic desire in the context of the forbidden, Nabokov challenges the immorality of pornography, as illicit desire becomes masked in sensuous language. Nabokov carefully tailors the language Hu mbert Humbert uses to tell the world of his love for the forbidden nymphet, urging sympathy and innocence from the reader. However, the deeper meaning of the forbidden sexual desire is clearly seen in the use of only slightly veiled metaphor alluding to Humbert's own obsession. The very first words of the novel set the stage for Nabokov's masterful use of poetic and erotic allusion. The poetic and romantic lyricism become the foundation for allusion from the deviancy of Humbert’s sexual desires: "Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul. Lo-lee-ta: the tip of the tongue taking a trip of three steps down the palate to tap, at three, on the teeth. Lo. Lee. Ta. She was Lo, plain Lo, in the morning, standing four feet ten in one sock. She was Lola in ... ... unambiguously seeks to transmute Humbert’s erotic experience into a work of art, and to induce us to relive it intensely in our imagination and with our senses. He does not want us simply to identify with his protagonist as a crude pornographer would, but to bring us to adhere totally to this beautiful text in which the gradual eroticization of the language eventually creates a poerotic ecstasy. There is no longer any separation between signifier and signified, between the pretext and the present text; the obstacle that prevented novelistic language from representing the sexual act is magically abolished, even though sex still remains a powerful source of anxiety. It is not the sexual interdict, no matter what its true nature is, which is transgressed, but the aesthetic one. As Humbert later acknowledges â€Å"sex is but the ancilla of art,† it cannot be its main subject. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov Essay -- Lolita Essays Vladimir Nabokov, one of the 20th century’s greatest writers, is a highly aesthetic writer. Most of his work shows an amazing interest in and talent for language. He deceptively uses language in Lolita to mask and make the forbidden divine. Contextually, Lolita may be viewed as a novel about explicit sexual desire. However, it is the illicit desire of a stepfather for his 12-year old stepdaughter. The novel’s subject inevitably conjures up expectations of pornography, but there in not a single obscene term in Lolita. Nabokov portrays erotic scenes and sensual images with a poetic sensibility that belies the underlying meaning of the words. The beautiful manipulation of language coerces one to understand Humbert’s interdict act of pedophilia. By combining erotic and poetic desire in the context of the forbidden, Nabokov challenges the immorality of pornography, as illicit desire becomes masked in sensuous language. Nabokov carefully tailors the language Hu mbert Humbert uses to tell the world of his love for the forbidden nymphet, urging sympathy and innocence from the reader. However, the deeper meaning of the forbidden sexual desire is clearly seen in the use of only slightly veiled metaphor alluding to Humbert's own obsession. The very first words of the novel set the stage for Nabokov's masterful use of poetic and erotic allusion. The poetic and romantic lyricism become the foundation for allusion from the deviancy of Humbert’s sexual desires: "Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul. Lo-lee-ta: the tip of the tongue taking a trip of three steps down the palate to tap, at three, on the teeth. Lo. Lee. Ta. She was Lo, plain Lo, in the morning, standing four feet ten in one sock. She was Lola in ... ... unambiguously seeks to transmute Humbert’s erotic experience into a work of art, and to induce us to relive it intensely in our imagination and with our senses. He does not want us simply to identify with his protagonist as a crude pornographer would, but to bring us to adhere totally to this beautiful text in which the gradual eroticization of the language eventually creates a poerotic ecstasy. There is no longer any separation between signifier and signified, between the pretext and the present text; the obstacle that prevented novelistic language from representing the sexual act is magically abolished, even though sex still remains a powerful source of anxiety. It is not the sexual interdict, no matter what its true nature is, which is transgressed, but the aesthetic one. As Humbert later acknowledges â€Å"sex is but the ancilla of art,† it cannot be its main subject.

