Saudi Arabia presentation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Saudi Arabia presentation - Essay Example Social identity comes from family loyalty and submission to Islamic law, and Saudis tend to be fatalists, believing that Allah directs destiny. The importance of women in Saudi society is slowly changing as more women pursue professional careers. Women are still seen as â€Å"different† from men, and are kept strictly separate in social activities and left out of most decision-making. Some Saudi men will shake hands with Western women. Saudi women, if they happen to accompany a man, are generally not introduced and are otherwise ignored. Non-Saudi women are expected to dress modestly. Western women may be whipped by the Matawain, who are the â€Å"religious police.† However, they must not adopt the traditional dress of a veil and an abaya (full-length black robes). This is offensive. Saudis stand close to each other when talking, and touching is common during conversation. Men hold hands with men, and women with women, as a sign of friendship. A traditional Saudi greeting is a handshake and a kiss on both cheeks. Saudi culture has several important taboos about gestures. The left hand is considered unclean. Never point at a person. Always keep your feet flat on the ground, as it’s offensive to show the bottom of your foot. Also, the â€Å"thumbs-up† gesture is crude and offensive throughout the Arab world. Foreign travelers may not enter the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia without an invitation, nor may they leave without an exit permit. All visitors become subject to Saudi Islamic law, and those laws must be strictly followed. Many Western accepted business practices are frowned on or considered insulting in Saudi Arabia. For instance, most appointments are made loosely between accepted prayer times, and there are multiple holidays and religious observances that will change business negotiations. Alcohol, pornography, pork and narcotics are all illegal substances, and

The book A Christmas Carol Essay Example for Free

The book A Christmas Carol Essay The three ghosts add to the popularity of the novel. First of all they take Scrooge on a journey. This is popular because it gives a sense of adventure and adventure themes are very popular for example Charlotte Bronti s Jane Eyre and Emily Bronti s Wuthering heights. The reason these adventures were so popular is because it is a journey through time. This is a new thing for the Victorians which creates shock nowadays. We relate to this through television like doctor who. Also this makes scrooge change; this makes it popular as its not all about visiting place, its about he reacts and changes. At the end of the novel scrooge has completely changed. He has changed from being old, miserable and mean; to being kind and exhilarated (quote). In the first paragraph Dickens cleverly used scrooges voice to describe the room (quote). This makes us empathise with him and feel his excitement. Dickens also uses repetition to emphasise scrooges laugh (quote). He does this to make sure that the audience has noticed that he is laughing. Scrooge also sends for a giant turkey for Bob cratchitt and gives the boy money for getting it. He also pays for a cab so the delivery person doesnt have to carry it. This part of the novel shows how much scrooge has changed. He has become generous, kind and considerate. Next scrooge walks around the street greeting people. He also bumps into the charity collectors who he gave a huge contribution too. You begin to see that Dickens has cleverly repeated the events from stave 1, but made them chances for scrooge to be generous, for example the boy, the charity men, his nephew This has a huge effect on people and most of them are surprised and happy for example the charity men. Cried the old gentleman. This is repeated to show his pleasure. Again this emphasises the point and makes us relate and feel the enthusiasm and joy.

Jane Addams Essay -- essays research papers

Social studies is defined by the Board of Director of the National Council for the social studies as, the integrated study of the social sciences and humanities to promote civic competence. Within the school program, social studies provides coordinated, systematic study drawing upon such disciplines as anthropology, archeology, economics, geography, history, law, philosophy, political science, psychology, religion, and sociology, as well as appropriate content from the humanities, mathematics, and neutral sciences. The primary purpose of social studies is to help young people develop the ability to make informed and reasoned decisions for the public good as citizens of a culturally diverse, democratic society in an interdependent world. There are two main characteristics of social studies as a field of study. First is social studies promoting civic competence, the knowledge, skill, and attitudes of a student needed to assume "the office of citizen" in our democratic republic. The National Council for the Social Studies considers civic competence as a main goal for social studies. The NCSS says, students who learn these skills in social studies will help shape the future of a democratic society. The second characteristic of social studies is the social studies program, K-12, integrates knowledge, skills, and attitudes within and across disciplines. A third characteristic is one in which social studies programs help students construct a knowledge base and attitudes drawn from academic disciplines as specialized ways of viewing reality. This can be achieved with courses such as, history, geography, political science, sociology, and language arts, English and fine arts. Examples from each help students experie nce concepts reflectively and actively, through reading, thinking, discussing and writing. The fourth characteristic of the social studies program is the demonstration of the changing nature of knowledge, fostering entirely new and highly integrated approaches to resolving issues of significance to humanity. The social studies program should help students gain knowledge of how to know, how to apply what they know, and how to participate in building a future. A well designed social studies curriculum will help each student achieve a blend of personal academic, pluralist, and global views of the human condition with a personal perspective, acad... ...rograms prepare young people to identify, understand, and work to solve problems. Assumptions about social studies as a school subject include social studies as diverse, all students should have access to the full richness of the social studies curriculum, teachers need adequate time and resources to teach social studies well at every grade level, and social studies teachers need to treat the social world realistically and address its controversial aspects. The vision of powerful social studies teaching and learning comes from the goals and purposes of social studies, the assumptions, and the available research and scholarships. Social studies teaching and learning is powerful when they are meaningful, integrative, value based, challenging and active, all of which are equally important. Powerful social studies teaching and learning is likely to become more common when assessment approaches at all levels focus on measuring progress toward social understanding and efficacy goals; t eachers benefit and education receives support from administrators, parents, the local community, and government agencies; and the nation successfully meets ceratin currently recognizable challenges.

Employer-Employee Relations Quiz

Employer-Employee Relations Quiz Name MGT 434/ Employment Law Date Instructor Employer-Employee Relations Quiz The Company of Little Lamb hired Mary as a programmer for a special project. There was a contract for that specific project, and near completion. However, the company was still in need of her services. So, they asked Mary to continue working with the company until the project was finished. There was no mention of any contract made; however, the supervisor of the company began to work directly with Mary.They wanted her to use company materials, equipment and at the same time remain on company work schedules. The company after two years went through financial difficulties and they asked Mary to leave. But a mere thirty days later the Little Lamb Company acquired a major contract. They hired Mary’s relative and never offer her the opportunity to return. Investigation: Is Mary an independent contractor or an employee? Describe the factors that led to her determination. Th ere is a need to know the release of Mary from her employment.The employment-at-will was under action for legal set of guidelines. There are two related questions that needed to be answered first and these are: 1) her status while working at the Company, if she was an independent contractor or an employee; and 2) the nature of the employer-employee relationship, if it underwent change over the course of time. Based on the information given, May was a skilled programmer who worked outside the context of regular office hours and direct supervision from the company manger or supervisor.There was a contract that was made for a specific project. It was pointed out that the project was near completion and therefore there was a time element to the work that it was not expected to go on and on forever. This means that Mary knew that after the project was completed, her services was no longer needed and the company had no obligation to retain her services or to make her an employee of Little Lamb Company. Has the employer-employee relationship changed over the course of time? Is so, how?Even so, when the project was completed for Little Lamb Company, Mary was still asked to continue working as a programmer and her services. There were changes in the employer-employee relationship. Her supervisor began to work closely with her in the new project. Mary was asked to continue using materials, equipment, and to follow the work schedules provided from the company. This simply means that Mary was considered as a valuable asset to the company and she was not working outside the company but within the company’s location.This made the job more gratifying along with having sources at her finger tips. Mary worked there for an additional two years. This suggests that she was working there even after she completed the second project. She is considered as an employee of the company. This brings the discussion to the last question: was Is Mary’s release legal under the d octrine of employment-at-will? Explain why or why not? If not, which of the following exceptions to employment-at-will have been violated? Explain why.Based on the doctrine of at-will-employment Mary’s release from employment was legal. According to experts; â€Å"An at-will-employment arrangement is an arrangement in which the employee serves at the unilateral pleasure of the employer† (Reda, Reifler, & Thatcher, 2008). This simply means that the employer can terminate the services of Mary without giving any explanation and there is no legal problem for doing so. This is because there were no written employment agreements, plans, letters, or similar writing that Mary could have used to show that there was a breach of agreement.There was a contract made but it can only be understood as contracts that were made for the first and second project. Following the completion of these two projects Mary was given another work load but there was no contract concerning her salary and other benefits that she could expect from the company. In this case the employment can only be understood as at-will-employment and the employer has the right to terminate her services without just cause.In many cases the need to reorganize and to reduce the number of employees are valid reasons for the company to release somebody from employment and the courts will judge in their favor. Exceptions to At-Will Employment The doctrine of at-will-employment clearly favors the employer. The employer need not prove just cause before terminating the services of Mary. There are instances where the Company Little Lamb may be found to be in breach of the following: 1) breach of public policy; 2) breach of implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing; and 3) breach of implied contract University of Phoenix Syllabus (2011).Even though at-will-employment gives the employer the ability to terminate employment at will, Mary can complain against unlawful termination if Mary was dismissed b ecause she was asked to commit a crime, released from employment because she was a whistleblower against the illegal activities of the employer, dismissed because she served on a jury against the employer’s wishes or dismissed because she exercised her legal right – this is considered a breach in public policy.Based on the information given Mary was not released because she was a whistleblower or testified against the company. Her employment was terminated because the company went through a financial difficulty. There could be an implied breach of contract with good faith along with fair dealing taking into consideration because Mary worked so hard for the company. This was evidenced by the fact that she was asked to do another special project when the first one was near completion.This is also made clear when Mary was asked to continue working for Little Lamb Company for two more years. This principle is based on the idea that there exists a special relationship of tr ust and reliance between the employer and employee and this can be measured by length of service (Vettori, 2007). In the case of Mary two years of work under at-will-employment is not enough to show that there was a special relationship of trust and reliance.At first glance it may seem that the Little Lamb Company is in breach of implied contract because of the way it treated Mary, starting from changing her status from a contract to an at-will employee with letting her stay and work for two more years can be interpreted as the company being satisfied by the way she perform as a programmer. This does not immediately mean that there was a contract implied or otherwise. In Guz v. Bechtel National, Inc. he California Supreme Court decided that: â€Å"even if the employee has worked for a company for a long time, and during that tenure received pay raises, commendations, promotions, and other recognitions of continuing good performance† this does not by itself create an implied c ontract protecting the employee from being released without just cause (Orrick, 2010). In Conclusion, Mary worked at Little Lamb Company for more than two years, first as an independent contractor and then as an employee.It was clear that there was a change in the employer-employee relationship because she was asked to do things that only apply to employees. As a result, when she was released from employment there could be grounds to contest the dismissal based on the breach of implied contract, breach of public policy with covenant of good faith and fair dealing consideration which brought attention in any deciding factors. However, there was no contract or any form of written agreement stating that Mary can only be terminated by first establishing just cause.This is because she is under at-will-employment and in this scenario the employer can terminate her services without just cause. It is very clear that the doctrine of at-will-employment protects the interest of the employer an d if Mary wanted to have job security the only way to do so would be to secure an agreement or a contract from Little Lamb Company that she can only be terminated with just cause. References Law Library-American Law and Legal Information. (2010).Employment at Will-Breach of an Implied Covenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealing. Accessed 01 August 2010 from http://law. jrank. org/pages/6433/Employment-at-Will-Breach-an-Implied-Covenant-Good-Faith-Fair-Dealing. html Reda, J. , S. Reifler, & L. Thatcher. (2008). New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Vettori, S. (2007). The Employment Contract and the Changed World of Work. VT: Ashgate Publishing. University of Phoenix syllabus, (2011) MGT 434 Employment Law, Little Lamb Scenario

