Monday, October 29, 2007

Public transport
Public transport, public transportation, public travel or mass transit comprises all transport systems in which the passengers do not tour in their own vehicles. While it is generally taken to include rail and bus services, wider definitions would comprise scheduled airline services, ship, taxicab services etc. – any system that transports members of the universal public. A further restriction that is sometimes practical is that it must take place in shared vehicles that would bar taxis that are not shared-ride taxis.

Saturday, September 09, 2006

Automobile
An automobile is a wheeled passenger vehicle that carries its own motor. Most definitions of the term specify that automobiles are designed to run primarily on roads, to have seating for between one and six people, typically have four wheels and be constructed principally for the transport of people rather than goods. This definition includes cars and smaller SUVs but not motorcycles, buses, trucks or vans. However, the term is far from precise.

The automobile powered by the Otto gasoline engine was invented in Germany by Karl Benz in 1885. Benz was granted a patent dated 29 January 1886 in Mannheim for that automobile. Even though Benz is credited with the invention of the modern automobile, several other German engineers worked on building automobiles at the same time. In 1886, Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach in Stuttgart patented the first motor bike, built and tested in 1885, and in 1886 they built a converted horse-drawn stagecoach. In 1870, German-Austrian inventor Siegfried Marcus assembled a motorized handcart, though Marcus vehicle did not go beyond the experimental stage.

Friday, August 18, 2006


"Halloween" is the fifth episode of the second season of the television sequence The Office. It was written by Greg Daniels and directed by Paul Feig. It firstly aired on October 18, 2005

When Michael enters the workplace, Pam tells him Jan has called. Michael knows it's because he was supposed to fire someone by the finish of the month. So far, he has been putting it off hopeful someone would quit, move, or die so he wouldn't have to do it. Of course, he has no plan that he is going to let go. Michael goes to the Accounting Department and asks them to find $50,000 in the budget. Dwight gets on Jim's nerves so he and Pam decide to place Dwight's resume on the web. Angela gets mad at Pam for bringing brownies instead of chips and dip to the staff party. Dwight's resume gets a hit so Jim plays Michael and gives Dwight a huge reference. When the company, Cumberland Mills, calls Dwight to set up an interview, Dwight directly ruins his chances by having a rather stern argument with the caller over the importance and relevance of martial arts.

Pam thinks Jim should be the one to be receiving better job offers and mentions to Jim that he should apply to Cumberland Mills in Maryland. Jim does not like this suggestion and feels like Pam would not care if he left. Pam tries to back-peddle but Jim makes clear his position. Michael tries to apply his firing skills with Jim, but doesn't fire him. Michael decides to fire Creed, after in vain trying to fire Pam and Stanley. Creed is unwilling to be fired so he talks Michael into letting Devon go, which he does. Devon retailiates by smashing a pumpkin on Michael's car. At the end of the episode, we see Michael only at home on Halloween, handing out candy to trick-or-treaters.

Tuesday, May 23, 2006

Debt consolidation

Debt consolidation is the process by which a consumer exchanges one loan for another taking various factors in to consideration. Factors such as reduction of average interest rate, reduced to one credit payment from multiple creditors, reduction of past interest or penalty charges, obtaining a payment plan as per the capability of an individual and becoming debt free individual at a faster rate.
Advantages1. Reduction of average interest rate:Taking multiple credit interest rate (which varies from one credit card to another) in to account will have a high interest when compared to one single credit interest for the whole amount with a low interest rate. So an individual may choose this option to reduce his interest rate.2. Reduction to one credit payment:An individual may use many credit cards and pay his bills for all the credit cards. This may need a good management technique depending up on the number of cards in use. If you use more number of credit cards then the planning need to be done more appropriately and executed timely where as if you have one credit card your job is done in a way simple and easily executable. One hence opts to shift from multiple loan payments to one loan payment program replacing all the rest.3. Reduction of past interest or penalty charges:One opting for debt consolidation may go for reduction of past interest or penalty charges paid for the borrowed amount under certain options. Options include high interest rate or penalty charges placed for the credited amount, when the total amount paid in the history till date exceeds the borrowed amount, or if it is a very long duration payment program going for 5 yrs or above. Under each case stated one can reduce the past interest and penalty charges or sometimes even eliminate those and pay only the amount borrowed.4. Obtaining a payment plan:This payment plan is given to the consumer analyzing the capability of an individual by thoroughly going through the personal needs of an individual, his responsibilities etc after which the debt consolidator restructures the existing plans taken by the consumer.5. Becoming debt free at a faster rate:Taking debt consolidation program relieves a person from debts at a faster rate than the usual time, which is required to come out of the debt. Following the plans given by a debt consolidator and proper execution of the plan will surely make an individual debt free and obtain high credit scores.
Disadvantages1. When applying for a loan to replace another you go under the secured loan payment plan placed against an asset such as a home, car or any belongings. Hence at a risk of closing the loan through the asset placed against the loan.
2. You tend to use your credit cards again since you had paid back the credit amount through another loan. Hence the usage of credit cards ads up to your debts ending up in bankruptcy.

Mp3 player Accessories

We are living in a millennium where the technological advancements are above imagination. One such mind blowing audio breakthrough is the mp3 players. These mp3 players come in a variety of sizes ranging from huge players to small handy ones which could be carried everywhere. The mp3 player also called as the audio digital player comes with fancy buttons, cute icons, smart accessories and unbelievable features. They also possess an interactive display. You get players consisting of a variety of display. The display sizes also range from small to big. Mp3 players can be used with so many different accessories.

Nowadays we are able to use these players to connect to our computers where we can transfer files from our computer to the mp3 player. This ability makes the mp3 player very useful and also it avoids the use of compact disks. The innovative gadgets and accessories used with the mp3 player is aeat technological progress. The storage capacity in the mp3 player is much larger when compared to other storage medium. This high storage capacity is achieved, because all the files are stored in a compressed manner. You can even download free mp3 files from the internet legally. The mp3 players reached the heights of popularity because these audio digital players emphasized on quality. Quality is one unbeatable factor in these

All America's Auto Transport: Going Your Way!

Since 1964, All America Auto Transport has been transporting vehicles to every city in the country and overseas. And All America transport is the most dependable and trustworthy, vehicle transport company in the vehicle shipping industry. We offer competitive vehicle shipping rates, friendly customer service, and an outstanding record of auto transport satisfaction among our Satisfied Customers, including individuals, military and government personnel, professional sports teams, and private corporations nationwide. If you choose to be an auto shipper we will ship your car wherever you're moving, even overseas, we'll make sure it follows - safely, securely and cost-effectively. Car transport (vehicle shipping/auto transport—however you choose to say it) is a task of diligence and speed, but most of all carefulness. Safety, security and industry have been the motto for our vehicle transport company. With our car transport services, we treat your cars like we treat our own.

Our Wheels Are The Best Way To Go For Auto Transport!

