Tina Harben Essay

Outcome 1 know how to recognise signs of abuse. 1: 1 Define the following types of abuse. †¢ Physical abuse Physical abuse involving contact planned to cause bodily harm, feelings of intimidation, other physical suffering or injury †¢ Sexual abuse Sexual abuse is the forcing of undesired sexual behavior by one person upon another †¢ Emotional/psychological abuse Emotional/psychological abuse may involve threats or actions to cause mental or physical harm; humiliation; violation †¢ Financial abuse Financial abuse is the illegal or unauthorised use of a person’s money, property, pension book or other valuables. †¢ Institutional abuse Institutional abuse involves failure of an organisation to provide appropriate and professional individual services to vulnerable people. It can be seen or detected in processes, attitudes and behavior that amount to discrimination through unwitting prejudice, ignorance, thoughtlessness, stereotyping and rigid systems. †¢ Self neglect Self-neglect is a behavioral condition in which an individual neglects to  attend to their basic needs, such as personal hygiene, feeding, clothing, or medical conditions they might have. †¢ Neglect by others Neglect is a passive form of abuse in which the wrongdoer is responsible to provide care, for someone, who is unable to care for oneself, but fails to provide adequate care to meet their needs. Neglect may include failing to provide sufficient supervision, nourishment, medical care or other needs. 1: 2 Identify the signs/or symptoms associated with each type of abuse. Signs and symptoms may include:   Physical abuse—- broken bones, bruises, pressure marks, abrasions, and burns Sexual abuse—–Bruises around the breasts or genital area, as well as unexplained bleeding around the genital area and pregnancy Emotional abuse—- changes in behavior, withdrawal from normal activities, and unusual depression. Financial abuse—– No money, food, clothes, large withdrawals of money from the bank†¦

Leopold Sedar

Leopold Sedar Senghor (9 October 1906 – 20 December 2001) Leopold Sedar Senghor was born in Joal,  Afrique Occidentale Francaise  (French West Africa now Republic of Senegal), to a Serer (third largest ethnic group in Senegal) Father and Roman Catholic mother. In 1928 Senghor traveled to Paris to continue his studies on a partial scholarship. He became the first black African to become an  agrege, the top qualification for a teacher in the French education system, and became a professor of African languages and civilization at the  Ecole Nationale de la France d'Outre-Mer.When Senegal achieved independence in 1960, Senghor was elected its first president. He retired from the presidency on 31 December 1960. Senghor retired to France, became the first black African member of the French Academy in 1984, and published his memoir,  (‘That Which I Believe: Negritude, Frenchness, and Universal Civilization') in 1988. He died at Verson, France, on 20 December 2001. Phi losophy: Leopold Sedar Senghor believes that every African shares certain distinctive and innate characteristics, values and aesthetics.Negritude is the active rooting of an Black identity in this inescapable and natural African essence. (The major premise of Negritude is therefore that one’s biological make-up (race) defines one’s outer (skin color) as well as inner (spirit/essence) traits. It is a concept which holds that there is a ‘shared culture and subjectivity and spiritual essence’ among members of the same racial group. Instead of rejecting the (colonialist) theory that race defines one’s being; Negritude rejects the assumption that the African is inherently inferior to the â€Å"white man†.To Senghor, this makes Negritude a weapon against colonialism and an ‘instrument of liberation’. To Senghor, the African essence is externalized in a distinctive culture and philosophy. This claim is supported by Senghor’s asse rtion that Negritude – the rooting of identity in one’s natural essence – is ‘diametrically opposed to the traditional philosophy of Europe’ (the colonizer). To Senghor, European philosophy is ‘essentially static, objective†¦ It is founded on separation and opposition: on analysis and conflict’.In contrast, African philosophy is based on ‘unity’, balance, negotiation and an appreciation of ‘movement and rhythm’. Senghor’s idea of â€Å"Negritude† posits an essence for blacks who are intuitive, sensual, and creative. In other words, he argues that blacks have a unique essence, with out which the â€Å"civilization of the Universal† would be incomplete. (This is reminiscent of Du Bois’ belief that Blacks have a particular value to add to world history). This essence, according to Senghor, is opposite from the white essence, which is based in reason and objectivity.

Facebook- A curator or an enemy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Facebook- A curator or an enemy - Essay Example The article here is trying to address how Facebook is blocking the works of artists who are projecting it through this social networking website. Nevertheless, Facebook is trying to defend its actions by calling it a ‘mistake’. Many artists from all around the world have experienced the same. They have had their pictures and, in some cases, even their accounts blocked. This article is pointing out a recent victim, The New York University of Art, which lost its rights for uploading any images of their artwork, the reason being the violation of rules and regulations of Facebook. The works included nude images, which is against Facebook policy. The University's authority classed this, an unfair action against art; nevertheless, they raised their voice through a blog, complaining about Facebook's rules and regulations. Thesis Statement Blocking the projects of the artists on the medium where individual individuals have complete freedom to express themselves. Isn’t tha t ironic? Rhetorical Aspects of the article being analyzed Purpose, Genre and Style This article was published in The New York Times. The issue being addressed is the problem faced by an institution of art as their work is being deleted and accounts blocked by Facebook as it contains nudity. However, later, the site officials claimed that it was a mistake on their part and they had no intention, whatsoever, of hurting anyone's feelings. Moreover, they encouraged people who had lost their work to post it again. Drawing nude live models is considered the most effective way to develop the basic draftsmanship skill of an artist. Hence, it is considered to be the most important part of an artist’s work. Using Facebook as a medium, artists share their work with art lovers all around the globe. Nevertheless, Facebook blocking their work became a deterrent for these artists. Artists are more emphasizing towards the blocking of the nude content and have been concerned with the fact th at the Facebook officials must have seen that the nude pictures were actual works of art, yet, they decided to block it. The genre is complaining about the careless behavior of world’s largest social network platforms. Angle of Vision The author of this passage seems to blame Facebook for these actions but, in my opinion, if Facebook has some certain terms and conditions then they are free to apply it on all forms of work. Facebook does not allow photos which attack a person or group or images which depict drug use or contain violence or nudity. If Facebook requires it's users to follow certain rules and regulations, then we are all required to follow them as responsible individuals. If they say that a photo should not ‘contain’ nudity, then nudity in any form should be banned. Some people are of the view that Facebook is assailing artists, this, however, is a misinterpretation as according to Facebook's representative, their investigators only check those images that are flagged/reported and then according to the nature of the report (how many people find that abusing) they remove the content. Therefore, if other users are uncomfortable with that image then there is no way that that content should be kept on the site. For an institution like the New York University of Art, there are other ways of sharing their artwork with people interested in art like their own website or blogs. Secondly, seeing these types of drawings in galleries is one thing and seeing them on Facebook is another. Not everyone visits galleries, neither do they have a rule against nudity but on Facebook they do have rules. Many people, who are interested in art but are against nude forms of art, visit these pages much often. Evidence from the article The academy was at loss as their account was blocked and they

