Example of the Stages of Building Maintenance

Building careTable of Contentss Abstraction Introduction DEFINITION OF BUILDING MAINTENANCE SCOPE OF BUILDING MAINTENANCE WORK Preventive care: Day to twenty-four hours fixs: Emergency fixs: Servicing plants: Minor plants: Designation of Possible Defects Defect Due to Dampness Cracks in walls: Rising Damp: Cracks in Structural Components: 1: Stains & A ; Moulds on the Cantilever ceiling: 2: Mounds found of external wall: 3: Cracks in howitzer articulations: 4: White discolorations on lower degree of Inner wall: 5: Dark stains & A ; fungus/moulds on the entryway manner: 6: Roof Gutter Collapsed: 7: Cracks within the Floor: Designation of Maintenance Generator Remedial Measures for the defects identified DecisionAbstractionThis study is based on the planning facet of the edifice. Planing a edifice is an imagitavie procedure, building the edifice is the realisation of the dreams of an designer, but the care of the edifice makes it worthy of its functional usage for which it is designed. A decently maintained edifice is an immoveable plus of an person. The primary of a edifice is to supply precautions to its dwellers against external conditions conditions, against the scorching Sun & A ; thundering rain, etc. To utilize the maximal potency of a edifice, it should hold to be decently maintained. Each & A ; every edifice has a continuance which is like 30 – 40 old ages. As per the external conditions conditions & A ; type of use of edifice & A ; its functionality decides how long a edifice can prolong itself. A edifice is a non- life thing, it can non mend itself. For this an effectual maintained unit should be placed. Besides periodic visit of an designer along with MEP adviser s hould be done to look into any mishappening. This study is prepared based upon the templet of indentifying the defects in the Architecture edifice, done with the aid of ocular photographic certification. This study will cover the elaborate & A ; elaborated survey of the assorted edifice defects happening in assorted parts of architecture edifice. Detailed survey of defects, its causes every bit good as its redresss are to be provided in this study. The study will besides speak about designation of a future care generator.IntroductionA edifice comprised of structural burden bearing units like foundations, beams, columns, floors & A ; slabs. These are the parts which require thorough idea design, an effectual procedure of building carried out as per the structural demands & A ; recommendations of the structural applied scientist & A ; last but non the least, a proper in topographic point care system to maximise the life of such structural units. Other than structural units, a edifice has non- burden bearing constituents which comprises of walls, external facing done for aesthetical intent, shocking & A ; false ceiling etc. These are the constituents of the edifices which are to be designed by the designer & A ; constructed by the civil applied scientist. Other than this, a MEP adviser is to be hired to overlook the integrating of architecture, construction & A ; services. The architecture edifice of the University of Newcastle is constructing made in Brick tile. The architecture edifice is a land + 2 floor edifice, has studio suites, category suites, conference hall, etc. The usage of wood as a inveighing stuff is a distinctive feature of the edifice.DEFINITION OF BUILDING MAINTENANCECare of a edifice cost more than building it. Proper care of care is a word picture of love & A ; attention for the infinite we are utilizing. Be it our place, our university, our office composite etc. There are certain parametric quantities which define how & A ; up to which restri ct a edifice should be maintained. a edifice decently maintained so that it provides its users safety & A ; security against external conditions.SCOPE OF BUILDING MAINTENANCE WORKHarmonizing to Burgess & A ; White ( 1979 ) , care work of a edifice is divided into two parts. The really first is explicating a planned plan comprising of betterment every bit good as redevelopment in a edifice. The range of this betterment & A ; redevelopment is chiefly due to sudden failure in the assorted public presentation standards of a edifice. Five major types of care plants are elaborated by Burgess & A ; White. Following the chief types of care plants: – Preventive care: This includes minimal preventative steps done at an early phase of defect sensing. The stating or bar is better than remedy is the footing of this type of care work. Like keeping the roof prior to the rainy season is an activity of such type of work. Day to twenty-four hours fixs: This fix is the most of import type of care carried out by the house lady of the edifice or the individuals engaged in edifice care. Emergency fixs: Certain fixs are to be done on an exigency footing. The toppling of a wall, bending of a roof, moistness of wall or roof etc are the illustration of such sort exigency fixs. Servicing plants: This fix is done on a periodic footing. Normally a edifice requires painting & A ; cleaning work on a annual footing. The care of roof against the moistness & A ; escape against H2O ooze is to be done one time in two old ages. Minor plants: Such sort of plants includes minor repairing of assorted constituents of constructing like doors, Windowss, healthful plants etc. This range of this study includes elaborate designation of defects done through templet & A ; the solutions of such sort of solutions to be done for care. Both the major every bit good minor defects are to be identified along with their solutions. All the remedial solutions are to be based on a proper constructional technique to be used among the Australian peninsula.Designation of Possible DefectsFor an architectural edifice of the University of Newcastle or for any edifice assorted defects can happen sing the age group of the edifice. A building defect can render the edifice insecure & A ; can put on the line the lives of the people utilizing the edifice. A damaged/collapsed edifice will non merely ensue in loss of money but consequences in a loss to the society by the danger posed by the edifice. This besides consequences in loss of money in mending the edifice etc. A building defect is different from the usual clip bound defect caused in any edifice due to aging. The clip edge de fect depends upon the lastingness & A ; workability of the structural constituents of the edifice. The following are the general type of defects common in all edifice due to constructional failure, structural failure or design failure. Defect Due to Dampness: The addition in wet content in the dirt every bit good as in the air, can consequences in moistness of the walls, if moist proofing class is non used, provided at the pedestal of the edifice. To minimise the ooze of H2O through capillary action organize the dirt, a moist proofing class is to be given beneath all the walls excepting the door gaps. Cracks in walls: Due to shrinkage consequence of the bomber dirt, walls tend to develop cleft all along the length of wall. This cleft is a consequence of settling consequence of the bomber dirt, due to which a part of a wall tends to switch downwards, ensuing in clefts. Proper dirt trial all at major junctions of walls, foundations & A ; columns are to be conducted to avoid such sort of clefts. Rising Damp: Due to the failure of moist cogent evidence class beneath the plinth protection of the edifice, moistness rises to the wall, making a white pulverization like surfacing on the walls above the pigments. The moistness causes major populating conditions jobs to the dwellers of the edifice, particularly if the site of the edifice is non opened from any side. Cracks in Structural Components: The foundations, columns, roofs & A ; beams are the parts of structural stableness of the edifice. Cracks develop due to permeableness of concrete, thermic motion which takes topographic point within the concrete & A ; steel etc. Proper structural every bit good as architectural design along the building to be done as per edifice norms is a solution to avoid the clefts. The prostration of edifice due to clefts in structural constituents is unsafe the lives of the people. A edifice such as Architectural College of the University of Newcastle, which is a G+ 2 construction, will hold some general type of defects including both building defect every bit good as age edge defect. Following types of defects have been identified in the edifice of architectural college of the Newcastle University: 1: Stains & A ; Moulds on the Cantilever ceiling: This defect found in the external corridor of the land degree of architecture edifice due to miss of care every bit good as non functional use of the ceiling visible radiations. The redress for this sort of defect will be proper cleanliness to be carried out along all the corridor of the edifice peculiarly for the ceiling of corridor. Using the light fixtures during dark may turn out to be the best solution which will guarantee care. 2: Mounds found of external wall: Due to increase in wet content & A ; breakage of moist cogent evidence class beneath the pedestal of the edifice, moistness rises on the external wall which is along the south side of edifice. It is of import to observe that. Although the south side gets maximal Sun, but due to dampness, mould can still be found. Proper landscaping strategy is besides to be formulated which can ensue in incursion of sunbeams up till the wall. 3: Cracks in howitzer articulations: Vertical clefts are seen on the wall around the first assistance child located at land floor of the architecture edifice. The possible cause of these clefts is the shrinking in the Sue dirt due to increase in wet content. Soil proving to be done on an immediate footing, which will quantify the shrinking happening in the bomber dirt. Coating of H2O proofing Si bed is to be done on an pressing footing all along the walls of the land floor. 4: White discolorations on lower degree of Inner wall: These white discolorations are the consequence of combination of termite action & A ; moistness. With addition in Dampness, termite & A ; other insects grows which hampers the open cements howitzer in the brickwork. Anti- termite spray along with H2O cogent evidence Si pigment is to make be done on pressing footing. 5: Dark stains & A ; fungus/moulds on the entryway manner: The non- usage of any infinite within the edifice is the greatest enemy which renders the edifice prone to multiple defects. By the photographic observation, it seems that the entryway is non of much usage by the pupils every bit good as staff of the college. Lack of care is straight seeable from the exposure. Proper cleansing is required, with encouragement needed to utilize this infinite. 6: Roof Gutter Collapsed: The technique of supplying trough for taking the rain H2O from the roof is an old technique that requires periodic betterment. Chocking of trough will ensue in accretion of H2O through the roof. 7: Cracks within the Floor: Due to tension turning with the concrete in the absence of enlargement articulations or any other articulations.Designation of Maintenance GeneratorThe Architecture edifice has many care generators. The care generators are those factors which act as an external factor upon edifice constituents. Due to Dampness, white pulverization like substance gets accumulated on the articulations of the walls, Due to termite action, doors & A ; wooden Windowss becomes hollow from indoors, such factors are called as care generators. Certain care generators are found within the edifice, which can be prevented by taking immediate action & A ; by commanding the proper use & A ; functionality of the edifice. Addition in Moisture Non use of certain edifice parts like the entryway of the architectural edifice Shrinking of bomber dirt Orientation of the edifice ( South facade of the edifice gets maximal Sun but still shows mark of moistness ) Functional infinite allotment Proper care to be doneRemedial Measures for the defects identifiedWith the nature of defect & A ; use of edifice, the nature of redress will differ. For the defects like perpendicular & A ; horizontal clefts, certain building techniques are to be followed which was non practiced earlier during the clip of building. Following steps are to be provided against some general defects found in the architectural edifice: – Dampness Redress: To avoid moistness doing failing of critical edifice constituents, following techniques are to be used:Provision of get bying rock to be done on all wall parapets.The incline of get bying rock should be inside the, towards roof non on the exterior.R.C.C. protective round gola should be made on all the corners & A ; junctions of the roof & A ; wall.The oral cavity of rainwater pipe should be sealed with H2O proofing sealer.Water proofing of crystalline Si is to be done on all the walls, to be done regularly twice a twelvemonth.Crack Redress: For look intoing against the perpendicular cleft, developed in the brick wall, sulphate content of the brick is to be checked, so that it does non respond with wet over a period of clip & A ; causes flower, which is the deposition of sulfate salt over the brick.For the clefts developed in concrete construction, following redress should be used against each peculiar type of cleft:for bar against shrinking of the bomber dirt, found ations is to be taken every bit much deep as possible to supply a amalgamate difficult province of stones to rest upon & A ; reassign the burden every bit on the bouldery interior surface of the Earth.Site sloped should be decently calculated, designed & A ; maintained.Damp H2O proofing is to be done in dual bed for sites where the land H2O tabular array is much higher.Overloading of any sort should non be entrained, for each burden there should be an structural constituents to bear its burden.Expansion spreads to be provided in roofs every bit good as floors for tenseness & A ; compaction actions in the concrete every bit good as steel.Alternate Method with Cost EstimationTo supply a cost effectual redress for any defect, will turn out to be sustainable in nature when the cost appraisal is to be concerned. Common method of bar & A ; protection of the assorted edifice defects are possible which are really cost effectual. It used locally available redresss, therefore cut downing the dependences on the high tech chemicals & A ; machine intensive plants for assorted defect. Use of landscape which repels the white ants & A ; insects is an first-class method to look into the termite action with the edifice. Such workss are to be planted in thrower plantation owner & A ; placed all along the external wall. It will besides heighten the aesthetical quality of the infinite along with supplying safety from insects & A ; termite. To forestall the wet content in the bomber dirt near the plinth country of edifice, workss necessitating more H2O are to be used as landscape elements. Plants like cactus & A ; other desert plantation owners can be used.Short & A ; Long Term Maintenance PlanShort & A ; Long term care program comprises of redress for assorted type of plants to be done under care direction. Prevention against moistness, molds, slickness, paying attending to the fresh facilitates of the edifices are a portion of short term program which will non take much clip & A ; based upon the templet are ranked 3 – 5 on the precedence footing. While long term programs include intervention against moistness by the H2O proofing Si pigment spray & A ; intervention of structural constituents like clefts, trough ooze etc.DecisionThe university architecture college is a non an old edifice, all the defects reported in the appraisal & A ; designation of the edifice are chiefly due to miss of proper care. The edifice is reasonably good conditions. The full defect runing near to 1 is to be treated on an pressing footing. Protection from moistness is really indispensable. For a organic structure to stay fit, we have to utilize each and every organic structure portion, the same expression goes worth the edifice, if you cease to utilize the infinite it will discontinue to be & amp ; act like a functional infinite. With the readying of short term programs on an pressing footing, the care section would make a healthy start up for care of the edifice which is the really psyche of Architecture College. 1|Page

