Famous People from West Virgina

Famous People from West Virginia Thomas â€Å"Stonewall† Jackson (1824-1863) Jackson was born in Clarksburg, West Virginia. He was a Confederate general and won at the First Battle of Bull Run during the Civil War. He was accidentally killed by one of his men at Chanvellorsville. Anna Jarvis (1864-1948) Jarvis was born in Grafton, West Virginia. She was a promoter who worked to make Mother's Day a nationally celebrated holiday. Morgan Morgan (1688-1766) Morgan was a pioneer and the first white settler in West Virginia. He built a log cabin near Bunker Hill. Mary Lou Retton (1968- )Retton was born in Fairmont, West Virginia, and was a gymnast. She won a gold medal for the best all-around gymnast performance in the 1984 Olympics and was the first American gymnast to win a medal since 1948. Cyrus Vance (1917- ) Vance was born Clarksburg, West Virginia, and was a diplomat. He represented President Johnson in Panama, Cyprus and in urban riot centers. He negotiated the release of th e USS Pueblo and its crew. Vance was the United States secretary of state from 1977-1981. Booker T. Washington (1856-1915) Washington grew up in Malden, West Virginia, and was and educator and reformer.He thought that blacks should work for education and employment instead of fighting social equality with whites. He founded the National Negro Business League. He wrote a book called Up. West Virginia Fun Facts West Virginia is the only state in the Union to have acquired its sovereignty by proclamation of the President of the United States. West Virginia is considered the southern most northern state and the northern most southern state. Mother’s Day was first observed at Andrews Church in Gafton on May 10, 1908. West Virginia has the oldest population of any state.The median age is 40. Jackson’s Mill is the site of the first 4-H Camp in the United States. The first federal prison exclusively for women in the United States was opened in 1926 in West Virginia. The New Ri ver Gorge Bridge near Fayetteville is the second highest steel arch bridge in the United States. The bridge is also the longest steel arch bridge (1,700 feet) in the world. Every October on Bridge Day, the road is closed and individuals parachute and bungee cord jump 876 feet off the bridge. It is West Virginia’s largest single day event and attracts about 100,000 people each year.The first major land battle fought between Union and Confederate soldiers in the Civil War was the Battle of Philippi on June 3, 1861. One of the nation’s oldest and largest Indian burial grounds is located in Moundsville. It is 69 feet high, 900 feet in circumference, and 50 feet high. An inscribed stone was removed from the vault and is on display at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D. C. The first rural free mail delivery was started in Charles Town on October 6, 1896, and then spread throughout the United States.A naval battle was fought in West Virginia waters during the Civil Wa r. United States armored steamers were actively engaged in the Battle of Buffington Island near Ravenswood on July 19, 1863. A variety of the yellow apple, the Golden Delicious, originated in Clay County. The original Grimes Golden Apple Tree was discovered in 1775 near Wellsburg. West Virginia has a mean altitude of 1,500 feet, giving it the highest average altitude east of the Mississippi. The first electric railroad in the world, built as a commercial enterprise, was constructed between Huntington and Guyandotte.William Tompkins used natural gas to evaporate salt brine in 1841, thus becoming the first person in the United States to use natural gas for industrial purposes. Bailey Brown, the first Union soldier killed in the Civil War, died on May 22, 1861, at Fetterman, Taylor County. Chester Merriman of Romney was the youngest soldier of World War I, having enlisted at the age of 14. The first brick street in the world was laid in Charleston, on October 23, 1870, on Summers Stree t, between Kanawha and Virginia Streets.

Developing Leadership Attributes

Successful leaders are not born but made; everybody else has the chance to become the effective leader they desire to be. The development of good leadership is a never ending process that involves education self study, training as well as experience. Great leaders are impeccable persons who speak with integrity, one who does not take anything at a personal level. A person with a conviction that other people do and say things in a way that projects own perception is definitely a great leader. An effective leader is that individual who never makes assumptions about things that they do not understand.They always have the courage to ask and seek answers and do normally express themselves on what they actually want or need to be done. Through proper communication styles, an effective leader is able to establish clearly what his or her follows and anyone else want so as to avoid any chance of a misunderstanding. Through this the leader is able to transform an otherwise ordinary management into successful leadership. A great leader always does his best and in the best interest of the organization or followers.This is because, when a leader performs his or her best, he or she is able to change from one moment to another and will also enable him or her to avoid situations of self-abuse, self-judgment as well as regret. This paper is about leadership attributes. It is a discussion on various interviews carried out what managers as well as employees think of a leader and why they think certain people are successful leaders while others do not. It begins with an introduction of what leadership is, then in the second section it describes the three various attributes that are considered by the interviewees.Also discussed are recommendations on how to effectively implement and develop the plan for these attributes. Leadership can generally be termed as a process through which an individual is able to influence others to achieve an objective, while at the same time directing t he organization or followers in such a way that they operate coherently and cohesively. In order to achieve this, effective leaders manage this process through their leadership attributes, like beliefs, ethics, values, knowledge, skills as well as character.Often, people confuse management with leadership. Albeit the position an individual has in an organization or the society as a whole enables him or her to be in a position of authority to carry out specific tasks it does not however make him or her leader. In fact all it does is guaranteeing you the position of a boss from which to exercise the power bestowed. The difference between leadership and management is that a leader does certain things that make his or her followers want to accomplish high goals, instead of just bossing them around.When an individual qualifies you as a leader, she or he is not necessarily thinking about your attributes, but instead observes the things that you do in order for him or her to understand who you really. For instance, when an employee in one of the leading food stores was asked why she has been at the same work place for over 10 years, her response was â€Å" I have never met any person who believes in me like my first branch manager. When I joined the company, I used to be a waitress with no college degree said Chantel. â€Å"But with time, my manger realized the potential I had, and advised me to register for part time classes.Through this is i have managed to rise through the ranks and right now am manager†. Another employee in the medium level industry who believes that a great leader is someone who is able to help others advance by aiding them to overcome, barriers to personal effectiveness was Jefferson. He said â€Å"When I was faced with an eviction notice, I could not find a place to put up, and my performance at work deteriorated. But before I could discuss it with anyone, my immediate supervisor approached me and we talked about my dilemma.Later the manger called me and told me what the supervisor had suggested. The following day I was given a cheque (advance) and thereafter my performance, attitude and punctuality tremendously improve† Said he. He further adds that ever since he has always tried to get the best out of everyone by focusing on their strengths and at the same looking for ways to overcome the barriers. Largely I have been successful even though there are a few people who have disappointed by I learned a lot of respect with so many people looking up to me† said Jefferson.In order to develop this attribute one must first of all understand who and what they are. This can be achieved through being technically, proficient – a leader must know his or her job and have a familiarity with his or her employee. He or she must also make sound decisions through good problem solving skills, being good role model by setting good examples and at the same time now and understand the people you are dealing or wor king by and understanding of human nature as well as the significant of sincerity while caring for others.For instance, Jefferson was able to develop because he had a boss who believed in him and understand his problems with good problem solving skills the supervisor was able to get him out of the situation and at the same time motivate him while also showing that he cares. An effective leader too, should be one who is ready to take risks by proposing new ideas and supporting those of others. A nurse at Healing Hands Hospital says that when she first started working at the hospital six years ago, the problem of bed space for patients was very acute.However, when the manager called for staff meeting and asked for proposals on how to handle the situation. She remembers making a contribution of contracting various insurance agencies to build the extra bed spaces. On her part the manager proposed that home-based care be practiced through electronic transmission. Both of the ideas were i ncorporated and up to now the hospital have managed to provide acute health care 3 fold the initial number. This is a demonstration of effective leadership according to this nurse. To her when the manger decided the new idea, which had not been anywhere else, she took a great risk.Even though, she manger had implemented the electronic system, she did not just stop these and incorporated others ideas. The nurse has been able to practice the art of risk taking while also listening to new ideas while not paying lip service. Supporting this idea was a college tutor who had been approached by his principle on which methods of teaching could be adopted by the college to improve their performance. When asked what made this special to him Shawn says â€Å"just by the mere thought of approaching me alone was a great idea, even if it was not implement it meant so much to me.It made a whole difference when I realized part of my suggestions were considered. † Being that I was new at the college I did not envisage this situation. But, it was timely as I was able to bring new ideas from my old school that worked for the school alongside others. When a manager engages in risks and listens to others according to these two it is a sure way of being an effective leader. There are sure ways in which these can be achieved. First design the plan of seeking responsibility and at the same time take responsibility for the actions by finding new ways to lead the organizations to new heights.Always do an analysis of the situation never lay the blame on others. Through risk taking a leader can begin by making timely and sound decisions through good problem solving skills, planning tools as well as good decision-making. Great leaders inspire their followers toward a shared hopeful vision and future. This can be achieved by first articulating the vision to the followers by finding a process that they believe in then sharing the vision in ways and works than can be understood by eve ryone (followers).The leader can then empower the followers with tools as well as methods to solve problems and improve their solution. He ors he can then model the way in case the situation gets murky, the leader is able to demonstrate what can be done while at the same time sharing the glory with the heart of the followers and keeping the pain in his or her own heart. A manager at a local retail store believes that her effective leadership has be achieved through her actions.For instance, she makes it her business to help employees understand the corporations overall business strategy, how they can contribute toward achieving the essential goals and sharing information with them. All these she summarizes by effectively communicating the company’s vision. Supporting this attribute is a waitress at liquor store who has been amazed by her manager’s makes it his point to attend to patrons who seem unruly and disrespectful. Instead of forcing them to handle the situations he makes it his business. She says â€Å"He does it with finesse that you can’t help but admire and then apply his skills later. References Concepts of leadership: last updated date March 10, 2007. http://www.nwlink.com/~Donclark/leader/leadcom.html Retrieved on 9 November 2007