Business Skills For Success Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Business Skills For Success - Essay Example Effective time management and planning can be key components in achieving success at work as well as having a proper work-life balance. Good listening skills are very crucial in communicating with others and can play a key role in achieving success in life. There are some factors that lead to poor listening and these barriers can be overcome to ensure that one listens effectively. Today, stress is one of the key problems faced by people in the workplace, but it can be tackled or eliminated if a person organizes himself and keeps a balanced work life. Problems are a cause of concern for some and an opportunity for others. But what matters is how these problems are resolved. Cultural Diversity has its positives and negatives but the positives outweigh the negatives, hence it is important to value cultural diversity in the workplace as it can prove to be a catalyst for improved organization performance. Gender sensitivity means to recognize the different roles played by the men and wome n of an organization and recognizing each group’s contributions and addressing issues differently in order to strive for equality in the workplace. In short, managers are given a position of authority based on their role while a leader gains it through his approach. Entrepreneurship has a deeper meaning than just starting up a business. Entrepreneurship is something from which the society and the overall economy benefits. In short business etiquette’s play a vital role in defining a person’s overall personality and good manners in the work place can take a person a long way in achieving a successful career. a. What is business ethics? Business ethics are a set of rules or professional ethics which are used to examine ethical and moral behaviours that arise in a business environment. Good business ethics are considered important and should be adopted by all organizations. Some business which are only interested in making money try to bend the rules and do not fol low proper code of business ethics and do their business in a way in which it earns them bad reputation. Making money is not considered wrong but the way in which company makes money is important and it is important for businesses to maintain proper ethics so that they have a favourable corporate image in the eyes of the industry and the customer base. Business ethics involves all types of dealings and transactions which take place in the business world; this also includes one-to-one dealing with your customers. Following business ethics means that not only the company makes profits but it also keeps in mind the well-being of the population at large as well as maintaining high quality standards which gained the company the so many customers. For example some businesses ignore the customer service side of things and are only interested in making money. These firms can be successful in the short-run but there is a minimal chance that they will succeed in the long run. Hence it is impo rtant to provide help and assistance to your customers. Sources: CityLocal. (n.d.). The Importance Of Business Ethics. Retrieved August 4, 2011, from Article Click: http://www.articleclick.com/Article/The-Importance-Of-Business-Ethics/999950 Johnson, K. W., & Abramov, I. Y. (2004). Business Ethics: A MANUAL FOR MANAGINF A RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS ENTERPRISE IN EMERGING MARKET ECONOMIES. United States of America: U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration. wiseGEEK. (n.d.). What is Business Ethics? Retrieved August 4, 2011, from wiseGEEK: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-business-ethics.htm b. Time Management at Work Time management is one of the most important skills which an employee should possess in order to maintain

Using examples taken from at least two emerging markets critically Essay

Using examples taken from at least two emerging markets critically analyse the view that the only successful entry strategy into emerging markets for European a - Essay Example local collaborators, the company can create good relationships with different organisations which are located in other parts of the world or even within the same geographic region. In the age of globalisation, a Company can have a head office in London while the production work is carried out in a factory near Beijing and the research and development of the product itself is conducted in Oslo. Companies have moved out of the nationalist image which was the mainstay of their identity of the past (Martin, 1999). Of course, it is still possible to say that BMW is a German company and Toyota is a Japanese company or GE is an American firm, but the nature of the multinational enterprise means that companies may be based in one country while the problems and issues they face could be of a global nature. To counter these problems, companies simply need to have relationships with local collaborators if they wish to enter emerging markets. These relationships will bring an easy understanding and efficient information transfer as well as create an open exchange for ideas between various cultures followed in other countries (Levy and Powell, 1998). Expansion itself is a useful pursuit for a company and there are several reasons why a company may wish to expand its business to global levels. However, the evidence provided in research materials as well as the practical examples of expanding companies show us that expansion without local collaboration might be a futile effort. To fully understand and critically appraise the question we must first understand why a policy of expansion is necessary and why collaborators are important for an expanding company. The first part of the question is rather easy to answer but the second part comes with two primary markets that are analysed for entry. The two markets selected for this are Hungary and China. These were selected because they both represent very different cases for analysis and are quite representative of the surrounding

The Policy Making Process Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Policy Making Process - Assignment Example Constitutional Founders had in mind the attempt to curtail war by limiting funding. Lee Hamilton reminds about the need for tension between the Congress and President. The president is not under obligation to make any decisions based points brought forward by the congress and should feel compelled to hear them . The congress does not exist to criticize and serve at the pleasure of the president. The invitation is a quite deliberate and a well thought mechanism created by the constitution framers to mandate wider consultations between the executive and legislature before entering into war. Division in power is an invitation to struggle since it ensures proper measurers before entering into war and that the congress cannot divest power to venture into war .Policy making on Issues concerning terrorism and security is often labeled as the president’s task, though the major decision is made in conjunction with the key advisors in various departments. Policies of sanction mostly rel y on the moral weakness of the targeted nation on the hope that it will be toppled by the difficulties because of the sanctions. The American system continues to demonstrate resilience, mitigate change and the capacity to temper. It has touted the war on terrors as war of ideas in information warfare and public diplomacy . Regarding the Washington battle, many anticipate the present regime crumbles in the presence of the Arabs, and it does not guarantee that the replacement will stop enriching levels of Uranium.

Flight to Mexico - General Aviation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Flight to Mexico - General Aviation - Essay Example The â€Å"pilot to be† must pass the FAA practice flight test. In addition, a private pilot must be able to speak, read and comprehend English. A medical examination for aviation is also vital and can only be administered by a medical official certified by the aviation department. It is critical that a private pilot has all the necessary documents. These documents consist of photo identification, a student pilot certificate with endorsements, a FAA Form 8710-1 Airman Certificate. Moreover, a private pilot needs to have a logbook with CFI endorsements along with along with an aircraft maintenance logbook. As a private pilot, tourist VISA is extremely essential along with FMM, which is a visitor permit that is provided by the airline. In addition, a customs declaration form is vital. Clearing immigration upon arrival is highly suggested for foreign pilots since clerks do check these documents. For further approval, the FMM permit gets stamped by the airport officials. As mentioned above, strict guidelines are placed in all aspects of transportation, which includes customs. Since Mexican customs deal with a lot of traveling and shipping options, they are strict in not permitting certain things to enter their soil. One of the main objectives of Mexican customs is to ensure the protection of their country. Hence, it is quite common for the Mexican government to reject goods that seems susipicious and is not labeled clearly. Everything must be cleared with US customs since both customers understand the gravity of security issues that emerged post September 11. Any monetary value over ten thousand dollars must be approved and declared with the customs. Mexico is a beautiful country that has the ability to spark excitement and awe amongst tourists. Mexico offers beautiful beaches along with historical cities that date all the way to Spanish colony. Mexico City itself offers many incentives such as great