The Federal Minimum Wage

The federal minimum wage is a hotly debated topic and a main point that invariably separates the beliefs of the Democratic Party platform from the Republican Party platform. Today's federal minimum wage is $7.25 (Jamieson, 2018). The federal minimum wage is determined by the FLSA (Fair Labor Standards Act), and has not been adjusted from a $7.25 hourly wage since July of 2009. Because of the lack of advancement, many states have developed their own methods for determining minimum wage, but federally, any addition or subtraction must first pass directly through the FLSA (United States Department of Labor, 2018). States determine their minimum wage by analyzing their costs of living which differs depending on location, and analyzing their GDP (gross domestic product) per capita (Stoll, 2014). For example, the minimum wage in Montana as of January 1, 2018 is $8.30 per hour whereas in Massachusetts, where the cost of living is greatly increased, the hourly minimum wage is $11.00. There are 29 states that have an increased minimum wage adjusted specifically to the state's cost of living. The wages in these states range from $7.50 to $12.50 per hour (United States Department of Labor, 2018). Even though many states already increase their minimum wage many people living in the United States claim that the federal minimum wage is entirely too low. The preponderance of evidence suggests that increasing the federal minimum wage would have little effect on poverty and would in time reduce job security and increase unemployment. Other factors that could potentially be affected by an increase in the federal minimum wage include consumer prices, suppressed wages for higher skilled workers, and an increase in outsourcing. Prior to the 2016 election the Democratic Party platform was updated and members decided to adopt a $15 per hour minimum wage. They claim that $15 an hour is the only way that American workers can survive and support their families. The push towards an increase in federal minimum wage began in New York City four years ago when a group of fast-food workers went on strike. The movement caught the attention of many popular political figures and eventually the members grouped together to form the #fightfor15 movement (Seitz-Wald, 2016). Experts that claim the federal minimum wage is not sufficient to support a family and live comfortably argue that an increase to the federal minimum wage would provide an â€Å"important lift† to over 2.2 million people in the United States (Lu, 2017). Usually these experts begin their arguments stating that the federal minimum wage real amounts have eroded nearly 25% since 1968 (Scott & Perez, 2017). The federal minimum wage amounts to only $15,080 annually for full time employment. $15,080 is such a low annual income, experts predict that it is one of the main reasons why living standards have declined nationwide. This number may also contribute to the decline in economic stability, and the shrinking middle class (Lu, 2017). On a national level, supporters of the minimum wage increase provide data that proves the federal minimum wage should be at least $12.00 per hour based on the United States' GDP. A poll taken by The Economist reports that over 1.3 million people work at minimum wage, and nearly 1.7 million work below it, thus meaning these employees are not paid hourly rather are tipped employees (Komlos, 2015). Many people would associate a push for minimum wage strictly with larger cities and areas where the cost of living is significantly above average, however even in Montana, a republican dominated state, many citizens still are pushing for a higher minimum wage. Swartz, a home care worker residing in Great Falls, Montana claims that the amount she makes working for three caregiving agencies is simply not enough to support herself comfortably. The three agencies all pay over both the federal minimum wage and Montana's state minimum wage but due to the inconsistency of job hours she claims that making ends meet every month can be a difficult task. Swartz claims that typically some parts of low-wage workers are â€Å"overlooked†. People who do not make low wages and are not forced to work 70+ hour work weeks do not understand the struggle. Swartz also states that â€Å"Home-care workers, who help people stay in their homes and live with dignity, deserve a $15-an-hour minimum wage.† Attached to Swartz's article is a report published by The Alliance for a Just Society, which claims that the living wage in Montana is $14.36 an hour for a single person with no dependents. Montana determines their state minimum wage using the Consumer Price Index, and updates it annually according to the index. Still however, 3,329 Montana employees earn minimum wage which makes up about 1.2% of the entire workforce. Over half of Montana's minimum wage workers are older than 25 and over 60% are women (Jay, 2016). Beginning January 1, 2018 Montana again raised its minimum wage standard to $8.30 per hour. Governor Steve Bullock addressed the issue in an email that read â€Å"People who work full time for a living shouldn't be living in poverty. This modest increase in minimum wage means more Montana workers will have a little extra money in their pockets,† The workers who Bullock may have been addressing include workers in the accommodations and food industry and also the retail trade industry who are recurrently the largest number of workers that receive minimum wage (Tribune Capital Bureau, 2017). On the contrary, many experts counterclaim that an increase in minimum wage is not the extreme â€Å"poverty tool† that the Democratic Party is hoping for. In fact, one of the biggest arguments against raising minimum wage is the idea of individual states already taking care of the low wage issue. As stated previously Montana, is one of 29 states that already adopted a minimum wage that is higher than the federal minimum wage, and many experts believe that if states were to adjust their incomes according to their cost of living, etc. that would be better fitting rather than adjusting the entire nation's minimum wage. Dr. Simon Johnson, MIT Sloan expert, claims that raising the federal minimum wage would actually have unintended consequences, in the sense of reducing hiring and potentially increasing unemployment. He states â€Å"It is unlikely that states with lower living costs would be able to support a $15 per hour minimum wage increase, while keeping hiring processes and current employment rates the same.† He proposes a gradual, stepwise increase to the minimum wage that would occur over time. A drastic increase to $15 per hour would be too abrupt and would have career-changing consequences. A study completed by Harvard's Economic Department points out that most minimum wage earners are second or third job holders in households with other income sources. This could include teenagers, summer employees, etc. Another group that comes to mind when thinking about minimum wage workers is retirees who already receive financial benefits from savings and social security. It is unlikely that an increase in minimum wage would truly benefit the nation, simply because some people working for minimum wage are not attempting to support dependents or themselves entirely. Usually, they are people who are looking for a little extra money rather than needing money to pay for utilities, a house, a car, etc. An even more concerning drawback of raising minimum wage is the elimination of jobs. If the United States government were to demand businesses to pay entry-level workers $15 an hour there would be a huge decrease in job security and job availability. Because, most businesses do not pay entry-level workers at this wage, if they were required to do so, they may attempt to find other means of labor including robots, computers, or other advanced technology. In fact, the Nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated that former President Obama's proposed $10.10 minimum wage, once fully implemented and in use, â€Å"would reduce total employment by about 500,000 workers.† Below is a political cartoon that shows the adverse effects of raising the current minimum wage. Although, many low-wage workers support and advocate for the idea of earning a $15 per hour wage, its effects could actually be deteriorating. Statistics show that raising the federal minimum wage to $15.00 per hour the United States risks eliminating roughly 550,000 part-time jobs and even if the minimum wage was raised to only $9.50 per hour nearly 1.3 million jobs could be lost. Previously, the United States has raised the minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25, and adversely only 15 percent of the workers who were expected to gain from it lived in poor households. If the minimum wage today were to be raised to $9.50 per hour, only 11 percent of current minimum wage workers living in poverty would gain from this increase. In 2012, a study completed by the Wilson Review claims that both state and federal minimum wage increases between 2003 and 2007 had no effect on state poverty rates. Thus, proving the idea that increasing minimum wage does not provide a tool for lowering poverty levels. David Neumark and William Wascher performed over 100 minimum wage studies and found that about two-thirds of the studies had negative effects on unemployment. Thus, meaning that with an increase in minimum wage business owners and corporations would be forced to decrease their labor force and potentially cut long-time in employees in order to compensate for the wage increase. Half of the country's workforce is employed by small businesses. Raising the federal minimum wage is often cast largely as a necessity to ensure that many workers are able to earn a decent living, but in reality it's a complex issue. An example of this complexity has occurred in Oakland California in March of 2015 after they increased their statewide minimum wage by 36%, from $9.00 to $12.25 per hour. The effects are varying but some restaurants have raised their food pricing by nearly 20%, or adding a mandatory service charge and doing away with voluntary tips. The issue, business owners recognize and are working hard to resolve is finding the balance between paying a decent wage and keeping customers rather than driving them away. Some people claim that aside from the direct cost of doing business from salaries, they are also paying more for goods and services in their own communities. They question whether or not a higher wage will raise the cost of living for all employees, including those who currently earn a high-wage. Critics who are against raising the minimum wage also claim that if every entry-level worker was paid $15 an hour to begin with, many would lose incentive to get an education and move up to a higher-paying jobs. Ira Stoll, a minimum wage evaluator, states that † The lower the minimum wage, the more eager a minimum wage worker would be to enroll in a community college course at night, improve his/her skills, and apply for a higher-paying job.† Stoll also states that, â€Å"Making the entry-level jobs higher paying increases the risk that workers will get stuck in them for longer instead of moving on to something more rewarding. â€Å"Another point that many supporters fail to bring about is the idea of freedom of contract. This freedom is not directly protected by the constitution, but it as seen as a â€Å"natural right† and should be exercised. President Kennedy once said â€Å"The rights of man come not from the generosity of the state but from the hand of God. † Thus, meaning that if two free people want to enter into a voluntary contract or agreement that does not infringe on anyone else's rights or wellbeing the government has no right to step in and stop the deal that is being made. Experts use the idea of freedom of contract to prove that the government should not be involved in every contract made between two people. If a man wants to work for another for $5 an hour, and the other man wants to hire him and pay him $5 an hour than the government should have no authority to infringe on this deal. Raising the federal minimum wage would also affect welfare spending and could potentially increase taxes. Raising the federal minimum wage puts money into the pockets of the working poor people, but this occurs at the expense of business owners. By raising the minimum wage, politicians are taking the roundabout approach of minimum wage increase, rather than building actual political support for these policies. A report published by the Cato Institute claims that evidence shows minimum wage increase â€Å"disproportionately hurt the people they're supposed to help.† In this article the Institute cites a 2012 analysis of the New York State minimum wage increase from $5.15 to $6.75 per hour that found a â€Å"20.2 to 21.8 percent reduction in the employment of younger, less-educated individuals. † They also note that since 1995, eight studies have examined the income and poverty effects of minimum wage increases, and all but one of those studies have found that past minimum wage hikes had no effect on poverty.One of the largest concerns expert's share about a federal minimum wage increase is the impact it would entail on consumer prices. Basically, to raise minimum wage means to pay more people more money which has to be supplied from somewhere. Experts against the increase claim that the extra money will come from increased consumer prices. The 2012 Wilson Review notes: â€Å"A 2004 review of more than 20 minimum wage studies looking at price effects found that a 10 percent increase in the U.S. minimum wage raises food prices by up to 4 percent.† To back up this idea a report posted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago states that restaurant prices increase in response to minimum wage increases. The federal minimum wage is at a lower real value than it once was, but in order to change it law makers are going to have to look deeper into the problem rather than attempting to change the outcome quickly by increasing the minimum wage in all states to $15.00 hourly. Our country is unique in the nature that each state is able to make and regulate their own minimum wage and this matter is better dealt with inside certain states than from the federal government as a whole. There is most definitely a need in the United States to implement a method to decrease the rising poverty level, but this method should not be an increase in federal minimum wage because this method is directly related to rising prices, higher unemployment, job loss, and lack of job security. Small businesses, as stated previously, make up approximately 50% of the nation's workforce and if the government were to demand these businesses to pay their starting employees $12 or more, the businesses would be forced to either higher less people, lay off long term workers, or even more devastating, shutdown. This method proves ineffective in decreasing the families living underneath the poverty line and instead harms those workers who are higher-skilled and higher-paid.