Higher Education and the American Dream: Success and Its Discontents Essay

Is   College necessary? Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is true that a college may favor or not favor some victims. This means that it is not an assurance if you complete your college level you get a white collar job. This is not the case. However, it will depend on how one takes his/her time to associate with working class person and also to give voluntary service to the companies and government corporation. According to Baker it is very important for the child to attend basic education in the age of six years, he says that the child during this age is being prepared psychologically on how to move on to the next academic level. Additionally, Baker brings out another crucial sense why it is important to go to the college after graduating the high school. Baker says that colleges are preparing a student not only to get well-paying job but also, on how as a student one can business oriented person. Very important issue here is that a college graduate student can be compared with primary or hig h school student in terms of thinking capacity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   College is not worth some time for some people. Meaning that in a society some people tend to have very little education but, their way of living is luxurious. However, this will depend on one’s fortune. Another factor that might make people look down to the college is family background(Charles chpt8). Some families are very rich such that they do not push their kids to go for further studies but, rather after completing their high school education they are given capital to start their own business or even they inherit some of their family business. So, college may not be very important to such people because the aim of going for higher education is only to have good living standards. Therefore, if one gets a good amount of dollars that can sustain him/her then there is no need to go to college.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the past century, education was not highly valued in many countries. This was because many people had inherited big wealth from their forefathers. Therefore, they tend to depend on those properties for their upkeep, unlike this 21st century where is only depends on how one struggles to be able to sustain himself. In the past century, technology had not improved like the this century thus people had limited resource in education, for instance, less developed countries(Lazerson chpt12). Hence, the aim of going to colleges was not there. However, going to college to further studies is a great idea in order to increase knowledge and be conversant with the current trend on technology that is not taught in primary and high school level. In conclusion, college education is very important to the graduates. It is observed that graduates are not enrolled to colleges in order to secure themselves or to go for well-paying job, but they do so in order to be civilized. They are also equipped with knowledge that helps them to run their own business. In fact, college education has a lot of benefits. Finally, it is wise to be a college graduate rather than having basic education (primary and high school). References Lazerson, Marvin. Higher Education and the American Dream: Success and Its Discontents. Budapest: Central European University Press, edited 2014.print. McGuire, Charles, Diana Abitz, and Patrick Dobson. The Best Advice Ever for Teachers. Kansas City: Andrews McMeel Pub, edited 2014. Internet resource. Source document

Identity in Huckleberry Finn Essay Example

Identity in Huckleberry Finn Essay Example Identity in Huckleberry Finn Paper Identity in Huckleberry Finn Paper Essay Topic: The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn The adventures Of Tom Sawyer Who is Huckleberry Finn Husks creation of aliases and lies about his personality, his failure to establish a life in one place, and constant internal debate are hindrances in his ability to form his self image. These rejections of society overshadow Husks progress towards developing his own sense of self, as by the end of the novel he fails to fully establish his own individuality. Huckleberry Finn struggles to find his identity because he spends much of his time assuming Identities of others and does not allow for time to develop himself. He Is Huckleberry Finn, dead, alive, Sarah Williams, George Peters, George Saxon, from England, not from England, and Tom Sawyer; he becomes a boy of multiple personalities and spends the majority of the novel assuming one of these Identities. While some of these foils are necessary in situations where it is imperative for Houck to conceal his identity, Houck also lies unnecessarily and it is this pointless lying that shows his discomfort with who his true identity. While on his adventures with the king and the duke, Houck is in territory where it is not necessary to conceal his identity s Huckleberry Finn, but instead he chooses to create an alias. He assumes the roles of people who he is not because he does not know who he is or who he wants to be. Husks failure to tell the truth, also seen as compulsive lying, is a clear indicator that he struggles to understand who he is as a person. The complexity of the layers of his lies Is evident when Mrs.. Judith Lofts says goodbye to Houck: Now trot along to your uncle, Sarah Mary Williams George Alexander Peters (Twain 96). Houck Is more comfortable and confident assuming other persons than when he Is himself; when feet alone to be Houck, he is consumed with contradictions and confusion. Husks unstable home and failure to establish his life in one place adds to the difficulty of finding an identity. Husks life is characterized by life on the move; right from the start of the novel, he does not seem comfortable with settling in a permanent residence. His initial move from the widow Douglas and Miss Watson is to escape the civilized societal identity that the women are trying to force onto him; Houck avoids even this sense of identity that he does not have to create on his own, UT that is given to him by society. Houck moves from living with the widow and Miss Watson, to his father, the Island with Jim, the raft, the Aggressors, traveling with the king and duke, living with the Wills family, and finally the Phelps farm. This poor lost lamb mentality acknowledged by Widow Douglas correctly encompasses the frame of mind with which Houck constantly changes location (Twain 2). When Houck reaches a place where he can settle down, he chooses to keep moving and does not know want to ah Walt n enamels as nee says, All I wanted was to go somewhere; all I wanted as a change (Twain 3). Husks struggle to establish an identity is also evident in his constant debate within his conscience about what is right and wrong. The primary element prohibiting Houck from finding his own identity is his guilt and development of a conscience. Houck initially does not have his own conscience, but depends on the opinion of others to decipher what is right and wrong. He relies on what the widow, Pap, or Tom Sawyer would do. Following the shipwreck scene, Houck tells Jim about the excitement that happened while he was on the wreck stating, these kinds of things as adventures as Tom would have thought, but in reality what he did was dangerous, and he risked both his life and Jims life (Twain 119). The presence of different opinions in his head causes Houck to be confused and to form corrupt opinions that become molded into his identity. The center of conflict for Houck is dealing with societys ideas about racism and having to simultaneously combat them with ideas of his own. Houck struggles to decide whether he will continue to allow others to dictate his life or establish his own individuality and decide that slavery is Ron. It is this internal debate that follows Houck throughout the entirety of the novel and leads him to develop a moral code of his own. Houck overcomes his lying, refusal to settle down, and inability to make definite decisions by becoming clearer in his own opinions. Although he does not fully develop his own identity by the end of the novel, Houck does become more definite and less conflicted. He begins to develop his own definition of the civilized life that he wants to lead which is different from the morally wrong society in which he was raised. His development of faith, his friendship with Jim, and his own decision to reject slavery help to shape this new decisiveness. His conscience, Houck decides, is more of a presence of society, and he rejects this conscience deciding it anti no good, now (Twain 357). Houck has established what he does not want to be a part of his identity, but he still lacks the ability to decide what he does want to be a part of his identity. Although he has made progress, the lack of resolve in his life demonstrates the significant impact of these hindrances on Husks development as an individual.