Sef Gonzales Report

The law is both effective and ineffective throughout the entire criminal process in achieving justice in the murder case involving Sef Gonzales. The case â€Å"Regina vs Gonzales (2004) NSW SC 822† involved the triple murders of Gonzales’s mother, father and only sister The meaning of justice is that everyone is treated equally and fairly under the law. The law was effective in this case because justice was achieved, for the accused, for the victims and for society.Former Sydney student Sef Gonzales has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the triple murder of his parents, solicitor Ted Gonzales, Mary Loiva Gonzales and then 18-year old sister Clodine in their North Ryde home in Sydney’s north-west on July 10, 2001. Clodine Gonzales was the prisoner’s sister and his only sibling. She had had her eighteenth birthday on 9 July 2001, the day before the murders. Mary Loiva Josephine Gonzales was the prisoner’s mother and Teddy Gonzales was the prison er’s father.In order for a crime to occur, both elements of the crime, Actus Reus and mens rea must be present. Actus Reus and mens rea are legal terms used to define a crime. Both elements must be present for an accused to be found guilty of a crime (except for strict liability). Mens rea means that the person must have had a guilty mind at the time of committing the crime- that is they must have intended to commit the crime. According to this case, both elements were present.Mens rea occurred when Gonzales had planned the killing for a long time and also had the intention to kill each of the victims and had actually administered poison to his mother Actus reus was the actions of the accused which occurred in this case when Gonzales did the physical act of murdering his mother, sister and father. He killed the victims by stabbing them with a knife or, in the case of Clodine, striking her with a bat and strangling her, as well as stabbing her with a knife. There was a high de gree of violence in all of the murders.The law was effective in this case because these two elements were proven in the trial. Sef Gonzales decided to kill his parents for many reasons. There are four different factors that might lead to a criminal behaviour. These factors are social, economic, self-interest or genetic. In this cases, the factors are economic and self-interest. I find that the motives for the prisoner committing the murders were that he was fearful that, because of his poor performance in his university studies, his parents might take his car away from him and might withdraw other privileges which had been granted to him nd that he wished to succeed, without delay and as sole heir, to his parents’ property. He had also argued with his mother over a girlfriend of whom she disapproved, and his family had threatened to disinherit him. Sef wasn’t really happy with his parents decisions. The law was effective in this case by the prosecution proving beyond r easonable doubt these factors motivated the awful crimes. In this case the DDP was represented by Mark Tedeschi QC who alleged that Gonzales murdered his Mother, father and sister at the family home on 10th of July 2001.They said that the murders were within the worst class of cases of murder and that they were planned. Gonzales was found guilty beyond reasonable doubt by the jury of all three charges. The DPP was successful in arguing their case so justice was effectively achieved however it was ineffective because it took three years for the case to come to trial. In serious criminal matters such as murder, the accused will attend the Local Court for a committal hearing where the magistrate will determine whether a case, at first sight (prima-facie), exists.It was found in the Local Court that there was enough prima facie evidence to bring a case against Gonzales. The trial against Gonzales began in the Supreme Court on 27th of August 2004 in front of Justice Bruce James, Gonzales pleaded not guilty to the three charges of murder and one charge of threatening product contamination. The judgement was handed down on 17th September 2004 with a guilty verdict, Gonzales received three life imprisonment sentences to be served concurrently.The law was effective in achieving justice in this case but was ineffective because it took over 3 years to get a judgement. Gonzales pleaded not guilty to the offences of three counts of murder and one threatening product contamination even though he was told that the sentence would be lesser if he pleaded guilty. There are two factors which affect the sentencing decision. They are called migitating and aggravating factors.In this case, there are no facts migitating the objective seriousness of the murders. The aggravating factors in Gonzales’s case submitted by the crown were that Sef committed multiple murders who were his own family members. The murders were planned and premeditated. The prisoner has had it in mind to kill his parents from the time he began researching poisons on the internet some months before 10 July 2001. They were brutal and violent. Sef had also attempted to poison his mother.Gonzales showed no remorse. He gave the police false alibis and tried to frame others for the murders. Other false trails were the fabrication of an e-mail that implicated a business rival of Teddy in the murders, the fabrication of threatening e-mails, and the staging of an attempted burglary and an abduction. Sef also put a deposit on a $173,000 Lexus, telling the dealership he would be using his inheritance to