Physics The Domino Effect Lab Report Essay Example

Physics The Domino Effect Lab Report Paper Controlled Variable: The number of dominoes used (8 dominoes), the distance between the dominoes (2 CM), the loads used as the initial force applied on the amino (egg), the inclined plane used as a platform that will direct the load to hit the first domino (200), the stopwatch used to time the domino effect, the person using the stopwatch, the person releasing the metal weight from the top of the inclined plane, the ruler used to measure the distance between the dominoes. Equipment 1 Inclined Plane 1 (50 g) Metal Weight 4 x 8 (20 g) Metal weight 8 Dominoes (Nun Stacks) 1 Digital Mass Balance (i 0. 1 g) 1 Masking Tape 1 Protractor 1 Ruler 1 Stopwatch (Â ± 0. 01 s) -34290039687500Diagram Analysis of Variables Independent Variable: The mass of the dominoes will vary ranging from 12. 38 g to 82. 38 g. The increase between each of the variable will be constantly 20 g, to satisfy the range of the mass; the original mass of the domino is 12. 38 g, and an additional mass from a 20 g of load will be attached on top of the domino for every change in variable. Dependent Variable: In accordance to the mass for every variable, the time taken of the domino effect to be completed (1st hit to the 8th fall) will also differ. Therefore, the time taken of the domino effect will depend on the change of mass of the dominoes. A stopwatch will be utilized to record the time of the chain of falling dominoes. Controlled Variable: Identified Variables Possible Impact on Results Specific Method for Control Distance between each center point of domino (2 CM) If the distance between each center point of domino differs for every domino in each trial, the time taken of the falling effect will also differ. Making the distance between each domino the same will create the energy transfer from one domino to another domino to be the same as well. We will write a custom essay sample on Physics The Domino Effect Lab Report specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Physics The Domino Effect Lab Report specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Physics The Domino Effect Lab Report specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The energy transfer will take a certain time, therefore the stance between each domino must be kept constant so that the time taken will not be altered, thus creating a consistent and valid data. The distance between the dominoes (2 CM) will be measured with a 15 CM ruler. To ensure the exact placement of the domino, a masking tape will be used to mark the center point. Number of dominoes (8) The difference in the number of dominoes used for each trials will definitely affect the time taken to complete the domino effect. The greater the amount of dominoes used, the longer the time taken to complete the effect. Similarly, using a smaller amount of domino results in faster falling time. Thus using inconsistent number of dominoes will likely cause invalid comparison between data points to occur. 8 dominoes will be used for the entire experiment. Mass of the metal weight (500 g) If the mass of the metal weight is different, this will affect the initial force acting upon the domino, and ultimately this will increase or decrease the rate of the falling domino, or it might not even budge the dominoes at all. The same metal weight will be utilized for he entire experiment. Angle between the base and the inclined ramp (200) The angle of the ramp also impacts the placement of the metal weight that acts as the trigger to push the dominoes. If the angle of the ramp is not kept constant, the potential energy stored in the metal weight will be different, thus when it is set into motion, the force that will hit the domino will not be the same. This will then interfere the consistency of the data. The angle of 200 will be set by using a protractor. Type of inclined plane Even though friction is neglected in his experiment, by using a different type of inclined plane, the acceleration of the metal weight will be slightly modified, thus the initial force exerted by the metal weight on the domino will also be altered. The same wooden plane will be utilized for the entire experiment. Starting point of the metal weight If the starting point of the ball is inconsistent, the force applied on to the dominoes will also be inconsistent, thus altering the overall data. The place where the ball will be released will be marked by a masking tape. Placement of the dominoes In order to ensure that the domino effect will move smoothly without any obstruction, the dominoes must be placed neatly in a straight line. This will avoid interruption for the time taken for the domino effect to be completed. A ruler will be used to ensure that the dominoes are placed in a straight line. Digital Mass Balance Different digital measurement tools have different calibration. Therefore, it is a crucial aspect to use the same digital mass balance for every trial because this will help create a trend in the data that is accurate and precise.

Paradox of Meiji Restoration and Modernization essays

Paradox of Meiji Restoration and Modernization essays Paradox of the Meiji Restoration and Modernization Japan is a society whose culture is steeped in the traditions and symbols of the past: Mount Fuji, the tea ceremony, and the sacred objects of nature revered in Shintoism. Two of the most important traditions and symbols in Japan- the Emperor and Confucianism have endured through Shogunates, restorations of imperial rule, and up to present day. It can be argued that the leaders of the Meiji Restoration used these traditions to gain control over Japan and further their goals of modernization. The Meiji leaders used the symbolism of the Emperor to add legitimacy to their government, claiming that they were ruling under Imperial Will. They also used Confucianism to maintain order and force the Japanese people to passively accept their rule. As a result, the use of Confucianism and the Emperor to bolster the Imperial restoration laid the foundation for a paradox of state affairs. The system that sought to strengthen Japan through the use of modern technology and modern organization met hods was using traditional values to further its goals. The Meiji leaders realized that they needed to harness the concept of the Imperial Will in order to govern effectively. The imperialist opposition claimed that the Tokugawa Shogunate had lost its imperial mandate to carry out the Imperial Will because it had capitulated to Western powers by allowing them to open up Japan to trade. The fact that the Tokugawas policy of opening up Japan to the western world ran counter to the beliefs of the Emperor and was unpopular with the public made the Tokugawa vulnerable to attack from the Imperialists. As a result, the great military regime of Edo, which until recently had been all powerful was floundering not because of military weakness, or because the machinery of government had broken, but because the Japanese public and the Shoguns supporters felt they had lost the Imperial Will The ...

