Reflection assignment Essay

The term learning to me means that we are acquiring knowledge for something we did not know or a new way of doing something. I think online learning is different than traditional because online learning is more of independent studies and can be easier or more difficult to manage depending on each person’s learning styles. My view of learning as only changed by knowing more learning styles and how they can vary in technical terms. Myself as a learning is described by being a dynamic learner, I used all the learning patterns and none of my learning patterns were avoided. I typically use precision and sequence more than I do technical reasoning and confluence. Although there are times that I will use confluence and technical reasoning more than sequence and precision which is why I believe that makes me a successful dynamic learner. My learning scores are sequence twenty-six, precision thirty-two, technical reasoning twenty, and confluence twenty-one. Some of the benefits to bein g able to use precision as a use first is that I like to make sure that what I am doing is correct the first time around. Also with sequence being a use first learning pattern I am able to use it alongside precision and make sure that everything is organized in order. I have learned to tether my weaker learning patterns with my stronger learning patterns, so that I am more successful in learning. Once I learned my different types of learning patterns I was able to become an intentional learning because I used the assignment with my learning patterns to have a better understanding. Overall I was able to be fairly successful in this class and was given the right tools to be successful. I think I could have FIT my learning patterns together better to be a lot more successful in the class. I do believe that this class has been a great learning experience so that in the future I can use my learning patterns together and FIT them to each assignment, and with things I am doing outside of class. If I would have tethered my precision and technical reasoning in with class from the start I know I could have succeeded a lot more than what I have, but I will use this class as a learning experience and carry my learning patterns and FIT information along with m e to help in future classes. My overall reflection of the last five weeks is that I have learned a lot about different types of learning.

Elements of the Marketing Mix Essay

This case will study describe the elements of the marketing mix. These four elements include product, place, price and promotion. This paper will include a description of how an organization’s marketing strategy is affected by the four elements of the marketing mix. Another aspect that this paper will include is a description of how each element is implemented in the company. One more topic that this paper will describe is the organizations name and industry in which it exists. The marketing mix is defined as a mixture of several ideas and plans followed by a marketing representative to promote a particular product or brand. Several concepts and ideas are combined together to formulate final strategies helpful in making a brand popular amongst the masses to form the marketing mix (â€Å"Marketing Mix – Meaning and Its Elements†, n.d.). The elements of the marketing mix are often called the four P’s of marketing (Perreault, Cannon, & McCarthy, 2011). First, Product is defined as goods that are manufactured by organizations for the consumer. Products can be two types, tangible and intangible. A product in a market place is something which a seller sells to the buyers in exchange for money. Price is defined as the money which a buyer pays for a product. The price of a product is indirectly proportional to its availability in the market. If a product is not readily available then the price goes up (â€Å"Marketing Mix – Meaning and Its Elements†, n.d.). Place refers to the location where the products are available and can be sold or purchased. Here one is exposed to a physical building, or store, or one can purchase items on the internet. Finally, the fourth element is promotion. Promotion refers to the various strategies and ideas implemented by the marketers to make the consumer aware of their product (â€Å"Marketing Mix – Meaning and Its Elements†, n.d.). Today’s market is huge and there is an abundant variety of products available. Frito Lay is a multi-national  corporation that is predominantly in the salty snack business. Frito Lay aims its market strategy at both the mass market and target markets alike. This food driven company does have some strengths such as its renowned reliability, high quality control and markets its product as convenient fun foods. The products that Frito Lay generates have consumers in mind that particularly buy snack foods as a leisure item. Their packing and branding is targeting a consumer that wants to snack on the go or during lunch with a sandwich. With this in mind, the organizations marketing strategy uses all four of the marketing mix very well. Frito Lay sells a wide variety of chips form Ruffles to Lays, Cheetos to Doritos and Tostitos to Funyions. These products satisfy many customers’ needs for fun snacking. In the Product element, packaging is also very important when keeping the consumer satisfied. Bright colors are used to catch the eye when they design the bags that carry all of their brands. In the Place element, the product is highly visible in that one can purchase said items and every convenience store in the marketplace. Not only is the product in just about every UDS store but in vending machines and supermarkets. The channel of distribution is very important to deliver these products to the consumer and Frito Lay has an excellent distribution system in place. The third element, Promotion, targets new customers and retaining current customers. Many people have heard the phrase â€Å"no one can eat just one.† This catch phrase was designed for Lays potato chips and hasn’t been used in years, but just about everybody has heard that. That is advertising at its finest. The use of mass selling techniques has been advantageous to Frito Lay. The fourth â€Å"P† is Price and that obviously plays an important part in Frito’s model. Frito Lays strategy is to stay competitive with other salty snack manufacturers and their price points. Their target price is also directed at young adults and children. Each element in the marketing mix is used very well by Frito Lay. The products that this corporation sells to the consumer vary from salty snacks to cookies and even beef jerky. Frito Lay guarantees freshness for its product and delivers a price point that is competitive to just about any consumer. In the channels of distribution process it is important to get a food item to the retailer in a timely manner as the food item can spoil. The freshness guarantee that Frito Lay offers dictates that the salty snack has a shelf life of about a month for most products and the  products need to be removed from the shelves if they do not sell. Because of this model, the delivery system promotes efficiency when sold and distributed to each retailer. Promotions are huge with Frito Lay as they spend millions for point of sale coupons and retail discounts. Not only is there retail push for sales but Frito Lay spends millions on advertising. Advertising can be seen in standard commercials to big budget commercials during super bowl ads. These methods of communication are geared at mass selling and are very effective. Finally, the Price element is important to Frito Lay as the market price for materials goes up so does the price of their products. To circumvent these price hikes, Frito Lay will lower the content volume in the bag and not raise the price. In other instances, they will raise the price by ten cents and remove the price on the bag for a short period of time. The idea is to trick the consumer into believing the price is the same. In all the instances, Frito Lay has a business model that is very effective and has endured for many years. By understanding the similarities and differences between these elements one can understand how a corporation uses the marketing mix to their advantage. The four elements are critical to understand the very nature of the consumer and the retailer. This case study shows that it is important to understand the marketing mix business model as it pertains everyone and final user. References Marketing Mix – Meaning and its Elements. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://managementstudyguide.com/marketing-mix.htm Perreault, W. D., Cannon, J. P., & McCarthy, J. (2011). Basic Marketing. A Marketing Strategy Planning Approach. Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collectioon database.

