Essay - 500-600 words Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

- 500-600 words - Essay Example Solving or at least alleviating this problem would also benefit the fraction of the population who would constitute the next generation of America and these are the children. In upholding the welfare of American children, it is not only the economic side that should be improved for their future. Their moral and social welfare are far more important than their financial welfare. In addition to these is their ability to survive and adapt in various kinds of conditions. To resolve a problem that involves children, the root of the problem should be traced first. This economic slump that America is facing and affects the lives of all of its citizens down to the youngest American can be traced to its moral values. Stripping off all hypocrisy and admitting that degradation of values is one of the causes of this financial predicament would make citizens realize that excessive spending, unrestrained buying, and discontent on what one already has caused America to fall into this self-made pit. To help American children would call for changes not in their surroundings but on the children. Education is important but textbooks and curriculums are not the only factors that should be taught and improved in schools and at home. Teaching children to be frugal and to maximize things that can be found at home instead of constantly buying new items would be a great start and the best way to improve the lives of American children. Furthermore, improving lives of American children through education would also need lessons on survival through improvisation and activities that would develop their adaptability in different kinds of conditions. This way, the children would be emotionally prepared and would be capable to find and invent ways if sudden changes would occur as results of the changing status of the state. As the head of the state, there is nothing wrong in improving the financial and social environment of the nation for the present population and the next

Marketing Plan Harley-Davidson Dyna Street Bob Research Paper

Marketing Plan Harley-Davidson Dyna Street Bob - Research Paper Example It is acknowledged by reader that information to be furnished in this marketing plan is in all respects confidential in nature, other than information which is in the public domain through other means and that any disclosure or use of same by reader may cause serious harm or damage to ______________. Upon request, this document is to be immediately returned to ________. ___________________ Signature ___________________ Name (typed or printed) ___________________ Date This is a marketing plan. It does not imply an offering of securities. ... Over the years, the firm has met numerous challenges as well as successes. Currently, Harley-Davidson has a number of motorbikes designed and targeted at different demographic groups. Among these is the Dyna Street Bob which is a sporting motorbike targeted at the younger generations. This product is intended to bring new marketing orientation in the market. This is because although it is targeted at the young people in general, it is also targeted at women as a new market. More women are becoming more interested in motor-biking and this is a new market which Harley-Davidson should use for to expand its market share of the motorbike market. As Taylor (para 1) says, Harley-Davidson has been accused of not targeting new markets and this will be an opportunity to look at the new market. 2.0 Situational Analysis In 1907 William Harley and Arthur Davidson incorporated the Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Company. AMF acquired the company in 1969 and nearly tripled production in the following 4 years. Increased production led to poorly performing products, which led to Honda gaining market segment and eventually a buyout of AMF in 1981 by Vaughn Beals and a group of other HD managers. Over the next 20 years HD incorporated lean operating principles, acquired rival companies effectively opening new niche markets and survived an instance of a primary lender refusing to advance further cash. In 1997 a former Honda manager, Berryman, revamped HD’s supply chain management system to further reduce waste. Subsequently a focus was placed on products that would open up more niche markets and help move HD away from their typical target demographic. Today HD realizes increased profits and revenues from these changes, but also faces

