Pure Capitalism Essays - Taxation, Public Finance, Tax, Income Tax

Pure Capitalism My idea of the perfect government could be called ?Pure Capitalism?. It is based on survival of the fittest and not all people are created equal. To explain this government I will compare it to our current system. The biggest concept is that the people have complete control of most all economic conditions. Taxes: I do not believe in an income tax, I want to choose what I do with my money. Income in my view is a form of double taxation. To make up for the loss of no income tax, the sales taxes would be increased, not only would this allow people to have more control over there money it would virtually eliminate tax fraud. The sales tax could not tax food intended for consumption, clothing, or other Basic necessities of life. On average products the rate would be a flat percentage rate, and on products considered luxiourus the rate would be exponential, much like our current income tax system. A new administration would be formed to control the rates and stop double taxation. The inheritance tax would be abolished, if I want to work hard my life, throw all of my money in the bank, and leave it to my kids so that they can sit around doing nothing till the day they die, I shouldn't have to pay for politicians to do sit around there whole life too. Welfare: The current welfare program pisses me off. In pure capitalism there would be a one year minimum for basic welfare, after that, all you get is a big ?good luck!, no one ever said life was fair?. If you can't get a job in 365 days you don't deserve for me to support you. The only exception here would be if someone was receiving average or higher education, in which the welfare program would last one year after completing the course. A set amount of bonus welfare would be received for each dependent when the program is started, but a deduction larger that the original bonus for any children born after the program has started. This is to discourage the inferior from reproducing. Poor breed poor. Again there is any exception for advrige or higher education received. In order to encourage private businesses to form, an extremely powerful business loss compensation loss program would be designed. In order for an economy like this one to survive, it takes guts on the part of the individual, unfortunately that is the reason many potential Trumps are never discovered. To counteract this, any business which is registered with the gov't and then fails, will have compensation equal to the amount invested in the business initially, that way someone couldn't start a business, inflate the vaule till it is about to crash, then liquidate to receive the amount of the inflated value. They could only get to amount they invested in it back. Labor: Every business needs a power work machine. Labor Unions in my ideal economy would have much more power provided by the government. Corporations would be required to sell stock to its workers. 401(k) plans would be highly encouraged, and other fringe benefits provided. When you retire the amount recieved would be based on two things. (1) How successful you where in life. (2) How hard you worked. With higher emphasis on number 2, people who have lower job skills would still be encouraged to work harder, knowing that it will eventually pay off in the long run. Poor breeds poor, but if the poor stay on the right track, they can still have a decient life. This last section is to cover the broader based ideals in the perfect economy. Kill the ?All people created equal polacy.? Lets face it, some poeple are superior and some are inferior, the minorities can't call for affirmative action by hiding behind that statement. If I want to hire someone based on the color of there skin or there fathers father, I will do it. Forget minimum wage, you get paid what you are worth, if you are worthless you get paid less. Likewise, if you have a good education and give it your all, you are worth more and thus get paid more. Though bleeding hearts would be in tears after reading this, I belive that this economy, though vague, would create a world power compairable to the present world military condition, alowing us to control the weak, not bleed all over them.

Alienation and Capitalism

Alienation and Capitalism Introduction The idea of alienation was developed by Karl Marx and it can be used to analyze the nature of human interaction in the current world. Alienation is widespread today and it can barely be witnessed in almost all societies. â€Å"Marx developed his theory of alienation to reveal the human activity that lies behind the seemingly impersonal forces dominating society† (Meszaros 45). Marx contends that the modern world is a product of past human activities.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Alienation and Capitalism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More He further explains that the future world will also be influenced by human activities. The materialist theory as put forward by Marx indicates that human beings were influenced by their societies. Marx believes that alienation is entrenched in materialism and not in religion or the psyche. However, Hegel and Feuerbach associated alienation with the former and no t the latter. Alienation in essence meant loss of the capacity to have power over labor. Human Nature â€Å"Marx criticized the notion that humans possess a fixed nature regardless of their society† (Marx 398). He clearly explained how the myriad factors associated with the unchanging human character, vary considerably in various societies. He contended that the necessity to influence nature to fulfill human requirements was the only systematic aspect of all human cultures. Just like animals, people should work in order to stay alive. Nonetheless, human labor was differentiated from animal labor since human beings developed perception. Ernest Fischer noted that human labor is unique since people consciously work on nature, and formulate new mechanisms of getting the items they require. Working on nature changes both the laborer and his environment. â€Å"Consequently, labor is a dynamic process through which the laborer shapes and moulds the world he lives in and stimulates himself to create and innovate† (Ollman 156). According to Marx, â€Å"the individual is the social being† (Ollman 157). In this context, Marx implies that as people struggle to obtain their daily needs, they are all compelled to interact with others. Society is not merely comprised of people; it conveys the totality of relationships and connections that people find themselves in. labor makes people to interact physically with the world. Development of humanity is partly determined by labor. Moreover, human relationships are a product of labor itself. â€Å"Our ability to work, to improve how we work and build on our successes, has tended to result in the cumulative development of the productive forces† (Macionis 456). This is what produced class society. Surplus production caused division of societies into classes. This process was significant in developing and controlling dynamics of production. However, it also meant that most producers could no longer have co ntrol of other people’s labor. As a result, labor alienation emerged with social order.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More â€Å"The emergence of class divisions in which one class had control over the means of producing what society needed, led to a further division between individuals and the society to which they belonged† (Marx 345). Even though alienation is persistent in the world, it can still be altered. Alienation and Capitalism â€Å"Alienation arose from the low level of the productive forces, from human subordination to the land and from the domination of the feudal ruling class† (Macionis 134). Nonetheless, these types of alienation exhibited some restrictions. For instance, peasants labored independently on their land, and produced their necessities within their autonomous family systems. Capitalism had dynamics and constraints that were different from those of feudalism. The bourgeoisie envisaged a society where transactions could primarily be based on money. In this case, alienation is practiced through selling. In the capitalist society, many individuals were restrained from accessing the vital modes of production. As such, the majority of people were rendered landless. This compelled them to sell their labor in order to meet their daily necessities. Hence, labor was commoditized and it could be sold just like other items in the market. â€Å"Capitalism involved a fundamental change in the relations between men, instruments of production and the materials of production† (Marx 234). Production shifted from homes to factories. Division of labor came into sight with the onset of factory production, and it was really devastating. Workers became over dependent on the bourgeoisie, who dominated production. Forced labor also emerged because laborers had no influence in their jobs. Alienation was worsened by capi talism. In this case, workers were extremely alienated from the items they produced. â€Å"Marx argued that the alienation of the worker from what he produces is intensified because the products of labor actually begin to dominate the laborer† (Macionis 367). Part of a worker’s produce is embezzled by his employer. Therefore, the worker is continuously exploited. Workers also use their wages to purchase what they have produced themselves. The labor patterns today have been seriously fragmented by the current production models.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Alienation and Capitalism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Conclusion From this discussion, it is evident that alienation has consistently developed from the ancient world to present. At present, alienation is manifested clearly by the kind of interaction that prevails between modern industrialists and their laborers. In this parasitic interaction, the capitalists have a tight grip on production channels. Conversely, workers are only left with the option of selling their skills. Therefore, Marx’s alienation concept is relevant in examining the existing production systems. Macionis, John. Sociology. New York: Pearson Prentice Hall, 1997. Marx, Karl. Theories of Surplus Value. New York: Humanity Books, 2000. Meszaros, Istvan. Marxs Theory of Alienation. New York: Merlin Press, 1986. Ollman, Bertell. Alienation: Marxs Conception of Man in a Capitalist Society. London: Cambridge University Press, 1977.