pay for the vehicle, traded in his parent's car and pawned his mother's jewellery.The prisoner was not at the time of committing the offences suffering from any mental illness or mental disorder or any mental state which would migitate the criminality of his conduct The court is to impose a sentence of imprisonment for life on a person who is convicted of murder if the court is satisfied that t he level of culpability in the commission of the offence is so extreme that the community interest in retribution, punishment, community protection and deterrence can only be met through the imposition of that sentence†.Sef Gonzales has been sentenced to three concurrent life sentences for the crime, which the judge said fell into the worst category of murder ithout the possibility of parole for the murders of his parents, Teddy and Mary Loiva, and younger sister Clodine However, police investigating the murders began to believe that he was the perpetrator. In December, investigating police were able to disprove Gonzales' first alibi, when they were told of sightings of his car in the driveway at the time of the murders.Gonzales then constructed a second alibi, claiming he had visited a brothel at the time of the murders, but this was proven to be false by the prostitute who he claimed to be with at the time. On 20 May 2004 at the conclusion of a trial, the jury found the pris oner Sef Gonzales guilty of the three counts of murder with which he had been charged that on 10 July 2001 at North Ryde he had murdered Clodine Gonzales, Mary Loiva Josephine Gonzales and Teddy GonzalesThe Crown submitted, in effect, that the murders committed by the prisoner were objectively heinous, that they fell within the worst class of cases of murder at common law and also fell within s 61(1) of the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act, that there was no circumstance mitigating the objective criminality of the offences and that, with the possible exception of the prisoner’s youth, there was no subjective feature which would mitigate the penalties which should be imposed. Consequently, subject possibly to the prisoner’s youth, maximum sentences of life imprisonment should be imposed.In support of these submissions the Crown said inter alia that the prisoner had committed three murders; that the victims were the prisoner’s parents and sister; that there had b een a high degree of brutality or violence in the commission of the murders; that the murders had been premeditated and planned; that, although the murders had been committed in one criminal episode, there had been distinct intervals of time between the commission of the first and second murders and the commission of the second and third murders; that the prisoner had made searches about poisons and had obtained poisonous seeds with the intention of poisoning his parents and had administered poison to his mother; that he had gone out with Sam Dacillo on the evening of 10 July as part of a plan to create an alibi for himself for at least the time he was with Sam Dacillo and that his going out with Sam Dacillo, so soon after he had committed the murders, demonstrated his callousness;that he had acted out of the base motives of ridding himself of threats to his way of life and of obtaining an inheritance from his parents; that he had raised false alibis and laid false trails with the i ntention of misleading police; that he had not pleaded guilty; that he had not shown any contrition; that he had not provided any assistance to law enforcement authorities, indeed, quite the contrary; that he did not have any excuse of having had a deprived background or upbringing; and that he did not suffer from any mental condition which might have mitigated his criminality. The Crown submitted that the only matter which might possibly mitigate the penalties which should be imposed was the prisoner’s young age.However, the Crown submitted, the present offences were so heinous that the young age of the prisoner should not result in any mitigation of penalty. The court is to impose a sentence of imprisonment for life on a person who is convicted of murder if the court is satisfied that the level of culpability in the commission of the offence is so extreme that the community interest in retribution, punishment, community protection and deterrence can only be met through the imposition of that sentence I do not make any finding that the prisoner has no prospects of rehabilitation. However, I consider that there is a risk of the prisoner re-offending and that there is a risk of future dangerousness.I base this conclusion on the following matters among others:- The objective facts of the offences; that the prisoner pleaded not guilty; that more than three years after having committed the offences the prisoner continues to maintain his innocence and has not demonstrated any insight into the enormity of the offences he committed or any acceptance of responsibility for the offences; and the high degree of unscrupulousness and duplicity shown by the prisoner in the raising of the false alibis and the laying of the false trails. I take into account the prisoner's young age at the time of committing the offences. He was twenty years old, approaching his twenty-first birthday, and he was in his third year as a university student. †¦ However, the conclusion I have reached is that the objective facts of the offences and the subjective circumstances of the prisoner are such that I should impose sentences of life imprisonment for the murders. †.

