Thursday, November 28, 2019

A Comparison Contrast Of A Brave New World And 1984 Essays

A Comparison Contrast of A Brave New World and 1984 Although many similarities exist between Aldous Huxley's A Brave New World and George Orwell's 1984, the works books though they deal with similar topics, are more dissimilar than alike. A Brave New World is a novel about the struggle of Bernard Marx, who rejects the tenants of his society when he discovers that he is not truly happy. 1984 is the story of Winston who finds forbidden love within the hypocrisy of his society. In both cases, the main character is in quiet rebellion against his government which is eventually found to be in vain. Huxley wrote A Brave New World in the third person so that the reader could be allotted a more comprehensive view of the activities he presents. His characters are shallow and cartoon-like (Astrachan) in order to better reflect the society in which they are entrapped. In this society traditional notions of love and what ideally should come out of it have long been disregarded and are now despised, "Mother, monogamy, romance. High spurts the fountain; fierce and foamy the wild jet. The urge has but a single outlet." (Huxley 41) The comparison to a wild jet is intended to demonstrate the inherent dangers in these activities. Many of the Brave New World's social norms are intended to 'save' its citizens from anything unpleasant through depriving them of the opportunity to miss anything overly pleasant. The society values, ACOMMUNITY, IDENTITY, STABILITY," (Huxley 1) supersede all else in a collective effort. Soma, the magical ultimate drug is what keeps the population from revolting. "What you need is a gramme of soma... All the advantages of Christianity and alcohol; none of their defects." The drug is at the forefront of their daily lives providing freedom from life's every ill. "The word comes from the Sanskrit language of ancient India. It means both an intoxicating drink used in the old Vedic religious rituals there and the plant from whose juice the drink was made- a plant whose true identity we don't know." (Astrachan) The drug is used as a form of recreation, like sex, and its use is encouraged at any opportunity, especially when great emotions begin to arise. They are conditioned to accept this to calm and pacify them should they begin to feel anything too intensely. The conditioning also provides them with their place and prevents them from participating in social activities which they needn't take part in. (Smith) Class consciousness which Americans are so reluctant to acknowledge is taught through hypnop?dia (the repetition of phrases during sleep akin to post hypnotic suggestion) for all social classes: These names are letters in the Greek alphabet, familiar to Huxley's original English readers because in English schools they are used as grades- like our As, Bs, etc.- with Alpha plus the best and Epsilon minus the worst. In Brave New World, each names a class or caste. Alphas and Betas remain individuals; only Gammas, Deltas, and Epsilons are bokanovskified. (Astrachan) The conditioning is begun at an extremely young age and is by modern real-world standards cruel, AThe screaming of the babies suddenly changed its tone. There was something desperate, almost insane, about the sharp spasmodic yelps to which they now gave utterance." (Huxley 20) The children's "Pavlovian" conditioning with electric shocks is later compared to the wax seals which used to grace the seams of letters (Astrachan), "Not so much like drops of water, though water, it is true, can wear holes in the hardest granite; rather, drops of liquid sealing-wax, drops that adhere, incrust, incorporate themselves with what they fall on, till finally the rock is all one scarlet blob." The entire society is conditioned to shrink away from intense emotion, engage in casual sex, and take their pacifying Soma. In 1984, a first-person book partly narrated by the main character's internal dialogue, the great party leader is "Big Brother," a fictional character who is somewhat more imposing than "Ford," of Huxley's book, named after the industrialist Henry Ford (Astrachan). The main character Winston fears Big Brother and is much more aware of his situation than any of the characters in A Brave New World who are constantly pacified by soma. In A Brave New World

