Terrorism Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Terrorism - Research Paper Example The united states need to use the all the tools, that are at its disposal including the international diplomacy, corporation and constructive engagement to economic sanctions in order to convert physical security and military force towards eliminating the vice. Therefore, this paper examines the international terrorist action and threats in the United States of America and the country’s response to the same. However, some countries like Iran seems to support and sponsor terrorism as their main specter for proliferation of weapons. Survey has also shown that Al Qaeda terrorist group has attempted to acquire biological, radiological, and nuclear weapons. Thus, the stake for war with the international terrorism is increasing becoming difficult and the margins for terror as well to select the appropriate policy to prevent the terrorists’ attacks (Hamilton 381). The United States policy towards eliminating the international terrorism has more of military significant componen t as in the case with Iraq. The major concern over this global phenomenon is how to maximize international cooperation and support that is unduly compromising. The state department is to release its annual report on terrorism. From the prior expectation, the current report carries more and advanced patterns of terrorism than earlier editions. The United States has set strategic approach in its anti-terrorist plan. These plans revolve around defeating the terrorist as a major source of threat to human life. The country also aims at providing an environment that is hospitable free of terrorism across the globe. Through this plan, the United States seeks to enhance the existing national strategy for combating terrorist across the world. The US must engage in realm of ideas that are in conjunction with the ongoing efforts to protect and defect the homeland against any form of terrorist attack (Gordon 79). International terrorism is increasingly becoming a threat to the United States bot h in its foreign and domestic security. Timing and target of the terrorist to the U.S. may directly affect its effort in controlling and preserving commerce on nuclear proliferation of the Middle East peace process. The radical Islamic groups have sought to exploit economic and the political tensions of the Asian countries. Their sole aim for this attack is to overthrow the secular regimes more so in the countries with large Muslim populations (Krueger 16). The main perception is that these groups are a main threat to the United States policy objectives. The report on Iran as the most active sponsor for terrorism has forced the United States to lay some strategic plans against Middle East countries. The report cites Pakistan as one of the most important partners of the United States on the war against the world terrorism. Pakistan securities services cooperate closely with the U.S.to eliminate terrorism. Sudan and Libya have currently collaborated with the United States in the globa l war on terror. Currently, the terrorism has assumed new characteristics of ideological movements thus; fight against it must be a hard task. The much intelligence conducted on terrorist show that, today, most of the terrorism is done on the United States (Jessie and Kinney 705). The terrorist sanctuaries are within the cities or democratic societies. Countries