Inside Job by Charles Ferguson Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Inside Job by Charles Ferguson - Movie Review Example Another power montage is put together towards the middle of the film as images of the Hamptons are placed on the screen. The film makes great use of visual imagery and music to create a sense of on screen irony that cleverly demonstrates the devious absurdity of the situation and financial crisis. As the film progresses, it explores a number of experimental visual and narrative techniques. One such narrative technique is the split screen format. This allow the filmmakers to implement an almost cubist like the articulation of a protest rally, giving the viewer a more complex picture of the actual occurrence. There is a continued understanding that the verbal narrative can only be fully grasped through adequate visual components. For instance, after Matt Damon discusses the drastic unemployment rate, the film cuts to empty buildings with a slower and more somber editing pace. While the buildings may not even be located in the region that is being talked about, they have a sophisticated and visually appealing architecture that adds to the film’s overall narrative appeal. The film’s actual narrative is told in a highly engaging and effect way. The filmmakers implement the narrative star power of Matt Damon to relay the story in-between interviews with witnesses and field experts. Indeed, it’s been noted that â€Å"This film is as gripping as any thriller. Aided by some fascinating interviews, Ferguson lays out an awful story†.The film also indicates that the same individuals that started the crisis are still in power.

The Use of Historical Method Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Use of Historical Method - Term Paper Example Some historians are also interested in asking how and so what. Various questions in history are hard to answer because: 1) sources do not fully describe what happened, or do not honestly explain why they did something; 2) sources sometimes use â€Å"couched† or â€Å"diplomatic† words to express themselves; 3) history is a complex combination of numerous factors, such as culture, morality, beliefs, et al., that affect language and ways of communicating and understanding each other; 4) definitions are not universally agreed upon; and 5) subjects change throughout time. Proper historical writing seeks out facts. In reality, however, facts can be presented with biases, because historians themselves have different viewpoints on what happened and why/how they happened. Proper historical writing should also differentiate facts from assertions. If historians want to talk about interpretations or arguments, they must be clear about this intention in their writings. History shou ld not be about what they think happened, but what truly happened. In the absence of facts, historians offer conjectures and theories about history. Some fields of science accuse social science as a â€Å"phony science,† because it is open to researcher bias and methodological weaknesses. Social science research, however, can respond to these weaknesses and reduce writer bias and methodological flaws, thereby improving the validity of their methods, findings, and conclusions. The problems of social science research are: researcher bias, bad data set, logical fallacies, relativism and normative definitions, level of certainty and variations, credibility of sources, misleading statistics, misinterpretation of facts, conspiracy theories, and other research problems that concern language. Like other research, their analysis and conclusions can also be prone to fallacies in reasoning. Some of the common problems with writing are: 1) not knowing who your audience is, and so the lan guage and writing style do not fit their level of knowledge and expectations, 2) using biased language that alienate or discriminate other groups, 3) not using the right punctuation marks, and 4) not proofreading. Proofreading is essential because it catches and corrects typographical, grammatical, spelling, and usage errors. Student should maximize existing writing centers. These centers can help them make their thesis, outline, and first draft. The advantages of primary source are that writers can interpret the primary sources for themselves, instead of relying on the interpretations of others, and primary sources gather data firsthand, thereby reducing bias from having someone interpret it. Secondary sources are helpful in gathering background or historical information about a topic, and in expanding understanding on events or subjects, by exposing the readers to different perspectives, interpretations, and conclusions. Secondary sources also already synthesize or combine studies and facts, thereby reducing time needed to read them all. What historians add or not add to â€Å"history† impact their narration of â€Å"facts.† It is interesting how world history books, for instance, include or do not include certain events, people, and conjectures. This may be due to the need of condensing material, but this can also be linked to what the writers and publishers think as important and unimportant. Sometimes, I read history and ask, how about the women? What