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Owl Facts

Owl Facts Hailed for their supposed wisdom  and their appetite for pesky rodents  but derided as pests and subjects  of superstition, owls (families Tytonidae and Strigidae) have had a love/hate relationship with humans since the beginning of recorded history. There are over 200 species of owls, and they might date back to the days of dinosaurs. Fast Facts: Owls Scientific Name: Tytonidae, StrigidaeCommon Names: Barn and bay owls, true owlsBasic Animal Group: BirdSize: Wingspans from 13–52 inchesWeight: 1.4 ounces to 4 poundsLifespan: 1–30 yearsDiet:  CarnivoreHabitat: Every continent except Antarctica, most environmentsConservation Status: Most owls are listed as Least Concerned, but a few are Endangered or Critically Endangered. Description There are about 216 species of owls divided into two families: Barn and Bay owls (Tytonidae) and the Strigidae (true owls). Most owls belong to the group of so-called true owls, with large heads and round faces, short tails, and muted feathers with mottled patterns. The remaining dozen-plus species are barn owls, which have heart-shaped faces, long legs with powerful talons, and moderate size. Except for the common barn owl, which is found worldwide, the most familiar owls in North America and Eurasia are the true owls. More than half of the owls in the world live in the neotropics and sub-Saharan Africa, and only 19 species reside in the United States and Canada. One of the most remarkable things about owls is that they move their entire heads when looking at something rather than moving their eyes, like most other vertebrates. Owls need large, forward-facing eyes to gather scarce light during their nocturnal hunts, and evolution couldnt spare the musculature to allow these eyes to rotate. Some owls have astonishingly flexible necks that let them turn their heads three-quarters of a circle, or 270 degrees, compared to 90 degrees for the average human being. The tawny owl is just one of the more than 225 owl species in the world. Nick Jewell/Flickr/CC by 2.0 Habitat and Distribution Owls are found on every continent except Antarctica, and they also inhabit many remote island groups including the Hawaiian islands. Their preferred habitats vary from species to species but include everything from arctic tundra to marshlands, deciduous and conifer forests, deserts and agricultural fields, and beaches. Diet and Behavior Owls swallow their prey- insects, small mammals and reptiles, and other birds- whole without biting or chewing. Most of the unfortunate animal is digested, but the parts that cant be broken down- such as bones, fur, and feathers- are regurgitated as a hard lump, called a pellet, a few hours after the owls meal. By examining these pellets, researchers can identify what a given owl has been eating and when. (Baby owls dont produce pellets since their parents feed  them soft,  regurgitated food in the nest.) Although other carnivorous birds, such as hawks and eagles, hunt during the day, most owls hunt at night. Their dark colors make them nearly invisible to their prey and their wings beat almost silently. These adaptations, combined with their enormous eyes, put owls among the most efficient night hunters on the planet. As befitting birds that hunt and kill small prey, owls have some of the strongest talons in the avian kingdom, capable of seizing and grasping squirrels, rabbits, and other squirmy mammals. One of the largest owl species, the five-pound great horned owl,  can curl its talons with a force of 300 pounds per square inch, roughly comparable to the strongest human bite. Some unusually large owls have talons comparable in size to those of much bigger eagles, which may explain  why even desperately hungry eagles usually wont attack their smaller cousins. In popular culture,  owls are invariably depicted as extremely intelligent, but its virtually impossible to train an owl, while parrots, hawks, ​and pigeons can be taught to retrieve objects and memorize simple tasks.  People think owls are smart for the same reason they think kids who wear glasses are smart: Bigger-than-usual eyes convey the impression of high intelligence. This doesnt mean owls are especially dumb, either; they need lots  of brain power to hunt at night. Reproduction and Offspring Owl mating rituals involve dual hooting, and once paired, a single male and female will remain together through the breeding season. Some species stay together for an entire year; others remain paired for life. They dont typically build their own nests, instead, they take over nests abandoned by other creatures. Owls can be aggressively territorial, especially during the breeding season. Mother owls lay between one and 11 eggs over a few days period, with an average of five or six. Once laid, she does not leave the nest until the eggs hatch, some 24–32 days later, and, although the male feeds her, she does tend to lose weight over that period. The chicks hack themselves out of the egg with an egg-tooth and leave the nest (fledge) after 3–4 weeks. No one is sure why, on average, female owls are slightly larger than males. One theory is that smaller males are more agile and therefore more suited to catching prey,​ while females brood young. Another is that because  females dont like to leave their eggs, they need a larger body mass to sustain them for long periods without eating. A third theory is less likely but more amusing: Since female owls often attack and drive off unsuitable males during mating season, the smaller size and greater agility of males prevent  them from getting hurt.   CGander Photography/Getty Images Evolutionary History Its difficult to trace the evolutionary origins of owls, much less their apparent kinship with contemporary  nightjars, falcons, and eagles. Owl-like birds  such as Berruornis and Ogygoptynx lived 60 million years ago during the Paleocene epoch, which means it is possible that the ancestors of owls coexisted with dinosaurs toward the end of the Cretaceous period. The strigid family of owls broke off from tyronids and first appeared in the Miocene epoch (23–5 million years ago). Owls are one of the most ancient terrestrial birds, rivaled only by the game birds (e.g., chickens, turkeys, and pheasants) of the order Galliformes. Conservation Status Most of the species in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) are listed as Least Concern, but a few are listed as Endangered or Critically Endangered, such as the Forest Owlet (Heteroglaux blewitti) in India; the Boreal Owl (Aegolius funereus) in North America, Asia, and Europe; and the Siau Scops-Owl (Otus siaoensis), on a single island in Indonesia. Ongoing threats to owls are hunters, climate change and habitat loss. Owls and Humans It  isnt a good idea to keep owls as pets, and not just because thats illegal in the U.S. and most other countries. Owls eat only fresh food, requiring a constant supply of mice, gerbils, rabbits, and other small mammals. Also, their beaks and talons are very sharp, so youd also need a stock of bandages. If that werent enough, an owl can live for more than 30 years, so youd be donning your industrial-strength gloves and flinging gerbils into its cage for many years. Ancient civilizations had widely divergent opinions about owls. The Greeks chose  owls to represent Athena, the goddess of wisdom, but Romans were terrified of them, considering them bearers of ill omens. The Aztecs and  Mayans hated and feared owls as symbols of death and destruction, while many Native American tribes scared their children with stories of owls waiting in the dark to carry them away. The ancient Egyptians had a kinder view of owls, believing that they protected the spirits of the dead as they traveled to the underworld. Sources Askew, Nick. List of Owl Species. BirdLife International, June 24, 2009.BirdLife International. Micrathene The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T22689325A93226849, 2016.  whitneyi.BirdLife International. Bubo . The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T22689055A127837214, 2017.scandiacus (errata version published in 2018)BirdLife International. Heteroglaux . The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T22689335A132251554, 2018.blewittiBirdLife International. Aegolius . The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T22689362A93228127, 2016.  funereusBirdLife International. Otus . The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T22728599A134199532, 2018.siaoensisLynch, Wayne. Owls of the United States and Canada: A Complete Guide to their Biology and Behavior. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2007.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Catalogue entry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Catalogue entry - Essay Example The colour of the stones was red earth because of a prolonged stay. For instance, during the later middle Ages: a church like the St. George was identifiable to the south with a nave wall. The walls of the church were painted on the upper side and a channel screen used was a beam of crested, moulded, and placed under the pew as a sill in the nave and chancel. In the 16th and 17th century, the chancel and nave painting were washed out and some new texts were painted on the lower walls. These texts included the commandments of their religion and the creed used in the nave that was later washed out. In the mid 17th century, a bar was placed on the spiritual union table by its three sides. The pew that included medieval equipments such as the beam that remained from the former chancel screen and a finial that was in the shape of a crude tulip was brought to the southern side of the chancel while facing the pulpit. In 1793, the pews on the chancel were three as the pulpit had two- deckers to the northeastern side of the nave that was lit by a square window opening that was enlarged to the north. This shows that the nave, pew and some carves that were placed to match the pu lpit were all initiated during this period. Architecture, Dumbarton Oaks Colloquium on the History of Landscape, and Michel Conan. 2006. Performance and appropriation: profane rituals in gardens and landscapes. Washington, D.C.: Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