Reflection 03081 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Reflection 03081 - Essay Example The presentation that we gave was about the first industrial revolution. The most important objective was to highlight the noteworthy inventions that were made in this period and what has happened since then. Tasks were assigned to individuals equally in order to ensure successful completion of the project. There was three group members, one was given the task to do the research and collect data, the second group member was reasonable for designing the presentation and I was give the task of writing the slide contents. The following sections will include the interpretation and outcome of our group efforts. As mentioned above, we were tasked with the preparation of a PowerPoint presentation regarding the first industrial revolution. We decided to conduct group meetings every alternative day in the week in order to discuss our individual progress regarding the overall presentation. The division of work was done very effectively as each of us go the work that we do best. However, one of the major drawbacks of our group was that no one was clearly defined as the leader. Although we were making individual progress there was no leader who would give proper direction to the flow of our work. Occasionally we have conflict of issues which deviate us from the actual path of the assignment’s objective. I decided to implement the ideas the Tuckman teamwork theory. It was extremely important for me to make sure that the team go through all the four phases of team development mentioned in this theory (forming, storming norming and performing). I witnessed that initially the group members were finding it difficult to gel in with each other. So I decided to clarify the overall objective of the team in order to make sure that group members work towards a unified goal. This helped me to establish coordination among the team members once they started to feel comfortable within the group (Riebe, et al.,

Write up a report based on Case StudyStrategy Formulation at Zanzibar Study

Write up a report based on StudyStrategy Formulation at Zanzibar - Case Study Example The affluent are attracted by the magic of the word Zanzibar. The place was previously referred to as Zanj-el-Barr or the land of the blacks. The region has been a colony for many times in the past firstly for the fact that it acted as a stopover destination for the ships travelling to India and due to fact that the country had a rich variety of spices. The spices are what contributed to centuries old reputation of the region. The spices that once upon a time made the archipelago famous are Cloves, Cardamom, Saffron, Curry, black pepper etc. However the spices are no longer the main source of living and income generating activity of the region and the tourism business is now the main economic activity. In the following pages the discu8ssion is focussed on the SWOT analysis of the region and strategies that can be adopted in order to promote Zanzibar as a tourist destination. The archipelago of Zanzibar has been famous for centuries for the spices and an important stopover for the trade routes. The region was first used as a trade destination by the Persians. These were followed by the Arabs who were eager to establish trade relations between the African countries and the gulf (Wilson, 2012). The Arabs were succeeded by the Portuguese in the beginning of the sixteenth century. The Portuguese were in turn followed by the Omanis and who in turn were followed by the Britishers. The British saw the region as the perfect stop for their ships before they visited India (Hartley, 2003). So, over the years Zanzibar has seen a blending of different cultures and ethnic groups. The culture of Zanzibar thus reflects a mix of Swahilis along with the Arabs, Indians and the Europeans (McIntyre and McIntyre, 2013). This mixing of culture is also reflected in the music of the region. However the archipelago has lost to the competition in the spices industry from India which is much more industrious, productive and operates an efficient

Jane Eyre and Social Class Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Jane Eyre and Social Class - Essay Example Since Jane Eyre was also from the lower class, she was treated brutally by many different people throughout her life. Initially, at Gateshead Hall, she is mistreated by John Reed who acclaims that the social class background of Jane Eyre gives him the right to abuse Jane Eyre. Once Jane Eyre leaves Gateshead, she expects a better life at Lowood School where she thought she would pursue her dreams, however here she is mistreated by Mr. Bocklehurst who continuously makes her realize that she is nothing but a rotten piece which deserves to be thrown. Also, when she is in love with Mr. Rochester, the social class issue again becomes a problem which stops her from marrying him. Lastly, when she arrives penniless at the door of Hannah, she is again treated like a doormat owing much to her lower social class. The novel also depicts the patriarchal patterns being dominant during the era, by portraying the male characters as being offensive towards Jane Eyre; however, Jane Eyre is a feminist who resists and continues being independent. Thus, the novel is a clear exhibition of the social issues dominant during the Victorian era. Starting with the journey of Jane Eyre in the novel, she is an orphan who lives with the family of her maternal uncle, the Reeds. Here at Gateshead Hall, she is constantly mistreated by her aunt Reed and her children. Since Jane Eyre has no money and is dependent on Mrs. Reed, she naturally inherits the right to abuse Jane Eyre emotionally as well as physically. ... "Now, I'll teach you to rummage my book-shelves: for they are mine; all the house belongs to me, or will do in a few years" (10), as quoted by Bronte, are the words of Mrs. Reed who is acclaiming that she will â€Å"teach† Jane Eyre, which indicates the offensive tone. Later, when she is abused to such an extent that she is left in a dark room where her uncle died, she suffers from trauma, after which she is allowed to attend Lowood School. Here at Lowood, she encounters Mr. Brocklehurst who is again a corrupt and brutal man. She constantly targets Jane Eyre for her lower class and tries to prove to the world how immoral and worthless Jane Eyre is. In her book, she Bronte quotes: This I learned from her benefactress; from the pious and charitable lady who adopted her in her orphan state, reared her as her own daughter, and whose kindness, whose generosity the unhappy girl repaid by an ingratitude so bad, so dreadful, that at last her excellent patroness was obliged to separate her from her own young ones..." (67). The phrase from the novel mentioned above depicts the bias of Mr. Brocklehurst as he distinguishes between Jane Eyre and Mrs. Reed based on the social class. According to him, â€Å"pious† and â€Å"charitable† are the traits associated with Reed and words such as â€Å"kindness† have been associated with her children, however adjectives such as â€Å"bad† and even â€Å"dreadful† have been used to carve out the character of Jane Eyre who is rather a source of disgust for her. Later, when Jane Eyre attempts to become independent by taking the job of a governess for Adele, a French girl, she comes across Mr. Rochester whom she falls in love with. Again, social class becomes a curse