American literature Essay

Instructor Information Instructor: Mrs. Katy Kownacki Office: Online! Office Hours: immediately following class sessions. Office Telephone: (571)344-3234 E-mail: kkownacki@fcps. edu Course Description The eleventh-grade student will be able to make and analyze informative and persuasive oral presentations, with attention to the accuracy of evidence and the effectiveness of delivery. An examination of how media influences beliefs and behaviors will be introduced. The student will continue to develop and expand vocabulary. The study of both classic and contemporary American literature will enhance the student’s appreciation for literature. The student will be able to identify the prevalent themes and characterizations present in American literature, which are reflective of history and culture. Students will also use nonfiction texts to draw conclusions and make inferences citing textual support. The student will be able to write clear and accurate personal, professional, and informational correspondence and reports for research and other applications. Grammar development will continue through the application of rules for sentence formation, usage, spelling, and mechanics. The student will develop informative and persuasive writings by  locating, evaluating, synthesizing, and documenting information following ethical and legal guidelines. Students are required to take the English 11Standards of Learning End of Course Test. Prerequisite/Co-requisite: English 10 Textbook & Course Materials Required Texts †¢Elements of Literature, Fifth Course Enhanced  ©2007 (http://my. hrw. com) †¢Elements of Language, Fifth Course  ©2004 (http://my. hrw. com) †¢The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. http://ebooks. adelaide. edu. au/f/fitzgerald/f_scott/gatsby/ Other Readings oThe Crucible is found in the online textbook oOther readings will be made available in the FCPS Online Campus Learning  Modules. Page 1 English 11 Summer Syllabus Fairfax County Public Schools— Online Campus Course Requirements †¢Computer with Internet connection (DSL, LAN, or cable connection desirable) †¢Headphones and microphone †¢Word processing program (Microsoft Word recommended) †¢Account access to FCPS 24/7 Course Structure This course will be delivered entirely online through the FCPS 24/7 and Elluminate. You will use your student account to login to the course from FCPS 24/7 (http://fcps. blackboard. com). In your FCPS Online Campus course, you will access online lessons, course materials, and resources. At a designated time during the week, we will participate in a synchronous activity using our virtual classroom, Elluminate. In addition to traditional writing and vocabulary assignments, activities will consist of chats, blogs, discussion forums, emails, journaling, and wikis. FCPS Online Campus Access To access this course within FCPS 24/7, you will need access to the Internet and a supported Web browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox). To ensure that you are using a supported browser and have required plug-ins, you must finish the prerequisite technology mini-course before starting the online English 11 course. Refer to the FCPS Online Campus welcome letter for instructions. Technical Assistance If you need technical assistance at any time during the course, call Presidium 1-866-434-8880. Also email your instructor about the problem. You will need to find an alternate means to access the course (a friend’s computer, a parent’s computer, the library, etc). Important Note: This syllabus, along with course assignments and due dates, are subject to change. It is the student’s responsibility to check FCPS 24/7 for corrections or updates to the syllabus. Any changes will be clearly noted in course announcement or through instructor’s email. English 11 Summer Syllabus Fairfax County Public Schools— Online Campus PART 2: COURSE OBJECTIVES †¢COMMUNICATION: SPEAKING, LISTENING, MEDIA LITERACY oUse a variety of oral-communication skills and provide accurate evidence to give informative and persuasive oral presentations. oCritique and assess the effectiveness of persuasive presentations by others. oExamine how persuasive media messages influence audiences’ beliefs and behaviors. †¢READING oApply knowledge of word origins, derivations, and figurative language to extend vocabulary development in authentic texts. oEnhance appreciation for literature by studying both classic and  contemporary American literature. oRead a variety of literary genres and informational texts to identify the prevalent themes in American literature that are reflective of American history and culture. oDevelop vocabulary and reading comprehension skills and apply those skills in other content areas, including history and social science, science, and mathematics. oIdentify the contributions of other cultures to the development of American literature. †¢WRITING oWrite in a variety of forms with an emphasis on persuasion. oProduce arguments in writing that demonstrate knowledgeable judgments and address counterclaims. oUse knowledge of genres, formats, purposes, audiences, and situations to produce clear and effective products that reflect use of all stages of a writing process. †¢RESEARCH oEngage in research that requires the selection, evaluation, use, and documentation of a variety of sources. oVerify the validity of all information and follow ethical and legal guidelines for using and gathering information. oPresent a research product that is clearly written and accurately documented according to Modern Language Association (MLA) standards. Page 3 English 11 Summer Syllabus Fairfax County Public Schools— Online Campus. PART 3: TOPIC OUTLINE/SCHEDULE Important Note: Refer to the course calendar for specific meeting dates and times. Activity and assignment details will be explained in detail within each week’s corresponding learning module. If you have any questions, please contact your instructor. †¢Poetry and Short Stories oIntroduction/ Review of Literary Elements oVariety of short stories and poems by American authors †¢Drama oThe Crucible †¢Fiction oThe Great Gatsby †¢Non-Fiction oThe Autobiography of Ben Franklin oNarrative of Frederick Douglass oAutobiographical Notes essay by James Baldwin oLetter from a Birmingham Jail by M. L. King, Jr. oFrom Resistance to Civil Government by Henry David Thoreau †¢Research oBackground information on F. Scott Fitzgerald and The Great Gatsby. †¢Writing oThesis-driven writing (claim, assertion, commentary) oJournals oPoetry oLiterary Analysis Page 4 English 11 Summer Syllabus Fairfax County Public Schools— Online Campus PART 4: GRADING POLICIES Graded Course Activities Visit the Eng 11 Units button in your FCPS Online Campus course for instructions and information about assignments. Students will submit work through the Assignments button, through the Discussion Board button, or via email. Click on the Assessments button to access quizzes and exams. Submitted work is available for view through the student gradebook in FCPS 24/7. Procedures for Submitting Work You use the Assignment Button to submit assignments. Name the document correctly by using the file naming convention: lastname_assignmentname_date. doc. Please add a header at the top of the document containing your name, the date, and assignment title. If I receive a document without a name, it will be returned (and then you run the risk of turning in a late assignment). When you email me, please type your name in the subject line and sign your emails with your first and last names. Save (and backup) all of your submitted work. You are advised to keep copies of everything, including emails that show the date and time that you’ve submitted your assignments. Late work must be emailed to teacher with an explanation. Late Work Policy ALL WORK IS DUE BY MIDNIGHT ON THE DAY IT IS ASSIGNED. Work received between midnight and 8:00 am the next day will be accepted, but with a ten percent reduction in the grade earned. Work received between 8:00 am and 11:59 pm that same day will be accepted, but with a twenty percent reduction in the grade earned. After 11:59 pm on the day after the work was originally due, no late work will be accepted. Discussion boards are NOT accepted late. Viewing Grades in FCPS Online Campus Instructor will update the online grades each week—typically 2-3 days after each due date. Grade Reports will be emailed to parents, students and counselors every week. Grade Reports will reflect the student’s quality of work by the scores on the assignments but will also contain missing assignment if the student is behind schedule to finish the class. Page 5 English 11 Summer Syllabus Fairfax County Public Schools— Online Campus. *during summer school this is expedited since a single summer day is 8 academic days The grade percentage chart will be used to convert to letter grade reporting (chart below). Final Mark Each quarter will count as 20% of the final grade. The final exam will count as 1/5 of the final grade. Letter Grade Percentage Definition A 93-100% Designates the status of a student who consistently demonstrates accurate and complete knowledge of content and skills specified in the FCPS Program of Studies (POS), and applies that knowledge to solve problems in a variety of settings A- 90-92% B+ 87-89% Designates the status of a student who demonstrates knowledge of content and skills specified in the FCPS Program of Studies (POS), with some improvement needed in accuracy and/or consistency in performance, applying that knowledge to solve problems in a variety of settings B 83-86% B- 80-82% C+ 77-79% Designates the status of a student who demonstrates knowledge of basic content and skills specified in the FCPS Program of Studies (POS), but requires additional practice and instructional experiences to acquire skills necessary to solve problems C 73-76% C- 70-72% D+ 67-69% Designates the status of a student who needs significant practice and instructional experiences to acquire the  knowledge of basic content and skills specified in the FCPS Program of Studies (POS) necessary to solve problems. As a final mark, it is not necessarily sufficient to meet the prerequisite requirements for the next level in a sequence of courses. D 64-66% F 0-63% Designates the status of a student who has not demonstrated the basic knowledge of content and/or skills specified in the FCPS Program of Studies (POS) and requires additional practice and instructional experiences in order to succeed. I * Designates the status of a student who has not been able to complete tasks that are major components of the quarter  grade for reasons considered appropriate by the teacher or team or by the principal or his or her designee. The student is required to make up work within a specified time period in order to convert this â€Å"incomplete† to a grade by the next quarterly progress report. *I (Incomplete) = May not be given as a permanent final grade. Page 6 English 11 Summer Syllabus Fairfax County Public Schools— Online Campus Important note: For more information about grading, visit the grading and reporting policies at the FCPS website. Page 7 English 11 Summer Syllabus Fairfax County Public Schools— Online Campus COURSE POLICIES Participation. Students are expected to participate in all online activities as listed on the course calendar. Consistent participation is required and submission of work is the evidence of that participation. Communicate If you find that you have any trouble keeping up with assignments or other aspects of the course, make sure you let your instructor know as early as possible. As you will find, building rapport and effective relationships are key to becoming an effective person. Make sure that you are proactive in informing your instructor when difficulties arise during the year so that we can help you find a solution. Complete Assignments. All assignments for this course will be submitted electronically through FCPS 24/7 unless otherwise instructed. Assignments must be submitted by the given deadline or special permission must be requested from instructor. Extensions will not be given beyond the next assignment. Late or missing discussion assignments will affect the student’s grade. Understand When You will be Removed from This Course It is state law that a student will no miss 15 days of class. The instructor will notify parents and counselor at 5 and 10 days of no work submitted. At 15 days the student is removed from the course and returned to the counselor  for appropriate placement. Our goal is to get students to receive credit for graduation, and if online is not an appropriate environment, a return to face to face instruction is necessary. During summer school three days of non-activity will warrant dismissal from the course; your teacher will evaluate this after Sunday night. Inform Your Instructor of Any Accommodations Needed If you have a documented disability and IEP, and you wish to discuss academic accommodations, please contact your instructor as soon as possible. IEP and 504 accommodations must be submitted to the Online Campus before the class starts. The Online Campus can be contacted by phone at (703) 503-7781 (Voice) or via email at onlinecampus@fcps. edu . Commit to Ethical Conduct As a student in this course, you are expected to maintain high degrees of professionalism, commitment to active learning and participation in this class Page 8 English 11 Syllabus Fairfax County Public Schools— Online Campus and also integrity in your behavior in and out of the classroom. Page 9 English 11 Syllabus Fairfax County Public Schools— Online Campus FCPS Ethical Conduct for Users (SR&R regulation 2601) It is the responsibility of the student to: †¢Use only his or her account or password. It is a violation to give access to an account to any other user. †¢Recognize and honor the intellectual property of others; comply with legal restrictions regarding plagiarism and the use and citation of information resources. †¢Not read, modify, or remove files owned by other users. †¢Restrict the use of the FCPS network and resources to the mission or function of the school system. The use of the FCPS network for personal use or for private gain is prohibited. †¢Help maintain the integrity of the school information system. Deliberate tampering or experimentation is not allowed; this includes the use of FCPS network and resources to illicitly access, tamper with, or experiment with systems outside FCPS. The information systems and Internet access available through FCPS are available to support learning, enhance instruction, and support school business practices. †¢Refrain from using offensive, obscene, or harassing language when using FCPS network systems. †¢Abstain from accessing, changing, or deleting files belonging to others. Important Note: Any form of academic dishonesty, including cheating and plagiarism, will be reported to the administration office. Page 10

Supreme Court Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Supreme Court - Essay Example The American government is divided into various arms which perform different functions. SUPREME COURTThe supreme court carries out various functions which include, keeping check and balances on the US executive government. The American constitution empower the supreme court to check and correct the president’s actions. The US Supreme Court is considered to be the most elitist and least democratic institution of the US government This is because it is led by learned judges who are appointed and not elected into their lifetime positions. The supreme court is considered to be the least democratic because the judges are expected to keep checks and balances on the political government, however their actions are not respected thus the debate on their democracy (R. Dye, Zeigler and Schubert).FEDERALISMFederalism is a governership method that allows two or more governing bodies in the same region. Americans uses federalism in governing the Americans using the state laws , federal laws , and local government laws. Federalism has changed greatly in the course of the American history these changes include, eliminating the confederation articles and giving the federal laws supremacy over the state laws (R. Dye, Zeigler and Schubert).CONCLUSIONConclusion the , the supreme court has played a great role in advancing the Americans rights and freedoms over the last six years . These includes legalizing same sex marriages which is in accordance with the bill of rights of the American constitution.