Industrialised Building System: Precast Concrete Elements

Industrialised Building System: Precast Concrete Elements In Malaysia, the implementation of Industrialised Building System (IBS) by using precast concrete elements were introduced since 1966 when the government lauched two projects which involves the construction of Rifle range Road Flats in Penang and Tuanku Abdul Rahman Flats in Kuala Lumpur. From the survey conducted by CIDB Malaysia, the level of usage in IBS in the local construction industry is 15 % in 2003 although many government initiatives have been introduced to encourage the use of IBS. Therefore a study is conducted to study will be conducted to study the current awareness of the usage of IBS in Malaysia. Furthermore this study will be conducted to analyse ways to improve the implementation of IBS in the local construction industry. Chapter 1: Introduction 1.1 Rationale for the Research Industrialised Building System (IBS) was introduced since the 60s in Malaysia. There are several benefits of IBS such as speed up the construction progress and possibly reduce labour force, construction cost and risk as well. Even IBS have many benefits but there is still have some problems in implementing IBS into the construction industry mainly due to lack of knowledge in IBS among the contractor. Research done by Lim Sin Peng in year 2009 showed that the usage or implementation level of IBS is still low in Malaysia construction industry. According to Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) (2003b) report construction project using IBS in Malaysia stands 15 percentage (%) in the year 2003 and the complete project using IBS in year 2006 only 10 % ( CIDB, 2007b) less than one-third of the total construction project (using at least one IBS product) in year 2006 (CIDB 2007a). The first IBS project, Pekeliling Flat, was initiated by the Government at Jalan Pekeliling, Kuala Lumpur in 1964. The implementation of IBS in Malaysia was not well accepted by the construction industry after the first adoption of IBS proves to be a failure in keeping to construction cost within the estimated budget. Thus, the aim of study is to change the perception of the construction industry towards IBS. 1.2 Problem Statement The implementation level of IBS is perceived to be lower compared to the advantages outlined by the construction industry. The following questions need to be answered before the issues could be addressed: Question 1: What is the implementation level of IBS in Malaysia construction industry? If the implementation level of IBS is consider low in Malaysia construction industry, then only can proceed to the next research question. Question 2: Why there are fewer contractors implementing in IBS? This will provide some ideas that about what stop the contractors from using IBS. Question 3: How to motivate contractor to implementing in IBS? This will provide recommendation to increase the level of implementation to meet the objectives of CIDB and Government to provide better production in construction industry. 1.3 Research Aim The research aim is to examine the reasons and factors of why fewer contractors implement IBS in Malaysia construction industry 1.4 Objectives The objectives of this study are to establish the implementation level of IBS here in Kuala Lumpur as general of Malaysia. The study also determines the barriers to contractors for not implementing IBS. In addition, it also evaluates the usefulness and advantages of using IBS. Moreover, the study also is to recommend factors that would encourage contractor to implement IBS. 1.5 Importance and Benefits of Study The importance of this study is to find out the reasons of unpopularity of this system in Malaysia in comparison to other countries such as Japan, Singapore, and United Kingdom (UK) which have implemented the IBS successfully. In chapter 2, the literature reviews will discussed further. Beside that, the benefits of this study are Getting familiar with the concept of IBS Clear of view on the type and characteristics of IBS Get to know the level of acceptance of IBS in Malaysia construction industry Visualized the benefits and limitation of using IBS 1.6 Scope of Research and Limitation In the dissertation, the scope of study will on focus on the adoption level of using IBS especially in the contractor point of view. Further more, some reasons and factors that might affect the implementation of IBS and what would be the best motivations for contractor to use IBS will be discuss as well. The limitation of this research is the questionnaire requires a lot of respondent around 200 and it does not ensure that they will make any feedback. Due to the limitation of the transport and there are many contractor firms, so this research will only remain in Kuala Lumpur and Klang Valley area. 1.7 Research Methodology 1.7.1 Questionnaire Quantitative method will be used to conduct this research. Question survey will be conducted for targeting respondent from Kuala Lumpur and Klang Valley area to determine their awareness of the certain issues or factors. This method will take some time of conducting a survey, so time must be allowed for late returns and responses to follow up attempts. Moreover, this is the simplest way to obtain information from targeted groups. Data collected from questionnaire will firstly check for the accuracy before carried out to work out the analysis by using statistical analysis software such as SPSS. Objective 1 To find out the implementation level of IBS in Malaysia Objective 2 Determine the barriers for contractor to implement IBS Literature Review Quantitative method Objective 3 Evaluate the positive effect of using IBS Questionnaire Objective 4 Give factors that would encourage contractor to implement IBS Analyze and develop solutions SPSS software Achieve aim and objectives. Conclusion and Recommendation Figure Research Methodological Method 1.8 Structure of Dissertation This dissertation is consists of five (5) chapters as described as below: Chapter 1 Introduction This chapter includes brief description of the problem statement with the purpose of conducting this research and its aim and objectives. It also includes the scope of study and benefits of the study. In addition, a brief description of the method that used in study, collecting relevant data and information. A brief introduction on the subsequent chapters is discussed as well. Chapter 2 Literature Review This chapter focuses on the review made from articles, journal, newspapers cutting, quotes from authors and online articles related to IBS. The fundamental part of this chapter is to discuss in depth about the benefits of using IBS, limitation of using IBS and barriers implementing IBS in construction industry of Malaysia. Chapter 3 Research Methodology This chapter explains the methodology will adopted in detail including the method used by the researcher to achieve the earlier mentioned objective for the research purpose. Chapter 4 Analysis of the Results This Chapter will covers the presentation on the result from carries out the data collected from the respondents through the survey questionnaire will be analyzed and will be tabulated in the form of chart and discussed in detail. Chapter 5 Conclusion and Recommendation This chapter concludes the research, its findings and analysis regarding the issue of the study including the limitations encountered during the research. The last part of this chapter is the recommendations and some personal comment had been given to improve the study as well as future research. Chapter 2.0 Literature Review 2.1 Introduction In this chapter, the author reviewed works done by others through journals, articles, newspaper cutting, and quotes from authors and online articles collected. IBS system is a process to speed up the construction work and to minimize the dependency of labour on site. The objective of this study is further discussed about the barriers of contractor in implementing IBS. Besides that, this chapter also will focus on the basic review of IBS such as definitions, background, types and characteristics in IBS and have a basic introduction about the detail of IBS. Industrialised building is the term given to building technology where modern systematized methods of design, production planning and control as well as mechanized and automated manufacture are applied (Ingemar Lofgren and Kent Gylltoft, 2000) While Building system mean a building system includes design rules and a product system whose parts have compatible interfaces, thus permitting the use of several alternative components and assemblies is assured by means of a dimensional and tolerance system as well as connection and joint (Ingemar Lofgren and Kent Gylltoft, 2000) 2.2 Definition of IBS There was no commonly accepted or agreed definition of IBS. Several authors have defined IBS as process or a technique. Blimas et. al. (2006) and Pan et. al. (2008) defined that IBS is often referred by literatures as off -site construction, off-site production, industrialised and automated construction. Warszawski (1999) explain in detail that an industrialized process is and investment in equipment, facilities, and technology with the objective of maximizing production output, minimising labour resource, and improving quality while a building system is defined as a set of interconnected element joint together to enable the designated performance of a building. Another definition by Trikha (1999) claimed that IBS also may be defined in which all building components such as wall, floor slab, column and staircase are mass produced either n factory or at site under strict quality control and minimal on site activities Another definition that clarified by Junid (1986) where IBS as process by which components of building are conceived, planned and fabricated, transported and erected at site. The system includes balance combination between software and hardware component. The software elements include system design, which is complex process of studying the requirement of the end user, market analysis and the development of standardise component, establishment of manufacturing and assembly layout and process, allocation of resources and materials and definition of a building designer conceptual framework.The software elements provide a prerequisite to create the conducive environment for industrialised to expand. According to Junid (1986), the hardware elements are categorised into three major groups. These include frame or post and beam system, panel system, and box system. The framed structures are defined as those structure that carry the loads through their beams and girders to columns and to the ground whilst in panel system load are distributed through large floor and wall panels. The box systems include those system that employ three-dimensional modules (or boxes) for fabrication of habitable units are capable of withstand load from various directions due to their internal stability. CIDB defined IBS as construction system whereby the components are manfactured in a factory, on-site or off-site, then positioned and assembled into structures with minimal addtional site work. 2.3 Classifications of IBS This section will focus on the classification of the building system that are published internationally and in Malaysia There are four types of building system under IBS in Malaysia and there are namely conventional column-beam-slab frame systems with timber and plywood as formwork, cast in-situ system with steel or aluminium as formwork, prefabricated system and the composite building system is shown in figure 2.1. Each building system is represented by its construction technology, functional and geometrical configuration (Badir et al, 1998). (cited at Thanoon et. al., 2003) According to Majzub (1977) has different concept in classifying building system that is the relative weight of the components should be used as a basis for building classification shown in figure 2.2. The factor of weight has significant impact on the transportability of the components and also has influences on the production method of the components and their erection method on site. This classification method is found to be inadequate to incorporate other building system flourish recently. There are five types of IBS had being used in Malaysia: (IBS Road Maps 2003-2010) Type 1: Pre-Cast Concrete Framing, Panel and Box System The most common group of IBS products is pre-cast concrete of elements in construction industry. For example, there are including columns, beams, slabs, Three-Dimension (3D) components (balconies, staircase, toilet, lift chambers), permanent concrete formwork, and so on. (CIDB, 2005). Pre-cast concrete framing, panel and box system is under categories of prefabricated system. The advantage using this is because it cans minimum waste due to work environment in factory is easier to control. Panel system is use for the construction of interior walls and exterior walls offer speed of construction in many ways. For box system will achieve ultimate objective of industrialization that is a maximum saving of human labour on site. Figure Pre-cast Concrete Elements Type 2: Steel Formwork Systems This system considered as least prefabricated IBS, as they generally involve site casting and subject to offer high quality finishes and fast construction with less site labour can come in tunnel formwork, beams, columns, and slab moulding forms permanent steel formworks (metal decks) and so on. (CIDB, 2005) The steel formwork is prefabricated in the factory and then installed on site. Figure Steel Formwork Systems Type 3: Steel Framing System This system always be the popular choice and used intensively in the fast-track construction of skyscrapers. Recent development in this types system included the increased usage of light steel trusses. Steel is non combustible material and improves fire safety and reduces amount of structural damages in the event of a fire happen. Example: Steel beam, columns, portal frames, roof trusses. (CIDB, 2005). Steel framing also consider as prefabricated system and it to be erected whereby welding at joints are conducted. This system cans faster the progress construction. Figure Steel Frame Systems Type 4: Prefabricate Timber Framing System While the latter are more popular, timber building frame offering interesting designs from dwelling units to buildings requiring high aesthetical values such as chalets for resorts Example: Timber frame, timber roof trusses (CIDB, 2005). The advantage of the system is mainly in the interior flexibility, as large space can be used for different functions and can be easily changed or modified according to the use. Figure Prefabricated Timber Framing System Type 5: Block Work System This system has revolutionizes by the development and usage of interlocking concrete masonry units (CMU) and lightweight concrete blocks. The tedious and time-consuming traditional brick-laying tasks are greatly simplified by the usage of there effective alternative solutions. Block work system also consider under prefabricated system. The benefits of block work system are faster construction and increase bricklayer longevity. Moreover, its also increased energy savings like lightweight concretes resistance to heat flow is twice of medium and heavy weight concrete, its mean that less heating/cooling energy is needed. Figure Block work 2.4 Characteristics of IBS It is important to have the following characteristics only consider to be accepted as part of the IBS and ensure the achievement of proven benefits of IBS. Each of them will be discuss briefly at below (CIDB 2008): Industrial production of components though pre-fabrication; or highly mechanized in-situ processes. For example, permanent steel formwork Reduced labour during pre-fabrication of the components and site works. Modern design and manufacturing methods involving information Technology such as the usage of Computer Aided design (CAD) and Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) Systematic Quality control such as ISO 9000 principles Open Building Concept i.e permitting the hybrid applications, and adaptable to standardization and Modular Coordination (MC) Figure The Characteristics of Building System Sources: Adopted from Abdullah M.R., 2009 2.5 Implementation Level of IBS in Malaysia The use of IBS have various advantages such as the reduction dependency of foreign workers, less wastage, less volume of building materials, increased environmental and construction site cleanliness and better quality control compare to conventional method. These advantages also promote a safer and more organised construction site, and reduce the completion time of construction. Many world-class Malaysian developers have chosen IBS over the conventional methods for important projects such as the Petronas Twin Towers, Putrajaya, KL Sentral, and KLIA. (IBS Roadmap, 2003 -2010) Even so, the usage level of IBS in building is still low. From a survey conducted by CIDB Malaysia, the usage level of IBS in the local construction industry stands at only 15% (IBS Survey 2003). The early efforts of the Government to encourage the use of IBS in the construction sector has yet to garner a good response, and this sector is still practicing conventional construction methods that have proven time and again to be wasteful, dangerous and messy. Relatively, the low labour cost in this country is the root cause of the industry failing to reform and being complacent with the current level of productivity, quality and safety. (IBS Roadmap, 2003 -2010) Moreover, according to the newspaper the star 2009 stated that Jamilus explained that IBS was a construction technique in which components were manufactured in a controlled environment (on-site, off-site), transported, positioned and assembled into a structure with minimal additional site work. Beside that, out of 1,400 contractors in Johor, there only 4% of it are using this systems. Moreover, he said that since year 2008, there only 51 contractors in the state have been reported to use the IBS system in their building projects and the number were expected improve in time. (The star, 2009) 2.6 Malaysias Experiences in IBS The usage of IBS is not new in the Malaysia construction industry. The idea using IBS in Malaysia was first purpose during the early 60s when the Minister housing and Local Government visited several European countries and evaluated their building system performance. At the time, the government makes a big decision to give a try on a two pilot projects using IBS concept. The first project, Pekeliling Flat was constructed along Jalan Pekeliling with construction of 7 blocks of 17 storey flats, and 4 blocks of 4 storey flats comprising around 3,000 units of low cost flats and 40 storey shop lot and this project using large panel industrialized prefabricated systems. On the other hand, the second project was built in Penang with the construction of 6 blocks of 17 storey flats and 3 blocks of 18 storey flats comprising 3,699 units and 66 shop lots along the Jalan Rifle Range and this project was using the French Estiot System (Din, 1984). Even though the first implementation IBS was not successful due to the failure to keep within cost estimation but there are some successful adoption too. Among the significant projects that implement IBS are including KL Sentral. KL Convention Centre, KLIA, etc Following is the Successful implemented of IBS throughout Malaysia (CIDB Malaysia, 2003) Year 2007 Stormwater Management and Road Tunnel (SMART Tunnel), Kuala Lumpur The Spring Shopping Mall, Kuching, Sarawak Year 2006 Kuching International Airport, Kuching, Sarawak Persada Johor International Convention Centre, Johor Bahru Year 2005 Serdang Hospital, Serdang, Selangor The Curve, Mutiara Damansara, Selangor Year 2001 Kuala Lumpur Sentral ( KL Sentral), Kuala Lumpur Likas Stadium, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah Year 1998 Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), Sepang, Selangor Malawati Indoor Satdium, Bukit Jalil, Selangor Year 1997 Petronas Twin Tower, Kuala Lumpur Bukit Jalil, Bukit Jalil, Salangor Year 1984 Daybumi Complex, Kuala Lumpur Year 1981 High end bungalows and low cost houses throughout Selangor 2.7 The Advantages for IBS adoption in Construction Industry There are some several advantages using IBS (MCRJ, 2009) 1. Reduce Remittances by foreign worker: The Government aimed to achieve 100 percent usage of IBS and to reduce to 15 percent or approximately 50,000 of foreign workers in the construction industry by 2010. With the current foreign workers totaling 227,000, the remittances of the foreign workers amounted to about 7.5 billion. It is expected that the Government would be able to reduce the remittances with the full implementation of IBS. (Bernama.com, 2006) 2. Enhance Efficiency of Construction Process and Higher Productivity: IBS is a methodology whereby a local construction industry is driven towards the adoption of an integrated and encouraging key players in the construction industry to produce and utilize pre-fabricated and mass production of the building at their work sites. This will help to enhance the efficiency of construction process, allowing a higher productivity, quality, time and cost saving. (CIDB, 2004) 3. Produce Better Product: IBS promises elevated levels of expertise throughout the industry, from manufacturers, installers, engineers, planners, designers, and developers. The benefits of IBS will ultimately produce better products for the population (CIDB, 2003) 4. Reduce Wastage, Less Site Materials, Costs, Cleaner and Neater Environment: The IBS, which enables on-site prefabricated or pre-cast building components manufactured at factories offers minimal wastage, less site materials, cleaner and neater environment, controlled quality, and lower total construction cost (CIDB, 2003). For example, the repetitive use of system formwork made up of steel, aluminium, etc and scaffolding provides considerable cost savings (Bing et al. 2001). 5. Higher Quality of Component: An industrialised building system component produces higher quality of components attainable through careful selection of materials, use of advanced technology and strict quality assurance control (Din,1984) 6. Reduce Labour at Site: Prefabrication takes place at a centralised factory, thus reducing labour requirement at site. This is true especially when high degree of mechanisation is involved (Warszawski, 1999) 7. Faster Completion: An industrialised building system allows for faster construction time because casting of precast element at factory and foundation work at site can occur simultaneously. This provides earlier occupation of the building, thus reducing interest payment or capital outlays (Waleed et al., 2003) 8. Not Affected by Adverse Weather Condition: Construction operation is not affected by adverse weather condition because prefabricated component is done in a factory controlled environment (Waleed et al., 2003) 9. Flexible Design: An industrialised building system allows fexibility in architectural design in order to minimise the monotony of repetitive facades (Warszawski, 1999). An industrialised building system provides flexibility in the design of precast element as well as in construction so that different systems may produce their own unique prefabrication construction methods (Zaini, 2000) 2.8 Barriers of Adoption in Malaysia Construction Industry IBS can replace the conventional building system which is labour oriented However, since the first project of IBS not well accepted by construction parties because of fail to deal with the risks such failure of keep within the cost estimate. For example, the first project incurred 8.1 % higher costs than a similar building that using conventional construction method, while the second project was 2.6% lower than the cost. Both projects also completed in 27 months in term of compare to the construction speed but are inclusive the time of set up the recasting factories too. When come to the quality, the conventional method seems have better quality than IBS. In conclusion, there is a competitive with conventional construction method. Even though IBS is good to implement due to its advantages but the implementation of usage level is still very low. According to Waleed et. al. (2003), the common consensus of all the stakeholders of construction in Malaysia is that, the IBS implementation in Malaysian building construction industry is still very low compared to the conventional methods. This is due to several reasons(MCRJ, 2009): 1. Costs and Return Investment: Wide swings in houses demand, high interest rate and cheap labour cost, make it difficult to justify large capital investment. At present there is an abundance of cheap foreign workers in Malaysia and contractors prefer to use labour intensive conventional building system because it is far easier to lay off workers during slack period. The economic benefits of IBS are not well documented in Malaysia and the past experiences indicated IBS is more expensive due to fierce competition from conventional building system. 2. Lack of skilled and knowledgeable manpower: Fully prefabricated construction system requires high construction precision. Malaysian labour force still lack of skilled workers in IBS implementation. 3. The Practices: The construction industry is very fragmented, diverse and involves many parties. Consensus is required in the use of IBS during planning stage. 4. Knowledge based: Lack of Research Development (RD) in the area of novel building system that uses local materials. Majorities of IBS in Malaysia are imported from developed countries, thus driving up the construction cost. Engineering degrees in local universities seldom teach about the design and construction of IBS. 5. Low Quality: The use of IBS in Japan and Sweden are so successful due to high quality and high productivity but it sis the opposite in Malaysia. Previous projects constructed with IBS concept were of low quality and high construction cost. 6. Lack of Incentive and Awareness: Due to the lack of incentive and promotion from government in the use of IBS, many many architects and engineers are still unaware of the basic elements of IBS such as modular co-ordination. 7. Lack of Scientific Information: An IBS system can only be acceptable to practitioners if its major advantages are valuable compared to the conventional system. However, up to date, there is inadequate corroborative evidence to substantiate the benefits of IBS system. It is therefore, arguable that the implementation of IBS is particularly hindered by lack of scientific information (Badir et al., 2002) 8. Wastage of Material: Standardization of building elements faces resistance from the construction industry due to aesthetic reservation and economic reason. One good example of this is when a 300mm thick modular standardized floor slab has to be used although a 260mm thick floor slab can achieve the similar structural performance. This results wastage of material (Waleed et al., 2003) Issue that related to IBS and contractor 1. IBS first time use by DBKL in infrastructure project of build a bridge Jalan Dewan Bahasa-Jalan Hang Tuah because of time saving and reduce traffic jam. This also can give benefit for those students that around the school area. Beside that, around 75 % of IBS have been use to prevent any problem that not complete according to the schedule. Ibs also can save time, reduce labour and site very clean, tidy and have quality. Mostly IBS is use for building. This project is the first infrastructure project using IBS. Moreover, the rest of the project will be using IBS. 2.9 Summary of the Chapter Nowadays in Malaysia, IBS still being developed and applied in new building. Mean while, the implementation level is still very low what has anticipate by the government. The purpose of IBS is very clear as an alternative for conventional method and also reduces the dependency of labour, and increase the performance in time, cost, and quality. The Government of Malaysia promote IBS component to the construction industrials. In the literature review have proved that there are many benefits of IBS but still is low usage among contractors and the implementation of using IBS level is still very low. Chapter 3 Research Methodology 3.1 Introduction Research methodology explains methods that used in the research study, what data have been collected, what method is adopted, why particular technique of analyzing data used; all of these will be answered in this chapter. The quantitative approach will be carried out in this research and the questionnaire survey method will be used in this research. This section of study will focus on the method of the study to achieve the objective of this research. The questionnaire has been chosen to survey the factors, and degree of acceptance, usage, advantages and comment of adoption in IBS. This method is saving in terms of time and cost as well as convenient as it can distributes to large amount of respondent but the possible also did not get receive any respond from respondent and the quality of the information gather from questionnaire might inconsistent and inaccurate and also need to be carefully analysis. 3.2 Method of Research Figure 3.1 shows the methods that be carried out in order to achieve the objective of this study and followed by the explanation of each step. Constructing Questionnaire Distribute Questionnaire Results Gathering and Analysing Conclusion Figure Method of Research 3.2.1 Construct the Questionnaire For the purpose of designing the question, the research objectives and literature review had been taken into account to lead to differentiate various issues, topics and ideas to create the questions in the questionnaire. The quantitative questionnaire will be use in this study. Before questionnaire to be produce out, there should be required to review thoroughly to the literature review and the research aim and objectives. This is to make sure that there will not be out of topic from the research, this is the initial stage for formulating question. Secondly, produce question that can achieve aim and objectives and related to literature review. The third stage is to make the questionnaire easy to understand and suitable with comprehensive but short enough, no leading question and double question. This will make respondents can fill up easily and faster due to the possibility that the respondents are busy. 3.2.1.1 The Rationale of Questionnaire Design The first part is ask about the background or experiences a