Kant vs. Virtue Ethics Essay

When we talk about whether or not a person is ethically right, we can look at the actions that he or she may partake in. These actions maybe studied in different situations such as the one that we were told to evaluate. While leaving the grocery store, one witnesses an old man struggling with his oxygen tank. Without thinking, you lift the tank and help the elderly man. This action is a kind gesture, but would we consider this a moral act? One could analyze this situation with two different ethical theories, by Kantian and/or Aristotelian views. The approach that we take with Kant's views is strictly based on reason. The key factor in this situation with Kant would ask if we did this action without any thought. Because Kant heavily This case only brings the group off track again as yet another disagreement has to be resolved. While these conflicts themselves might have held the jurors back, the competition approach to these sources of conflict moved the group in the right direction. For example, Juror #9, the old man, approached Juror #10’s insults and stereotyping in competitive fashion, claiming that people are not simply born liars. Later, Juror #10 calls the accused boy a â€Å"common ignorant slob [that] don’t even speak good English,† after which immigrant Juror #11 competitively corrects him. In the end, almost every juror takes a competitive approach to juror #10’s insulting in one of the film’s most powerful scenes as they, one by one, leave the table and turn their backs on him. The jurors unsympathizing intolerance of Juror #10’s bigoted views serve as a prime example of a competitive approach to conflict. The conflict and the approach to the conflict between the jurors and Juror #10 bring the group together as the votes slowly change from guilty to not guilty. Another major source of conflict is the other jurors’ disinterested approach to the trial. Almost every juror approaches Juror #8’s insistence on a not guilty vote with avoidance. They care little about the case and do not grasp its gravity,

Case study on group development Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

On group development - Case Study Example If Christine had known that during the Storming stage it is normal for group members to feel uncomfortable, she may have better understood the behaviors of people in the group. Mike never really got past this stage, while the other group members moved out of this stage. Mike dealt with the uncomfortable situation by trying to be funny. As the group leader, if Christine had been aware of the unique facets that make up this stage, she could have planned for how to ensure each group member had a role within the group and that no one dominated and no one was excluded from conversations. She would have to draw out those who were quiet and tone down those who were overly assertive. She could have set the stage to focus the group on solving problems which is key to moving to Norming, the next level of group development. With the exception of Mike, this group is focusing at the Norming stage. The group members feel like they belong to the group and they can share ideas without fear. Part 2: Problem Identification There are two problems that this group is experiencing. The first is that Mike is not turning in his share of the work. He turned in rough notes, but not a final product. He also missed group meetings and was not a productive member of the group. This is a huge problem for Christine, as she has high expectations for earning good grades. One solution would be to meet with the group to discuss the peer evaluation that was to take place. She could lead the discussion around how each person should be evaluated. As a group, they could decide how to evaluate Mike so that each of their grades was not affected. Another solution would be for the group, minus Mike, to have a conversation with their instructor, Sandra. They could share their concern about Mike and let the instructor know that the rest of the group members were able to develop a cohesive unit where all contributed equally. A secondary issue is that Mike is feeling like he does not belong to the group. He avoided the group during class time and then got upset when he felt the group was purposefully meeting without him. Christine needed to be more proactive at ensuring everyone was included. During group meetings, she needed to seek out Mike’s thoughts on specific tasks. She believes that he is creative and she should have built upon that. She also could have made more effort to seek him out. When he slipped into class, Christine should have acknowledged him and made an effort to draw him into the conversation. Individuals in groups need to feel approval in order to progress through the stages of group development. Christine needed to minimize any risk during the forming stage. During this stage, Christine needed to ensure that the group established norms for responding to each other’s ideas. An atmosphere of respect is of the utmost importance. Part 3: Retrospective Evaluation/Reflection Christine was an effective leader in that the group functioned well, with the excep tion of one group member. She was also effective because she recognized that Mike had issues outside of the academics required for the project. In addition, she had developed some sort of relationship with Mike because he called her and shared his personal issues that were affecting his contribution to the group. However, if Christine would have better understood how individuals function with a group dynamic she could have had a fully functional group to work with as she would have bette

A A Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

A A - Assignment Example Such stories have always included characters in them that would usually symbolize a certain group or class of people living in the society. With this in mind, to analyze deeper into the social contexts in these stories, we will be looking at some of the main characters in both stories and relate them to the people that are existent today. Both are classics but at the same time, both of these classic children stories have been a journey that transcends time and reaches into the present 21st century. The original Peter Pan was dark and rhetorical English tale (Flores 2011). Old English folk stories provoked of vile creatures and dark premises in such stories often offered the fantasies of heroic creatures with powers that a plain human do not exhibit. One of these stories was Peter Pan. The original text was written in 1915 and was greatly influenced by medieval background as how literature back then was inspired. The roots of the Peter Pan that caters to the children of today was originally a Peter Pan that was a novel that talked about dire and scary creatures that used magic, that were beastly and ravage. Only the turnaround in the Disney made the Peter Pan stories cater to kids because of the animation although the subliminal meaning it sends is still from the original roots of Peter Pan. Peter Pan is a lost boy who doesn’t grow up may be related to people of today, yesterday and tomorrow that refuses to hold to responsibilities and move on with the cycle of life. They insist on staying on the tracks where all is consisted of happy thoughts and the like. Peter may refer to the main influence that keeps the lost boys together. The society today is filled with people who gang up together pursuing the pleasures of life instead of the responsibilities that the traditional life has always expected of people. Peter Pan’s arch enemy is a pirate in the person of Captain

In the two(2) novels, analyze how the science in Science Fiction is Essay

In the two(2) novels, analyze how the science in Science Fiction is essential to making Science Fiction a literature of cognitive estrangement - Essay Example Individuals will then believe, that confidence, to be a sense of power. So, we can see the link between science, psychology and power, with science being the initiator. But, some times the acquired power could be a false sense of power as well. This paper will discuss this link and the role of science through the characters, Case and Armitage in Neuromancer written by William Gibson and through Androids in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, written by Philip K. Dick, and thereby analyze how the science in Science Fiction is essential to making Science Fiction a literature of cognitive estrangement. The environment in Neuromancer is full of science in the form of cyberspace. In that environment, the central character of Case, a computer hacker was recruited by a shadowy character, Armitage along with Molly to complete a series of missions. And in the course of the story, that mission control gets transferred to an Artificial Intelligence entity, named Wintermute, which uses Case’s services and science to integrate with another AI entity, Neuromancer. The mind of Case is an addicted one. Apart from the drug addict ness, which he suffered due to his low life; Case’s mind was also addicted to an entirely different entity, the entity of Cyberspace. That is, Case’s desire to connect to the cyberspace was thwarted by the injections of neurotoxins administrated by his corporate employers for his act of stealing. So, this injection of neurotoxins destabilized his nervous system and made him ‘handicapped’ to jack in the cyberspace. This of inability of Case to connect to the cyberspace created a sort of craving for the cyberspace and which only transformed into addiction. â€Å"For Case, whod lived for the bodiless exultation of cyberspace, it was the Fall. (Gibson p.12)†. And, this addicted mind got a new thought process when Mr. Armitage, wanted to utilize Case’s hacking abilities. So, using the computer technology and

Project Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Project Proposal - Essay Example To help strengthen the players in the banking sector in Nigeria and to ensure longevity and shareholders’ returns in the long run, the consolidation of banks was enforced by the Central Bank of Nigeria. The banks would either have to raise their capital base to N25 billion or face liquidation and quit the industry (Upaka, Akpata & Olasope, 2005). The purpose of the reforms was to reduce poverty and generate employment while leading to wealth creation. This was expected to lead to GDP growth over a period of time. Many of the small banks were plagued with low capital base and weak corporate governance. Consolidation of the banking system was to ensure a diversified, strong and reliable banking sector, ensure safety of depositor’s money, play active developmental roles in the country’s economy and make Nigerian banks competent and competitive players in the global financial system (Poyi, 2006). This would lead to diversification and emergence of specialized banks. The lending rates of the banks were very high and lending was concentrated in the short term due to lack of long term savings. The impact of the consolidation of the banks was felt in different sectors but there is not much literature available on the after-effects. The aim of this research is: Theory suggests that consolidation of banks could potentially increase the bank size which could in turn increase the bank returns through revenue and cost efficiency gains (Ajayi, 2005). It could also reduce industry risks through elimination of weak banks. This helps to eliminate the weak banks. The top ten banks account for nearly and account for more than 50% of the total assets. The small banking sector suffers from concentration of risks. They can provide fewer services and the costs for providing such services are high. Because of lack of effective competition, they are unable to exploit economies of scale. Consolidation became essential because there was over