I.C.T Unit 3c Essay Example for Free

I.C.T Unit 3c Essay In this part of the coursework I am going to layout all the needs of a person who has mobility impairment. His name is Scott and he is a 19-year-old engineering student with muscular dystrophy. Scott needs special technologies in order to keep his life running as normal as possible. Some technologies that Scott may need are:   Tracker Ball Head Tracker   Screen Keyboard Brain Switch   Voice Recognition Tracker Ball: A tracker ball is an input device where a finger is used to rotate a ball. This moves a pointer to the screen. A tracker ball is very useful to Scott. This helps him to move the pointer around easily. The tracker ball is a replacement for a normal mouse. Scott has troubles gripping the mouse because of his deficiency. It is easier for him to use a tracker ball because this allows him to gently move the ball just with one finger. This is easier because his hands can shake quite a lot and he cannot control this so using just one finger can make life so much easier and its not as frustrating because he dont need to use up all his energy. The tracker ball also doesnt take up as much space as a normal mouse, because a normal mouse you need sufficient space to be able to move it around freely while as the tracker ball stays in one place and all that is needed is to move the ball in the middle around with your hand. A tracker ball lets Scott run an independent life without needing the help of others. A tracker ball is also needed to use other technologies such as On Screen Keyboard. Head tracker: A tracker is used with head movements, Scott can position the cursor on screen and left and right mouse clicks can be made with a suck-puff switch. To allow Scott to move around freely, communication between the head tracker and the computer is normally carried out via a wire-less infra-red transmitter and receiver. This helps Scott immensely because if his hand becomes tired because it shakes a lot and he tries very hard to keep it stable and control the tracker ball at the same time. When this occurs he can resort to the head tracker and this makes it easier as he only needs to use his head. The head tracker is also used for other technologies like the On Screen Keyboard. This technology does have its disadvantages, one of them is that he has to keep a very stable neck and he has to keep his head up right in order to be able to reach the point he wants. There are sometimes very small buttons which Scott can sometimes miss and has to try various times to be able to click on a button of some sort. This can become quite stressing after a while so the head tracker needs a lot of practice and needs getting use to. On Screen Keyboard: An on screen keyboard is easier for Scott to use because of his deficiency and his hands shake a lot he cannot control the keys properly because his hand is not stable he cannot tap the right keys and can sometimes become very frustrating. So using the onscreen keyboard he can easily access the letters by clicking on them with his tracker ball or head tracker, which he finds easier to use. Without these two technologies he could not use the on screen keyboard. He can also use all the numbers and punctuation that is needed. This can also be easier for him in terms of his head movement. He does not need to be lowering his head to look at the keyboard and then looking up again at the screen, with the On Screen Keyboard, he can keep a constant look at the screen and this doesnt need head movement. Of course, the on screen keyboard can become a bit tiring and a bit useless, because Scott has to find every letter and click on it and this can take quite a while. Speech Recognition: Voice or speech recognition is the ability of a machine or program to receive and interpret dictation. This can be so much easier for Scott, because he has trouble using a normal keyboard because of his deficiency he uses an on screen keyboard, but if Scott wants to write something long or something complex that he cant really use the on screen keyboard because he will get tired and it can get a bit annoying, because he has to type letter by letter. Speech recognition makes it easier because all he needs to do is dictate to the computer what he wants the computer to write down. Of course, he has to make his speech loud and clear in order for the computer to understand what hes saying. Obviously a lot of the technologies have their disadvantages. All voice-recognition systems or programs make errors. Screaming children, barking dogs, and loud external conversations can produce false input. Much of this can be avoided only by using the system in a quiet room. There is also a problem with words that sound alike but are spelled differently and have different meanings for example, hear and here. This technology could take quite some long to get use to, as the computer needs to get use to Scotts voice. Brain Switch: A brain switch allows a severely disabled person to control on/off devices, for example, light switches, a heating switch or other environmental controls. The switch is operated by measuring the biosignals through a contact on the forehead. Scott can be taught to operate the switch by state of mind a calm, quiet state leaves the switch off and an active, excited state switches it on. Although Scott is not severely damaged, this can make his life easier for him. He might not need it urgently or it may not be a must have in his life but this can make his life easier. If he has small light switches or the electrical alarm for his oven is too small for him to be able to get it turned off quickly then the switch can help him turn this off. Small things like this can really change his life to make it easier because these small things are what he does regularly and this way he knows that he can count on the brain switch to help him out. But I know there are people who need it more than Scott would but it can still be a technology to help Scott with his daily life. In conclusion I think that most of these technologies do make Scotts life much easier to handle with his deficiency. Obviously not all of these technologies are 100% effective and every technology has their disadvantages as I have listed above but there are more advantages to the technologies then there are disadvantages and I think that as long as it helps Scotts even a little bit, its very successful because its helping the difficulties of someones life so much easier. [A1] [A1]You need to conclude your work by saying how these technologies either meet or do not meet Scots needs.

The Life Of A Construction Manager

The Life Of A Construction Manager A construction manager is someone whose job it is to oversee, monitor and co ordinate the process of construction of a building from design and initial planning stage to finish of the building. This means architects, by the nature of their jobs can to some extent also act in the capacity of a project manager since they are trained in document control and financing projects as well handling resources and overseeing construction. In some instances like in design-build-operate procurement the job description of the construction manager goes as far as overseeing and managing the operation of the building(s). Construction project managers have many responsibilities that they have to attend to on a day to day basis. According to Ritz (1994) these responsibilities include: setting and achieving project objectives, purchasing of labour, equipment and materials, controlling of planning, design and estimation of costs as well as budgeting and monitoring progress of the project. He goes on to further state that the construction manager has to also handle project planning, costing, resource management such as time allocation, employee management and all communication necessary during a project including dispute resolution. In order to gain a better understanding of the typical day of a construction project manager I had to go interview one. I was fortunate enough to find a willing participant in Mr. Ngu Yen of Tomtek Malaysia Sdn Bhd which is a consultancy firm based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. What I learnt affirmed some of what I already knew from my studies and thought a construction manager goes through on a daily basis as well as gave me new insight into what it is that he actually does. Similar to other professionals in the construction industry like an architect, the day of a construction project manager usually begins with making phone calls and checking up on emails. He then checks his daily planner to see if there are any outstanding and important meetings scheduled for the day. On the day that I interviewed Mr. Yen, he had a big site meeting with a client as well as other contractors for a commercial project that his company was supposed to oversee. There was also another site visit to a cons truction site to check on the level of progress scheduled and a manning schedule for another project that needed reviewing. The work that the construction manager is hectic and stressful and requires a lot of employability skills, such as being organized, attentive to detail and an understanding of how a construction project is supposed to progress. During a construction project, the construction manager becomes the intermediary between the owners of the project (clients) and the workers on site. In this way the project manager acts in the same capacity as an architect. (Rojas 2009) the construction manager also has to be able to multi-task very well, as they often have to take notes while talking to the client and planning how to effect changes that a client, through the architect, will want done on the project. This was the case at the second site meeting where Mr. Yen was already preparing anticipated changes to the handover date of the project due to the fact that the client had relayed through the architect that there was changes that had to be made about the material used during construction. Workin g out the logistics proved to be a bit of a challenge especially as the contractor for the project was not familiar with knowledge on how to build using the new materials and there was now a need for a sub-contractor to take over erection of the building. On a daily basis, the construction project manager has to do office work to kep their records up to date and organised. They also have to schedule meetings for ongoing and upcoming projects to finalise issues such as budgeting, manpower requirements and procurement of material. The project manager will often chair the meetings and have to come up with clear goals and objectives for the rest of the members of the design team or the building team and ensure that these goals re achieved at the end of the meeting. Perhaps the hardest task in the day of the construction project manager is conflict resolution. Building projects require constant supervision to ensure the project will be finished on time, within the estimated cost and according to the quality specified. This usually results in contractors having to be pushed sometimes to get the job done, a move which they normally resent. As the custodian of the site and the project, the construction manager has to make sure that any issues raised by either the contractor or his workers are looked into and speedily resolved to make sure the project is not compromised. Apart from that the construction manager has to ensure the safety of the site for workers, pedestrians and other professionals who come to the site. It is the responsibility of the construction project manager under law to ensure site safety and check that safety measures are being put into practice as intended. This will involve talking to the site foreman and at extreme times or i n the case of serious emergencies halting the construction for an investigation into the accident to be carried out as well as safety recommendations to be implemented. The construction manager needs to be knowledgeable about the project as well in order to answer any questions the crew on site might have. On a busy day such as when the company is handling a lot of projects at once the project manager will be on his feet for most of the day. This results in a lot of stress and fatigue, hazards which they have to look out for and also deal with. Planning and organising people takes a lot of patience and the skill of foresight. (Walter A2007, pp 44) The major difference between what I thought I knew about the day of a project manager and what I actually saw and learn is that no two days are the same for the project manager. Each project has problems as well as solutions that are unique to it, and the project manager needs to have a lot of hands on experience sometimes to solve these problems and perform to the best of their ability. Conclusion At the end of the day the project manager has to do whatever it takes to get the job done. On a typical day they will rely on software to keep their schedule up to date, other professionals in the building industry to ensure the smooth continuation of the project as well as provide clients with input as well as feedback on the progress of their buildings. The project manager goes through a lot of meetings on any day and has to give precise instructions always to ensure the viability of the project. Communication plays a very important role in the day of the construction project management, coupled with a strong work ethic for excellence.