The Qumran Documents (Dead Sea Scrolls) Essay -- Dead Sea Scrolls

The Qumran Documents (Dead Sea Scrolls) The finding of the Dead Sea Scrolls or the Qumran Documents is the single most important religious find of the twentieth century. These manuscripts have revolutionized the entire field of biblical study and have the ability to destabilize the mass of western religious thought as we know it today. For the information contained in these scrolls, include books of the Hebrew Bible that predate the next earlier example by one thousand years. The data found in these scrolls enable us to form a historically accurate reconstruction of the time period formative of Rabbinic Judaism and of Christianity. By studying the customs and the religious practices of the Essene people we can put together a snapshot of the religious and political times that were in place at the start of Christianity. In 1947 near the city of Qumran, a young Bedouin shepherd named Mohammed Dib of the T'Amireh tribe left his village in search of a goat that had become lost. He threw a stone into a small cave in a cliff thinking the goat had taken refuge inside the cave. When he threw the stone he heard the sound of pottery breaking. The next day he returned and found the entrance to the cave. Inside the cave he found ten jars made of clay. Most of the jars were empty and one held only dirt, but inside the remaining three he found scrolls. The scrolls he found were made of ancient papyrus, stuffed in jars and wrapped in linen. On a second visit he found four more scrolls. These scrolls were taken to an antiques dealer named Kando in Bethlehem in the hopes that they might be worth something on the black market. Kando bought the four scrolls from the shepherd boy nicknamed "The Wolf" for roughly one hundred and ten... ...d to reveal nothing to outsiders, even under pain of death. They must keep all the information contained in their books secret. They possess nothing of their own and eat in common together. They did not believe in the practice of animal sacrifice. They also only worked in crafts that contributed to peace. They also believed that God was the source for all good but could not be the cause of any evil. The dating of the community at Qumran has been done with a considerable amount of accuracy due in part to coins found near the settlement which dated to the time of John Hyrcanus (103-104 B.C.). This indicates that the settlement was begun in the second century B.C. or shortly thereafter. Archaeological findings clearly show that a city existed in Qumran and a community named the Essenes lived in Qumran from the middle of the second century B.C. to A.D. 68.

Are Liberty and Equality Compatible?