Global Animal Health Market Report Essay

Animal health market mainly comprises of medicines, medicinal feed additives and vaccines and caters to both food producing and companion animals. Food producing animals are species for the production of animal protein that include cattle (both beef and dairy), swine, poultry, sheep and fish whereas companion animals include dogs, cats and horses. Animal pharmaceuticals account for more than half of the animal health products market followed by biologicals and medicinal feed additives. Economic development and related increases in disposable income, particularly in many emerging markets; increasing pet ownership; increasing demand for improved nutrition, particularly animal protein; increased focus on food safety and need for greater livestock production efficiency are major factors driving the animal health market. North America is the largest animal health market followed by Europe, Asia and Latin America. The animal health care industry in Europe is majorly dominated by France, Germany, Spain and the UK. Within Asia, countries like Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and South Korea are developed markets and are characterized by extremely strict regulations. Demand for animal health products is more in emerging markets like India, China, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Taiwan. Animal health products are subject to extensive and increasingly stringent regulations. The animal health sector is highly competitive with top 10 players accounting for around 80% of the total market in 2011. Major market players include Pfizer, Merck, Merial, Elanco and Bayer. The report analyzes the global animal health market, with focus on its major segments. It also analyzes some of the major regional markets, including the US, the UK, China and India. The report discusses the major drivers and issues being experienced by the animal health market worldwide. It profiles the top three players in the global animal health market, along with their business strategies. By combining SPSS Inc.’s data integration and analysis capabilities with our relevant findings, we have predicted the future growth of the industry. We employed various significant variables that have an impact on this industry and created regression models with SPSS Base to determine the future direction of the industry. Before deploying the regression model, the relationship between several independent or predictor variables and the dependent variable was analyzed using standard SPSS output, including charts, tables and tests.

Sociological Approach to the Study of Religion

Outline and assess one of the main approaches to the study of religions. Religion and ‘The Study of Religions’ has many approaches which try to investigate the core of what religion is and what it means to the people who practice it. Sociology is one such approach that this essay will be looking at through its founding fathers Emile Durkheim, Max Weber and Karl Marx. Sociology in general looks at people’s dynamics and explains a group’s influence. It demonstrates how religious belief and practices have become so important over time and emphasises their role and significance throughout. Each of these three sociologists has a link to these ideas which will be the main thesis in this essay. Emile Durkheim looks at religion from a functionalist perspective in the sense that he assumes that religion has a positive role in society, as it acts as an important socialisation process for all members. The theory is largely based on the Arunta tribe in Australia, where he discovered objects worshipped which he calls ‘totems. ’ These totems according to him were an important factor in the society; seeing that the objects became a symbol of the group’s identity and unity. These objects he claims are â€Å"collective representation† (Fish, Jonathan S. 2005: 30) as they have reinforced the importance of integration into the community via the worshipped objects. The worshipped object have an emotional significance to them as the â€Å"totems serve as evocative device for reminding individuals of their initial feelings long after the assemblies† (Fish, Jonathan S. 2005:51) therefore evidently it becomes more about the idea and symbolism of the object rather than the object itself that unites all. Thus making the idea of rituals of greater significance as it generally binds people together which for Durkheim is always a positive thing. On the other hand, Durkheim does not offer a real explanation on why some deviate from such society’s e. g. Islamic fundamentalists such as the Taliban. Perhaps his theory generally works on a tribal base rather than bigger societies, where conflicts and