Investigation of Fracture Energy GF

Investigation of Fracture Energy GF ABSTRACT Concretes inherent brittleness, low tensile strength and premature micro-cracking phenomena can be improved, in the bulk material, by embedment of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), the 1-D allotrope of carbon which exhibit a remarkable combination of mechanical and transport properties. The present research aims in investigating the fracture energy, Gf, of modified cement mortar with Multi Wall Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs) under 3-point bending test with acoustic emission (AE). According to Rilem recommendation, it is reported that using the fracture toughness of mortars reinforced with variable loadings of multi-walled carbon nanotubes it can be determined the fracture energy, Gf. Moreover, it is widely known that fracture energy depends on both geometry and size of the test specimen. The results of load, CMOD, AE-activity and AE-energy are analyzed. 1. Introduction As the most widely used structural materials, concrete has been developed to meet constantly renewed requirements raised by construction of more and more structures [1]. Great research efforts are continuously invested towards improving its inherent brittleness, low tensile strength and premature micro-cracking phenomena by the introduction of third phases throughout its volume. While endowment of reinforcement and ductility are conventionally achieved through embedment of steel rods, additional reinforcement of the continuous phase can be achieved through the introduction of other micro- and nano-scale media [2-5]. However, an obvious shortage of concrete with largely enhanced strength grade is brittleness, which is of great concern related to the structural safety. Recent studies have focused on improving the properties of concrete with the addition of nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs) or carbon nanofibers (CNFs). In addition, fibers control the crack patterns and determine failure modes of concrete members [6-9]. There are many fibers utilized in cement and concrete materials. The most common fibers are glass, carbon, aramid, polypropylene, and basalt fibers. The revolutionary one-dimensional allotrope of carbon with Youngs moduli approaching 1.4 TPa, seven times higher than of high-strength steel and tensile strengths above 100GPa, fifty times higher than the same reference material. At this moment the nanocomposite materials are considered the next generation materials for electronics, aeronautical, civil engineering and other applications [4, 10-13]. Carbon nanotubes have minimum diameters of 0.4nm and are classified as single- or multi-walled (SWCNTs and MWCNTs, respectively) and they produced by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and its variants (low pressure, thermal, catalytic and others). The most popular and affordable choice due to low commercial price are the ÃŽÅ“WCNTs but they have slightly inferior performance than SWCNTS which are lot expensive. Carbon nanofibers (CNFs), a similar nanostructured material comprised of cylindrically-shaped arrangements of stacked graphene plates or cones, have also been suggested as nano-re inforcements for concrete [14]. At nanocomposite materials a very important factor which will enable efficient load transfer from the cement matrix to the tubes, is the achievement of homogeneous dispersion of tubes within the continuous phase. The dispersion of MWCNTs, ideally without significant reduction in their high initial length and aspect ratio, usually achieved through the use of surfactants and sonication processes. This part attracts rigorous scientific efforts because CNTs tend to agglomerate together due to their high surface area and the strong Van der Waals forces acting between them. The agglomerates are responsible not only for stress concentration within the cement matrix which leads to strength degradation during service life, but also to premature crack initiation and propagation [15, 16]. On the other hand, there are a lot of studies which have referenced that surfactants create side-effects in cement matrix. Makar et al. reported strong early-age bonds between cement paste and CNTs[17]. Yazdanbakhsh [14] reported incompatibility issues, during the hydration phase, between cement base and the surfactants used for improving CNT dispersion. In addition the study observed reduction in aspect ratio length/diameter of MWCNT during exposure of the tubes to the high sonication energies required for disentanglement. It was suggested that the favorable dispersion characteristics found in aqueous environment does not guarantee a similarly favorable dispersion within the cement matrix. Enhancement of cements flexural toughness by CNTs hasnt been investigated largely by researchers and so there isnt a wide variety of reports. To the authors knowledge only one reference, Stynoski et al. [18] studied the fracture properties of Portland cement mortars containing carbon nanotubes, carbon fibers and silica fume using notched three-point bending test. They observed that using silica fume and carbon nanotubes together there was improvement in toughness about 35% and increment about 56% on critical crack tip opening displacement (CTODc) at 28 days. In addition using only carbon nanotubes provided. On the other hand, using only carbon nanotubes serves to increase in fracture toughness of about 5-10% at 7 and 28 days of age. In addition, the effect of carbon nanotubes has as result to increment the CTODc about 20% improvement at 28 days. But there are several of investigations which study the fracture properties of micro-fiber reinforced mortar with various additives. For exa mple, Moukwa et al. [19] studied the effect of alumino-silicate clays on the critical stress intensity factor and CTODc. They found that the use of silica fume and alumino-silicate clays increased the values of KIC, CTODC and the compressive strength of cementitious materials. In addition alumino-silicate clays are incorporated as substitutes for a fraction of the cement, the total porosity of hardened mixtures increases compared to that of hardened cement paste with no clay addition. Sarker et al. [20] studied the fracture behavior of geopolymer concrete (GPC) as compared to OPC concrete of similar compressive strength and containing the same size and type of aggregates. They found that the failure modes of the heat cured GPC specimens were generally more brittle than those of the OPC concrete specimens. Fracture energy of geopolymer concrete was similar to that of OPC concrete and fracture energy increased with compressive strength in both types of concrete. The critical stress in tensity factor of the GPC specimens was higher than that of the OPC concrete specimens for the same compressive strength and the difference in the fracture behaviors of GPC and OPC concrete is because of the higher bond and tensile strengths of GPC. Das et al. [21] replaced ordinary Portland cement (OPC) by limestone or a combination of limestone and fly ash/metakaolin and they observed that the new phases inside the mortar matrix can lead to enhanced fracture mechanics properties and ductility. Nikbin et al. [22] studied the fracture characteristics, such as fracture energy and Kic, of self-compacting concrete using notched three-point bend specimens for specimens with different coarse aggregate volume percent. 2. Materials and Test Methods 2.1. Materials, specimens and testing The Multi Walled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs) that used in the present work were synthesized via catalytic chemical vapor deposition and were commercially available by Shenzhen Nanotech Port Co. Ltd. (Shenzhen, China). Their nominal purity was higher than 97% and their amorphous carbon content was less than 3%. The nominal tube diameter ranged from 20 to 40 nm while their length ranged from 5 to 15 ÃŽÂ ¼m. In table 1 is shown the properties of multi-wall carbon nanotubes. Viscocrete Ultra 300 (Sika AG, Baar, Switzerland), a water-based superplasticizer comprised of polycarboxylate polymers was used as dispersion assistive agent; it was selected based on its efficiency in inhibiting air entrapment inside the specimens as well as because of its excellent resistance to mechanical and chemical attack. Table 1: Properties of multi-wall carbon nanotubes Parameters Values Type multi-wall CNTs Length 5-15 ÃŽÂ ¼m Main range of diameter 20-40 nm Production method: catalyzed CVD Purity à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¥ 95% Ash à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¤ 0.2 wt% Special surface area 40-300 m3/g Amorphous carbon à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¤ 3% For the production of nanocomposite mortar with tube loadings variable within 0.2, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6 and 0.8 wt% of cement, the following experimental protocol was adopted. Initially, superplasticer with MWCNTs at a ratio of 1.5/1 added in regular tap water and then follow magnetic stirring for 2 min. The resultant suspensions were subsequently ultrasonicated for 90 min at room temperature by aid of a Hielscher UP400S device (Hielscher Ultrasonics GmbH, Teltow, Germany) equipped with a cylindrical 22 mm diameter sonotrode delivering a power throughput of 4500 J/min at a frequency of 24 kHz. The specific combination of ultrasonication parameters was established as optimal for achievement of suspension homogeneity without tube aspect ratio impairment [15]. The ultrasonicated suspensions were transferred, along with ordinary Portland cement type I 42.5N and natural sand into the bucket of a rotary mixer where it was mixed for a total of 4 minutes, in low and high speeds sequentially, as per standard test method BS EN 196-1. Immediately after mixing, the fresh mortar was poured into metallic oiled formworks, volumes of 160x40x40 mm3, where it was left for 24 hours before demolding and subsequent placement into a 100% humidity room for duration of 28 days. A total 50 specimens were prepared, divided into two sets of five specimens at each CNT formulation, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8 wt% of cement. In one set, suspensions were further processed in a vacuum environment for removal of entrapped air before they were mixed with the cement and sand by aid of a rotary mixer. Additional mixtures without nanotubes were also prepared for reference purposes. The above procedure is shown schematically in fig. 1. After 28 days maturation were created a notch in specimens with cut-wheel with depth 20mm. Figure 1: Schematic representation of the nano-modifield mortars manufacturing process [5] In addition fig. 2 depicts the as-processed state of MWCNT-reinforced concrete specimens with varying tube loadings. The bottom row depicts reference specimens, whereas the top and middle rows show specimens with tube loadings of 0.6 and 0.2 wt% of cement, respectively, wherein porosity appears to increase with nano-reinforcement concentration. Figure 2: Various amounts of carbon nanotube loadings inside cement matrix: 0.6 wt% of cement (top row), 0.2 wt% of cement (middle row) and plain cement (bottom row) 2.2 Acoustic Emission Monitoring Large concrete structures like buildings, storage tanks, bridges, dams, offshore structures, flyovers require reliable non-destructive testing methods for assessing structure integrity. Acoustic emission is a widely used technique for monitoring concrete structures, and is based on the phenomenon of the rapid release of energy from different localized sources inside a material generating elastic waves [23]. Such stress waves propagate through the solid due to energy released during the deformation process and the amount of acoustic energy released depends on the size, the speed of the local deformation process and the material. AE can detect lesions such as crack growth, fracture growth, monitoring deformations, corrosion etc. in a wide range of materials. The transducers are usually piezoelectric and transform the energy of the transient elastic wave to an electric waveform which is digitized and stored. The AE sensors record the accumulated activity which is indicative of the sever ity of cracking. Certain indices based on the magnitude or the number of the AE signals has been employed successfully in the health monitoring of heterogeneous structural materials like concrete and composites. In addition, when multiple sensors are applied, apart from the number of AE hits, it is possible to be found the source of events because of the time delay between the acquisitions of the corresponding signals at different sensors. This allows the estimation of which part of the material needs repair, which is of paramount importance for large-scale structures. Also via AE the materials mode of fracture can be studied and characterized [24-26]. However, there are other important aspects of the AE testing, which are based on the qualitative parameters of the received signals. It has been seen that the shape of the waveform is indicative of the fracture type, something very important for the classification of cracks in different materials. Shear cracks follow tensile cracks as damage is being accumulated within the material. Therefore, the characterization of the cracking mode can act as a warning against final failure. It has been shown that tensile events are linked to higher frequency content and higher RA value, fig. 3, than shear [27-30]. This is mainly due to the larger part of energy transmitted in the form of shear waves, which are slower; therefore, the maximum peak of the waveform delays considerably compared to the onset of the initial longitudinal arrivals, This kind of classification has proven useful in laboratory conditions concerning corrosion cracking in concrete, fracture of cross-ply laminates, as well as d iscrimination between tensile matrix cracking and fiber pull-out during bending of steel-fiber reinforced concrete [31, 32]. In fig. 3 and in fig. 4 is given a typical AE signal and a typical AE signal due to different types of fracture respectively. Figure 3: Typical AE signal and parameters Figure 4: Typical AE signals due to different types of fracture 2.3 Mechanical performance Determination of the fracture toughness by means of three-point bend tests on notched beams In the present study for calculation of the critical fracture toughness of cementitious materials used the Hilleborgs [33] crack model of concrete which is similar with Dugdale-Barenblatt crack model of metals. For cementitious composite materials, such as mortar or concrete, the fracture toughness is determined using linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) considerations. The P-CMOD response is obtained from notched beams, subjected to the center-point loading conà ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ guration shown in fig. 5. The tests are performed under CMOD control, where this parameter is measured using a clip gage mounted on knife-edges. The thickness of the knife-edges, d, is taken into account in the calculations. Figure 5: Three-point bend test configuration for notched beam specimen For this geometry, the stress intensity factor (KI) is given by where P is the applied load, a is the crack length and ÃŽÂ ± = a / W is the relative crack length (with S=3W and ÃŽÂ ±o=ao/W=0,25). The geometry dependent function, f(ÃŽÂ ±) is determined using two-dimensional plane stress analysis and is given by Where when when Also, in a similar way, where the dimensionless geometry-dependent function, g(ÃŽÂ ±), is given by Where when when As it is evident from fig. 1, the CMOD is not measured exactly at the notch mouth but at a distance d, which must be taken into account for determining the real value of CMOD from that measured in the test (denoted as CMODMesured). Therefore, The conversion factor kd can be determined, for 1 mm d 6 mm, from The coefficients used to compute kd for the CMOD correction are given in table 2 for different knife-edge thicknesses. Table 2: Coefficients used to compute kd for the CMOD correction d(mm) h1 h2 h3 h4 1 0.0050 275.1 275.9 0.0399 2 0.1508 162.5 163.6 0.0118 3 0.1037 104.1 105.1 0.01631 4 0.0777 76.2 77.2 0.0137 5 0.0623 60.2 61.1 0.0117 6 0.0521 49.7 50.6 0.0106 For large ÃŽÂ ± (> 0,4) the correction is insignificant, hence for specimens with relative notch lengths in the order of 0,4, no correction needs to be applied. Moreover, for thin knife-edges (d Determination of the fracture energy by means of three-point bend tests on notched beams The fracture energy is defined as the amount of energy necessary to create one unit area of a crack. The area of a crack is defined as the projected area on a plane parallel to the main crack direction. This test method is not recommended for fiber-reinforced concrete. The fracture energy is determined by the equation, [N/m (J/] Where, Wo (Nm), is the area under the load-deformation curve shown in fig. 6 (kg) ; m1 = weight of the beam between the supports, calculated as the beam weight multiplied by S/L (fig. 1). The length L of the beam as well as the span S during the test must be measured with an accuracy of at least 1 mm; m2 = weigth of the part of the loading device touching the beam which is not attached to the testing machine, but follows the beam until fracture; g = acceleration due to gravity (9,81 m/s2); ÃŽÂ ´o = deformation of the beam at fracture (m), as shown in fig. 2; Alig = area of the ligament (m2), defined as the projection of the fracture zone on a plane perpendicular to the beam axis. Figure 6: Load-deformation (CMOD) curve Test procedure for fracture energy measurement The test is performed with an approximately constant rate of deformation, which is chosen so that the maximum load is reached within about 30-60 seconds after the start of the test. The deformation of the center of the beam and the corresponding load are registered until the beam is completely separated into two halves. In case the deformation is not measured directly on the specimen it is recommended that before measuring the load-deformation curve the load is cycled 3 times between 5% and 25% of the expected maximum load. The load should be measured with an accuracy of at least 2% of the maximum value in the test. The deformation must be measured with an accuracy of at least 0.01 mm. Finally, the Crack Mouth Opening Displacement (CMOD) will be monitored during the test performed with controlled load in a closed-loop testing machine. The load will be applied at a rate between 2 and 3 N/s. A plot of CMOD versus applied load will be produced. Mechanical characterization under three po int bending testing was performed on an Instron 5967 testing frame (Instron, Norwood, MA, USA) equipped with a 30kN loadcell. For the accurate recording of displacement C.M.O.D were used a Crack Opening Displacement (COD) Gauge extensometer with gauge length 10mm by Instron company. 3. Results and Discussion The effect of CNT presence and concentration to the flexural and compressive strength has investigated in previous study. The researchers were observed that subjection of the suspension to the vacuum-assisted air removal procedure significantly enhanced the materials flexural strength, compared to non-vacuumed suspensions. The maximum improvement in flexural strength, compared to the control specimens for vacuumed suspensions, appeared at 0.4 wt% MWCNT loading and was approximately 17% improvement at 0.2, 0.6 and 0.8 wt% loadings were 12, 10 and 9% respectively [4]. In the present study, the fracture energy of vacuum and non-vacuume nanocomposite mortar, Gf, as the way the fracture energy effects on the acoustic emission energy are investigated. In respect to the flexural strength the researcher observed that the specimens had the similar behavior as shown in table 3. The flexural strength calculated by using the following equation, where L, B, W and a0 are specimens dimensions prese nting in fig. 5. à Ã†â€™ = Table 3: Comparison results of Flexural strength between specimens with and without notch. Flexural Strength[MPa] [4] Flexural Strength with notch[Mpa] CNT loading, wt% of cement Non-VacuumedSuspensions VacuumedSuspensions Non-VacuumedSuspensions VacuumedSuspensions 0 (plain) 5.36  ± 0.38 5.43  ± 0.23 5.72  ± 0.21 5.64  ± 0.25 0.2 4.15  ± 0.28 6.09  ± 0.43 4.73  ± 0.22 5.98  ± 0.11 0.4 4.61  ± 0.48 6.34  ± 0.67 5.00  ± 0.34 6.74  ± 0.13 0.6 4.97  ± 0.36 6.01  ± 0.66 4.83  ± 0.33 6.12  ± 0.31 0.8 4.78  ± 0.21 5.92  ± 0.5 4.87  ± 0.28 6.35  ± 0.39 It is widely known that CNTs increase the mechanical properties. Table 4 shows the results of effect of CNTs to the fracture energy, Gf, for vacuumed and non-vacuumed specimens. It is clearly that CNTs increase the fracture energy and the maximum value appears in the rate of 0.4% wt. cement CNTs. Above the rate of 0.4% there were reduction in the fracture energy however the values of Gf continues are higher than control specimens. In addition, all non-vacuumed specimens showed slightly elevated values than the control specimens but lower for vacuumed specimens because of porosity which is created because of CNTs. Table 4: Comparison results of Fracture energy between Vacuumed and Non-Vacuumed suspensions Fracture Energy [N/m (J/m2)] CNT loading, wt% of cement Non-VacuumedSuspensions VacuumedSuspensions 0 (plain) 1.1655  ± 0.063 1.1281  ± 0.060 0.2 1.1681  ± 0.122 2.0338  ± 0.086 0.4 1.6910  ± 0.115 6.5373  ± 0.369 0.6 2.1460  ± 0.050 2.9987  ± 0.383 0.8 1.8185  ± 0.200 2.4623  ± 0.165 Except for plain specimens which had similar fracture energy, the fracture energy of the specimens which had been in vacuum was increased. Gf of the nanocomposite with 0.2% and 0.4% wt. cement CNTs was found to be higher at about 80% and 479% respectively related to control specimens while for 0.6% and 0.8% wt. cement CNTs was found an increment at about 166% and 118% respectively. On the other hand, non-vacuumed nanocomposite specimens with 0.2% wt. cement CNTs were found it that had limited growth about only 0.2%. Greater increase of approximately 45%, 84% and 56% showed the nanocomposites specimens with 0.4 %, 0.6% and 0.4% wt. cement CNTs respectively. Comparing the two types of mixtures, vacuumed and non-vacuumed, the results showed that the fracture energy increment for all rates for vacuumed specimens. Specifically, for the rates 0.2% and 0.4% wt. cement CNTs the increments were about 74% and 287% respectively while for 0.6% and 0.8% wt. the increments were only 40% and 36% re spectively. The entire above are shown in fig. 7. Finally, fig. 8 shows a typical load-CMOD graph for all rates, 0% up to 0.8% wt. cement CNTs, of vacuumed nanocomposite specimens and non-vacuumed specimens. Figure 7: Diagram of Fracture Energy, Gf, results Figure 8: Typical load-CMOD curve for all rates of nanocomposite specimens for a) vacuumed and b) non-vacuumed are presented. For Acoustic Emission (AE) monitoring in real time under three point bending tests of CNT-reinforced concrete specimens two R15a AE sensors were used, with broadband response ranging from 50 to 400 kHz and a maximum sensitivity at 150 kHz, attached on the lower section of the specimen. The R15a is a narrow band resonant sensor with a high sensitiv