All America's frequent transport schedules mean a minimum of waiting time for you. We boast a fleet of over 500 car transport trucks available - just like the ones used to deliver new cars to dealers. This allows us to always meet your schedule. And this makes our vehicle transport company the best. Each car shipping truck is fully covered by public liability, property damage and cargo insurance. Your owner's insurance also remains in effect throughout the car shipping process. That's double protection for you! Our auto transport services are prompt, efficient and we constantly check the rates of our competitor so that we may keep our discounts among the lowest of all the fully insured, reputable vehicle transport companies. All America Auto Transport provides efficiency in the name of vehicle shipping.

Fabvillas

Florida, being the harbor city invites enormous tourists to spend their holidays in an unimagined way. Authentic Florida will help you discover a new thrill and excitement throughout your vacation in the prominent places of interest such as the Orlando coastline beach, the Disney land, etc, of the sunshine state. Finding the best rentals/villas in such a place in very difficult but the private rentals/villas organizers over there help you to reduce your time in sorting out luxury rentals in such places.

Florida, being an island is simply magnificent surrounded by water. If mankind has thought of a water sport, then it is bound to be available here. Parasailing above the water, skiing on the water and swimming in the water sounds to be a thrilling experience both for the young and the old. Besides all these attractions, finding a comfortable place to stay is a bit tedious process for the visitors. The private luxury rental home owner’s help people discover the luxurious and all expected rentals at affordable rates confined to a particular area. They also offer flexible services to their customers by providing them the best standardized rentals and make them feel it as a home away from home. All the private rentals/villas are confined to the prominent places which make the tourists feel comfortable in sighting through the places in and around Florida.

The tourists will find all the information and details about the privately owned vacation rentals or villas in Florida when they browse online. Many private rentals/villas offer much information on the luxury rental homes with all the needs and standards to satisfy the tourists. They also provide the travelers with certain tips to help them plan their vacation in the new place and suggest visiting nearby places including various new entertainment and activities put forth by some organizations in Florida especially for children. They also offer the tourists with the opportunity of selecting the rental home of their own choice in any prominent locality of their interest. They have flexible rentals to suit all needs whether it being just a couple or the whole extended family. Private vacation rental homes are privately owned and are situated in desirable locations. Their rental homes offer their special attention to the tourists from various parts oft the world who are new to Florida and provide them with all the details that many hotels are unable to offer making a villa holiday a true home from home experience.

Florida Vacation Resort

Florida is the most beautiful state in southeast United States. Florida is situated on the peninsula between the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic Ocean and Straits of Florida. The Florida also has a Spanish adjective meaning called flowery. Tallahassee is the capital for the state florida. Jacksonville is the largest city in florida. The Florida has a nickname called "The Sunshine State". In United States the Central florida is called the lightning capital. Florida is said to be the most beautiful state in United States. It has various vacation spots like disney land, busch garden, sea world, everglades, florida beaches and many more. Orlando has become the most popular tourist area, because of disney world. As the major attraction is tourism in florida, it plays the major part for improving the florida economy.

Florida Lifestyle

Florida is an enchanting city located in southern United States. This magical land is filled with fun and excitement. Popularly called as “The Sunshine City”, Florida exhibits a wonderful moderate climate through out the year. The major attraction in Florida is its superb weather, this city experiences long and warm summers and cool winters. Extremes of climate are very rare in Florida. This is the reason for the migration of elderly people from the colder northern parts of United States. This pleasant weather also attracts a lot of tourists. The most fascinating aspect of Florida is its diversified cities. Each city located in Florida houses something unique and different.

People flock to Florida not only for its tourist attractions but also for its employment opportunities. Florida presents a variety of job opportunities; this is because mixtures of industries are present in this state. There are many media and gaming industries in various cities in Florida, so people interested in this field come to Florida. This state contains a lot of software and hardware industries, which invites all the software and hardware professionals.

Living in the orange country Florida gives you a fabulous experience. The taxes collected in Florida are, the sales tax, the use tax, intangible tax and the corporate income tax. There is no need to pay the personnel income tax in Florida. Some people consider the cost of living in Florida to be a bit expensive; the housing prices are also high in and around the state of Florida.

All kinds of foodstuffs are available in Florida. Owing to its suitable climate it produces a variety of fruits and vegetables. Florida is the dream place for people from other parts of the world; the reason for this is the breadth taking “Disney Land” in Orlando. This popular attraction point receives more than a million of visitors every year. Florida’s major part of economy comes from the tourists industry, while the other kind of manufacturing industries also give a helping hand.

Since millions of people visit Florida, this state is also filled with restaurants, bars and clubs. Florida contains a large variety of restaurants, and these restaurants serve different cuisines. Nightclubs and bars are also popular in this city.
Florida is an enchanting city located in southern United States. This magical land is filled with fun and excitement. Popularly called as “The Sunshine City”, Florida exhibits a wonderful moderate climate through out the year. The major attraction in Florida is its superb weather, this city experiences long and warm summers and cool winters. Extremes of climate are very rare in Florida. This is the reason for the migration of elderly people from the colder northern parts of United States. This pleasant weather also attracts a lot of tourists. The most fascinating aspect of Florida is its diversified cities. Each city located in Florida houses something unique and different.

People flock to Florida not only for its tourist attractions but also for its employment opportunities. Florida presents a variety of job opportunities; this is because mixtures of industries are present in this state. There are many media and gaming industries in various cities in Florida, so people interested in this field come to Florida. This state contains a lot of software and hardware industries, which invites all the software and hardware professionals.

Living in the orange country Florida gives you a fabulous experience. The taxes collected in Florida are, the sales tax, the use tax, intangible tax and the corporate income tax. There is no need to pay the personnel income tax in Florida. Some people consider the cost of living in Florida to be a bit expensive; the housing prices are also high in and around the state of Florida.

All kinds of foodstuffs are available in Florida. Owing to its suitable climate it produces a variety of fruits and vegetables. Florida is the dream place for people from other parts of the world; the reason for this is the breadth taking “Disney Land” in Orlando. This popular attraction point receives more than a million of visitors every year. Florida’s major part of economy comes from the tourists industry, while the other kind of manufacturing industries also give a helping hand.

Since millions of people visit Florida, this state is also filled with restaurants, bars and clubs. Florida contains a large variety of restaurants, and these restaurants serve different cuisines. Nightclubs and bars are also popular in this city.

Vacation Villas

A villa is a luxurious house built for the upper class people of Rome. An ancient author and Natural philosopher Mr. Pliny describes more in writtings about the Roman villas of the empire. He categorises the villas as two types they are the villa urbana and villa rustica. The villa urbana was a country seat which could easily be reached within a night or two from the Rome or another city. And the villa rustica is the farm house estate. These farm house estates are permanently occupied by the servants who had charge generally of the estate, which would center on the villa itself, perhaps these villas are seasonally occupied.