â€Å"Two Concepts of Liberty† defined the distinction between positive liberty and negative liberty. He defined positive liberty as the ability to fulfill one own potential. This Is typified by the phrase â€Å"l am my own master†. For example, if I really want to become an economist, then I would be positively free if not discouraged. Negative liberty is defined as â€Å"freedom from external constraint†. The Implications of Positive and Negative Liberty A sketch by Eddie Izard entitled â€Å"Cake or death†4 offers to people exactly that. We might think that be fully free but even the most ardent of fitness fanatics would of course pick cake. Alternatively, a feared, violent and ruthless highwayman offering you â€Å"your money or your Life†5 may illustrate the point.Assuming that we know the highwayman not to be bluffing, not even Scrooge himself would keep his money. Whilst the above two examples are possible to envisage, It Is clear that they a re not part of your average society and a more realistic example may be prudent. Many prostitutes can and do hate their jobs, however, they often have no alternative to it, even when not forced to do so. There are several reasons why a prostitute would continue to remain in the trade. A study by London South Bank University identified 9 barriers to exist including drug addiction, lack of education and social stigma.The implications are that we are sometimes faced with decisions where there is only one legalistic possible option. Indeed, a determinist would go as far to argue that we are faced all the time with decisions where there is only one possible outcome and we do not have free will at all and everything is – in principle – predicable. It is clear that we cannot mean free to mean negatively free. However, the argument that freedom Is possible becomes much less tenuous when one considers being positively free.It Is defined as the ability to maximize one's potentia l, given the current state of resources available to people. â€Å"Positive liberty Is the possibility of acting ? or the fact of acting ? in such a way as to take control of one's life and realize one's fundamental teacher, then he would be positively free if he is able to realism his aims. In short, he is able to maximize his potential. A misconception of Equality Some of the more pedantic among us could argue that equality is possible. Certainly in areas such as mathematics this is true. A simple example such as 8 +7=1 5 shows that equality can exist.However, it is very clear that this is not what one means by equality in this sense. Many would assume that perhaps equality should be defined then as the equal allocation of resources. However, in the context of animal ethics, Peter Singer argued that it this kind of equality is impossible and should not be defined as such; it seems impractical and perhaps immoral for this to be the case. â€Å"Humans have interests in mountain-cl imbing and skiing, in seeing the world and sampling different cultures. Cows like lush pasture and shelter from harsh weather.Hence to deny humans the right to travel from outside Devon would be to restrict their rights significantly; it would not be a significant restriction for the rights of cows. â€Å"8 However, to avoid complications, we shall not concern ourselves with the epic of equality between animals and humans. Despite this, it can still be applied in the context of between Just humans. For example, it is impractical or pointless to grant women the right to prostate examinations or to equally allocate cricket bats among footballers and cricketers alike. A critique of Singer's claim above could be done by using the following simple example.Imagine two people, Sam and Simon. Sam inherited a large estate, and is very wealthy, despite a lack of talent, determination or ambition. Alternatively, Simon despite being talented and ambitious received a poor quality of education a nd comes from a low income family. Although Singer has debunked the argument that equality means the equal allocation of resources, to many this would still seem unfair. However, Singer offers a counter proposal where the impetus of his argument is equal consideration. This is a broadly abstract term but can be applied to many contemporary and relevant examples.For example, laws regarding maternity and paternity leave or resolving conflict between settlers to an area and to indigenous people. Most significantly, Singer's example could be applied in the context of macroeconomics, in that whilst equality is not honeymoon with social mobility and meritocracy, it can work in close conjunction with the two. State of Nature Before examining the compatibility of the two in a society, it seems prudent to examine whether the two can be compatible without a society, in a State of Nature and synonymous to many as a dyspepsia.A state of nature is a hypothetical thought experiment designed to in vestigate what a pre-societal life would be like for people. In his Leviathan, Thomas Hobbes posited the claim that, â€Å"a free man is he that in those things which by his strength and wit he is able to do is not hindered to do what e hath the will to do†9, alluding to liberty in its negative sense. He argued, that in the state of nature, liberty did not exist, because actions were hindered by fear of death and fear of the power of others. Despite saying that freedom can only truly exist under a sovereign, Hobbes alludes to liberty in the negative sense.Indeed, others have interpreted his works for people However, people are free in that they interpretation of his own work seems desperately counter intuitive. However, Hobbes has only discussed how we are not free in the negative sense. However, this may not be the case for positive freedom. We are free to maximize our potential. There is no State or Government to restrict us in any way possible. Hobbes also comments that me n are by nature equal in their powers, as even â€Å"the weakest has strength enough to kill the strongest, either by secret machination, or by confederacy with others, that are in the same danger as himself. 10 One can therefore conclude that humans are free and equal in a State of Nature, an abstract thought experiment. However, this is neither desirable nor permanent. It is a poor quality of freedom and equality in that the standard. In a State of Nature being free and equal means that we are free and equal to be violent against each other and live the â€Å"solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short life†1 1 that Hobbes so described.Bringing abstract theory into reality We can establish that these two arguments so that liberty and equality are theoretically possible, however, the question is now is whether these arguments have practical implications. However, what does it mean to be human? Humans are naturally social beings with our own societal friendships, families and relationships. As Hummed pointed out, social contract theory is an unhelpful fiction, because social organization is natural for us is natural. Indeed, a very clear example would be that we all grow up, learn values, language and develop knowledge through parenting, and through social interaction and as a result through discipline, leadership and rules. Therefore, a state of nature must be fiction. Furthermore, equality is referred to as equal consideration, however in a State of Nature, there is no government present to â€Å"equally consider†. Therefore, one has to revert to the equal allocation of resources, and Hobbes argues that resources are shared equally, in that people have roughly the same amount of intelligence, muscle and weaponry.However, the equal allocation of resources is something this thesis is trying to revert from. A Utopia? There are three branches of ethics, utilitarianism, deontological and virtue. And in all three of them liberty and equality are highl y desirable. For example, given that Utilitarianism has its definition coined as â€Å"the maximum amount of happiness for the maximum amount of people†13, and one does not need to Justify for the purposes of this essay that liberty and equality are most often highly desirable in society.It would therefore seem prudent to examine a utilitarianism society, and examine whether liberty and equality may be possible. In Aloud Huxley â€Å"Brave New World†, a caste system is depicted with the inhabitants ranked from alpha through to epsilon. 14 Despite height, appearance and Jobs available being dependent on what class one is, each person is conditioned before birth (though that is an inappropriate word to use) and each class is perfectly content to remain in their class and does not aspire to be of any other class.Many would repulsed by this state – and whilst it seems desperately counter-intuitive, both freedom and equality can be obtained. Indeed, some would consid er the caste system to be not far short of slavery, omitting clearly not very equal. However, equality as equal consideration is allowed for, each individual conditioned with their happiness being viewed in the same equal extent that they are positively free and are able to maximize their potential in their designated class. 15 It seems then that in this example, liberty and equality are compatible.Whilst this fictitious society leaves a lot to be desired, it may be useful to have a look at how this society was reached and see if this can be paralleled in reality. The logical conclusion of capitalism There may be faults with the feasibility of a utopia as well. Huxley assumes that Brave New World is the logical end of capitalism. All activity is aimed at continued consumption, for example the slogan of â€Å"ending is better than mending†16. All obstacles to consumption are removed. Mass production, God and individualism are institutionalized. In order to maintain this freedo m, the means of production must be controlled.Utopia translates from Greek meaning â€Å"no place†. 17 Essentially, it means that it does not exist. While there are certainly parallels with society, this is not how capitalism will end, and this is for four interlinked reasons. Firstly, the notion of illogical mass production of humans is deeply concerning and a vital premise to the Huxley argument. One can quite reasonably assert the claim that this will never happen. Secondly, there is a lack of relationships, in the book the notion of family and parenthood is treated with shock and disdain, and as a result society is equal for the reasons given above.However, the notion of family and parenthood does exist, and this can have drastic consequences for the logical conclusion of capitalism. With nepotism and the accumulation of capital there is a case that there is a shift to patrimonial capitalism. However, this will be discussed in more detail later. But most importantly, the logical conclusion to capitalism does not take into consideration how human beings are not always rational. Long before the term behavioral economics was coined, Huxley assumed that â€Å"Homo Economics†18 would prevail. However, people do not always make decisions that maximize their welfare.A very simple argument will show this point to be correct; this is known as the Gambler's Fallacy. 19 When at a roulette table, people will often assume that if at a table, the roulette wheel has shown to be the color red the previous six times, then it is more likely to e on the seventh spin. However, a simple math experiment with a roulette wheel or a computer will show this to be incorrect, and statistical theory on independence provides the reasoning behind this. Even it were rational to Join this kind of society, the likelihood of this happening is not secure.A Thought Experiment With the exception of a conclusion, the rest of this thesis, will analyses and evaluate reasons why free dom and equality may not be practical in society today. A fully free state shall be assumed, and the question will be posed asking if equality can be produced as a by- product alongside. Finally, the thesis will question the aforementioned assumption in two different ways. The Assumption of a Fully Free State To many this seems like capitalism. However, capitalism is far too broad and can name suggests implies that the state is involved and does not prohibit freedom.Laissez-fairer capitalism might be more prudent as a result. We shall now assume that a fully free state but be one determined by market forces, determined by supply and demand in order for me to be positively free and maximize citizen's potential. The First Reason – How Liberty Upsets Patterns This heading is not original, it is on page 160 of Robert Nicks book â€Å"Anarchy State ND Utopia†, the heading alludes to an often quoted example of a successful basketball called player Wilt Chamberlain, which is pertinent. In this world, everyone earns exactly the same salary and money is distributed evenly.At each home game, he receives 25 cents from every person playing the game. To the customers, this seems reasonable – he is very good at basketball. If one million watch him play during the season, Chamberlain has $250,000. He has more money than someone else. 20 Let us extend the analogy further so that everyone else earns a sum of $25,000 a year. It seems that although Chamberlain may have more money than everyone else it is not a problem, because this equality can include a meritocracy and equality is defined as equal consideration.This might seem Justified because of marginal productivity theory; some would say that Chamberlain works harder and is more productive so he should receive more money than anyone else. However, there are two issues with this theory. The first is that the facts do not support it. As the recession went on bankers such as Fred Goodwin continued to recei ve bonuses, despite bringing banks to their knees. Even though they were worse than useless, hey were still receiving money despite having a negative marginal productivity theory.Despite The Royal Bank of Scotland (RUBS) going bankrupt, Fred Goodwin receives a IEEE,OHO pension from RUBS. 21 Secondly, despite Wilt Chamberlain earning ten times more than everyone else is it true that he works ten times harder in order to achieve his wealth? The answer is most likely no. In essence there is a sense of disproportion to the extent of the meritocracy. There is a clear opportunity cost; no one was forced to watch him play basketball. They could have spent their money on everything as mundane from tea bags to headphones.This presents some issues, he now has far more money than anyone else does, and this to many seems unequal. In the I-J, the staggering sums of money that footballers earn is a proponent in an argument for inequality- how can It be fair that Wayne Rooney earns more in one wee k than the average person earns in 10 years? But this is unequal. The Second Reason – Rent Seeking Economies It is necessary to delineate between two different types of economy, wealth generating and rent seeking.Wealth generating refers to ways of earning money whilst increasing the output of the economy at the same time. A quintessential example would be innovation such as Tyson vacuum cleaners. Rent seeking is defined as â€Å"when a company, organization or individual uses their resources to obtain an economic gain from others without reciprocating any of the benefits back into society through wealth creation. â€Å"22 Here, a useful example would be through a usefully entitled â€Å"The Locust and the Bee†. 23 Here, the locust is analogous to the rent seeking economy and the bee the wealth generating economy.The economist Joseph Zeitgeist has argued that rent-seeking is a large contributor to income inequality in the United States through lobbying for government policies hat let the wealthy and powerful get income, not as a reward for creating wealth, but by grabbing a larger share of the wealth that would otherwise have been produced without their effort. As Paul Grumman points out, most of the richest 1% in the world are generally not the innovators such as Bill Gates or Mark Suckering, but generally those with a much lower marginal productivity, such as Fred Goodwin or C.Douglas McMillan. Furthermore, despite these low marginal productivities, their income, (in America at least) has increased as seen in the graph below. The Third Reason – The Fall of The American Dream? As Josef Zeitgeist points out, Paul Ryan made a speech saying that despite the US Gin coefficient rising, what is really the most significant is equality of opportunity. 24 The question, is can there be equality of opportunity. It is true that the â€Å"Rags to Riches† story as examples well documented across the world with everyone from Will. . Am to Opera Winfred, but as Zeitgeist asserts, the reason they are so well documented is because they are so rare. Given that, the question is do we always have to have an inequality of opportunity, and the answer to that is yes. The first premise that all else rests on is that equality of opportunity must rest on not only a good but equal education. Given that equal opportunity largely manifests itself in a meritocracy. The second premise of the argument is that having an equal education is unattainable.Even if private schools were completely abolished, if money was spent on students exactly proportional to their needs and the best teachers were distributed around the country exactly proportional to where they should be then equality of opportunity may not work for one key reason – chaos theory. The tiniest of changes in an education can lead to drastic consequences, for example, a certain book could be pivotal in attending a place at a prestigious university. Moreover, despite a stand ardized education, differences in education at home are beyond the state's control.The First Critique Of The Assumption However, Zeitgeist says, â€Å"Markets don't exist in a vacuum†25. Indeed, they must be shaped, mainly through the laws of that country. In the USA in the government gave holders of derivatives priority over bankruptcy. This was seen in its bail out of insurer Alga to the tune of $1 ban. This creates a â€Å"heads I win, tails you lose† situation. The first reason why laissez-fairer capitalism does not work is because the way that the market exists is though legislature which undermines what laissez-fairer capitalism sets out to achieve.The Second Critique of the Assumption- The Growth of Capital in the 21st Century The idea that inherited wealth will always grow faster than earned wealth is the main impetus of Thomas Picket's book â€Å"Capital in the 21st Century'. Pickett argues that as captures in the expression r > g, where r is the rate of retu rn to wealth and g is the economic growth rate. Other things being equal, faster economic growth will monish the importance of wealth in a society, whereas slower growth will increase it. However, there are no natural forces pushing against the steady concentration of wealth.Only a burst of rapid growth (from technological progress or rising population) or government intervention can be counted on to keep economies from returning to the â€Å"patrimonial capitalism†. Furthermore, demographics can influence this point. Writes Pickett, â€Å"Consider a world in which each couple has ten children, it is better as a general rule to not count on too much on inherited wealth, because the Emily wealth will divide by ten with each new generation. In such a society the people will have wealth diminished by 10 each generation. 26 Therefore, given that fertility rates are falling all over the world, this means that wealth will be more concentrated in the future. Regardless of the graph below, some people having more money than others can still be equal, and feel that Pickett makes a generalization as a result. However, he argues that people having more money often leads to a fall in social mobility and as a result, increased inequality of opportunity. There is now a event to patrimonial capitalism which is known more informally as crony capitalism.Given how equality is defined as equal consideration and social mobility is key, he argues that not only do some people have more money than others but social mobility is at an all time low. 27 Conclusion It seems that practically, in some form of Utopia akin to â€Å"A Brave New World† or in a State of Nature, the two may both be possible. However, in feasible ideologies, there are impossible. This is because how in a free society, issues. However, the link between equality being defined as equal consideration and equality as the equal allocation of resources is tenuous.The argument of chaos theory may be weak, as people may still be free in that they can maximize their positive liberty in that they can still maximize their potential. Chaos theory only affects the extent to which potential can be reached – not the other way around. In order for this thesis to be stronger, the link between the two warrants further exploration. Perhaps an exploration of Aristotle opinion on equality might be useful to unpick what equality means, as it depends how we look at equality. â€Å"Justice is equality, but only for equals, ND Justice is inequality, but only for those who are unequal†28.This needs further exploration. It seems that practically, in some form of Utopia akin to â€Å"A Brave New World† or in a State of Nature, the two may both be possible. However, in feasible ideologies, these are unlikely. This is because how in a free society, issues. However, the arguments mainly take the form of an inductive argument as shown below. 1. This example (from Nonionic) shows that und er a certain societal ideology the two are incompatible, 2. This example (from Pickett) shows the same 3. Therefore, the two are incompatible This is akin to â€Å"Black Swan Theory', identified by Massif Tale.If one sees a series of the case. Critically, its implications are that no one argument, shows the two to be inversely proportional to each other – for example, as you have more freedom, you get less equality. Whilst the arguments themselves do not prove that as the two are incompatible, they very much support the arguments. Perhaps further discourse is needed to prove – through a deductive argument – that the two are incompatible. Although the simple fact that social mobility is falling, especially as countries become ore and more privatized, implies that the two cannot work together.However, there is a dim ray of hope, as many of the arguments offer suggestions to solutions to solve these problems. Pickett himself proposes a progressive income tax of up to 80% and a global wealth tax of 2%. Furthermore, a 100% inheritance tax is something that others have suggested. 29 On the other hand, these suggestions are highly controversial and are unlikely to be enforced. Whilst, the two are compatible theoretically, on the current trajectory of society, it seems hugely unlikely that liberty will occur in society in the future.