Teen Sexual Activity Causes Sexually Transmitted Diseases, AIDS, Pregnancy, and Emotional Trauma :: Expository Cause Effect Essays

Teen Sexual Activity Causes Sexually Transmitted Diseases, AIDS, Pregnancy, and Emotional Trauma Set aside the moral imperatives, the screams and shouts of the conservative masses, the legislators on Capitol Hill who know what's best, and religious scripture that denounces physical pleasure and there exists a very basic premise: Human beings have a preoccupation with sex. It was once stated that "our concern with sex is innate, as much a part of is as the blood and bone with which we were born." An absolutely truthful statement, the subject of sex has become prevalent in today's society. Prevalent, because every aspect, voice, form of communication, law passed, and free thought, expresses the opinion on the subject. Maybe centuries of society's need for "sexual oppression" which led to the "sexual revolution" of the twentieth century, is the cause for the entrance of human sexuality into the mainstream. Regardless of the when's, why's, and how's, the bottom line is that sex and the issues revolving, affect every human life, from pornography and abortion, teen pregnancy and laws concerning sexual violence. These heavily weighted issues that plague the minds of parents, lawmakers, teenagers, and religious leaders, often operate under the premise that everyone is having sex, and that no one believes in abstaining until marriage. So where is the lost voice that cries out and defends the small minority of young people that want to wait, and further doesn't anyone believe there are benefits to waiting to have sex? Those who condemn teenage sex and support abstinence are the same people who answer "yes" to the question. Unfortunately, that voice is not the voice that represents the teenage population. Young people who chose to wait have many different reasons why, and believe that there do exist positive effects of abstaining from sex until marriage. One of the most important reasons young people wait, is to avoid the risk of poor or unfavorable physical health. Sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy, and AIDS are all factors that claim the lives of millions of people every year. Avoidance of these health risks is an incentive to young people and probably the most positive effect of abstaining. No one doubts that sexual desire and needs do not exist, but there are alternatives to sexual intercourse. Teenagers can have a very healthy and active physical relationship with their partner and not have sex. These activities, which can be just as satisfying, carry a 100% less risk factor that sexual intercourse. Teen Sexual Activity Causes Sexually Transmitted Diseases, AIDS, Pregnancy, and Emotional Trauma :: Expository Cause Effect Essays Teen Sexual Activity Causes Sexually Transmitted Diseases, AIDS, Pregnancy, and Emotional Trauma Set aside the moral imperatives, the screams and shouts of the conservative masses, the legislators on Capitol Hill who know what's best, and religious scripture that denounces physical pleasure and there exists a very basic premise: Human beings have a preoccupation with sex. It was once stated that "our concern with sex is innate, as much a part of is as the blood and bone with which we were born." An absolutely truthful statement, the subject of sex has become prevalent in today's society. Prevalent, because every aspect, voice, form of communication, law passed, and free thought, expresses the opinion on the subject. Maybe centuries of society's need for "sexual oppression" which led to the "sexual revolution" of the twentieth century, is the cause for the entrance of human sexuality into the mainstream. Regardless of the when's, why's, and how's, the bottom line is that sex and the issues revolving, affect every human life, from pornography and abortion, teen pregnancy and laws concerning sexual violence. These heavily weighted issues that plague the minds of parents, lawmakers, teenagers, and religious leaders, often operate under the premise that everyone is having sex, and that no one believes in abstaining until marriage. So where is the lost voice that cries out and defends the small minority of young people that want to wait, and further doesn't anyone believe there are benefits to waiting to have sex? Those who condemn teenage sex and support abstinence are the same people who answer "yes" to the question. Unfortunately, that voice is not the voice that represents the teenage population. Young people who chose to wait have many different reasons why, and believe that there do exist positive effects of abstaining from sex until marriage. One of the most important reasons young people wait, is to avoid the risk of poor or unfavorable physical health. Sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy, and AIDS are all factors that claim the lives of millions of people every year. Avoidance of these health risks is an incentive to young people and probably the most positive effect of abstaining. No one doubts that sexual desire and needs do not exist, but there are alternatives to sexual intercourse. Teenagers can have a very healthy and active physical relationship with their partner and not have sex. These activities, which can be just as satisfying, carry a 100% less risk factor that sexual intercourse.