Markets and the Economy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Markets and the Economy - Research Paper Example 1996). Due to unemployment and reduced profits, income reduces hence a decline in tax revenue. Tax revenue is thus lower than expenditure resulting in automatic federal budget deficit. The budget deficit resulting from the recession can help to stabilize the economy. Increased government spending in provision of welfare payments is a source of income for households and this result in increased consumption (Hyman, 2010). As consumption increases, aggregate demand increases thereby prompting producers to produce more hence increased output and employment. The economy thus stabilizes as full employment is reached or aggregate demand equals aggregate supply. Furthermore, improved infrastructure as a result of government spending attracts current and future investments, output growth and employment. Though deficits lead to economy stabilization, there have been concerns about the impact of deficit on national savings. According to Hyman (2010), the financing of deficits by the government from credit markets denies them savings thus inducing increases in interest rates and reduction in private investment hence unemployment and decline in standards of living. The government should thus engage in spending on areas that produce long-term effects such as investment in education to improve workers skills, building infrastructure to provide future employment among other initiatives. Movement from Short-run Equilibrium to the Long-run Equilibrium The short-run supply indicates the quantity of output produced or Real GDP in an economy at a given period. The relationship between the price level and quantity supplied is depicted by a short-run aggregate supply curve which is upward sloping due to a direct relationship between the two. The short-run supply is based on the assumption that wages are sticky and that there are misperceptions in the labor market. An increase in price level pushes real wages downwards and since quantity of labor supplied depends on real wages, labor supply declines leading to low output (Arnold, 2010). Workers often have misperceptions about real wages; if the nominal wages fall accompanied by same proportion of a fall in price level then there is no change in real wages but workers may believe that the real wage has fallen thus reduce demand for labor hence quantity of labor supplied falls as well as output. The equilibrium is reached when aggregate demand curve intersects with short-run aggregate supply. There are other factors that affect short-run supply other than prices. These include wage rates, price of nonlabor inputs, productivity and supply shocks (Arnold, 2010 p. 168). If wage rate increases (stop being sticky), the firm profits decline since the company had already set nominal wages based on constant wage level leading to decline in output or Real GDP as firms are unable to produce more with high costs. The same case applies to other factors of production such as capital and other inputs. This causes shift in short -run aggregate supply curve to the left. If productivity increases, output increases hence shifting the curve to the right. The intersection between aggregate demand (AD) curve and short-run aggregate supply( SRAS) curve determines the equilibrium price level and equilibrium Real GDP which is also determined by whether AD curve shifts more than SRAS curve or vice versa. When the â€Å"

Medical Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Medical Report - Essay Example The cause of chronic pancreatitis includes cystic fibrosis, Hypercalcemia, hyperlipidemia or hypertriglyceridemia. Pancreas divisum which is a congenital anomaly is considered to cause pancreatitis. However, explanation as to how is not yet known. Signs and Symptoms for acute pancreatitis, present fever, nausea, and vomiting. On physical examination, abdominal pain and tenderness is evident. Symptoms of chronic pancreatitis may involve upper abdominal pain, indigestion, oily smelly stool, and weight loss. Diabetes may also develop thus insulin is given. On physical examination, the patient’s abdomen shows distension. Jaundice and dyspnea is also observed thus a stethoscope is used to assess irritation of the diaphragm. If palpation of the abdomen shows pain and a feeling of bloating, it suggests pancreatic pseudocyst which could be further confirmed with a CT scan. Laboratory tests to confirm diagnosis may include serum amylase and lipase. Techniques like therapeutic endoscopi c retrograde cholangiopancreatography( ERCP) and endoscopy are done to view organs involved. Prognosis is good if the cause is eliminated. However, for patients with complicated conditions can recover under intensive care. References P G Lankisch, P., Droge, M., & Gottesleben. F., (1995). Drug induced acute pancreatitis: incidence and severity, Gut. 37:565-567 Oreily, D.A., & Kingsnorth, A.N., (2001).

Acids and bases Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Acids and bases - Essay Example Acids and bases exhibit different sets of properties that classify them along the pH scale. Concentration of hydrogen ions in aqueous acidic solutions classifies the substances bellow pH value of seven, neutral state, while hydroxide ions concentration classifies alkaline solutions above seven in the pH scale. Presence of cat ions and anions in the basic and acidic solutions, as chemical properties, allows for reaction between acids and bases to form ionic salts and covalently bonded water molecules. Acids also react with metals and carbonates to form salts together with hydrogen gas and water and carbon (IV) oxide respectively (Moore, p. 171; CK-12, p. n.p.). Hydrochloric acid for example reacts with sodium hydroxide to yield sodium chloride and water. Similarly, zinc reacts with hydrochloric acid to form zinc chloride and hydrogen gas (Moore, p. 171; CK-12, p. n.p.). Acids and bases have different sets of properties that can be used to investigate them. Effects of the properties such as the corrosive nature of acids can physically indicate their presence. Acids also have a characteristic sourness and turn a litmus paper to red, a feature that used to test for acidity (Files, p. 1). Moore explains that acids have a corrosive effect that burns the skin. The chemicals also react with metals to form salt and hydrogen as shown bellow. Similarly, acids react with carbonates to form salt, water, and carbon (IV) oxide and with bases to form salt and water. Sodium hydroxide for example react with hydrochloric acid forming sodium chloride and water while hydrochloric acid reacts with calcium carbonate to form calcium chloride, carbon (IV) oxide and water as shown bellow. Bases however, â€Å"taste bitter, feel slippery on the skin, react with oil and greases, react with litmus paper and turn it blue† and form salt and water upon reaction with

The Third Sector Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Third Sector - Essay Example Environmental advocates, civil rights groups, and public awareness promoters all fall into the Third Sector. Some groups work on a very local level while others are national and international in scope, and everyone will, at some point, take advantage of the services they provide. While the number of organizations is large, and their missions widely different, they all share the common goal of serving the public by mobilizing donors and volunteers in a belief that individuals coming together for a shared purpose can make a difference in the world we live in. The Third Sector is grouped together according to the services they provide. The organizations within the group often serve similar if not identical functions such as within education. With education as a common denominator, the institutions will work together to promote the value of their services and work to provide greater availability and access. Groups will form coalitions to lobby for effective legislation that will allow them to function more effectively. Often times, groups such as the Red Cross and hospitals will share resources in an effort to deal with a natural disaster.

Counterfeit Merchandise Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Counterfeit Merchandise - Essay Example The global market for counterfeit goods has been increasing rapidly. Counterfeited goods accounted for 3-4% of the global trade in the past while according to recent estimates of the International Chamber of Commerce it has increased to 7% and is worth around US$350million (Vagg & Harris, 2000, p.108). The problem is extensive in proportions with the US and EU confiscating around US$94million worth goods and 85million counterfeit products respectively in the years 2002-2003(Hilton, Choi & Chen, 2004, p.345). Counterfeiting is prevalent in many sectors such as software, video, music, toys, aircraft spare parts, medicines, perfumes and fashion merchandise such as handbags, watches, textiles (Vithlani, 1998, p.8). Counterfeiting in the software, music and motion picture industry has been on the increase over the years due to technological innovations, reduced costs of counterfeiting and the ease with which the products can be counterfeited (Vithlani, 1997, p.10). Counterfeit spare parts in the aviation industry and fake medicines have serious and far reaching consequences on the health and safety of the people (Vithlani, 1998, p.15). The fashion industry has been plagued by the problem of counterfeit products for many years now. Replicating designs and trademark infringements have become a routine occurrence in the industry causing substantial losses in profits and loss of reputation for the original manufacturers. Fashion counterfeiting is especially rampant in UK and Italy. Counterfeits in perfumes are also common and perfume manufacturers spend around 1-2% of their annual revenues to combat counterfeiting. Many reasons can be cited for the prevalence of counterfeits in the fashion industry. One of the main reasons is that in many countries the trademarks are protected against counterfeiting however, the designs are not protected and don’t come

Anorexia Nervosa Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

Anorexia Nervosa - Essay Example For ethos, she mentioned that she is a recovering anorexic, making her more credible for the topic in the eyes of the audience. It is also easy to identify the main points --- what it is, who is affected, and its repercussions --- because Cheyanne mentions them at the onset of the presentation. The transitions from one point to another are clear because Cheyanne restates the main point before going further to discussing it. The citations or references are also easily identifiable either from her speech or via the visual aids. Towards the end of the speech, Cheyanne reviews the main points in the conclusion; however, the concluding piece is not so memorable. Cheyanne merely mentions that a person should approach and talk to anyone observed as having an eating disorder because anorexia is really a dangerous disease. In terms of delivery, the presentation is clear and to the point. However, some distracting non-verbal behaviors can be avoided, like walking and gesturing with the hands i n just any manner. Lesser references to the notecards would also be helpful. Overall, the speech is informative and interesting, but it could still benefit from improvements in terms of delivery. The presentation deserves 4 out of 5 stars. I did not lose interest while listening to Cheyanne. However, the presentations would look more professional and formal if there are lesser references to the notecards. Walking and hands/arm gestures can also be minimized by making the information or picture appear (or perhaps highlighted) on the screen once she refers to it.

Human resources - performance management Research Proposal

Human resources - performance management - Research Proposal Example This paper tries to explore if it is possible to implement the system effectively at the workplace. The main generations which would be considered in this context are the Baby Boomers, Generation X and Generation Y. The generation born between 1943 and 1960 are referred to as Baby Boomers, while those born between 1961 and 1980 are better known as Generation X while people born after 1980 are called Generation Y. The motivation behind this project to highlight on the importance of different performance management practices for the different generations. Critical Literature Today multiple generations are found to be employed at the place of work. However, in a manufacturing oriented economy, they are found to be distinguished from one another through organizational stratification and structural scenery of that economy. The older or senior employees are found to be working in the head offices holding the commanding positions, while the middle aged employees are found to be holding positions requiring high skills mainly belonging to the management cadre. The youngest, greenest who are considered to be most strong physically are found to hold the factory floors and accounted for the sales representatives, junior accountants, assistant managers etc. One of the major outcomes of this accidental blending of different generations is creativity. People belonging to different generations are likely to bring up different thoughts and yield new ideas for solving problems and creating future opportunities. (Zemke & Raines & Filipczak, 1999, p.10). The study would r eflect the some of the fundamental differences between the different generations in terms of their work habits, work ethics and career views and values. According to a research conducted by Raines (2007), the rich combination of different generations in organizations has called for changes in the recruitment and performance management strategies by employers. The results show that competition for talents have been escalating as there are more generations who have been working side by side. It is seen that the oldest members belonging to the generation of Baby boomers have been coming close to their age of retirement. However, this is also true that their performance and productivity is not the same as the Gen X and Gen Y. That is why they different performance evaluation practices. However, the ageing generation is also required in the organizations as they are rich talents and their knowledge is of high worth in the organizations (Raines, 2007, p.1). Recently a survey conducted by Next Step, which was led by Jenifer Vessels (1998), on four different generations in organizations aged between 20 years and 60 years belonging to both government agencies and private companies. The results showed that 72.3% of the respondents had been