Biodegradable Polymers: Processes of Degradation

Biodegradable Polymers: Processes of Degradation Introduction The ISO definition of a biodegradable polymer is â€Å"an irreversible process leading to a significant change of the structure of a material, typically characterized by a loss of properties (e.g. integrity, molecular weight, structure or mechanical strength) and/or fragmentation. Degradation is affected by environmental conditions and proceeds over a period of time comprising one or more steps† Biodegradable and compostable processes are essentially the same mechanism of how materials irreversibly breakdown into their fundamental composition, CO2, H2O, CH4 and other low-molecular weight products. The major difference is on how they go about the decomposition, biodegradation occurs naturally where microorganisms metabolise the material, where as composting takes place under strict conditions rate of degradation and the end product is non-toxic. The process of composting will also be affected by the size of the particles, large pieces may not be compostable but shreds of the same material may be compostable. Materials can also be composted at homes and the end product used in gardening, but some materials may not compostable at home and may require an industrial process. Biodegradable and compostable polymers should not be confused with biopolymers, which are naturally occurring polymers that readily degrade in the environment, starch, cellulose, proteins are a few examples of biopolymers, while the former are polymers engineered to degrade in the environment through one or more mechanisms of degradation. The degradation of a polymer should into consideration the other mechanisms of material degradation (oxidation, hydrolysis, photo-degradation, thermal-degradation) which can affect the polymer before or during the biodegradation process, or maybe the only mechanism acting on the polymer [ 41.wang ]. As more people are becoming more eco-conscious and aware of global warming, although not directly responsible, more effort is put into discovering new sustainable plastics and better manufacturability of these degradable polymers. History and why bioplastics? The first polymers, or plastics as it generally known, recorded in history were produced by The Horners Company in London [BPF site] which used horn and tortoiseshell as the predominant early natural plastic in the year 1284. But it is in the early 18th century that the plastic industry started to build up its momentum, it is during the period Alexander Parkes invented the first plastic in the 1850s [makingthemodernworld]. Today polymers are the most widely used material playing in an important role in civil construction to human wellbeing. A pair in Germany were awarded the patent to their invention of Casein Plastic as the first bioplastic derived from milk, but it was in 1990 that ICI Ltd launched the first commercially available biodegradable plastic. With the world consumption of plastics increasing to 100 million tonnes annually , from 5 million tonnes in the 1950s,[M.Avella] and growing at a rate of 4% annually. They can only be recycled or dumped into a landfill, which are becoming scarce [J_H_Song] , and with more governments of the developed world taking advantage of the developing world, where they send their nations waste to be disposed to and where it cannot be dealt efficiently due to the lack of proper facilites. What goes into the landfills cannot be controlled and the mixture of waste releases toxic agents from the more volatile waste, and gases, most notably methane from the other degradable waste, into the atmosphere which would be difficult to capture it everywhere, which is utilised in the U.K. Total solid waste in the EU is 520 Kg/year per person of which 10%-15% is plastics, more than 50 Kg, of which 40% is sent to landfills [mooney brian p] which is about 10 million tonnes, with the EU population at 0.5 billion [eurostat]. Recycling polythene carrier bags rather than producing new plastic has many environmental benefits such as: Reducing energy consumption by almost 67% Produces 33% of sulphur dioxide and 50% of nitrous oxide uses almost 90% less water Emits almost 250% less carbon dioxide One of the most important factors that it saves 1.8 million tonnes of oil for one tonne of polythene recycled. [wasteonline] Not accounting for the total carbon footprint of the process. But recycling is not very efficient process compared to producing new materials, every time plastic is recycled it loses about 10% of it mass, [green plastics] reducing the mass of the material to 73% of its original after only 3 recycles. The current proven world crude oil reserves of about a total of 1,342 billions of barrels[eia.doe.gov, no title], is estimated to run out by 2040[imeche] at current rate of consumption, though there are critics who would oppose these figures, therefore even more urgency in developing sustainable biodegradable polymers by then is required with the population doubling. How they are made? Biodegradable polymers can be based on a variety of environmentally sustainable materials, or a combination of different biomass, and also from bacteria. The most basic material that is used is starch which is abundantly available, large quantities present in corn and potatoes but also all vegetables, and at a low price. Cellulose is another commonly and easily accessible material that is being used to produce bioplastics. Certain oil based polymers have a degree of biodegradability too, polymers such as polycarbonate, polyhydroxybutyrate and poly vinyl alcohol [ BrodyMarsh ] or other biomaterials added to make it biodegradable though it may not be possible for the polymer to degrade 100%. Not all biodegradable polymers are derived from biomaterials or oil some can be synthesised, Aliphatic polyesters [ mulch films ]. Starch Starch molecules are polymers of Glucose molecules, where all the sugars are oriented in the same direction, as shown in the diagram below. Starch is made up of two types of molecules amylose and amylopectin, depending on the type of the plant starch can contain upto 25% amylose and 80% amylopectin [Poon, introduction to organic]. Starch granules diameter are averagely in the range 5-40  µm, depending on the source, they are not suitable in the plastic industry as they are difficult to process during extrusion and injection moulding. Starch therefore has to be processed, physically and chemically, before it can be used as thermoplastic starch, TPS, which usually includes heating it up in the presence of water to form a gelatinous material, but may require further treatment as this type of TPS is not moisture resistant [ 36/41.wang ]. To ensure that polymers were degraded in the environment after their service life starch was mixed with a range of polymers, such as polyethylene [ 50 Ke.Ty ], but because these class of polymers contain non-degradable polymers which will not be degraded, and cannot be seen, they cannot be called biodegradable polymers. Thermoplastics starch are therefore mixed with vinyl alcohol to create composites that tend to be more stable, but reducing the starch content in the thermoplastic polymer composite will reduce the biodegradability of the polymer[37]. TPS mixed with other biodegradable polymers ensure a 100% rate of degradation, which is not the case as mentioned when mixed with other polymers. TPS are mixed with synthetic polymers such as poly-(lactic acids) (PLA), poly(glycolic acids) (PGA) etc. [50,ke.ty] PLA blended with starch can reduce the costs of the polymer in addition to greatly reducing its rate of degradation, the raw materials of PLA is produced by fermenting carbohydrates from renewable sources, such as corn [50]. Cellulose Cellulose is a type of polysaccharide, a carbohydrate, found in plant cell walls and the most abundant organic material on earth, 40% of all organic matter [ green plastics ], it is produced by plants by natural photosynthesis from CO2 and water, at an annual rate of 200 billion tonnes, of which 6 billion tonnes are used [ 45.simon.J ] . Cellulose is similar to starch with the main difference being the molecular arrangement, in starch the molecules are highly branched and in cellulose the molecules are linear. Due to the arrangement molecular structure of cellulose, it cannot be processed into a thermoplastic but has to be converted to derivatives e.g esters and ethers to reduce the intermolecular forces for molecular flow to occur under heat and shearing conditions, unlike processing starch it does not require moisture [ thermoplastic starch ]. Attempts to produce polymers from cellulose, like polymers from starch, during past half a century were discouraged by textbooks expressing that because cellulose has a rigid backbone it cannot be converted to a polymeric material [ 54.yoshioka]. The figure shows various polymer derivatives from starch and cellulose, with the hydrogen in the starch molecules replaced by the R groups to form different polymers [ 14.second grn rev ]. Nitrocellulose, a highly explosive material, for instance is produced by reacting cellulose with a nitrating acid, mixture of nitric and sulphuric acids, and with alcohol or a plasticizer, such as camphor to make it more flexible and mouldable, added to stabilise the process [ 40.azom ]. Cellulose acetate is one of the more important and used cellulose derived biodegradable polymers, usually prepared from high grade cellulose, obtained