Marketing reflections

Apart from creating ‘loyalists' who support the company at all mimes, such schemes also aim at enticing customers away from competition (Morgan, 1996). Price, location and convenience are other determinants of customer loyalty. The case study mentioned in the article presents an overall negative picture of loyalty cards In the hospitality business. It says majority of the customers purchased the loyalty cards of the hotel because it provided good value for money and cheap local deals. Despite having high satisfaction, such ‘mercenaries' had very low commitment towards the hotel (Morgan, 1996).It mentions that other means like customizing arrive for each individual, giving same room to regulars, ‘business roundtable dinners', happy hour etc. , with special attention to profitable customers, might be more successful in retaining customers. However, the above doesn't seem to hold true for supermarket chains. Owing to a change in management, Jewel Coco's move to ditch i ts loyalty card and opt for â€Å"everyday low prices† instead was not received very well by the regular customers. They felt that their right to exclusive discount was being taken away from them and thus, Coco lost quite a few customers.

Science Fiction and Film Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Science Fiction and Film - Essay Example The two films The Matrix and Contact display evidence that the above claim is true. Two of the greatest messages of The Matrix is the loss of individuality and the threat of knowledge - the two categories that John Baxter is convinced comprises of the entire science fiction genre. The premises of The Matrix is that human beings are kept in pods, feeding the machines as though they were batteries, while being given memories and experiences that are purely mental, as opposed to physical, which is a huge aspect of the human experience. While the human beings in the Matrix may appear to be individuals, living their lives and doing their own thing, they are all in the same situation in the real world. They are nude bodies, sleeping in pods, being fed memories while being completely unaware of this. There is no individuality in this film. The twist in The Matrix is that there are hundreds of people that are â€Å"free† from this imprisonment and understand what happened to them before they were able to be freed. Neo, Trinity, and Morpheus, to name a few, are among those that were lucky enough to be freed from the battery emporium of the machines. No longer connected to the contraption that feeds their minds memories that are not actually real, these people define what it means to be individuals. As they now have no part of what makes the other people lose their individuality, they act as a comparison/contrast against those that are still connected to the machines. The Matrix is a great example of what it means to be lacking individuality due to the fact that it also offers glimpses of the other side of the argument. Although the goal of the characters in The Matrix involves freeing themselves and others from the grasp of the machines, another goal can be seen as gaining back their individuality. The digital self that every human being sees is the individuality and uniqueness that they would have if the machines

Close Reading Exercise Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Close Reading Exercise - Essay Example n a room that was â€Å"well lighted with wax candles†, but where â€Å"no glimpse of daylight was to be seen†, the author was being indicative of the wealthy spinster’s closed-minded, hypocritical and spiteful nature. Much of the furniture in this room was of forms and uses â€Å"then quite unknown to Pip†. Because Pip was a boy with the â€Å"expectations† to become a gentleman. His life had not yet turned around. It’s an illustration that Dickens was extremely careful in the exercise of characterization. It’s in a tone of irony that Pip refers to the â€Å"fine lady† sitting at the dressing-table. His encounter, in fact, was not with a fine lady, but a â€Å"strange† lady, the strangest he had ever seen or he should ever see; a lady with â€Å"no brightness left†, an old desiccated lady more horrifying than â€Å"waxwork† and â€Å"skeleton†. The objects found scattered around in the room in a haphazard manner are once again a subtle indication of Miss Havisham’s complex nature. In an antithesis, Pip clarifies that â€Å"it was not in the first few moments that he saw all these things, though he saw more of them in the first moments†. These were the things that â€Å"ought to be white†, but were once-white, things that had lost their lustre, were faded and yellow. All of them are a grim pointer to Miss Havisham’s unpleasant past. The description of Miss Havisham’s appearance and the watch and the clock that had stopped at twenty minutes to nine have such a hair-raising visual and mental effect on the reader that one can expect it in few horror stories. â€Å"What will be conceded even by the most disputatious reader† is an illustration of such use of the language that requires even a language expert to take a second reading, to be sure. It’s not at all a coincidence if it reminds one of O. Henry’s writing style. When Miss Havisham commands Pip to play, the allusion to Mr. Pumblechook’s chaise-cart, and that he felt himself â€Å"unequal to the

A Kuwaiti National Studying in the United Kingdom Essay

A Kuwaiti National Studying in the United Kingdom - Essay Example The culture in Kuwaiti universities is more formal and structured. Instructors expect to be addressed using formal titles, with students to manifest respecting the barrier between students and professors, and to respect the level of prestige gained from the achievement of gaining higher education; otherwise, sanctions and penalties from violation of this code of discipline are applied. What I learned: The difference in cultural orientation has provided me with the privilege of gaining more knowledge in terms of interpersonal communication and relationships with people from various cultures and from different age groups, gender, and profession. The effects of this are an improvement in personal confidence as more training and practice were encouraged in the use of English, as a second language; and from insights and theoretical perspectives relayed by my mentors. I became happier and more optimistic, as a person, as a student, and as a colleague. How and When I Can Apply this Knowledg e: Due to experience, the improvement in English as a second language will increase future opportunities for employment, not only in Kuwait but in other global organizations, as well. Date: January 02, 2011 Place: In the University Activity Undertaken: Essay writing in the UK required the use of the Harvard style of writing. This is not at all used nor acknowledged in writing essays in Kuwait. Further, the university is very strict regarding the observance of plagiarism. It came as a culture shock to me because I panicked the first time I need to use Harvard referencing in my essay. I had to search through the library sources, through the Internet and reorient myself on rules on in-text citing, making the reference list, among others. I am also very careful in paraphrasing other authors’ statements so that I would not be charged with plagiarism.