External Analysis of Blackberry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

External Analysis of Blackberry - Essay Example The present 9000 series has extended the capabilities of blackberries (Baldauf and Stair, 180). The series is now able to receive RSS feeds, display full HTML web pages, and other networking abilities. This short paper will deal with the threats and opportunities of the Blackberry Company. Major threats faced by Blackberry The company faces a myriad of threats in which the leading is competition from companies producing similar products. Motorola gave a notable competition to the company in the year 2007 (Blackberry Product Fans, 2008). This occurred because Motorola had superior products that competed with then RIM blackberry phones. There are also other mobile phones capable of sending and receiving emails including Nokia and Ericson (Blackmore, 5). These have also offered competition to the Blackberry products. Nokia has been a dominant cell phone provider in the world. This has enabled Nokia to compete with Blackberry well in the world market (Evers and Johnston, 120). Motorola h as been able to establish a brand appreciation that is strong with its consumer market. The Motorola Company has made product promotion in the market successfully. The Motorola marketing staff has made extraordinary efforts in boosting this venture of promotional marketing (Cook, 3). Another advantage of Motorola lies in the relationship existing between the company and the National Football League. This makes the company products famous in the world market and stands a chance of making tremendous sales to consumers. Samsung is another competitor worth mentioning in this case. The weakness of blackberry cell phones in web interface is a weakness that creates a loophole for other companies to compete best in the market. Thus, with the recent improvements in the Blackberry Technologies, there has been a noted improvement in the company’s share of the world market. Most countries treat Mobile companies as experimental budget and cuts. There has been a drying up of funding for th e mobile marketing firms and mobile service providers. When the global market share of Nokia fell to around 38.9% that of Blackberry rose by about 5%, showing the impact of the improvements in Blackberry recent IT technologies (DATAMONITOR, 2010). Continuous improvements will bring many achievements for the company in the future. Opportunities for the Blackberry Company Despite the threats enlisted above Blackberry, have some crucial opportunities to help in boosting its future endeavors. Blackberry has recently developed exceptional products, which possess advanced technologies in Information Technology (Hislop, 22). The present world has had flooding of IT pursuits in small gadgets, and the company’s enhancement of its products is an excellent move. The present blackberry cell phones have numerous features, which is another opportunity that takes the company ahead of its competitors. Blackberry has been able to meet the needs and wants of customers in the world market. This is an opportunity, which if the company works to continue building on it, will yield tremendous achievements. The company has displayed a brand loyalty for its consumers thus establishing trust from its market (Mennecke and Strader, 123). Maintenance of this brand loyalty will help the company meet future challenges from the external environment. The blackberry phones at present bear a leading edge of radio technology, which is crucial, add on making the company’