The dwelling quarters, consisting of several low buildings, included recreation facilities and lodgings for the servants. The villa rustica, which is the farmhouse type, had barns, orchards, and vineyards, and the villa urbana type which are used as a pleasure retreat had the incidental garden architecture adorned with fountains and sculptures.

There are other villas that originated during different periods like post-roman villas, renaissance villas, Palladio’s villas, English villas and modern villas.

Analogue Adapters

Iptelecoms are pleased to announce the availability of a new 2 port IP analogue adapter and a new 8 port IP analogue adapter supporting SIP connectivity.
In addition, a new SX2 DualPRI card is available, providing a highly cost- effective product for customers who require greater PSTN connectivity.
Analogue Adapters

Iptelecoms are pleased to announce the availability of a new 2 port IP analogue adapter and a new 8 port IP analogue adapter supporting SIP connectivity.
In addition, a new SX2 DualPRI card is available, providing a highly cost- effective product for customers who require greater PSTN connectivity.

2 Port and 8 Port Adapters

Availability

Effective immediately, the new 2 port adapter and a new 8 port adapter are available for SwyxWare.

Product Details

The ZXS00003 and ZXS00004 terminal adapters refer to the AudioCodes H.323 multi-port gateways which can be used to connect analogue devices such as phones and fax.
The ZXS00013 and ZXS00014 terminal adapters vary from the ZXS00003 and ZXS00004 terminal adapters only in the respect that the new terminal adapters support SIP. The ZXS00013 and ZXS00014 terminal adapters have the same configuration and functionality except for the number of channels that are available.

Part Number Description £ List Price

ZXS00013 IP a/b Adapter 2 Port for SwyxWare (SIP) £259
ZXS00014 IP a/b Adapter 8 Port for SwyxWare (SIP) £859

Pricing

For full details of pricing, resellers should contact iptelecoms.

Notes on compatibility

The new 2 port and 8 port adapters will work with SwyxWare V5.00; they will not work with SwyxWare V4.40 or earlier versions of SwyxWare.

Customer scenarios

1. A customer is running SwyxWare V4.40 with an ‘old’ 2 port or 8 port adapter and upgrades to SwyxWare V5.00. In this scenario, they can continue to use the ‘old’ adapter.
2. From now on, orders for 2 port or 8 port adapters will be fulfilled with the new adapters. (This is on the assumption that the software shipped with the order is V5.00 as it is the current release.)
3. Customers with a 24 port adapter board will not be affected as there is no SIP equivalent so they will continue to connect the a/b adapter via H.323 regardless of the version of SwyxWare they are running.
4. A customer running SwyxWare V4.40 (or earlier/older versions) would like to connect analogue phones to their SwyxWare solution. ‘Old’ adapters will be available for a few months but the customer would be better advised to upgrade to SwyxWare V5.00. This means that customers could take advantage of the new functionality within V5.00 and could have T.38 fax support.

SX2 Dual PRI Card

Availability

Effective immediately, the new SX2 DualPRI card is available for SwyxWare.

Product Details

Key Features of New SX2 DualPRI Card

Up to 4 cards from the SX2 family of products can be installed in one PC. Note: The SX2 DualPRI counts as two cards when installed; it will also show up as two network devices in the windows device administration.Up to 76 B-Channels per PC are supported.

Configuration Examples

1. One SX2 DualPRI card + two SX2 QuadBRI cards.
2. One SX2 DualPRI card + one SX2 DualPRI card with fractional E1 (8channels per PRI).
3. If two SX2 DualPRI cards are installed with 30 channels per PRI, a maximum of 76 B-Channels will be supported.
Each port can be configured separately to TE/NT mode with a Jumper field.
Line-termination (120 Ohm resp. 75 Ohm) is independently selectable for each port. by DIP switch.

Part Number Description £ List Price

EXSG00060SX2 SX2 DualPRI Card (2xPRI) £699

Pricing

For full details of pricing, resellers should contact iptelecoms.

Notes on Compatability

The new SX2 DualPRI card uses a new driver (available on the iptelcoms.com website and included in the SwyxWare V4.40 CD). The board will work with SwyxGate version V4.33 or newer. SX2 DualPRI cards do not support T.30-Fax Transmission, e.g. only SwyxFax V2.00 or newer can run on these cards.

2 Port and 8 Port Adapters

Availability

Effective immediately, the new 2 port adapter and a new 8 port adapter are available for SwyxWare.

Product Details

The ZXS00003 and ZXS00004 terminal adapters refer to the AudioCodes H.323 multi-port gateways which can be used to connect analogue devices such as phones and fax.
The ZXS00013 and ZXS00014 terminal adapters vary from the ZXS00003 and ZXS00004 terminal adapters only in the respect that the new terminal adapters support SIP. The ZXS00013 and ZXS00014 terminal adapters have the same configuration and functionality except for the number of channels that are available.

Part Number Description £ List Price

ZXS00013 IP a/b Adapter 2 Port for SwyxWare (SIP) £259
ZXS00014 IP a/b Adapter 8 Port for SwyxWare (SIP) £859

Pricing

For full details of pricing, resellers should contact iptelecoms.

Notes on compatibility

The new 2 port and 8 port adapters will work with SwyxWare V5.00; they will not work with SwyxWare V4.40 or earlier versions of SwyxWare.

Customer scenarios

1. A customer is running SwyxWare V4.40 with an ‘old’ 2 port or 8 port adapter and upgrades to SwyxWare V5.00. In this scenario, they can continue to use the ‘old’ adapter.
2. From now on, orders for 2 port or 8 port adapters will be fulfilled with the new adapters. (This is on the assumption that the software shipped with the order is V5.00 as it is the current release.)
3. Customers with a 24 port adapter board will not be affected as there is no SIP equivalent so they will continue to connect the a/b adapter via H.323 regardless of the version of SwyxWare they are running.
4. A customer running SwyxWare V4.40 (or earlier/older versions) would like to connect analogue phones to their SwyxWare solution. ‘Old’ adapters will be available for a few months but the customer would be better advised to upgrade to SwyxWare V5.00. This means that customers could take advantage of the new functionality within V5.00 and could have T.38 fax support.

SX2 Dual PRI Card

Availability

Effective immediately, the new SX2 DualPRI card is available for SwyxWare.

Product Details

Key Features of New SX2 DualPRI Card

Up to 4 cards from the SX2 family of products can be installed in one PC. Note: The SX2 DualPRI counts as two cards when installed; it will also show up as two network devices in the windows device administration.Up to 76 B-Channels per PC are supported.

Configuration Examples

1. One SX2 DualPRI card + two SX2 QuadBRI cards.
2. One SX2 DualPRI card + one SX2 DualPRI card with fractional E1 (8channels per PRI).
3. If two SX2 DualPRI cards are installed with 30 channels per PRI, a maximum of 76 B-Channels will be supported.
Each port can be configured separately to TE/NT mode with a Jumper field.
Line-termination (120 Ohm resp. 75 Ohm) is independently selectable for each port. by DIP switch.