Working with Vulnerable Adults Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Working with Vulnerable Adults - Essay Example Then the study goes on to discuss the oppressive and the anti-oppressive situations that these venerable adults have to face. This is done with under the heading points of age, gender, sexuality and class. Afterwards, the essay discusses the role(s) of a social worker in helping senior people. At the end of the essay a brief conclusion is provided. Mr. Richards is 86 years old and has recently come back from the hospital after he suffered a massive stroke about a month ago. Home for him and his wife (84 years old) of 58 years is a nursing house in rural England. The nursing home is a government institution for the elderly and I happen to be a social worker in the facility. Mr. Richard grew up on a small farm and worked at the local post-office for a number of decades whereas Mrs. Richards worked as a primary school teacher. They had two children who grew-up and soon moved away to the city. However, Mr. and Mrs. Richards preferred to stay in the same town where they had worked and lived all their lives. But, due to Mr. Richards advance arthritis and heart problems and his wife's diabetic condition, they could no longer maintain and keep their home. Their children didn't have the resources or the time to take care of their elderly parents. With no other option in mind, their local social worker along with their children's help slowly convinced the Richards of the merits of staying at nursing facility. However, upon arriving at the facility after selling the house and most of their belongings, the Richards soon realized that there were a number of hurdles and obstacles to living in a nursing home that they had not anticipated. But, on the other hand, there is no question of going back and living an independent life. With the rapid speed with which the world is changing it is not possible to live in this world without updating one's education, knowledge and life-style on a daily basis. In other words even the young people of today constantly have to update almost every aspect of their daily lives. This automatically brings us to the point that if the youngsters of today have to update their lives at such a constant basis, what would the elderly do But, on the other hand life expectancy is rapidly increasing; therefore, we cannot simply expect our elderly to pass away. According to Than (2006), the increase in the life span of a person simply implies that the time of death has been m oved forward. This of course does not mean that the person will not die. He/She will, only it will take a few more years. Never in the history of mankind have we discussed ageing and old age processes as ardently as we have begun to do so now. This fact has been clearly mentioned in the direct citation, which is given as follows; "We clearly live in an era characterized by the aging of our population. Low birth rates and increasing life expectancy are leading to dramatic shifts in the age structure. By the year 2030, after most of the baby boomers have reached old age, it's projected that one out of every five Americans will be 65 years of age or older. And steady increases are expected in the numbers of persons at the more advanced ages-the "oldest-old" or those 85 years and older-who are most likely

Criminology - Criminal Courts And Prisons Essay

Criminology - Criminal Courts And Prisons - Essay Example It will be possible to determine whether indeterminate sentences can be defended; and whether life should mean life. According to Criminal Justice Alliance (2012), Wales and England register the highest prison population in Western Europe, hence prison overcrowding. Although the prison estate has attempted to address this situation, no major results have been achieved. Prison overcrowding occurs when prisons have to house a bigger number of inmates compared to the number they were designed for (Ashworth 2010). In addition, when there is no investment in prison building programmes, this leads to lack of capacity to accommodate inmates. Furthermore, inefficient bureaucracies in the management of prisons might be the cause of prison overcrowding. In England and Wales, indeterminate sentences have been considered to contribute to prison overcrowding (Ashworth 2010). Judges in Britain sent many people to prison between 1951 and 1980. This contributed to the high level of prison overcrowding experienced in the late 1970’s. However, this declined considerably starting 1981. This was because other alternatives such as fines, punishment, cautions, and community sentences as forms of punishment were adopted (Politics.co.uk 2012). In 1991, the Woolf report predicted that prison population would double from 44, 000 to 83,000 by 2008 (The Howard League of Penal Reform 2013). This led to the adoption of new measures in prisons in order to help prevent prison population from rising rapidly. The main measure adopted was early release. This measure was put into practice for less than one year and this registered a considerable reduction in the prison population. However, when the measures were dropped, the prison population began to surge again. Plans by the government to address this issue have continued to be thwarted. In January 2011, the prison p opulation was 82,991, compared to its holding capacity of 87,936 (Politics.co.uk 2012). The existence

Case Study Analysis- $100 Laptop by John Quelch Essay

Case Study Analysis- $100 Laptop by John Quelch - Essay Example Apparent Issue Despite the high PC adoption rate in certain regions OLPC is finding difficulty in convincing the respective governments to invest heavily in his project. He needed investment in one million at a time by a nation in Laptop and including all expenditures the price tag could go to $ 200 million to $ 250 million. Negroponte decided not to venture into production until he has firm commitments from governments to buy at least five million machines outside USA. Competitors were increasingly lowering their product prices with no such restriction. Real Issue The real issue was the shift in technology. The emerging markets were likely to be wire-less centric rather than PC- centric. Hence it was more viable to distribute internet enabled cell phones to children for education rather than trying to built and distribute Wi-FI enabled mesh networks with donated or subsidized Laptops as was being done by OLPC. The problem was of disruptive innovation and market evolution. Relevant F acts OLPC is facing many different challenges and varied situations both internally and in the external environment. In the table below is the list of the few most relevant and important facts concerning OLPC. FACTS EVALUATION FINACIAL In 2006 AMD, Google, Red Hat, News Corp. gave at least $ 29 million to fund the project and pledged additional money for the future. + OLPC needed an order of one million laptops at a time to start its production. - MARKETING The $ 100 Laptop proved to be a misnomer. The initial cost was close to $ 150 per machine. ? OLPC find it difficult to sell the idea. The poor underdeveloped countries that are still striving for basic necessities of life find it difficult to invest such huge amount on laptops instead of basic education. _ COMPETITORS Competitors were multiplying in number both nationally and internationally and well renowned business oriented companies were giving tough competition by continuously offering their low priced products. _ Emerging t echnologies such as internet enabled cell phones were cheaper and have more consumer acceptance in poor countries. ? ORGANIZATION Intel started working together with OLPC in July 2007 and started mass production + Due to request of OLPC for Intel to stop marketing its low cost laptops Intel terminated the partnership with OLPC in January 2008. ? TECHNOLOGY Design engineers of OLPC not only were successful in reducing cost through innovative technology but also solved the problem of lack of electricity with hand crank. + Enhanced Wi-Fi range created wireless mesh to enable out of range machines to connect to internet. + SWOT Analysis SWOT analysis is the most effective tool that provides the framework for the analysis of the business environment. It is considered more effective because in a way, it combines the Porters five forces with the PEST analysis. It requires careful prioritization of strong opportunities and threats. Wrong selection may lead to weaker opportunities and threat s coming in the analysis. SWOT analysis provides both internal and external analysis and provides a critical analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. It helps organizations in developing its strategies like SO that emphasizes on utilizing strengths to capture the opportunities. WT strategy focuses on minimizing weaknesses and threats. ST strategy focuses

The Fall of Jerusalem 70 A.D Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Fall of Jerusalem 70 A.D - Research Paper Example Not only did the event affect the then socio-economic context but also had a significant impact on the religious situation of the period. The catastrophe took place as a consequence of the First Jewish-Roman War under the leadership of Titus and his subordinate Tiberius Julius Alexander (North, â€Å"Did Jesus Return In 70 A. D.?†). The disaster resulted in the destruction of Jerusalem causing innumerous deaths and the demolition of its popular First as well as Second Temples. The demolitions of both these temples are still mourned by Jews every year on Tisha B’Av (Young, â€Å"Oh Jerusalem, Thou that Killeth the Prophets†). The study intends to discuss the fall of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. In connection to this, it will emphasize the reasons behind the destruction by examining the scenario of Jerusalem during the occurrence of the First Jewish-Roman War. ... In the 70 A.D., repeated conflicts were being witnessed within the Roman Empire based on ethnic rivalry or political power agreements. The fall can be further identified to be the aftermath of chronological occurrences of disagreements taking place between the Jewish people and the Romans that took place because of the reluctance of the former to follow the emperor’s rules, which later took the shape of religious disbelief and segregation amid the then biblical audiences. Charged by the continuous rebellion against the Roman rule, the Roman army was preparing for an attack on the Jewish city since 66 A.D. following the death of Herod Agrippa I. In due course, the 30,000 Roman troops were able to beat the city walls of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. under the leadership of Titus, which led to the death of numerous Jewish civilians, and thus the First Jewish-Roman war was instigated. This sudden attack resulted in massive destruction where the temples of the city were annihilated, fuellin g up the grievances of the Jewish people against the Romans (Bell, â€Å"The Destruction of Jerusalem: A Local Event or of Universal/Eternal Consequence?†). After 40 years, as predicted by Jesus Christ, the wonderful ‘Herod Temple’ was completely demolished by the Romans. Titus, the campaign leader, has also been accused in many religious writings of having collected the precious treasury of Jerusalem temple and taken it to Rome, where it is still believed to remain safe. When the temple was engulfed by fire, the Roman soldiers hammered its walls in search of treasure, which again disregarded the religious belief of the Jewish people, causing a spiritual crisis within the city. Different vessels as well as treasures were robbed and were taken to Rome.