Rizal in Japan Essay Example for Free

Rizal in Japan Essay JAPAN Among the happiest moments of Rizal in his life was his sojourn in the Land of the Cherry Blossoms. He stayed in Japan for one month and a half from February 28 to April 13, 1888. He was charmed by the natural beauty of Japan, the manners of the Japanese people and the picturesque of shrines. He also fell in love with a Japanese girl, who loveliness infused joy and romance in his sorrowing heart. Morning of Tuesday, February 28, 1888, Rizal arrived at Yokohama and stayed in the Grand Hotel. The following day, he moved to Tokyo and took a room at the Tokyo Hotel where he stayed from March 2 to 7. He was impressed by the city of Tokyo. After his arrival in Tokyo, Rizal was visited by Juan Perez caballero, secretary of Spanish Legation. The latter invited him to live at the Spanish Legation. Rizal knew that this was the Spanish government’s way of monitoring Rizal but he accepted anyways. On March 7, he moved out of Tokyo Hotel and lived at the Spanish Legation. He and Perez Caballero became good friends and described him as a young, fine and an excellent writer. During his first day in Tokyo, Rizal could talk the Japanese language. He had a hard time for shopping for he could not be understood and children laughed at him. With his situation, Rizal decided to study the Japanese language. He was able to speak within a few days. At Japan he studied the Japanese drama, arts, music, and judo. He also visited museums, libraries, art galleries, and shrines. He visited Meguro, Nikko, Hakone, Miyanoshita, and the charming villages of Japan. During one time, Rizal went to the park and heard the Tokyo band playing a classical work of Strauss. He was impressed by the great performances of the Western music. He thought to himself how admirable their renditions are and ondered how they have assimilated the modern European music to the extent of playing the beautiful masterpieces of the European composers so well. The band stopped playing and to his surprised they were speaking

Action Potentials In Squid Axon

Action Potentials In Squid Axon In 1952, Hodgkin and Huxley published a series of four papers in the Journal of Physiology (London) reporting their experiments to investigate the underlying events of the action potential. In their final paper, they derived a series of equations that describe the relationship between sodium conductance (gNa+), potassium conductance (gK+) and the membrane potential in a squid axon following electrical stimulation. Hodgkin and Huxley were awarded the Nobel Prize for this work. In this practical, you will use a computer program based on the Hodgkin and Huxley equations to show what is happening to the membrane potential, gNa+ and gK+ during and after electrical stimulation. An example of the output from the program is illustrated in figure 1. It can be seen that the electrical stimulation depolarises the membrane. Once a depolarisation of 30mV has occurred, the conductance to sodium ions increases rapidly and the membrane potential rises to +20mV. The rise in gK+ is slower in onset and lasts for longer than the increase in gNa+. The fall in gNa+ and the associated rise in gK+ returns the membrane potential towards the resting value. Figure 1: Simulation of changes in membrane potential, Na+ and K+ conductances following the application of a single electrical stimulus of 50  Ã‚ ­A/cm2 for 1  ms. The peak height, amplitude, latency and threshold of the action potential are shown. Methods and Results Run the Squid Giant Axon simulation from the Start menu, HHX. Experiments using a single electrical stimulus In the first series of experiments, you will use a single electrical stimulus to initiate an action potential. Run a simulation with the following parameters: Stimulus 1 Amplitude ( Ã‚ ­A/cm2) Stimulus 1 Duration (ms) Delay (ms) Stimulus 2 Amplitude ( Ã‚ ­A/cm2) Stimulus 2 Duration (ms) 50 1 0 0 0 A trace similar to figure 1 will be obtained. From this trace, you can measure the peak height, amplitude, latency and threshold of the action potential: Peak Height (mV) Amplitude (mV) Latency (ms) Threshold Voltage (mV) +19 109 0.46 -66 Q1 and 2. Investigate the effects of varying stimulus amplitude and duration by running all the simulations shown in the matrix below in Table 1: Enter a X in the Table 1 matrix for experiments that produce an action potential, and record the peak height, amplitude, latency and threshold of any action potentials in Table 2 overleaf. For experiments that fail to elicit an action potential, enter a O in the matrix below, and record a value of  ¥ (infinity) for the latency and - for the other parameters in the table overleaf. Table 1. Success/failure matrix Stimulus Strength ( Ã‚ ­A/cm2) Stimulus Duration (ms) 0.1 0.5 1 2 5 50 O X X X X 20 O X X X X 10 O O X X X 7 O O X X X 5 O O O X X 2 O O O O O Table 2: Action potential characteristics Stimulus Response Strength ( Ã‚ ­A/cm2) Duration (ms) Peak Height (mV) Amplitude (mV) Latency (ms) Threshold Voltage (mV) 2 0.1  ¥ 0.5  ¥ 1  ¥ 2  ¥ 5  ¥ 5 0.1  ¥ 0.5  ¥ 1  ¥ 2 14 104 2.89 -61 5 15 105 2.74 -59 7 0.1  ¥ 0.5  ¥ 1 12 102 4.38 -57 2 15 105 2.16 -58 5 16 106 2.16 -57 10 0.1  ¥ 0.5  ¥ 1 15 105 2.01 -61 2 16 106 1.62 -64 5 16 106 1.62 -64 20 0.1  ¥ 0.5 15 105 1.58 -64 1 16 106 1.02 -63 2 17 107 0.97 -66 5 17 107 1.04 -61 50 0.1  ¥ 0.5 17 107 0.59 -61 1 19 109 0.54 -60 2 19 109 0.52 -62 5 19 109 0.57 -58 Q3. Plot two graphs to show the relationship between: (i) Stimulus strength and latency and (ii) Stimulus duration and latency. How these graphs should be plotted is not immediately obvious, and information on how to complete this task will not be explicitly given! The optimal solution to the problem is for you to find, but the following points are provided for guidance: It is not legitimate to plot infinity on graphs It is not appropriate to extrapolate beyond data points It is not legitimate to plot average latencies. The graphs must be plotted so that every value of latency (except  ¥) is represented. Use the blank sheet on the proforma, there is no need to use graph paper. Graph 1 : Stimulus strength and latency Remember you need to distinguish different stim durations in this gr Graph 2: Stimulus Duration and Latency Make sure you distinguish different strengths as well These can be plotted accurately using excel for your submitted report. Experiments with dual stimuli Q4. Run a simulation with the following parameters to demonstrate the absolute refractory period: Simulation Stimulus 1 Amplitude ( Ã‚ ­A/cm2) Stimulus 1 Duration (ms) Delay (ms) Stimulus 2 Amplitude ( Ã‚ ­A/cm2) Stimulus 2 Duration (ms) A 50 0.5 4 50 0.5 B 50 0.5 4 100 0.5 Briefly describe the responses obtained in simulations A and B in the space below: In A the first and second stimulus is equal. The first stimulus causes an action potential whilst the second stimulus does not. The delay is only 4ms. The membrane is at the absolute refractory period when the second stimulus is sent. Therefore an action potential cannot be produced. The first stimulus for A causes the gK value to change from -0.36 to 6.0. The gNa, 0.01, does not increase for the second stimulus and the peak reached is -92mV for the second stimulus and the threshold is -52mV. In B the second stimulus is larger than the first one but the delay remains the same at 4ms. The increase of the stimulus does not cause an action potential. This suggests it must be in the absolute refractory period because a larger stimulus should be able to generate an action potential if it is in the relative refractory period. The value of gK changes from -0.36 to -5.87. The peak was -83mV Q5. Repeat the simulations, but with a longer delay between stimuli: Simulation Stimulus 1 Amplitude ( Ã‚ ­A/cm2) Stimulus 1 Duration (ms) Delay (ms) Stimulus 2 Amplitude ( Ã‚ ­A/cm2) Stimulus 2 Duration (ms) C 50 0.5 7 50 0.5 D 50 0.5 7 100 0.5 Compare and contrast the responses obtained in simulations C and D with those of A and B. Stimulation C and D has a longer delay between the first and second stimulus than stimulation A and B. Stimulations C has a lower second stimulus than D but the same as A. Likewise for Simulation A which has a lower second stimulus than B. Stimulation B and D have got the same amplitude for the second stimulus. The second stimulus, like A, for simulation C did not generate an action potential. Whilst with simulation D, unlike B, an action potential was generated. This is because in the absolute refractory period it is not possible for an action potential to be generated hence why simulation B did not produce an action potential. The delay in stimulation C and D is longer therefore the membrane is in the relative refractory period. This is suggested by the action potential produced in D. The extra delay in D enables more inactivation gates to open generating an action potential. The larger amplitude in D caused the membrane to reach threshold. Discussion Answer the questions below in the spaces provided. This will provide the basis of your report discussion Q6. Briefly justify why a latency of  ¥ was recorded if an action potential was not produced. Latency is the time from the start of the stimulus to threshold. If no action potential is produced then it is not ever possible for it to reach threshold, -59mV, therefore it has to be labelled as infinity because no matter how long you wait you will never reach threshold. Q7. What evidence from your results suggests that action potentials are threshold phenomena? Only the experiments which reached threshold value produced an action potential, refer to table one. For example when the strength of the stimulus is 2mA/cm2 no action potential was produced but the membrane potential did change however it did not reach threshold. When the strength of the stimulus was increased the, for example to 5 mA/cm2, and the duration of the stimulus as increased to 2ms then an action potential was reached. This is because the membrane must depolarise to the threshold level therefore generating an action potential with the same amplitude. This is the all or nothing principle. Q8. Comment briefly on the amplitude of the action potentials generated in these experiments. In all the experiments, table 2, which an action potential was generated, the amplitude was always similar even though the stimulus strength and duration had changed. This is part of the all or nothing principle. The amplitude was always around 106mV showing that action potentials are not graded. The frequency of the action potential is determined by the intensity of the stimulus. The frequency of action potential is caused during the relative refractory period. Graded potentials can be larger and last longer than action potentials. Therefore during the relative refractory period if the graded potential is stronger than the threshold at resting then it will produce another action potential. If the graded potential last longer than the relative refractory period an action potential will also be generated. Both these factor effect the frequency of action potentials. Q9. From Graph 1, describe the effect of increasing stimulus strength on the latency of the action potential. The graph shows that the strength of the stimulus increases as the latency decreases. For example, when the stimulus strength is 5mA/cm2 and has duration of 2ms the latency is 2.89ms. When the stimulus strength is increased to 50mA/cm2 for the same duration of 2ms the latency decreased to 0.52ms. This shows that the latency has decreased by 2.37ms. Latency is the time from the start of the stimulus to the threshold. Therefore as the strength of the stimulus increases, the time for an action potential to be generated decreases. Q10. From Graph 2, describe the effect of increasing stimulus duration on the latency of the action potential. The graph shows a larger effect with the lower stimulus strength. For example if the stimulus strength is 50mA/cm2 and the duration is 0.5 the latency is 0.59ms and if the duration is 5ms the latency is 0.57. However, if the stimulus strength is 10mA/cm2 and the duration is 1ms the latency is 2.01ms and if the duration increases to 3ms the latency is 1.62ms. Latency is the time from the start of the stimulus to the threshold. Therefore as the duration of the stimulus increases, the time for an action potential to be generated decreases. Sodium permeability increase in membrane Number of sodium channel open increaseQ11. Draw a simple flow diagram to illustrate the positive feedback cycle that results in the rapid depolarizing phase of the action potential. Activation gates open Membrane depolarises Stimulus causing to reach threshold Positive feedback Charge of cell increases causing depolarisation Influx of sodium into cell increase Q12. What event at the ion channel level terminates the above cycle? 1ms after the activation gate open the inactivation gate closes. This is a delay response of the depolarisation. The channel is now incapable of opening until it reaches near resting potential; this is when the inactivation gate opens. Therefore the sodium channels closes and sodium ions cant enter the cell. Also the opening of the potassium channels helps terminates this cycle. Q13. What physiological mechanism is responsible for the absolute refractory period? Absolute refractory period is during the depolarisation and most of the repolarisation phase. At this point the sodium channels inactivation gates are closed and the activation gates are open. Therefore the channel is closed and incapable of opening so an action potential cannot be generated by another stimulus in this period. Q14. Explain your observations to simulations C and D in the Methods and Results section. Stimulations C have a lower second stimulus than D. The second stimulus, for C did not generate an action potential but simulation D did. The delay in stimulation C and D is long therefore the membrane is in the relative refractory period. This is suggested by the action potential produced in D because the larger stimulus amplitude. The extra delay in D, compared to B, enables more inactivation gates to open allowing. Also the larger stimulus allows another action potential to be generated. Q15. Briefly summarise two effects that refractory periods impose on the behaviour of neurones (N.B. restatement of the definitions of refractory periods is not what is asked here) There are two types of refractory period absolute and relative. During the absolute refractory period no action potential can be produced. In the relative an action potential can only be produced depending on the strength of the stimulus. Therefore there is a minimum delay required before a second action potential can be generated. Also it controls the frequency of the action potential generated. This period also helps ensure action potential can only move in one direction. Questions to answer after the practical. Q 16 . Most Local anaesthetics are Sodium channel blockers. Describe how these compounds work, the side-effects and what their main clinical uses are. ( max 300 words). Local anaesthetics are weak bases which are used for loss of pain and muscle power so that a particular area of the body becomes numb. When sodium channel blockers, like lidocaine, enter the body it will be equilibrium with the tissue fluid. The anaesthetic will be in its ionised and non-ionised form. The non-ionised form will be able to pass through. It will be become partially ionised and cant leave, ion trapping. The ionised form will bind to the sodium channel. This will prevent sodium ions from entering the cell and therefore it cannot be depolarised. As a result it does not reach threshold and an action potential is not generated. Consequently the nerve cells cant signal to the brain so pain cant be felt or muscle cant be moved. (Tuckley, 1994). There are many different local anaesthetic available with the side effects differing for each drug and. The general side-effects can be, for example, numbness, sickness, lower blood pressure, light headedness and drowsiness. Not all of these are felt by the patient. (Joint Formulary Committee (2010). The anaesthetic can be administered in by several methods, for example, a dentist will use an injection to the mouth. The effect of the anaesthetics will only be felt by the area in which it is injected in. Dentist will use local anaesthetic so that their patient will have loss of pain only in their mouth. Therefore the patient will not be able to feel any pain whilst the dentist carries out the procedure. It is also used for some eye surgery and minor skin surgery. (Tuckley, 1994). Referencing Tuckley, J, M. (1994).The pharmacology of local anaesthetic agents, Pharmacology, 4, 7. Joint Formulary Committee (2010). British National Formulary. (59th ed.). London: Pharmaceutical Press. Q17. Will these compounds work if they dont block all the Na channels ? Why ? (Use your experimental data to help answer this question) During the relative refractory period some channels are open allowing a second action potential to be generated. For example for stimulation D an action potential was produced for the second stimulus because the cell was in its relative refractory period. However for stimulation C an action potential was not produced for the second stimulus, even though the delay was the same. However the second stimulus was larger for D than C. Therefore if the compound does not block all the sodium channels then an action potential may be generated depending on the number of sodium channels blocked and the strength of the stimulus because the concept is very similar to the relative refractory period as some of the channels are not be open but in this case some channels are blocked. In both cases, relative refractory period and local anaesthetic, some channels allow sodium ions to enter the cell. As a result the compound will not work.