Monday, November 18, 2019

Money & Banking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Money & Banking - Essay Example The Fed comes out with the monetary policy in order to ensure a certain key objectives like, delivering price stability with a low inflation level coupled with an objective to support the Government's economic objectives of growth and employment. To understand how the Fed monitors price related regulations to keep a check on inflation, we may consider a small example of the regulation of house and property prices. To take any decisions related to interest rates keeping in mind the ongoing inflation rate, the Fed must be thorough with the booming property prices and must take steps to ensure that the prices are not artificial. Government intervenes through its central bank to regulate the prices of many commodities, similarly it also regulates the prices of houses like any other important commodity. Fed has the responsibility to keep a check on asset prices including the prices of houses. There can be a number of reasons why the prices of houses may shoot up, like the simple rule of demand and supply has a definite impact. (Demand and Supply for Housing). Other reasons behind a change in property prices can be Mortgages. A mortgage is the money borrowed to buy a house, as for most people buying a house is not easy. Over the years mortgage market has picked up greatly and the current scenario is totally different from the one that existed in the beginning. Mortgages were supplied only by the building societies. Building societies were non-profit institutions and encouraged only the members for the grant of loans, so the people who were members and had contributed to an extent for a considerable period of time got loans easily and account with building societies became the only means to get mortgages. Soon these societies had to compete with the banks and other financial institutions specialized in granting housing loans. This price war resulted in a greater demand for owner occupied houses and consequently the demand for houses grew stronger, resulting in a substantial increase in price. (The UK Housing Market - Factors Influencing th e Housing Market: Mortgages) Besides the above-mentioned factor of mortgages there are other factors like stamp duty and planning that affect the market for housing. Mortgage interest relief at source (MIRAS) was a tax concession to owning a house. It reduced the house owner's liability to income tax as the money spent on the interest on mortgage was considered to be tax-free. This made borrowings cheaper and as a result there was a huge demand for housing and the prices shot up. With the introduction of MIRAS in 1990 many people were exempted from stamp duty. (The UK Housing Market - Factors Influencing the Housing Market: Stamp Duty and Planning) The central bank sets a fixed interest rate at which it lends money to financial institutions and depending on this interest rate, individual banks and other financial institutions set up their own interest rates, which apply to the whole economy. This step is of indispensable importance to the economy, as this is very widely used to contain inflation. The only purpose behind such a step is just to contain undue inflationary levels prevailing in an economy. The point to be noted here is that,