EBay Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

EBay - Essay Example Approximately 430,000 people today in the USA come up with all of or even the majority of their own existing through this web site (Lewis, 2008). The actual goal of eBay was to promote the task ethic and traditions associated with the exciting, wide open as well as trustworthy atmosphere to achieve and maintain the main concerns of the organization. For this it has successfully kept its customers protected from other rivalries by providing a smooth open trading forum for sale and purchase. This paper is an attempt to familiarize the audience about the success of eBay with a brief touch of its SWOT analysis, Porter’s Five Force Model, and Value Chain Analysis. 1. eBay: SWOT Analysis 1.1 Strengths 1.1.1 Brand. The fame of eBay brand is consistently increasing over the years and now the brand has become a source of benefit to it. The brand is widely appreciated throughout the world because the firm is expanding its areas of operation on global scale and thus public has its great awareness and recognition. The company has estimated greater revenue in near future due to the wide recognition of equity of eBay brand. In addition to this, eBay’s trademark, copyrights, patents, and domain names will also help the organization to get a competitive advantage over its rivals. In turn, eBay will enjoy extra sales and earnings. 1.1.2 Market Leadership. eBay offers the best and leading online auction services to the community on global scale. It is the leading company of auction industry as still it possesses 17% online market share and it will enjoy its leading place in various ways. Top rank position will enable the company to increase its brand recognition and greater impact on auction industry. eBay can easily combat the competition from any of its rivalry or new entrant by using its leading seat. 1.1.3 Strategic Assets and Earning Growth. eBay is possessing great strategic position in the market and this status provides it a competitive advantage over its r ivalries. In 2010, the eBay’s overall worth of sold products was $62 billion which was more than $2,000 every second (http://www.ebayinc.com/who). The company’s net revenue remained 2.5 and 2.8 billion dollars in first and second quarters of 2011 respectively. The potential of growth is estimated to increase significantly by December 2011 i.e. 17.40% which would be four times than of June, 2011. 1.1.4 Pay Pal. eBay has successfully kept its customers stay in touch with it by the acquisition of Pay Pal. The possession of Pay Pal has not only increased the numbers of customers but it also developed the confidence level of buyers on eBay manifold. 1.2 Weaknesses 1.2.1 Advancements in Technology. Since latest technologies are easily available in the market, therefore the auction market has been converted into replicated environment. Due to this trend, the auction industry is getting restricted to internet only. In order to ensure the auction more convenient, eBay must work on its user interface working environment. Although it is already producing great revenue, however, by doing so, customer level of confidence on eBay will be improved as well as the traffic of visiting users would also increase. 1.2.2 Expectations. eBay’s track record over the years has increased the customers’ level of expectations manifold. In current scenario it seems to be improbable that eBay will keep on producing the same upshots. Therefore, if eBay goes to do so, it means firm is forced to set

Gun and Trade Show Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Gun and Trade Show - Case Study Example These shows have to take into consideration the rules and regulation, legislations and laws of the local area where the exhibition or show will happen. To have a market plan about the gun and knife show the industry and SWOT analysis need to be done by the company. This helps in dominating the show and to attract more prospects. Before going for a marketing plan in the Tyler in state of Texas, the company should keep in view that the number of federally licensed gun dealers in United States has dropped between period 1995 and 2005. This may due to the reforms implemented by Clinton administration. This can be result of law made after 1993 Brady Handgun violence prevention act and violent crime control and law enforcement act. This resulted in fall in the number of people holding licensed fire arms by 78 percent as they did not qualify for the provisions of the laws. This made the market diminish to 25 percent of the previous size. The number of companies that produce fire arms also decreased in the same manner. The decrease of the market for the guns and weapons resulted in decrease of type 1 FFLs in United States from 2, 45,628 to 54,902 in 2005. This compels any company to make their products more innovative with safety arrangements and should think about making them available for cheaper prices. 1 2.1 Arrangements to with stand competition: The gun and trade show in Tyler will help the company in presenting their products. This needs the knowledge about the strategies of competitors. As the companies are less in number the organizers should plan the dates of the show in the time that witnesses no other shows like music, fine arts, circus and any other trade shows. As the market is very less, the people should be leisure to visit the show. The planning of the show in the absence of other show compels to announce the show dates within a short period from the date of commencement. This minimizes the chance of any other industry to plan the trade shows in those dates in Tyler. 2 2.2 Local Restrictions regarding gun trade shows: In general Texas administration follows the standard gun owner's line. The gun toting criminals are liable for tough penalties. As a result the guns and pistols were subjected to restricted use. This resulted in restrictions on trade shows. The tougher penalties on the criminals resulted in the decrease of the market for the guns. This will decrease the number of customers and the company should take a decision regarding attracting the rich and wealthier customers as the licenses and the guns are made costly by government legislations. The weapons should have concealed ones, the ways to conceal the weapons can be adopted to attract the customers in the show in Tyler as Texas administration is insisting on concealed weapons. The show arranged must be prepared for the instant background check instead of three day waiting period. 3. Competitive Analysis 3.1 Strengths: The manufacturers are less in number and the show can include almost all the front runners in the gun industry in the show. This results in top level manufacturers to participate in the show. As the gun is made costly and though the market decreased, the number of

Effect of the Charities Act 2006 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Effect of the Charities Act 2006 - Essay Example The designation of a charitable organization in the United Kingdom’s statute law, according to the Charities Act 2006, is an institution whose establishment is for charitable purposes alone. Some of the charitable purposes according to the Act include; the advancement of education, religion, and prevention of poverty. The charitable purposes also include the advancement of citizenship, health, animal welfare, arts, culture, heritage, and amateur sport, among others. However, for the purposes of convenience in classifying the aims of charity, Lord Macnaghten in 1891 when ruling the Commissioners for Special Income Tax v Pemsel [1891] AC 531 case put the aims under four heads. These heads are; the reprieve of poverty, the advancement of education, the advancement of religion, and any purposes that are of benefit to society. In order for an organization to be fully a charitable organization, one ought to be able to identify benefits rising from organizations to the advantage of t he society. The requirement is, also that the benefits that the charitable institution is providing must be directly related to the aims or purposes of the charity. Any harm that arises from the operations of the institution must be evenly balanced with the benefits that the institution provides. In addition to this, the institution ought to serve the general public or a target section of the public without any restrictions or discrimination. During the operations of the charitable institution, any private benefits ought to be secondary.... Any harm that arises from the operations of the institution must be evenly balanced with the benefits that the institution provides. In addition to this, the institution ought to serve the general public, or a target section of the public without any restrictions or discrimination. During the operations of the charitable institution, any private benefits ought to be secondary4. In the context of the law, it is essential to differentiate between the objects, the aims, and the means of a charity. A charitable trust’s objects, according to the Charity Commission of the United Kingdom, are the terms used to identify the purposes for which the institution wishes to serve the community5. As earlier stated, aims or purposes are the activities through which the charity will involve itself in trying to serve the community. The aims should not be profit oriented otherwise the charity commission will disapprove the institution of any charitable status. In addition to this, a charitable o rganization should state its means of income and how it plans to achieve its aims, where and how the organization will get the finances to effect their objects. The analogy in law is a process where judges have to establish a connection between the case at hand, and the provisions of the law. This involves a situation where a judge refers to a case or a provision in the law, which is not related to the case at hand, but there are similarities in the governing principles. In the process of identifying what category a charity’s purposes falls, it is vital to find out if there exists any analogy between the purposes of the organization, and the purposes set in

Old English Lyrical Poetry Essay Example for Free

Old English Lyrical Poetry Essay The second part allegorically represents that the troubles of the seaman are the troubles of earthly life and the call of the ocean is the call in the soul to go to its true home with God. The poem is remarkable for (as Legouis puts) The somber and violent pictures it gives of northern seas in which sufferings from cold mingles with the pains of water and wind. The Ruined Burg or the Ruin:- * It is an elegy not for the misfortune of a person but for a place. * The unknown poet laments for the vanished glory of a great city, probably the Roman built city Bath, which was turned into debris by the Anglo-Saxon aggression, Conquest and settlement. * The poem can be divided in three parts- ) First the poet describes the ancient gorgeous buildings now deserted and rootless and tottering. b) Next he goes to muse on its golden past and its adorned and crowded noble princess and warriors. c) Finally he contrasts the runions present with the pompous past. * The poem is remarkable for its nostalgic melancholy and for its descriptive nature. Deor’s Lament: * It is a poem of 42 lines, divided into stanzas and it is included in the Exeter Book. * It is the lamentation of Deor, a scop who after years of service has been supplanted by another minstrel, Herrenda. Finally he consoles himself by considering the misfortune of others. * It is written in strophic form throughout and each strophe ends with a refrain. * There are altogether seven sections in the poem. * In the first five sections, the mentions the adversities that befall others but ends with a note of consolation in the sixth section he speaks of the misfortune of mankind in general. And in the seventh section the poet mentions his own misfortune. In this way the poem is logically well-knit. It remains plainly heathenic in sentiment. The Wife’s Complaint: * It is a kind of monologue. * The narrator is a woman whose husband has left her and gone to the sea. She is forced to live in an old dwelling dug out of earth under oak by her husbands relatives. She sitting under the tree laments over her miserable lot all day. Friendless and fore shaken she bewails her loneliness and the vows of love that have come to nothing. * The poem is rich in melancholy feeling. The Husbandâ€℠¢s Message: * It exists in fragments. A good many lines of this poem are lost for ever. * An exiled husband sends his message to his wife by means of letters carved on a piece of wood. The wood tells the wife its own life story and its journey in a ship. It tells her that though the circumstances let her husband out of home he has been able to gain a position of wealth and dignity. Finally it bids her to join with her husband in the place of exile. * To some critics the poem is a sequel to The Wifes Complaint but some would to see it as an independent poem.