Part Number Description £ List Price

EXSG00060SX2 SX2 DualPRI Card (2xPRI) £699

Pricing

For full details of pricing, resellers should contact iptelecoms.

Notes on Compatability
The new SX2 DualPRI card uses a new driver (available on the iptelcoms.com website and included in the SwyxWare V4.40 CD). The board will work with SwyxGate version V4.33 or newer. SX2 DualPRI cards do not support T.30-Fax Transmission, e.g. only SwyxFax V2.00 or newer can run on these cards.

Sunday, April 23, 2006

Hallucination
An hallucination is a sensory perception experienced in the absence of an external stimulus, as distinct from an illusion, which is a misperception of an external stimulus. Hallucinations may occur in any sensory modality - visual, auditory, olfactory, gustatory, tactile, or proprioception (sense of balance and position in space).

Etymology

The word 'hallucinatory' has its roots in the Latin hallucinere or allucinere, meaning 'to wander in mind'. Altenatively in the Greek ἁλύσκειν, (haluskein), meaning flee from, shun, avoid, escape. The first usage of the word 'hallucination' in the English language is recorded as by the English physician Sir Thomas Browne in 1642. However, it was first used in its current sense by psychiatrist Jean-Etienne Esquirol in 1837.
Prevalence and types of hallucinatory experienceStudies have shown that hallucinatory experiences take place across the population as a whole. Previous studies, one as early as 1894[1], have reported that approximately 10% of the population experience hallucinations. A recent survey of over 13,000 people[2] reported a much higher figure with almost 39% of people reported hallucinatory experiences, 27% of which reported daytime hallucinations, mostly outside the context of illness or drug use. From this survey, olfactory (smell) and gustatory (taste) hallucinations seem the most common in the general population.
Hypnagogic hallucinations and hypnopompic hallucinations are considered normal phenomena. Hypnagogic hallucinations can occur as one is falling asleep and hypnopompic hallucinations occur when one is waking up.
Auditory hallucinations (particularly of one or more talking voices) are particularly associated with psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia, and hold special significance in diagnosing these conditions. This does not mean that the experience of 'hearing voices' is necessarily a sign of mental illness, and many people may have these or similar hallucinations without ever becoming impaired or distressed in any way.
Florid hallucinations are usually associated with drug use (particularly hallucinogenic drugs), sleep deprivation, psychosis or neurological illness.

Wednesday, December 14, 2005

Monte Poggiolo, Italy, of thousands of hand-shaped stones, tentatively carbon-dated to may prove to be of particular importance.The origins of Western democratic and individualistic culture are often attributed to Ancient Greece, though numerous other distinct influences, in particular Christianity, milf can also be credited in Ireland and elsewhere carefully safeguarded and compiled knowledge accumulated previously. The Renaissance and the New Monarchs marked the start of a period of discovery, exploration, and increase in scientific knowledge. In the 15th century Portugal opened the age of discoveries, soon followed by Spain. They were later joined by France, the Netherlands and Great Britain in building large colonial empires with vast holdings in Africa, the Americas, and Asia.After the age of discovery, the ideas of democracy took hold in Europe. Struggles milf for independence arose, most notably in France during the period known as the French Revolution. This led to vast upheaval in Europe as these revolutionary ideas propagated across the continent.
The rise of democracy led to increased tensions within Europe on top of the tensions already existing due to competition within the New World. The most famous of these conflicts was when Napoleon Bonaparte rose to power and set out on a conquest, forming a new French empire that soon collapsed. After these conquests Europe stabilised, but the old foundations were already beginning to crumble.The Industrial Revolution started in Great Britain in the late 18th century, leading to a move away from agriculture, much greater general prosperity Europe and capitalist countries in Western Europe. Around with the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Eastern bloc disintegratedPolitical and geographic boundaries in Europe do not always match. This physical and political map shows Europe at its furthest extent, reaching to the Urals.For further information see the article Geography of Europe.Geographically Europe is a part of the larger landmass known as Eurasia. The continent begins at the Ural Mountains in Russia, which define Europe's eastern boundary with Asia. The southeast boundary with Asia isn't universally defined. Either the Ural or Emba rivers can serve as possible boundaries. The boundary continues with the Caspian Sea, and either the Kuma and Manych rivers or the Caucasus mountains as possibilities, and on to the Black Sea; the Bosporus, the Sea of Marmara, and the Dardanelles conclude the Asian boundary. The Mediterranean Sea to the south separates Europe from Africa. The western boundary is the Atlantic Ocean, but Iceland, much farther away than the nearest points of Africa and Asia, is also included in Europe. There is ongoing debate on where the geographical centre of Europe is.n practice, the borders of Europe are often drawn with greater regard to political, economic, and other cultural considerations. This has led to there being several different Europes that are not always identical in size, including or excluding countries according to the definition of Europe used.Almost all European countries are members of the Council of Europe, the exceptions being Belarus, and the Holy See
The idea of the European continent is not held across all cultures. Some non-European geographical texts refer to the continent of Eurasia, or to the European peninsula, given that Europe is not surrounded by sea and is, in any case, much more a cultural than a geographically definable area. In the past concepts such as Christendom were deemed more important.In another usage, Europe is increasingly being used as a short-form for the European Union and its members, currently consisting of . A number of other European countries are negotiating for membership, and several more are expected to begin negotiations in the future see Enlargement of the European Union).
In terms of shape, Europe is a collection of connected peninsulas. The two largest of these are "mainland" Europe and Scandinavia to the north, divided from each other by the Baltic Sea. Three smaller peninsulas—Iberia, Italy and the Balkans—emerge from the southern margin of the mainland into the Mediterranean Sea, which separates Europe from Africa. Eastward, mainland Europe widens much like the mouth of a funnel, until the boundary with Asia is reached at the Ural Mountains.Land relief in Europe shows great variation within relatively small areas. The southern regions, however, are more mountainous, while continuing along the mountainous, fjord-cut spine of Norway.This description is simplified. Sub-regions such as Iberia and Italy contain their own complex features, as does mainland Europe itself, where the relief contains many plateaus, river valleys and basins that complicate the general trend. Iceland and the British Isles are special cases. The former is a land unto itself in the northern ocean which is counted as part of Europe, while the latter are upland areas that were once joined to the mainland until rising sea levels cut them off.Due to the few generalisations that can be made about the relief of Europe, it is less than surprising that its many separate regions provided homes for many separate nations throughout history.
Having lived side-by-side with agricultural and industrial civilisations for millennia, Europe's animals and plants have been profoundly affected by the presence and of that is oriented towards sea, forests grow well on this side, while on the other side, the conditions are much less favourable. Few original forests disappeared through the centuries of colonisation, Europe still has over one quarter of the world's forests - spruce forests of Scandinavia, vast pine forests in Russia, chestnut rainforests of the Caucasus and the cork oak forests in the Mediterranean. During recent times, deforestation has been stopped and many trees were planted. However, in many cases conifers have been preferred over original deciduous trees, because these grow adapted to its arid climate. Another common species in Southern Europe is the cypress. Coniferous forests prevail at higher altitudes up to the forest boundary and as one moves north within Russia and Scandinavia, giving way to tundra as the Arctic is approached. The semi-arid Mediterranean region hosts much scrub forest. A narrow east-west tongue of Eurasian grassland—the steppe—extends eastwards from Ukraine and southern Russia and ends in Hungary and traverses into taiga to the north.
Glaciation during the most recent ice age and the presence of man affected the distribution of European fauna. As for the animals, in many parts of Europe most large animals and top predator species have been hunted to extinction. The woolly mammoth and aurochs were extinct before the end of the Neolithic period. Today wolves (carnivores) and bears (omnivores) are endangered. Once they were found in most parts of Europe. However, deforestation caused these animals to withdraw further and further. By the Middle Ages the these areas brown bear populations are fragmented and marginalised because of the destruction of their habitat. In the far North of Europe, polar bears can also be found. The wolf, the second largest predator in Europe after the brown bear, can be found primarily in Eastern Europe and in the Balkans.