divides are more common; in a smaller community less people are likely to go against the status quo. Moreover, to say that religion only plays a positive role is absurd. How can one explain the atrocities that occur on the name of religion for instance? For this reason I find Durkheim’s theory limiting as it does not look at all aspects of religion or religious life but merely draws a quick conclusion to it. Also according to this perspective religion instils the same norms and values for everyone, making it a regulatory function in society. Religion for Marx then becomes a form of social control which provides guidelines through religious texts e. g. 10 commandments. These norms which are shared gives people the opportunity to unite to what may be seen as morally incorrect or sinful. This can be vital in a society as it can allow social stability. Durkheim argument is plausible as there has been a significant rise in New Religious Movements. This evidently shows that people still require religion in their life. Moreover, the recent increase on religious fundamentalists can be a point that strengthens Durkheim argument as it can be evidence for people being threatened by a weakening society. Karl Marx similar to Durkheim starts with the assumption that religion is in fact a product of society. Importantly, however, he disagrees with Durkheim as he does not see religion as beneficial for the whole of society but argues it benefits only the ruling class or what he calls the ‘bourgeoisie’. Religion, according to Marx only transmits bourgeoisie ideologies to convince the working class or ‘proletariats’ that inequality is natural and fair phenomena in the world. Making religion as a whole a â€Å"collective smoke-screen† (Connolly, P. 1999:100) as it distorts reality which gives explanation for inequality as being of religious significance i. e. sin. For Marx this is the core idea behind religion making it a tool for oppression and a form of social control. Religion is claimed to be the â€Å"opium of the people† (Hamilton, Malcolm B 2001:81), making it a drug which is used by people as an illusion to hide or cover up the real causes of suffering, which for Marx is primarily capitalism. Capitalism covers up religion and manages to help the bourgeoisie greatly, as it becomes a â€Å"comforting illusion† (Hamilton, Malcolm B 2001:80) as the proletariats do not question the status quo due to their belief in getting a greater reward in the afterlife. Religion itself is used to justify hierarchy in the world, a verse in a hymn such as the following are used, â€Å"the rich man in his castle, the poor man at his gate, god made them. Highly or lowly, and ordered their state†. This stresses Marx’s point that as it’s believed to be sanctioned by God it is unlikely to be challenged by anyone. The Marxists perspective generally makes many valid arguments which society can relate to even today. The idea of caste system is still relevant in many Hindu traditions (although generally frowned upon). Buddhism has the idea of karma meaning if you are a poor person in this life then it’s to do with your own bad karma in the previous life. Therefore Marxism is correct in this aspect, that religion is used in order to justify inequality. Another key piece of evidence for the Marxists perspective is the fact that the Catholic Church is arguably allowing the spread of aids due to its stance against contraception. As a result of this, there is a continuation of social deprivation especially in Africa which further illustrates that religion is generally used to keep social inequality. Marxism disagrees that religion can bring about social change, this, however can be disputed. This is mainly due to the fact religious leaders have challenged the status quo in order to bring about change in their societies. Two main examples being Father Camillo Torres Restrepo and Martin Luther King whose works brought about a vast amount of change to Colombia and America respectively. Evidently this contrasts to the Marxists view as it shows that religion can in fact bring about social change and consequently allow for equality. Personally, I feel that the Marxists view limits human nature as it assumes they will simply follow rather than stand up to injustice. More importantly sociology in general claims to work in an objective and scientific way but I cannot see how it is possible with Marxists ideas such as on the religion being a drug and comforting as these ideas are impossible to measure. Max Weber is regarded as a social action theorist due to his claim that religion can shape and define society. He argues that religion can indeed bring about social change; he bases his argument on a Christian group