History of Motorcycles Essay

History Of Motorcycles And The Automobile Industries Marketing Essay Automobile is one of the largest industries in global market. Being the leader in product and process technologies in the manufacturing sector, it has been recognized as one of the drivers of economic growth. During the last decade, well directed efforts have been made to provide a new look to the automobile policy for realizing the sector’s full potential for the economy. Steps like abolition of licensing, removal of quantitative restrictions and initiatives to bring the policy framework in consonance with WTO requirements have set the industry in a progressive track. Removal of the restrictive environment has helped restructuring, and enabled industry to absorb new technologies, aligning itself with the global development and also to realize its potential in the country. The two-wheeler industry has been in existence in our country since 1955. Two-wheeler segment is one of the most important components of the automobile sector that has undergone significant changes due to shift in policy environment in India. The composition of the two-wheeler industry has witnessed sea changes in the postreform period. It consists of three segments viz. scooters, motorcycles and mopeds. India is the second largest producer and manufacturer of two-wheelers in the world. Indian two-wheeler industry has got spectacular growth in the last few years. Hero Honda, the ‘World No. 1’ two wheeler manufacturer for past 5 years in row is a joint venture between India’s Hero Group and Honda Motor Company, Japan has not only created the world’s single largest two wheeler company but also one of the most successful joint ventures worldwide. India is the second largest producer and manufacturer of two-wheelers in the world. Indian two-wheeler industry has got spectacular growth in the last few years. Indian two-wheeler industry had a small beginning in the early 50’s. The Automobile Products of India (API) started manufacturing scooters in the country. Bikes are a major segment of Indian two wheeler industry, the other two being scooters and mopeds. Indian companies are among the largest two-wheeler manufacturers in the world. Hero Honda and Bajaj Auto are two of the Indian companies that top the list of world companies manufacturing two-wheelers. The two-wheeler market was opened to foreign companies in the mid 1980s. The openness of Indian market to foreign companies lead to the arrival of new models of two-wheelers into India. Easy availability of loans from the banks, relatively low rate of interest and the discount of prices offered by the dealers and manufacturers lead to the increasing demand for two-wheeler vehicles in India. This lead to the strong growth of Indian automobile industry. The two-wheeler industry in India has grown rapidly in the country since the announcement of the process of liberalization in 1991 by the then finance minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, now Prime Minister of India. Previously, there were only a handful of two-wheeler models available in the country. Currently, India is the second largest producer of two-wheelers in the world. It stands next only to China and Japan in terms of the number of two wheelers produced and the sales of two-wheelers respectively. In the year 2005-2006, the annual production of two-wheelers in India stood at around 7600801 units. The trend of owning two-wheelers is due to a variety of facts peculiar to India. One of the chief factors is poor public transport in many parts of India. Additionally, two-wheelers offer a great deal of convenience and mobility for the Indian family. Hero Honda Motors Limited, based in Delhi, India, is the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles. Hero Honda is a joint venture that began in 1984 between the Hero Group of India and Honda of Japan. It has been the world’s biggest manufacturer of 2wheeled motorized vehicles since 2001, when it produced 1. 3 million motorbikes in a single year. Hero Honda’s Splendor is the world’s largest selling motorcycle. EVOLUTION OF TWO-WHEELER INDUSTRY IN INDIA Two-wheeler segment is one of the most important components of the automobile sector that has undergone significant changes due to shift in policy environment. The two-wheeler industry has been in existence in the country since 1955. It consists of three segments viz. scooters, motorcycles and mopeds. According to the figures published by SIAM, the share of two-wheelers in automobile sector in terms of units sold was about 80 per cent during 2003- ¬04. This high figure itself is suggestive of the importance of the sector. In the initial years, entry of firms, capacity expansion, choice of products including capacity mix and technology, all critical areas of functioning of an industry, were effectively controlled by the State machinery. The lapses in the system had invited fresh policy options that came into being in late sixties. Amongst these policies, Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices (MRTP) and Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA) were aimed at regulating monopoly and foreign investment respectively. This controlling mechanism over the industry resulted in: (a) several firms operating below minimum scale of efficiency; (b) underutilization of capacity; and (c) usage of outdated technology. Recognition of the damaging effects of licensing and fettering policies led to initiation of reforms, which ultimately took a more prominent shape with the introduction of the New Economic Policy (NEP) in 1985. However, the major set of reforms was launched in the year 1991 in response to the major macroeconomic crisis faced by the economy. The industrial policies shifted from a regime of regulation and tight control to a more liberalized and competitive era. Two major results of policy changes during these years in two-wheeler industry were that the, weaker players died out giving way to the new entrants and superior products and a sizeable increase in number of brands entered the market that compelled the firms to compete on the basis of product attributes. Finally, the two- ¬wheeler industry in the country has been able to witness a proliferation of brands with introduction of new technology as well as increase in number of players. However, with various policy measures undertaken in order to increase the competition, though the degree of concentration has been lessened over time, deregulation of the industry has not really resulted in higher level of competition. A GROWTH PERSPECTIVE The composition of the two-wheeler industry has witnessed sea changes in the post-reform period. In 1991, the share of scooters was about 50 per cent of the total 2-wheeler demand in the Indian market. Motorcycle and moped had been experiencing almost equal level of shares in the total number of two wheelers. In 2003-04, the share of motorcycles increased to 78 per cent of the total two-wheelers while the shares of scooters and mopeds declined to the level of 16 and 6 per cent respectively. Different scenarios have been presented based on different assumptions regarding the demand drivers of the two-wheeler industry. The demand for mopeds is not presented in this analysis due to its already shrinking status compared to’ motorcycles and scooters. The high growth rate in motorcycle segment at present will stabilize after a certain point beyond which a condition of equilibrium will set the growth path. Another important thing to keep in mind while interpreting these growth rates is that the forecast could consider the trend till 1999 and the model could not capture the recent developments that have taken place in last few years . India is the second largest producer and manufacturer of two-wheelers in the world. Indian two-wheeler industry has got spectacular growth in the last few years. Indian two-wheeler industry had a small beginning in the early 50’s. The Automobile Products of India (API) started manufacturing scooters in the country. Bikes are a major segment of Indian two wheeler industry, the other two being scooters and mopeds. Indian companies are among the largest two-wheeler manufacturers in the world. Hero Honda and Bajaj Auto are two of the Indian companies that top the list of world companies manufacturing two-wheelers. The two-wheeler market was opened to foreign companies in the mid 1980s. The openness of Indian market to foreign companies lead to the arrival of new models of two-wheelers into India. Easy availability of loans from the banks, relatively low rate of interest and the discount of prices offered by the dealers and manufacturers lead to the increasing demand for two-wheeler vehicles in India. This lead to the strong growth of Indian automobile industry. HERO HONDA Hero Honda Motors Limited, based in Delhi, India, is the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles. Hero Honda is a joint venture that began in 1984 between the Hero Group of India and Honda of Japan. It has been the world’s biggest manufacturer of 2wheeled motorized vehicles since 2001, when it produced 1. 3 million motorbikes in a single year. During the 80s, Hero Honda became the first company in India to prove that it was possible to drive a vehicle without polluting the roads. The company introduced new generation motorcycles that set industry benchmarks for fuel thrift and low emission. A legendary ‘Fill it – Shut it – Forget it’ campaign captured the imagination of commuters across India, and Hero Honda sold millions of bikes purely on the commitment of increased mileage. Over 20 million Hero Honda two wheelers tread Indian roads today. These are almost as many as the number of people in Finland, Ireland and Sweden put together! Hero Honda has consistently grown at double digits since inception; and today, every second motorcycle sold in the country is a Hero Honda. Every 30 seconds, someone in India buys Hero Honda’s top -selling motorcycle – Splendor. This festive season, the company sold half a million two wheelers in a single month—a feat unparalleled in global automotive history. Hero Honda bikes currently roll out from its three globally benchmarked manufacturing facilities. Two of these are based at Dharuhera and Gurgaon in Haryana and the third state of the art manufacturing facility was inaugurated at Haridwar, Uttrakhand in April this year. These plants together are capable of producing out 4. 4 million units per year. Hero Honda’s extensive sales and service network now spans over 3000 customer touch points. These comprise a mix of dealerships, service and spare points, spare parts stockiest and authorized representatives of dealers located across different geographies. Hero Honda values its relationship with customers. Its unique CRM initiative – Hero Honda Passport Program, one of the largest programs of this kind in the world, has over 3 million members on its roster. The program has not only helped Hero Honda understand its customers and deliver value at different price points, but has also created a loyal community of brand ambassadors. Having reached an unassailable pole position in the Indian two wheeler market, Hero Honda is constantly working towards consolidating its position in the market place. The company believes that changing demographic profile of India, increasing urbanization and the empowerment of rural India will add millions of new families to the economic mainstream. This would provide the growth ballast that would sustain Hero Honda in the years to come. As Brijmohan Lall Munjal, the Chairman, Hero Honda Motors succinctly points out, â€Å"We pioneered India’s motorcycle industry, and it’s our responsibility now to take the industry to the next level. We’ll do all it takes to reach there. † WHICH SEGMENTS ARE BEING TARGETED AND NEED TO INFLUENCE THE TARGET MARKET? Geographic Segmentation calls for division of the market into different geographical units such as nations, states, regions, countries, cities, or neighborhoods. In the South Asian context, geographic segmentation assumes importance due to variations in consumer preferences and purchase habits across different regions, across different countries, and across different states in these countries. Demographic Segmentation In Demographic Segmentation, we divide the market into groups on the basis of variables such as age, family size, family life cycle, income, occupation, education, religion, race, generation, nationality and social class. One reason demographic variables are so popular with marketers in that they’re often associated with consumer needs and wants. Another is that they’re easy to measure. Psychographic Segmentation Psychographics is the science of using psychology and demographics to better understand consumers. In psychographic segmentation, buyers are divided into different groups on the basis of psychological/personality traits, lifestyle, or values. People within the same demographic group can exhibit very different psychographic profiles. Values and lifestyles significantly affect product and brand choice of consumers. Religion has a significant influence on values and lifestyles. Market Targeting: Effective Segmentation Criteria to be useful, market segments must rate favorably on five key criteria: 1. Measurable, the size, purchasing power and characteristics of the segments can be measured. 