A Revelation to me Essay

When I was a kid, I got almost anything I wanted. I had travelled to China and seen the Great Wall. I travelled to Brisbane to see the Coral Reef and I even travelled to Italy and saw places like the Coliseum and the Sistine Chapel. However, to me, Singapore was the be all and end all of the world. I had lived there for 11 years and all my wants and needs were met on that small island. I could walk anywhere without worrying about getting kidnapped. I could take a taxi and not worry about the driver cheating you. I could even leave the house 10 minutes for a lesson and not worry about being late. I had a lovely school, a nice group of international friends and moreover a house in a pristine location. All was good. One day, my dad was at work and my brother was at a sleepover. My mother took me to my favorite restaurant at that time†¦McDonalds. I knew something was fishy, because I hadn’t done anything good, but I went along with it. Then she brought me a FULL Meal. Hmmmm†¦suspicious but I again parried it off. Then she upsized it. Ok! Something was wrong. So when I went to the table to eat my Upsized, full meal of McDonalds, I asked my mum â€Å"What’s going on? What’s the special occasion?’ And she replied, â€Å"Nothing Rushad. Can’t we just have a mother, son outing?† I looked at her in the eye and I could tell something was wrong. â€Å"Ok, fine.† She said. Paused. Took a bite from her burger. Swallowed. Then said â€Å"We are moving from Singapore.† â€Å"Don’t lie.† I laughed. â€Å"You can’t be serious! MUM!† But she just shook her head, like a bothered elephant and said â€Å"I’m sorry.† â€Å"But I don’t want to move.† And she told me the words I will never forget: â€Å"Life is like McDonalds. One day you get the Big Mac, whilst others you just get simple Chicken Nuggets. However, sometimes, you only get what’s available and have no say in the matter. Do you think a chicken wants to be killed to fill your stomach? Or a cow slaughtered to fill you up? No, sometimes, you have to accept defeat and walk along the path your life has chosen.† This was a turning point in my life. I realized that in life, you don’t always get what you wanted. Fortunately, some people learn this in simple ways such as not winning the game you wanted, or not getting that pretty girl to go out with you. Unfortunately for me, I learnt this the hard way. Leaving all that I knew behind, to start a fresh life in Jakarta. Sometimes you only want something, like staying in Singapore, because it’s the safe way out. However, moving to Jakarta was a risk and a scary adventure.