Productivity Rate Of Roof Works For Project Scheduling Construction Essay

Productivity Rate Of Roof Works For Project Scheduling Construction Essay Abstract: In Malaysia, there is no research done specifically on collecting construction productivity data to serve as a guideline and standards for use by all players in the construction industry. Similar to JKR, as the largest implementers of government projects, the current practice on approval the schedule of works that submitted by contractors are mostly based on the engineers gut feeling/opinion and past experience. There is no standard procedure and guidelines to review and checking the duration and resources allocation in each activity in contractors work program. As an effort, this study will start with focusing on the identification of factors that influencing roofing works productivity in construction project. Those factors can be obtained through a series of statistical analysis based on the data collected from questionnaire and interview with the experts. Data from previous projects also very important in order to get the actual productivity rate for roof works. Finally, the expected finding for this study will be: a) List of factors that influence the productivity rate for roof works, b) The critical factors affecting most to productivity rate for roofing works, c) A metrics of productivity rate for roof works as a standard and guideline for improving JKR projects scheduling. 1.0 INTRODUCTION Managing construction projects always requires constant monitoring of project performance and the updating on project schedule. Project performance data and productivity data from the construction field is a key role in evaluating and predicting project performance in term of cost and schedule. According to Motwani et al. (1995), the productivity in construction has always been very difficult to measure and control. Even though, productivity in construction hard to measure, there is a need to use it for timely decisions and reduce the negative impacts on cost and schedule. Therefore, the integration of historical productivity data with the on-going performance data in construction field are required (Hwang and Liu, 2005). Hwang and Liu, (2009) presented that an accurate productivity prediction is important for managing construction projects. In fact, a construction project is commonly to be successful when it is delivering within its budget and timeline. The planning and control process also explains the importance of accurate productivity estimate which first, estimating time and cost of construction activities that inevitably requires productivity estimates (Hinze, 1998), and second, integrated management of time and cost must involved productivity factor (Dawood and Molson, 1997). There are most previous studies focusing on defining factors influence productivity and measuring limited parts of activities at micro level to investigate the relationship between factors and productivity. A standard construction productivity metric system that more reliable is a critical element in construction productivity performance evaluation and improvement process. There need a tool to drive performance improvement through internal and external benchmarking. Park, et al., (2005) present that nowadays, demand from the construction industry on developing acceptable construction productivity metrics and standardized productivity data are the main issues to focus by the industry players and researches. Problem Statement As the main technical agencies for the Government of Malaysia, Public Work Department (PWD) or Jabatan Kerja Raya (JKR) entrusted to implement development projects throughout the country. It is the goal of JKR to ensure that the organization is run efficiently and effectively in order to achieve the vision, mission and objectives of the department. JKR is responsible to ensure that all the projects must be implemented well, complete on time, within the budget and provide quality products. In 9th Malaysian Plan (RMK 9), most of JKR projects cannot be deliver on time. For example, about 41% of projects in JKR Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur cannot be delivering on time which is most of it are due to wrongly estimate the duration of the construction activities in project scheduling. It is also regarding to lack of competency of JKR officers in reviewing and giving advice to contractors especially in preparing realistic projects work program. This problem can be categorized as serious m atter and give high impact to the overall performance of JKR due to unsatisfaction of client with JKRs reputation. As the biggest technical government agency, there should be a way to solve the problem so that it will improve JKR image and give high reputation to the clients. 1 Master Student, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. 2 Supervisor, Professor Dr, Lecturer of Faculty of Civil Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. There should be a standard productivity rate of each activity in the project in order to guide the contractor and the JKR supervision team to plan and implement the projects successfully. Therefore, the study on productivity rate of roof works for building project scheduling as an effort and starting point to develop the standard productivity rate of project activities for JKRs projects. In fact, this study is consistent with JKR strategies and action plan in achieving Effective Implementation of Malaysia 5 Years Plan especially to ensure that projects are implemented through appropriate implementation methodologies to meet customer needs and outcomes. One of the action plans stated in JKR Strategic Framework is to establish effective project performance tracking system which is JKR must analyzing all data that related to the project in order to improve JKR project implementation (JKR, 2007). The Objectives The aim of this study is to establish the productivity rate of roof works for JKR building projects scheduling. In order to achieve this, the following are the objectives of the study: To identify the factors that influence the productivity of roof works To establish the relationship between influence factors and productivity of roof works To develop a metrics of productivity rate for roof works Scope of Study There are certain limitations to be follow to ensure that this study is completed within the time frame given. Firstly, this study only takes into consideration on all projects which implement in central region of Peninsular Malaysia i.e. projects in JKR Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur and JKR Selangor. Second, the sample for this study is concentrate only in school projects which are the most of JKR projects implementation in 9th Malaysian Plan. Since standard design was using in school projects, the area of roof is fixed. This given the standardization to estimate the productivity rate for roofing works referring to the floor area involved. Roof trusses in construction projects can be classified in timber roof trusses, hot rolled roof trusses, cold form roof trusses and etc. The third limitation of this study is only taking into consideration of the cold form roof trusses because most of the school projects are using this type of trusses. In addition, JKR already has a list of 22 names of cold form roof trusses suppliers which their design have been reviewed and approved by the JKR Structure Expert Division. This list is for the JKR officers in state and district office to choose for their projects especially school projects. Forth, part of roof covering for this study only take into consideration one(1) types which is concrete roof tiles including insulations. 2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW Recently, construction productivity is on a long-term slide and it is recognized as industry challenge. System, people, materials, information and energy must flow effectively and efficiently to produce its objective at high productivity to complete construction at lowest possible cost with possible shortest timeframe (Picard, 2005). Productivity is critically important in construction industry. Many researchers have expressed their concern over productivity in construction industry. Defining productivity is not a simple task to everybody. Different people will give different definition and understanding. Most of them agreed that marketable output was essentially the main measure used. Increased productivity was a leading concern to all Committee stakeholders such as users, contractors, and construction labor unions and led by the owner. The construction users emphasized the need of collecting data directly relevant to productivity improvement. The Committee was concluded that the front-line construction foreman/supervisor would be a reliable source of information. These informants would be asked to provide their judgment of the greatest impediments to a productive construction project (Tucker, 2003). Definition of productivity Within these several decades, many researchers have defined the productivity term in their studies in a number of ways. The term productivity has different meanings to different people. Many individuals automatically think only of labor unions when the term productivity is mentioned. Others associate capital expenditures with the term. Each of these interpretations is only partly correct (Adrian, 1993). Many researchers have attempted to define precisely the meaning of productivity and below are some of it that referred from their studies: Oglesby et al. (1989), presented that productivity can be defined as in-place value divided by inputs. Some researchers have defined it as works-hours divided by the equivalent quantity of work. In construction, productivity normally can be understood as work quantity divided by man-hours (or work-hours) consumed to accomplish the work. Productivity = Work Quantity Man-hours According to Dolman, Parham, Zheng, (2007), productivity is a measure in order to know how much output is produced per unit of input. Diewert Lawrence, (2006) presented that productivity can be defined as the level of economic output per unit of input and also per worker. Productivity is important to the wealth and well-being of a nation and give efforts to improve productivity occur at all levels of society. Thomas and Mathew, (1986) presented that no standardized productivity definition had been established in the construction industry. It is difficult to define a standard productivity measure because companies use their own systems which are not standardized. Association simply illustrates the productivity between an output and an input. The form has been widely used and existing in literature over the years in construction industry is; Productivity = Input/Output 2.3 Measurement of productivity There is controversy surrounding productivity that rooted in the differences in data collection. It is due to incorrect in assuming productivity measured uniformly and that all published productivity values have the same basis (Whiteside, 2006). Overall conception of productivity