H R Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

H R - Essay Example Therefore, Job analyst, specification and selection of people become an important part in the hiring cycle. Furthermore, these are now turn into a vital stage of company development and improvement. Over an over, hiring become a strategic analysis in which the overall strategy (growth, consolidation, diversification, etc), key human resources needed to achieve strategy & workforce characteristics and behaviors required of key human resources are planed & discussed ahead of time. In this report, we will discuss the different stages of hiring a new staff on board and how to make the right choice of getting the right person on-board. We will also look at how strategic human resource manager could provide useful to the board of management as to maximize company efficiency and profitability. From a manager stand point, hiring is not just about finding a candidate to ill in the job vacancies, but also about how to help company to find the best person to join. As a result, this is a process to increase team efficiency & hence become more productive and leads higher profitability. In fact, it is very costly to have the wrong person in the job and to have to replace them. The critical factor in assuring manager makes the right employee selection for hiring or promotion or lateral move is the ability to accurately predict the cultural & soft skill fit of the candidates with the job and at the same time, it is the line manager role to think of the hard skills needed on the job, that is job analyst and its another strategic plan for companies to attract potential talent person to join the team (Youndt, 1996). The line manager must clearly identify the kind of job responsibility he needs for the team and the types of person he wants to fit in the role. Also, the qualification of the candidates and the source of the applicants are also very critical decision making process for line

War as Threat to Value of Life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

War as Threat to Value of Life - Essay Example There was a time when war had been the order of the day, and warriors used to be looked with great reverence and admiration. Somehow, the two Great Wars of 20th century have realized the people the fatal aftereffects of the bloodshed and aggression, where hundreds of thousands of people died and turned wounded and disabled, along with the reversal of financial and scientific achievements man had invented and devised after the hard efforts of many decades. Hence, wars brought ruination to progress, prosperity, unity and moral values, and crush all ethics and quality of human life under their chariot wheels. It is fact beyond suspicion that the history of war is as old as the history of human arrival on the very face of the earth. â€Å"Distinguished philosopher Immanuel Kant emphatically argues that the state of peace among the people living side by side and remaining in constant interaction with one another cannot be remained peaceful, as it is in the nature of man to contain differ ences with other fellow-beings. It is therefore it is war rather than peace which could be stated as the natural one.† (Porter, 2003: 310) One of the most imperative reasons behind the aggression and antagonism against others includes the innate avaricious nature of humans, which urges them to take the life of the rival out of the feelings of envy, jealousy, anger and fear. It is therefore the individuals and nations attack their opponents in order to deprive them of the privileges they have obtained. The Old Testament also narrates the tale of the Abel’s murder at the hands of his real brother Cain, who was killed because of God’s favor upon him in the form of the acceptance of Abel’s sacrifice. (Genesis 4: 1-17) Thus, the flow of first human blood on the earth paved the way towards the series of killings, assassinations, bloodshed and wars for the future generations to come. However, it was an individual enmity that resulted into fratricide; as the human s are still busy in killing their brethren for the last several centuries, yet their lust of dominating over other individuals has witnessed no satiety at all. History demonstrates the very reality that the wars are commenced, inflicted and fought in the sacred name of religion, justice, peace, solidarity, freedom and human rights, where war mongers destroy human societies, cultures and civilizations just to acquire pelf, power, prestige and possession. It is therefore the warfare inflicted upon humanity during ancient Greek, Hellenistic, Roman and Medieval eras just meant to subjugate the weak neighbors in order to snatch their wealth and resources by killing their men, enslaving their women and annexing their territories to their own countries. The European scramble for Asia and Africa during 17th century onward also reflected the brutality and butchery exercised by the big powers upon the weak and defenseless humans just to declare themselves as the world power. The recent war

An Employee Refusal to Work Overtime Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

An Employee Refusal to Work Overtime - Case Study Example In this case a company has increased the number of working hours of an employee named Gryzmisk to six hours and he has refused to accept the increase in hours and in turn the supervisor has sanctioned him to a 1 day suspension. The acceptance and rejection of the offer of increase in hours of work is dependent on mutual agreement between the employer and the employee. The employee has obtained assistance from the union and the union is backing him up in this case. During the negotiations between the union and the company the company has said that the increase in number of hours cannot be changed because it is for a specific period of time. As an arbitrator I would have provided a solution that is best in the interest of the company as well as the employee. First I would have negotiated with the employee that the extra hours are essential for the growth of the company and in turn it would even benefit the employee in the long run as these extra hours would add to the productivity of the organization and would help in the growth of the organization which will eventually help the employee. On the other hand I would have negotiated with the employers for additional benefits in the short run and in the long run for the employee. In the short run I would have asked the employers to not only pay the per hour rate to the employee, I would have asked the employer to increase the per hour rate for each extra hour worked by the employee. Secondly, I would have asked the employers to provide him certain bonus or promotion.