How to Say Goodbye in Chinese

How to Say Goodbye in Chinese Learn how to politely end a conversation in Chinese by knowing the different ways to say goodbye. The most common way to say bye is å† Ã¨ ¦â€¹, written in the traditional form, or å† Ã¨ § , written in simplified form. The pinyin pronunciation is zi jin.   Pronunciation In a previous  lesson,  we learned about  Mandarin Chinese tones.  Remember to always  learn new vocabulary  with its proper tones. Lets practice by saying goodbye in Mandarin Chinese. Audio links are marked with ââ€" º. Each of the two characters of å† Ã¨ ¦â€¹ / å† Ã¨ §  (zi jin) are pronounced in the fourth (falling) tone. Listen to the sound file and try to repeat the tones exactly as you hear them. ââ€" ºÃ‚   Character Explanation å† Ã¨ ¦â€¹ / å† Ã¨ §  (zi jin) is composed of two characters. It is possible to examine the meaning of each individual character, but it is important to remember that å† Ã¨ ¦â€¹ / å† Ã¨ §  (zi jin) is used together to form a complete phrase. Chinese characters have individual meanings, but the majority of Mandarin vocabulary is made of compounds of two or more characters. For interests sake, here are the translations of the two characters å†  and è ¦â€¹ / è § . å†  (zi):  again; once more; next in sequence; another è ¦â€¹ / è §  (jin): to see; to meet; to appear (to be something); to interview So a possible translation of å† Ã¨ ¦â€¹ / å† Ã¨ §  (zi jin) is again to meet. But, again, dont think of å† Ã¨ ¦â€¹ / å† Ã¨ §  (zi jin) as two words- it is one phrase that means goodbye. Other Ways To Say Goodbye Here are some other common ways to say goodbye. Listen to the sound files and try to reproduce the tones as closely as possible. ââ€" ºmà ­ng tiÄ n jin: 明å ¤ ©Ã¨ ¦â€¹ / 明å ¤ ©Ã¨ § : see you tomorrowââ€" ºyÄ « huÄ ­r jin: ä ¸â‚¬Ã¦Å"Æ'å…’è ¦â€¹ / ä ¸â‚¬Ã¤ ¼Å¡Ã¥â€ž ¿Ã¨ § : see you later (the same day)ââ€" ºhuà ­ tà ³u jin: 回é   ­Ã¨ ¦â€¹/回å ¤ ´Ã¨ § : see you later (the same day)

Hypothetically Proposing a Bill to Congress Essays

Hypothetically Proposing a Bill to Congress Essays Hypothetically Proposing a Bill to Congress Essay Hypothetically Proposing a Bill to Congress Essay A Bill To Mandate Manufactured Domestic Goods American Engineering Association Writer and Representative-of United States Federal Congress Table Of Contents corporations outsourcing almost 56% of their companies products since 1999, the War on Terror, and inflation are Just a few of the many problems facing the people of the United States. The Democrats and Republicans nearly shut down Washington D. C. because the parties could not agree upon a budget that could get the nation out of debt. Although there has been a slight turn around for the nations economy, it ould be short-term and will not create a permanent solution for the nations ever- growing debt crisis. By being 15 trillion dollars in debt and the number increasing by the second, for the first time in our nations history our childrens future will be worse off than our own. In our form of government there are elected people who vote on issues versus one person making all the decisions. Not only is there a multitude of people,however, there are two separate parties in our political system. Therefore, right from the beginning our government would naturally have a hard time agreeing nd then determining how it will be dispersed. Between cutting or raising taxes or cutting money from the budget;most officials believes more money should be budgeted for other things and some things should be cut more than others. The main issue is agreeing upon how the money should be spent in a budget where over half the budget is deficit spending and the long-term goal is trying to get the country out of debt at the same time. One of the main subjects that is considered mandatory spending is the interest on the debt that is accumulated every year. At this current oint in time, the United States is treading in a fifteen trillion dollar pool of mud and it seems like there is no way to get out. At the same time, the economy is in a recession and people are losing Jobs. It is no easy task to try and balance a budget in a slipping economy and at the same time pull the American people out of debt so that in the future this country is prosperous. Deciding how to get out of the current situation is a difficult process. The government has three ways of raising revenue raising taxes, cutting expenditures, or both. All three of these issues affects each citizen of the United States. However, there is a solution without doing any of these things. When people work they make money and spend it, which is a large factor that stimulates the economy. one of the current major issues is where companies are outsourcing Jobs and merchandise. The American people are losing Jobs to companies who outsource to other countries where they can pay less for the work versus paying more in their own country. This gives other countries an upper hand in the business and financial world. As well as having other countries advance, another issue is the message other countries are erceiving from the United States. Our market allows companies to outsource Jobs to the Philippines, El Salvador, Guatemala, and the list goes on where labor regulations are far less superior than our own. Practice what you preach, is an incredibly valid statement to live by. The United States is a super power that must set an example for other countries to follow by. For example, the clothing company Old Navvy which also owns other brands such as the Gap and Banana Republic where infamous in October of 2000 for outsourcing their clothing to Cambodia and only paying workers and child orkers twenty-one cents an hour. The net profit for the company that year was 877. 5 million dollars and annual sales was 13. 7 billion dollars. If this was happening in the United States, people would be punished by law and it would make headlines all over the world. Child workers have been reported as working as young as eight in the factories, where the actual legal age of employment is fifteen. Child labor and other countries becoming more advanced in the business and financial world are Just two of the many reasons why outsourcing is not a helping our morale or financial standpoint. The government could implement higher taxes on companies who outsource or who implement child labour, send representatives from organizations, for example, International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour and elected officials to countries where children labor laws are not strictly practiced to talk with leaders of the country about how big of an issue it really is, and having the people from the same organizations arrange mandatory meetings with top company CEOs who implement outsourcing their products to countries like Bangladesh and Guatemala, or another solution is to outlaw any company who outsources to a

Make The Enter Key Work Like Tab in Delphi Applications

Make The Enter Key Work Like Tab in Delphi Applications We know that, generally, pressing the Tab key moves the input focus to next control and Shift-Tab to previous in the tab order of the form. When working with Windows applications, some users intuitively expect the Enter key to behave like a Tab key. There is a lot of third-party code for implementing better data entry processing in Delphi. Here are a few of the best methods out there (with some modifications). Examples below are written with the assumption that there is no default button on the form. When your form contains a button whose Default property is set to True, pressing Enter at runtime executes any code contained in the buttons OnClick event handler. Enter as Tab The next code causes Enter to behave like Tab, and ShiftEnter like ShiftTab: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~procedure TForm1.Edit1KeyPress (Sender: TObject; var Key: Char) ;begin  Ã‚   If Key #13 Then Begin  Ã‚  Ã‚   If HiWord(GetKeyState(VK_SHIFT)) 0 then  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   SelectNext(Sender as TWinControl,False,True)  Ã‚  Ã‚   else  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   SelectNext(Sender as TWinControl,True,True) ;  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Key : #0  Ã‚   end;end;~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ in DBGrid If you want to have similar Enter (ShiftEnter) processing in DBGrid: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~procedure TForm1.DBGrid1KeyPress (Sender: TObject; var Key: Char) ;begin  Ã‚   If Key #13 Then Begin  Ã‚  Ã‚   If HiWord(GetKeyState(VK_SHIFT)) 0 then begin  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   with (Sender as TDBGrid) do  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   if selectedindex 0 then  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   selectedindex : selectedindex - 1  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   else begin  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   DataSource.DataSet.Prior;  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   selectedindex : fieldcount - 1;  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   end;  Ã‚  Ã‚   end else begin  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   with (Sender as TDBGrid) do  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   if selectedindex (fieldcount - 1) then  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   selectedindex : selectedindex 1  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   else begin  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   DataSource.DataSet.Next;  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   selectedindex : 0;  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   end;  Ã‚   end;  Ã‚   Key : #0  Ã‚   end;end;~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ More Info on Delphi Applications Keyboard Symphony  Get familiar with the OnKeyDown, OnKeyUp, and onKeyPress event procedures to respond to various key actions or handle and process ASCII characters along with other special purpose keys. What Does #13#10 Stand for, in Delphi Code?  If you are wondering what those characters stand for, heres the answer.

Turning Point of My Life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Turning Point of My Life - Essay Example Even though I didn't lose consciousness, I had still sustained a head injury that left me laid up, perplexed and disoriented for months of partial disability. At some point in the first few months of confinement, my senses were all skewed. I had a blurry vision and sensitivity to light that always keep the blinds drawn. Even music made me dizzy and my brain can't seem to process the sounds into meaningful patterns in a phone conversation. And the worse, I couldn't taste my food nor smell my two-year-old daughter's fragrant hair after being washed. Other senses that I had taken for granted in my entire life became strangers, and I missed them. Because of the accident, I had been denied the comfort of some keen companions - the written and spoken words, and my sense of belonging. I also lost my identity, having to spend days in bed unable to care for my daughter. In just one sudden moment, sense of place, sense of purpose, sense of safety, and sense of peace were all gone. The disconcerting side effects lasted for a few months and changed my life in ways I may perhaps hardly have imagined. Shame overcame me not being able to speak fluently and embarrassed of the condition that I can't go farther than my own backyard. During my senseless period, I had asked God why me, why this, why now I have truly come to believe tha

Advertisement analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Advertisement analysis - Essay Example SO they need better brain even as they grow older. The cover page of the Bulletins is divided into different parts. There are two plates both full of vegetable, and of different colour. The first plate has orange vegetables while the second one has green vegetable. The rest of the ad is painted in a bright yellow colour. The ad is planned for women. They are the one who prepares food in the family, and if they do not prepare they decide what diet is included in a meal. Women care for their husband and would want to see them getting stronger even as they get old. The picture is arranged in an appealing posture. It has large images of vegetables and fruits more than the writing space. This makes the picture appealing to women, and it purposely designed for them because they like beautiful things. The ad has writing on the bottom left and top right side of the Bulletins cover. The Bulletins cover has some writing written in bold and with larger letter than others. For example, ‘SMARTER BRAIN FOOD’ is written in bold signifying that the vegetable and fruits are meant to nourish the brains (Benoist). The rest of the text talks of the benefit of oranges and green vegetable to men at their late years. Moreover, the test explains the nutrients that are comprised in these foods. It helps catch the mind of a buyer by quickly getting the pertinent information on the front page of the Bulletins. The ad also emphasis on the fundamental of colour and he paint the cover with yellow, green and red which resemble majority of fruits and vegetable that are there in farms and in the market. On the top right corner, the ad has inscriptions ‘keep your brain young with orange and green fruits and vegetables’ (Benoist) The author knows the valuable of being young and thus wants to appeals the bulletin to all people that need to look younger than