Quality requirements on Barley for beer production Essay Example for Free

Quality requirements on Barley for beer production Essay From the preceding chapter it should be obvious that quality of the product i. e. Beer has to depend on the quality of the prime raw material i. e. Barley besides the other processing factors. The quality guidelines for barley for beer production are issued by concerned agencies and many times the brewer itself. These specifications are not universal and vary from one country to other primarily due to changes in malting / brewing practices and to some extent due to prevailing legislation. Here we will look at the specifications prevalent in Europe and in USA. Accepted malting barley varieties have to modify evenly and produce finished malt whose properties lie within the brewers specifications. The malt quality of a given barley variety is determined by its genetic background and the physical conditions during growth, harvest and storage. Malting quality has to be tested in micro-, pilot- and industrial malting trials, and brewing trials also in pilot and production scale. The quality specifications on barley for production of malt prevalent in Europe are listed below: †¢ Germination % min. 97% after 3 days †¢ Germination index min. 6. 0 †¢ Water content 12. 0 %, max. 13. 0 % †¢ Protein content 9,0 % and 11,5 % †¢ Grading min. 90 % 2. 5 mm. †¢ ? -glucan content max. 4 % †¢ Micro-organisms below a set level. †¢ Pesticide residues according to national law †¢ Ochratoxin according to national law †¢ Aflatoxin according to national law †¢ Variety purity min. 99 % Before a new barley variety can be accepted for the production of mal, it needs to be generally accepted by farmers for cultivation. The harvested crop must meet the barley specifications, give a malt quality within the actual specifications, and be trouble free in the brew house and fermentation-processes and give a beer quality with good taste and taste stability. Varieties are tested in micro-, pilot- and production scale malting and go through production brewing trials. The preliminary acceptance is dependent on all the test results. Full acceptance is reached when 1000 ton malt has been used in brewing with a high quality commercial brewing performance. Some barley varieties, which are the basis for malt used in Carlsberg products, are Aspen, Alexis, Alfa, Alliot, Amulet, Angora, Ariel, Arapiles, Akcent etc. In USA, the specifications on the barley for malting are issued by American Malting Barley Association (AMBA). The specifications are presented in the table below []: Barley Factors Two-Row Barley Six-Row Baley Plump Kernel (on 6/64) 90% 80% Thin Kernel (below 5/64) 3% 3% Germination (4 ml 72 hrs GE) 98% 98% Protein 11. 0-13. 0% 11. 5-13. 5% Skinned Broken Kernels 5% 5% Malt Factors Total Protein 10. 8-12. 8% 11. 3-13. 3% On 7/64 screen 70% 60% Measures of Malt Modification Beta-Glucan (ppm) 100 120 F/C Difference 1. 2 1. 2 Soluble/Total Protein 40-47% 42-47% Turbidity (NTU) 10 10 Viscosity (absolute cp) 1. 5% 1. 5% Congress Wort Soluble Protein 4. 4-5. 6% 5. 2-5. 7% Extract (FG db) 81% 79. 0% Color (% ASBC) 1. 6-2. 2 1. 8-22 FAN 180 190 Malt Enzymes Diastatic Power (% ASBC) 120 140 Alpha Amylase (DU) 45 45. Table 4: Specifications for malt barley as issued by The American Malting Barley Association (AMBA) (ambainc. org) Besides, following general specifications should also be met by the barley: (a) It should mature rapidly, break dormancy quickly without pregermination and germinate uniformly. (b) Hull should be thin, shiny and should adhere well with the plump during harvesting, cleaning and malting. (c) It should exhibit well balanced malting in conventional malting schedule with four day germination and (d) Malted barley must provide desired beer flavor.

Investigate the resistance of a wire Essay Example for Free

Investigate the resistance of a wire Essay If the wire is thinner then the electrons have less of a cross sectional area to bounce through, and the wires atoms slow down the free-electrons by impacting them. A similar scenario occurs if the wire is hot, as the wires atoms vibrate more and these reverberations also impact the free-electrons slowing them down. Resistance is clearly far less in the opposite situation to both of these scenarios. Other possible scenarios have been briefly mentioned in the Affecting Factors section. Repeated readings In this experiment I have decided that during the final experiment, I shall take repeat readings. I have decided this as during the preliminary investigation, I have noticed that several readings are easily anomalous. If I should combat any erratic figures during the final experiment I can rely on a second set of readings, therefore making the experiment more of a fair test. It is to this effect that I believe repeated readings necessary and I shall take two sets of reading for each voltage experimented on. Background information During the course of the academic year, I have conducted an experiment to prove Ohms law of resistance, voltage and current. This law associates all three of the aforementioned units in a simple equation: Voltage = Current x Resistance or V=IR This proved that as voltage and current increased, so did the resistance of the wire. This is one of the many ideas that I base my hypothesis of the experiment on. Prediction I predict that in my final experiment, as the voltage increases, so will the current. I believe this as voltage is said to be the pushing force or drive behind the current and so the higher the voltage is, the faster the flow of electrons in the wire. I also predict that higher than 8V the wire will burn. I believe this as whilst investigating my preliminary experiment, the wire burnt quickly on a voltage of 8V or thereabouts. I predict that the shorter the wire becomes, the higher the voltage and current of that wire, I believe this because the shorter the wire becomes, the lower the resistance becomes as the free electrons in the circuit would have far less atoms in the Constantan wire to impact against subsequently lowering the resistance. I also believe that the higher the voltage and lower the current, the higher the resistance will be, I have concluded this from ohms law. Also I predict that the higher the voltage and current on a short length of wire, the higher the possibility of mass temperature rise and therefore open flame. This would ruin the experiment so as I have said before I shall only be using voltages less than and including 6v. Final experiment During this section of the investigation, using newly discovered knowledge from my preliminary experiment I shall aim to collect a set of accurate results to match my hypothesis. Apparatus During this experiment I shall need: A digital ammeter A digital voltmeter A Constantan wire A power pack Sets of power leads 100cm ruler Crocodile clips Diagram Method The apparatus was set up as shown in the diagram. The Constantan wire was mounted onto the ruler, and attached by both selotape and crocodile clips (one at 0 on the ruler, the other one was moved up and down the scale in order to change the overall length of wire included in the circuit) The readings were taken from both the ammeter and the voltmeter in two sets for each voltage. The readings were taken at a constant variation of 10 cm from 100cm to 20 cm (I havent taken any readings less than 20 as in the preliminary this tended to burn the wire) I took readings in three different voltages namely 2volts, 4volts and 6volts. Results 2 volts, first set Length of wire, cm Current, A Voltage, V Resistance, ? 100 0. 39 1. 83 4. 69 90 0. 41 1. 76 4. 29 80 0. 45 1. 74 3. 86 70 0. 48 1. 69 3. 52 60 0. 56 1. 65 2. 95 50 0. 61 1. 50 2. 46 40 0. 73 1. 46 2. 00 30 0. 92 1. 36 1. 48 20 1. 22 1. 19 0. 98 Graph 2 volts, second set Length of wire, cm Current, A Voltage, V Resistance, ? 100 0. 37 1. 85 0. 20 90 0. 41 1. 81 0. 23 80 0. 45 1. 77 0. 25 70 0. 50 1. 72 0. 29 60 0. 60 1. 74 0. 34 50 0. 66 1. 63 0. 40 40 0. 78 1. 52 0. 51 30 0. 94 1. 38 0. 68 20 1. 27 1. 25 1. 02 Graph 4 volts, first set Length of wire, cm Current, A Voltage, V Resistance, ? 100 0. 78 3. 80 0. 21 90 0. 85 3. 72 0. 23 80 0. 94 3. 65 0. 26 70 1. 05 3. 57 0. 29 60 1. 18 3. 45 0. 34 50 1. 36 3. 33 0. 41 40 1. 60 3. 17 0. 50 30 1. 89 2. 76 0. 68 20 2. 75 2. 62 1. 05 Graph 4 volts, second set Length of wire, cm Current, A Voltage, V Resistance, ? 100 0. 79 3. 84 0. 21 90 0. 86 3. 74 0. 23 80 0. 95 3. 68 0. 26 70 1. 07 3. 60 0. 30 60 1. 21 3. 50 0. 35 50 1. 38 3. 34 0. 41 40 1. 58 3. 06 0. 52 30 1. 94 2. 84 0. 68 20 2. 58 2. 67 0. 97 Graph 6 volts, first set Length of wire, cm Current, A Voltage, V Resistance, ? 100 1. 09 5. 29 0. 21 90 1. 19 5. 20 0. 23 80 1. 35 5. 15 0. 26 70 1. 50 5. 10 0. 29 60 1. 72 4. 96 0. 35 50 2. 00 4. 90 0. 41 40 2. 38 4. 61 0. 52 30 2. 83 4. 36 0. 65 20 3. 75 3. 70 1. 01 Graph 6 volts, second set Length of wire, cm Current, A Voltage, V Resistance, ? 100 1. 09 5. 26 0. 21 90 1. 20 5. 22 0. 23 80 1. 32 5. 13 0. 26 70 1. 49 5. 04 0. 30 60 1. 68 4. 91 0. 34 50 1. 95 4. 76 0. 41 40 2. 19 4. 30 0. 51 30 2. 70 3. 96 0. 68 20 3. 75 3. 80 0. 99 Graph Analysis From the graphs above, it is clear that the resistance between varying voltages are very similar. As the voltage and current have increased the resistance has increased, as I have previously stated in my prediction, therefore Constantan wire obeys ohms law of resistance. The increase in resistance is due to more and more energy being put into the wire. That is to say as the voltage or the driving factor behind the free electrons flowing around the circuit increases, this increase in resistance is caused by the free electrons being passed around the circuit at much higher speeds and therefore deflecting off of more atoms that have more heat energy than those in shorter lengths of constantan wire. These atoms are hotter because more free electrons are passing through these lengths of wire, and deflecting off of more atoms, passing their kinetic energy to these atoms as heat energy. This is what causes the wire to heat up, and sometimes melt. During taking these results I have noticed that there are several linking factors. These are mainly current and voltage, as stated in ohms law. Evaluation I believe that my experiment in all is accurate for a GCSE standard coursework piece, although in research physics I believe that this experiment would be highly inaccurate. I do not believe that any of my readings are abnormal. From my work mostly from the average set of results taken from all 6 sets, I can conclude that: * Resistance in a wire is equal to the voltage divided by the current of the circuit * With high voltages, the wire in the circuit heats up due to an increasing number of collisions of free electrons and atoms in the Constantan wire. * As a wire decreases in length, the resistance increase * As a wire increases in length, the resistance increases as does the voltage however the current decreases * Constantan wire obeys ohms law During the experiment I noticed several abnormalities however. If I had the power pack on for too long a period of time, the readings on both ammeter and voltmeter began to become more and more erratic. I believe this to be because the apparatus was not turned off, heat would have been building up in the Constantan wire so during the experiment I turned off the apparatus between readings. After I did this I noticed that this strange behaviour had stopped. I also realised that using a rule and crocodile clips was clearly not the greatest means of measuring the length of wire as the lengths would clearly have not been at all accurate, and that the likelihood of using the exact amount of wire in the circuit was far outweighed by that of not doing so. In the graph which I associated length of wire with resistance, it clearly showed a straight line through the origin (0,0). This line represents the phrase proportional to therefore I also conclude that length of wire is proportional to the resistance of the wire. Improvements My work in this final experiment is far improved from that of my preliminary although it could easily still be improved further. I would improve it further by using more accurate means of measuring the voltage and current of the circuit, I would use various types of wire, I would vary the temperature of the wire and I would vary the cross sectional area of the wire. In this experiment, although I only varied the length of the wire, unwittingly I also have changed the temperature of the wire, as it increases as any current is passed through it, and as the shorter the subject wire becomes the hotter it also becomes. I would strive to collect resistance readings that were the same throughout the experiment as mine varied slightly. Reliability I believe that my results are viable for a GCSE standard piece of coursework although a research physician would discard them. I believe that collecting answers to two decimal places is also accurate enough for this experiment and that the slight variations of resistance between repeats is so small that the results could be deemed accurate. Constant factors In this investigation I have strived to make sure that the following factors remained constant: * Cross sectional area * Temperature of wire * Type of wire In this investigation, the cross sectional area or CSA would be maintained throughout readings, as the wire was not swapped during the experiments. This reason also dictates that the type of wire is also a factor that was kept constant. As I have mentioned before the temperature of the wire would have varied throughout the experiment, and as I have mentioned in the preliminary section of this investigation that with voltages higher than 8v the wire began to burn. This deviation in the temperature may have been the deciding factor as to why my readings for resistance were only slightly different. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Electricity and Magnetism section. Download this essay Print Save Not the one? 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Assess the significance of Judith Butlers work