2. Substantial, The segments are large and profitable enough to serve. A segment should be the largest possible homogenous group worth going after with a tailored marketing program. It would not pay, for example, for an automobile manufacture to develop cars for people who are less four feet tall. 3. Accessible, The segments can be effectively reached and served. Differentiable, The segments are conceptually distinguishable and respond differently to different marketing-mix elements and programs. If married and unmarried women respond similarly to a sale on perfume, they do not constitute separate segments. Actionable, Effective programs can be formulated for attracting and serving the segments. Hero Honda is targeting at youth, Unicorn looked sportier than all the existing motorcycles in the premium segment and was pitted against Bajaj Pulsar, the leader with 75 percent market share in that segment. DIFFERENT PROMOTIONAL TOOLS USED AND THE STRATEGY BEING USING THESE TOOLS? Promotion: Above the line (ATL) is an advertising technique using mass media to promote brands. Major above-the-line techniques include TV and radio advertising, print advertising and internet banner ads. This type of communication is conventional in nature and is considered impersonal to customers. The ATL strategy makes use of current traditional media: television, newspapers, magazines, radio, outdoor, and internet. Hero Honda used Above the Line Promotion because in the Above the Line promotion co. members used advertisement through Radio, T. V. , Newspaper and Other media communications. Place: Geographical Placing: – Geographical placing of the product has divided into 4 markets and these are: 1. Local 2. National 3. Regional 4. International Hero Honda used National Market for sale the Hero Honda Splendor. Hero Honda is also planning an extensive marketing campaign with the launch, which would reflect the bike’s contemporary styling and advanced technology. The integrated marketing campaign for ZMR will include outdoor media, Web, mobile, ground activations, print and electronic media, said the company. Hero Honda Pleasure – â€Å"Why should boys have all the fun? † Isn’t that a must ride statement, that can tempt any girl to just buzz with the wind. The Hero Honda Pleasure is Hero Honda’s maiden venture into the burgeoning gear-less scooter market. The pleasure has schemed its strategies to be the best seller by concentrating much on the interest of young girls who love to rock the field of glamor, luxury and comfort. Eye catchy features: The Pleasure sports flashy colours, from Tahitian blue metallic, force silver to the ever trendy colour black. Multi-reflector headlight, body-coloured mirrors, multi-reflector indicators, trendy rear grip, modern tall light cluster, and a new age oval-shaped instrument panel all make the Pleasure a head-turner. For more comfort during the ride, the scooter is designed with broader seat that offers greater riding comfort. Capacious luggage space, has been configured which, is large enough to keep even a helmet. The Pleasure is equipped with a technology, tuff-up tube and tyre combo that offers immediate remedy in the event of a puncture, by releasing an anti-puncture sealant gel. It is capable of attaining a top speed of 77kph. Hero Honda ahead in introducing new technology. The Company has left the competition in the motorcycle segment far behind in volumes as its nearest rival, Bajaj Auto, is a distant second with a market share of around 28 per cent only. The company’s success till date relates to the timely decisions regarding introduction of new technology products. Hero Honda was the first company in India to set standards for fuel efficiency with the launch of a four-stroke motorcycle in the mid-Nineties. This decision is yielding good results even today as can be seen from an uninterrupted growth witnessed by the company in its sales turnover and profitability margins over the past several years. However, future growth in these financial parameters, to a large extent, would also depend upon the way competition gears up in the domestic motorcycle market from the local, as well as foreign players. An eye on the customer In an effort to enhance value for customers, the company has initiated the â€Å"Rs 1001 customer price† benefit program across all its models. In addition, the passport program — which entitles a customer to a Rs 1 lakh accident insurance, lucky draws, gifts against redeemable points, cash discount on consumer durables, free tickets to company sponsored events, etc. – has met with an encouraging response (it has attracted around five lakh members to date) and is expected to continue its success into the future as well. Hero Honda: A ‘passion’ for growth Hero Honda has come up with yet another year of sharp growth in financial performance. The company has developed this ability to spring a surprise in terms of outperforming expectationsThe increase in sales volume and improvement in realization have both played a role in pushing up the turnover. The change in product-mix in favour of higher value products has resulted in improved realization for the company. The growing popularity of the Passion model appears to be the key factor behind improvement in unit realization. Aided by the emphasis on indigenisation, the company has managed to achieve better operational efficiency. The positive impact of these measures is reflected in the form of lower raw material cost (in relation to sales). The company is all set to make a foray into the lower price segment of the four-stroke market. Taking into account the recent trend in performance, the company appears well positioned to retain its top position in the motor cycle market and also sustain the recent rate of growth. Hero Honda is World Leader For 2001- 02, volume up by 38 per cent ; net profit soars by 88 per cent; total turnover up by 42 per cent Achieves a high 48 per cent motorcycle market share; and 33 per cent two-wheeler market share Announces 350 per cent final dividend and 250 per cent celebration dividend (over and above special interim dividend of 250%) Over the last five years, company’s total turnover grows by a whopping 580 %; PAT by 919 % Hero Honda plans sports spectacular. Hero Honda plans to organize a sports and glamour extravaganza in the country, on the lines of the Laureus World Sports Awards currently on in Monaco , in association with the Laureus world sports for Good Foundation, the organizer of the award. Revving up to stay on top Having achieved the status of the largest two-wheeler company in the world, Hero Honda now seeks to retain that slot. The company has a large portfolio of brands, with the money-spinners being mainly Splendor (the world’s largest selling bike) and Passion. However, the company claims it was the launch of the 150cc CBZ, which established Hero Honda as an aspirational brand. â€Å"The launch of CBZ got us into a different league altogether. Celebrating its 25th year, Hero Honda released an innovative music video in the month of September. Titled â€Å"Hero Honda Dhak Dhak Go†, and involving as many as eight brand ambassadors of Hero Honda, the music video has been receiving rave reviews. WHICH STRATEGY OUT OF PUSH AND PULL IS USED AND WHY? Hero Honda is using both the strategy push as well as pull A push-pull-system in business describes the movement of a product or information between two subjects. On markets the consumers usually â€Å"pulls† the goods or information they demand for their needs, while the offerers or suppliers â€Å"pushes† them toward the consumers. Different push and pull strategies used by hero Honda: Push strategy Another meaning of the push strategy in marketing can be found in the communication between seller and buyer. In dependence of the used medium, the communication can be either interactive or non-interactive. For example, if the seller makes his promotion by television or radio, it’s not possible for the buyer to interact with. On the other hand, if the communication is made by phone or internet, the buyer has possibilities to interact with the seller. In the first case information is just â€Å"pushed† toward the buyer, while in the second case it is possible for the buyer to demand the needed information according to his requirements. Applied to that portion of the supply chain where demand uncertainty is relatively small Production & distribution decisions are based on long term forecasts Based on past orders received from retailer’s warehouse (may lead to Bullwhip effect) Inability to meet changing demand patterns. Large and variable production batches Unacceptable service levels Excessive inventories due to the need for large safety stocks Pull strategy In a â€Å"pull† system the consumer requests the product and â€Å"pulls† it through the delivery channel. An example of this is the car manufacturing company Ford Australia. Ford Australia only produces cars when they have been ordered by the customers. Applied to that portion of the supply chain where demand uncertainty is high Production and distribution are demand driven No inventory, response to specific orders. Point of sale (POS) data comes in handy when shared with supply chain partners Decrease in lead time Difficult to implement Key Hero Honda brands continue to drive strong volumes across segments – CD Deluxe in entry segment, Glamour, the new Splendor NXG, Splendor + and Passion Plus in deluxe segment, and Hunk, CBZ X-treme and Karizma in the premium segment. .Hero Honda’s strategy for aggressive top line growth through new product launches, brand building initiatives backed by innovative communication has resulted in market share gain across every segment. Indeed, Hero Honda’s share in domestic motorcycles market has been growing upward of 50 per cent, despite the slowdown in the two-wheeler industry â€Å"However, we will stay true to our winning strategy, and keep refreshing our product portfolio and continue to invest in brand building. CRITICAL APPRAISAL The feeling of freedom and being one with the Nature comes only from riding a two wheeler. Indians prefer the two wheelers because of their small manageable size, low maintenance, pricing and easy loan repayments. Indian streets are full of people of all age groups riding a two wheeler. Motorized two wheelers are seen as a symbol of status by the populace. Thus, in India, we would see swanky four wheels jostling with our ever reliable and sturdy steed: the two wheeler. Since the first car rolled out on the streets of Mumbai (then Bombay) in 1898, the Automobile Industry of India has come a long way. India is the second largest producer and manufacturer of two-wheelers in the world. Indian two-wheeler industry has got spectacular growth in the last few years. In India there are 7 scooter manufacturers, 9 motorcycle manufacturers, 3 moped manufacturers. Bajaj Auto, Hero Honda, TVS, etc are the leading manufacturers. HEROHONDA has been the world’s biggest manufacturer of 2-wheeled motorized vehicles since 2001, when it produced 1. 3 million motorbikes in a single year. Hero Honda’s Splendor is the world’s largest selling motorcycle. Today Hero Honda has an assembly line of nine different models of motorcycles available. It holds the record for most popular bike in the world by sales for Its Splendor model. Strategies followed by hero honda Premium pricing, penetration pricing, economy pricing, and price skimming are the four main pricing policies/strategies. They form the bases for the exercise. However there are other important approaches to pricing. Promotion: Below the Line Promotion: „Below The Line is a common technique used for touches and feel products. Those consumer items where the customer will rely on immediate information than previously researched items. Below The Line techniques ensure recall of the brand while at the same time highlighting the features of the product. ‘Honda’ was already a household name in India. Hence, rather than putting major efforts into brand building, its marketing strategy emphasized on offering innovative products at competitive prices, novel promotional campaigns and developing an extensive distribution network†¦ So at last we can say that hero Honda is having a very good promotional strategy and this is the main reason of its success. It basically focuses on its customer satisfaction and from time to time it keep on showing its creativity and innovation It â€Å"However, we will stay true to our winning strategy, and keep refreshing our product portfolio and continue to invest in brand building. â€Å"One of the key pillars of hero honda strategy has been to consistently keep introducing new, advanced products and maintaining a balanced product portfolio.