Slump Test With Relevant British Standards

Slump Test With Relevant British Standards Describe the slump test in accordance with relevant British Standard and indicate why it is an important test. How would concrete workability be determined if the concrete is required to be very dry? In accordance with relevant British Standards (BS EN 12350-2:2009), the slump test is important as it determines the consistency of fresh concrete. The fresh concrete is compacted into a mould in the shape of a cone. When the cone is withdrawn upwards, the distance the concrete has slumped provides a measure of the consistency of the concrete. This is the basic principle of the slump test. The sample of the concrete is obtained in accordance with BS EN 12350-1(British Standards Institute, 2009a). When undertaking the task of the slump test, the mould and base plate are dampened and the mould is placed on the horizontal base plate. During filling of the mould, it is held firmly against the base plate by clamping in place or by standing on the two foot pieces. The mould is filled in three layers, each approximately one-third of the height of the mould when compacted. Each layer is compacted with twenty five strokes of the tamping rod. The strokes are uniformly distributed over the cross section of each layer. For the bottom layer the rod is slightly inclined and positioned approximately half the strokes towards the centre. The first layer is compacted throughout its depth, taking care in not striking the base. The second layer and the top layer are compacted throughout its depth, so that the strokes just penetrate into the immediately underlying layer. In filling and compacting the top layer, the concrete is heaped above the mould before tamping is started. If the tamping operation of the top layer results in subsidence of the concrete below the top edge of the mould, then more concrete is added to keep an excess above the top of the mould. After the top layer has been compacted, the surface of the concrete is struck off by means of a sawing and rolling motion of the compacting rod (British Standards Institute, 2009b). Subsequently, the spilled concrete is removed from the base plate. The mould is removed from the concrete by raising it carefully in an upwards direction. Immediately after removal of the mould, the slump is measured and recorded by determining the difference between the height of the mould and that of the highest point of the slumped test specimen as shown in figure 1. The consistency of a concrete mix changes with time. This is due to hydration of the cement and loss of moisture. Thus, tests on different samples should be carried out at a constant time interval after mixing, if comparable results are to be obtained (Wikipedia, 2010a). The test is only valid if it yields a true slump. This is the slump in which the concrete remains substantially intact and symmetrical as shown in Figure 2(a). If the specimen shears, as shown in Figure 2(b), another sample is taken and the procedure repeated. If two consecutive tests show a portion of the concrete shearing off from the mass of the test specimen, then the concrete lacks the necessary plasticity and cohesiveness for the slump test to be suitable. This is why the slump test is important and appropriate for concrete mixes of medium and high workability concrete. There are other tests to establish workability of concrete. If the concrete is required to be very dry, then this will depend on the water/cement ratio (w/c) of the mixture which has a control over the final properties of the concrete. Selection of a w/c ratio gives the engineer control over two desirable properties. These are strength and workability. A mixture with a high w/c will be more workable than a mixture with a low w/c i.e. it will flow easier. The less workable the mixture, the stronger the concrete will be. The water/cement ratio needs to be about 0.25 to complete the hydration reaction. Typical values of w/c are between 0.35 and 0.40 because they give a good amount of workability without sacrificing a lot of strength (Concrete, 2010). The vebe test is appropriate for concrete mixes of low and very low workability. This method is a mechanised variation of the slump test and determines the workability of concrete. The concrete is subjected to vibration after removal of the slump cone. It is then mounted upon a vibrating table operating at a fixed amplitude and frequency. The time to complete the required vibration gives an indication of the concrete workability. The vebe test is done in accordance to BS EN 12350-3:2009 (British Standards Institute, 2009e). Workability of fresh concrete and the fluidity of the concrete at different water/cement ratio will affect the casting and finishing of the concrete specimen. Strength of the concrete will also be affected. Concrete workability can be determined by many methods. This includes confined flow test methods e.g. compacting factor test, free flow test methods. These methods include slump test and vibration test methods e.g. the vebe test as previously mentioned (ELE International, 2010). (816 Words) In concrete mixing, describe briefly the mixing procedure. Why concrete is being mixed in dry state for 60s first, then after water is added and further mixed for 90s? Concrete is formed by mixing cement, coarse aggregate, fine aggregate and water. This is with or without the incorporation of admixtures and additions, which develops its properties by hydration of the cement. Mixing the water with the cement glues the aggregate together, fills voids within it, and allows it to run more easily. The object of mixing concrete is to coat the surface of all aggregate particles with cement paste and to blend all the ingredients of concrete into a uniform mass. This uniformity must not be disturbed when discharging from the mixer (Neville, A. M, 1981a, p226). With concrete, there is an inclination on site to mix it as quickly as possible. It is therefore important to know what the minimum mixing time necessary to produce a concrete uniform in composition and of satisfactory strength. The time varies with the type of mixer and number of revolutions which is the criteria for adequate mixing and not essentially the mixing time. The are three main options for mixing concrete. These options are mixing by