Advertisement analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Advertisement analysis - Essay Example SO they need better brain even as they grow older. The cover page of the Bulletins is divided into different parts. There are two plates both full of vegetable, and of different colour. The first plate has orange vegetables while the second one has green vegetable. The rest of the ad is painted in a bright yellow colour. The ad is planned for women. They are the one who prepares food in the family, and if they do not prepare they decide what diet is included in a meal. Women care for their husband and would want to see them getting stronger even as they get old. The picture is arranged in an appealing posture. It has large images of vegetables and fruits more than the writing space. This makes the picture appealing to women, and it purposely designed for them because they like beautiful things. The ad has writing on the bottom left and top right side of the Bulletins cover. The Bulletins cover has some writing written in bold and with larger letter than others. For example, ‘SMARTER BRAIN FOOD’ is written in bold signifying that the vegetable and fruits are meant to nourish the brains (Benoist). The rest of the text talks of the benefit of oranges and green vegetable to men at their late years. Moreover, the test explains the nutrients that are comprised in these foods. It helps catch the mind of a buyer by quickly getting the pertinent information on the front page of the Bulletins. The ad also emphasis on the fundamental of colour and he paint the cover with yellow, green and red which resemble majority of fruits and vegetable that are there in farms and in the market. On the top right corner, the ad has inscriptions ‘keep your brain young with orange and green fruits and vegetables’ (Benoist) The author knows the valuable of being young and thus wants to appeals the bulletin to all people that need to look younger than

Death Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Death - Essay Example The argument of the first theory is based on the fact that chemical changes take place in the body thus causing slow malfunctioning of the body components and other organs. Another theory bases its argument on the effects of stress on the body. Yet another theory states that the accumulation of non-functional materials found in the body which caused the body to function incorrectly (Heery, 2009). Evolutionary theories that are concerned with aging and life expectancy try to explain the differences that occur in different species. Modern evolutionary theories were developed almost a century after the great scientist, Charles Darwin, postulated the Darwinian Theory that was mainly founded on the assumption of natural selection (Van Wyhe, 2008). Those who survive the natural selection process are said to be fit to live in their specific environment. Some quarters, however suggest that age is a prediction of aging and death. This idea is supported by the law of mortality which states that the rate of deaths rises gradually with age with age being a progressive loss of function that causes death. The aging process of an individual has never had a timing because some 70 year olds can be as fit as a 40 year olds and the vice versa. Dying has become an issue in respect of aging since time immemorial. This is because, although aging has been seen as degeneration and decay of sense, it has been seen as an opportunity to develop. Overall (2006) states that one should live a good life at old age and enjoy the fruits of what they toiled for all their lives. So many people spend their early years in searching of fortunes and therefore living longer as they age gives them an advantage in fulfilling their desires. The aging generations tend to have weak immune systems that are mainly attacked by different diseases. This aging process tends to make them so worried about aging. The trend of people having fewer children

Bill Clinton's Speech Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Bill Clinton's Speech - Essay Example Within hours of this confessional breakfast, the internet was a flurry of activity. The news of the speech, and the opinions of this president by millions around the world was spread, and the net seemed to close on William Jefferson Clinton. In a 445-page document, all posted on the internet, Kenneth Starr, the independent counsel, had found Bill Clinton liable to impeachment on eleven counts involving perjury, obstruction of justice, witness tampering, and abuse of authority. This indictment was supported by an agonizing and scandalous telling of details. In the Paula Jones case, Clinton had denied, under oath, ever having had sexual relations with "that woman, Miss Lewinsky". Therefore, Mr. Starr has provided a lurid and sometimes funny account of Bill Clinton's "sexual encounters" with Monica Lewinsky, a 21-year-old intern at the White House. This section of the report revealed Clinton "as a middle-aged urchin, dangerously vulnerable, lacking judgment, self-control and integrity. Public attention worldwide has naturally centered on this section of the Starr Report." (Ahmad) The response to the President's speech, varied among the many religious communities of the United States. Several who were present told reporters later that they had been deeply moved by the president's speech Dr. Joan Brown Campbell, general secretary of the US National Council of Churches, the largest ecumenical organization in the country, described the temper of the audience as "deeply spiritual". She believed Clinton to be penitent. She also told reporters that even so she wasn't sure if the United States was "prepared to be led by a repentant sinner." (Herlinger) A well-known African American clergyman, James Forbes, senior minister of New York City's Riverside Church, said in a television interview following the address that "it felt like a real holy moment. There was not a single false note. Here is a man who has been anointed by grace and awaits restoration," said Forbes. (Herlinger) Clinton emphatically denied doing anything wrong, following the accusations that surfaced in early 1998. He clearly stated he had no "sexual contact" with a young White House intern. These accusations were made in the course of a civil lawsuit against then President Clinton, in an alleged act of sexual harassment occurring while he was governor of Arkansas. Clinton was accused of lying to a grand jury about his sexual relations with Monica Lewinsky, the young intern. Having been caught in a series of lies about his personal affairs demanded a public response. That response took the shape of the "I have sinned" speech, delivered September 11, 1998, and one other delivered August 17, 1998. The September speech can be considered effective because it shifted the public focus in such a way that Clinton's character appealed to his audience. (Harris) Considering the two speeches to be Clinton's apologia to the American public several constants can be identified that contributed to the effectiveness, particularly the September speech. 1) Ethical appeals precede logical appeals; 2) Offensive remarks follow defensive remarks; 3) Most evidence appears in the middle third apologia; and 4) The argument resembles previously used arguments. A fifth constant more recently added to this list is an apologia ends with an appeal to

Personal statement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Personal statement - Essay Example I am keenly interested in business and am studying for my BSc. (Honors) degree in Accounting and Finance, considered to be the stepping stones to a career in business. The studies are challenging and I can literally feel my knowledge grow. I am happy that I am laying the foundation of my career. To add structure to a strong foundation, I am applying for a place at Hult International Business School to study towards a Masters degree in International Business. I am perfectly aware that business is conducted in different ways in different cultures. Dictated by regional nuances, business develops certain characteristics and practices unique to that region. Knowledge of these customs, practices and etiquette can prove invaluable to someone wishing to have a career in international business. Coming from a culture that is very different from this one, I can fully understand the importance of having the ability and the skill to interact with multiple cultures. After finishing with my degree, I intend to gain practical experience by working for a respected multinational company. Knowledge gained from books and through a study environment is perfect to begin with. However, it needs to be put to the test in the real world. This is how old and incorrect theories and practices are corrected and new theories emerge. I am already familiar with good business practices and am good at interacting with people, valuable skills for any aspiring businessman. I have held an internship spot at Ernst & Young in the summer of 2009. Working in a real business environment was challenging yet fun. I learned many aspects of real world business, such as the workings of the Omani Labor Law, survey preparation and performance management practices. I also learned how to present my research professionally by preparing and delivering presentations. These skills have greatly helped me in my studies and have given me an understanding of what effective business policies are. Putting into practice th e project management skills I picked up during my internship, I organized an open day event at my college. It was hard work, organizing and arranging and marketing and sending out invites. The open day was a huge success and a large number of companies participated. I received tremendous appreciation from my fellows and teachers and it was overall a very thrilling experience for me. The idea of hard work bearing fruit is highly stimulating and inspires me to learn more to subsequently put into practice. Working at a higher level in a similar organization, either in Oman or somewhere abroad, after acquiring a master’s degree, I believe I will have access to more knowledge and information as well as the position to put that knowledge and information into practice. If working abroad, I will be able to feel more at home with the different customs and ways of doing business, thanks to my university degree. My long term plan is to be CEO of a large, successful multinational firm. W ith the tools and skills gathered during the specified five years, I hopefully will be fully capable of landing and then shining in such a role. The CEO of a company that continues to flourish under him is one who not only understands how to conduct good business but also has good people-skills. With my interest in other cultures, my own

Burkes Key Ideas in Shelleys Work Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Burkes Key Ideas in Shelleys Work - Essay Example Similarly pleasure is something, which can be created from void, which can felt by its own origin or by the serenity of observing and sensing small and delicate joys. Pain can be visualized as it exists from 'nothing' but infinity. That infinity which resides deep inside human soul, and can only be felt by going through different channels of exploration, these channels actually reside within human existence and it is only possible to activate these channels, if one is aware how it feels to investigate things. How to feel fear, how to feel pain, and similarly how to overcome pain with pleasure. This obscurity can be identified in P.B. Shelley's work as it is the human mind, which creates obscurity, which creates and even beautifies its creation, sometimes in small and tiny things, those things that are often assumed as 'meaningless' to the world, might be of great importance to someone's imagination. It is actually what one perceives, how he perceives and in which way he perceives The refore, the vastness lies not in the nature, as a matter of fact the nature is still, possess some kind of serenity, but it lies within the limitations we set to our imagination. To some people nature has its own language, own way of conveying messages. Messages that can be understood not by everyone, but only those who know the way of feeling things, things that bring small joys, small delicacies with small breezes of tranquility. It is the silence of the nature, which can be felt, vastness lies within us, within our perception. Shelley has used the word 'dark' and 'glittering', so the abstract is our imagination, which leads to our approach in identification. It is the imaginative dilemma through which we can judge the degree of obscurity of our human nature. Our nature when compared to the 'landscape' reveals many hidden aspects to us. Like, the natural beauty or we can say the natural landscapes, is austere to human. It entirely depends upon us to how we take perception of it. E ither we feel it obscure, beautiful or we feel a painful experience. If we regard it as beautiful, to what extent we are skeptical about it, and how we are affected physically by the nature of its awesomeness. To Burke the concept of 'sublime' is the most powerful and effective degree of human experience, which can be felt by the natural factors of fear, pain and joy. A particular feeling of passion, which is caused by the sublime, leads human towards darkness or light. These conditions always exist in their true forms; they are pure without any obstacles of external environmental factors. Their purity can be assessed by the fact as to what extent they occupy the mind when they are present in any form. The same influence can be seen in Shelley's 'Mont Blanc' part 2 as 'My own, my human mind, which passively Now renders and receives fast influencings, Holding an unremitting interchange With the clear universe of things around;' -Percy Bysshe Shelley So, the influences when intercept themselves with clarity or obscurity, they have a strong influence on human mind or a strong hold on human mind. That influence can be seen in its highest form in the presence of pain or fear. Pain is more influential than