Modern Virtue Ethics Essay

To what extent do modern virtue ethics address the weaknesses of Aristotle’s teaching on virtues? (35) Virtue Ethics looks at a person’s good traits, known as ‘virtues’ and negative traits, known as ‘vices’; a person is considered to be a good person if they are virtuous and a morally bad person if they have developed lots of vices. Deontological and teleological ethicists argue that good or bad behaviour is far more important than a person’s good or bad characteristics whereas Virtue Theory argues it is only by becoming a better person that we will engage in the ‘right’ behaviour; Virtue Theory looks at the agent in itself and rather than the action. The key concepts of Virtue Ethics were first penned by the ancient Greek philosopher, Aristotle and in more recent times have been adapted and added to by Alasdair MacIntyre. Aristotle’s theory is made up of many key features, including Moral Virtues, The Doctrine of the Mean, Eudaimonia, and Friendship and the Community. According to Aristotle, everything has a purpose, for example, pens, their purpose is to write, if the pen fulfils its purpose and writes well, it is a good pen. In the same way, if we equate Eudaimonia to the pen, Eudaimonia is the supreme goal of human life, if a person reaches Eudaimonia, they are a considered a good person as the purpose was to be happy, therefore they have reached their purpose, just as the pen reaches its own. He also argued that every action comes down to this aim, every human being desires to be as happy as possible. An example of this is to ask a Doctor or a Lawyer why they chose such professions, the majority would answer that they chose this profession because it pays well and they believed that being paid well would lead to an easier and happy life, or Eudaimonia. Aristotle’s theory also says that relationships and friendships play a very important role in how we behave as people and how our actions are determined; we should all aim to individually achieve Eudaimonia, which would therefore achieve the greatest good for society as a whole as everyone would be happier; Aristotle sees our communal friendships and relationships as a vital part of our moral code and flourishing as a virtuous being. As previously mentioned, a good life involves developing a good character and these are known as moral virtues which are cultivated by habit; one must practice these good virtues in order to adopt them. Some of the key virtues Aristotle spoke of include modesty, generosity, patience, truthfulness and friendliness. Aristotle also spoke of Intellectual Virtues and Cardinal Virtues. Aristotle believed that we should aim to be virtuous people and avoid vices. Aristotle’s theory is centered around the concept of The Doctrine of the Mean; this states that there are two different vices that accompany every virtue- the Vice of Deficiency and the Vice of Excess. The Vice of Deficiency refers to a distinct lack of virtues, whereas the Vice of Excess refers to too much of the virtue being present. For example, modesty, if there is a distinct lack of this virtue, it may result in shamelessness and if there is too much of this virtue, it may result in shyness. Aristotle argued that the ‘Golden (or Virtuous) Mean’ is the middle of these to extremes and that is what people should aim to have. Aristotle’s theory is very logical and encourages people to adopt good characteristics which in an ideal world would result in every individual being as happy as possible; however there are many criticisms of this theory. For example, it is somewhat unclear of what is considered a virtue and what is considered a vice and it is also unclear of who is responsible for deciding these; as well as this, it could be argued that it is not possible to measure these virtues. It could also be argued that if every individual had exactly the same characteristics, everyone would be the same and the world be become mundane and monotonous. Virtue Ethics also does not provide clear guidelines or rules of how to act in specific circumstances and is vague and subjective. Alasdair Macintyre is a Scottish philosopher, whose writing dates to the 20th Century CE. He made an attempt to alter Aristotle’s theory in order to make it more relative and contexualise the ideas. Macintyre felt that morality had become lax and felt that they had become far hypothetical. He felt that people focused more on how an ethical theory would hold up under uncommon and unrealistic circumstances rather than situations where morality counts. He believed that we should understand the context of ethics before attempting to fix modern moral dilemmas. Macintyre’s belief in context as the central part to ethical decision making shows us that he is relative in his ideology. He believed that virtues would change over time naturally, for example, bravery for us is a person that confronts a gang of youths, throwing rocks at windows, or a police tackling a burglar, however 2000 years ago, bravery was considered as a man dying in battle, for his country. This is an attempt at addressing a weakness of Aristotelian Virtue Ethics, as it would encourage the person to look at the time and place before deciding whether the character traits are good or not. It has to be said that what may be considered good in the Congo may not necessarily be considered good in Brixton, London. Finally Macintyre addresses the issue of External and Internal goods. Internal Goods are what he calls, the qualities of a person’s character. The External Goods are the things that a person relies on, for example,food or a decent living arrangement. He states that although these are valuable to the human nature, they can be considered good or bad. However the Internal Goods are the most important. This gives more relativism than Aristotelian Virtue Ethics which can be considered an improvement. In conclusion I feel that Alasdair Macintyre has made a good attempt to improve and change Aristotle’s version of Virtue Ethics, however we can still see some weaknesses. For example, it is even more relative than Aristotle’s version and this can lead to ambiguity when facing a moral dilemma. This has not been addressed, in the modern version by Macintyre. It also does not eliminate the idea of universal virtues to achieve Eudaimonia. This is problematic. So, I feel that his attempt must be congratulated but I do not feel that it has been entirely successful as there are still elements which could be improved further.

The age of Renaissance, Enlightenment Revolutionary Period

The age of Renaissance, Enlightenment Revolutionary Period The Patriot is a 2000 war movie that Robert Rodat wrote. Ronald Emmerich directed this three-hour movie starring various high profile actors. The movie portrays the events that were taking place in South Carolina during the American Revolution War. It was filmed in South Carolina where these events used to take place.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The age of Renaissance, Enlightenment Revolutionary Period specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The main actors in this movie include Mel Gibson (Benjamin Martin), Heath Ledger (Gabriel Martin), Joely Richardson (Charlotte Selton), Jason Isaacs (Col. William Tavington), Chris Cooper (Col. Harry Burwell), Tom Wilkinson (Gen. Lord Charles Cornwallis), and Adam Baldwin (Apt. Wilkins). The other high profile characters in the movie include Reverend Oliver, Anne Howard, Jean Villeneuve, Dan Scott, John Billings, Occam, Peter Howard, Thomas martin among others. The movie portrays the American’s victory over their English armies. In this movie, Benjamin Martin (Mel Gibson), a South Carolina farmer and a hero of the French and Indian war is shown as being reluctant to join the Revolutionary war of 1776 (The American Movie Database, para. 1). Martin is a widower and lives with his seven children in South Carolina. One of his sons, Gabriel, becomes a member of the Continental army contrary to his acknowledgment. One day, Gabriel comes home wounded from war and the British army comes for him to hang him. His younger brother tries to release him from the British army but Tavington shoots him. Benjamin, with the help of his other two sons, manages to rescue Gabriel after killing a number of the British soldiers. Benjamin then is drawn into the revolutionary conflict against his anti-war feelings. He makes a vow to exterminate Tavington before the end of the bloody battle and allows his children to go to his wife’s sister while he links with his old fr iend Colonel Burwell, and, pilots the local army in the conflict against the British forces. In the end, Benjamin succeeds in killing Tavington and Cornwallis moves back and admits defeat. The arrival of French forces to confront the weakened British army in the battle of Yorktown is what compelled the opponents of the Americans to give in.Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The Patriot has both historical accuracies and inaccuracies. The writer of this movie wanted to bring out the events that took place during the American revolutionary war when the American people were fighting to get their independence from the British government. The movie uses characters that represent the real people during this revolutionary war but with changed names (Lindahl, para.3). Many of the battles in the film are also historically accurate as well as other events, which the writer did not openly mention. It is important to note that the movie is not a historical documentary and therefore contains some historical inaccuracies. The author had to fictionalize the characters and some events in order to tell the best drama story. The battles presented in this movie are historically accurate in that they are those that took place during the American Revolutionary war. These battles include those at Camdem, Charleston, Cowpens, Guilford Courthouse and Yorktown. The author used Benjamin Martin to represent other personalities who played a significant role during the revolutionary war, but also added some other elements to him to suite other prominent historical figures, and, the approach shown in the movie of using the band of soldiers to draw British Army in the last battle is the same approach that Daniel Morgan used in the Battle of Cowpens. General Charles Cornwallis was an actual historical character making this movie historically accurate. It is also true that Cornwall is mentored Lt. The other events depicted in the movie that are historically accurate include Martin’s raid on Fort wilderness, Tavington’s acts of burning a militia leader’s home and killing his son, use of projectiles during the revolutionary war, and the existence of slave colonies during the revolutionary war. It is also true that slaves became free after participating in the Revolutionary war for one year. These and many other events in the movie show the historical accuracy of this movie. The movie also has some historical inaccuracies. Because the movie is not a historical documentary, the author added some fiction, which makes it historically inaccurate. The movie gives a number of misrepresentations of the battles and other incidences surrounding the American Revolutionary war as well as the personnel used. The movie does not use the actual historical characters in presenting the message. The author had to incorporate many characters in Benjamin in orde r for him to represent more than one of the historical characters.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The age of Renaissance, Enlightenment Revolutionary Period specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The battles in South Carolina were also brutal than portrayed in the movie. The movie also shows Benjamin killing Tavington but this did not happen historically. General Cornwallis also never lost any battle in the field as the movie portrays. In the movie, the British army releases the members of the militia group an issue that never happened with the army in history. These and many other events portray the historical inaccuracies of this movie. The Patriot Presents the historic victory of the Americans against the British in the battle of Yorktown. This happened in 1781 when the forces of the Americans, led by General Washington, with the help of the French forces, led by Comte Rochambeau, forced the British army, led by Lieu tenant General Lord Cornwallis, to surrender. This historically happened as it is shown in The Patriot. The French army came in to give reinforcement to the American Army in fighting the British army and end its control over Yorktown and America as a whole. The American patriots were determined during this time to gain their independence. Lord Cornwallis surrendered on October 19, 1781. He surrendered to the American army through his second in command and this action ended the revolutionary war with Britain. The writer of The Patriot tried to bring out the message of the revolutionary war in his own style. He tried to bring out the events as they happened during the Revolutionary war. Most of the events and actions of the patriots during this revolutionary period were true as presented in the movie (Leong, para. 1). It is true that most of the patriots, as shown through Benjamin, did not want to participate in this revolutionary war at first. The historical accuracies presented in t he film also support the authenticity of this film. The film shows that some colonists wanted independency, a rare tactic was employed to defeat the British at the battle of Hanna’s Cowpens, and the French assisted the Americans to make the war unsustainable for them. This was factual in the history of the Revolutionary war. Even though this was the case, the author presents gross misrepresentation of some events and characters in the movie making The Patriot a propaganda film. The movie shifts blame between the two rival groups making the movie a propaganda film. Most of things that the movie portrays the redcoats doing, especially their deeds and purposes, were really those of the patriots towards the redcoats who were devoted to the king and the film illustrates the wicked character of Tavington on Britain’s Dragoon Colonel Banastre Tarleton. However, it is of essence to note that even though Tarleton was not an angel, he was not the kind of giant that the film want s to portray him to be and he did not pass away in the conflict as portrayed in the film; however, he passed away some fifty years afterward.Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More There are also many misrepresentations in the movie that are misleading as far as the patriot’s history is concerned. The movie managed to depict happy slaves in the farms when in the real sense slaves where not easily granted freedom and were not happy. The author shows that the colonists beat the French and the Indians but this was not the case. The riots in Charleston in the movie look very normal while in the real case they were brutal and bloody as they were a show of one against the loyal majority. Generally, the movie gives a wrong impression of the war and depicts the Britain army in a negative way, which was not the case. The filmmaker seems to shift the blame to the British and make them seem bad than they actually were. Stereotypes are evident in this film. The film presents stereotypes about women and ethnic groups, including Africans (slaves) and the British army. The movie shows women performing a secondary role of taking care of children during the Revolutionar y war. In reality, women were actively involved in the war and some of them joined the army to fight the British army. The movie also brings out stereotypes about the British army. Whenever a British soldier comes to stage, he is backed up with all sorts of negatives and evils to make him appear bad. The patriot is presented with positive characters and inaccurate facts to make him appear good. The movie also shows the British army gathering people into a church and burning them all in it. As much as this shows the stereotypes that the movie presents towards the British army, it also presents religious stereotyping. In reality, the British army never burnt people in a church. The events and personalities presented in this movie reflect what is happening in our society currently. Many militia groups have formed in many countries to fight the ruling governments. Brutality is a common happening and people witness bloody attacks that disrupt peace and development in these regions. Stere otypes still exist in our modern society. Racial discrimination, though reduced, is also common in some areas. These negative attributes have led to poor developments in our countries and regions. In conclusion, The Patriot is a movie that depicts the events that were taking place during the American Revolutionary war. Even though this movie has some historical accuracy, it also has gross inaccuracies that misrepresent the events of this war; therefore, this reduces its overall credibility. Leong, Anthony. â€Å"The Patriot Movie Review.† Media Circus Navigation. 2000. Web. mediacircus.net/patriot.html Lindahl, Lars. â€Å"The Patriot Review.† Killer Movies.com. Killer Movies, 1 July 2000. Web. killermovies.com/p/thepatriot/reviews/ed1.html The American Movie Database (IMDb). â€Å"Storyline for the Patriot.† IMDb.com. IMDb, n.d. Web. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0187393/