hand, which is probably only suitable where less than about  ¼m ³ of concrete is required; using a cement mixer, which is generally suitable where between about  ¼m ³ and 2m ³ of concrete is required; and finally buying in ready mix for jobs requiring more than about 2m ³ of concrete which is best and cost effective to buy in a lorry load of ready mixed concrete. The above quantities are only rough guidelines (Practical DIY, 2010). With mixing concrete, the mixing procedure includes the loading method, the discharge method, the mixing time, and the mixing energy. The loading method includes the order of loading the constituents into the mixer and also the duration of the loading period. The duration of this period depends on how long the constituents are mixed dry before the addition of water and how fast the constituents are loaded. The loading period is extended from the time when the first constituent is introduced in the mixer to when all the constituents are in the mixer. Dry mixing is the mixing that occurs during loading but before water is introduced. Wet mixing is the mixing after or while water is being introduced, but still during loading. This means that materials are introduced any time during the loading period: all before the water, all after the water, partially before and partially after. The loading period is important because some of the concrete properties will depend on the order in which t he constituents are introduced in the mixer. The discharge from the mixer should be arranged so that it increases productivity and it does not modify the homogeneity of the concrete (Concrete-Catalog, 2010). Figure 3 shows the relationship between the range of strengths of the specimen made from the given mix after a specific mixing time. Figure 3 is based on Shalons tests. It shows how compressive strength is affected by the mixing time. It also shows the minimum, mean and maximum values (Neville, A. M, 1981b) Figure 4 shows the same tests but plotted as a coefficient of variation against mixing time. From the graph it shows that mixing for less than sixty seconds and ninety seconds produces a noticeably more variable concrete. Prolonging the mixing time beyond the values results in no significant improvement in uniformity. (Neville, A. M, 1981c) This would suggest why the mixing process is no less than sixty seconds and ninety seconds for each process e.g. when mixing the dry state for sixty seconds then adding water and mixing for a further ninety seconds. Figure 5 shows the results of Abrams tests. It shows how the average strength of concrete also increases with an increase in mixing time. The rate of increase falls quickly beyond one minute and is not significant beyond two minutes with sometimes a slight decrease in strength been observed (Neville, A. M, 1981d). This would suggest why concrete is mixed in dry state for sixty seconds first as the strength falls quickly beyond this and why after water is added it is mixed for a further ninety seconds. This is because the strength increase would not be significant beyond this time with a slight decrease in strength observed as stated earlier. The influence of mixing time from thirty seconds to one minute permits a saving in the cement content of as much as thirty kilograms per cubic metre. This was calculated by Shalon which shows how within the first minute the influence of mixing time on strength is of significant importance. This would assist the fact why the concrete is mixed for sixty seconds first. Thus saving cement content which would have an effect on strength as well as cost. With the concrete being mixed in a dry state for 60 seconds, then water added and further mixed for 90 seconds, there are no universal rules in the order to add the water and concrete. This can depend on the properties of the mix and the mixer. The mixing time is from the time all the solid materials have been put in the mixer. When a dry mix is used however, it is necessary to feed some water and the coarse aggregate as otherwise the surface does not become adequately wetted. If the coarse aggregate is not present to begin with then sand or the cement could become stuck in the mixer. If the cement or water is fed too fast then balls may form. Normally, a small amount of water should be fed first followed by the materials. These are, if possible fed simultaneously into the mixer. The greater part of the water should be fed during the same time if possible with the remainder fed after the solids (Neville, A. M, 1981e). With stiff mixes, it is found to be suitable to feed the sand first, part of the coarse aggregate, cement, then the water and lastly the remainder of the coarse aggregate to break up any round masses of mortar (Neville, A. M, 1981f). (1,022 Words) Describe different ways to be applied to cure concrete on site Curing concrete on site can be done using many methods. These include retaining formwork in-situ, constant fog spraying, ponding, polythene sheet, steam cure, hydrothermal processes and surface applied materials. Fogging during and after placing and finishing also helps minimize plastic cracking in concretes with very low water-cement ratios. This is especially around a water-cement ratio of 0.30 or less (Curing Concrete, 2010). Ponding as a curing method is easily done. A waterproof wall is needed to form around the concrete, using either the form the concrete was poured into, or a wall of sandbags. Once the wall is formed, the concrete is flooded with water. The added moisture from the flood will keep the concrete from drying out before the bonding process is completed (E-How, 2010). Airtight polythene sheeting is an efficient way of preventing moisture loss. It should be placed on a concrete slab as soon as the concrete is hard enough to prevent surface damage or marking. With sprayed membranes, these are designed to form a superficial seal on the concrete, preventing water evaporating. Although some prevent subsequent adhesion of screeds or applied finishes (BRMCA, 2010a). Steam curing is a process for hardening concrete that involves exposure to warm steam. Steam curing requires a fraction of the time involved with traditional curing and quickly strengthens the products so they can be used immediately (Wisegeek, 2010). (218 Words) Why is curing important? Curing is important to