Employee Relations in IBM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Employee Relations in IBM - Essay Example Employee can help an organization to create a competitive advantage in the market which may become difficult for other organization to replicate. Therefore one of the most important areas that the company has been investing on is in its employee. In the last 10 years, there have been a lot of changes that have taken place in the organization which has been influenced by external factors. There have been several factors that have been influencing the changes in the organization that have been beyond the control of the organization. These changes have been emanating from the changes in the operation environment. One of the changes that have had a great impact on the industry has been the changes in the external environment. The landscape of technology has been changing and the company has not been left behind. The company has come up with several innovation that are likely to position it in the market in line with other competitors as we entered the new millennium the company came up with a new generation of servers which are all aimed at meeting the changing technology. This was also due to the changes in the demand for the underlying infrastructure that has been supporting e-business which has become the business model of the day. (IBM, 2008f) In the future the change in technology is likely to influence the operation of the company. Since it is operating in a field led by technology, the company is likely to make several changes in its operation in the future in a move that will position it in the market. Change in technology is the most probable external factor that will impact the operation of the organization. The changing concept of corporate social responsibility also had an impact on the company as it become more responsive to the needs of its consumers. As a result the company came up with various CSR activities which were aimed at improving the relationship with its employees. It put in place programs that would help it to respect it employees.The political environment was also changing and the company has to change with it. In this regard there were several rules and laws that were coming in place that were not there before. As a result the company had to adjust its operation and its workforce relations. There have been polices that have been put in place in order to give employees more rights and therefore the company has been forced to rhyme with the changes. Political a and legal changes in the further are likely to impact on the operations of the company in the future as the world moves to more converged world. There have also been environmental factors that have forced the company to enforce several changes in its operation in this regard there has been increasing attention that has been paid on the environment and therefore the company has been adjusting its operation in order to come up with policies that are expected to give respect to the environment. The company has been implementing several eco programs that are aimed at going with the demands on the changes in the