Personal statement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Personal statement - Essay Example I am keenly interested in business and am studying for my BSc. (Honors) degree in Accounting and Finance, considered to be the stepping stones to a career in business. The studies are challenging and I can literally feel my knowledge grow. I am happy that I am laying the foundation of my career. To add structure to a strong foundation, I am applying for a place at Hult International Business School to study towards a Masters degree in International Business. I am perfectly aware that business is conducted in different ways in different cultures. Dictated by regional nuances, business develops certain characteristics and practices unique to that region. Knowledge of these customs, practices and etiquette can prove invaluable to someone wishing to have a career in international business. Coming from a culture that is very different from this one, I can fully understand the importance of having the ability and the skill to interact with multiple cultures. After finishing with my degree, I intend to gain practical experience by working for a respected multinational company. Knowledge gained from books and through a study environment is perfect to begin with. However, it needs to be put to the test in the real world. This is how old and incorrect theories and practices are corrected and new theories emerge. I am already familiar with good business practices and am good at interacting with people, valuable skills for any aspiring businessman. I have held an internship spot at Ernst & Young in the summer of 2009. Working in a real business environment was challenging yet fun. I learned many aspects of real world business, such as the workings of the Omani Labor Law, survey preparation and performance management practices. I also learned how to present my research professionally by preparing and delivering presentations. These skills have greatly helped me in my studies and have given me an understanding of what effective business policies are. Putting into practice th e project management skills I picked up during my internship, I organized an open day event at my college. It was hard work, organizing and arranging and marketing and sending out invites. The open day was a huge success and a large number of companies participated. I received tremendous appreciation from my fellows and teachers and it was overall a very thrilling experience for me. The idea of hard work bearing fruit is highly stimulating and inspires me to learn more to subsequently put into practice. Working at a higher level in a similar organization, either in Oman or somewhere abroad, after acquiring a master’s degree, I believe I will have access to more knowledge and information as well as the position to put that knowledge and information into practice. If working abroad, I will be able to feel more at home with the different customs and ways of doing business, thanks to my university degree. My long term plan is to be CEO of a large, successful multinational firm. W ith the tools and skills gathered during the specified five years, I hopefully will be fully capable of landing and then shining in such a role. The CEO of a company that continues to flourish under him is one who not only understands how to conduct good business but also has good people-skills. With my interest in other cultures, my own

Biology Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Biology - Research Paper Example The stabilization of soil carbon results in enhanced soil properties like improved aeration, aggregation and water-holding capacity which leads to better crop production and soil conservation (Six, Frey and Thiet). Furthermore, fungal species are also able to extract important minerals and elements from rocks and other geologic matter in a process known as bioweathering (Gadd, Burford and Fomina). Fungi have properties that permit them to work under a wider range of pH conditions, resist the effects of toxic metals, UV radiation, and climatic extremes (reviewed in Gadd, Burford and Fomina). Fungi also have food uses, the most common is the use of yeast to ferment glucose and allow dough to rise and polymerize during bread-making. Other known food uses are production of cheeses and wines, as a substitute for protein foods, and as primary food products. Many are cultivated for food consumption like the common white button, Shiitake and Portobello mushrooms. These have been consumed and cultivated for hundreds of years: for example the consumption of Shiitake as food as been reported since 1313AD while the white button mushroom was first described in 1707 (Baar, Straatsma and Paradi). However, some expensive and rare edible fungi are not yet produced agronomically like truffles, matsutake, and chanterelles. Fungi colonize and penetrate food ingredients which result in the release of enzymes and metabolites that can result in food spoilage. However, the action of these filamentous colonizing fungi, also known as molds or moulds, could also result in fermentation and desira ble changes in foods. Foods like tempeh, tofu, soy sauce, Roquefort cheese, blue Stilton cheese, salami, brie, and rice wine have improved flavors and texture because of the action of different types of moulds (Nouts). A negative aspect of fungi is their ability to cause diseases known collectively as mycoses. According to the US National Center for Health Statistics,

The Thickness of Ice and Twice Shy Essay Example for Free

The Thickness of Ice and Twice Shy Essay The Thickness of Ice is poem about the different stages a couple go through in a relationship. The main themes in this poem are friendship and love and how these two can blend together. The title has been chosen by Loxley to show a positive side to relationships. The Thickness of Ice is positive as Thickness shows stability and safety. During this poem, Thickness is an oxymoron as well. The speaker in this poem is Loxley herself. I think this is true because the poem seems quite personal and sounds like it comes from a females perspective. It is also emotional and very meaningful. It seems that Loxley is trying to explain to us the different stages a relationship can go through if not taken seriously. In this poem she tells us one way that is the most often way in which a relationship goes in. This is what makes it so powerful and yet sounds so personal. I think she wrote the poem to show us how she felt after a bad experience in a relationship and could also be a warning to all of us about what might happen if people dont play fair in a relationship and end up hurting each other. I know this because the language used in the poem is so strong and powerful that we know that she is upset and hasnt got over something or someone. Throughout this poem we can see that she is planning what will happen. This poem is written in the future tense and makes us think that she can tell what is going to happen and why. She seems to think she can tell what is going to happen from a past experience. This past experience might not have worked out as we can tell from this poem. Also throughout this poem there is a sign of hope. Loxley chooses to use an interesting method of repetition throughout this poem to demonstrate her feelings about the situation she is in; though secretly Ill be hoping well become much more and hoping that that youre hoping that too. Loxley shows us how eager she is to get into a relationship with someone and how she isnt worried about anything and is completely besotted with this person. The poem has a well ordered structure. Connectives such as First Later Last of all give the poem a steady flow. The structure also relates to the theme of the poem that by using these connectives, it gives the poem the same continuous flow of that in a relationship. The relationship that Loxley has written about in this poem is about how two people would meet, fall in love, fall out and go their separate ways. People would naturally use the words first and last of all to describe different parts in a relationship. This shows the comparison between the structure of the poem and that of a relationship. I think Loxley chose to use this structure because it is usually used as a list or an order and the person who wrote this poem (whether it be Loxley or not) obviously thought the relationship was like a list of things that were going to happen. The person who is speaking out in this poem is sure of what is going to happen and there is predicting what she shall do and to me; this is a sign of a list which, in my opinion, is why Loxley chose to use this structure. The tone is this poem is mostly about love and lust. The one tone is most shown in this poem is love. It is what the whole poem is written about. All about falling in love or lust and being hurt in the outcome. This is a very opening poem as it gives the message not to rush into things so that you dont get hurt in the end. If it is Loxley writing the poem from a personal experience then it understandable that she doesnt have any strong feelings towards relationship and that she doesnt really like the way that they can break you. Sher writes about heartbreak and selfishness a lot in this poem and it is quite noticeable that she thinks that all relationships turn out the same as one that she may have experienced before. The tone at the end of the poem does change into a positive outcome when she uses the metaphor; Last of all well be like children, having learnt the thickness of ice this shows that they have learnt a lesson about what happened and that they might have future together but as friends and not in a relationship.

Theories of Visual and Auditory Attention Essay example -- Neurology

It is essential that humans focus on specific objects as they would not be able to perform one action at a time, and humans see their world in objects. Another purpose of attention is so that actions can be directed and controlled (Allport, 1987 cited in Naish 2010). It is important to research this in order to optimise health and safety and performance in occupational fields and make further discoveries in clinical neuropsychology. Some debates rage around how we attend to objects through our auditory and visual processes. Early selection theorists argue that all extraneous information is filtered out at an early stage and is ignored completely. The brain has limited capacity to deal with all the stimuli surrounding the object. From this Broadbent (1958 cited in Naish 2010) devised his influential Filter Theory, an early selection theory in auditory research. Treisman (1980 cited in Naish 2010) was an attenuation theorist and her Feature Integration Theory was also extremely i nfluential, arguing some extraneous material is attended to before filtering. This essay will explore both theories and their contribution to our understanding of perception. It will make comparisons between the theories and the two senses. It will conclude that the research has made major contributions, but none has provided sufficient evidence to fully address the issues. Whether superfluous information is attended to or not, might depend on volume. Whilst some auditory researchers were interested in the Cocktail Party effect (how we focus on one conversation over others at a noisy party), Broadbent’s main interest was research for the UK Military. A notable project for him was considering how fighter pilots could pick out relevant radio mess... ...tudies in neuroscience could make a contribution to the debate by revealing the serial and/or parallel processing of the brain in detecting brain pathways and oscillations (Schyns 2011). More natural studies could be considered using brain imaging during normal day to day lives to increase ecological validity, across modalities. Works Cited Driver, J. (2001) ‘A selective review of selective attention research from the past century’ British Journal of Psychology 92, pp53-78 Naish, P. (2010) ‘Attention’. In Kaye (Ed) Cognitive Psychology (2nd edition): The Open University: Padstow. Pp29-59 Schyns PG, Thut G, Gross J (2011) ‘Cracking the Code of Oscillatory Activity’. PLoS Biol 9(5): e1001064. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.1001064 Shinn-Cunningham, B. G. (2008) ‘Object-based auditory and visual attention, Trends in Cognitive Sciences, vol.12, no.5, pp.182–6.