being wizards and Russians for being criminals, but the fear was more cultural. In 19th century, the ruling Swedish-speaking minority considered Finnish-speaking people to be a separate race and inferior to complex within the Finnish-speaking majority.Finns have generally been curious about different-looking people. Immigrants milf of Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai and Japanese origin have been welcomed since cultures of these immigrant groups have been sound with the Somalis, extending to all Somali-looking Afro-Finnish immigrants. The discrimination has since occured, especially outside Helsinki. Problems are currently under hot debate.
FranceThe French have a long history of ethnic and racial conflicts. Anti-Semitism, a common trend in European history is also highlighted in French history by events such as the Dreyfus affaire, and France's irresponsible treatment of its Jewish population during Nazi occupation. Likewise, the treatment of North Africans and other former colonials during the colonial era, the atrocities committed by France during the Algerian War of independence (1954-1962) are also signs of intolerance. The fact that Algerians formed the bulk of late- (ECRI) made a report stating concern about racist activities in France and accused the French authorities of not doing enough to combat this. The report and other groups have expressed concern about organizations like Front National (France). In a recent Pew Survey, 47% of the French deem immigration from Eastern Europe to be a bad thing. A small minority shows signs of Anti-Semitism. Roughly 11% had an unfavorable view of Jews [4] and 8% felt that US policy was most influenced by the Jews [5]. In the colonial age some French also displayed negative sentiments toward black Africans.
Nevertheless these judgments should be balanced by the following: Canadians had roughly the same percentage linking US policy to Jews milf as France did. Furthermore, France had been ruled by Jewish leaders during the twentieth century (most notably Leon Blum and Pierre Mendes-France, who were both highly popular...) Indeed, France has a long history in France for more than one year. The French also generally have a greater interest in African culture and aid to the region.In late October of 2005, violent riots erupted in north-east Paris, and later other cities around France, after two youths of North African origin were accidentally electrocuted after supposedly fleeing police.
GermanyThe history of Germany has included many acts and policies of racism. If one includes pre-19th century acts of anti-Semitism as racism, the history stretches back to at least the 11th century, when Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor expelled Jews from were blamed for spreading the Black Death.In the 19th century, Germany became one of the major centers of nationalist thought, and also a major area for development of racial theories, many of them virulently racist. Anti-semitic campaigns in this period took on a definitely "racial" valence, as definitely distinct from a purely religious one.The period after World War I led to an increased use of anti-Semitism and other racism in political discourse, which was capped by the ascent of Adolf Hitler and his Nazi Party in 1933. Nazi racial policy and the Nazi Nuremberg Laws represented some of the most explicit racist policies in Europe in the 20th century, and culminated in the Holocaust, a systematic murdering of millions of Jews and other "undesirables".In the post-World War II era, German reconciliation with its anti-Semitic past has been a protracted experience.Recent concerns about racism ) and their families. These people came from countries such as Turkey and Yugoslavia in West Germany, and Vietnam and Angola in East Germany. The Gastarbeiter were expected to remain on limited contracts, and then leave. Many did not.Starting from the 1980s, the second wave were the Asylsucher (Asylum Seekers) from countries such as Sri Lanka and Lebanon. This second group were considered by some locals to not be genuine cases, but so called Wirtschaftsflüchtlinge (Economic Migrants).

legitimize racist beliefs and practices. Much of this work has since been rejected by the scientific community as flawed and even as pseudoscience.Today there are some scientists who claim that "race", in the general sense in which the term is used, is a social construct: the way in which individuals are classified into racial groups varies from person to person, and from place to place, and from time to time. These scientists say that superficial also point to the lack of well-defined boundaries to racial classifications; for example characteristics such as skin colour and facial appearance can be shown to vary as a continuum from place to place. Other scientists counter that "sex" and "species" are likewise seen by some as socially constructed. After all, humans and chimpanzees (or males and females) are far more genetically alike than different. According to this view, categories need not be absolute in order to have scientific utility.
AustriaAustria has sometimes been criticised of trying to sweep its Nazi past under the carpet, typifed by the widely pronounced myth that Austria was a victim of Nazi aggression rather than a willing participant. This has its origins as an Allied propaganda tactic. This complacency was severly tested in the 1986 presidential race when it emerged that the centre-right People's Party having gained 27% of the vote.However much progress has been made with settling the disputes and compensation for Jews and others whose property and assets were seized during the Nazi era, with a deal completed in 2001. Elections in 2002 saw a significant drop in support for the Freedom Party, with the party subsequently splitting into opposing factions. Herr Haider now leads the Bündnis Zukunft Österreich.
Canadian HistoryWhile Canada often depicts its society as being a very progressive, tolerant, diverse, and multicultural nation, Canada also has its own history of racism. Although the historical records are not very clear at the very beginnings of the occurred between the French and the First Nations people, between First Nations tribes themselves (fuelled by alliances of certain tribes with the French, and others with the English), between the English and the First Nations, and between the English and the French. Although the country's history was influenced greatly by these wars, the relationships between all those ethnicities has changed a lot since the beginning of European settlement in Canada.Moreover, citizenship, including the right to vote, and in the 1880s, "head taxes" were implemented to businesses. In 1923, the federal government passed the Chinese Immigration Act, commonly known as the Exclusion Act, prohibiting further Chinese immigration except under "special circumstances". The Exclusion Act was repealed in 1947, the same year in which Chinese Canadians were finally given the right to vote.Restrictions still existed on immigration from Asia. In 1967, these restrictions were repealed and Asian immigrants were given the same rights as any other group. In 1999, Adrienne Clarkson, the child of Chinese immigrants who context include Adrien Arcand, Ernst Zündel, Doug Christie, Wolfgang Droege and Don Andrews.
More recently in CanadaMore recently, Canada has been perceived as practicing systemic, institutionalized racism by allowing employers to require Canadian-based job experience in a potential employee. This puts landed immigrants at a clear disadvantage, and can often result in highly educated people working for much lower pay than their Canadian educated counterparts, or even struggling with a minimum wage job. This unequal footing has left many new immigrants feeling disillusioned with the entire immigration process, and segregated from Canadian culture as a whole. Both as an expression of protest, and as a means of warning potential immigrants still overseas, online groups have formed to share information and stories of victimization. [2], [3] Such experiences have led to ongoing jokes has not only been connected to immigration. French Canadians, including Acadians, Québécois and Franco-ontarians, and aboriginals have purportedly also been subject to discriminatory treatment in Canada. However, having French recognised as an official language was seen as a step towards multiculturalism.