How to Manage and ID Japanese Maple

How to Manage and ID Japanese Maple Japanese maple is one of the most versatile trees for any yard, patio, or garden. Often grown for its unique 7-palmed green or red colored leaf, the maple also has an interesting growth habit, with a fine leaf texture and muscular-looking multiple trunks. Japanese maples have extraordinary fall colors that range from bright yellow through orange and red, and is often striking, even on trees grown in total shade. Specifics Scientific name: Acer palmatum Pronunciation: AY-ser pal-MAY-tum Family: Aceraceae USDA hardiness zones: USDA hardiness zones: 5B through 8 Origin: not native to North America Uses: Bonsai; container or above-ground planter; near a deck or patio; trainable as a standard; specimen Availability: generally available in many areas within its hardiness range Physical Description Height: 15 to 25 feet Spread: 15 to 25 feet Crown uniformity: symmetrical  canopy  with a regular (or smooth)  outline  and individuals have more or less identical crown forms Crown shape: round; vase shape Crown density: moderate Growth rate: slow Texture: medium Foliage Descriptions Leaf arrangement: opposite/subopposite Leaf type: simple Leaf margin: lobed; serrate Leaf shape: star-shaped Leaf venation: palmate Leaf type and persistence: deciduous Leaf blade length: 2 to 4 inches Leaf color: green Fall color: copper; orange; red; yellow Fall characteristic: showy Popular Maple Cultivars There are many cultivars of Japanese maple with a wide variety of leaf shapes and color, growth habits, and sizes. Here are some of the most popular: Atropurpureum - has reddish leaves with only five lobes  Bloodgood - new foliage is bright red, some leaves darkening to a dim green  Burgundy Lace - reddish foliage with cut leaf (sinus nearly down to the petiole)Dissectum - finely dissected leaves in green or red, growing 10 to 12 feet tall  Elegans - leaves with rose-colored margins when they first unfold  Ornatum - leaf is beautifully cut and reddish Trunk and Branch Descriptions Trunk/bark/branches: bark is thin and easily damaged from mechanical impact; droop as the tree grows, and will require pruning for vehicular or pedestrian clearance beneath the canopy; routinely grown with, or trainable to be grown with, multiple trunks; showy trunk; no thorns Pruning requirement: requires pruning to develop a strong structure Breakage: resistant Current year twig color: green; reddish Current year twig thickness: thin Pruning a Maple Most maples, if in good health and free to grow, need very little pruning. Only train for developing a leading (or multiple) shoot(s) which will eventually establish the trees framework. Maples should not be pruned in spring and could bleed profusely. Wait to prune until late summer to early autumn and only on a young tree. A habit should be encouraged in which the branches develop low and grow up at sharp angles. If suckering of green-leaved root stock occurs below the graft line on your red-leafed grafted variety, remove the green sprout immediately. Japanese Maple Culture Light requirements: tree grows best in part shade/part sun but can also handle the shade. Soil tolerances: clay; loam; sand; slightly alkaline; acidic; well-drained Drought tolerance: moderate Aerosol salt tolerance: none Soil salt tolerance: moderate Common Pests Aphids can infest Japanese maples and heavy populations can cause leaf drop or a dripping of honeydew. Scales can be a problem. Neither insect will cause the tree to die. If borers become active, it probably means you have an already sick tree. Keep the tree healthy. Leaf scorch  may become a problem during periods of high temperatures accompanied by wind. Planting Japanese maple in a bit of shade will help. Keep trees well-watered during dry periods. Symptoms of scorch and drought are tan dead areas on foliage. Bottom Line The growing habit of a Japanese maple varies widely depending on cultivar. From globose (round or spherical form) branching to the ground, to upright to vase-shaped, the maple is always a delight to look at. The globose selections look best when they are allowed to branch to the ground. Be sure to clear all turf away from beneath the branches of these low growing types so the lawn mower will not damage the tree. The more upright selections make a nice patio or small shade trees for residential lots. A large selection or compact cultivars make wonderful accents for any landscape. Japanese maple tends to leaf out early, so it may be injured by spring frosts. Protect them from drying winds and direct sun by providing exposure to partial or filtered shade and well-drained, acid soil with plenty of organic matter, particularly in the southern part of its range. Leaves often scorch in hot summer weather in USDA hardiness zones 7b and 8, unless they are in some shade or irrigated during dry weather. More direct sun can be tolerated in the northern part of the range. Be sure drainage is maintained and never allow water to stand around the roots. The tree grows fine on clay soils as long as the ground is sloped so water does not accumulate in the soil. It responds well to several inches of mulch placed beneath the canopy.

The Road to the American Revolution

The Road to the American Revolution In 1818, Founding Father John Adams famously recalled the American Revolution as having started as a belief â€Å"in the hearts and minds of the people† that eventually â€Å"burst out in open violence, hostility, and fury.† Since the reign of Queen Elizabeth I in the l6th century, England had been trying to establish a colony in the â€Å"New World† of North America. In 1607, the Virginia Company of London succeeded with the settling of Jamestown, Virginia. England’s King James I had decreed at the time that the Jamestown colonists would forever enjoy the same rights and freedoms as if they had been â€Å"abiding and born within England.† Future kings, however, would not be so accommodating. During the late 1760s, the once-strong bonds between the American colonies and Britain began to loosen. By 1775, ever-growing abuses of power exerted by British King George III would drive the American colonists to armed revolt against their native country. Indeed, the long road of America from its first exploration and settlement to organized revolt seeking independence from England was blocked by seemingly insurmountable obstacles and stained with the blood of citizen-patriots. This feature series, â€Å"The Road to the American Revolution,† traces the events, causes, and people of that unprecedented journey. A ‘New World’ Discovered America’s long, bumpy road to independence starts in August of 1492 when Queen Isabella I of Spain funded the first New World voyage of Christopher Columbus to discover a westward trading passage to the Indies. On October 12, 1492, Columbus stepped off the deck of his ship, the Pinta, onto the shores of the present-day Bahamas. On his second voyage in 1493, Columbus established the Spanish colony of La Navidad as the first European settlement in the Americas. While La Navidad was located on the Island of Hispaniola, and Columbus never actually explored North America, the period of exploration after Columbus would lead to the start of the second leg of America’s journey to independence. The Early Settlement of America To the mighty kingdoms of Europe, establishing colonies in the newly-discovered Americas seemed a natural way to grow their wealth and influence. With Spain having done so at La Navidad, its arch-rival England quickly followed suit. By 1650, England had established a growing presence along what would become the American Atlantic coast. The first English colony was founded in Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607. Hoping to escape religious persecution, the Pilgrims signed their Mayflower Compact in 1620 and proceeded to establish the Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts.   The Original 13 British Colonies With the invaluable assistance of local Native Americans, English colonists not only survived but thrived in both Massachusetts and Virginia. Having been taught to grow them by the Indians, uniquely New World grains like corn fed the colonists, while tobacco provided the Virginias with a valuable cash crop.   By 1770, more than 2 million people, including a growing number of enslaved Africans, lived and worked in the three early American British colonial regions. While each of the 13 colonies that were to become the original 13 U.S. States had individual governments, it was the New England colonies that would become the breeding ground for a growing dissatisfaction with the British government that would ultimately lead to revolution. Dissent Turns to Revolution While each of the 13 now thriving American colonies was allowed a limited degree of self-government, the individual colonists’ ties to Great Britain remained strong. Colonial businesses depended on British trading companies. Prominent young colonists attended British colleges and some future signers of the American Declaration of Independence served the British government as appointed colonial officials. However, by the middle 1700s, those ties to the Crown would be strained by tensions between the British government and its American colonists that would turn into the root causes of the American Revolution. In 1754, with the French and Indian War looming, Britain ordered its 13 American colonies to organize under a single, centralized government. While the resulting Albany Plan of Union was never implemented, it planted the first seeds of independence in the minds of Americans.   Seeking to pay for the costs of the French and Indian War, the British government began imposing several taxes, like the Currency Act of 1764 and the Stamp Act of 1765 on the American colonists. Having never been allowed to elect their own representatives to the British Parliament, many colonists raised the call, â€Å"No taxation without representation.† Many colonists refused to buy the heavily-taxed British goods, like tea. On  December 16, 1773, a band of colonists dressed like Native Americans dumped several crates of tea from a British ship docked in Boston Harbor into the sea as a symbol of their unhappiness with the taxes. Pulled off by members of the secretive Sons of Liberty, the Boston Tea Party stirred the anger of the colonists with British rule. Hoping to teach the colonists a lesson, Britain enacted the Intolerable Acts of 1774 to punish the colonists for the Boston Tea Party. The laws closed Boston Harbor, allowed British soldiers to be more physically â€Å"forceful† when dealing with dissenting colonists and outlawed town meetings in Massachusetts. For many colonists, it was the last straw. The American Revolution Begins In February 1775, Abigail Adams, wife of John Adams wrote to a friend: â€Å"The die is cast †¦ it seems to me the Sword is now our only, yet dreadful, alternative.† Abigail’s lament proved to be prophetic. In 1774, a number of colonies, operating under provisional governments, formed armed militias made up of â€Å"minutemen.† As British troops under General Thomas Gage seized the militia’s stores of munitions and gunpowder, Patriot spies, like Paul Revere, reported on British troop positions and movements. In December 1774, patriots seized British gunpowder and arms stored at Fort William and Mary at New Castle, New Hampshire. In February 1775, the British Parliament declared the Massachusetts colony to be in a state of rebellion and authorized General Gage to use force to restore order. On April 14, 1775, General Gage was ordered to disarm and arrest colonial rebel leaders. As British troops marched from Boston toward Concord on the night of April 18, 1775, a group of patriot spies including Paul Revere and William Dawes rode from Boston to Lexington alarming the Minutemen to assemble. The next day, the Battles of Lexington and Concord between British regulars and the New England minutemen in Lexington sparked the Revolutionary War. On April 19, 1775, thousands of American Minutemen continued to attack British troops who had retreated to Boston. Learning of this Siege of Boston, the second Continental Congress authorized the creation of the Continental Army, appointing General George Washington as its first commander. With the long-feared revolution a reality, America’s founding fathers, assembled at the American Continental Congress, drafted a formal statement of the colonists’ expectation and demands to be sent to King George III. On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress adopted those now-cherished demands as the Declaration of Independence. â€Å"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.†