prevent concrete from drying out too soon. Well cured concrete is stronger, more resistant to chemical attack and traffic wear. It is also more watertight with curing. It withstands freezing and abrasion better with the processes of curing. Most curing is done by using polythene sheeting or a sprayed membrane. Leaving the formwork in place is also possible, except for slabs, where the large surface area will soon dry if left unprotected. Curing should always start before the concrete begins to dry out and continue for a period depending on the strength gain of the concrete. Poor curing will result in poor concrete, lower strength, lower durability, dusty surface and a weaker surface (BRMCA, 2010b). To obtain good concrete it must be cured in a suitable environment to allow the concrete to achieve its strength. Hydration and hardening is critical for the first three days. Curing is important In order for sufficient heat and humidity to be maintained within the mix during hydration. Curing allows concrete to achieve its strength, minimise cracking, minimise shrinkage and prevent losses of water. Well cured concrete has better surface hardness and therefore is more watertight. Concrete needs to be cured under controlled temperature and humidity in order to obtain good concrete (Wikipedia, 2010b). As previously discussed, sufficiently cured concrete will exhibit greater durability, wear resistance, and gain strength faster. Cured concrete will also have better resistance to freeze thaw damage. Improperly cured concrete can be subject to plastic shrinkage cracking (loss of moisture from fresh concrete) and drying shrinkage (loss of moisture from concrete that has set) among other undesired side effects (All Concrete, 2010). Curing is of particular importance on horizontal surfaces; dry, hot or windy conditions; wear resistant floors; and high strength floors. Abrasion resistance is dependent on good curing but also relies on other factors (Newman, J and Choo, B, 2003). (301 Words) Discuss the use of recycled concrete aggregate in concrete Recycled concrete aggregate is aggregate resulting from the processing of inorganic material previously used in construction and principally comprising crushed concrete (British Standards Institute, 2006). The process of recycling of concrete is a fairly straightforward process. It involves breaking, removing, and crushing existing concrete into a material with a specified size and quality. The quality of concrete with recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) is dependent on the quality of the recycled material used. If there is reinforced steel and other embedded items, these must be removed, and care must be taken to prevent contamination by other materials that can be difficult, such as asphalt, soil, chlorides, glass, paper, plaster, wood etc. The removal of the contaminants is done through selective demolition, screening, air separation and size reduction which is done in a crusher to aggregate size. After this, the crushed concrete can be used as new concrete for pavements, sidewalks, curbs, gutters, structural grade concrete and also bituminous concrete (Concrete Technology, 2010). The use of recycled concrete material (RCM) as an aggregate substitute in pavement construction includes its use in granular and stabilized base, engineered fill and Portland cement concrete pavement applications. Other applications include its use as an aggregate in flowable fill, hot mix asphalt concrete and surface treatments. To be used as an aggregate, RCM must be processed to remove as much foreign debris and reinforcing steel as possible as discussed previously. Reinforcing steel is sometimes removed before loading and hauling to a central processing plant. Most processing plants have a primary and secondary crusher. The primary crusher breaks the reinforcing steel from the concrete and reduces the concrete rubble to a maximum size of 75 mm to 100 mm. As the material is conveyed to the secondary crusher, steel is removed by an electromagnetic separator. Secondary crushing further breaks down the RCM, which is then screened to the desired grade. To avoid inadvertent segregation of particle sizes, coarse and fine RCM aggregates are stockpiled separately (TTHRC, 2010). Recycled concrete aggregates can be used in many things. With bitumen bound materials, recycled concrete aggregate can be used in a variety of base course and binder course mixtures. In concrete, recycled concrete aggregate is permitted for use in certain grades of concrete. In pipe bedding, a suitably graded recycled concrete aggregate is used. In hydraulically bound mixtures (HBM) recycled concrete aggregate can be suitable for use in HBMs with suitably graded recycled concrete aggregate used as a subbase. In capping, recycled concrete aggregate is suitable for capping applications and embankments. Suitably graded recycled concrete aggregate can also be used as fill (Wrap, 2010). With regards to RCA properties, research carried out in Australia indicates that in general, recycled concrete can be used as natural aggregate in ready mixed concrete with satisfactory performance for low grade concrete. There are also marginal differences in compressive strength and a 10% reduction in strength characteristics. The issues are due to drying shrinkage which is higher compared with natural aggregates as well as a 10% difference in tensile properties (Guy R. Woolley, 2000). Waste arising from construction and demolition constitutes one of the largest waste streams within the European Union and many other countries. Construction demolition waste has become a global concern which is why a sustainable solution is needed. This is why recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) should be promoted, although the aggregate for concrete applications must meet the requirements set in relevant specifications for its particular use. Recycling and reuse of demolition waste may not always be economic or practical and in some cases may be impacted by the external issues i.e. regulatory and planning controls. If the construction industry and its need for aggregates are considered, then recycling of concrete would give both economic and environmental benefits as well as making the construction industry more sustainable (M C Limbachiya et al, 2004). (673 Words)