Human Resources in Riordan Manufacturing Essay Example for Free

Human Resources in Riordan Manufacturing Essay When people think of the responsibilities of a human resources department, they may say they are responsible for the hiring and firing of employees. The truth of the matter is that a human resources management is responsible for much more than just hiring and firing. The human resources management is responsible for hiring qualified people, training employees to do their jobs according to company policies, motivate their employees and be able to support productive employees. Riordan Manufacturing has a good human resources department, which maintains an innovative and team-oriented work environment. Riordan Manufacturing mainly recruits employees outside the company via entry –level positions. There is also an internal job posting for employees to take advantage of new job opportunities. The method Riordan Manufacturing uses to recruit qualified employees is through online advertisements via Monstor.com, local newspapers, employee referrals, temp agencies, and job conferences. The plant in China uses contract workers for engineering, and IT positions. Riordan Manufacturing seeks qualified people for jobs, but the company does not conduct reference test as well as drug testing of potential employees. When concerning training and development, Riordan Manufacturing has a mandatory training program for employees within their 90 days of hire. New employees have to attend orientation on their first day on the job. For production and shipping and quality employees, they have to go through Six Sigma training. New supervisors are required to go through training workshops within 12 months of becoming a supervisor. Such workshops include interviewing guidelines, preventing EEO claims as well as workplace sexual harassment, and finally performance reviews. Riordan Manufacturing also has incentive programs for outstanding employees. There are three types of programs Riordan Manufacturing use to recognize outstanding employees. 1. Outstanding Employee Award 2. Employee Suggestion Program 3. Seniority Awards Riordan Manufacturing HR system Riordan Manufacturing implemented it’s HRIS (Human Resource Information Systems) in 1992. This system manages employee information such as the following: 1. Personal information 2. Pay rate 3. Personal exemptions for tax purposes 4. Hire dates 5. Seniority date 6. Organizational information 7. Vacation hours If an employee has to make any changes to his or her information, he or she has to submit it in writing on a special form. That information is entered later by a payroll clerk. The training and development specialist kept track of training and development records via Excel worksheets. In order for recruiters to maintain applicant’s information, all resumes are filed in a central storage area and are track via an Excel spreadsheet. Riordan Manufacturing employs a third party provider to keep track of workers’ compensation. Individual managers keep track of employee’s files and are also responsible for tacking FMLA absences as well as requests for accommodation. A compensation manager keeps results of job analyses, salary surveys and individual compensation decisions via Excel spreadsheet. Complaints, grievances, harassment complaints, as well as ethical issues are managed and tracked by employee relations specialists. HR Needed Systems Riordan Manufacturing’s current HRIS needs an up-to-date face lift. Instead of having different individuals managing employee’s vital information, Riordan Manufacturing needs to invest in human resources software. Implementing the software would increase the efficiency of their current HRIS. It would ease the burden of keeping track of all the employees’ information. References University of Phoenix (2012). Riordan Manufacturing Virtual Organization. Retrieved from BSA/500 – Business Systems II course website.