Many use the term "racism" to refer to more general phenomena, such as xenophobia and ethnocentrism. Others conflate recent forms of racism with earlier forms of ethnic and national conflict. In most cases, ethno-national conflict seems to owe to conflict over land and strategic resources. In some cases ethnicity and nationalism were harnessed to rally combatants in wars ). As Benedict Anderson has suggested in Imagined Communities, ethnic identity and ethno-nationalism became a source of conflict within such empires with the rise of print-capitalism.
Notions of race and racism, however, often have played central roles in such conflicts. Historically, when an adversary is identified as "other" based on notions of race or ethnicity (particularly when "other" is construed to mean "inferior"), the means employed by the self-presumed "superior" party to appropriate territory, human chattel, or material wealth often have been more ruthless, more brutal, and less constrained by moral or population.
In the western world, racism evolved, twinned with the doctrine of white supremacy, and helped fuel the European exploration, conquest, and colonization of much of the rest of the world -- especially after Christopher Columbus reached the Americas. Basil Davidson insists in his documentary, Africa: Different but Equal, that racism, in fact, only just recently surfaced—as late as the 1800’s, due to the need for a justification of slavery in the Americas. The idea of slavery as an "equal-opportunity employer" was denounced with the introduction of Christian theory in the West. Maintaining that Africans were "subhuman" was the only loophole in the then accepted law that "men are created equal" that would allow for the sustenance of the Triangular Trade. New peoples in the Americas, possible slaves, were encountered, fought, and ultimately subdued, but then due to western diseases, their population like Juan Ginés de Sepúlveda even argued that the Native Americans were natural slaves. In Asia, the Chinese and Japanese Empires were both strong colonial powers, with the Chinese making colonies and vassal states of much of mainland Asia, and the Japanese doing the same in the west Pacific. In both cases, the Asian imperial powers believed they were ethnically and racially superior to their vassals, and entitled to be their masters.
ExpressionsRacism may be expressed individually and consciously, through explicit thoughts, feelings, or acts, or socially and unconsciously, through institutions that promote inequalities among "races". Although some speakers attempt to express a semantic distinction by using the word racism rather than racialism (or vice versa), many treat the terms , structural racism, and ideological racism.Examples of individual racism include an employer not hiring a person, failing to promote or giving harsher duties orimposing harsher working conditions, or firing, someone, in whole or in part due to his race.Researchers at the University of Chicago (Marianne Bertrand) and Harvard University (Sendhil Mullainathan) found in a 2003 study that there was widespread discrimination in the workplace against job applicants whose names were merely perceived as "sounding black." These applicants were 50% less likely than candidates perceived as having "white-sounding names" to receive callbacks for interviews, no matter their level of previous experience. Results were stronger for United States politics as "reverse racism".
"Reverse racism" is a controversial concept; it is usually applied to instances of perceived discrimination against members of a dominant (rather than minority) group, usually as a reaction to previous policies' racism by said group. In the United States, many people, mostly conservatives, criticize policies such as affirmative action as an example of reverse racism. They point out that insofar as these policies provide preference to certain racial groups and not others, they are race-based discrimination, even if their goal is to counteract a systemic and cultural racism by providing a balancing force, and that it does not qualify as racist because they are enacted by politicians (mostly part of the majority) and directed towards their own race.Increasingly significant numbers of white people (i.e. people of European ethnicity) believe that political correctness has led to a denigration of the white race, through "special attention" paid to minority races. For example, they consider the existence of of Israel, land-ownership in many Israeli towns was limited to Jews, and many Muslim countries expelled Jewish Arabs and continue to refuse entry to Jews.
In the United States, racial profiling of minorities by law males. Many critics of racial profiling claim that it is an unconstitutional practice because it amounts to questioning individuals on the basis of what crimes they might commit or could possibly commit, instead of what crimes they have actually committed. See the article on racial profiling for more information on this dispute.