Assess the significance of Judith Butlers work The modern meaning of the word 'gender' emerged in the 1970s. Its original purpose was to draw a line between biological sex and how particular thoughts and behaviours could be defined as either 'feminine' or 'masculine' (Pilcher Whelehan, 2004). The reason for using the word 'gender' was to raise awareness of the exaggeration of biological differences between men and women. The popularity of this meaning for the word 'gender' resulted from the efforts of second wave feminism in the 1970s. This essay examines how second wave feminism attempted to construct a 'grand narrative' of women's oppression. It then examines Judith Butler's contribution to post-modern feminist theory through her performative theory of gender and how this fits into post-modern feminist debates. A product of second wave feminism, which began around 1970, was the attempt to place women within a 'grand narrative' history of their oppression. One of the seminal writers on this narrative was Simone de Beauvoir. Her work in describing how women had become 'the other' in her book The Second Sex (de Beauvoir, 1961) laid the foundations for what was to come in the second wave of feminism (Gamble, 2002). De Beauvoir argues that the way in which men think about women is only in relation to their fantasies, that they have no substance of their own. Unfortunately, for de Beauvoir, women have come to accept men's fantasies of womanhood as constituting their own conception of themselves. For de Beauvoir, it was for women to conceive of themselves in their own terms, to take back the power themselves. A criticism of de Beauvoir's approach was that it tended to blame women for their current condition (Gamble, 2002). The second wave feminists of the 1970s, however, such as Millet (1970), pointed to patriarchy as the root cause of women's oppression. It is patriarchy, so Millet argued, that has become a political institution, and from this flows all the other forms of women's oppression. Firestone (1970) also took a strong line against patriarchy, equating women's oppression to a caste or class system. Ideological support for patriarchy, in Firestone's view, has come from institutions such as the family, marriage along with romantic love. These ideas are referred to as constructing a 'grand narrative', a way of charting the history and development of particular ideas, in this case women's oppression (MacNay, 1997). One of the problems that much feminist thought has come up against in trying to provide a 'grand narrative' of women's oppression is that it is difficult to effectively give all women a common identity (Whelehan, 1995). If the very idea of gender flows from cultural origins, then it is only natural to conclude that gender has different meanings in different cultural contexts. How then can a common identity be posited? Other critics such as Richards (1982), examining second wave feminism from a liberal perspective, have seen it as a movement that has failed. Richards sees many of the feminist approaches as being extreme and unattractive, and not focussing, as she sees it, on rational debate. She criticises feminists for utilising 'eccentric' arguments which do not conform to the normative expectations of philosophical debate. Further, she criticises feminism for ignoring the obvious differences between men and women such as women's ability to have children and thereby presenting an unrealistic picture of utopian gender relations. Another vibrant stream of criticism against second wave feminism has been that it assumes that what is required is a reversal in the relative positions of men and women. In other words, if women can take the position of men in society then their oppression will finally be undone (Brooks, 1997). Instead, however, post-modernist forms of feminism have tended to criticise the placing of women and men in oppositional categories. Post-modernist writers, such as Judith Butler, Brooks argues, help the feminist debate move on from the grand narrative to the focussing on deconstruction and identity (Brooks, 1997). Judith Butler's work as a social theorist has been extremely influential. Some of the major themes of her work include important contributions to queer theory and her criticism of the way in which gender has been constructed (Clough, 2000). Her breakthrough work was Gender Trouble which strongly criticised existing feminist theory on gender such as the work of Firestone and Millet. Butler (1990) points out that feminist approaches have tended to emphasise the difference between gender and sex. In these perspectives sex is seen as a biological fact, while gender is a cultural construction. The problem for Butler is that this split has gone too far, such that it is not possible to analyse how the sexed body is constituted (Salih Butler, 2004). Rather than splitting gender and sex, then, Butler's work has actually collapsed one into the other (Fraser, 2002). Sandford (1999) explains that this is achieved by showing that gender actually produces sex. Butler (1990) asks whether it is possible to talk about the 'masculine' attributes of a man and then talk about their 'feminine' attributes and still be able to ascribe sensible meaning to the word 'gender'. Butler (1990) argues that when the idea of 'woman' and 'man' are dispensed with, it is more difficult to see how these gendered attributes can still be viable. Butler (1990) states that gender cannot necessarily be referred to in terms of these attributes, or as a noun, a thing of itself, but rather as a verb. In this sense Butler considers gender to be performative, to be an act which constitutes itself rather than flowing from some other source. The criticism aimed by Butler (1990) at feminist theory is precisely that it has argued there must be a source for actions. This means that gender cannot be 'performed' of itself; it must be performed by something. Butler (1990) provides an example in the relationship between sexual desire and gender. Freud's explanation that attraction comes from biological sex is considered by Butler. She argues that sexual attraction, rather than coming from sex, is a process that is learned over time, that is a performance we work on, not something flowing directly from biological sex. The political implications of this argument are vital, especially for homosexuality. Kirsch (2001) argues that some people in the queer movement have accepted the primacy of biology. This idea is related to essentialism which relies on factors such as the 'gay gene' to explain homosexuality. In contrast to this view, a constructionist approach concentrates on the ways in which society encourages certain types of behaviour through social norms. 'Men' and 'women', within Butler's theory, are no longer essentialist universal categories but rather free-floating categories which are socially produced. The norms to which Butler is referring are those which see the body as being directly related to the types of sexual desire and practices that are associated with it (Salih Butler, 2004). Sexual desires and practices which do not fit within this matrix are 'not allowed'. In order to understand how sexed bodies are produced, Butler uses Lacan's reading of Freud (Salih Butler, 2004). Lacan argues that it is through fantasy that the sexed body is created. Salih (2002) points out that it is Butler's use of Freud that is one of her most important achievements. Here, she analyses Freud's idea of the Oedipus complex. This is where the child is forced to give up its desire for its parents by the incest taboo. Butler reinterprets this by arguing that the child desires the parent of the same sex, but finds that this is taboo. Sex and gender identities are then formed from this taboo. Butler argues that everyone's gender identity is formed from this homosexual ta boo. Butler refers to the formation of gender identity in terms of melancholic identification (Salih, 2002). The place where this identification can be seen, according to Butler, is on the body in the form of gender and sex identities. While Butler's theory of performativity along with her work in post-modern feminist theory has been extremely influential, it has also provoked a fair degree of criticism. Benhabib (1995) has argued that the death of the subject, which is at the heart of Butler's thesis, leads to an incoherent picture. Benhabib (1995) points out that it is difficult to believe there is nothing behind the mask of gender, that agency appears completely absent. In a parallel argument to Benhabib, Kirsch (2001) makes the point that this negation of the subject has negative consequences for ideas of identity and collective action. A sense of collectivity, in particular, is often seen by those 'coming out' as providing support. In Butler's theory, however, there is only the focus on the individual. To Kirsch (2001) it seems that Butler's theory tends to reduce the ability of the wider community to provide support to the individual. A more generalised criticism of modern feminism, however it is labelled, is that there is a sense in which it is an exclusive club. Butler's ideas relating to the performativity of gender are only available to a certain restricted group in society: white, middle-class, intellectual (Whelehan, 1995). Each feminist sub-movement implicitly creates its own lists of what can be done, and what cannot. Women, therefore, can find it difficult to label themselves as feminists as there are now many apparent bars to entry and negative associations with it (Whelehan, 1995). Perhaps in this sense second wave feminism, as enunciated by Firestone and Millet, provided a vision with which it was easier to associate. In contrast, post-modern perspectives, a category in which Butler's work has been put, provide a much more complex and illusory analysis of gender; even, as some critics would have it, making it harder for those attempting to live outside society's norms. It has been argued that theories such as those put forward by Butler have lead to the need for a new type of feminism (Pilcher Whelehan, 2004). This is precisely because postmodernist thought has rejected the 'grand narratives' associated with second wave feminism. As a result, women may find it difficult to claim the identity 'woman' as its nature is so contested in postmodernist thought (Pilcher Whelehan, 2004). This is part of the problem that so-called 'post-feminism' has attempted to address. This leads to an attempt to answer the question: What gender am I? Viewed through the influence of Butler's theories, it is increasingly difficult to provide a clear answer. The two answers that are most 'natural', male or female suddenly become obsolete expressions which appear devoid of their previous meaning. With the 'subject' apparently removed from the equation, it is difficult to lay claim to any particular gender. Certainly Butler's theory does not imply that both men and women can travel without hindrance across the boundaries of gender, far from it. Naturally society's norms still apply and even transgressions are carried out in relation to the norms themselves. Ultimately, though, the question comes back to the problem of agency. If it is up to me to choose my gender, as I wish, then who is doing the choosing? When Butler even rejects the idea of there being an actor at all, all meaning fades from the question What gender am I? In conclusion, the second wave of feminism brought a grand narrative view of the history of women's oppression. It pointed to oppression as a political institution enforced through social mechanisms such as the family, marriage and economics. Critics of this approach, however, questioned whether it was possible to set women up in direct opposition to men. Judith Butler responded to the second wave view by collapsing the ideas of gender and sex into each other. Gender, she argues, is performed, and so the subject in feminist thought, was apparently destroyed. But, argued critics of Butler, these notions of gender appear to restrict the political power of feminism, to leave it toothless, without its subject. Attempting to answer the question What gender am I? when viewed in the light of Butler's theory, leads to a sense of confusion. I could be both, I could be either, I could be neither. Is this freedom, or is it just too free-form? References Benhabib, S. (1995). Subjectivity, historiography, and politics: Reflections on the feminism/postmodernism exchange. In: S. Benhabib, J. Butler, D. Cornell, N. Fraser (Eds.). Feminist contentions: A philosophical exchange. New York: Routledge. Brooks, A. (1997). Postfeminisms: Feminism, cultural theory, and cultural forms. Oxford: Routledge. Butler, J. (1990). Gender Trouble: Gender and the Subversion of Identity. Oxford: Routledge. Clough, P. T. (2000) Judith Butler. In: G. Ritzer (Ed.). The Blackwell Companion to Major Social Theorists. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing. Beauvoir, S. (1961). The Second Sex. Translated by HM Parshley. New York: Bantam. Firestone, S. (1970). The dialectic of sex: The case for feminist revolution. New York: William Morrow and Company. Fraser, M. (2002). What is the matter of feminist criticism? Economy and Society, 31(4), 606-625. Gamble, S. (2002). The Routledge companion to feminism and postfeminism. Oxford: Routledge. Kirsch, M. (2001). Queer theory and social change. London: Routledge. MacNay, L. (1997). Foucault and feminism: power, gender and the self. London: Polity Press. Millet, K. (1970). Sexual politics. London: Ballantine. Pilcher, J., Whelehan, I. (2004) Key concepts in gender studies. London: Sage. Richards, J. (1982). The sceptical feminist: a philosophical enquiry. London: Penguin. Salih, S. (2002). Routledge critical thinkers: Judith Butler. Oxford: Routledge. Salih, S., Butler, J. (2004). The Judith Butler reader. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers. Sandford, S. (1999) Contingent ontologies: sex, gender and â€Å"woman† in Simone de Beauvoir and Judith Butler. Radical Philosophy 97, 18–29. Whelehan, I. (1995). Modern feminist thought: from the second wave to post-feminism. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.