The Natural Insulation Materials Construction Essay

The Natural Insulation Materials Construction Essay This is usually the type of building that are considered alternative today, have their heredity in structures that humans have been constructing for centuries. The reason why these building techniques are gaining popularity in modern times is twofold. First, the old building techniques are far more eco-friendly than the majority structures we used to seeing; second, these structures are simple enough in nature that they can built cheaply and can be built without the aid of a lot of the heavy and expensive equipment which is normally related with most new construction. Currently words such as green, sustainable and alternative get used often in the construction industry, which make its pretty confusing and difficult to tell if any one particular method or material fall under one or many of these heading. The report will help identify, green alternative building method and materials which are less damaging to the environment than a similar practice used in conventional lumber-framed construction. The need to find alternative practices will encompass any building technique that can be done repeatedly without changing the environment in any noticeable way. The Importance of Finding alternative Materials As the world population continues to grow at an alarming rate, people are realizing that planet cannot sustain such continuous and exponential growth. With land being increasable limited and we are continually diminishing our natural resource such are timber, with majority of it being used to build homes. It is evident that we cannot continue to use our natural material at this rate to build our homes. With the awareness of these natural materials become increasing limited, has made the construction industry rethink their way and start to think more about sustainable construction. Using alternative material for 8building homes is much more environmental sustainable than conventional homes building. Depending on the type and amount of sustainable materials used, these types of alternative material can reduce the carbon footprint which is produce in building homes. According to the Worldwatch Institute, an independent organization that analyzes critical global issues, one-fourth of the worlds wood and one-sixth of its fresh water are used  in building construction. This situation will only become worse as the worlds population and more people continue to migrate toward cities. The greater demands also will add pressure on increasingly scarce essential resources, especially water. The Environment The environment has now become issues and with it being heightened news, the Governments and individuals have seem to take notice and now taking to make a change because we cannot continuing abusing the environment, this is not an option anymore. The chart below shows the proportion of CO2 emissions in the UK from buildings in use, the construction process (mainly due to the CO2 from the manufacture of building materials) and from all other sectors including industry, transport, agriculture etc. Buildings in use contribute about half of our CO2 emissions (and consume about half of our energy use). Figure 1 CO2 emissions The next chart shows where these emissions come from and with over half of our energy use and CO2 emissions from building use come from heating our buildings. Figure two Energy Waste. Government Action The UK government have stated that England must take action now, in order to make vast improvement to energy efficiency in both new and existing buildings. The government have set many ambitious goals, an example of one: they anticipate dramatic energy reductions to achieve its goal that all new homes in England will be carbon-neutral by 2016. World Business Council for Sustainable Development (2007) There are three main approaches to energy neutrality: Cut buildings energy demand by, for example, using equipment that is more energy efficient Produce energy locally from renewable and otherwise wasted energy resources Share energy create buildings that can generate surplus energy and feed it into an intelligent grid infrastructure. Efficiency gains in buildings are likely to provide the greatest energy reductions and in many cases will be the most economic option. A study by McKinsey estimated that demand reduction measures with no net cost could almost halve expected growth in global electricity demand. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fourth Assessment Report estimates that by 2020 CO2 emissions from building energy used can be reduced by 29% at no net cost World Business Council for Sustainable Development (2007) and a cost curve for greenhouse gas reduction, McKinsey Quarterly 2007 Number 1. Fox and Murrell (1989) state the fundamental ecology principle of renewable material, such as wood is sustainable source and are renewable however, for materials like metal, plastic, gravel and sand, stone-based materials such as cement, concrete and plaster, have been used cannot be used again, their consumption if the earth itself. (Berge, 1992) The extraction of certain raw material can be very destructive effects especially to the water table and wildlife habitats. Over usage of these materials can affect the availabilities of in the near future, cause environmental degradation, and contribute to global warming. Impact of the Construction The industry has a major impact on the environment, it affect are not only on the resources it consumes but also the waste it produces. The construction industry is accountable for producing a whole variety of different wastes, the amount and type of which depends on factors such as the stage of construction, type of construction work and practices on site. In Great Britain, over 90% of non-energy minerals is extracted and are used to supply the construction industry with materials. Furthermore, every year more than 70 million tonnes of construction and demolition waste has been produced in England and Wales The key is alternative basic materials because they have historically driven innovation in every industry, and could spur significant advances in todays housing. In order to gain acceptance, however, basic alternative materials must offer more benefits than the traditional materials or methods they replace. They must reduce costs, increase design flexibility, enhance sustainability, perform multiple functions, have superior performance characteristics, or meet a market niche. Another potential driver for adopting alternative basic materials is a shortage of existing natural materials or concerns about their long-term sustainability. Martà ­n(2005) states that in recent years, there has been a shortages of core natural resources; including lumber, steel, and gypsum, and this has driven construction costs higher. This volatility of supply and price motivates the industry to look for more sustainable solutions. Sustainability and resource shortages, in fact, will help to drive innovati ons in the future. The objective of alternative basic materials is to develop new materials that spur innovation by serving multiple functions, increasing cost-effectiveness and efficiency, and using more sustainable materials. In many cases, these technologies form building systems that enable other Concept Home principles such as integrated functions, floor plan flexibility, and improved production processes. Alternative basic materials consist of core technologies that manufacturers can use to create products or systems and composite systems that builders can purchase and use to build homes. Martà ­n(2005) Before considering the use of alternative materials, and before implementing into homes, practical issues must be considered, (Berge, 1992) say to be realistic to imagine a technology that functions in line holistic ideas, none-mainstream approach but also providing humanity with an acceptable material standard of living, basically Berge is trying to say there just be a balance between the Eco approach and what consumer want. Government Schemes and Regulation After The Stern Review (2006) which advised that the implications of climate change couldnt be avoided any longer and urgent action was required, the government took notice and started implementing changes to building regulations. In 2007, the Government introduced the  Code for Sustainable Homes  to help improve the energy efficiency and sustainability of houses, by setting target for all new houses to achieve a carbon rate of zero by 2016. This is a level 6 in the Code for Sustainable. Currently, the standards of the code are not mandatory for private house builders but there are intentions to incorporate them into the  Building Regulations over the next couple years, starting with changes to Part L in 2010. CAN I ADD MORE Constructing environmental friendly house To construct an environmental friendly houses are to focus on reducing the environmental impact of both its  construction  and its ongoing  operation. This is achievable at the design phase by selecting the correct material and the process. Environmental friendly houses and sustainable construction offer an exciting future for building houses. With the prospect of living in an environmentally efficient house that can generate its own power. Also reducing waste and running costs, safe in the knowledge that your house is not effecting but instead helping the environment. This is a positive step for a sustainable future. It is well documented the impacts that human activity has had on our planet and with the Office for Climate Change 2010, attributing 27% of the UKs total carbon emissions to household heating and electricity, house construction is an area where we can make a huge difference. Ecological impact During the development and construction stages of house being built, a ecological assessment should be carried out that reduces its impact. Also the see if it is feasible to create new habitats in the form of green or living roofs. Materials Houses are constructed using a vast range of products and materials from a range of sources. For each one the industry must need to consider: The sustainability of the raw materials used. The lifespan of the material. Its performance characteristics as part of the building fabric. The energy use and waste generated from: The acquisition of raw materials. Processing. Transportation. Manufacture. The possibility for re-use or recyclability at the end of life. the-self-build-guide.co.uk(2009) Luckily, a lot of the legwork has been done for you on this one, with resources such as the BREs Green Guide, which provides environmental ratings for building materials and components. Material specific organisations like the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) only certify timber taken from responsibly managed sources. You can find suppliers who use environmental management systems (EMS) to maximise the environmental efficiency of their businesses. EMS accreditation can be awarded through British Standards (BS) and the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO). Alternative building systems improve on standard brick construction through their use of high performance materials and accurate construction techniques. Although many alternative systems involve the construction of buildings in-situ, in the same way that brick buildings are built, there are also many that are turning to off-site construction techniques to improve accuracy. Another benefit of off-site construction Alternative Natural Construction: Building Systems Alternative building systems improve on standard brick construction through their use of high performance materials and accurate construction techniques. Although many alternative systems involve the construction of buildings in-situ, in the same way that brick buildings are built, there are also many that are turning to off-site construction techniques to improve accuracy. Another benefit of off-site construction is that it can drastically reduce waste by up to 90% over traditional building methods. Mud brick Mud brick is a building material, which consists of clay-loam soil puddle with water, sometimes containing straw. The ideal soil requires clay content and the straw can be added to reduce drying and cracking. However, almost any soil can be adapted to make mud bricks; making it one of the most flexible and convenient building methods. It is most popular due to its simplicity, which is easily grasped by the layperson with limited experience, time or resources. If the design and construction are good, the building will last indefinitely. http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/11435929.jpg Mud brick has several advantages over conventional fired clay or concrete masonry. The advantages include: Low in embodied energy Utilisation of natural resources and minimal use of manufactured products Good sound absorption characteristics High thermal mass A claimed ability to breath Suited to a wide range of soils Easily manufactured and worked Flexibility in design/colour/surface finishes Insulation properties similar to those of concrete or brickwork The disadvantages Mud brick building is very labour intensive Texts and magazines suggest it is possible to make 100 bricks per day per person, although that level of productivity comes with experience and fitness! Thousands of bricks are required for most dwellings. Only two or three courses of bricks can be laid at one time, because the courses need to dry out before more are added on top, to prevent the wall slumping or warping. The technique requires a lot of water, which can be a problem in dry areas. Although it is possible to make bricks in wet weather, a large undercover area is needed. Mud brick building is very labour intensive and quite tiring (the most exhausting part is mixing the soil and water). (BBC h2g2, 2003) Timber Wood is a very low carbon and sustainable material, it is important that the wood is ethically sourced and treated. There are types of wooden construction systems, they are: timber framing which is constructed completely on-site Structural Insulated Panels (SIP)- they are manufactured off-site and assemble on-site. Timber framing is a cost effective method of construction which is available , they can be used for buildings up to around seven stories high and can be highly insulated: level 4 or 5 of the Code for Sustainable Homes should be achievable. The drawbacks of timber farming are that construction time to build the walls to the specification at the suppliers. With the possibilities of dry rot or wood worm if the timber is not treated properly in the first place. Which mean that only certified companies can be used. SIPs, this method usages large sheets of plywood or chipboard (more or less) to sandwich to provide a stern insulting core, with these structurally sound panels then joined together to construct the building. SIPs are more expensive, are slightly less flexible in the buildings they produce, but are generally extremely well insulated and airtight: level 6 of the Code for Sustainable Homes is achievable.   The drawback of wood-clad panels is that they do not provide any thermal mass as part of their composition. Frechette (2009) http://www.greenhomebuilding.com/sip.htm, stats that when SIP it will burn, it has been demonstrated that they remain structurally sound for a lengthy period during a fire and do not emit fumes any more hazardous than those of wood products. Another possible concern is with insects or rodents nesting in the insulation since this can be an ideal habitat for them. One last concern is that a well-constructed SIP structure is practically hermetically sealed, which means that the  walls are not breathable; for this reason they require some sort of mechanical ventilation system for healthful habitation. Straw bale Construction http://hurricanecandice.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/straw-bale-home-1.jpg Brian Waite from straw bale house design states that the UK alone produces 4 million tons of surplus straw every year enough for 250,000 homes.  Straw must have the lowest embodied energy of any building material and is probably the cheapest and most sustainable. Straw-bales have an insulation U value much better than required by the building regulations as  well as excellent sound deadening properties which, together, give a living space an ambience that has to be experienced to be appreciated. Contrary to common perception straw-bales in a building, is not a fire risk, is not a vermin risk and are not short-term, but would compost back into the earth if and when required to do so. Straw in bales is so tightly bound that it doesnt contain enough air to support combustion, just add a (carbon neutral) breathing lime render/plaster and any fire regulation requirement is easily met. There is no nutritional value in straw and so it does not attract vermin, it is only voids that vermin like, so proper attention to detail is the only precaution needed. Lime rendered straw-bales breath so evening out fluctuations of humidity thereby creating a healthier environment. Straw bale construction is the use of compressed blocks (bales) of straw, either as fill for a wall cavity (non-load bearing) or as a structural component of a wall (load bearing.) In each case, the interior and exterior sides of the bale wall are covered (by stucco, plaster, clay, or another treatment.) The drawback of straw is that it requires special measures must be taken to provide nailing surfaces, since straw bales do not hold nails as well as wood and anchored to the foundations. The external weatherproof cladding will need to be good, as bales will rot badly if they get damp If straw bales are not available within a few hundred miles of your construction site, the cost of shipping them, along with the potential pollution from the transportation, must be taken into account. Views of the industry Straw bales may be plastered inside and out to provide thermal mass and, like standard construction, the walls must be protected from moisture Straw bale can be more resistant to termites and vermin than stick construction, but (as with any type of construction), elimination of cracks and holes is key Rammed Earth http://cdn.webecoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/rammed-earth-home.jpg Rammed earth walls (aka pies) are constructed by the compacting (ramming) of moistened subsoil into place between temporary formwork panels. When dried, the result is a dense, hard monolithic wall. Rammed earth is an ancient form of construction, usually associated with arid areas. There remain plentiful examples of the form around the world evidence that rammed earth is a successful and durable way of building. A few historical rammed earth buildings are to be found in the UK. Rammed earth construction is once again gaining in popularity for home builders looking for eco-friendly options.   With rammed earth, youre using the dirt under your feet (or from a local quarry) to build a house.   This is certainly a green practice since it usually makes use of local materials (local dirt!) and you dont need lumber, quarried stone, brick, etc. to be transported from long distances. Rammed earth construction has its pros and cons of course.   Lets take a look at the positives and negatives. A properly sited and designed rammed earth home is ideal for passive solar strategies, so it can be great for an off-the-grid house.   The thick, dense walls absorb the warmth from the sun all day and slowly release the heat into the interior of the house at night.   This helps keep heating bills low in the winter, and these homes tend to stay cool in the summer as well.   Dirt is an easy-to-acquire material and while there are some requirements (not all dirt is going to have the right mix of sand and clay), you ought to be able to get it locally, so this tends to be an eco-friendly building material. Soil selection needs to be done carefully, and if you are able to use dirt from the building site, youll end up with some big holes you need to figure out how to work into the landscape. Though it might seem that a house made out of dirt would be cheap, rammed earth construction actually tends to cost 5 to 15% more than conventional construction (due to the labour-intensive process of creating the rammed earth forms). Its difficult to impossible to create rounded or sculpturally shaped walls the way you can with other materials.   Homes made with rammed earth construction are going to be boxy in nature.   Constructing a rammed earth house in the UK would probably require extra insulation, (its typical to add foam insulation to exterior walls and then cover it up with stucco) as rammed earth method is not suitable for colder climates Cob http://www.ranchomastatal.com/images/PicsTim100405009.jpg Another mud-hut style of building, but there are occupied cob houses around the UK that are anything up to 500 years old. Not bad for a mud hut. Cob houses are built from a mixture of earth, clay, sand and straw. The ingredients are mixed together with a little water until they form a paste-like substance. The paste is then slapped onto a stone foundation to form walls that are often around two foot thick, then more and more slapped on to form a monolithic structural building. The slap is usually built up in layers about 18 inches high to avoid slumping. The great thing about cob houses is that they can be built into more or less any shape you care to dream up: curves, vaults, domes etc. This can result in some pretty funky buildings. The drawback is that it is very labour intensive and the walls can take up to a year to fully set. Cob is a Cheap, sustainable and eco-friendly method of construction using local materials. This is as load-bearing method of construction and needs no framework. A cob house uses 60 per cent less timber than a stud frame building. a cob house typically uses 20 per cent less energy. Cob house are naturally energy-efficient to cool and heat, provided the builder takes care to insulate the ceiling, and attend to solar positioning advantages. Straw bales embedded into north walls make this truer. Heat tends to pass out through north facing walls. Straw bales tend to keep this heat in, better that only earth, which is more porous for air passage. Contractor do not like working with Cob material as it is time consuming and labour-intensive. It makes the need for community obvious, while demonstrating our inherent unified power. Cob has to breathe to dry out naturally after becoming wet. It used to be that the exterior walls were either left bare or lime rendered (which is expensive these days). Excessive moisture can give you a probleme, as the material needs some moisture (3-5% is considered good much higher than that and you might have rising damp). Cob generally exceeds the minimum u-values for a house. Cost benefits compared below Building system Cost ( £/m2)* Benefits Drawbacks Traditional brick block 800-1500 Well known, flexible, popular, robust, durable. Materials not eco-friendly, high waste, often poor performance. Timber framing 200-1000 Sustainable, cheap, fairly rapid, well known, good performance. Poor image, needs good planning. SIP 300-1300 Sustainable, excellent performance, rapid, can be fairly cheap. Poorly understood, few contractors, inflexible, needs good planning. Straw bale 80-1000 Very sustainable, good performance, can be very cheap. Misunderstood and could have low sale value, limited lifespan, needs very good planning. Rammed earth 500-1500*** Very sustainable, durable, good performance. Misunderstood and could have low sale value, needs insulating, easily water damaged, long build time. Cob 500-1500*** Very sustainable, durable, good performance, very flexible. Misunderstood, needs insulating, easily water damaged, long build time. Traditional Material Traditional Building Method and Materials used The majority of new homes in England and Wales are built using  traditional masonry construction. With most people in the construction industry are familiar with this method. This method has many advantages, such as a deep historical and psychological attachment to masonry construction, which has contributes to its persistence use as the main house building method in the UK. A national survey by MORI found that 61% of respondents would prefer to buy a newly built property of traditional block construction. Most building systems in England and Wales use a timber frame for the skeleton of the house , this is the core of most traditional method of construction, however manufacturing developments have moved many of these methods into the categorization of modern methods of construction discussed below. This is currently second most popular technique for new home construction in the UK and, according to the UK Timber Frame Association, is the fastest growing method of construction in the UK. Traditionally used in North America and Scandinavia, as those areas are rich in timber resources, it comes with some good environmental credentials. http://www.ajbuilding.co.uk/userimages/parsonagefarm3.jpg Before considering what type of alternative method or material to use, we need to understand how current building methods and materials are being used. Below is a basic method Once the excavation and installation of the foundations is completed, the bricklayers erect cavity walls that consist of an inner and outer skin. The inner skin is the main structural element, which supports internal floors and the roof structure. It is constructed using concrete blocks laid on beds of sand and cement mortar. The outer skin of the house is the first line of defence against the elements and provides the aesthetic element to the structure. This is constructed usually with brick, stone or block work, this can produces a number of finishes. The two skins are connected by steel wall ties and separated by a cavity that is partially or fully filled with insulation. Internal floors, they are constructed using timber joists, composite timber beams, or one of many precast concrete systems which are available. The roof is usually traditional cut timber or prefabricated truss construction. Traditional Material Concrete With environment and health issues, concrete are non-toxic stains and sealants can be used. They are Manufacturer of Portland cement contributes between 5-8% of carbon dioxide emissions and greenhouse gases, which means concrete is non-green material. It under goes a chemical process of limestone, it creates the same amount of carbon dioxide in weight, but concrete can be grounded and recycled for use in roads and pavements (Holistic Interior Designs,2007) Concrete is often used in the construction and constructing home and is there a need to find an alternative material to replace concrete. Traditional concrete contains material such as stone or other material with similar properties. Concrete is made from gravel, sand, cement and water through a chemical process, the concrete is next, poured into slabs for worktops and panels creating a stone like appearance. The traditional use for concrete are use walls, floors, fireplace surrounds, worktops, panels, wall finishes, concrete furniture, sinks and basins. It offers an exceptionally high lifespan up to 3 times that of alternate building materials The use of concrete has many advantages, Farrell (2009) summaries the advantages and disadvantages of concrete: which are stated below Advantages: Fire, moisture, insect, rot and rust resistant, Can be poured into form Absorbs and retains heat very well, Concrete is water resistant and will not warp, rust or rot. Concrete homes are less affected by flooding or by leaks from tanks or water pipes. Concrete walls between adjoining properties offer high levels of security and peace of mind to property owners. Disadvantages: Which are Poor insulation properties Concrete May Not Offer Pleasant Aesthetic Embodied Energy of concrete manufacture creates very high levels of carbon emission. Origin Extraction of the raw materials in very large quantities has a negative impact on the local surrounding environments. Transportation of raw materials over long distances accounts for further release of carbon dioxide levels into the atmosphere Bricks There are now more environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional concrete on the market, made with hemp or carbon neutral concrete. Traditional concrete should be the last choice. Which will be explain later chapter. Are Bricks Green or Not? (Proefrock, 2007) asks what is brick made of, which is just clay and water and that is it, there are no complex chemicals, no exotic compounds, no imported components. Brick are effectively just a manufactured clay stone with a special shape. It breaks down into earth since it comes from earth. (Proefrock, 2007) Clay mining is comparatively benign, compared to ore mining for metals, which requires far more material to be extracted and processed to produce the finished product. Clay is not a resource that is in short supply, which makes it a more attractive material to use, as well. The main reason brick is not an even greener building material is that it takes a lot of energy to make a brick. However, the extra energy is relative. (Proefrock, 2007) Finding alternative Insulation sustainablebuild.co.uk (2010) state: insulation is a key component of sustainable building design. A well insulated home reduces energy bills by keeping warm in the winter and cools in the summer, and this in turn cuts down carbon emissions linked to global climate change. In regard to energy efficiency, investing in high levels of insulation materials when constructing houses is a cost-effective method of saving energy, rather than investing in expensive heating technologies. It is important to choose the correct type materials in the context of whole building design. Insulation materials are used in roofs, walls and floors. Alternative methods that have solid walls structures from cob and adobe cannot be insulated, Cob and Adobe already offers good thermal mass to compensate. Houses that construction with Timber frame require wall insulation in the form of batts (pre-cut sections that are designed to fit between stud walls), rolls or boards. Other types of construction methods such as brick or concrete insulate with spray foam, loose fill or rolls. Insulation materials work by resisting heat flow, measured by an R-value (the higher the R-value, the greater the insulation). This R-value varies according to material type, density and thickness, and is affected by thermal bridging, unwanted heat flo