Globalization and Boundless Market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Globalization and Boundless Market - Essay Example It is the productivity of every nations combined. Information on world's outputs is based on economic data obtained from different countries through international regulatory institutions like the International Monetary Fund, who is involved in the monitoring of economic and financial developments (IMF, 2008) and the World Trade Organization, who oversees nearly 150 countries and 97% of world trade (WTO, n.d.). The indices can be represented by the regular economic parameters such as Gross Domestic Product or Gross World Product (GWP), per capita production, employment rate, and others. World production is greatly affected by trading. Without trading a nation would not strive to produce more of its products where it has comparative advantage. Without the demand from other countries, every nation only produces goods enough for the domestic need. Oil producing countries, for instance, strive to generate greater productivity because of world demands for oil. Food and other agricultural supplies are needed by countries who cannot produce them due to climatic conditions. Other countries provide surplus of labor and expertise. Because of this, world trade is an essential component for increase in world's production. In fact volumes of world trading is a good indicator of the soundness of the world's economy. When world trading is low the world economy is generally down. General pattern of international trade International trade, which forms the bloodstream of the world economy, represents the flow of goods and services from one nation to the other. There are several patterns suggested in terms of trading or import-export arrangements. One of the patterns is that, the nation who lacks the capability to produce a good needed by its constituents buy it from another nation who produce or specialize its production due to comparative advantage such as lower production cost or availability of raw materials. Likewise, the nation that has surplus of a particular product can supply it to others in need. Dean (2004, 312) referred this arrangement as inter-industry specialization. Another pattern referred by the same author describes the intra-industry specialization (313). Two nations who specialize the same industry trade their products. As an example, the US and Japan both manufacture cars but they both trade their respective cars models. Import and exports, however, have their controls and limitations based on regulations and standards. Different countries have their own product quality indices, trade taxes, and other barriers. Attempts however were made to unify regulations and eliminate barriers to world trade. These resulted to the forming of the World Trade Organization. With the molding of the WTO the world embark in a global exchange of goods and services from agricultural to high-end industrial outputs with limited restrictions. As part of its advocacy the World Trade Organization claimed, "It is the only international organization dealing with the global rules of trade between nations. Its main function is to ensure that trade flows as smoothly, predictably and freely as possible." The Consequence of no-trading Trade sanctions sometimes happen in the world scenario. It occurred many times in the history as a consequence of disciplinary actions against a hostile

Plato and a More Definitive Understanding of Art and Philosophy Essay

Plato and a More Definitive Understanding of Art and Philosophy - Essay Example Plato bases his argument upon several highly subjective and controversial premises: a) art in the Republic should first be didactic with the purpose of inculcating the virtues of being a good person, b) Those who merely seek the reflections of the forms and not the forms themselves are not artists and c) Most people view illusions as reality; only the artists/philosophers see the light. Naturally, theses statements not only represent a great range of issues, they encourage detractors to focus upon the inherent flaws and weaknesses that are therein represented. In this way, the following essay will seek to provide the reade with an informed understanding of the inherent weakness of Plato’s approach to the issue of art/philosophy. Naturally, the first level of argument which can be discussed is with regards to how Plato defines virtue. As one might expect, many pages and indeed entire passages of Plato’s work have been concentric on defining virtue in the means through wh ich it can be maximized within our world. However, with that being said, it must be understood that virtue within the specific delineation of what defines arts and how it should be represented to the populace is ultimately a subjective understanding. In such a way, by promoting the belief that art should only be exhibited if it entails the possibility of fostering virtue and promoting the â€Å"goodness† of the person is something that cannot be defined by a single understanding and should not be presented as the benchmark by which art should be manifested. By providing something of a tangential analysis, the author can point to the fact that Nazi Germany fostered what they understood to be a â€Å"virtuous† society that fostered the goodness of the stakeholders that they deemed fit to be included within such a definition. Moreover, the totalitarianism of the Third Reich was not only visited upon the way in which ethnic minorities were treated, it also was expanded to the way in which political ideology, philosophy, and indeed art itself was presented. It does not take a great deal of historical analysis to point to the fact that the third right was heavily involved in promoting its own version of what art and artistry should entail. So much was the Third Reich interested in this specific understanding of redefining art that they even presented their own populace a traveling art exhibit which was dubbed as â€Å"degenerate art†. The ultimate purpose for referencing the third right within this understanding of Plato’s virtuous end good definition of art is with respect to the fact appointed to the ultimate subjectivity that a society and/or an individual may ascribe with regards to the way that art can and should look. Such inherent weakness points to the fact that an all-inclusive and simplistic definition of how art should be manifested should be shined and the individual should seek a more realistic delineation of the way in which art is defined and represented within a particular society/group. Another noted shortcoming with regards to Plato’s definition of art/philosophy and the means by which it should be integrated with the populace is with respect to the fact that he denotes that those who merely seek the reflections of the forms and not for themselves are not artists. Although it is with great respect that this author approaches the writings an understanding of Plato, it must also be understood that what is being referenced within this particular definition of what art should and should not be is a highly personal view upon what defines this genre. Ultimately, the definition of who is responsible for reflecting these forms and not focusing upon the form itself is a definitive right of the philosopher/artist to represent the subject matter in the

Managerial Economics exam paper Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Managerial Economics exam - Term Paper Example The salary that the owner of a business can earn and the interest that the owner can earn on the invested capital are examples of implicit costs. The following equations can be used to calculated business and economic profits. c) Since project B has a higher standard deviation of $15000 than project A, we can conclude that project B is riskier. However, project B provides a better return of $70000 as compared to the expected return of project A of $60300. Project A has lesser risk since its standard deviation is lesser than that of project B. Higher standard deviation of project B indicates that there are high chances that the return will either be higher than the expected return or lower than the expected return. If the customer is a risk-averse one, he will prefer project A since it provides a lower return but has lesser risk attached to it. A risk-taking customer would go for project B since project B provides a better return although there is higher risk attached to it. Implicit cost is the cost of the opportunity that a firm loses when it employs its resources in earning profits. The salary that one can earn by investing his time elsewhere or the interest that one can earn on the capital employed in business are some examples of implicit costs (Begg 1997). According to the Consumer Demand Theory, the quantity demanded of a product increases with a decrease in its price and quantity demanded decreases if price is increased. There is a direct relationship between demand and income. If income of consumers increases, quantity demanded also increases and if income decreases, quantity demanded also decreases. Change in tastes also influence the quantity demanded of a product (Sloman 1997). For example, if people get more inclined towards buying smartphones than other cellphones, the smartphones demand will surge due o the change in tastes and preferences of the

Reflection about nursing home visit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reflection about nursing home visit - Essay Example In order to improve on my verbal communication skills, as I am not a native English speaker, I think I need to improve my English speaking skills through practice and by enrolling in an English language course. Non-verbal cues include eye contact, touch and use of space, gestures, body posture and presentation, and use of voice. Non-verbal cues reflect the real emotions and feelings of individuals involved in the conversation. Such was the case in my conversation with the patient. By establishing eye contact, I was able to assess the sincerity of her words. I also paid attention to her gestures which told me if my questions were getting uncomfortable for her to answer. And if she got uncomfortable answering, I changed my questions. I noticed that she gestured with her hands a lot; and being a former teacher, I understood why she has this habit. When I first approached her, I maintained a respectful distance between us. Since it was my first time to meet her, I respected her personal space. I asked if I could move my chair closer to her, and she agreed. I maintained a 3-feet distance from her; it was close enough for us to hear each other, and far enough to avoid invading her personal space (Rhode Island Health Literacy Project, n.d). I think I need to improve my non-verbal communication skills by increasing my interaction with patients. Through increased interaction, I will be able to improve my interpretation of patients’ non-verbal cues (Earp, et.al., 2007, p.197). Establishing rapport is seen in how we relate and perceive our patients. It also involves genuine concern and empathy for our patients (Travelbee, 1963). Upon meeting my patient, I immediately set out to establish rapport by greeting her by her first name, shaking her hand, and introducing myself. I asked permission to converse with her and when she agreed, I sat

Personal Development as a First Line Manager Essay - 2

Personal Development as a First Line Manager - Essay Example Typically, job description for first line managers include but not limited to; employees’ welfare duties, preparation of work schedules, direction of workflows, upward management of employees, and budgeting among others. Below is a personal development plan as a first line manager. Receive academic training on first line management courses, especially on the use of emerging tools and techniques in planning and delegation of duties. Also, receive coaching on development of upward management skills, especially on adherence to organizational values Attend seminars on topics like personal development planning and role assessment exercises. Also, online academic sessions on team dynamics will be beneficial, especially on the use of technology in assessing and maintaining team effectiveness Participate in online discussion forums and assess my proficiency based on technical rating of responses. Also, assess my competence by practically solving team conflicts through skills acquired in the online sessions In first line management, there are situations when multiple duties require relatively similar levels of prioritization. For example, a managing director may direct a first line manager to plan and direct workflows for completion of a batch production within a period of six hours. At the same time, the managing director needs the first line manager to submit a completed work schedule plan within a period of six hours. In addition, some employees require personal attention from the first line manager, which may consume at least two hours of the manager’s busy time schedule. In such a case, the first line manager is faced with multiple situations requiring immediate attention, all stuffed within a restrictive timeframe. Therefore, it is necessary to employ priority determination methods like the ABC Method. ABC Method enables first