William Penn Essay -- essays research papers

William Penn William Penn was born and raised in England, but he is well known for what he did in the Americas. First and foremost, William Penn was a religious nonconformist and writer: he wrote numerous religious books over his lifetime. Second, Penn is responsible for the â€Å"holy experiment†: the colony of Pennsylvania. He was a Quaker advocate, and as a proprietor had the opportunity to practice the Quaker Peace testimony. Penn was interested in religion from the time he was a child. When he was twelve years old he had the opportunity to hear testimony from a traveling Quaker minister, Thomas Loe. Penn was touched by Loe’s message, and sought the ‘authentic Christian message’ rather then focusing on ‘institutional’ religion. At the age of 16, Penn started attending Oxford University. It was at Oxford University, that William began to reject Anglicanism and he began attending unauthorized prayer meetings. At this time, he was expelled for his â€Å"religious unconformity†. He then attended a Protestant school in France, where he completed his education. When Penn turned 23, he converted and became a Quaker after another run in with Thomas Loe. He then began to write down his religious ideas, and took a lot of criticism from other scholars. Penn wrote the book Sandy Foundations Shaken which was considered â€Å"controversial and superficial† and for this, was imprisoned in the Tower of London. While imprisoned, Penn kept writing. He wrote the book No Cross, No Crown, which was a ...

Long Days Journey into Night Eugene by ONeill - Character Analysis of Mary :: Long Days Journey into Night

Long Day's Journey into Night Eugene by O'Neill - Character Analysis of Mary In the play  ¡Ã‚ °Long Day ¡Ã‚ ¯s Journey into Night, ¡Ã‚ ± by Eugene O ¡Ã‚ ¯Neill, the writer depicts a typical day of the Tyrone family, whose once-close family has deteriorated over the years for a number of reasons: Mary ¡Ã‚ ¯s drug addiction, Tyrone Jamie and Edmund ¡Ã‚ ¯s alcoholism, Tyrone ¡Ã‚ ¯s stinginess, and the sons` pessimistic attitude toward future. In the play, all of the four characters are miserable about life, and they all remember the past and try to escape from reality by drinking alcohol or taking drugs. Among these four characters, Mary is a typical and special one; she is the most tragic character in the play. She used to be an innocent girl with beautiful dreams (to become a nun and a pianist) and a strong religious faith centered on the Virgin Mary. However, her marriage destroyed her dreams and weakened her faith. Her husband Tyrone fails to realize the promises he made to Mary, which makes her lose her faith in the marriage. The morphine addi ction drags her down and makes her unconscious about whether she lives in the past or present. The title of the play is a  ¡Ã‚ °Long Day ¡Ã‚ ¯s Journey into Night ¡Ã‚ ±, but Mary, as she keeps taking morphine, travels mentally back to the past when she has fewer problems and happier life. Thus, for Mary, it is actually a long day ¡Ã‚ ¯s journey into the past. In Act One, there are three points that are important to the developing of the character of Mary. One is that she realizes her beauty is fading away, and she is in the stages of decline; another is that she refuses to admit that there is a health problem with her and her son Edmund. Finally, there is the issue of Mary ¡Ã‚ ¯s specific idea of what a  ¡Ã‚ °home ¡Ã‚ ± is. At the beginning of the play, Tyrone and Jamie stare at Mary, and make her self-conscious (p27); they talk about her hair and remember the beautiful hair that Mary had when she was young. Mary realizes that she is getting old and she is very anxious about this, which is reflected when she asks people what is wrong with her hair several times. One of Mary ¡Ã‚ ¯s central flaws is her refusal to admit that there is a problem with herself or Edmund. She lies to her family many times about being cured, and she blames them for suspecting her. Long Day's Journey into Night Eugene by O'Neill - Character Analysis of Mary :: Long Day's Journey into Night Long Day's Journey into Night Eugene by O'Neill - Character Analysis of Mary In the play  ¡Ã‚ °Long Day ¡Ã‚ ¯s Journey into Night, ¡Ã‚ ± by Eugene O ¡Ã‚ ¯Neill, the writer depicts a typical day of the Tyrone family, whose once-close family has deteriorated over the years for a number of reasons: Mary ¡Ã‚ ¯s drug addiction, Tyrone Jamie and Edmund ¡Ã‚ ¯s alcoholism, Tyrone ¡Ã‚ ¯s stinginess, and the sons` pessimistic attitude toward future. In the play, all of the four characters are miserable about life, and they all remember the past and try to escape from reality by drinking alcohol or taking drugs. Among these four characters, Mary is a typical and special one; she is the most tragic character in the play. She used to be an innocent girl with beautiful dreams (to become a nun and a pianist) and a strong religious faith centered on the Virgin Mary. However, her marriage destroyed her dreams and weakened her faith. Her husband Tyrone fails to realize the promises he made to Mary, which makes her lose her faith in the marriage. The morphine addi ction drags her down and makes her unconscious about whether she lives in the past or present. The title of the play is a  ¡Ã‚ °Long Day ¡Ã‚ ¯s Journey into Night ¡Ã‚ ±, but Mary, as she keeps taking morphine, travels mentally back to the past when she has fewer problems and happier life. Thus, for Mary, it is actually a long day ¡Ã‚ ¯s journey into the past. In Act One, there are three points that are important to the developing of the character of Mary. One is that she realizes her beauty is fading away, and she is in the stages of decline; another is that she refuses to admit that there is a health problem with her and her son Edmund. Finally, there is the issue of Mary ¡Ã‚ ¯s specific idea of what a  ¡Ã‚ °home ¡Ã‚ ± is. At the beginning of the play, Tyrone and Jamie stare at Mary, and make her self-conscious (p27); they talk about her hair and remember the beautiful hair that Mary had when she was young. Mary realizes that she is getting old and she is very anxious about this, which is reflected when she asks people what is wrong with her hair several times. One of Mary ¡Ã‚ ¯s central flaws is her refusal to admit that there is a problem with herself or Edmund. She lies to her family many times about being cured, and she blames them for suspecting her.