Illness Among the Chickens :: Creative Writing Essays

Illness Among the Chickens The outbreak began in early June, following the first major rush of tourism for the summer. The streets were crowded with tourists--many American, but some Japanese, Koreans, and Europeans as well. As the townspeople focused on selling their wares to the tourists, none noticed the lethargy of their poultry. As I moved passed my neighbor's poultry shed, headed toward the street to sell my copied music cds (for I am rather well off, having moved to this neighborhood to care for my ailing parents), I noticed that the chickens were lethargic, and had not seemed to have eaten. My neighbor cursed them to me when I saw him, claiming that what few eggs they laid were soft and broke when he picked them up. I moved when he kicked one, and set up my shop for the day. The next day, as I passed the chicken shack, I noticed one chicken lying next to the shack--its face was swollen, and the combs of the cocks had taken on a blueish coloration. The chicken also seemed to be sneezing, but I can never tell. I did not see my neighbor that morning, and I moved on. When I returned home, however, I saw him standing in his yard, staring down. He was flushed, and sweating, but in the heat, I took it for granted. One thing however, stopped me cold--all around him, his chickens were dead. It seemed to have come suddenly--some were dead in the water trough, as if they had been struck down while drinking. After putting on my gardening mask (I have terrible hayfever), I helped pile the corpses into a wheelbarrow and carry them off out of the town to bury them. My neighbor spit and cleared his throat a lot, and complained of a headache and said his arthritis was acting up. I gave him some aspirin, and went home for the night. Several days passed as normal, and I did not think too much of the chickens. After all, this was the busy season, and I had to make sure that I made enough to last my sister a year, when I left her [to watch] my parents [after] I returned home. However, when my neighbor's daughter crawled to my door and passed out, I knew that [the illnesses of my neighbor and his chickens] were somehow related. Illness Among the Chickens :: Creative Writing Essays Illness Among the Chickens The outbreak began in early June, following the first major rush of tourism for the summer. The streets were crowded with tourists--many American, but some Japanese, Koreans, and Europeans as well. As the townspeople focused on selling their wares to the tourists, none noticed the lethargy of their poultry. As I moved passed my neighbor's poultry shed, headed toward the street to sell my copied music cds (for I am rather well off, having moved to this neighborhood to care for my ailing parents), I noticed that the chickens were lethargic, and had not seemed to have eaten. My neighbor cursed them to me when I saw him, claiming that what few eggs they laid were soft and broke when he picked them up. I moved when he kicked one, and set up my shop for the day. The next day, as I passed the chicken shack, I noticed one chicken lying next to the shack--its face was swollen, and the combs of the cocks had taken on a blueish coloration. The chicken also seemed to be sneezing, but I can never tell. I did not see my neighbor that morning, and I moved on. When I returned home, however, I saw him standing in his yard, staring down. He was flushed, and sweating, but in the heat, I took it for granted. One thing however, stopped me cold--all around him, his chickens were dead. It seemed to have come suddenly--some were dead in the water trough, as if they had been struck down while drinking. After putting on my gardening mask (I have terrible hayfever), I helped pile the corpses into a wheelbarrow and carry them off out of the town to bury them. My neighbor spit and cleared his throat a lot, and complained of a headache and said his arthritis was acting up. I gave him some aspirin, and went home for the night. Several days passed as normal, and I did not think too much of the chickens. After all, this was the busy season, and I had to make sure that I made enough to last my sister a year, when I left her [to watch] my parents [after] I returned home. However, when my neighbor's daughter crawled to my door and passed out, I knew that [the illnesses of my neighbor and his chickens] were somehow related.