Reflection about nursing home visit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reflection about nursing home visit - Essay Example In order to improve on my verbal communication skills, as I am not a native English speaker, I think I need to improve my English speaking skills through practice and by enrolling in an English language course. Non-verbal cues include eye contact, touch and use of space, gestures, body posture and presentation, and use of voice. Non-verbal cues reflect the real emotions and feelings of individuals involved in the conversation. Such was the case in my conversation with the patient. By establishing eye contact, I was able to assess the sincerity of her words. I also paid attention to her gestures which told me if my questions were getting uncomfortable for her to answer. And if she got uncomfortable answering, I changed my questions. I noticed that she gestured with her hands a lot; and being a former teacher, I understood why she has this habit. When I first approached her, I maintained a respectful distance between us. Since it was my first time to meet her, I respected her personal space. I asked if I could move my chair closer to her, and she agreed. I maintained a 3-feet distance from her; it was close enough for us to hear each other, and far enough to avoid invading her personal space (Rhode Island Health Literacy Project, n.d). I think I need to improve my non-verbal communication skills by increasing my interaction with patients. Through increased interaction, I will be able to improve my interpretation of patients’ non-verbal cues (Earp, et.al., 2007, p.197). Establishing rapport is seen in how we relate and perceive our patients. It also involves genuine concern and empathy for our patients (Travelbee, 1963). Upon meeting my patient, I immediately set out to establish rapport by greeting her by her first name, shaking her hand, and introducing myself. I asked permission to converse with her and when she agreed, I sat

Take home exam for the class (economics of race and gender ) Essay

Take home exam for the class (economics of race and gender ) - Essay Example Let us take the case of the United States: Azimzadeh says â€Å"most Americans believe in a three-class model - the rich, the middle class, and the poor. America is a diverse society considering its culture, economy, politics and ideology which make different levels of wealth, income, education, occupation and social behavior. It is not easy sometimes to classify certain groups or people in a certain class. One approach which is more common is based on cultural and economic diversity of the people and defines more of them in middle class† (2008). In terms of economics, those belonging to the upper classes have very high living standards and occupy top positions in government or corporate organizations, the upper middle classes composed of highly-educated and well-paid professionals also maintain good living conditions while the lower middle classes made up of semi-professionals or ordinary workers have to cope up with meager resources. In a political scene marked by free enterprise, the upper classes have more privileges and benefits that those who belong to the lower middle classes. They are accorded more rights and are considered more influential and have easier access to opportunities, income and other rewards. There is the so-called economic model of time use wherein households rationally and efficiently allocate time, typically through specialization of one partner in paid work and the other in unpaid work. The first condition is human capital which explains that men have more experience and education than women and biological differences, since women are those that bear children and care for them. The second is, the person with more power will do lesser unpaid work because household labor is less likable than paid tasks. The third is that although the experience and education of women have gone up during the past thirty years, they are still less paid compared to men. The fourth condition is that

Distance education Essay Example for Free

Distance education Essay Distance education dates back to at least as early as 1728 when an advertisement in the Boston Gazette promoted Caleb Phillips, Teacher of the new method of Short Hand, who sought students who wanted to learn through weekly mailed lessons. Similarly, Isaac Pitman taught shorthand in Great Britain via correspondence in the 1840s. Distance education has a long history, but its popularity and use has grown exponentially as more advanced technology has become available. By 2008, online learning programs were available in the United States in 44 states at the K-12 level. Definition Education where teachers and students are separated in both place and time. They communicate at times of their own choosing by exchanging printed or electronic media, or through technology that allows them to communicate in real time or through other online ways. Advantages Distance Education does not require commuting, saving money otherwise spent on travel back and forth to school. Convenience and flexibility. You complete classes at your convenience. Accessibility. Live and study from anywhere while pursuing education of your choice. Online classes address accessibility issues that some people with limited mobility encounter. Self-paced learning. Individualized Instruction. Vast resources readily available through the internet which are relatively inexpensive. Potential. The opportunities for distance education have exploded with the increased use of the internet. Many degrees are available through distance learning including high school, college and post graduate programs. Cost. Distance education is considerably cheaper than attending a traditional college. Key players in Distance Education Students Faculty Facilitators Support staff Administrators Interaction and Technology in Distance Education Interaction is an important component of any learning experience. One of the most important factors relating to distance learning is the element of interaction as its much different of an environment in a traditional classroom than what occurs in distance learning. Learner Content LearnerInstructor LearnerLearner LearnerTechnology Synchronous vs Asynchronous Interaction In distance Education most interaction done Asynchronously; interaction between them is delayed. One good example is a teacher may deliver the video instruction via email and the learner may respond in a later time. Synchronous interaction like in traditional classes where learners and instructors interact real time: you talk I immediately respond. This could be achieved in distance learning as when computer conferences are held at pre-established times via chat technologies. Distance Education Technologies The various technologies used in distance learning can be roughly divided into four categories, However many of these technologies could overlap into more than one category. Print Technology The original form of Distance Education was correspondence courses, in which print material was mailed to students and returned to the teachers through the postal system. The University of London was the first university to offer distance learning degrees through correspondence, establishing its External Programme in 1858. This program is now known as the University of London International Programmes and includes Postgraduate, Undergraduate and Diploma degrees created by colleges such as the London School of Economics, Royal Holloway and Goldsmiths. In the United States William Rainey Harper, first president of the University of Chicago developed the concept of extended education, whereby the research university had satellite colleges of education in the wider community. In 1892 he also encouraged the concept of correspondence school courses to further promote education, an idea that was put into practice by Columbia University Computer Technology Computer based technology includes email, online collaborations and web-based education as a means of delivering distance learning. The widespread use of computers and the internet have made distance learning easier and faster, and today virtual schools and virtual universities deliver full curricula online. In 1996 Jones International University was launched and claims to be the first fully online university accredited by a regional accrediting association in the US. Video Technology Video techniques often used for distance learning include videotapes, satellites, television cables, and computers offer opportunities for behavior modeling, demonstrations and instruction of abstract concept. Audio technology Offer cost effective ways to enhance distance learning courses. It can be as simple as a telephone with voicemail or it can be as complex as an audio conference with microphones and speakers. The very rapid spread of radio in the United States in the 1930s led to proposals to use it for distance education. By 1938, at least 200 city school systems, 25 state boards of education, and many colleges and universities broadcast educational programs for the public schools. One line of thought was to use radio as a master teacher. Experts in given fields broadcast lessons for pupils within the many schoolrooms of the public school system, asking questions, suggesting readings, making assignments, and conducting tests. This mechanizes education and leaves the local teacher only the tasks of preparing for the broadcast and keeping order in the classroom. Research and Distance Education The University of the Philippines Open University (U. P. O. U.) is a public distance learning institution and research university that provides quality higher and continuing education to Filipinos through the distance education system. Melinda dela Pena-Bandalaria (2007) in her article on Impact of ICT’s on open and distance learning in a Developing Country setting: The Philippine Experience, pointed out the distance education in the Philippines has undergone four general stages or generations. It also includes how quality of education is ensured in a technology-driven system of teaching and learning.