is difficult to express or to measure. It is sometimes expressed either in terms of output from labor or from services or from capital invested. These parts of expressions often do not give an accurate picture of the overall position. Although, there are measurements of some or all of the inputs and outputs of the industry but they still failed to combine these measurements into any satisfactory measure of efficiency. In fact, the ratio is easy to compute if the unit uses a single input to produce a single output (Choy, 2008). Although there are numbers of publications exist on construction productivity, there is no agreed upon definition of work activities nor a standard productivity measurement system. Most of researchers have concluded that it is difficult to obtain a standard method to measure construction labor productivity because of project complexity and unique characteristics of the construction projects (Oglesby et al. 1989). The uniqueness and non repetitive of operation in construction projects make it is difficult to develop a standard productivity definition and measure (Sweis, 2000). Factors influence productivity in construction Lim et al., (1995) has studied that factors affecting productivity in the construction industry in Singapore, indicated the problems affecting productivity were difficulty with recruitment of supervisors, difficulty with recruitment of workers, high rate of labor turnover, absenteeism from the work site and communication problems with the foreign workers. Olomolaiye et al., (1996) also studied that factors affecting productivity of craftsmen in Indonesia show the findings indicating craftsmen in this country spent 75 % of their time working productively. There are five specific productivity problems were identified such as lack of materials, rework, absenteeism, lack of equipment and tools. Kane et al., (cited in Herbsman et al., 1990) has classified the factors affecting construction productivity into two main groups which is technological factors and administrative factors. The technological factors involved those related to the design of the project and the administrative group factors are related to the management and construction of the project. Technological factors are comprises of sub-groups such as design factors, material factors and location factors. Administrative factors are comprises of sub-groups, such as construction methods and procedural factors, equipment factors, labor factors and social factors. Based on Heizer and Render (1990), they classified that factors influencing site productivity into 3 groups which are labour characteristic factors, project work conditions factors and non-productive activities. Olomolaiye et al., (1998) also stated that factors affecting construction productivity are rarely constant and may vary from country to country, fro m project to project and even within the same project which are depending on circumstances. They classified the factors influencing construction productivity into 2 categories which are external and internal. That means its representing those outside the control of the firms management and those originating within the firm. The external factors included the nature of the industry, construction client knowledge of construction procedure, weather and level of economic development. The internal factors included management, technology, labor and labor unions. Choi, (2007), stated that based on his finding, weather and poor communication prove to be the greatest impediment to roofing productivity, whereas the field workers pointed out that roof pitch, height and age of the roof along weather were major causes for lack of productivity in their job at site. He also stressed that roofing contractor generally not consider safety as a high priority in their business. Metrics an overview According to Melnyk et al., (2004), they stated that metrics are fulfill with the fundamental activities measuring (evaluating how we are doing), educating (communicating what is important and how we intend to deliver value to our customers) and directing (flagging potential problems by size of gap between the metrics and standards). Ideally, metrics are consistent with the way operation delivers value to the customers. Based on Melnyk et al., (2005), they presented that metric is a verifiable measure which consists of three elements such as; a) the specific measure, b) the standard (the numerical values that identifies the minimum threshold of performance, and c) the environment which the activity or person being measured operates. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY In order to achieve the objectives, Figure 1.1 illustrated the schematic of research methodology for this study. Generally, it consists of four distinct phases, which are phase 1, phase 2, phase 3 and phase 4. 3.1 Phase 1 Selection of the topic has been done after gone through JKR listing of significance topics that can contribute to department as a whole. Topic of the study and proposed productivity rate of roof works is important to JKR building project scheduling to ensure all project can be completed on time with good quality. Based on previous researchers, there are several measurements on productivity rate in construction. This study will be focusing on the identification of factors that influencing roofing works productivity in JKR projects. From this scenario, the objectives of this study has been identified which are identifying of factors influence, the relationship and the establishing productivity rate of roof works. In such way, the focus of this topic must be in line with study limitation. In order to strengthen knowledge and ideas in this research area, extensive reading from journals and books must be thoroughly done. Besides that, preliminary site observation has been conducted to the selected site. Furthermore, the preliminary interview was conducted to get overview information about productivity rate of roof works. Due to time constraint, the observation has been done only for school projects. 3.2 Phase 2 A few samples of studies will be identifying purposely for running through the method of productivity measurement for getting accurate and practical data. Observation on quantity of roof works per man hours should be performing at site. During observation at site, interview with the expert is use as a tool to collect information data on how the productivity rate of roof works can be estimate and what are the factors influences the productivity rate Several interviewees will be selected based on qualification and experienced more than 10 years especially contractors and suppliers. Beside that, questionnaire will be distributed to technical person such as supervisor, engineer, manager and contractors to obtain their opinion in term of productivity rate of roof works. 3.3 Phase 3 In this stage, all the data from the questionnaires and interviews will compile. The data will be analyze accordingly and transform into productivity rate. Data analyzing, there will be a confirmation on what are the factors influence productivity rate of roof works will be getting through data analyzing, while standard productivity rate metrics of roof works will be producing after transform all the data into productivity rate by using appropriate statistical analysis. 3.4 Phase 4 Extract from data obtained in Phase 3, some proposal or recommendation will be highlighted in order to enhance a metrics of standard productivity rate for future building project scheduling. EXPECTED RESULTS The expected results of this study in next semester are: a) List of factors that influence the productivity rate for roof works, b) The critical factors affecting most to productivity rate for roofing works, c) A metrics of productivity rate for roof works as a standard and guideline for improving JKR projects scheduling. Selection of Topic Identify the Objective and Scope Phase 1 Preliminary Site Observation Literature Review Preliminary Interview Objective.(c) Objective.(b) Objective.(a) Case Studies Identify the factors influence Observation on quantity of works/ man hours DATA COLLECTION Interview with Experts Selecting several experts with experience more than 10 years Phase 2 DATA ANALYSIS Figure 1.1: Schematic of Research Methodology TENTATIVE SCHEDULE The following table is the tentative schedule for final project in next semester:

History of the Byzantine Era and Significance Today Essay -- World His

Like John of Damascus, Theodore the Studite was an important literary figure and one of the principal people involved with the writing of the Canons. Theodore the Studite lived from 759-826 CE, and served as the abbot of the monastery of Studius in Constantinople from 798 CE until his death. Like John, Theodore was a defender of icons and believed that Iconoclasm was heresy. Theodore's arguments against Iconoclasm can be found in his three formal tracts and in his letter that opposed Iconoclasm based on the human side of Christ's nature, and on Theodore's belief that symbolism was necessary in religious worship. Though Theodore did admit that God could not, and should not be depicted in art, he still believed that the denial of the legitimacy of Icons of Christ meant the denial of the Incarnation. He argued that it was false to hold the belief, as the Iconoclasts did, that the symbol was the same as the essence it symbolized. Had this been true, he believed that the defende rs of images would have agreed that the legitimate icon of Christ was the sacred elements of prayer and conscious. Along with his writings and stances against the Iconoclasm, Theodore also created two important funeral orations, one for his mother Theoctista, whom he painted as a pious yet practical Byzantine lady, and another for his uncle Plato, abbot of the Saccudion monastery, whose rules had provided Theodore with a pattern that would aid him in his own monastic reforms. These works, by Theodore, provide arguments from the Iconoclasm periods, and also, from his personal history that give scholars a view into that period of the Byzantine history. Another influential scholar was Maximus the Confessor. In his early years, he studied philosophy, g... ...s F.X. The Western Humanities Volume I: Beginnings Through the Renaissance. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 2010. Newman, Garfield. Echoes from the Past World History to the 16th Century. Whitby, Ont: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited, 2001. Nicol, Donald MacGillivray, Teall, John L. â€Å"Byzantine Empire.† Britannica Online Encyclopaedia Academic Edition. Accessed January 27, 2014. Retrieved From http://0-www.britannica.com.aupac.lib.athabascau.ca/EBchecked/topic/87186/Byzantine-Empire â€Å"St Maximus the Confessor.† Orthodox Church of America. Last Modified January 21, 2014. Accessed February 20, 2014. Retrieved From http://oca.org/saints/lives/2014/01/21/100249-st-maximus-the-confessor â€Å"Who is Saint Maximus?† St. Maximus the Confessor Orthodox Mission. Accessed February 20, 2014. Retrieved From http://www.stmaximus.org/who_is_st_maximus.html