Free Essays - Criticism of My Antonia :: My Antonia Essays

Criticism of My Antonia       My Antonia by Willa Cather is a novel based on the memories of the protagonist, Jim Burden. Many critics have criticized this novel, and have focused on such literary elements as symbolism, motif, and characterization. The strongest argument however is the one that states that the foundation of every element in the book is based on the personal memories of Willa Cather.    Many critics have discussed the symbolism in this novel. One symbol that some critics have discussed is the plow. It was said that the plow suggests a way of life that not only helps the land to flourish but the individual as well (Brown). Another symbol that many critics discuss is Marek Shimerda. The fact that Marek has webbed hands and feet sets him apart from the other "normal" children who seem to represent creativity and innocence (Shaw). The road that Jim Burden travels on is another symbol that critics focus on quite a bit. It is said that the road symbolizes the "road to destiny" that America itself takes. (Brown). Critics have also pointed out that the red dust that covers everything, the intense heat, the burning wind, the wilting oak groves, and the stifling vegetation represent oppression, paralysis, submergence, and loss of vitality (as in the old ways of life) as opposed to the alternatives of the new world such as discovery and recovery (Holmes).    One thing that many critics have discussed is that the plot of My Antonia revolves around the ideas of childhood and the fact that the structure of the novel is centered around scenes that have to do with children. This shows up in the beginning of the book as ten year old Jim is riding the train from Virginia to Nebraska; and at the end of the book when all of Antonia's children are around (Shaw). A contrasting motif to that of childhood is adulthood. Throughout the book, Cather describes how adulthood has many hardships as compared to the carefreeness of childhood.    Another element of the novel that critics spent a lot of time discussing is characterization. One critic pointed out the fact that many of the characters in My Antonia have imperfections in their physical appearance that seem to bring out the imperfections of society that exist, and put the ideas of "social perfection" on the back-burner (Randall).

Stress Management Among Working Womens in India

Stress refers to the pressure and reactions to our environment which results inpsychological and physical reactions. Whilst some stress is good for motivationand increasing efficiency, too much stress can result in negative impacts such asreduced effectiveness and efficiency. More and more people are feeling isolatedand disrespected at work, and this has led to greater occupational stress. Manycompanies have taken to consulting experts and professionals on ways toincrease connectedness and motivation of their employees. Some companies organize parties and make their employees feel valued atwork.These are measures to motivate employees and help them to feel secureat their jobs, translating into greater productivity. However, not all companieshave such measures in place, and some have not gotten it quite right. Hence, itis up to you to make sure that you can cope with stress at your workplace, anduse it to help you work better. Here are 3 simple steps to help you with copingwith stress in the workplace. Step 1: Raising Awareness Help yourself to identify when you are facing rising levels of stress, tipping thescales from positive to negative.This is important, as being able to identify signsof being stressed can help you to take steps to ensure that your overall quality of life does not drop. If left unacknowledged, the problem will only snowball, leadingto disastrous consequences to your health and overall wellbeing. You can identify if you are feeling stressed by checking if you have any physicalor psychological reactions, such as excessive sweating or heart palpitations, or the onset of headaches, irritability or the need to escape. If you experience anyof these reactions, identify if you are feeling any overwhelming negativeemotions, and if you are constantly worried.Step 2: Identify the Cause You need to be able to analyze the situation and identify what is causing the risein stress. These stressors can be external and internal. External stressors refer 18 t o things beyond your control, such as the environment or your colleagues atwork. Internal stressors refer to your own thinking and attitude. Often, we onlystart reacting to stress when a combination of stressors working together exceeds our ability to cope. Keep a diary or a list of events that have caused you to feel strong negativeemotions, or that are likely stressors.This will help you to identify the causes of your stress. Whilst it is not always possible to eradicate them, we can change theway that we cope with it. Step 3: Coping with Stress In order to deal with the situation that is causing you stress, you need to calmyour mind and body so as to stave off the reactions and cope with it in a positiveway. This can be through different methods, such as taking time off. If a situationis triggering your stress and you are unable to calm down, remove yourself fromit. Go outside and take a walk to calm down.Alternatively, you can tryimplementing relaxation techniques such as deep b reathing. If it is an internalstressor, stop your thought process until you are able to deal with it logically. The key to making these 3 steps work for you is to practice them. These are notinstantaneous solutions, and you need to condition your mind and practice themso that you can implement it when you are feeling stressed. (1. 2. 5) Stress Management Stress management is the need of the hour. However hard we try to gobeyond a stress situation, life seems to find new ways of stressing us out andplaguing us with anxiety attacks.Moreover, be it our anxiety, mind-bodyexhaustion or our erring attitudes, we tend to overlook causes of stress and theconditions triggered by those. In such unsettling moments we often forget thatstressors, if not escapable, are fairly manageable and treatable. 19 Stress, either quick or constant, can induce risky body-mind disorders. Immediate disorders such as dizzy spells, anxiety attacks, tension,sleeplessness, nervousness and muscle cramps can all resu lt in chronic healthproblems. They may also affect our immune, cardiovascular and nervoussystems and lead individuals to habitual addictions, which are inter-linked withstress.Like â€Å"stress reactions†, â€Å"relaxation responses† and stress managementtechniques are some of the body's important built-in response systems. As arelaxation response the body tries to get back balance in its homeostasis. Somehormones released during the ‘fight or flight' situation prompt the body to replacethe lost carbohydrates and fats, and restore the energy level. The knottednerves, tightened muscles and an exhausted mind crave for looseness. Unfortunately, today, we don't get relaxing and soothing situations withoutasking. To be relaxed we have to strive to create such situations. Recognizing a stressor:It is important to recognize whether you are under stress or out of it. Many times,even if we are under the influence of a stressful condition and our body reacts toit internall y as well as externally, we fail to realize that we are reacting under stress. This also happens when the causes of stress are there long enough for us to get habituated to them. The body constantly tries to tell us throughsymptoms such as rapid palpitation, dizzy spells, tight muscles or various bodyaches that something is wrong. It is important to remain attentive to suchsymptoms and to learn to cope with the situations. 20