Friday, November 15, 2019

Number Of Variations And The Impact Of Variations

Number Of Variations And The Impact Of Variations Controls for Variations and Variation Orders have been suggested by many researchers (Mokhtar et al., 2000; Ibbs et al., 2001). Below are 30 approach identified from a literature review to reduce number and the impact of Variations. These approach were categorized into three categories: Design stage, Construction stage and Design- Construction interface stage. Design Stage Approach to Control Variations Item Variation Reduction approach Descriptions Source 1 Review of contract documents Comprehensive and balanced Variation clauses would be helpful in improving coordination and communication quality .Conflicts between contract documents can result in misinterpretation of the actual requirement of a project. (CII, 1994a) 2 Freezing design Variations in design can affect a project adversely depending on the timing of the occurrence of the changes. Therefore, freezing the design is a strong control method. Many owners freeze the design and close the door for variations after the completion of the drawings. (CII, 1990a) 3 Value engineering at conceptual phase During the design phase, value engineering can be a cost saving exercise, as at this stage, Variation in any design element would not require rework or demolition at the construction site. Value engineering at the conceptual stage can assist in clarifying project objectives and reducing design discrepancies. (DellIsola, 1982). 4 Involvement of professionals at initial stages of project Involvement of professionals in design may assist in developing better designs by accommodating their creative and practical ideas. This practices would assist in developing a comprehensive design with minimum discrepancies .Practical ideas that are not accommodated during the design phase may affect the project adversely. Variation during the construction phase is a costly activity as it may initiate numerous changes to construction activities. (Arain et al., 2004) (OBrien, 1998). 5 Employers involvement at planning and design phase Involvement of the Employer at the design phase would assist in clarifying the project objectives and identifying noncompliance with their requirements at the early stage .Hence, this may help in eliminating Variations during the construction stage where the impact of the Variations can be severe (Fisk, 1997) 6 Involvement of contractor at planning and scheduling process Involvement of the Employer at the design phase would assist in clarifying the project objectives and identifying noncompliance with their requirements at the early stage .Hence, this may help in eliminating Variations during the construction stage where the impact of the variations can be severe. (Fisk, 1997). 7 Thorough detailing of design A clearer design tends to be comprehended more readily. This would also assist in identifying the errors and omissions in design at an early stage. Eventually, thorough detailing of design can eliminate Variations arising from ambiguities and errors in design. (OBrien, 1998) 8 Clear and thorough project brief A clear and thorough project brief is an important control for Variations in construction projects as it helps in clarifying the project objectives to all the participants. Eventually, this may reduce the design errors and noncompliance with the Employers requirements. (OBrien, 1998) 9 Reducing contingency sum The provision of a large contingency sum may affect the construction team working approaches. This is because the designer may not develop a comprehensive design and would consequently carry out the rectifications in design as Variations during the later stages of the construction project. Therefore, reducing the contingency sum would be helpful in ensuring that the professionals carry out their jobs with diligence. Construction Stage Approach to Control Variations Item Variation Reduction approach Descriptions Source 1 Clarity of Variation Order procedures Clarity of Variation Order procedures is an integral part of effective management of Variation Orders. Early in the project construction stage, the procedures should be identified and made clear to all parties. Clarity of Variation Order procedures would help in reducing the processing time and other mishandling issues. (Mokhtar et al., 2000) (Ibbs et al., 2001). 2 Written approvals Any Variation in the work that involves a change in the original price must be approved in writing by the Employer before a Variation can be executed. Any party signing of behalf of the Employer must have written authorization from the Employer. It is difficult to prove the right for compensation if there is no such authorization from the Employer. In the hectic environment of construction, many verbal agreements can be forgotten, leaving the Contractor without any legal proof to get compensation for the Variations works. (CII, 1990a; Hester et al., 1991; Cox, 1997). 3 Variation Order scope A well defined scope can assist the professional team in recognizing and planning appropriately to minimize the negative impact of the Variation. The original scope should be clear and well defined to distinguish between a Variation of scope and a Variation due to design development. It is common that there are disagreement between parties in a project was about defining the Variation scope. Thus, the effective definition of the scope of work helps us to identify and manage Variations. (Ibbs et al. 2001). (CII ,1994b) 4 Variation logic and justification Variation logic and justification for implementation was one of the principles of effective change management. This principle required a change to be classified as required or elective. Required changes were required to meet original objectives of the project while elective changes were additional features that enhanced the project. Knowing the logic and justification behind the proposed Variations assist the professionals in promoting beneficial Variations and eliminating non-beneficial Variations. Proposed by (Ibbs et al. 2001). 5 Appointment Project manager from an independent firm to manage the project Involvement of a project manager from an independent firm would assist in eliminating Variations that arise due to the lack of coordination among professionals. This practice may assist in reducing design discrepancies through early reviews of the contract documents and drawings. (Arain et al., 2004) 6 Restricted pre-qualification system for awarding projects A restricted pre-qualification system for awarding projects would act as a filter to select only the capable Contractors for project bids. (Chan and Yeong, 1995; Fisk, 1997) 7 Employers involvement during construction phase Involvement of the Employer during the construction phase would assist in identifying noncompliance with the requirements and in approving the Variations promptly .The involvement of the Employer during the construction phase allows to keep him aware of ongoing activities and assist in prompt decision making. (Ibbs et al., 2001). 8 Avoid use of open tendering Competitive open tendering usually encourages the Contractor to price very low to win the contract, especially in bad times when they are in need of jobs. This practice would give rise to the Contractor trying to claim more to compensate for the low price award. Avoiding the use of open tender would help in eliminating the risks of unfair bids. This may also help in reduces Variations that may arise due to the contractors bidding strategy. (Chan and Yeong, 1995) 9 Use of project scheduling/management techniques To manage a Variation means being able to anticipate its effects and to control, or at least monitor, the associated cost and time impact. The most known scheduling techniques in the construction industry are CPM, PERT and Gantt chart; Microsoft Project These techniques are helpful in identifying the critical path of any Variations on subsequent construction activities. Well planned and close monitoring on the schedule plan will helps to reduce the Variations effects on the project. (Hester et al., 1991) (Clough and Sears, 1994). (Mokhtar et al., 2000). 10 Comprehensive documentation of variation order Through timely notification and documentation of Variation Orders, participants will have kept their rights and thereby their option to pursue a subsequent claim or to defend against a claim. One of the most aggravating conditions is the length of time that elapses between the time when a proposed contract modification is first announced and when the matter is finally rejected or approved as a Variation Order. Documentation of Variation and claims had assisted in tracking the effects of the Variation and claim events on time and cost. A documented source of knowledge about previous Variation instructions would be helpful in making decisions concerning the appropriate handling of Variation instructions. (Cox, 1997; OBrien, 1998). (Fisk, 1997) Cox (1997) Design-Construction Interface Stage Approach to Control Variations Item Variation Reduction approach Descriptions Source 1 Prompt approval procedures One of the most aggravating conditions is the length of time that elapses between the time when a proposed contract modification is first announced and when the matter is finally rejected or approved as a Variation .However, the longer the period between recognition and implementation, the more costly the change will be. (Fisk, 1997). 2 Ability to negotiate Variation Ability to negotiate Variation is an important factor for the effective control of Variations. Effective negotiation can assist the professional team in minimizing the negative impacts of the Variation. There are certain skills required for effective negotiation of Variations, i.e., the knowledge of contract terms, project details, technology, labour rates, equipment, methods and communication skills. (Clough and Sears, 1994) (Cushman and Butler, 1994) 3 Valuation of indirect effects Consequential effects can occur later in the downstream phases of a project. Therefore, it is essential to acknowledge this possibility and establish the mechanism to evaluate its consequences. Professionals should thus evaluate the total overall effects a change may have on the later phases of a project, in order to manage the Variations effectively. (Ibbs et al., 2001). 4 Team effort by Employer, consultant and Contractor to control Variation Coordination is important in a multi-participant environment as in most construction projects Detrimental Variations, which affect the projects negatively, can usually be managed at an early stage with due diligence in coordination. (CII, 1994a; Assaf et al., 1995). 5 Utilize work breakdown structure A work breakdown structure (WBS) is a management tool for identifying and defining work. A Contractor should consider using the this as an evaluation tool, especially on large projects. If a Variation involves work not previously included in the WBS, it can be logically added to the WBS and its relationship with the other WBS element can be easily checked. Domino effects can also be traced by the use of WBS. (Hester et al., 1991; Mokhtar et al., 2000). (Hester et al., 1991) 6 Continuous coordination and direct communication coordination, and frequent communication are essential to reduce miscommunication among team members, hence reduce the chances of occurring Variations (Assaf et al., 1995). 7 Control the potential for Variations to arise through contractual clauses Selection of the appropriate standard contract form (JKR, PAM2006 etc) with the necessary and unambiguous Variation clauses would be helpful in the management of Variations. Clear procedures presented in the contract and fair allocation of risks can help in resolving disputes through negotiation rather than litigation. (Cox, 1997) 8 Comprehensive site investigation Comprehensive site investigations assist in proper planning for construction activities. Differing site conditions are an important cause of delays in large building projects. Therefore, a comprehensive site investigation would help in reducing potential Variations in a project. (Fisk, 1997). 9 Use of collected and organized project data compiled by Employer, consultant and Contractor The Variations works should always be documented for future references. Hence, better controls for Variations were achievable by sharing a database compiled by all the team members (Fisk, 1997). 10 Knowledge-base of previous similar projects From the outset, project strategies and philosophies should take advantage of lessons learned from past similar projects. If professionals have a knowledge-base established on past similar projects, it would assist the professional team to plan more effectively before starting a project, both during the design phase as well as during the construction phase, minimize and control Variations and their effects. (CII, 1994b). 11 Comprehensive analysis and prompt decision making through computerized knowledge-based decision support system A Decision Support System (DSS) approach for management decisions seems to be the ideal approach to follow. The system would be helpful in presenting an example scenario of the causes of Variations, their relevant effects and potential controls that would assist in decision making at the early stage of the Variations occurring. (Miresco and Pomerol, 1995).