Deforestation of The Pacific Northwest Essay -- Environmental Endanger

Deforestation of the Pacific Northwest One of the most controversial areas associated with the global problem of deforestation is the Pacific Northwest of the US. The problem can be broken down into several issues that all tie in together. These include the near extinction of the Northern Spotted Owl, the "business" aspect of logging versus the environmental aspect, and the role of the government in this problem. In 1973, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) was passed. This enabled the Dept. of Commerce and Dept. of the Interior to place species, either land or marine, as either threatened or endangered. Under these terms species could no longer be hunted, collected, injured or killed. The northern spotted owl falls under the more serious condition of being endangered. Also, the bill forbids federal agencies to fund or carry out any activity that would threaten the species or its' habitat. It is the latter part of the bill that causes the controversy. Under the ESA, loggers should not be allowed to cut down the old- growth of the forest. The old growth of a forest includes the largest and oldest trees, living or dead. In the case of the North Coast forests, this includes some thousand-year-old stands with heights above three-hundred feet and diameters of more than ten feet. In 1990, the number of spotted owls dropped to 2000 breeding pairs. The preservation of any species contributes to the biodiversity of an area. In an ecosystem, the absence of one species creates unfavorable conditions for the others. The absence of the spotted owl could have a significant effect on the North Coast forest ecosystem. In order to send the owl population in the right direction, the major problem for their decline would have to be remedied – loss of habitat. This fact combined with the owls' short life expectancy and late age of breeding only exacerbates the problem. When loggers remove old growth the owl loses habitat for its' food, housing, as well as protection from predators. Approximately ninety percent of the forests in the Pacific Northwest have already been harvested. In order to protect the current owl population, the remaining forests would have to be preserved, but this would have a serious negative economical effect. Such a decision would effect jobs, regional economy, as well as the lifestyle of loggers. With such a... ...siness. In some cases, the money subsidizes the large companies for things such as logging roads in order to keep the cost of paper and other tree products down. These same companies ship their lumber to Japan for milling before they are sold back to the United States at a higher price. Not only does the public lose money in this process but it costs Americans a number of jobs. On the other hand, agencies have made efforts to prevent deforestation. Members of the Forest Service educate not only the large companies, but the private landowners as well. It is the private owners who own sixty percent if the forests being harvested. By helping to show how conservative forestry techniques can be made efficient as well as more profitable, they are helping to diminish the rate of deforestation. If more money was spent on research and the spread of new and better techniques, then the taxpayers' money would be better spent. In conclusion, there are several aspects of deforestation in the Pacific Northwest that need to be evaluated before the situation becomes irreversible. If the current harvesting techniques continue, our children will be missing more than the spotted owl. Deforestation of The Pacific Northwest Essay -- Environmental Endanger Deforestation of the Pacific Northwest One of the most controversial areas associated with the global problem of deforestation is the Pacific Northwest of the US. The problem can be broken down into several issues that all tie in together. These include the near extinction of the Northern Spotted Owl, the "business" aspect of logging versus the environmental aspect, and the role of the government in this problem. In 1973, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) was passed. This enabled the Dept. of Commerce and Dept. of the Interior to place species, either land or marine, as either threatened or endangered. Under these terms species could no longer be hunted, collected, injured or killed. The northern spotted owl falls under the more serious condition of being endangered. Also, the bill forbids federal agencies to fund or carry out any activity that would threaten the species or its' habitat. It is the latter part of the bill that causes the controversy. Under the ESA, loggers should not be allowed to cut down the old- growth of the forest. The old growth of a forest includes the largest and oldest trees, living or dead. In the case of the North Coast forests, this includes some thousand-year-old stands with heights above three-hundred feet and diameters of more than ten feet. In 1990, the number of spotted owls dropped to 2000 breeding pairs. The preservation of any species contributes to the biodiversity of an area. In an ecosystem, the absence of one species creates unfavorable conditions for the others. The absence of the spotted owl could have a significant effect on the North Coast forest ecosystem. In order to send the owl population in the right direction, the major problem for their decline would have to be remedied – loss of habitat. This fact combined with the owls' short life expectancy and late age of breeding only exacerbates the problem. When loggers remove old growth the owl loses habitat for its' food, housing, as well as protection from predators. Approximately ninety percent of the forests in the Pacific Northwest have already been harvested. In order to protect the current owl population, the remaining forests would have to be preserved, but this would have a serious negative economical effect. Such a decision would effect jobs, regional economy, as well as the lifestyle of loggers. With such a... ...siness. In some cases, the money subsidizes the large companies for things such as logging roads in order to keep the cost of paper and other tree products down. These same companies ship their lumber to Japan for milling before they are sold back to the United States at a higher price. Not only does the public lose money in this process but it costs Americans a number of jobs. On the other hand, agencies have made efforts to prevent deforestation. Members of the Forest Service educate not only the large companies, but the private landowners as well. It is the private owners who own sixty percent if the forests being harvested. By helping to show how conservative forestry techniques can be made efficient as well as more profitable, they are helping to diminish the rate of deforestation. If more money was spent on research and the spread of new and better techniques, then the taxpayers' money would be better spent. In conclusion, there are several aspects of deforestation in the Pacific Northwest that need to be evaluated before the situation becomes irreversible. If the current harvesting techniques continue, our children will be missing more than the spotted owl.

A Persuasive Essay on Underage Drinking

Because underage drinking is related to easy access to alcohol, an alcohol-related problem associated exclusively with young people is that of underage drinking in licensed premises. Young people may enter bars, subject to the licensee’s permission, once they are 18 years of age in England, Scotland and Wales.The corresponding age in the United States is 21. Survey findings show that between 10 and 20 per cent of 13 year olds report that their usual location for drinking is in a public bar, club or disco. The proportion drinking in these establishments rises steadily with age, until at 17 years of age, between 50 and 90 per cent of young people choose licensed places in which to conduct their drinking (Wagenaar and Wolfson 1994).This paper argues that there is need in the determination of the extent to which raising the minimum drinking age results in reduction in use and problems among young adults.Policies to restrict the minimum drinking age at which licensed sales to under age youth are permitted are intended to restrict youth access to alcohol and prevent the early onset and rapid development of drinking problems among youth and young adults. It is of some interest in this regard to also determine the effects of lower minimum drinking ages on alcohol problems.There is now a strong and consistent body of knowledge in relation to the impact of drinking age laws for public drinking and making legal purchases of alcohol. This was influential in assisting community advocacy groups to push successfully for the drinking age to be raised to 21 in many US States, following experiences with earlier periods of relaxation (Wagenaar and Wolfson 1994).These drinking age laws stand as the highest in the world, being shared with Malaysia, South Korea and Ukraine. Most countries for which information is available have 18 as the legal drinking age and a handful of European countries have adopted 16 (Austria, Belgium, France, Italy and Spain).There is persuasive eviden ce that changes to the minimum legal drinking age directly result in corresponding changes in levels of a variety of problems relating to alcohol intoxication, including road traffic fatalities, juvenile crime, serious assault and drunkenness convictions for the affected age groups (Yu 1998).The US General Accounting Office (1987) conducted a systematic review of this topic and, on the basis of 14 studies judged to be methodologically sound, estimated reductions in fatal road crashes among young drivers to be 5–28%. In one study of changes in drinking age laws across four Australian states, reductions were significantly associated with increases in assaults.Following the drop in drinking age from 21 to 18 in Western Australia in 1970, rates of serious assault increased by 231% for juveniles in comparison with Queensland (O'malley and Wagenaar 1991).

Evaluation Essay of China Charges into Electric Cars Essay

The article â€Å"China Charges into Electric Cars†, which written by Dumaine, Brian, talking about the plan of develop electric cars in China. This article detailed introduction of the problem which exist in building an electric automobile infrastructure in China and the money which are invested by the Chinese government to help in the expansion of the electric automobile industry. This information is very important for the electric car manufacture who want to enter Chinese market. As a new and potential electric car market, China draws attention from all around the world. If one the electric car manufacture could have a head start, it will predominate in this market for a long time. The author described the plan and policy which related to electric car by Chinese government, analyzed the current situation of Chinese electric car market and predicted the future trends. The data and information in this article are very useful and reliable, especially for an electric car manufacture such like Tesla. In this article, we can easy to find that why China will be the biggest electric car market. The author stated his purpose by using some fact and comparison between China and America. For example, at the beginning of the article, the author described a popular auto show which hold in southwestern part of China. The heavy demand and the interest from Chinese consumer can be found through this auto show. After that, the article talking about problem of Chinese environment which is an important and hard to ignore issue. Electric car alleviate the growing traffic jam and lower greenhouse-gas emissions. But the most important for China is getting out of oil addiction. The gas price for a country which per capita income is USD 2800 a year is too expensive. The second half of this article focus on the Chinese technological strength and forms of cooperation for the foreign brand who want to share this market. Those information point the way to the future for the electric company. The article’s intended audience should be the electric car manufacture and associated components supplier. In addition, it also provide some valuable information for the investors in new energy industry. This article published in Fortune magazine in 2010. Fortune is a global business magazine published by Time Inc. and founded by Henry Luce in 1930. It has strengths in professional finance analysis and report, which is named one of the world’s most influential business magazine. The author of this article, Dumaine, has worked at Fortune for 28 years in various writing and editing positions including assistant managing editor. He has won numerous journalism awards and written more than 100 feature stories for the magazine, including covers such as ‘America’s Toughest Bosses,’ ‘The Innovation Gap,’ and ‘America’s Smartest Young Entrepreneurs. ‘ Throughout his career, he has produced investigative pieces as well as articles on marketing, investing, technology, and corporate crime. As a result, this article has adequate qualification by the magazine and the author, it’s very helpful and reliable to use in the Final essay. All in all, this article reports on the present and future of Chinese electric car market and how Chinese government to develop this new industry. The author also reasons why China is interested in having more electric automobiles and wanting to stop its addiction to oil. It’s very clearly to prove that China will be the biggest electric car market in the next 50 years, the support from the Chinese government and the the actual conditions of China provided enormous opportunities for the electric car manufactures. Reference: Dumaine, B. (2010). CHINA CHARGES into ELECTRIC CARS. Fortune, 162(7), 138-148.