Why South Africa must not bale Zimbabwe and why it would!

As Zimbabwe moves further and deeper into crisis, the world still looks on from a distance and utter mixed statements of condemnation and oddly so, admiration. Strengthened by the lack of consensus on the man-made crisis that Zimbabwe has come, Mugabe's government has continued to deal harshly with opponents in the urban areas by unleashing a so-called slams clearance programme dubbed ‘operation murambatsvina† which has left many homeless. To pacify the critics of this programme, operation garikai† has been muted to restore the vanquished hopes of Mugabe's victims. And for this, someone else other than Mugabe is expected to pay. Requests for an olive branch have been extended to many ‘friendly' or ‘neutral' countries, with south Africa and China topping the list. Observers have suggested that â€Å"Mugabe prefers the loan shark who demands no internal reforms, to the more accountable loan demanding reform. † In a letter to the editor (Business Day 26/07/05) Mark Wade contrasted the lack of facilities and skills to provide south Africans with decent housing, health care, social services, roads, city infrastructure – with the move to â€Å"give a banana republic dictator billions of our hard-earned rands to prop up a regime that has created the very policies that have destroyed his country. However, others view this as an opportunity to get Mugabe towing the ling suggesting that â€Å"now that South Africa seems poised to bale out Zimbabwe †¦ should finally pluck up the courage to extract maximum advantage for the people of that benighted country.† Such sentiments are reminiscent of those expressed when Mugabe won the controversial two-third majority making other observers suggest that, he would become a benevolent dictator and would want to show the world that he meant well also leaving behind a good legacy. More like teaching old dogs new tricks or like expecting sweet lemons? The basis upon which a loan must be extended to Zimbabwe must be based on the effect of the loan for the affected Zimbabweans. Will the loan enhance their lives and improve their access to services and human dignity. The answer to these questions is already obvious given a reading of the manner in which the Zimbabwean government has conducted itself. President Mbeki's argument that the loan would ensure that Zimbabwean problems do not spill into South Africa has surely passed its sell-by date. South African is already home to millions of Zimbabweans displaced by the ever-tumbling economy of that country. Mugabe claimed that he is in weekly contact with Mbeki and suggested that they share ideas. This revelation makes ‘quite diplomacy' a thing of the past and suggest that Mbeki is in complicity with Mugabe in the humanitarian crisis that has visited the people of that country. Anyone who has been following events in rural and urban South Africa would know about the spat of high intensity removals and evictions visited upon the urban and rural poors through South Africa's own version of shacks clearance programme. Poor and landless people have been evicted without notice and alternative land and accommodation. These people face daily evictions from bond housing and private buildings in an espoused â€Å"war on shacks that has seen the poor and landless moved from shack to shack.† Perhaps the most affected are the farm dwellers and farm workers community who face the most humiliating conditions from farm owners sanctioned by the Extension of Security of Tenure Act and the Labour Tenancy Act. Thabo Mbeki has failed to act decisively on these issues and the scourge of poverty has an unshakable impact on the masses of South African people. This makes Mbeki not different from Mugabe, and it would be hypocrisy for Mbeki to lecture on Mugabe on these rights which he has not been able to afford the poor. Bailing Zimbabwe means an endorsement of the irresponsible programmes of government that wrought the economic and social woes bedeviling the poor and masses. This extended from the irresponsible managed land reform, through to the dubious operation restore order. It is expecting too much to think that any amount of money put into a ZANU PF government's coffer would be put to any good use now. History does not judge Mugabe and his government well on this, especially since he embarked on the self-saving and apparently self-destructive route in the name of anti-imperialism and empowerment through land reform. The people of South Africa must look at more constructive, imaginative and creative ways of assisting the suffering masses of Zimbabwe. Bailing the Zimbabwe government is definitely not one of them.