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Ion Channel Effects Essay -- Medicine Drugs Prozac Pharmacy Essays

Ion Channel Effects The drug Prozac, otherwise known as Fluoxetine, has been believed to cause few side effects in general. Evidence also indicates that fluoxetine has various additional effects on several ion channels within the brain. Fluoxetine has demonstrated exerted effects on a variety of ion channels, the drug inhibited K+ and Na+ currents in lens and corneal epithelium, and the inhibitory effects of fluoxetine on ionic currents (Hahn, 1999). This suggests that since local concentration of fluoxetine may rise in the small extracellular space surrounding neurons, fluoxetine could act as an ion channel inhibitor in the brain. Research done by the Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, at the Catholic University of Korea, showed that fluoxetine is a potent inhibitor of voltage activated K+, Ca2+, and Na+ channels in PC12 cells. The inhibition of K+ channels by fluoxetine was concentration dependent but was not voltage dependent (Hahn, 1999). The inhibitory effects of fluoxetine on K+ currents were not abolished by inhibitors of protein kinases (H7, staurosporine, Rp cAMPS), indicating that protein kinases and G proteins were not involved in the inhibition of K+ currents by fluoxetine (Hahn, 1999). The study concluded that the overall effects of fluoxetine on neurons will be determined by the expression pattern of individual ion channels in different neurons, and this phenomenon may have pharmacological implications (Hahn, 1999). Norfluoxetine is the most important active metabolite of the antidepressant compound, flouxetine. In a study done by the University Medical School of Debrecen, the effects of fluoxetine and its major metabolite, norfluoxet... ...Glenmullen, Joseph, PhD. Prozac Backlash, 2001 Greens Fortuna Pharmacy, patient information leaflet, (2005) Hahn, J., The effects of Prozac on the Brain, (1999) Kalat, James W., Biological Psychology, 8th ed., (2004) Kobayashi, Toru, Kazuo, Washiyama, Kazutaku, Ikeda, Inhibitin of G protein-activated inwardly rectifying K+ channels by fluoxetin(Prozac), British Journal of Pharmacology,(2003), 138, 1119-1128. Magyar J, Swentandrassy N, Banyasz T, Kecskemeti V, and Nanasi PP, Department of Physiology, University Medical School of Debrecen, Hungary, (2004) Turking, Carol Ann, and Kaplan, Eliot F.,M.D., Making the Prozac Decision, (1994) Twersky, Ori. FDA Approves Prozac for Treating Severe form of PMS, WebMD, Medical News, (2000) Walker, P.W. Cole, J.O., and Gardner E.A. , Improvement in Fluoxetine-associated dysfunctions, (1993)