Assessment And Repair Of Fire Damaged Structures Engineering Essay

Assessment And Repair Of Fire Damaged Structures Engineering Essay This chapter explains how a structure is assisted and repaired after the aftermath of a fire. Often the initial response when looking over a fire-damaged structure is one of despair and horror at the extent of damage. This situation is shown by the amount of non-structural debris lying around together with the unpleasant smell of many combustion products. In most cases, the damage is not as severe as is at first thought, even though immediate decisions must be taken on the short-term safety of the structure and whether any temporary propping is necessary or, indeed, whether some demolition work is necessary. This judgment will often need to be taken very quickly after the fire and will generally be based on a visual survey and expert judgement. It should be pointed out that the assessment of fire damaged structures is very much a black art in that it relies heavily on experience.. 4.1 Visual Inspection The aim of the visual inspection is to determine: Structural stability of the structure and The extent and severity of the fire. 4.1.2 Structural Stability If possible, the original drawings for the structure should be consulted at this stage these allow assessment of how the structure transmits the applied loading and enables the principal load carrying members to be identified, as well as those providing structural stability. The inspection needs to check any excessive deformation, deflection or cracking in the main load-carrying members and integrity at the connections between the main members (1). It is vital to check for structural stability if excessive bowing of structural elements such as masonry cladding or internal compartment walls, which would be observed in the inspection stage of a structure. Anywhere the fire has only affected part of the structure, it is crucial that the inspection also extend to any part of the structure not damaged indirectly by the fire; it is possible that a significant redistribution of forces can occur into the unaffected part of the structure. For a example in the Broadgate fire scenario when the structure behaved during the fire in a totally different manner to the way it was designed, in that forces were redistributed away from the fire by columns acting in tension to transmit forces to the relatively cool upper stories of the structure(2). 4.1.3 Estimation of fire severity The first method of obtaining a rough estimate of the fire severity is by the use of the fire brigade records in terms of the number of vehicles called out, the length of time taken to fight the fire, the length of time between the fire being noted and the arrival of the brigade, the operation of any automatic fire detection or fire fighting equipment and the degree of effort required to fight the fire. The second method is to estimate the temperature reached in the fire by studying the debris caused by the fire and therefore it is essential that no debris is removed until such a study is carried out in order to maintain evidence. Provided the materials generating the debris can be identified, the knowledge may be used to give an indication of temperature reached, since most materials have known specific melting or softening temperatures. Table.1 gives typical melting temperatures of different materials that could be found in a fire according to the Building Research Establishment (BRE). material Behaviour Approximate temperature (ËÅ ¡C) Softening or collapse of polystyrene 120 Melting of polystyrene 250 Aluminium softens 400 Aluminium melts 650 Softening of glass 700-800 Melting point of brass 800-1000 Melting point of sliver 950 Melting point of copper 1100 Melting point of cast iron 1100-1200 Table.1: melting point data (Source: Parker and Nurse (1956) BRE) It is very important that care is taken in consideration when using data as the temperatures varies over the height of a fire compartment; therefore the original position of a particular artefact is important. This method of assessment only gives an Indication that particular temperatures were reached but not the duration of exposure to that temperature. The third method that is available to give an estimate in terms of either the standard furnace test duration or a known fire, is to measure the charring depth on any sizeable piece of timber known to have been exposed to the fire from the start of the fire. The charring depth can be related back to the standard furnace exposure since timber of known, or established, density can be assumed to char at a constant rate between 30 and 90 min standard exposure. The position of the timber specimen in the compartment should also be noted. A fourth method is to calculate the fire severity from estimates of the compartment size, the fire load density and the area of openings (ventilation factor). In practice, no one of the above methods is completely reliable and therefore a combination of methods must be used to give a reasonable answer. The visual inspection, once carried out, will have identified those areas which must be either immediately demolished (where the damage is beyond that capable of being repaired) or those areas which may be capable of being repaired if sufficient strength can be attained (1). The inspection will also identify where there is no, or only very apparent damage. If repair of a structure is considered feasible, then a much more detailed investigation is required to ascertain the extent and severity of any damage and the residual strength of the structure. To do this, it is first necessary to clear all debris from the structure and to clean as much smoke damage as possible to allow an unhindered examination of all surfaces. 4.2 Damage Assessment In order to carry out any assessment of damage on a steel structure a number of stages needs to be carried out. The first stage involves a complete fully detailed survey of the structure. The second stage ascertains the residual strength of both the individual members and of the complete structure. 4.2.1 Structural survey For all structures, the first stage is to carry out, where appropriate, a full line and level survey. This is required to assess the residual deformations and deflections in the structure. The measured deflections should be compared with those for which the structure was designed. Care should be taken to note the effect of any horizontal movements due to thermal actions during the fire. Such effects of horizontal movement are often apparent away from the seat of the fire (Malhotra, 1978; Beitel and Iwankiw, 2005). In steel structures, since most structural steels regain more strength on cooling, there will be a slight loss in strength. However, the resultant deformations are likely to indicate the state of the structure. In this case, it is important to assess the integrity of the connections; it is possible that bolts could have failed within the connection or could have become excessively deformed. Where the floors comprise of profile sheet steel decking and in situ concrete, examination should be made for any separation between the decking and the beams. This separation can still occur even if thorough deck stud welding was used. Another potential point of failure is the shear bond between the decking and the in situ concrete. Fig 4.1 shows concrete separated away from the metal deck floor. Even with substantial damage of the types mentioned above, the structure may still be intact as demonstrated after the fire tests on the steel frame structures at Cardington (Bailey, 2004a)(6). Fig 4.1 Measurement of the gap of concrete gap after the fire (http://www.google.ie/images) Whilst carrying out the visual survey, attention should be given to the need for carrying tests on the structural materials to ascertain their residual strengths. The testing methods used may either be non-destructive or involve the taking of samples from damaged portions on the structure, together with control specimens from undamaged areas. 4.3 Testing There are two approaches that may be used to assess residual steel strengths for steel. The first is to remove test coupons or samples and subject those specimens to a standard tensile test.Fig.4.1 shows test results for a piece of S350GD+Z structural steel. Great Care should taken in removing test specimens in that the damaged structure is not further weakened, and that again any necessary propping should be used. Fig 4.2 Tensile test results for structural steel S350GD+Z, the test pieces taken before and after high temperature compression tests, where the material reached temperatures up to 950 °C, (Y. C. Wang P6) The second is to use non-destructive tests of which the most suitable is a hardness indentation test usually measuring the Brinell hardness. There is a direct, sensibly linear, relationship between the Brinell hardness number (BHN) and tensile strength as shown in fig.4.2. It is important that care is taken in using this test since a number of results are needed before the strength estimates are statistically reliable. Fig4.2: Relationship between steel strengths and Brinell hardness number (BHN) (Kirby, Lapwood and Thompson, 1986, p 370). 4.3.1 Residual strength For Grade 43A (S275) steel there is no residual strength loss based on the 0,2% proof s0 tress when the steel is heated to temperatures up to 600à ¢- ¦C but a 30% reduction at a temperature of 1000à ¢- ¦C(5). The variation in residual strength between these temperatures is sensibly linear. The pattern for Grade 50D (S355 J2) steel is similar except that the strength loss at 1000à ¢- ¦C is only about 15%. It should be noted that in all the tests, except for the American steel at 800à ¢- ¦C, the measured tensile strengths exceeded the minimum guaranteed yield strength. Data on such steels are presented in Fig. 4.4 (Holmes et al., 1982), where it is seen that the yield strength for reinforcing steel shows an increase above ambient strength at temperatures below about 550à ¢- ¦C, but a decrease at temperatures above 550à ¢- ¦C. Pre-stressing steels show no change in strength below 300à ¢- ¦C, but a substantial drop after this point such that at 800à ¢- ¦C only around 50% of strength remains Wrought iron appears to show a marginal strength increase at temperatures up to 900à ¢- ¦C and thus appears able to perform well in a fire provided however, that excessive deformations do not occur. Cast iron will also perform reasonably well unless undue large bending moments are applied to the member during the fire. The good fire performance in real structures is in part due to the very low stresses to which cast iron members were subjected in design. One problem that can occur is that brittle failure is possible if cast iron is quenched by cold water from firemens hoses whilst still red-hot, or if additional loads are induced during the fire (7). Fig.4.4: Variation of residual strengths of reinforcing and pre-stressing steels with temperature (Holmes et al., 1982). 4.4 Methods of repair As far as steelwork is concerned, any repair will be in the form of partial replacement where the original structure has deformed beyond the point at which it can be reused. Where the steelwork is still intact, it is almost certain that the fire protection system used will need partial or total replacement. Any intumescent paint systems will certainly need renewing. 4.5 Demolition of fire damaged structures Clearly, the same safety hazards that exist for structures being demolished for reasons other than fire damage exist for those so damaged; except that problems of stability are exacerbated for fire-damaged structures as the structure itself is naturally weaker, often to such an extent that little physical effort may be needed for demolition. 4.6 Re-use of steel after a fire An often quoted general rule for fire affected hot rolled structural steels is that if the steel is straight and there are no obvious distortions then the steel is probably still fit for use. At 600 °C the yield strength of steel is equal to about 40% of its room temperature value; it follows therefore that any steel still remaining straight after the fire and which had been carrying an appreciable load was probably not heated beyond 600 °C, will not have undergone any metallurgical changes and will probably be fit for re-use. However, where the load in the fire was less than the full design load, and also with high strength steels, this cannot always be held to be true. In such cases it is recommended that hardness tests are carried out on the affected steel. In practice it is recommended that, in all instances, some hardness tests should be carried out. For grade S275 steel, if the ultimate tensile strength resulting from the tests are within the range specified in  the table 2 below, then the steel is reusable. Table.2Ultimatetensilestrengths (source:http://www.corusconstruction.com/en/design_guidance/structural_design) For grade S355 steel additional tensile test coupons should be taken from fire affected high strength steel members when hardness tests show that: There is more than 10% difference in hardness compared to non-fire affected steelwork, or Hardness test results indicate that the strength is within 10% of the specified minimum. Where deflections are visible, general guidelines on the maximum permissible levels of deflection to ensure satisfactory performance are difficult to specify. The amount of deflection or distortion must be checked so that its effect under load can be calculated to ensure that permissible stresses are not exceeded and the functioning of the building is not impaired. Therefore every building should be considered as a separate case and the structural engineer involved in the reinstatement exercise must decide what level is acceptable to satisfy the relevant Codes. 4.7 Conclusion It can be concluded that the assessment of steel structures after a fire is crucial in order to judge the structural stability of the structure and seen can the building can be reused after the fire. Steel structure can behave different that they have been designed for and this can have a effect on the structural stability of the building, for example the broadgate fire behaved in a different manner than it designed for. It is essential that testing of steel is carried out after the fire in order to see if the steel is capable of been reused.It can be conclude that for Grade 43A steel there is no residual strength loss based on the 0,2% proof stress when the steel is heated to temperatures up to 600à ¢- ¦C but a 30% reduction at a temperature of 1000à ¢- ¦C. The variation in residual strength and temperatures has a linear relationship as they are directly proportional to each other. [1] Steel Construction Industry Forum (SCIF), 1991. Structural Fire Engineering: Investigation of Broadgate Phase 8 Fire, Steel Construction Institute, UK. [2] Fire Safety Engineering Design of Structures Second Edition John A. Purkiss BSc(Eng), PhD [3] Outinen,J.Mà ¤kelà ¤inen,P.,2004.Mechanical properties of structural steel at elevated temperatures and after cooling Fire and Materials, 28 (2-4), pp. 237-251. [4] Kirby, B.R., Lapwood, D.G. Thomson, G., 1986. The Reinstatement of Fire Damaged Steel and Iron Framed Structures, British Steel Corporation (now Corus), London, p. 46 [5] Wang Y.C., Wald F., Tà ¶rà ¶k A., Hajpà ¡l M., 2008. Fire damaged structures, in Technical sheets Urban habitat constructions under catastrophic events, Print PraÃ…Â ¾skà ¡ technika, Czech Technical University in Prague. [6] Bailey, C.G. (2004b) Structural Fire Engineering Design: Materials Behaviour- Steel, Digest 487 Part 2, BRE. [7] Holmes, M., Anchor, R.D., Cooke, G.M.E., and Crook, R.N. (1982) The effects of elevated temperatures on the strength properties of reinforcing and prestressing steels. Structural Engineer, 60B, 7-13 [8] Barnfield,J.R. and Porter, A.M. (1984) Historic buildings and fire; fire performance of cast-iron structural elements. Structural Engineer, 62A, 373-80. 4.0 Assessment and repair of fire-damaged structures 4.1 Visual Inspection 4.1.2 Structural Stability 4.1.3 Estimation of fire severity 4.2 Damage Assessment 4.2.1 Structural survey 4.3 Testing 4.3.1 Residual strength 4.4 Methods of repair 4.5 Demolition of Fire-Damaged Structures