The Vietnam War Essays - Vietnam War, Tet Offensive, South Vietnam

The Vietnam War Essays - Vietnam War, Tet Offensive, South Vietnam The Vietnam War The United States made the right decision in joining the war efforts of the South Vietnamese. The only mistake was that the U.S. should have done everything in its power to win the war as quickly as possible. The U.S. was obligated by the Truman Doctrine to contain communism. Truly the best way to contain it would be to defeat it. This war was a person changing experience. With all the horrible pain and gore the soldiers had to see and endure, they could never be the people they once were. Supporters and protesters back in the U.S. were causing chaos. The Doves and the Hawks, the Doves against the war and the Hawks supporting the war, divided a country. In the face of death, the brave men of the military of the United States fought on to make the world a little better for everyone. The United States had a clear advantage. Their military, weaponry, and combat skills were superior. If not for the North Vietnamese knowledge of the terrain and guerrilla tactics, the war would have possibly been a short one. However, the U.S. government only sent what they felt to be adequate manpower to contain communism, not to defeat it. They wanted to keep the loss of lives down, and keep the Doves as happy as possible. If only they had sent a massive force into enemy territory, they could have bombed the North Vietnamese thoroughly and invaded their country with extreme force. This would have the potential to end the war more quickly and save American lives, and the success of the victory. The Truman Doctrine was first set forth by United States President Harry S. Truman in 1947. The immediate objective of the policy was to send U.S. aid to anti-Communist forces in Greece and Turkey, but it was later expanded to justify support for any nation that the United States government believed was threatened by Communism during the Cold War period, in this case, the Vietnam War. The Vietnam War took its toll on the American soldiers. When they returned home, they were different people. They didn?t look the same, they didn?t act the same, they weren?t the same. Some could not hold on to their sanity in light of what they had seen and been through. In order to take the soldiers minds off the horrors all around them the U.S. command brought in boatloads of toys for the men to play with, everything from go-carts to violins. There was surfing, sailing, and miniature golfing. Almost everyone got a chance to spend a day or two at the beach pretending that he wasn?t in Vietnam. Large bases had Olympic size swimming pools and air-conditioned libraries, softball fields, and basketball courts. Even the toughest of bases had a net and a volleyball.1 The men also tried their best to keep their minds off the war. A soldier could requisition from Special Services enough musical instruments to form a band or maybe the army band would entertain. If they were too far out in the boonies, with a little ingenuity and a few raw materials a man could rig up a washtub bass and make his own music. In the earlier days of the war, U.S. military personnel on leave in Saigon could put on civilian clothes and play tourist. Even after the 1968 Tet 1 Combat Photographer p. 61 attacks it was possible to enjoy sightseeing, shopping, and carousing in Saigon, but the city was a much more tense place. In the early day it was also fairly common for American serviceman to live in civilian housing, often with a Vietnamese girlfriend. After the Tet Offensive, (the attack on Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam, and some provincial capitals by Communist troops on January 30, 1968.) this was largely prohibited, but some servicemen managed to continue the arrangement with the tacit approval of their superiors. Near the big Tan Son Nhut air base there was a street known as ?Soul Alley? where a number of black soldiers lived with Vietnamese women and commuted to their jobs on the base. The war was taking so long because the U.S. was only trying to contain the enemy, the soldiers needed something to improve moral. One of the major American imports to Vietnam was the visiting celebrity. The stars would be fitted with jungle fatigues, briefed by the brass, and flown all around the country to visit firebases and hospitals where they would shake hands, sign autographs, and pose

Definition and Examples of Clang Association

Definition and Examples of Clang Association Clang association is word choice determined not by logic or meaning but by a words similarity in sound to another word. Also known as an association by sound  or  clanging. Clang association sometimes influences semantic change. For example, originally the noun fruition meant enjoyment, pleasure before its association with fruit developed the sense fulfillment, realization (John Algeo in The Cambridge History of the English Language: 1776-1997). Clang Association and Semantic Change Similarity or identity of sound may likewise influence meaning. Fay, from the Old French fae fairy has influenced fey, from Old English fà ¦ge fated, doomed to die to such an extent that fey is practically always used nowadays in the sense spritely, fairlylike. The two words are pronounced alike, and there is an association of meaning at one small point: fairies are mysterious; so is being fated to die, even though we are all so fated. There are many other instances of such confusion through clang association (that is, association by sound rather than meaning). For example, in conservative use fulsome means offensively insincere as in fulsome praise, but it is often used in the sense extensive because of the clang with full; fruition is from Latin frui to enjoy by way of Old French, and the term originally meant enjoyment but now usually means state of bearing fruit, completion (Rex, 1969); fortuitous earlier meant occurring by chance but now is generally used as a synonym for fortu nate because of its similarity to that word. (T. Pyles and J. Algeo, The Origins and Development of the English Language. Harcourt, 1982) President George W. Bushs Clang Associations [George] Bushs spontaneous public statements also suggest that he listens to and uses words based on their sound, not on their meaninga practice known in psychology as clang association. This accounts for many of his famous malapropisms: commending American astronauts as courageous spacial entrepreneurs, referring to the press as the punditry, wondering whether his policies resignate with the people, warning Saddam Hussein that he would be persecuted as a war criminal after the fall of Iraq. (Justin Frank, Bush on the Couch. Harper, 2004) Clang Association in the Language of Schizophrenics [E]arly investigations into the language of schizophrenics (see Kasanin 1944) came upon the phenomenon of a spate of talk being touched off by the sound of some word in a prior utterance (so-called clang association), a phenomenon which students of conversation will recognize as not uncommon in ordinary talk. But having found it through the close examination of schizophrenic talk (talk which could be so closely examined by virtue of its speakers disgnoses), it was taken as specially characteristic of such talk. So also with childrens talk, etc.(Emanuel A. Schegloff, Reflections on Talk and Social Structure. Talk and Social Structure: Studies in Ethnomethodology and Conversation Analysis, ed. by Deirdre Boden and Don H. Zimmerman. University of California Press, 1991) The Lighter Side of Clang Associations All right, Cranberry said. Your trouble is, you cant pass a word up. Youre a compulsive punner. . . .There is something we call Klang associations. Its a sort of chain punning, and is characteristic of certain encysted types. Your pattern is a complex and refined variation of these word salads.It is also, I answered coolly, if I am not mistaken, the method by which James Joyce constructed Finnegans Wake. . . .At length, my habit cleared up. . . . [W]hen a dinner companion exclaimed that she had glimpsed three wedges of southbound geese over her rooftop in one day, I [did not] succumb to the temptation to murmur, Migratious!(Peter De Vries, Compulsion. Without a Stitch in Time. Little Brown, 1972)

The Philosophies Influencing Latin America Assignment

The Philosophies Influencing Latin America - Assignment Example The Jesuits generation perpetuated the intellectual traditionalism up to the mid 18th century, and then they tried to modernize the thought of Aristotle. Political chaos hindered the widening of the academic philosophy at the start of the 19th century, but later, positivism was well established in the majority of the Latin American countries (Gaus & Courtland, 2011). New intellectual movements erupted as a reaction against anti positivism in the early the 20th century. Between the 16th and 17th centuries, the philosophies in Latin America had a tendency to strengthen medieval ideas (Oliver, 1998). The Portuguese and Spanish were, therefore, influenced to take up medieval land ownership systems including the relationships between the servants and their masters. The natives were treated as slaves. However, with the Latin Americans’ growing awareness of new philosophies and ideas in Europe and North America, they began adopting them but at a very slow pace (Gaus & Courtland, 2011). For instance, the idea of democracy was relatively established in America by the end of the 1700s, but it took much longer for Latin America to adopt democracy. Marxist philosophy has influenced the continued punitive justice systems, issues of power and human rights. Most of the cultures are still based on the thoughts that Marxist theories describe reality accurately. Caudillos ascended to power mostly by illegal and violent means, although some were highly educated in theology (Oliver, 1998). There were groups of caudillos that were social liberals, while others favored free markets. However, most hindered the separation of state from government. During their rule, Latin American natives were forced into labor and peasants worked the land for long hours. They also took away the right of the middle-class citizens to vote or own land.  