Sunday, November 10, 2019

The Sovietisation of Eastern Europe 1945-1968

Sovietisation of Eastern Europe 1945-1968 World war two saw a grand alliance of Britain, America and Russia created in order to defeat their common enemy, Adolf Hitler. In pursuit of this goal they attended a number of conferences to plan their attacks and to decide on the future of post war Europe. At Teheran in 1943 Churchill voiced concerns about the post-war situation in Eastern Europe, he was afraid that victory over the Nazis would leave the USSR in control of Eastern Europe.To prevent this from happening he proposed that the Anglo-American’s open up a second front in the Balkans. Stalin rejected this proposal as he knew it would thwart his plan to extend his ‘sphere of influence’ in Eastern Europe after the war, and insisted the second front be opened in France. The war in Europe was nearly over when the allied leaders met at Yalta. While there was general agreement on how to deal with Germany, Churchill and Stalin had different ideas when it came to Poland .Stalin wanted the communist-dominated Lubin committee to form the new government, whereas Churchill spoke out in favour of the London based Polish government in exile. It was agreed that a coalition government would be created but no decision was made on where Poland’s borders would be drawn after the war. The question of Poland was raised again at Potsdam. Stalin got two leaders to accept the Lubin government but he promised that after the war free elections would be held. Moscow saw control of Eastern Europe as essential to soviet security.Stalin had lived through two German invasions of his country and he was determined that the USSR would never again face the threat of invasion from the West. He believed that if the counties to the west of the USSR were ‘friendly’ they would act as a ‘buffer zone’ between the USSR and Western Europe. However as the ‘grand alliance’ had disintegrated and the Cold War intensified Stalin presses on wit h his plan which usually involved three stages. In Poland, after the war, sixteen of the twenty five members of the Polish government were communists.This resulted in an intense power struggle between the communists and the more popular Peasants Party and Socialist Party. While Stalin had promised that the elections would be free and fair, they were anything but. In the 1947 election the communists won 80% of the vote and a one-party communist state was created. The Catholic Church became the main opposition voice in Poland with Cardinal Wyszynski imprisoned for his support of resistance groups. Despite this, the sovietisation of Poland lasted 40 years.In Hungary the communists initially formed only a small part of a national government after the war. In the 1945 election the communists only won 17% of the vote while the Smallholders Party won 60%. However, under pressure from the Soviet Union the PM Tidly was forced to appoint a communist Rakosi as his deputy and Rajk as minister o f the interior, latter position meant that the communists controlled the police and the legal system and they used this to terrorise members of the opposition parties.In the 1947 election the communists won 24% of the vote but by merging with the social Democrats they were able to get the Parliament to pass a new constitution in 1949. The coalition government in Czechoslovakia lasted longer than in other eastern bloc countries. The democratic parties held the majority in this government with Benes as president and Jan Masaryk as Foreign Minister. However as had happened in other eastern bloc countries a communist, Gottwald, was appointed PM and they also controlled the Ministry of the Interior.Benes hoped to establish Czechoslovakia as a ‘bridge’ between East and West, capable of maintaining contact with both sides and so in 1948 hoped to participate in the Marshall Plan. This resulted in a coup by the communist party with the help of the red army and on the 9th of May a new constitution was introduced which created a soviet-style government. Stalin proceeded to tighten his grip on East Germany and trouble erupted in berlin in 1930 when the government demaned extra productivity from the workers.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Baby Quotes That Make All the Labor Pain Worth It

Baby Quotes That Make All the Labor Pain Worth It A baby in the house does make its presence felt. Its shrill cries, drooling mouth, smelly diapers, and gurgling laughter, can give any mother a feeling of ecstasy. There is no greater joy than watching a baby. A baby can make melt even the toughest heart. What makes a baby tug at our heartstrings? A baby has only one description. Cute! Babies make the cutest pictures. You can’t blame the newborn’s parents for suddenly metamorphosing into shutterbugs the moment they see their tiny tot smile, laugh or gurgle at them. You can’t help but notice  the innumerable baby pictures hanging on the walls of a pediatric hospital. When I was preparing for the birth of my first child, I was inundated with cute baby pictures cluttering my email box. It does not matter if this is your first baby or your fifth. Each baby brings its own share of pleasant surprises (and unpleasant ones) into your life. If you are expecting a baby, read some of these cute baby quotes to make that 1000-watt smile  brighter. Some of these baby quotes are so very true-to-life that you will find yourself completely agreeing with them. If one of your loved ones has just set out on the journey of parenthood, make their baby showers special with unique baby shower sayings. But if you’d rather stay out of all this baby fuss, just read and enjoy witty baby quotes in this collection. Mark TwainA baby is an inestimable blessing and bother.Tina BrownHaving a baby is like falling in love again, both with your husband and your child.BarrettoBabies are bits of stardust, blown from the hand of God.Eleanor RooseveltI think, at a childs birth, if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to endow it with the most useful gift, that gift would be curiosity.Louisa May AlcottFather asked us, What was Gods noblest work? Anna said, Men, but I said Babies. Men are often bad, but babies never are.Henry David ThoreauEvery child begins the world again.Charles DickensEvery baby born into the world is a finer one than the last.Kate Douglas WigginEvery child born into the world is a new thought of God, an ever-fresh and radiant possibility.Milton BerleIf evolution really works, how come mothers only have two hands?Robert OrbenI always wondered why babies spend so much time sucking their thumbs. Then I tasted baby food.Ronald KnoxA baby is a loud noise at one end and no sense of responsibi lity at the other. Jayne MansfieldCarrying a baby is the most rewarding experience a woman can enjoy.Natalie WoodThe only time a woman really succeeds in changing a man is when he is a baby.T. S. EliotIf you desire to drain to the dregs the fullest cup of scorn and hatred that a fellow human being can pour out for you, let a young mother hear you call dear baby it.William BlakeI have no name: I am but two days old. What shall I call thee? I happy am, Joy is my name. Sweet joy befall thee!Mark TwainMy mother had a great deal of trouble with me, but I think she enjoyed it.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Examples of Arrangement in Composition