Child Shift

The article entitled â€Å"Children Caught in the Crossfire† explores the effects of proper and dysfunctional parenting on Caribbean children. This article identifies dysfunctional homes that foster improper parenting and the impact of psychological and physical absence of parents on their children. It also assesses the consequences of â€Å"child shifting† on affected children. The social impairments of children suffering from â€Å"child shifting† were cross-examined with the various parenting styles they would receive through continuous domestic relocation. Children Caught in the Crossfire† is an interesting article that exploits numerous factors involving parental negligence which causes child shifting. This has become a cliched situation in the Jamaican society as a vast percentage of Jamaican parents have become surprisingly negligent. Whether by improper parenting or defaulted situations, children have suffered from these mal-outcomes and this has become evident through child development assessments explored within the article. This matter of unnecessary mobilitychild shifting is of personal and public interest which has become the drive upon which the research will be carried out. As a tertiary level student that lives and has been cultured within the assessed environment (Jamaican society), my interest has been stimulated to assess the factors surrounding the nature of this negative lifestyle pattern. This article has highlighted my sensitivity to this situation due to personal reflections (to some extent); analytical efforts will be made to completely understand this critical matter that decreases national productivity and development. Conclusively, after assessment of the article putting concepts into proper perspective, the research topic and question is as follows respectively: The impacts of child shifting on the psycho-social development of Jamaican children and what are the effects of child shifting on the psycho-social development of Jamaican children in changing family structures? The subsidiary questions are: what is child shifting and how does it affect child development, what are the causes of child shifting and will victimized children transit consequent behavior into adulthood, what are the social and psychological factors that affect child development and what are the long term implications of child shifting on the social and psychological development of Jamaican children? Tentative Thesis Child shifting strongly impairs the psycho-social development of Jamaican children which causes their inability to function normally during daily social and psychological situations. Relocation of children after divorce and children’s best interests: New evidence and legal considerations. 17 (2), 206-219. Arizona State University & University of California. The article assesses the effects of child relocation after divorces through a persisting legal issue. The article incorporates statistical date with the views of Wallerstein and other theorists that assess the best interests of a relocated child. This legal issue assesses which caregiver would have the least negative effects on child development. This article is a follow-up on another article explored during the research. This article supports the research through the additional clarity gained from a second assessment of Wallerstein’s theory. The article highlights positive and negative aspects of child relocation. This adds to the research’s objectivity bringing about views that support and oppose the researcher’s stance. Jackson, T. (1957). The differential impact of family disorganization. In Johnston, N. , Savitz, L. , Wolfgang, M. E. (Eds. ). (1962), The sociology of crime and delinquency (pp. 331-338). New York & London: John Wiley and Sons, Inc. This chapter assesses the occurrences of delinquency in children from broken homes. These broken homes were not stated as causes of juvenile delinquents though aspects of disorganized families contribute to the development of delinquency and personality problems. The article states that more critical factors affect delinquency as family disorganization complicates the issue. This article directly contrasts the researcher’s views as disorganized families is directly associated with delinquency. Family disorganization via broken homes is the most common cause of child shifting. This broken home fosters child shifting and the negative psycho-social development of the child which commonly causes juvenile delinquency in the Jamaican society. Pasahow, R. (2005). A critical analysis of the first empirical research study on child relocation, Journal of Critical Analysis of Relocation Study, 19, 321-328. This journal assesses Wallerstein’s study of the best interests of children and the effects of child relocation. However, Wallerstein is opposed by several theorists with supportive research findings. Wallerstein posits that child relocation with their custodial parents is in their best interest while opposing views disprove Wallerstein. The scholarly article explores opposing views of several theorists which gives the researcher an understanding of contrasting arguments on child relocation. The source outlines the effects of child relocation in child development depending on custody. This aids the research in finding out the effects of custodial and non-custodial parents on child development. Samms-Vaughn, M. (2005). Children caught in the crossfire. In Ramsay, P. (2009). Blooming with the pouis. Ian Randle Publishers. This article outlines functional and dysfunctional parenting of children in Caribbean homes. It further assesses the effects of child shifting in various domestic settings. These varying domestic settings included dysfunctional homes which are known to be a cause of impaired psycho-social development. This article supports the research as it sets the basis on which the research is done. The article connects child shifting to the dysfunctional homes that typically cause child shifting. This article also states the effects and what would typically happen in later years.