Free Fall essays

Free Fall essays Objective: To measure the acceleration of gravity using a tape timer DC power supply Mass Piece Procedure: We started by calibrating the tape timer. We do this so that we know how long it takes for the hammer to strike down each time. We did this by starting the tape timer and pulling a sample piece of tape through it while someone timed how long it took for the tape to be pulled through. We did it three times, however, we never adjusted the voltage, as that would change the period of the timer. Afterwards, we counted the dots and found the average. The average that we found is the period of the hammer arm. Afterwards we found the period of the hammer it was time to measure the acceleration of gravity. We constructed a support to hold the tape time in the air (like the one above). We then ran a strip of paper through the time and attached a mass to it. We made sure that there was no slack in the paper, and that it could fall uninhibited to the floor. Then we started the tape timer and let the mass fall. Finally we measured the distance between the dots on the paper strip and recorded it in our data tables. Data: We used a ruler to measure the dots, and a ruler only measures to 1/10 of a cm (.1). We had to estimate to get the hundredth place. 1) Why would you have to remove the slack before letting the mass fall? A: We had to remove the slack before letting the mass fall because if we didnt, then the pa ...

Econometric Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Econometric - Research Paper Example Conversely, economists, especially those in the Keynesian culture emphasize that the unexpected monetary policies are what have great impacts on the economic situation of any country. In relevance to the analysis on macroeconomics, one of the serious issue is the real influence of both unanticipated and anticipated monetary policy. A comprehensive study on the topics affirms to the relative significance that it receives. For quite some time, progress in both the theoretical and empirical fronts acted as a basis for an appropriate analysis on the effect of anticipated and unanticipated policy shocks in the real economic sector of a country. Similarly, the crucial transformation in the behavior of the policy of financial issues have significant consequences in the study of anticipated and unanticipated monetary policy since two decades ago. Targeting inflation requires that the central banks make public the inflation targets that they should be able to attain in a given duration. As a result, in regards to this context, the economic agents have the capability to undertake actions concerning anticipated monetary issues. Subsequently, this resulted to better accomplished expectations that gave rise to a substantial drop in both the level and unpredictability of inflation rate. This essay reexamines the debate on the actual consequences of anticipated and unanticipated policy shocks. The aim is to offer a well-founded understanding of this concern about the central banks. As a result, this will expectantly result to a better perception of the way that central banks are using towards a more approachable and effective behavi or of monetary policy. In addition, this article is structured as follows: the next section offers a short review of the literature on business cycle frameworks and the debate on anticipated and unanticipated monetary policy shocks. The third section

Corporate Compliance to Risk Management Research Paper

Corporate Compliance to Risk Management - Research Paper Example The framework proposed by COSO helps companies to develop a successful and effective plan which meets the requirements and risk areas stipulated by COSO. The bigger the risk is, the greater is the prospect for gain-and for loss. Risk management plays an important role for a Pre-Paid Phone Cards company allowing management to predict and foresee possible dangers and solutions. Strategic objectives of the risk management plan are to cover all areas of Pre-Paid Phone Cards service and reduce risk situations and their negative impact on the company. Operations objective is to recognize that when a task is being done for the first time, the risk of not achieving budget, schedule, or specification targets is substantial. Also, the nature of new technology is that its development faces more than the usual levels of uncertainty. Reporting objective is to meet the established procedure and report all risk satiations. Compliance objective is to respond effectively to rules and regulations, financial reposting and corporate laws (Broder, 1999). Identify risk. Financial department will routinely scan the organization's internal and external environment to surface risk events that might affect its operations and well-being. Through this process, they develop a good sense of the bad things they might encounter in projects and operations. Examine risk impacts, both qualitative and quantitative. After financial officers develop a sense of the risk events they might encounter in Step 2, systematically determine the consequences associated with their occurrence. Think through hard-to-measure consequences by means of qualitative analysis. Develop risk-handling strategies: Now that financial officers know what risk events they might encounter (Step 2) and the consequences associated with them (Step 3), develop strategies to deal with them. Monitor and control risks. As projects and operations are underway, financial officers need to monitor the organization's disk space to see if untoward events have arisen that need to be handled. If the monitoring effort identifies problems in the process, then steps should be taken to control them.