Rembrandt’s Clever Devices in Illustrating a Biblical Story :: Essays Papers

Rembrandt’s Clever Devices in Illustrating a Biblical Story The story of Joseph and Potiphar's wife is told in the first book of the Bible, Genesis, Chapter 39. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers and bought by Potiphar, a high-ranking official in the Pharaoh's service. The Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in everything he did. This pleased Potiphar and before long Joseph was given the highest position in the household, and left in charge when Potiphar was away. Now Potiphar's wife found Joseph to be very good looking and had approached him several times saying "come to bed with me." Joseph being a man of God would not sin against his master or the Lord, so he refused her. One day when all the servants were gone, Joseph entered the house and Potiphar's wife approached him and while holding on to his cloak and asked again for him to come to bed with her. Joseph refused and left the house leaving his cloak behind. Potiphar' Wife screamed for help saying that Joseph had attacked and tried to sleep with her. When her hu sband came home she told him the same false story. Potiphar was so angry with Joseph he had him locked up in Pharaoh's prison. "But while Joseph was in the prison, the Lord was with him." This is the subject matter for which Rembrandt choose to do his representational painting by. The content of the painting all reveals Rembrandt's interpretation of the story. Rembrandt Van Ryn chose this particular story as the subject of his narrative painting completed in 1655, under the title of "Joseph Accused By Potiphar's Wife". After conducting research, my first perceptions about the value, or relative degree of lightness or darkness, in the painting did not change, but instead I learned that Rembrandt's use of light and dark was both purposeful and a technique well-known to the artists of his time. When I first observed this painting, I thought how dark everything seemed. The only exceptions to the darkness are the bed and Potiphar's wife, both of which are flooded in light almost as if a spotlight were thrown on her and the bed. Some light shines on Joseph's face and from behind him like a halo around his body, but this light is very dim. Rembrandt’s Clever Devices in Illustrating a Biblical Story :: Essays Papers Rembrandt’s Clever Devices in Illustrating a Biblical Story The story of Joseph and Potiphar's wife is told in the first book of the Bible, Genesis, Chapter 39. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers and bought by Potiphar, a high-ranking official in the Pharaoh's service. The Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in everything he did. This pleased Potiphar and before long Joseph was given the highest position in the household, and left in charge when Potiphar was away. Now Potiphar's wife found Joseph to be very good looking and had approached him several times saying "come to bed with me." Joseph being a man of God would not sin against his master or the Lord, so he refused her. One day when all the servants were gone, Joseph entered the house and Potiphar's wife approached him and while holding on to his cloak and asked again for him to come to bed with her. Joseph refused and left the house leaving his cloak behind. Potiphar' Wife screamed for help saying that Joseph had attacked and tried to sleep with her. When her hu sband came home she told him the same false story. Potiphar was so angry with Joseph he had him locked up in Pharaoh's prison. "But while Joseph was in the prison, the Lord was with him." This is the subject matter for which Rembrandt choose to do his representational painting by. The content of the painting all reveals Rembrandt's interpretation of the story. Rembrandt Van Ryn chose this particular story as the subject of his narrative painting completed in 1655, under the title of "Joseph Accused By Potiphar's Wife". After conducting research, my first perceptions about the value, or relative degree of lightness or darkness, in the painting did not change, but instead I learned that Rembrandt's use of light and dark was both purposeful and a technique well-known to the artists of his time. When I first observed this painting, I thought how dark everything seemed. The only exceptions to the darkness are the bed and Potiphar's wife, both of which are flooded in light almost as if a spotlight were thrown on her and the bed. Some light shines on Joseph's face and from behind him like a halo around his body, but this light is very dim.

Zuma Beach Essay -- Descriptive Essay About A Place

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It was a sunny Friday afternoon when I decided to take my observations with me out into the world. I find that my imagination wanders off on its own and takes trips to the ocean without me so I figured my body had some catching up to do. With a snap of my fingers and a short ride through the canyon I found myself at my childhood playground, Zuma Beach. Without hesitation I laid my towel down upon the tiny grains and chips of rocks that the oceans might has turned into sand over the years. I took a moment to put my life on hold and gaze at what nature had to offer to me. I reflected upon all of the other places I could have been instead of standing with my toes curling in the warm sandy beach and smiled in appreciation of my situation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It was perfect weather out for a day at the beach. The clear sky didn’t have a single cloud to block the rays of the radiant sun. I could sense the feeling of ultra relaxation from the outstretched deep blue canopy above and the penetrating warmth that emanated from the sky and wrapped around my skin like a warm blanket on a cold winter’s night. Every once in a while a cool breeze would pass by and ease away the sun’s intense heat bath for brief moment. I could feel grains of sand gently brush over the top of my feet with each gust of wind. The crisp ocean wind flowed through my nasal cavity and stung the inside of my nose. My lungs quivered in surprise at how light and fresh the air was since it was not drudgingly thick with smog or other pollutants. As the salty smell of the water hit my nose, I thought about all the time I had spent waiting in anticipation to get that first refreshing whiff of ocean air that confirmed arrival and signaled t he beginning of another exceptional beach experience.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I closed my eyes for a second to take in what I could observe through my auditory senses. The laughter of children and families enjoying the summer day brought a smile to my face as they smoothed the walls of their sand fortresses and played football in the sand. I could hear the ball churn through the air as the laces spun rhythmically from the spiral that left one hand and landed with a quiet thud as it found its way to the intended receiver. The dampened sounds of feet digging into sand were all around me from other visitors coming to plot their spot of temporary beach front residence for the afternoon. I could... ...onger alone in the water. It was humbling to see that there was so much going on around me that I did not know about. Suddenly, the water parted and the nose of a dolphin appeared. He was moving with such speed his whole body came out of the water like a cannon and followed the shape of a perfect arc as it cut through the atmosphere. His skin glistened in mid-air and looked like a slippery mirror in the hot summer sun. Mist sprayed from his tail as he stretched out in the air, and he shook it in a friendly manner greeting all of us watching. Then with a splash he disappeared back under the water and departed just as quickly as he appeared.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Every time I go to the beach I always walk away with a memorable experience. I can still remember meeting my friends there every summer Thursday when I was a child. Nothing about this place has changed. I still eat sandwiches that crunch with every bite from tiny grains of sand that get captured between the meats. I can still lie out on my towel and have good conversation with buddies that float us away to the times when we couldn’t even drive. This is a place of escape. I can’t wait to see what adventures will come to me the next time.