Descriptive Beach Trip Essay

I had five hours until my sister was off work, check in was at three o’ clock and she had to be present to do so anyway, I had to find something to do for those next hours. The Tahoe was roomy and I was exasperated, only running on two hours of sleep, so I climbed to the back and dozed off only to wake up in a cold sweat thirty minutes later; there was no way I was going back to sleep with the bright and early sun beating down on the black truck. I needed to go somewhere I could stay cool and entertained for six hours. But where, I had no idea what there was to do in Orange County let alone how to get anywhere. Then it dawned on me, we drove three hours away from home, I had to be close to some sort of beach. I googled the distance from my destination to the closest beach, only a fifteen minute drive to what I call paradise. I typed New Port beach in the GPS, started the truck, turned up the music, and turned Right onto Mac Arthur Street. After driving for about thirty minutes I heard my GPS robotic voice announce â€Å"you have reached your destination.† Pretty disappointing words to hear when the only water you see is filling the gutters. I turned into a gated community and rolled down my windows to ask directions; instantly knew I was close as the humid, hot, salty air hit my face, and ran through my nostrils. The scent sent a smile from cheek to cheek, enabling me to greet the vale with a pleasant hello. I was directed to take a left at the light and follow the road, â€Å"You’ll know when your there, it’s hard to miss.† I followed the road becoming more irritated with every building I passed. Fed up I came to the conclusion at the next light I will just turn around and find something else to do. At the thought of giving up it came into eyesight, there it was unbelievably blue waters with white waves washing up on the shore. I finally made it to my little piece of heaven. After circling those narrow crowded streets for what seemed like forever, I got lucky with a car leaving right in front of the beach. I slipped on my bathing suit, slapped some sunblock on, grabbed my purse, water, and fruit and was on my way. Less then a minute walk to finally feel the warm sand against the bottom of my bare feet. The only thing between my mini vacation and I was a bike lane, I gent ly kicked off my sandals one by one, smirking as my feet hit the hot concrete and crossed the lanes into the soft, warm, light golden sand. With every step a sense a peace fell over me, taking in every grain of sand between each toe. Settling  for the perfect spot, right next to the hundreds of huge dark brownish red boulders. They provided a walkway about twenty feet into the blue waters. I laughed watching the little kids scream as a wave slammed into the rocks splashing up and over the top of them. I whipped my blanket into place and watched it slowly take form of each crater in the sand, sliding my dress downward, feeling every ray of the sunshine hit every inch of my skin in the most perfect way. I take a seat at the edge of my blanket allowing my feet to explore the roasting sand while my eyes observe every bluish green curl of water spiral over into white splashes, racing up onto the shore line then slip back into the waters just in time to see the next wave fold over into white splashes again. I closed my eyes as I lay back, soaking up the sun taking in every sound, picturing everything going on around me. In the distance I could still hear the joyful screams of the children after the sound of the wave crashing into the rocks. To the right of me I could hear the group of a few teenage boys trying to impress each giggling giddy girl; whatever they were doing was working. Right above me was the sound of about eight or nine gossiping young ladies, a few chuckling as they hit a volleyball back and forth with no net. To left of my feet was the faint unclear chatter of a younger couple, to the right was a mother with her children and her mother, talking to the family next to them about a wagon that had heavy-duty tires. She got it at Costco on sale for 49.99 it was the best thing she had ever invested in. As a bead of sweat ran in between the roots of my thrown up hair I realized how hot I was and how amazing the water would feel against my toasting skin right then, at that thought I heard the sound of eager excited screams from children in the water and popped up to see what all the commotion was about. I look over to see the kids on the rocks jumping up and down pointing to the water with mouth wide-open smile s, then look straight ahead confused at what they were so happy about. I slide my glasses to the top of my head just in time to see a pale-blue dolphin plunge out of the water and drop back in so smoothly, then another and another. The sun reflected on their silky blue skin giving them a shine each time they sprung out of the blue swell. My mouth dropped into an amused smile, I sat and watched them as they disappeared into the depths of the waters. Only 3 more hours to enjoy this amazing place, I wiped the sweat off my forehead and sauntered to the shoreline scanning for any more  wildlife as the water crept up to my feet. I let out a mild squeal when cold dirty white water rushed up mid calf. I began to walk out further as the waves came crashing down around my waist splashing onto my face and chest, causing goose bumps to cascade from my arms down to my legs. Past the tide, I stood still as the water softly sways me from side to side, enjoying the view of the sun shining down on the calm blue waters. I winced at the small knot forming in the pit of my stomach as the thought of sharks cross my mind. I watched the ocean start to shape and create a cerulean blue wave, curling over into a roaring hefty wave. I wait until the very last second to dive in as the white waters swallow me up me, feeling the heavy wave rip right over my body from head to toe. I pop out inhaling while I wipe away the water, with a harsh salty taste left in my mouth, I was ready to do that again. The current was strong I was a bit to close to the rocks so I swam opposite direction, either jumping with motion of the ocean or diving under each flood stream. I stayed out there enjoying every wave for a while. I lost track of how long I was out there but I knew I had to be leaving soon so I rode the waves back until the water was running past my thighs, fighting the waters trying to suck me back in. I got back to my blanket and realized I was only in the water for maybe forty-five minutes, two more hours to appreciate this place. I didn’t have a towel so I went to go air dry out on the rocks. I climbed bare foot and chose each rock carefully but quickly. I hope from rock to rock far enough to a silent spot whe re no one was around. As it got later in the day the waves got stronger, so I sat on the biggest rock amongst the middle to not get wet. I lay down with my shades guarding my eyes, keeping me from squinting and enjoyed the view of the open waters. I looked down and watched as the clear droplets slowly glide down the notably darker skin tone of my thighs. It was a pretty hot day; I dried up hastily and went back to my blanket. Four o clock, only an hour left to cherish this trip. I went back in the water one last time leaving just to feel the waves cascade over my head and leap over each ripple of water. I walked back to my blanket with thirty minutes left; I taste the variety of cold fruit and every so often the crunch of bits of sand. I watch the sun get lower, bitter sweet that I had to leave soon. Much more bitter then sweet in fact lets just say only bitter; I could have stayed forever. Such a sweet escape, with the sand sticking to every wet  portion of skin it comes in contact with, sea creatures popping in and out of water, the exquisite salty blue waters tossing and turning, the sound of children screaming as the tide collides with them. Everything about it is blissful. It was time to go, I picked up my bag, shook off my blanket and started to walk back towards the car. Started to walk back towards reality and further away from the worlds sweetest escape â€Å"At the beach, life is different. A day moves not from hour to hour but leaps from mood to moment. We go with the currents, plan around the tides, follow the sun. We measure happiness by nothing we can hold†¦ nothing we can catch. Everywhere†¦Life is jumping and elusive and momentously momentary. We want to stretch the day, distill the memories, make them last. At the same time, we know that the beauty is in the evanescence.†(Gingras, 24) Cites Gingras, Sandy. How to live at the beach. New Jersey: Down Shore Publishing, 2001.