necessarily racism, since this can be asserted without implying an inequality in value. Racism as a term is usually applied to highlights the difference between oppression and repression.In general, racism separates based on their perceived or ascribed race. There is a growing, but somewhat controversial, opinion that racism is a system of oppression — a nexus of racist beliefs, whether explicit, tacit or unconscious; practices; organizations and institutions that combine to discriminate against and societally marginalize a class of people who share a common racial designation, based on that designation.
In some countries, accusations of racism are alleged to be used by supporters of cultural relativism and political correctness to stigmatise their adversaries due to the association between racism and extreme violence in parts of the twentieth century.Since the last quarter of the 20th century, there have been few in developed nations who describe themselves as racist, so that identification of a group or person as racist is nearly always of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and adopted in 1966:.any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin which has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal footing, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life.
From "racial theory" to "racism"Before considering racism, it is an important methodological point to distinguish historically when the concept of "racism" became known as such. Historians disagree largely when "race" emerged as a concept, ranging from those who believe aspects of it have always existed among humans, to those who place it as a concept separate from general distrust of "difference" (in which case it emerged either in the Age of Exploration or even as late as the 19th century). In any event, the division of people into discrete groups, usually based on external anatomical features or assumed geographic origin, and theories about how many "races" there were, and theories of how to "rank" these races against each thinkers began to think of people in terms of linguistic "nations" more than they did "races." The term "racism", according to the Oxford English Dictionary, emerged in the early 1930s as distinct from the "theories of race" which had existed for at least a hundred years before that.
A turning point in racial thinking came with the rise of Adolf Hitler's Nazism, which built much of its political agenda upon the rhetoric of anti-Semitism and overt statements of racial superiority and inferiority. Full opposition to these ideas did not begin until the outbreak of to be opposed by almost all mainstream voices, though there is little agreement over what is "racism". It is worth remembering this, when looking at current concepts of "racism". In hindsight, many eminent scientists, philosophers, and statesmen appear "racist" by late-20th century standards, though the recognition of the historical nature of these judgements is deemed by many to exonerate these figures or governments for their ideas or actions.
Origins of racismOne view of the origins of racism emphasizes stereotypes, which psychologists generally believe are influenced by cultural factors. People generally respond to others differently based on what they know, which may include superficial characteristics often associated with race. A "white" person walking after dark in a primarily "black" neighborhood in an American city might be anxious for a combination of reasons. The same of one group in relation to others. The belief that the character and abilities of individuals are correlated with their race is not necessarily racism, since this can be asserted without implying an inequality in value. Racism as a term is usually applied to actions by a dominant group in a society on others. Weaker groups are unlikely to practice racism publicly on a more dominant or powerful group, as they would effectively be unable to. This highlights the difference between oppression and repression.In general, racism separates groups of people on the basis of race with the intent of viewing one race as more valuable and others as less in dealing with members of that race, especially with little regard for variations within "races", is known as racial prejudice. Granting or withholding rights or privileges based on race or refusing to associate with persons based on race is racial discrimination.Sometimes racism refers to beliefs, practices, and institutions that discriminate against people based on their perceived or ascribed race. There is a growing, but somewhat controversial, opinion that racism is a system of oppression — a nexus of racist beliefs, whether explicit, tacit or unconscious; practices; organizations and institutions that combine to discriminate against and discrimination laid out in the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and adopted in 1966:.any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin which has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal footing, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life.
From "racial theory" to "racism"Before considering racism, it is an important methodological point to distinguish historically when the concept of "racism" became known as such. Historians disagree largely when "race" emerged as a concept, ranging from those who believe aspects of it have always existed among humans, to those who place it as a concept separate from general distrust of "difference" (in which case it emerged either in the Age of Exploration or even as late as the 19th century). In any event, the division of people into discrete groups, usually based on external anatomical features or assumed geographic origin, and theories late-19th century, a number of thinkers emphasized that these views were morally and ethically unjust, but this was a significantly minority opinion. Even those who opposed institutions such as slavery often did so not on the basis of equality of races, but on overall equality in treatment of "mankind".In the 20th century, however, there began a growth of thought that theories of racial "superiority" and "inferiority", much of the discourse relating to racial theory of this sort came out of the United States in the years after the American Civil War, while European thinkers began to think of people in terms of linguistic "nations" more than they did "races." The term "racism", according to the Oxford English Dictionary, emerged in the of racism with the Nazis, and the genocidal policies they undertook, thoroughly established the meme that "racism" was something to be opposed. In the United States, the experience of the Civil Rights Movement further emphasized this point. Now, "racism" is seen as something entirely to be opposed by almost all mainstream voices, though there is little agreement standards, though the recognition of the historical nature of these judgements is deemed by many to exonerate these figures or governments for their ideas or actions.
Origins of racismOne view of the origins of racism emphasizes stereotypes, which psychologists generally believe are influenced by cultural factors. People generally certain ethnic background might be expected to react negatively to a member of that same ethnic group whom he meets off-duty. A law-abiding African-American man is less likely than a law-abiding white man to view that same police officer as an ally and protector, and more as a threat to his or her personal safety and well-being. In both sets of cases, theories of conditioning may apply.

Wednesday, December 07, 2005

DJs and ProducersDisco music diverged from the rock of the 1960s, elevating music from the raw sound of 4-piece garage bands to refined music composed by producers who contracted local symphony and philharmonic orchestras and session musicians. For the first time in three decades, orchestral music became the preeminent sound in the popular-music scene. Top disco music producers included Patrick Adams, Biddu, Cerrone, Alec R. Costandinos, John Davis, Gregg Diamond, Kenneth Gamble, Norman Harris, Leon Huff, Sylvester Levay, Ian Levine, Mike Lewis, Van McCoy, Meco Monardo, Tom Moulton, Boris Midney, Vincent Montana Jr, Randy Muller, Laurin Rinder, Richie Rome, Warren Schatz, and Michael Zager, whose roles involved every aspect of production, from composing the arrangements to conducting the 50- to 100-member orchestras from Los Angeles to New York, from London to Berlin.
With as many as 64 tracks of vocals and instruments to be compiled into a fluid composition of verses, bridges, and refrains, complete with orchestral builds and breaks, the mixing engineers became an important fixture in the production process, and, as a result, were most influential in developing the "sound" of the recording through the disco mix. Record sales were often dependent on, though not guaranteed by, floor play in clubs. Notable DJs include Jim Burgess, Walter Gibbons, John "Jellybean" Benitez, Rick Gianatos, Francis Grasso (Sanctuary), Larry Levan (Paradise Garage), Ian Levine (Heaven), John Luongo, David Mancuso (The Loft), and Tom Moulton.
[edit]Descendents, influence, and revivalThe year 1980 was a transitional time for music, especially dance music, which lost its disco sound, as complex melodic structures and plush elements of the symphony orchestra gave way to a diminutive, street sound. In the early-1980s, George Benson, Patrice Rushen, Brothers Johnson, the Weather Girls, Miquel Brown, Taana Gardner, the Commodores, The S.O.S. Band, and other artists continued to create many hits. At the same time new styles emerged - Italo Disco and Euro Disco.
Also in the early-1980s, House music was forged in the underground clubs of Chicago and New York, when the first Drum machines were introduced into the music.
In the 1990s, a revival of the original disco style began and is exemplified by such songs as "Lemon" by U2 (1993), "Spend Some Time" by Brand New Heavies (1994), "Cosmic Girl" by Jamiroquai (1996), "Never Give Up on the Good Times" by The Spice Girls (1997), and "Strong Enough" by Cher (1998) who had also released disco songs in the seventies.
During the first half of the 2000s, there were releases by a number of artists including "Spinning Around" and "Love at First Sight" by Kylie Minogue (2001), "I Don't Understand It" by Ultra Nate (2001), "Crying at the Discoteque" by Alcazar (2001), "Love Foolosophy" by Jamiroquai (2001), "Murder on the Dancefloor" by Sophie Ellis-Bextor (2001), and "Love Invincible" by Michael Franti and Spearhead (2003) that channeled classic disco music.