Models of Writing

Writing can be an intimidating task.   Many people of all ages will admit to avoiding and even fearing the writing process.   For some reason, the task seems daunting, so methods have been adapted to help ease the process for those that struggle. The five step writing process is typically composed of some derivation of the following steps:   prewriting, planning, drafting, revising, and proofreading.   These steps are widely taught in classrooms from the elementary school level through post graduate work.   The depth of each level is the thing that differs as writers grow and mature. Similar essay: Principles of Good Writing by L.A. Hill Summary The prewriting phase involves the production of ideas and even strategies for later writing of the essay.   This can include using one of many types of graphic organizers such as bubble charts or outlining techniques.   It can also be less organized like brainstorming lists or even random thoughts.   The prewriting phase is a time to explore all facets of an idea without judging or commitment.   During this phase, the writer will find a topic and create his questions for research.   In conducting his research, whether it be formal or informal, he will discover the answers to his questions. Thus the next sequential stage of writing is the planning stage.   Here the writer accumulates all of the information necessary and begins to sort it into categories.   This coincides with the text’s second step of finding and evaluating information from various sources.   Here the writer is still gather information without being certain exactly which he will use. These first two steps correlate with McQuinn and Roach’s first step in their writing process which is the idea step.   According to their website, â€Å"ideas are the heart of the message, the content of the piece, the main theme, together with the details (documented support, elaboration, anecdotes, images) that enrich and develop that theme by building understanding or holding a reader's attention.†Ã‚   Here the writer comes up with the central focus of his work and gather information to support it.   This information may be anecdotal, research-oriented, observed or simply created.   The ideas are important to the process because they allow for wide-ranging creativity from the writer. The third step in the general writing process is drafting.   The text suggests taking notes from the sources and making a formal outline.   It is at this point that the final decisions are made as to what information should be included.   It is important to note that a draft is not a final copy.   Many students of writing make that mistake.   The drafts are sometimes a type of trial and error routine.   Several drafts may be necessary before the writer becomes satisfied with the content of the essay. This stage correlates with the organization stage of McQuinn and Roach.   They note that organization is the â€Å"internal structure† of a piece which includes is central message and the flow of ideas seamlessly from one to another.   This particular process offers that a well-organized piece of writing will begin with a strong opening and conclude with a powerful conclusion, with many developed and stimulating ideas in between.   Of course the writer will have had to already choose his content in order to accomplish this type of structure in his writing. After the drafting stage, the writer must undertake the process of revising.   The revision stage is one that involves many steps.   The paper must be examined for its content, its logical progression, its flow of ideas, its choice of words, phrasing, and overall impact.   The revising stage is much like the drafting stage because each revision is simply a new draft.   Until the revision stage is complete, the drafting stage is not. McQuinn and Roach’s fourth and fifth area are called word choice and sentence fluency.   These two ideas are key to the revision process.   Word choice has to do with, as the name suggests, the careful choosing of the most perfect words to express meaning.   Sentence fluency is the smoothness and fluidity with which the sentences in the writing roll seamlessly from one to another. According to McQuinn and Roach, â€Å"word choice is the use of rich, colorful, precise language that moves and enlightens the reader. It is the love of language, a passion for words, combined with a skill in choosing words that creates just the right mood, impression, or image in the heart and mind of the reader.†Ã‚   To accomplish this is to really wrestle with words until the most perfect choices are made.   Likewise, sentence fluency focuses on the sounds of the sentences.   This forces the writer to consider sound devices such as rhyme, alliteration, creative phrasing, sentence structure, complexity and length.   The sentences will read, in some cases, like music. Finally, the writer has achieved a focused, organized and creatively crafted piece.   He has one more step to complete.   This step is the revision step.   This step demands that the writer proofread his paper to ensure that the conventions of the English language are followed.   This gives the writer and the writing legitimacy.   The reader recognizes that his writing will be more powerful if it is also correct in its use of punctuation, usage, spelling and other such conventions.   While proofreading may be less creative than the stylistic drafting of the piece, it is nevertheless a vital step in the whole of the writing process. While most process driven models of writing end here, the McQuinn and Roach model includes another area.   This area is that of voice.   They note that voice is the heart and soul of a piece, the magic, the wit. It is the writer's unique and personal expression emerging through words. Voice is the presence of the writer on the page. When the writer's passion for the topic and concern for the audience are strong, the text dances with life and energy, and the reader feels a strong and intimate connection to both the writing and the writer. Voice is a more abstract tenet of writing, one that is harder to explain and harder yet to produce. Voice pervades all writing, but not all voice is unique or engaging or even literate.   Many writers take years to produce a recognizable voice.   Some students never learn it.   However, voice is the quality that separates adequate and good writing from great and enlightened writing, yet it is the most elusive quality of all. The process described in the text and the process designed by McQuinn and Roach have many structural similarities.   They both depend on good ideas, organization, drafting, revising and proofreading.   However, the McQuinn and Roach model go beyond this to demand an element of uniqueness, of style, from the writers.   This style is very difficult to teach.   For this reason, it is much more difficult to use. A student of writing would find the text much easier to follow.   The steps are well-defining, and a student who carefully follows them will produce a good piece of writing.   The steps are easy to repeat and practice, and they can be applied to many situations. However, a student who has mastered this type of writing and desire another level to his work will find McQuinn and Roach an excellent step in this direction.   While the tutorial on their website cannot guarantee that one will become a stylist, it gives a mature writer more dimensions with which to experiment in his writing.   Word choice, sentence fluency and voice are all components of this dimension.   Merely good writing can exist without them, but great writing can only emerge with them.   Thus, the user-friendliness of these two models will depend on the level of adequacy that the writer has achieved. References McQuinn, C. & Roach, M.   The Writing Process. WORDSMITH A GUIDE to College Writing 3RD EDITON   

Aloha Products Essay

Q1. Evaluate the current control systems for the manufacturing, marketing and purchasing departments of Aloha Products. Solution: From the case we can see that Aloha products is structured on a cost basis; however the control system is attempting to measure each plant on a profit basis. Thus the company have a centralized control system. This means that the main office takes all the main decisions regarding purchases, production, sales, marketing and promotions in order to save costs. However, the plant managers are responsible for their profit and loss and are evaluated on the basis of their performance despite lack of adequate control over the activities by managers of the managed plant. This type of structure is an unfair way of measuring the performance of the individual production plants. Based on the current system evaluating the three major departments of Aloha Products are described below: Evaluation of manufacturing departments: There are three production plants within AP’s manufacturing department; each plant is responsible for their own profits and losses. Unfortunately the managers have no control over any of the major activities in their respective production facilities; the vice president of the manufacturing oversees all of the roasting, grinding, and packaging processes. Production schedules are provided to each plant manager for the current and following month. The plant managers also have no control over the green beans purchase, production schedule, production mix, or the costs of their inputs, as the purchasing departing assigns the costs based on specific contract for that shipment. If the inputs exceeded plant’s requirements, they are sold at the spot rate in the market, and could very well result in a loss. Evaluation of purchasing departments: The purchasing department is responsible for obtaining the required quantities and types of green coffee to be roasted in production plants. The level of sophistication and expertise needed makes this department a necessity; proper staffing is vital based on the complexity of the green coffee market. This department relies on the relationships with growers and brokers; for smaller firms, an important feature of this department is their ability to foresee demand and required inventory and subsequently entered into forward contracts with brokers anywhere between three to twelve months in advance. The costs of each shipment are based on specific contracts for those green coffee beans, which can vary based on the various price drivers as mentioned earlier. This can create diversified and volatile costs of inventory. Required inventory demand is based on communication between marketing (sales) and the purchasing department, any discrepancies at the current date is met by the purchases through the spot market, which incurs significantly higher costs. The costs associated with running this purchasing department are charged to headquarters of AP. Currently there is no communication between purchasing and manufacturing department. Furthermore, purchasing department does not need to report to head office or meet any performance measurement standards. Ultimately power resides with upper management of the purchasing unit. Evaluation of marketing (sales) departments: Under the current structure, this department is centralized. The president of AP and vice president of sales are in charge of advertising and promotion of the final products. The marketing department also determines the budgeted sales, which are then passed onto purchasing department. Q2. Considering the company’s competitive strategy, what changes, if any would you make to the control systems for the three departments? Solution: The changes to the current control systems involves establishing accountability and effective communication among the three departments and providing key measures to evaluate the manager’s performance objectively. Recommendations for the current management control systems are as follows: Recommendations for manufacturing departments The manufacturing department is currently profit centre. However, the plants do not have control over the costs of the green coffee. Thus the main concern of this department as a whole should be efficiency; how well they can control the costs to roast green coffee. As such, here the recommendation would be to make manufacturing department’s plants be accountable for the costs incurred to roast and package the green coffee. The performance measure for the manufacturing department at AP should be evaluated based solely on the roasting, grinding, and packaging of AP’s coffees. It would be unfair to evaluate manufacturing as a profit centre, when in reality it has little to no control over product costs or sales. Since control over purchasing and selling will not be transferred to the manufacturing department in this proposal, it is logical to assess based on controllable factors such as cost/pound only. Thus instead of being assessed for the performance of the purchasing and marketing departments, plant managers will now have the incentive to ensure their costs do not vary from the standard. It will still be possible to evaluate roasting plants based on gross margin as well. However to ensure the plant managers are not penalized for the fluctuations in the costs of green coffee contracts, a standard cost for green coffee would have to established and used in the computation of gross margin. Recommendations for purchasing departments The purchasing department’s costs are being charged to central office. Due to this the purchasing department is not being held accountable for the contracts it is entering into. The purchasing department’s main concern should be actual contract costs. Thus, we recommend that the purchasing department be accountable for the difference between the actual costs per signed contracts and standard costs of green coffee raw materials. The actual costs should be measured in a similar manner to the current practice. Contract costs related to buying and selling in the spot market should not be included in the computed price per bag. A reasonable standard costing for the green coffee contracts will have to be established based on discussions between management and executives in the purchasing department. The standard costs could potentially be based on the average of spot price over past 6 months. Thus, the recommendation here would be that this standard cost be updated every quar ter, in order to provide accurate standard costs of green coffee raw materials. Recommendations for marketing (sales) departments The marketing department focuses its efforts on advertising and promotion, however, it is not held responsible for the costs it incurs or how accurate their sales forecasts/budgets are. There is a large costs associated with differences between the forecasted requirements and actual requirements. The difference results in the purchases or sales at the spot price for the green coffee, which tends to costs more than the forward contract prices. It is not reasonable for the marketing department to perfectly forecasts sales and therefore there should be leniency in developing a method of accountability for this department. The goal here is not only to hold each group accountable but also to make sure managers feel they are being evaluated fairly and motivated to improve performance. In keeping with this actual sales volume should be compared to forecasted sales volume. This will not only help to keep the marketing department accountable for their activities but will also allow the forecasts methodology to be reviewed and continuously improve. Thus on an overall basis, the company needs to establish goal congruence between the three departments. This can be achieved through emphasizing communication between departments; this would encourage the forecasts of purchases/sales to be more accurate. In order to increase the goal congruence and communication, the department should also be evaluated based on the overall measure for the firm. This measure could be Economic Value added (EVA) as when it is applied, managers will not just be focussed on their own departments profitability but also that of company as a whole. The EVA approach promotes the same profit objectives across different departments. Thus by keeping the same structural organizations and only changing the way each department is evaluated, the incentive plan for each department more accurat ely reflects what each department can control.