The Etymology of Geometry Terms

The Etymology of Geometry Terms Theres an anecdote about how the philosopher-mathematician Pythagoras overcame a students natural dislike of geometry. The student was poor, so Pythagoras offered to pay him an obol for each theorem he learned. Eager for the money, the student agreed and applied himself. Soon, however, he became so intrigued, he begged Pythagoras to go faster, and even offered to pay his teacher. In the end, Pythagoras recouped his losses. Etymology provides a safety net of demystification. When all the words you hear are new and confusing, or when those around you put old words to strange purposes, a grounding in etymology may help. Take the word line. You put your  ruler to paper and draw a line against the straight edge. If youre an actor, you learn your lines line after line of text in a script. Clear. Obvious. Simple. But then you hit Geometry. Suddenly your common sense is challenged by technical definitions*, and line, which comes from the Latin word linea (a linen thread), loses all practical meaning, becoming, instead, an intangible, dimension-less concept that goes off at both ends to eternity. You hear about parallel lines that by definition never meet each other except they do in some warped reality dreamt up by Albert Einstein. The concept you have always known as the  line has been renamed line segment. After a few days, it comes as something of a relief to run into an intuitively obvious circle, whose definition as a set of points equidistant from a central point still fits your previous experience. That circle** (coming possibly from a Greek verb meaning to hoop around or from a diminutive of the circular Roman circus, circulus) is marked with what you would have, in pre-geometry days, called a line across part of it. This line is called a chord. The word chord comes from the Greek word (chordà ª) for a piece of animal gut used as a string in a lyre. They still use (not necessarily cat) gut for violin strings. After circles, youll probably study equiangular or equilateral triangles. Knowing the etymology, you can break those words up into component parts: equi (equal), angular, angle, lateral (of a side/sided), and tri (3). A three-sided object with all sides equal. It is possible that youll see triangle referred to as trigon. Again, tri means 3, and gon derives from the Greek word for corner or angle, gà ´nia. However, youre far more likely to see the word trigonometry trigon the Greek word for measure. Geo-metry is the measure of Gaia (Geo), the Earth. If youre studying geometry, you probably already know you must memorize theorems, axioms, and definitions corresponding with names. Names of Shapes cylinderdodecagonheptagonhexagonoctagonparallelogrampolygonprismpyramidquadrilateralrectanglespheresquare andtrapezoid. While the theorems and axioms are pretty much geometry-specific, the names of shapes and their properties have further applications in science and life. Beehives and snowflakes are both dependent on the hexagon. If you hang a picture, you want to make sure its top is parallel to the ceiling. Shapes in geometry are usually based on the angles involved, so the two root words (gon and angle [from the Latin angulus which means the same thing as the Greek gà ´nia]) are combined with words that refer to number (like triangle, above) and equality (like equiangular, above). Although there are apparent exceptions to the rule, generally, the numbers used in combination with the  angle (from the Latin) and gon (from the Greek) are in the same language. Since hexa is Greek for six, youre unlikely to see hexangle. Youre far more likely to see the combined form hexa gon, or hexagon. Another Greek word used in combination with the numbers or with the prefix poly- (many) is hedron, which means a foundation, base, or sitting place. A polyhedron is a many-sided three-dimensional figure. Construct one from cardboard or straws, if you like, and demonstrate its etymology, by making it sit on each of its many bases. Even if it doesnt help to know that a tangent, the line (or is that line segment?) that touches at only one point (depending on the function), comes from the Latin tangere (to touch) or the oddly shaped quadrilateral known as a trapezoid got its name from looking like a table, and even if it doesnt save a lot of time to memorize the Greek and Latin numbers, instead of just the names of shapes if and when you run into them, the etymologies will come back to add color to your world, and to help you with trivia, aptitude tests and word puzzles. And if you ever do run into the terms on a geometry exam, even if panic sets in, youll be able to count through in your head to figure out whether its a regular pentagon or heptagon that you would inscribe with a traditional five-pointed star. * Heres one possible definition, from McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Mathematics: line: The set of points (x1, . . ., xn) in Euclidean space.... The same source defines line segment as A connected piece of a line. ** For the etymology of circle, see Lingwhizt and the possibility of an ancient Indo-European word for millstone, another round flat object.