Energy Efficient Building Design Strategies For Hot Climates Construction Essay

Energy Efficient Building Design Strategies For Hot Climates Construction Essay This research discusses energy efficient design strategies of traditional houses in Iraq (hot-arid climate), climatic design techniques and potentials for renewable energy systems that can be implemented in the contemporary residential design techniques in order to offset the absence of produced energy (due to current economic and political issues) and help decreasing demand for electricity, which is used extensively to overcome the indoor thermal discomfort during the harsh summer seasons. A comparison between traditional Baghdadi house (Hosh), which existed before the discovery of oil, and a contemporary house design option is to be made to evaluate the thermal performance of both options in this climatic zone in order to adapt more energy efficient design strategies; and also to integrate features for sustainable building design and potentials to implement renewable energy systems. A simulation modeling is to be used to conduct analysis of energy efficient design strategies, namely relating to building envelope, size and direction, ventilation, shading elements, and using renewable energy systems in order to present recommendations that helps in consequential energy offset while preserving comfort. Keywords: Introduction Examining the energy demand in such region, buildings, with particular reference to residential houses, are one of the most significant energy-sensitive entities (Al-ajmi Hanby, 2008). It is stated that buildings consume over half of all electricity and one-third of natural gas (Yilmaz, 2007). Reduction of energy consumption in residential buildings is a major aim worldwide and is a particular challenge in this region for the reasons mentioned previously (Al-ajmi Hanby, 2008). Therefore, sustainable design strategies are of great importance nowadays in order to reduce energy consumption in residential buildings. One may say that sustainability was already a driving force in the past, showing its validity in those days in different forms and techniques. Therefore, problems and precautions in design and construction did not change fundamentally, although a lot of development was seen in materials and technology. Of course, these developments may have had some negative effects (Yilmaz, 2007). Energy efficient design strategies for traditional houses in such climate are significantly different from each other as it can be easily seen in the traditional design (Yilmaz, 2007). Description of Problem Area Energy consumption is becoming more and more important in todays world because of a possible energy shortage in the future. Efficient use of energy has become a key issue for the most energy policies (Yilmaz, 2007). In regions where hot-arid climatic zone is prevailed, practically in Iraq, present economic and political circumstances have become the main reasons that led to a significant energy shortage although Iraq has a spare operational capacity of oil supply in comparison with other countries around the world. A significant need for new energy efficient design strategies and developed buildings construction standards in this area has become essential in order to offset the absence of produced energy and help decreasing demand for electricity, much of which is consumed in air conditioning systems, which is used extensively to overcome the indoor thermal discomfort during the harsh summer seasons (Al-ajmi Hanby, 2008). Conceptual Framework Figure (1) provides a diagram of the conceptual framework that has devised for this research. The proposed research study into traditional and contemporary building design systems will rely on an experimental research strategy in the positivist system of inquiry (developed design strategies). The research will attempt to establish a comparison (Groat and Wang, 2002, P. 254) between a treatment (independent variable) and an outcome (dependent variable) through the evaluation of measured results. Figure (1) Conceptual diagram of the research variables (Groat Wang, 2002) Research Questions Do traditional houses perform better than contemporary ones? Why? Is it feasible to use traditional design strategies in contemporary houses? How could we achieve a sustainable building design in such climatic zone? Do we need new or developed strategies in order to achieve sustainable building design in such climatic region? What if we integrate renewable energy systems into traditional house design? Project Goals and Specific Objectives The purpose of this research is to: Make a comparison and evaluation of thermal performance of residential houses (traditional vs. contemporary) in Iraq (hot-arid climate) in order to adapt more developed and energy efficient design strategies. Integrate new trends for sustainable design in residential houses in this area. Potentials to implement renewable energy systems. This research is achieved through the following: Extensive overview of the antecedent literature in the area of energy efficiency and thermal building performance in such climatic zone. Identify the most effective strategy from the literature that can be applied in order to develop more energy efficient design strategies. Un-wrap issues of energy efficiency, building performance and sustainable design systems. Use a simulation modeling as a tactical tool to make comparison between contemporary and traditional building design systems and energy performance in order to investigate the thermal characteristics and energy savings for both building designs using different strategies and also potentials to integrate sustainable features using renewable energy system. Test outcome results and write a research report accordingly which combines my understanding of the relevant theory and previous research with the results of my empirical research. Literature Review The literature review is structured around the key concepts of significance of energy efficient design strategies, thermodynamics of hot-arid climates, Inventory of traditional design elements in hot-arid climate and energy simulation methods. These key concepts have led to the research questions and the proposed methodology for this research proposal. See figure1 for the map of literature reviewed. Figure () Map of sources reviewed Figure () Research Literature Review Diagrammatic (Groat Wang, 2002) Building Design Strategies Climatic Building Strategies Research by Ochoa Capeluto (2008) states a quick review of design strategies for different climatic zones. This is necessary to examine when and how design strategies should be considered, particularly during design process. Climatic building strategies in hot climates differ from those of cold ones, For example, in cold climates heat collection and storage is essential, and ventilation must be limited for the same reasons. Short daytime and low radiation levels in winter make maximum penetration of natural light to be desired. On the other hand, in hot climates heat must be excluded, the amount of relative humidity controlled, and the thermal mass cooled usually through natural ventilation during the night. Daylight penetration must be carefully managed using control devices (see figure 1) (as cited in Ochoa Capeluto, 2008, Building and Environment, P.1830). Figure (1) Building strategies for cold and hot climates (Ochoa Capeluto, 2008). Optimized Building Envelope A building envelope is a skin that separates between the interior and the exterior of a building. It serves as the outer shell to protect the indoor environment as well as to facilitate its climate control (controlling heat transfer between building layers). The study by Danny Harvey (2009) reviews the literature concerning energy efficiency that can be achieved through optimized building envelope. According to Danny Harvey (2009), The effectiveness of the thermal envelope depends on: (1) The insulation levels in the walls, ceiling, and other building parts; (2) The thermal properties of windows and doors; and (3) The rate of uncontrolled exchange of inside and outside air which, in turn, depends in part on the air tightness of the envelope (infiltration/excitation) (Energy Efficiency, P. 141). Reducing the Cooling Load Energy conservation and climatic design techniques that can be implemented in residential houses in this area (hot-arid climate) are useful for reducing cooling energy consumption (Al-Temeemi, 1995). Danny Harveys (2009) research found the following: Reducing the cooling load requires: (1) Orienting a building to minimize the wall area facing directions that are most difficult to shade from the sun; (2) Clustering buildings to provide some degree of self shading (as in many traditional communities in hot climates); (3) Providing fixed or adjustable shading; (4) Using highly reflective building materials; (5) Increasing insulation; (6) Using windows that transmit a relatively small fraction (as little at 25%) of the total (visible + invisible) incident solar energy while permitting a larger fraction of the visible radiation to enter for daylighting purposes; (7) Utilizing thermal mass to minimize daytime interior temperature peaks; (8) Utilizing night time ventilation to remove daytime heat; and (9) Minimizing internal heat gains by using efficient lighting and appliances. The combination of external insulation, thermal mass, and night ventilation is particularly effective in hot-arid climates, as placing the insulation on the outside exposes the thermal mass to cool night air while minimizing the inward penetration of daytime heat into the thermal mass (Energy Efficiency, P. 141). Passive cooling techniques By using the above measures to reduce the thermal load of the building, other techniques requires small inputs of mechanical energy to optimize passive cooling processes (Danny Harvey, 2009). Danny Harveys (2009) research discussed the following major passive cooling techniques: Passive ventilation Passive ventilation reduces the need for mechanical cooling by directly removing warm air when the incoming air is cooler than the outgoing air, reducing the perceived temperature due to the cooling effect of air motion and increasing the acceptable temperature through psychological adaptation when the occupants have control of operable windows. Passive ventilation requires a driving force, and an adequate number of openings, to produce airflow. It can be induced through pressure differences arising from inside-outside temperature differences or from wind. Design features, especially traditional, that create thermal driving forces and/or utilize wind effects include courtyards, atria, wind towers, solar chimneys, and operable windows. Passive ventilation not only reduces energy use, but can improve air quality and gives people what they generally want. In buildings with good thermal mass exposed to the interior air, passive ventilation can continue right through the night, sometimes more vigorously than during the day due to the greater temperature difference between the internal and external air. Night time ventilation, in turn, serves to reduce the cooling load by making use of cool ambient air to remove heat (as cited in Danny Harvey, 2009, Energy Efficiency, P.142). Evaporative cooling Danny Harveys (2009) study further discussed the following in terms of producing evaporative cooling techniques: Evaporation of water cools the remaining liquid water and air that comes into contact with it. The coldest temperature that can be achieved through evaporation is called the wet-bulb temperature and depends on the initial temperature and humidity (the higher the initial humidity, the less evaporation and cooling that can occur). There are two methods of evaporative cooling the air supplied to buildings. In a direct evaporative cooler, water evaporates directly into the air stream to be cooled. In an indirect evaporative cooler, water evaporates into and cools a secondary air stream, which cools the supply air through a heat exchanger without adding moisture. By appropriately combining direct and indirect systems, evaporative cooling can provide comfortable temperature-humidity combinations most of the time in most parts of the world. Evaporative cooling is most effective in dry regions, but water may be a limiting factor in such regions. However, arid regions tend to have a large diu rnal temperature range, so thermal mass with external insulation and night ventilation can be used instead (Energy Efficiency, P.142). Influence of Energy Efficient Design Strategies on Design Stages The architectural design process is iterative and moves from the abstract (definition of massing, orientation, and image) to the specific (lighting control, mechanical ventilation type) (as cited in Ochoa Capeluto, 2008, Building and Environment, P.1830). At the design stage, key decisions taken by architects can significantly influence potentials to optimize building efficiency. These include decisions affecting the selection of building components. According to Ochoa Capeluto (2008), As it advances and more specialists are called in to solve details, earlier decisions, which could have an enormous influence on the building performance, are expensive and harder if not impossible to change (Building and Environment, P.1830). Other influential factors unrelated to climatic strategies must be taken into account. For example, a certain orientation that is bad for energy consumption might define how well the building performs (Ochoa Capeluto, 2008). However, it would require an Integrated Design Process (IDP), in which the design process optimizes the building performance by involving all members of design-making team from the beginning. The importance of an Integrated Design Process (IDP) on building systems approach Danny Harveys (2009) study found the following: The systems approach requires an Integrated Design Process (IDP), in which the building performance is optimized through an iterative process that involves all members of the design team from the beginning. However, the conventional process of designing a building is a largely linear process, in which the architect makes a number of design decisions with little or no consideration of their energy implications and then passes on the design to the engineers, who are supposed to make the building habitable through mechanical systems (Energy Efficiency, P. 140). The steps in the most basic IDP are: to consider building orientation, form, and thermal mass to specify a high-performance building envelope to maximize passive heating, cooling, ventilation, and daylighting to install efficient systems to meet remaining loads to ensure that individual energy-using devices are as efficient as possible and properly sized to ensure the systems and devices are properly commissioned By focusing on building form and a high-performance envelope, heating, and cooling loads are minimized, daylighting opportunities are maximized, and mechanical systems can be greatly downsized (Danny Harvey, 2009). Thermodynamics of Hot-Arid