from fast growing tress or cotton linters [ 53.alexander ]. It is commonly prepared by synthesising raw cellulose acetic acid followed by acetic anhydride in the presence of sulphuric acid, which acts as a catalyst, producing primary cellulose acetate, known as cellulose triacetate. The triacetate can then be formed into a solution, using methylene chloride as a solvent, which can then be dry-spun to form fibres, to produce cellulose diacetate. Finally cellulose diacetate can be dissolved, acetone as a solvent, to form fibres known as cellulose acetate [ britannica ]. All three groups of cellulose acetate are similar, what differentiates them is the percentage of hydroxyl groups that are acetylated, according to the Federal Trade Commission, of America, 92% of hydroxyl groups must have acetylated to refer it as a cellulose acetate, els e the generally referred to it as cellulose triacetate [ 52.rulesreg] . To produce a process-able polymer the cellulose acetate particles is mixed with a liquid additive, mixing thoroughly using a high speed mixer resulting into fine grained powder and extruded to form granules. Processing parameters that apply are 20-30D screw-type mixer, temperature range 160-190  °C and pre-drying for 2 hours at 70 °C. These granules can then be subjected to standard thermoplastic processing techniques [ 53.alexander ]. Lignin is another second most abundant component of woody plants, 20% of all organic material [green plastics], which is not yet used to its full potential, small amount used in various industries. There are new methods being developed to produce lignocellulosic biomass. Proteins There is not a huge amount of information available on biodegradable polymers derived from proteins. One reason may be that plants do not contain a high amount of proteins to be efficient enough to produce polymers, such as 100 grams of corn contains only 3.22 grams of proteins but 19.02 grams of carbohydrates, almost 6 times as much. Soybean the highest protein containing 36 grams of protein and almost as much carbohydrates, but yielding only 50% of the crop per unit area when compared to maize [ 61.lobell ]. Protein just like starch and cellulose can be regarded as a polymer made up of chains of various amino acids. Proteins from various crops have been used to produce polymers, especially zein and gluten, produced in maize and wheat respectively. Zein-gluten composite polymer can be produced by having wheat gluten coated with zein, [ 62.kim,sanghoon ] . The process does not require extrusion processes or high temperature, but only requires of zein to be purified. Kim Sanghoon describes a relatively simple method of producing a protein based biodegradable polymer, from gluten, zein, ethanol and distilled water, and compressed in an aluminium mould. Other methods of producing protein based polymers include using wood fibres mixed with gluten is plasticized using glycerol, water and ethanol, and extrusion moulded,[ 65.Wu.Qiangxian ] unlike the Sanghoon method. Sources of proteins used to produce biodegradable polymers include feather-meal, waste animal proteins [60.feathermeal], soy bean [ 58.nanda], egg white [ 39. Egg white ]. Synthetic Biodegradable Polymers Biodegradable polymers can be synthesised in lab, but because the costs involved the materials are further mixed with a natural polymer, usually starch, as it is abundant and cheaply available or a cellulose derived polymer. A few of the synthetic biodegradable polymers to name are polyglycolide (PGA), polylactides (PLA) (also known as Poly (lactic acid)), polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA). Synthetic polymers can generally offer greater advantages compared to naturally derived polymer, as they can be engineered to have the desirable properties, and have more consistency, unlike naturally derived polymers they do not depend on the source of the raw material which can influence the properties and quality of the final polymer. Aliphatic polyesters are the most widely and commercially used synthetic polymers available, a few are named above, other polymers that have emerged in the market are polyester containing aromatic moieties. The synthetic biodegradable polymers may be classified into three groups, but the literature will only review polyesters Polyesters Polymers containing both esters and other heteroatom-containing linkages in the main chains Polymers with heteroatom-containing linkages other than ester linkages in the main chain Biodegradable polyesters can be synthesised in a number of ways Polycondensation reaction diols and dicarboxylic acids Self-polycondensation of hydroxyacids Ring opening polymerisation Of the above three processes polycondensation, also known as step-growth polymerisation, and ring opening polymerisation are more widely. Some polyesters synthesised by polycondensation are Poly (lactic acid), Poly (glycolic acid), Polycaprolactone. The process involves the monomers of the two raw material reacting to progressively form long chain polymers, as the secondary name suggests. One disadvantage of the process is that the water production from the reaction must be continuously removed, leading to lengthy reaction times and producing varying chain length polymers. [ reviewed by 75.RaySmith/ 73. Okada ] Poly (lactic acid), a linear aliphatic polyester, based on lactic acid, which can be produced by fermenting carbohydrates or by chemical method. Lactic acid contains both the hydroxyl and carboxyl groups needed for polycondensation, but requires removal of water, by azeotropic distillation, as mentioned, to avoid poor yield, further production methods of various aliphatic polyesters is provided M. Bhattacharya.[ by Bhattacharya p337 in 75.RaySmith ] Ring opening polymerisation is a form of addition polymerisation, where cyclic monomers join a reactive centre (terminal end of a polymer),a range of anionic, cationic and coordinative initiators/catalyst are mentioned in scientific literature, to form long chain polymers though ionic propagation. [R Jerome p77 reviewed by 75.RaySmith]. Ring opening polymerisation is advantageous than polycondensation such that it takes place in milder reaction conditions and there are no side reactions, giving a more controlled end product [ 73.okada ], one of the most used polymers in the market Nylon 6 is produced using this process. The ring-opening polymerisation can be initiated by many organometallic derivatives of metals such as Al, Sn, Y, Nd, Yb, Sm etc, which have d-orbitals of favourable energy, metal alkoxides, e.g. aluminium alkoxides, tin alkoxides, may acts as typical initiators. Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) are a class of biodegradable polymer, polyesters , produced by using bacteria, e.g. Pseudomonas, Bacillus, Ralstonia etc, especially members of the Halobactereicae, as the production centre. The PHA is synthesised within the bacteria that functions as an energy storing water-insoluble compound in the cytoplasm of the bacteria cell[80.anderson]. Bacteria that do not produce PHA can be modified to produce them, e.g. cloning PHA operon, nucleotide sequences of DNA that control the production of PHA, into E. Coli bacteria allows the production of PHA by the bacteria. PHA are then produced by the bacteria when it supplied with source of high carbon content, like glucose under nutrient-limiting conditions. The described way producing is considerably more expensive than oil based polymers there have been suggestions of using products from the food industry as a feedstock for the bacteria to produce PHA, malt waste from a brewery is one of the suggestions, where b acteria produced upto 70% polymer, of dry cell weight (DCW). [82. Yu.Peter] Recent research groups have been forced to find alternate methods of producing PHA, due to the costs involved in the conventional method, and have been experimenting successfully with transgenic plants, where the only raw materials required would be CO2, for carbon, and sunlight. Other areas that have attracted research to produce polymers of the PHA family are the cyanobacteria, that produce the P(3HB) by oxygenic photosynthesis, but their yield rates are very small compared to the conventional method.Synechococcus MA19, a unicellular thermopile, can store upto 55% DCW. [reviewed by 78. philip] Rubber Rubber is an elastomer and a polymer of isoprene, it can be synthesised or be derived from the Brazilian rubber tree, Hervea Brasiliensis, from which most natural rubber is derived, but unlike the name suggest, over 95% of natural rubber in 2008 was produced in Asia, mostly south Asia, but synthetic rubber still makes a greater portion of the market, 56% of the world supplied with synthetic rubber. Rubber like material was developed based on thermal polymerization epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) with triethlyene glycol diamine (TGD), which produce a polymer behaving as a rubber-like elastomer [reviewd in 107.soybean]. Another method to produce natural rubber is by using PHA, which is obtained from bacteria as described, which will therefore be completely biodegradable. The PHA surface is however hydrophobic making it difficult for the microorganisms to inhabit on the surface an degrade, hence its increasing its shelf life significantly, but still be degradable in a composting environment. [109.rubber bacteria] Properties and Enhancements The most important property for all biodegradable polymers, or degradable polymers, is that