named the Calvinists whom according to him brought about a form of western capitalism. This form of â€Å"ascetic Protestantism† (Johnstone, Ronald L. 2004:196) allows for the growth of capitalism because of their belief on disciplined hard work which to them emphasised the Glory of God. This â€Å"spirit of capitalism† (Furseth, Inger and Pal Repstad 2006:36) did not allow for the accumulation of wealth but actually encouraged reinvestment back into the society according to Weber. The so called Protestant ethics approach leads him to believe that this led to social change as society turned to mass producing mechanised industries. Another way the Calvinist were able to bring about social change, was thorough the apprehension people had. Calvinists believed in predestination which led to the belief that having a good business or being successful could have indicated that you were one of God’s chosen people. This gives the perception that people were competing over heaven and failure was not an option for people. However, Weber does not limit the growth of capitalism to the Calvinist alone as he is aware of other factors. Weber’s argument must be treated with a degree of caution. Evidence suggests that Protestant nations were not always capitalistic and vice versa. Also many believe that Catholic countries were already flourishing before the breakaway from Catholicism occurred. The study of Religions deal with many wide and opposing issues some of which have been covered in this essay through the works of Durkheim, Marx and Weber. Although, each sociologist does give a good account of explaining the dynamics within a religious group but with each case a very simplistic and generalised view was given by the sociologist about religion. It is plausible to argue that religion brings people together through rituals but is it not a natural thing for people to unite whilst doing something together? In this view then perhaps anything can be said to have religious significance as long as it brings people together. Additionally, the idea of a greater reward in the afterlife is not the only justification given about inequality. In the greater sense inequality within religion can be about anything from the roles of men and women to dress code. Therefore once again this idea has been limited to it being about capitalism. Religion is said to be able to bring about social change which arguably is a factor but for it to be the only thing is for me far fetched. It is an inherent thing for people to fight when they are being wronged. It is about something within rather than it being about religion.

Training on Local Employees in Asian Hospitality Industry Research Paper

Training on Local Employees in Asian Hospitality Industry - Research Paper Example One primary understanding that needs to be explored in this proposed research study is the difference between European leadership and Asian employees at the cultural level. European human resources managers generally hail from cultures that are globalized and have a long-standing industrialized and commercial history. Much of this influence has come from Western countries, such as the United States, that acted as the framework for much of the modern human resources principles being used in a variety of industries today. European leaders are from individualistic societies, under Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Framework, whereby managers and employees value self-expression and independence in the workplace and tend to value personal goal attainment over that of group goal-setting and group-oriented rewards (Blodgett, Bakir & Rose, 2008). In this type of organization or culture, individualists seek more decision-making authority and job role autonomy in order to remain loyal and satisfied so that they can become performance-oriented and seek to meet strategic goals. This individualistic attitude drives the majority of their human resources policies as it relates to employee training and learning. In Asian cultures, however, there is a strong, historical trend toward collectivism. This type of cultural values group norms and group affiliation over individualized expression where â€Å"they view themselves as a member of an extended family, place group interests ahead of individual needs, and value reciprocation of favors and respect for tradition† (Blodgett et al, p.339). Employees that have strong collectivist values often seek opinion and networking from peers and operate well in very structured, centralized management hierarchies. Collectivists often value rules and regulations and seek ongoing leadership presence in their job roles and do not function most effectively when left to autonomous job functions.