Examples of Arrangement in Composition In rhetoric and composition, arrangement refers to the parts of a speech or, more broadly, the structure of a text. Arrangement (also called disposition) is one of the five traditional canons or subdivisions of classical rhetorical training. Also known as  dispositio, taxis, and organization. In classical rhetoric, students were taught the parts of an oration. Though rhetoricians did not always agree on the number of parts, Cicero and Quintilian identified these six: the exordium, the narrative (or narration), the partition (or division), the confirmation, the refutation, and the peroration. Arrangement was known as taxis in Greek and dispositio in Latin. Examples and Observations Aristotle states that...the very nature of rhetoric requires at least four components: an exordium, or introduction (prooimion), an advanced thesis (prothesis), proofs (pisteis), and a conclusion (epilogos).(Richard Leo Enos, Traditional Arrangement. Encyclopedia of Rhetoric, 2001)In A Rhetoric of Motives (1950), Kenneth Burke summarized the classical position on arrangement as rhetorical form in the large involving the following: a progression of steps that begins with an exordium designed to secure the goodwill of ones audience, next states ones position, then points up the nature of the dispute, then builds up ones own case at length, then refutes the claims of the adversary, and in a final peroration expands and reinforces all points in ones favor while seeking to discredit whatever had favored the adversary. Declining Interest in Arrangement In the place of the old rhetorics formulaic arrangement, the new rhetoric [of the 18th century] advised an arrangement that reflected the flow of thought itself. By the nineteenth century, the classical rhetorical tradition was pretty much adrift- although Richard Whately made an heroic effort to salvage it. As writing pedagogy abandoned prescribed techniques for invention, arrangement, and style (memory and delivery were already sinking as writing displaced oral literacy), teachers increasingly focused on grammar and surface features. How the student was supposed to create an essay was a mystery- as all writing came to be seen as the result of inspiration. Teaching the structure of the classical oration certainly made little sense because the form of a piece of writing should be determined by the reality the writer aimed to convey, not some static pre-ordained formula.(Steven Lynn, Rhetoric and Composition: An Introduction. Cambridge University Press, 2010) Arrangement in Modern Media Modern mass media...present special complications to the study of arrangement because the sequencing of information and arguments, the order in which certain appeals reach an audience, is very difficult to predict...Saturation and sheer quantity of exposure to a message given in single bursts may count for more than the interrelationships of parts of a single message achieved by its carefully crafted arrangement.(Jeanne Fahnestock, Modern Arrangement. Encyclopedia of Rhetoric, 2001)

Monday, November 4, 2019

Homework Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Homework - Case Study Example Determination of the cause of an incident is informed by classification of that incident accordingly. Incident reaction – An actual incident is respondent to, and it is this response(s) that is associated with incident reaction. Once an actual incident has been identified, all the activities directed to that incident constitute a response that is hereby referred to as the reaction. Incident recovery – Recovery is realized after all responsive activities have been executed. It is after containing the incident and successfully regaining systems control that the recovery step begins. This step entails assessing the extent of realized damage, restoring any needed data and/ or services in that line, frequent system examination and monitoring, and getting all stakeholders back in track within the organization. Strategies for containment vary from one organization to another, with the commonly used being disconnection of communication sources, application of filtering rules, and incident monitoring (Socha 203). External attacks are contained through disconnecting communication sources that have been impacted. Doing so safeguards the organization against external networks. Rules used for filtering purposes basically restrain network access based on their respective types. Finally, the incident can be monitored as a specific course of action is being undertaken. These strategies are tailored towards ensuring that the incident is stopped, and that systems control is successfully recovered. The document highlights the process of contingency planning and all the activities involved in ensuring that the panning process is a success. The various types of plans associated with contingency planning for IT systems are presented and their functionality described. It is noted that the planning process is significantly different from the actual plan development. The varying processes and activities that uniquely define the two

Friday, November 1, 2019

Discussion 8 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Discussion 8 - Assignment Example This can be considered as one of the major strength due to the fact that he is capable of tackling every possible situation and as a result, keep the workforce motivated. Moreover, at times he also becomes equally participative towards the job roles assigned to the employees so as to help them achieve their targets in a quick and effective manner. Due to his participative nature, he attains a lot of coordination and support from the employee group (Dow Jones & Company Inc., 2014). Contextually, it can be stated that the transformational quality proves to be a major strength for him as being a leader whereas the participative and transactional quality proves to be major strength for him as being a manager. One of the major weaknesses identified is his hyper aggressiveness in case of stress related situations. In term of differentiation between leadership and management skills, it can only be stated that the leader is a visionary who strategizes measures for the improvement within performance and overall development of the employees. On the contrary, a manger regulates the flow of work within every team and ensures that the assigned deadlines gets meet up before time (Dow Jones & Company Inc., 2014). During my professional career, I was made to work under this leader for a period of one year. During this time, the team led by him attained the highest level of performance over other teams within the organization. His immense knowledge and participative nature facilitated the team members in effectively understanding the assigned job roles and complete the task in an effective manner (HubPages Inc., 2014). The management and risk handling capabilities of the leader taught me two crucial lessons, which I believe will turn out to be a major help when I will get the role of being a team leader. The first lesson is regarding coming up with some innovative plans for getting work done and second regarding motivating the employees