are completely degradable into basic components, CO2 CH4 and H2O , including any other organic compound, by the means of microbial attack, or any other naturally occurring process for the polymers that classified as degradable by other means. Properties of biodegradable material should be separated into three categories, the naturally derived polymers, synthetic polymers and the composite of these polymers. Naturally Derived polymers TPS shows excellent degradability and composting ability in the soil, partly due to the water solubility of starch. It also has a good oxygen barrier and is not electrostatically chargeable [ 7.Lorcks ]. Unmodified starch polymer have poor processability and mechanical properties, compared to the other polymers available, but plasticising the starch, by addition of water, can assist in processing of the starch, and treating it at a certain temperature would transform the starch into TPS, which show thermoplastic behaviour and properties. As seen in Figure the pure form of TPS has the least period of degradation, but treating it with other biodegradable polymer to enhance its properties increases the time it takes to completely degrade. Cellulose in water-insoluble and like starch fully degradable, and composed of D-gylcopyranoside units, but unlike starch, linked by ÃŽ ±-(1-4) bonds, it is linked by ÃŽ ²-(1-4) bonds. The molecular arrangement of cellulose, explained previously, and the bond type contributes to the longer periods it takes to degrade, which is transferred to the polymer it is based on. Cellulose will readily decompose on heating, therefore cannot be heated to process, but is synthesised into cellulose acetate which like starch shows properties and characteristics of a thermoplastic, but the time it takes to degrade is reduced as the cellulose content of the polymer is reduced. Cellulose and starch the two of most used and abundant organic compounds having similar properties, except the time to full degradation, both have the characteristic of their glass transition temperature and melting temperature being close to their decomposition temperature. M. Gaspar [83.reduce water absoption] conducted experiments to examine and improve water absorption in starch based polymers. The experiment contains four specimens of TPS, TPS w/Cellulose, TPS w/hemicelluloses, TPS/polycaprolactone and TPS w/zein each composite having the same proportion, by weight, of the additive. The results showed that TPS w/zein had the highest tensile strength Youngs modulus and TPS w/cellulose the lowest tensile strength and TPS w/polycaprolactone the lowest Youngs modulus. The table shows a few of the mechanical properties of the polymers described above, noting that the 2 different types of starch have significantly differently poreprties. Film type Test condition Tensile strength (MPa) Elongation at break (%) Water vapor permeability (gmm/m2daykPa) Reference Cassava starch 25 °C 75% RH 9.0-17.0 9.0-28.0 [86] Corn starch 25 °C 75% RH 3.8-4.3 4.0-10.0 [86] Low density polyethylene 38 °C 90% RH 7.6-17.3 500.0 0.08 [88] High density polyethylene 38 °C 90% RH 17.3-34.6 300.0 0.02 [88] Cellulose acetate 38 °C 90% RH 48.5-82.7 15.0-45.0 [88] Polyester 38 °C 90% RH 178.0 70.0-100.0 [88] Cellophane 38 °C 90/0% RH 7.27 [89] PLA is a synthetic biodegradable polymer, that is brittle and has poor impact strength, leading to failure of the material by cracking and tearing, and therefore preventing a more widespread use of the polymer in the packaging industry. Another PLA property is its natural yellow tint, which again is a factor that prevents it uses in the packaging industry, which leads to poor presentation of a consumer product. PLA is therefore blended with other biodegradable polymers (to keep it 100% biodegradable) to improve the properties that are most desirable. Usually is PLA mixed with plasticizers such as pole-ÃŽ µ-caprolactone, poly (vinyl acetate), starch, poly(hydroxyl butyrate), providing the PLA with more ductility, but having a negative effect on the tensile strength[91 to 99]. The brittleness of PLA can be counter acted by mixing it with a plasticiser, which also reduces the already low glass transition temperature further reducing its end product applications.[100 101] F.Byrne [90] tested PLA mixed various available masterbatches, commercially available polymer additives, to check the enhancements, and the results are as in table, of them all PLA dcS511-Ice clear appears to be the best option for an additive as it removes the tint from the material. Table Thermal, mechanical, optical and surface properties of PLA and PLA/masterbatch blends Properties determined Units PLA Biomax Strong PLA dcS511 PLA dcS515-N PLA dcS511-Ice clear Glass transition temperature oC 59 59 59 58 58 Melting temperature oC 150 150 151 150 151 Crystallinity % 9 0 5 7 4 Tensile strength MPa 68 66 67 66 64 Tensile modulus MPa 2.3 2.0 1.9 2.0 2.1 Impact strength N 90 390 90 90 90 Shore D hardness 69D 59D 64D 69D 64D Haze % 19.5 67.9 20.6 13.5 10.9 Yellowness index 7.2 10.0 5.8 10.8 0 Another method of improving the properties of polymers is by producing polymers, an example can be of PLA matrix with natural fibres which may include plasticizers, but still remain completely biodegradable. An experiment included using polypropylene (PP) and PLA matrix, including PLA with plasticizer, with flax fibres. The pure PLA had better mechanical properties than the pure PP, and reduced tensile strength as composites. The results showed the PLA with 30 wt.% flax fibre are a 50% stronger than similar composites made from PP, another study [104 sisal] used sisal fibre in a PLA/Starch composite but resulted in poor mechanical properties. PLA/triacetin, plasticizer, composite with flax fibre reduced the strength of the composite but made it more ductile, effect of the plastizer. PP/flax fibre of 30 wt.% are commonly used in industrial applications that has an elongation to break of 2.7% with a tensile strength of 29MPa, even though fibres greatly increased the PLA strength its ductility was reduced to successfully replace the PP composite a suitable fibre could be researched or PLA/15wt.%Triacetin with elongation to break 2.6% and tensile strength 37.2MPa could be used. When using natural fibres in a polymer matrix composite the inconsistency of natural fibres length and properties must be considered, therefore using synthetic biodegradable fibres, cellulosic origins, an even quality can be obtained[105.herrmann]. Degradation Oil based plastics are resistant to biodegradation, and most other forms of degradation, as the micro organisms responsible for the degradation of these polymers are unable to consume it, mainly due the impenetrable oil based matrix which are they are made from and the surface in contact with the soil is smooth [reviewed in 113 p,p,future] . Another class of polymers are the partially degradable are oil based polymers composites with a easily degradable fibre, e.g. starch, which breakdown as the microorganisms attack the starch and leave the oil based polymer particles behind, which degrade at a much slower rate, but unnoticeable because of the size. Complete degradation of a material occurs through various mechanisms, by microorganisms, light, water etc. Biodegradation can be generally be classified into two categories aerobic and anaerobic biodegradation, where the final products of each of the degradation are CO2, H20 and biomass of aerobic and CO2, CH4 and biomass of anaerobic. CPolymer + O2 à   CO2 + H2O + CResidue + C Based biomass Generally in plastics the amorphous region is more vulnerable to degradation by hydrolysis, as water is easily penetrated into this region. The degradation can be classified into surface degradation and bulk degradation, where surface degradation occurs when the degrading agents are not able to penetrate into the bulk layer of the material and act only on the material surface. Spherulites may be visible on the material undergoing surface degradation. It must be noted that materials in the environment may not be degraded by one specific mode of degradation but a combination of different mechanisms, so it would be sensible to consider degradation of a polymer in the soil to have two mechanisms of degradation acting on it, biodegradation and hydrolytic degradation, and photo-degradation if it is exposed to sunlight. Degradation can be considered to occur in two phases, disintegration and mineralization. The disintegration of polymers may occur through hydrolytic degradation, photo-degradation or thermal-degradation by exoenzymes, mediated or not [114. scott]. The hydrolytic degradation is most likely to occur and have a greater role in the process of the biodegradation of the polymer, the figure below shows the subdivisions of hydrolysis. The mineralization takes place when the microorganisms start to metabolize the disintegrated polymer particles and convert them to common inherent digestion products [6 Krzan]. Natural rubber exists in the environment the various microorganisms required to metabolise the polymer are already widely distributed in the environment. The process starts by the oxidation at the double bond of the polymer chain, leading to the formation of carbonyl, peroxide or epoxide groups. The microorganisms secrete a rubber degrading extracellular enzyme, which in a sense start a chain reaction, as lower-molecular weight fractions are further metabolised by the microorganisms. An industrial scale degradation