Climates Any consideration to energy efficiency applications or design strategies in any climatic zone requires examining of thermodynamics and human comfort. In his Text Natural Energy and Vernacular Architecture: Principles and Examples, With Reference to Hot Arid Climates, the author demonstrates properties of energy that must be considered in order to fully understand climatic phenomena. Heat, radiation, pressure, humidity, and wind, among other factors, interact mutually to establish microclimatic conditions appropriate to hot-arid climatic (Fathy, 1986). According to Fathy (1986), the following are some of these basic concepts applied to hot-arid climates: Thermal gain Solar radiation is the principal source of heat in hot-arid zones, and this heat can be transmitted during the day to the building interior in a number of ways. The most important is by conduction of the absorbed solar radiation through the walls or roof at a rate determined by the thermal conductance (or thermal resistivity) of wall components. (The relationship involving the incoming and reflected solar radiation absorbed and re-emitted heat and heat gain is shown in figure 2 below for the case of a typical white painted surface). Figure (2) (Fathy, 1986) Heat gain can also be caused by ventilation. The rate of gain is dependent on the ventilation rate. Ventilation heat gain can be avoided by restricting the size of openings, especially during the heat of the day. The other sources of heat gain are the inhabitants of the building themselves and household equipment such as electric lights and appliances. These sources, unlike the solar radiation, can contribute heat even at night (see figure 3) (Fathy, 1986). Figure (3) Modes of heat transfer (Fathy, 1986) Thermal loss Heat is lost by conduction through the walls, by exactly the same process that it is gained from the direct solar radiation once it has been absorbed by the surface or through the roof by a combination of convection and conduction. Ventilation is also another mode of heat loss. Evaporation from the surface of the building or from objects within the interior can produce a cooling effect on the building which acts as a source of heat loss. In hot arid climates, this can be a particularly effective cooling mechanism since the rate of evaporation in dry air is very high. Figure 3 also shows the modes of heat loss (Fathy, 1986). Cooling by evaporation Evaporative cooling is used for cooling in hot dry areas (such as in Iraq, where the people place against the windows panels of dried desert plants, which are kept moist by water dripping from perforated pipes positioned above them) (Fathy, 1986). Dynamic thermal equilibrium The heat gained by the building can be expected to be balanced by the heat lost and an internal temperature distribution thus established. These temperatures are dependent on the outside temperature and the ratio of the heat gained to the heat lost and can be adjusted by regulating the sources of heat gain and loss. Before examining the systems and devices that have been developed to do this in the hot arid zones, it is first necessary to have an idea of the heat-regulating mechanism of the human body and the microclimatic conditions for human comfort. Table (1) Heat gain and loss processes for the human body (Fathy, 1986). Mechanism Gain Process Loss Process Metabolism Basal heat production Digestion Activity Muscle tensing and shivering in response to cold Radiation From solar radiation-direct and reflected To surrounding air From radiation by radiators Conduction From air above skin temperature (increased by air movement) To air below skin temperature From warmer bodies in contact To cooler bodies in contact Evaporation From respiratory tract From skin covered with perspiration or applied water Conditions of human comfort A convenient standard for thermal comfort is required. Analysis shows that a variety of factors can be involved in situations of discomfort. For example, temperature alone does not determine discomfort. In Athens, 32  °C is quite bearable, but it is generally intolerable in Bahrain. The difference is due entirely to the relative humidity of the atmosphere. In Bahrain the air is very humid and perspiration evaporates slowly, decreasing the bodys ability to lose heat. In Athens, with its dry air, the evaporation rate is high and perspiration evaporates quickly lowering body temperature. The factors that have been identified as standard for thermal comfort within buildings are: air temperature, air humidity, rate of air movement, level of radiation, and rate of heat production by the bodies of people in the building [4]. Inventory of design elements for traditional housing design in hot-arid climates Building materials The materials surrounding the occupants of a building are of prime importance for protection against heat and cold. Considering an external wall exposed to a high outside air temperature and a lower inside air temperature (see figure 4), the rate of heat flow transmitted through the wall from the outside air to the inside air is proportional to the air temperature difference, area of the wall, and rate of global heat transmittance that can be determined from an analysis of the components of the total resistance to heat flow. The total resistance is composed of the resistance to heat flow through the material, the interfacial resistance at the external surface, and the interfacial resistance at the internal surfaces. Since the interfacial resistances are determined primarily by temperature conditions over which the builder has little control, his principal effect on the heat transmittance is on changing the resistance to heat flow through the wall material (Fathy, 1986). Figure (4) (Fathy, 1986) Table 2 lists the thicknesses of walls composed of various construction materials needed to achieve coefficients of approximately 1.1 kcal/hm ²C °. The mud brick is most appropriate for achieving thermal comfort in addition to being widely available to all segments of the population (Fathy, 1986). Table (2) Thicknesses of walls of different material (Fathy, 1986) Wall Material Wall Thickness Thermal Transmittance (in m) (in in) (in kcal/ hm ²C °) Hollow brick block 0.30 12 1.10 Double-wall brick with holes and 8-cm cavity 2 x 0.12 2 x 4.7 1.12 Brick wall with holes 0.38 15 1.03 Sand-lime brick 0.51 20 1.25 Hollow block sand-lime brick 0.51 20 1.16 Lime 0.51 20 1.10-1.35 Concrete 1.00 39 1.20 Orientation In hot climates, the sun is the major source of heat. The position of the sun must be determined for all hours of the day at all seasons as well as the direction of the prevailing winds, especially during the hot season. In addition, for an ensemble of buildings forming a sector, there will be reflection from adjacent buildings and wind screening by clusters of buildings, which contribute to a specific microclimate for each location in the sector. Wind movement and humidity also are important and should be considered simultaneously with the direct and indirect effects of the sun. The main objective is to establish the optimum orientation with regard to the sun and the prevailing wind (Fathy, 1986). Shading Generally, a building with a facade opening to the west is the worst case encountered in hot-arid climate, owing to the heat gain of the surrounding environment during the day and the angle of altitude, which allows the suns rays to penetrate into the interior. Openings Window openings normally serve three functions: to let in direct and indirect sunlight, to let in air, and to provide a view (Fathy, 1986). The venetian blind One device which can be added directly to the window is the venetian blind. This blind is made of small slats, about 4-5 cm wide, closely set in a wooden frame at an angle that will intercept the suns rays. The slats are often movable so the angle can be changed. This feature of adjustability renders venetian blinds very useful in regulating solar radiation and wind flow into rooms. Using the venetian blind, the suns rays can be blocked out without obstructing the breeze, which generally blows from the northwest in most hot arid areas like Iraq. As shown in figure 5a, changing the position of the blind alternatively by to block the direct sunlight, the wind is redirected uselessly over the heads of the occupants, as figure 5b illustrates. Also, if the slats are made of metal, they then absorb some incoming radiation and reradiate it into the room as heat (Fathy, 1986). Figure (5) (Fathy, 1986) The Shanshool or Mashrabiya This was a cantilevered space with a lattice opening, where small water jars were placed to be cooled by the evaporation effect as air moved through the opening. The name is used for an opening with a wooden lattice screen composed of small wooden balusters that are circular in section and arranged at specific regular intervals. The shanshool has five functions. These functions involve: (1) controlling the passage of light, (2) controlling the air flow, (3) reducing the temperature of the air current, (4) increasing the humidity of the air current, and (5) ensuring privacy. Its cooling and humidifying functions are closely related. All organic fibers, such as the wood of a shanshool readily absorb, retain, and release considerable quantities of water. Wind passing through the interstices of the porous-wooden shanshool will give up some of its humidity to the wooden balusters if they are cool, as at night. When the shanshool is directly heated by sunlight, this humidity is released to any air that may be flowing through the interstices. This technique can be used to increase the humidity of dry air in the heat of the day, cooling and humidifying the air at a time when most needed. The balusters and interstices of the shanshool have optimal absolute and relative sizes that are based on the area of the surfaces exposed to the air and the rate at which the air passes through. In addition to these physical effects, the shanshool serves an important social function: it ensures privacy from the outside for the inhabitants while at the same time allowing them to view the outside through the screen (Fathy, 1986). Table (3) Summary of architectural elements of traditional building in Iraq (hot-arid climate), as they have been common from the 13th to the end of the 19th century. Retrieved from http://www.brainworker.ch/Irak/architecture.htm Oda: the simple room Tarma: open balcony with pillars Ursi: most probably from russi, russian. The most important room of the house, as at the same time you may see, but not been seen as much as in a tarma, ivan or talar. Its separated from the tarma by a window-wall from colored glasses, without door. Those were the masterpieces of Baghdadi carpentry. Talar, a usable open room behind the tarma. The difference to the iwan is, that it cant be entered directly from the rooms beside it. Is separated from the tarma by additional pillars. Iwan(or Liwan), a room behind the tarma or adjacent tot the inner courtyard, that is on one side open. Hosh, the central courtyard, often with a fountain in the middle. sirdab, the cellar, that did not only serve as store, but   as cooling hall and for the provision of cool air through the badgir-sirdab-system. neem, a cellar that is only half buried. Mostly with one window. During the hot summer nights the roof was and is used in Baghdad for sleeping. The high value of privacy demanded, that no house was higher than the others, so that nobody was able to look down on his neighbors roof. kabishkan: The Penthouse, from where one is able to control all the house. Often those rooms have been placed like eyries in all four corners of the inner courtyard.   The roof If the outdoor air temperature is higher than the indoor temperature, the outer surface of the roof exposed to the sun is heated as it absorbs radiation, and, being in contact with the outside hot air, also is heated by conduction. The roof then transmits this heat to the inner surface, where it raises the temperature of the air in contact with it by conduction. At the same time, it radiates heat that is absorbed by people and objects indoors, thereby affecting thermal comfort. In hot arid countries, since the air temperature drops considerably during the night, the inhabitants have arranged the roof architecturally into loggias or open galleries and lightweight roof covers. These loggias and roof covers have the double function of shading the roof during the day and providing physiologically comfortable living and sleeping spaces at night (Fathy, 1986). Figure (6) Different types of roofing in hot-arid climates (Fathy, 1986) The wind-escape The technique of using the suction caused by low air-pressure zones to generate steady air movement indoors is used in the design of the wind-escape. The funnel and side tube used to illustrate the Bernoulli effect or Venturi action (see figure 7) are transposed into the structural elements of an architectural design in order to accelerate air movement and to create drafts in places with no exposure to the outside, such as basements in Iraq. This concept can be applied more advantageously in designs for use above ground. The wind-escape can accelerate effective ventilation and air circulation when used with other devices for air movement such as windows, doors, and the malqaf or wind-catch (Fathy, 1986). Figure (7) Bernoulli Effect (Fathy, 1986) The malgaf In hot arid zones, a difficulty is found in combining the three functions of the ordinary window: light, ventilation, and view. Therefore, it is necessary to satisfy the three functions ascribed to the window separately. To satisfy the need for ventilation alone, the malqaf or wind-catch was invented. This device is a shaft rising high above the building with an opening facing the prevailing wind. It traps the wind from high above the building where it is cooler and stronger, and channels it down into the interior of the building. The malqaf thus dispenses with the need for ordinary windows to ensure ventilation and air movement. The malqaf is also useful in reducing the sand and dust so prevalent in the winds of hot arid regions. The wind it captures above the building contains less solid material than the wind at lower heights, and much of the sand which does enter is dumped at the bottom of the shaft. In the areas of An-Najf and Al-Kufa in Iraq, where air temperature is very high in summer, people live in basements ventilated by small holes in the ceiling and a malqaf with a very small inlet. Figure 8 shows plans and the section of a residence with a basement from this region. However, as the airflow is small and the air circulation is insufficient, this design is unhealthy and a possible cause of lung diseases. In some designs, the drafts from the malqaf outlet are cooled by passing over water in the basement. Figure (8) The Malgaf (Fathy, 1986) The Bà £dgir-sirdab In Iraq (hot-arid climate)and the countries of the Gulf, a specific type of malqaf called the bà £dgir was developed. The system badgir-sirdab was a cheap, environmentally friendly and energy saving solution to create an acceptable cl