Why was there so much violence in Rome in the late Republic Essay

Why was there so much violence in Rome in the late Republic - Essay Example 140) Caesar’s rise to power and his eventual assassination demonstrate the violence that permeated Rome’s late Republic. Caesar was pivotal in the increase in violence as he helped militarize the Roman city. Earlier, Rome was plagued by anarchy and that Cnaeus Pompeius was entrusted with the restoration of order. He achieved this by bringing legionaries into the center of the city, the first time that serving soldiers have been brought there for this purpose, except in times of civil war. (Lintott, p. xiv) After order was restored, these legionaries remained in Rome for two more years under Pompeius’ command. Now, this was used by Julius Caesar as a reason to invade Italy with the pretext of defending his own status. This invasion would bring the Republic to an end. The transition from armies that were fighting in the battlefield to gangs fighting in the streets has sparked the violence in the late Republic. Such transition was disastrous and it is not difficult to understand why. Cicero argued in favor of arming the Roman citizens in his defense of Milo. However, this proved disastrous as more and more people became violent with their arms up to the point that the government could no longer control them. By the time the Roman Senate passed legislation to control bearing arms for violent purposes in the public realm, it was already too late. A specific example of the most controversial disturbances happened in 59 B.C., when the consul Bibulus tried to block his colleague Caesar’s legislation. According to Crook, Lintoot and Rawson’s account: Bibulus offered religious objection to Caesar’s proposals in the traditional way, according to the process known as abnutiatio: he appeared in the Forum and declared to the presiding magistrate that he had seen evil omens†¦ As the year went on, however, civil disturbances increased and Bibulus became the object of such violent assaults that he took refuge in his house and merely issued messages that he was

According to Ghaye (2001) there is a growing body of knowledge which Essay

According to Ghaye (2001) there is a growing body of knowledge which suggests that reflective practice has the potential to transform who we are and we do. Dis - Essay Example This model purports that the first phase of reflection is awareness. This may be triggered by either disturbing or positive thoughts or feelings about a situation or event – which in this case is the critical incident. During the second phase of reflection, the person undertakes a critical analysis of what transpired. He draws upon his significant knowledge and experiences, and on the application of novel knowledge. Such realizations, in the form of new knowledge, are the expected output of the analysis. This entails critical thinking and self-assessment – this comes with increasing awareness about the self (Scanlon & Chernomas, 1997). The last stage is the development of a novel approach in accordance with one’s critical analysis and the implementation of novel knowledge onto the context or situation for which one has undergone the reflection. The new approach that one intends to adopt may be characterized by cognitive, attitudinal and behavioural modifications. A logical expectation would be adaptive when one considers that the person increases in his effectiveness both as a person and as a team member. Apparently, learning has transpired. In effect, this perspective of reflective learning suits a handful of theoretical models. These include that of Schon (1987) which advocates the reflective practitioner and â€Å"knowing-in-action† framework. Reflective learning journals are significant tools in translating theory into viable action, that is, praxis. Reflective learning journals have been utilized for quite some time now, specifically in the nursing and teacher education disciplines, to improve individual learning effectiveness, encompassing critical and creative thinking (Kobert, 1995; McCrindle & Christensen, 1995; Meyers & Jones, 1993). In an early application, Hahnemann (1986) had nursing undergraduates spend 10-15 minutes in class time doing their journal entries over the semester. She reported

Visual analysis of The Merode Altarpiece Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Visual analysis of The Merode Altarpiece - Essay Example The Merode Altarpiece is a painting by Renaissance artist Robert Campin whose creation time is around 1427 to 1432. The painting was created in Tournai in the Netherlands, which is the artist’s place of origin but it is currently on display at the Metropolitan Museum in the United States (The Metropolitan Museum of Art). The painting is divided into three panels; the main panel shows the moment just before the annunciation of Mary. She is sitting on the floor reading a bible and is looking down. To her left is an angel she is not aware of, with an oval table separating them. A small figure of Jesus is flying towards Mary holding a crucifix. The right panel has Saint Joseph in a carpentry workshop where he is making mousetraps with a townscape appearing behind him in an open window. The right panel has two figures, assumingly the commissioners of the painting, called the donors waiting to go inside an open door (Barnet, Peter, & Nancy 125). This painting also goes by the name à ¢â‚¬Å"The Annunciation†, which is an event in the Christian Holy Bible in which a virgin by the name of Mary receives the news of her appointment to be the earthly mother of God’s son, Jesus.An angel from heaven visits her while she is at home and gives her the good news. The name itself also hints one on the purpose of the painting: Christian believers or cathedrals for devotional and aesthetic purposes commissioned altarpieces. It is therefore a religious artwork. The artist captures the human figures and specifically their faces with their expressions on, making the artwork more of a combination of portraits to make a composition. However, there are outdoor scenes appearing from the openings and windows in the backgrounds depicting cityscapes. The work therefore combines both landscape and portraiture although the portraiture aspect seems to dominate more. According to the Metropolitan Museum, The Merode Altarpiece measures 64.5 cm in length by 117.8 cm as an overall painting with a main panel of dimensions 64.1cm by 63.2 cm, and two identical side panels measuring 64.5cm by 27.3cm each. The width of the painting is slightly below two times the height therefore creating a rectangular (landscape) orientation of the work. The artist employs much use of rectangles, squares, and straight lines in vertical or horizontal movements that harmoniously blend in with the shape of the frame. For instance, in the middle panel where the figures are in a room and the wall and ceiling lines originate from the background and come to meet the frame, creating a view as if one is peering through a window or the wall is missing (Nici 243). The frames merge with most of the shapes rather than disagree with or break them. The Merode Altarpiece is oil on Oakwood. The style of creating workspace and framing is popular as panel art. Panel art is a technique of creating frames in the renaissance period where artists had carpenters make them wooden panels covered with clo th and plastered with gesso paste to create a smooth painting surface (D’Elia 19). The work is done in oil paints, which is another preference of most renaissance artists. During the renaissance period, the use of tempera colors was becoming unpopular as artists discovered that oil

How The things we use make us part of this world Research Paper

How The things we use make us part of this world - Research Paper Example Consequently, anyone hardly recognizes the role played by items they utilize in enhancing the broader picture of globalization and economic advancement (Kalb, Pansters and Siebers 1). This write-up identifies the roles played by diverse persons and the integration of the global populace. Additionally, it discusses issues pertaining to oil from its source in to the pumps citizens visit daily. Fundamentally, policies adopted by different regimes following the culmination of WWII have steered globalization (Kalb, Pansters and Siebers 1). Oil Import to United States Crane, Goldthau & Toman, et al., (5) approximate that the U.S purchases 12 million units daily. The U.S consumes about 25% of the total oil produced in the world. However, it only produces 10% of the full global production. This indicates that such a fraction is considerable. The transport sector is the major consumer of oil in the U.S. Cordesman and Al-Rodhan (33) indicates that the transport sector consumes 70% of the impor ted oil. Most oil originates from Canada. However, countries like Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Venezuela and West Africa also contribute substantially to the imports. The major byproducts of crude oil are gasoline, diesel and oil. These refined fuels are massively important in the development of a good transport arrangement. Apparently, continued economic development in the established economies and the emerging countries rely on oil (Cordesman and Al-Rodhan 33). In the global stage, every entity aspires to safeguard her sources of crude oil. This has lead to the establishment of economical treaties to safeguard these strategic interests. The Social life and journey of Oil Numerous products arise from crude oil. A good illustration is gasoline. Canada is the principal source of U.S oil; the raw material for the manufacture of gasoline originates from the Alberta’s oil fields. However, the journey to obtaining gasoline starts with oil exploration. Secondly, drilling and extraction fo llows (Gorelick 206). a. â€Å"Exploration, Drilling and Extraction of Oil† (Gorelick 206). Finding deposits in inhospitable areas is exceedingly expensive and intricate. The next phase of drilling, removal and transporting to the intended market in the U.S pose major environmental, cultural and health problems. Oil companies use advance â€Å"remote sensing and satellite mapping technologies† to locate reserves (Gorelick 210). Additionally, seismic technology assists in identification of suspected reserves. According to Gorelick (210), extraction of oil impacts massively on environment than oil spillage. These impacts incorporate colossal deforestation, chemical contagion of both â€Å"land and water†, interference with animal habitats and safety risks to both industry workers and surrounding communities (Gorelick 210). The oil sector generates more effluents than other industries. Gorelick (210) describes oil as an effluent containing heavy metals like â€Å" barium, arsenic, cadmium, chromium and mercury†. It also contains industrial strength materials. In some cases, the water is 100% more radioactive than nuclear plants’ discharge. Oil spillage represents a principal source of contagion. The latest illustration is the adversity witnessed in the â€Å"Gulf of Mexico† (Gorelick 210). Additionally, emissions from wells front a noteworthy environmental contamination. Several health

Race and racism (evolution Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Race and racism (evolution - Coursework Example An example is Pedro Alonzo Nino who was a pilot of a ship in the fleet led by Christopher Columbus and was believed to be African (Smedley 89). Native Americans on the other were less exploited as slaves due to the fact that many of them got ill quite often and succumbed to European diseases. They were also perceived to be brutal and many would escape since they knew the land better than anyone else. This left the planters no choice but to take advantage of the vulnerable Africans and turn them into slaves. It is in 1661 that Virginia was granted a formal slave status by Queen Elizabeth which allowed slaves to be bought and sold just like any other commodity. From this time Africans’ status dropped drastically and they were consequently believed to be inferior to all other races. This legality to trade in slaves facilitated and maintained this trade for centuries. There was the perception that the whites were more superior to all other races while the rest were termed as color ed people. The whites in America even disregarded immigrants from Europe. They claimed to be biologically different from all immigrants regardless of origin. This perception created rifts in the society which caused the Americans to dominate others. The New World perpetuated slave trade because they had vast lands which were productive and the climate was favorable (106). This followed a massive expansion of plantations in Georgia and South Carolina which translated to increased production levels of rice and tobacco. These slaves did a great deal of work which the white servants had refused to do for example draining of swamps. West Africans came in handy especially in rice growing plantations since they were familiar with the kind of work required as their mother lands grew rice. Slaves worked for 15 hours on a daily basis especially during the harvest season. One overseer was required to supervise a minimum of 20 slaves doing back-breaking work and when a slave lazed around, the o verseer was supposed to whip them. The fact that slaves were cheap to buy and maintain saw planters buy them in masses so as to plant and cultivate more (281). As earlier indicated slaves used to work for many hours per day which translated to bumper harvests and therefore booming plantation business. Many plantation owners like the Byrd family from Virginia turned to be quite wealthy. Such families came together to form elite classes of planters in the southern states who ensured that slave trade remained because it was a lifeline to their wealth. Some slaves also supported the trade owing to the fact that some, especially the overseers, lived better lives than the one they left in Africa. Q2 America is comprised of people from a variety of ethnic backgrounds. When America was organizing itself as a country many people streamed in as immigrants from all over the world but majority from Europe. All these people on their arrival to the United States found a society strictly stratifie d hierarchically on the basis of ethnicity (Sacks 55). These hierarchies defined ones social and economic status thus limits had been set in regards to what one can or cannot do. The white settlers are the ones who set these hierarchies so as to protect their interests and to limit others from exploiting existing resources. The African-American population especially before the civil war was condemned to slavery. European immigrants like the Irish people worked as laborers or supervisors in farms or small