A Blessing in Blood

A Blessing in Blood A Blessing in Blood A Blessing in Blood By Maeve Maddox The English words blessing and blood are closely related. Old English blod came from P.Gmc *blodam, a word that in a still earlier form may have meant to swell, gush, spurt, or that which bursts out. The English word blood has cognates in several other languages: German: Blut Dutch: bloed Swedish: blod Danish: blod Norwegian: blod Yiddish: blut Old English bletsia, bledsian, bloedsian, meant to consecrate, make holy, give thanks. The P.Gmc form of the word was *blothisojan, mark with blood. The word bless is unique to English. Originally used for the act of sprinkling a pagan altar with blood, the word was adopted by Christian translators to render into English Latin benedicere and Greek eulogein which had been used to translate Hebrew brk, to bend (the knee) in the act of worship. Towards the end of the OE period, bledsian took on the meaning make happy because of the words resemblance to OE blià °s, bliss, merriment, happiness, grace, favor. Bliss comes from a P.Gmc. word meaning gentle, kind, as does blithe. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Good At, Good In, and Good With50 Idioms About Roads and PathsHow Verbs Become Adjectives

DQ1cc, DQ2ab, DQ3CC Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

DQ1cc, DQ2ab, DQ3CC - Essay Example A probability can be defined as a numerical measure of the likelihood that a specific event will occur or not (Mann, 1995). Some of the different approaches to probability include classical probability, relative frequency concept of probability, and subjective probability. The use of probability is widely applied in the business world due to the fact that probability is a statistical method of a numerical chance of the occurrence of an event. For instance a company can use probability to determine whether to invest in a derivative instrument based on the changes of a commodity going up. For the application of probability to be valid the data inserted into the model must be up to date and accurate. For instance if a governmental agency attempts to predict the future behavior of the unemployment rate it would not be wise to use data from the 1950’s to insert into the probability model. The correct approach would be to use current unemployment data. â€Å"From principles is deri ved probability, but truth or certainty is obtained only from facts† (Stoppard, 2012). Probability can be used by individuals and managers in different scenarios. A place where probability is constantly used by players is in casinos. Casino games have different probabilities of winning. For instance the casino game that has the higher probability for the player is blackjack which offers a probability of 51% for the house and 49% for the player. Managers should use probability in their decision making process. A manager should not accept any decisions that have a probability of less than 50% of occurrence. Companies can establish decision making policies based on a minimum probability threshold. If I was choosing between two options one which had high probability and one with a low probability I would choose the option with the high probability due to the fact that chances of that option occurring are higher. The option with

Justinian and Theodora Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Justinian and Theodora - Research Paper Example ies), Monophysitism (Christ has a single essence—a combined human and divine one), and Arianism (the conviction that Christ was not of one essence with the Lord) also gained imperial approval for a certain period of time.vi The religious guidelines of Justinian manifested the imperial belief that the unity and strength of the empire was absolutely tantamount to unity of faith. People of a deviant faith had to understand that the measures which imperial policymaking had initiated since Constantius II would actively carry on. Current sources reveal harsh persecutions, even those of high political standing.vii Possibly the most striking occurrence took place in 529 when Plato’s teaching Academy was subjected to the authority of the state by the directive of Justinian, successfully choking this education institution for Hellenism. At the initial phase of his rule, Justinian, a follower of Chalcedonian Christianity, thought it appropriate to disseminate by edict his belief i n the Incarnation and the Trinity; and to terrorize all dissenters with the punishments; while he afterward proclaimed that he aimed to deny all opponents of orthodoxy of the chance to such violation by legal due process.viii Earlier scholars had viewed Justinian a despotic, but our point of view has transformed. Justinian and Theodora are now understood within their own perspective. Late Antiquity was not a time of unavoidable collapse, and what was most astonishing about the Roman empire of Eastern Europe and its succeeding state was their capacity to endure a chain of seemingly insurmountable problems while a series of migrations from the developing countries of Asia drove against the imperial borders. Within the imperial borders as well, the period of Justinian witnessed earthquakes, pestilence... This research aims to present Emperor Justinian and Empress Theodora of the Byzantine Empire. Flavius Anicius Justinianus or more widely known as Justinian I was born of a Slavonic peasant parents at Tauresium in Illyria, perhaps on the 11th of May, 483. Justinian received his formal education at Constantinople. He was excellently educated Roman history, theology, and jurisprudence. His career in the military showed quick progress, and a grand prospect presented itself to him when he became emperor in 518. Generally regarded as one of the major emperors of Late Antiquity, Justinian is widely known for his amendment of the law through the Tribonian commission, and the military growth of imperial empire that was accomplished throughout his rule, mainly through Belisarius’s—Byzantine Empire’s general-- actions. Aside from law, religion supported Justinian’s attempt to consolidate the administrative center of the imperial domain. Theodora, aside from being the wife of emperor Justinian, is regarded as one of the icons of the history of the Byzantine civilization. Certainly, the stories narrated by Procopius of Theodora’s deeds within and outside the hippodrome before her marriage belittle tales of more contemporary royal disgraces. Yet, more astonishing than the fact the contemporary likings for lustful rumors strongly resemble those of the previous eras is the understanding that the stories of Procopius was not wholly unfounded.