Computers with Relation to Student Learning :: essays papers

Computers with Relation to Student Learning The question of whether computers can improve student learning or not, depends on the instructor and how the technology is used. There are many conditions under which technology innovations can take place in classrooms, which causes problems for schools that do not have the money to buy new computers and are not presented with this new technology. Some of the contextual factors could include using email as a way of communication between the teacher and the student, as well as the parents. This new technique of communication has proved to be very useful for students that may be having trouble in the classroom and need some extra help outside of the classroom. â€Å"Email is also used outside the classroom in the work field and if the students get accustomed to using this new technology they will be at an advantage in the future,† (Chang, C., 2001). Teachers are also able to create web-sites pertaining to their subject that the students have access to, to get information t hat they may be having difficulty with in the class. This type of online communication is also helpful with regards to the parents of the students because the parents are able to look up the subject that their child is currently in and can know exactly what their son or daughter is learning at the time. Availability of the Necessary Resources â€Å"The access and use of computers are hindered by the interactions between technology and school realities,† (Chang, C., 2001). Not all schools and homes have this email available to them and if they do there are many things required to even be able to access this form of communication. First your computer will need access to a fundamental network and you must own a network computer. Buying the email software is the next step and setting the program up can be a problem if you are not familiar with the software. Email is only functional when everything is operating at once. Even the slightest problem with your computer, possibly not related to the email software at all, could be a potential threat to disabling your entire program. A problem many people also have would be the knowledge of teaching students how to use the computer software and incorporate it within each individual class.

The Importance Of Depreciation Expenses

Depreciation as a concept and in practice plays a very important role in a companys cash flow hence in funding. The reasons are basically two, firstly because depreciation is a way of self finance for an organization and secondly because is a way of decreasing taxes that the government claims as the company doesnt have to pay taxes on depreciation which consequently enlarges the cash flow of the company. As a term depreciation in accounting is the process of allocating the cost of a capital asset over the period of its useful life. Depreciation takes into account the decrease in the service potential of capital assets invested in a business venture, resulting from such causes as physical wear and tear in ordinary use, deterioration by natural elements or obsolescence caused by technological changes. Basically depreciation is a loss in value or a diminishment in market price of a good always taking the time factor into account. Depreciation is a rate of change in value in an asset fixed or current compared to the present value of that asset. For example if a company purchases machinery for the production of a certain product the management must take under consideration the equipments life cycle, meaning that this machinery has a certain period of time in which it can contribute to the production before it becomes useless. Useless in a sense of a newer machine will be invented in some years which will be probably faster or more capable to produce better quality. The time factor of course always varies depending on the asset. For example the usefulness of a computer may be three years before it needs replacing, as for a building may be fifty years. A Mercedes van for instance in year 2000 could be purchased at the value of 13 million drachmas and its productive life span before it needs to be replaced will probably be 8 years. After the 8 years the van purchased would cease from being of any productive use to the company and if it needs to be resoled its market value would have depreciated drastically due to the time fade from the initial purchase. Its devaluation is its year zero value less an annual percentage of the devaluation process updated annually. But depreciation doesnt apply only to current assets but also is applicable to fixed assets as well. Buildings are losing their value too taking the time scale factor under consideration again. If a new building in year 1980 was valued 100 million drachmas as a newly built structure its value by the year 2030 will be definitely decreased by the depreciation rate estimated. The most widely used method to calculate depreciation is the so called straight line method, in which the rate of depreciation is constant for the entire working life of the capital assets. Thus, if a machine cost 1 million 100 thousand drachmas and is assumed to have a 10 year useful life and a scrap value of 100 thousand drachmas at the end of 10 years, the amount of annual depreciation would be 100 thousand drachmas and the annual depreciation rate 10 per cent. Which is the annual depreciation divided by cost minus scrap value. Because depreciation is subtracted from the assets of a financial statement it is not a subject to taxation therefore the company has automatically achieved a higher cash flow status by depreciating its assets, the worth of its capital value. This can be visible from the following cash flow calculation.

J.P. Morgan’s Latin America M&A department Essay

Juan Lopez, a new associate in J.P. Morgan’s Latin America M&A department, was assigned the task of valuing the telephone directory operation subsidiary of a large Brazilian industrial conglomerate. The subsidiary is Paginas Amarelas, which operates in three Latin countries such as Argentina, Brazil, and Chile. All cash flows have been converted to U.S. dollars, and present values computed for various discount rates. In order to the present value properly, he should determine the appropriate target rate of returns for dollar flows originating in Argentina, Brazil, and Chile. Q1.What is the valuation problem here? In what currency are the cash flows denominated? In what currency should the discount rate denominated? Be sure you understand Exhibits 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the case. Juan chose DCF model to determine fair value of those subsidiaries. To properly apply DCF model WACC is a key underlying assumption. WACC composes of cost of debt and cost of equity. For cost of equity, Juan has some obstacles to determine it using CAPM model because following factors cannot be reasonably valued; 1. Risk-free rate is difficult to be determined because government bonds of those countries are not actually free of risk. Given that those governments had defaulted on principal and interest payments in the recent past. 2. Equity-risk premium cannot be reliably estimated. Equity market of each country has inadequate historical data e.g. historical stock prices, trading volume, dividend yield etc. This is because majority of companies are privately owned. 3. Beta cannot be ap propriately calculated. There is no competitor of the subsidiary in each local market. Potential competitors are either doing many kind of businesses or too small to be compared. For cost of debt, each local operation does not significantly issue debt security independently in an international market. As a result, Juan has to use an estimate of the U.S. dollar rates as if each operation borrow from the bank. Furthermore, each country has high inflation rate which causes valuation on each local currency become less accurate and less reliable. Cash flows are denominated in each local currency i.e. Argentina pesos,  Brazil reals, and Chile pesos. However, given that there are number of drawbacks in valuation on each local currency, as discussed earlier, discount rate should also be denominated in US Dollar. Q2.In this case, why doesn’t J.P. Morgan discount local cash flows at a local required rate of return? In fact, why not use that approach in general? -Firstly, J. P. Morgan is requested to value the business in U.S. dollars by the client, a Brazilian industrial conglomerate.