Anthropologie du Bo (Théorie et Pratique du gris-gris) :: French Essays

Anthropologie du Bo (Thà ©orie et Pratique du gris-gris) ABSTRACT: Subjective knowledge should not be separated from anthropology. But, unfortunately, this is the prevailing practice. The anthropology of Bo expresses the presence of Africa in anthropology. The authenticity of the African is found in his fervent practice of Bo. His thought, action, relations with others-his entire way of life-is based on the practice of Bo insofar as he wears Bo names. Bo is deeply rooted in his cultural values and comprises the background for all social organizations and thus acts as a social regulator. In Western anthropology there is a scientific mind; in African anthropology there is a Bo mentality that attempts to understand the world and then conquer it. Problà ©matique Le premier devoir de l'homme selon Socrate, est de se connaà ®tre soi-mà ªme. De philosophique cette connaissance est devenue anthropologique de nos jours. L'anthropologie est une science qui tend à   l'exclusion des autres, des autres hommes, des autres socià ©tà ©s, des autres cultures. L'homme qu'elle connaà ®t n'est pas un à ªtre abstrait, mais un homme concret, de tel continent, de telle race, de tel pays, de telle culture. C'est par exemple l'africain en gà ©nà ©ral ou le bà ©ninois en particulier. Ainsi nous allons au cours de ce vingtià ¨me (XXà ¨me) Congrà ¨s Mondial de Philosphie, rà ©flà ©chir sur l'homme en nous appuyant sur sa pratique du Bo (concept fon traduit en franà §ais par gris-gris). Dans l'Homme et l'adaptation au milieu, Renà © DUBOS à ©crit à   la page : "On a gà ©nà ©ralement tendance à   considà ©rer que les actività ©s scientifiques (recherches, etc...) sont à   mettre à   part de l'ensemble des manifestations de la vie humaine, et mà ªme qu'elles sont au-dessus ; cette tendance est dangeureuse pour l'humanità © ; elles risque mà ªme de freiner le progrà ¨s scientifique. En fait, vu les rapports à ©troits qui existent entre l'entreprise scientifique et la totalità © de la vie sociale, il est probable que la poursuite de la science ne sera possible que si les savants parviennent à   rattacher leur curiosità © professionnelle aux intà ©rà ªts et aux aspirations de l'humanità © en gà ©nà ©ral... Le choix des priorità ©s ne pourra plus se faire uniquement selon les crità ¨res de prà ©fà ©rence presonnelle ; de plus en plus il sera fonction des exigences de la socià ©tà ©. La science est comparable à   un organisme qui ne peut survi vre qu'en s'adaptant à   l'à ©volution de la socià ©tà © au sein de laquelle elle fonctionne". Cette longue citation de l'anthropologue amà ©ricain à ©claire d'une lumià ¨re vive nos prà ©occupations dans le choix de notre sujet "ANTHROPOLOGIE DU BO" (thà ©orie et pratique du gris-gris).

Feasibility of Nationalising the South African Mining Sector Essay

Introduction The mining industry forms the foundation of South Africa’s economy. Currently South Africa is the biggest producer of platinum in the world and one of the top producers of gold. Julius Malema, the leader of the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) was at the forefront of having a detailed perspective on the nationalisation of mines in South Africa at the beginning of 2010. Malema believes the nationalisation of mines will solve all economic disparities in South Africa. There are many South Africans who agree or disagree with this idea. The following discussion will provide answers to why it should be done and who benefits or why it should not be done and what the shortcomings are and the costs that the country will incur if it were to be done as well as examples of nationalisation in other countries (Roberts, 2011). Discussion Nationalisation is the operation of transferring ownership from the private sector to the public sector. According to the minister of finance, Mr Pravin Gordhan stated on the March 14, 2011 that nationalisation of South Africa’s mines and other economic assets are not government policy. â€Å"Nationalisation of mines means the democratic government’s ownership and control of Mining activities, including exploration, extraction, production, processing, trading and beneficiation of Mineral Resources in South Africa†(ANCYL, 2010). Therefore this would mean that no mines would be publicly owned but they would be owned by the state. It has been sixteen years since apartheid and the white minority of 10% of the population owns 80% of the country’s economic wealth. The Freedom Charter is a document that expresses the economic, social and political will of South Africans and according to the document, the mineral wealth of South Africa belongs to the people as a nation. â€Å"It is against this background upon which a concrete position on the nationalisation of Mines is formulated in order to guide the ANC in the transfer of mineral wealth beneath the soil to the ownership and benefit of the people as a whole† (ANCYL, 2010). If the state owns the mines it would allow them to manage the economy by controlling the important industries. They could also invest a larger amount of money and make their services more efficient. Nationalisation of the mines does not mean all sectors are in the hands of the country’s citizens and that they will benefit from all the sectors. It does not yet say anywhere what the ratio (between state owned and privately owned) of the division will be when nationalisations occurs, if it does. Therefore people shouldn’t think that the state will automatically have over half or a larger percentage. An important factor is whether nationalisation will be with or without compensation. It would almost be impossible to nationalise with compensation as the government currently doesn’t have the figure of about R 2-trillion which is how much it would cost to purchase the mines. But on the other hand, expropriation without compensation would cause a collapse of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). This would bring down provident and pension funds at the same time. A large number of servants and citizens would be without their retirement investments as well (ANCYL, 20 10). Therefore this poses a big problem already. Some people might think why the mines should be nationalised. Below are three reasons. 1. â€Å"Nationalisation to increase the State’s fiscal capacity and better the working conditions† (ANCYL, 2010). It states that the money received from taxes is not enough to help each and every single South African citizen, which it is not. Education, healthcare, safety and security and housing will not be provided to the masses if the government is not in control of the important sectors. There have been other success stories, such as in Botswana where nationalising the mines provided mineworkers with a safer working environment and higher wages. 2. â€Å"Nationalise to Industrialise and Create more jobs† (ANCYL, 2010). More jobs will be created and industrial investors will be attracted to add to education, expertise and the economy. 3. â€Å"Nationalisation to transform South Africa’s unequal spatial development patterns† (ANCYL, 2010). This means the areas that will be focused on will be ones which will be sustainable in the future as well as effective. Smaller areas that have never been mined before could be targeted as it will provide more jobs in these areas which rarely see economic activity (ANCYL, 2010). Malema believes that everybody in South Africa has the right to the wealth that is produced and that the state should own the larger part of the mines. â€Å"South Africa is divided as we speak. We’ve got two economies in one country, two nations in one country, and it is nationalisation that will unite us† (Andrew, 2011). He also believes many jobs will be created once the mines are nationalised. Patrice Motsepe, a South African businessman, states that he would back Malema’s decision as long as it is in the best interests of South Africa. The ANCYL believes South Africa’s minerals, water, land and marine resources should be used to maximise growth of South Africa’s economy and not purely for profit (Shivambu, 2010). If the mines are nationalised, new economic centres will be developed, new industrial development zones will be established, jobs will be created as the mines owned and controlled by the state will increase local beneficiation and industrialisation of the available mineral resources, and local economies will be developed (Shivambu, 2010). General Secretary of Congress of South African Trade Union (COSATU), Zwelinzima Vavi says that â€Å"Nationalisation can bolster our economy and it will always ensure development† (Beukes, 2011). He said that the nationalisation of the mines will make available money to all the people of the country, not only those who are currently working in the private sector (current mine owners) (Beukes, 2011). One of the ANCYL’s argument is that nationalisation was a demand found in the Freedom Charter and that South African citizens should share the mineral wealth of the nation between each and every one (Achary, 2010). Thus there are valid reasons for the mines to be nationalised but the major concern is the cost that the country would incur to make nationalisation happen. â€Å"Nationalisation is an unaffordable, untimely and frankly unnecessary suggestion, which has already undermined market stability† (Time, 2009). It would cost South Africa R1.4 to R2 trillion to nationalise the mines which seems silly if you think South Africa has the fifth biggest mining industry in the world. This figure does not include extra running costs as well as the costs that go with running loss-running mines. This shows it is a big part of the economy and would be tough to be nationalised. This figure is the same as trebling South Africa’s national debt over a single night, which is unrealistic (Time, 2009). â€Å"The debate on the thorny issue heated up with business executives and analysts warning that nationalisation would damage the economy† (Isa, 2011). Many say it is a disaster and has been for every country who has tried to pull it off. Susan Shabangu said â€Å"consideration of the step was misguided, as the real issue was to address povert y, unemployment, and inequality† (Isa, 2011). This shows that the debates that are ongoing will deter foreign investments. The ANC do realise that it’s close to impossible to nationalise the mines and come off on the right foot but are currently looking at models of how it could be implemented effectively (Isa, 2011). The nationalisation of mines has also been seen as a ploy to try and save Black Economic Empowerment (which has been in place in South Africa for a while, but has not achieved what it hoped to) and not focusing on the amount of poor in the country as well as the amount of unemployed workers (Business Day, 2011). The market value of South African mines (listed) is almost 850 billion rand which is above a third of the country’s total Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Therefore the government should be more concerned over matters such as the education level and the health of the countries people. â€Å"Zambia nationalised the copper mines, which supplied 90% of its exports, in the early 1970s. It ended up hiring back the multinational copper companies to manage them† (News24, 2010). Zambia is the world’s 11th largest producer of copper. The mines were nationalised in 1969 and at this time were exporting about 700 000 tonnes of copper per annum. By the year 2000, exporting figures had constantly decreased to 225 000 tonnes. The result of the decline was partly because of a lack of investments as well as mismanagement of the mines. â€Å"Zambia has neither the capital nor the skills to run the mines by itself† (Time, 1969). Other factors were the drop in the price of copper, a lack of skills among the citizens in Zambia and they were unable to raise capital. They lacked a strong plan with which to back up their initial aim (Time, 1969). Restrictions were placed on exports and imports which resulted in exchange rates rising and therefore gains from exports reduced. Zambia also failed to save earnings when the copper price was high and thus when the price fell, they suffered immensely. Even though the situation is not exactly the same, it does show that to nationalise mines a lot of debate needs to occur as well as research and obviously the country needs the required funds to make sure it can be made possible. South Africa does not have these funds at the moment and thus would not be able to nationalise the mines unless they are willing to operate with huge debts which is unfeasible (Osei-Hwedie, 2003). Conclusion â€Å"Nationalisation is an unaffordable, untimely and frankly unnecessary suggestion, which has already undermined market stability† (George, 2009). This statement sums up the idea of nationalisation of mines in South Africa. It obviously has its advantages such as giving higher wages and creating more jobs but it is clearly evident that the positives are outweighed by the negatives. With so many jobs in South Africa’s mining sector at stake, it is irresponsible to talk about placing this key sector of the economy in the hands of government people. The country does not have nearly enough funds for this project to take place and thus in my view should not take place in even in the near future (Marais, 2010). Reference List ACHARY, N. (2010). Nationalising the Mining Sector in South Africa [Online]. Available: http://www.suite101.com/content/nationalising-the-mining-sector-in-south-africa-a281585 [Accessed 25 September 2011]. ANCYL (2010). Towards the Transfer of Mineral Wealth to the Ownership of the People as a Whole: A Perspective on Nationalisation of Mines. [Online]. Available: http://www.politicsweb.co.za/politicsweb/view/politicsweb/en/page71654?oid=158357&sn=Detail [Accessed 22 September 2011]. ANDREW, M. (2011). Nationalisation will unite SA, says Malema [Online]. Available: http://mg.co.za/article/2011-08-05-nationalisation-will-unite-sa-says-malema [Accessed 21 September 2011]. 3 BEUKES, W. (2011). Vavi joins ANCYL in calls for nationalisation [Online]. Available: http://mg.co.za/article/2011-08-06-vavi-speaks-in-favour-of-nationalisation [Accessed 25 September 2011]. BUSINESS DAY (2010). Nationalisation won’t help poor – Nzimande [Online]. Available: http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/Content.aspx?id=147053 [Accessed 26 September 2011]. GEORGE, D. (2009). Nationalising South Africa’s mines would cost R1.4-trillion [Online]. Available: http://da.wwc.co.za/newsroom.htm?action=view-news-item&id=6967 [Accessed 25 September 2011]. ISA, M. (2011). Nationalisation talk ‘costing SA jobs’ . [Online]. Available: http://www.businessday.co.za/Articles/Content.aspx?id=150052 [Accessed 27 September 2011]. MARAIS, E. (2010). Budget Speech: Nationalisation of SA’s mines [Online]. Available: http://www.da.org.za/newsroom.htm?action=view-news-item&id=8231 [Accessed 23 September 2011]. NEWS24 (2010). Zambia’s nationalisation woes: ANC [Online]. Available: http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Politics/Zambias-nationalisation-woes-ANC-20100730 [Accessed 20 September 2011]. OSEI-HWEDIE, B. (2003). Development Policy and Economic Change in Zambia [Online]. Available: http://www.dpmf.org/images/Zambia-devt-bertha.html [Accessed 24 September 2011]. ROBERTS, J. (2011) SA’s mining industry losing ground [Online]. Available: http://www.businesslive.co.za/southafrica/sa_markets/2011/08/04/sa-s-mining-industry-losing-ground [Accessed 25 September 2011]. SHIVAMBU, N. (2010). The case for the nationalisation of mineral resources [Online]. Available: http://mg.co.za/article/2010-09-21-the-case-for-nationalisation-of-mineral-resources [Accessed 23 September 2011]. TIME MAGAZINE (1969). Mining: Nationalization in Zambia. [Online]. Available: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,898567,00.html#ixzz1YgJNdxqy [Accessed 22 September 2011].