Medical Technology Assessment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Medical Technology Assessment - Research Paper Example From this paper it is clear that technology assessment is the evaluation of emerging and existing technology trends to substantiate their existence in the world today. It seeks to identify the relevance of these technologies, and the role they play in the economic stability of organisations and the world at large. Furthermore, it is widely believed that scientists are not trained ethics as such whatever innovation they create should be assessed for any ethical concern. Technology assessment is viewed as interdisciplinary and capable of identifying and solving a wide range of technology based problems. An important concern, addressed by technology assessment is the collingridge dilemma. This is the situation where impacts of a new technology cannot be easily predicted unless the technology is fully developed and used. Yet on the other hand, it is absolutely difficult to change or control technology once it is widely used.This report stresses that  the Cleveland clinic is an academic medical centre that has seen a tremendous growth over the years since its inception. It has a designated research laboratory, the Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research institute that is characterised by high technological advancements.  A quick look at the operations within and without this medical facility reveals a heavy reliance on technology and information systems.  This is a specialised type of technology assessment that informs management and relevant medical policy makers of the efficacy of medical systems.   The main purpose of health technology assessment is to obtain ground for decision making with regards to application of technology within the healthcare system (Healthcare, 2009). These decisions should be made systematically with adequate and well documented information so as to leave little or no margin for error. Laboratory metal on metal hip resurfacing technology This medical procedure involves the replacement of the surface of the femoral head with an artificially made metal hemisphere that fits into a metal acetabula cup (Healthcare, 2009). This technology initially designed by an orthopaedic surgeon in Birmingham conserves and maintains most parts

How Critical and Cultural perspectives influenced a specific Music Essay

How Critical and Cultural perspectives influenced a specific Music artistgenre of the 1960's - Essay Example Ray Charles was enrolled at the Saint Augustine School for the Blind in Florida, where he learnt Braille. He also learnt to play the piano and clarinet/saxophone. He had to rely heavily on his excellent memory for music as he did not have the advantage of sight. Ray Charles also had a gift of perfect pitch, which greatly aided his musicianship. At only 15, he lost his mother and after two years, his father also passed on. His suffering inspired him to greater heights. He graduated from St. Augustine School an started traveling with country music road bands. This enriched his quality of music when he later added western music to his repertoire. He also toured with rhythm and blues bands as an instrumentalist. Among the instruments he played are the piano, clarinet and saxophone. He also an arranger and composer. His early influences as a singer were: blues singers, Guitar Slim and Parcy Mayfield. Lloyd Glenn influenced his piano. Eventually, it was his mixed styles, his voice texture and his versatile falsetto range and his emotional appeal that combined to bring out a unique vocal artistry. (UXL Encyclopedia of World Biography, 2003) In the late 2005, John Burk, Concord Records A & R chief and producer of Ray Charles Grammy Award wining blockbuster album "Genius Lovers Company" came upon some tapes recorded in the 70s, apparently concert tapes. The tapes were made by the legendary impresario producer Norman Granz. (All About Jazz, 2006). Though the tapes recovered were not the greatest quality, the music was recorded to produce a beautiful, authentic and irreplaceable work of music. His music from the 60s combines with the latest technology to bring about yet another astounding performance from Ray Charles. Whatever beauty the technology in the 60s couldn't capture, the new technology has been able to capture and in the process, still manage to show the uniqueness of Ray Charles' genius. Ray Charles once said that in music, there's only either good or bad music. That also, in music you just can't escape when something is good (Ray Charles Biography 2004). Ray Charles set the aesthetic standards for more than 50 years across the board; Blues, R&B, Country. He has inspired many in the music industry as no other can. Indeed he has fans even out of the entertainment industry inspired by him. In an answer to those who thought that his being influenced by both secular and gospel music was sacrilegious, Ray said that one could not run away from themselves. He was brought up in the church, but at the same time, he would listen to secular music from jukeboxes. It was this open mindedness in music that led him to pioneer a new style in music hence opening the door for many young performers to follow. He has inspired many new stars in the music industry who admired his talent and independent spirit. Growing up in the south in the 50s and 60s where racism was deeply rooted, Ray fought racism and against its divisions. Once he was booked to perform in a concert. He had no idea it was going to be segregated. The white members of the audience were downstairs while the black fans sat upstairs. He told the music promoter he didn't mind performing, as long the black people sat downstairs, closer to him. (Ray Charles: A giant of American Music 2004). In his efforts against