Popular disco artistsThe most popular disco artists of the 1970s include ABBA, A Taste of Honey, Cerrone, The Bee Gees, Chic, Sister Sledge, The Jacksons, Claudja Barry, Linda Clifford, Teri DeSario, Donna Summer, Giorgio Moroder, Grace Jones, Stephanie Mills, Carol Williams, Sylvester, Gloria Gaynor, Boney M, Village People, K.C. and the Sunshine Band, Vicki Sue Robinson, MFSB, Loleatta Holloway, France Joli, Evelyn King, Yvonne Elliman, Tavares, Salsoul Orchestra, Phyllis Hyman, The Emotions, Thelma Houston, Cheryl Lynn, The Trammps, Love and Kisses, Barry White, Silver Convention, and Dalida. However, many disco fans would agree that, "for every chart hit pounded into the public's consciousness, fifty far superior tracks from all over the world were being played at some hard-to-find basement club" (Jones and Kantonen, 1999). There appeared many non-disco artists, which included Eagles, The Rolling Stones, KISS, The Grateful Dead, Dolly Parton, Cher, Aretha Franklin, Isaac Hayes, Leif Garrett, Toto, Chaka Khan, the Beach Boys, Billy Preston, Chicago, Electric Light Orchestra, The Pointer Sisters, Frankie Avalon, Elton John, James Brown, Barry Manilow, Bette Midler, Prince, Helen Reddy, Carly Simon, Diana Ross, Earth, Wind and Fire, Rod Stewart, Queen (with the bass guitar riffs emulating those of Chic in their hit Another One Bites The Dust), Blondie, Bryan Adams, as well as veteran entertainers such as Paul Anka, Ann-Margaret, Charo, Engelbert Humperdinck, Ethel Merman, Wayne Newton, Barbra Streisand, and Frank Sinatra.
Many disco novelty songs sold well and were popular. Rick Dees, at the time a radio DJ in Memphis, Tennessee, recorded what is considered to be one of the most popular parodies of all time, Disco Duck.

Popularity1975 was the year when disco really took off, with hit songs like Van McCoy's "The Hustle" and Donna Summer's "Love To Love You Baby" reaching the mainstream. 1975 also marked the release of the first disco mix on album, the A side of Gloria Gaynor's Never Can Say Goodbye (Jones and Kantonen, 1999). Disco's popularity peaked in the so-called Disco era of 1977 - 1979, driven in part by the 1977 classic film Saturday Night Fever. Disco also gave rise to an increased popularity of line dancing and other partly pre-choreographed dances; many line dances can be seen in films such as Saturday Night Fever, which also features the Hustle.
In 1975, the pop star Dalida was the first to make disco music in France with her song "J'attendrai" which was a big hit there as well as in Canada and Japan in 1976. She also released many other disco hits between 1975 and 1981, including "Monday, Tuesday... Laissez-moi danser" in 1979, translated the same year as "Let Me Dance Tonight" for the USA, where she was their "French diva" since her late-1978 performance at the Carnegie Hall). Soon after Dalida's pioneering French disco work, other French artists recorded disco: Claude François, in 1976 with his song "Cette année-là" (a cover of The Four Seasons' disco hit "December 1963 (Oh what a night)"), then the famous "yé-yé" French pop singer Sheila, with her group B. Devotion, who even had a hit in the USA (a rarity for French artists) with the song "Spacer" in 1979. Many other European artists also recorded disco music.

OriginsAs with all such musical genres, defining a single point of disco's development is difficult, as many elements of disco music appear on earlier records (such as the 1971 theme from the film Shaft by Isaac Hayes) (Jones and Kantonen, 1999). In general it can be said that first true disco songs were released in 1973, however, many consider Manu Dibango's 1972 Soul Makossa the first disco record (Jones and Kantonen, 1999). Initially, most disco songs catered to a nightclub/dancing audience only, rather than general audiences such as radio listeners, but there are many aspects proving opposite tendencies as well; popular radio-hits were being played in discothèques, as long as they had an easy to follow rhythmic base-pattern close to 120 BPM (beats per minute).
Musical influences include funk, soul music, and salsa and the Latin or Hispanic musics which influenced salsa.
Social trends that contributed to disco music include the surpassing of white people by racial and ethnic minorities, black and Hispanic people in the purchasing of records and sound equipment, the increased independence of women in finance and leisure, gay liberation, and the sexual revolution. (Jones and Kantonen, 1999)
Influential soul or funk records that influenced disco include:
The Supremes - "You Keep Me Hangin' On" (1966) Sly and the Family Stone - "Dance to the Music" (1968), "Everyday People" (1968) (Jones and Kantonen, 1999), "Family Affair" (1971) Friends of Distinction - "Grazing in the Grass" (1969) Jackson 5 - "I Want You Back", "ABC", "The Love You Save", "Mama's Pearl" (1969-71) Stevie Wonder - "Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday" (1969), "Superstition" (1972) (ibid) Isaac Hayes - "Shaft" (1971) Incredible Bongo Band - "Bongo Rock" (1973) (ibid) Eumir Deodato - "Also Sprach Zarathustra" (1973) Average White Band - "Pick Up the Pieces" (1974), "Cut the Cake" (1975) (ibid) James Brown - "(Get Up I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine" (1970), "Get Up Off of That Thing" (1975) Philadelphia International Records defined Philly soul and helped define disco (ibid) with records such as:
Three Degrees - "When Will I See You Again" (1973) (ibid) Intruders - "I'll Always Love My Mama" (1973) (ibid) O'Jays - "Love Train" (1972), "I Love Music" (1975) (ibid) MFSB - "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)" (1973), "Love is the Message" (1973) (ibid) Pre-/Early-disco TK Records tracks:
Betty Wright - "Clean Up Woman" (1972) (ibid) George McCrae- "Rock Your Baby" (1974) (ibid) KC and the Sunshine Band - "Get Down Tonight" (1975), "That's the Way (I Like It)" (1975) (ibid) Early-disco hits include:
Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes - "The Love I Lost" (1973) Love Unlimited Orchestra - "Love's Theme" (1973) (ibid) The Jackson 5- "Dancing Machine" (1974) (ibid) Barry White - "Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe" (1974) (ibid) Shirley and Co. - "Shame, Shame, Shame" (1974) (ibid) Hues Corporation - "Rock the Boat" (1974) (ibid) Commodores - "Machine Gun" (1974) LaBelle - "Lady Marmalade" (containing the lyric: "Voulez-vous coucher avec moi?") (1975) (ibid) Van McCoy - "The Hustle" (1975) (ibid) Silver Convention - "Fly Robin Fly" (1975) Andrea True Connection- "More More More" (1976) (ibid) Dalida- "J'Attendrai" (the first french disco song and first hit in Europe) (1975) (ibid)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.Jump to: navigation, search"Discothèque" redirects here. Disco Stylistic origins: Funk and soul music Cultural origins: Early 1970s Typical instruments: Mainstream popularity: 1970s and early 1980s Derivative forms: Subgenres Bright disco – Eurodisco – Italo Disco Fusion genres Regional scenes Other topics Nightclubs – List of disco artists Disco is an up-tempo style of dance music (generally between 110 and 136 beats per minute) that originated in the early-1970s, a derivative of funk and soul music, popular with audiences in larger cities all over the world. It derives its name from the French word discothèque (meaning a nightclub where the featured entertainment was recorded music rather than an on-stage band), a portmanteau coined around 1941 from disc and bibliothèque (library) by La Discothèque, then located on the Rue de la Huchette street in Paris (Jones + Kantonen, 1999).
Contents 1 Origins 2 Popularity 3 Popular disco artists 4 DJs and Producers 5 Descendents, influence, and revival 6 Instrumentation 7 Format 8 Discos 9 Backlash in US and U.K. 9.1 Rock vs Disco 10 Radio 11 See also 12 Sources