Metallography Essay

Aims * To obtain experience in the metallographic readying of metallic specimens. * To detect the assorted microstructures in a welded mild steel articulation. Consequences Overview of 5 different microstructures in welded steel Detail microstructures of 5 different zones Discussion and analysis of consequences * The heat affected zone is a composing of parent metal which was heated to a high adequate temperature for a sufficient period but doesn’t thaws so that grain growing occurred. The heat affected zone is besides the part whose mechanical belongingss and microstructure have been altered due to the heat of welding. The heat affected zone undergoes sudden warming followed by rapid chilling. thereby incorporating a series of microstructures. These microstructures within the heat affected zone are fundamentally categorized into three different zones. viz. the grain growing zone. grain polish zone and passage zone. * * The merger zone exists between the grain growing zones. The parent metal in this zone was heated to the thaw point followed by chilling procedure. * The grain growing zone is right adjacent to the merger zone. The parent metal has been heated to a temperature good above the upper critical temperature in this zone. Subsequently. this consequences in the grain growing or coarsening of the construction. Coarse ferrite grains. Widmanstatten ferrite and pearlite are found in this part. * The grain polish zone is following to the grain growing zone. The parent metal has been heated to a temperature which is merely above the upper critical temperature in this zone. where grain polish is finished. ensuing in the being of the finest grain construction. Owing to the comparatively lower temperature. the ferrite and pearlite. which are represented by the white and dark countries severally are both much finer. This shows complete recrystallization. * the passage zone is the part where the metal experienced warming procedure at a temperature scope where partial allotropic recrystallization takes topographic point. This consequences in the coexistence of both ferrite and austenite. thereby doing the transmutation of most pearlite to austenite and by subsequent chilling. pearlite is reformed. * The unaffected zone is the part beyond the heat affected zone where the parent metal that is non sufficiently heated to alter its microstructure. Decision * Under microscopic position. typical zones in the parent metal are found. The alone microstructures in assorted parts are created because during the welding procedure. the parent metal and the dyer's rocket are subjected to different grade of heat intervention. * The difference of warming and chilling procedure every bit good allows the typical zones in the metal to hold their specific order of agreement.

Honour Is Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing”

When we look closely at the romance of Beatrice and Benedick, we see the problems that a rational lover has in putting aside his concept of honour in order to love a woman and Shakespeare cleverly contrasts this relationship with our idealistic lover Claudio, who is incapable of rejecting the restrictions that honour places on a man. In a parallel construction we see through the relationship that the boorish Claudio has with the docile Hero that for love to flourish it must reject chivalric notions of honour. The social hierarchy of Messina, is a very class conscious one and being witty is almost a full time occupation for many of its inhabitants. Playing practical jokes and tricks upon each other is a subtle way of maintaining the strict codes of conduct and among the most successful and benevolent of the deceptions practised are the parallel practical jokes played on Beatrice and Benedick in order to trick each of them into admitting their love for one another. In their first encounter, we see Beatrice and Benedick using their superior intellects to ridicule each other. Benedick warns her to ‘keep her ladyship’ and she lashes back with insults around his physicality suggesting that he is so ugly that ‘scratching his face could not make it worse’. Benedick uses his wit to shield himself from her barbs, hiding his true feelings and pretending to enjoy his bachelor existence when actually it is a mechanism for his safety. Benedick presents one face to the world in order to be accepted by the society that judges him and it is this society that acknowledges his wit, but underpinning Benedick’s wit is his distaste for the superficial values that Messinian society is built upon. His ironic attitude towards both himself and the world he is held captive by is apparent in his soliloquy, where he weighs up the discrepancy between how the world sees him and how he sees himself. The repartee between Beatrice and Benedick is sometimes blunt and crude, sometimes elaborate and self conscious. Puns, similes, metaphors, and paradoxes are all brought into play in their continual game of mutual insults and it is this aggressive verbal battle which pushes Beatrice and Benedick to the foreground of the play. Being in love is a game for fools and Benedick vows to never be ‘such a fool’. Benedick persuades himself that by staying away from Beatrice and denying himself any notions of marriage, he is a confirmed misogymist, that he is the stronger individual and has control over his life instead of living for another human being and risking becoming a hopelessly ‘in love’ lover. Benedick views women in society as somehow predatory, wanting to ‘capture’ a man and contain him in marriage, only to torture him with subsequent betrayal. However when faced with a woman such as Beatrice, who proclaims herself equally contemptuous of marria ge and for the same reasons, Benedick’s role begins to fall apart, which is where Benedick faces the biggest battle in his life, as he fights to hold on to his notions of male honour. But no matter how hard he tries he cannot frame for himself a separate language of love and as a result he and Beatrice construct a loving relationship which is as much of a sparring match as their enmity, once Benedick gives up his notions of male honour. In stark contrast to Benedick and Beatrice, Shakespeare’s ideal lovers, Claudio and Hero, ‘believe’ they are in love with each other, but we quickly see that when put to the test this love is superficial and lacks the true acknowledgement of each other’s individuality needed to sustain it. Their love for each other, although seemingly sincere, dissipates at the first obstacle and doubt sees one quick to accuse the other of adultery. For Beatrice and Benedick however, their jokes are the means whereby they can resist the kind of love-relationship exemplified by Hero and Claudio. In the end the ‘happy-ending’ which sees Hero married off to Claudio is one fraught with contradictions, for this conventional relationship, founded as it is on romantic love, which they exemplify, has been severely satirised by Shakespeare. By presenting the relationship between Beatrice and Benedick as real and not idealistic, we see the fragility of an idealised, romantic love such as the one Claudio has with Hero and its tendency to collapse into loathing and disgust becomes all too apparent. Appropriately the play ends not with Claudio and Hero whose strict adherence to an unbending code of honour temporarily fragments their relationship, but with Beatrice and Benedick who overcome both the male code of honour and society’s expectations to love and accept each other for their individual selves. There is a relationship built on mutual trust, respect and acceptance and proof that Love must be truthful to be sustained.