Global Warming and the Kyoto Protocol Essay -- Environmental, Environm

Global Warming and the Kyoto Protocol Environmental issues are becoming a growing concern for the world as well as for the world's leaders. Pollution, littering and the burning of fossil fuels are all problems that have drastically affected humans over the past few years. Impure drinking water, radiation, less ecological diversity and cancer are a few of such harms that the world has experienced. However, one of the most prominent concerns is the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect, a natural occurrence, is turning deadly with the introduction of humans and carbon emissions and is slowly heating up the world. In future years this could cause catastrophic consequences. Rising global temperatures threatens the very existence of the world's population, making global warming an issue that has no territorial boundaries, every country is contributing to the problem and will inevitably suffer the consequences. As this is a global problem the interest of many world leaders was brought fourth. Eventually they came together to address this dilemma and come up with a solution to it. What officials are currently at odds with is how to implement the protocol that was reached in Kyoto Japan in 1997. This protocol made by world leaders is one of the first world wide efforts to try and resolve current environmental problems. The ratification of which, would have a huge beneficial impact on generations to come. The Third Session of the Conference of the Parties to the Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP3) was held in Kyoto, Japan from the first to the tenth of December 1997. The conference had more than 2,500 participants, 3,000 Non Governmental Organizations (NGO) and 4,000 press representatives in attendance. Discussions l... ...sultations. Despite world efforts Bush still claimed that the protocol is "fatally flawed," and bad for the economy. The European Union has been highly active in the efforts to get the protocol ratified and in working order. British environmentalist Michael Meacher said, "It's a beautiful day for the environment. It's a huge leap to have achieved a result on this very complex international negotiation." Up to this date 30 countries have ratified the pact. This very complex world issue is something which desperately needed, and got, attention. The future of the world and the existence of all living things are at stake. The Kyoto Protocol is on attempt to create a more environmentally sound world. There are flaws and the U.S. remains unchanging it its decision not to ratify it but a step has been taken and without a first step nothing will ever get very far.

Essay --

Affirmative Action Affirmative action in the United States is loosely defined as a policy that redresses the disadvantages of certain minority groups as a result of past discrimination, such as African Americans and Latinos, by giving them preferential treatment with respect to employment and university admissions. In particular, affirmative action has generated a great deal of controversy in university admissions, which has resulted in several Supreme Court cases. Proponents of the policy claim that affirmative action is permissible because a) certain racial groups have suffered from a long past of discrimination and b) there is evidence showing the educational benefits that result from a racially diverse student body reflective of the racial makeup of the United States. Although affirmative action may be a well-intentioned policy whose supporting arguments are based upon true historic facts, the policy as a whole is morally impermissible and only serves to perpetuate the issues it claims to address. In addition, the arguments in favor of affirmative action have several key issues, which include: a) not all groups that have suffered from discrimination benefit from the policy, b) using the two wrongs make a right fallacy to justify discrimination against nonminority groups, c) vague terms such as â€Å"critical mass,† d) assuming that an applicant is disadvantaged solely on the basis of race, e) stereotyping minority groups, and f) the contested definition of race in general. For centuries, African Americans and Native Americans have suffered from blatant discrimination, unjustified theft of land, grueling enslavement, death marches, cruel medical experiments, systematic lynchings, and genocide. Although most Hispanics never had to co... ... believe blacks can achieve in every avenue of American life without the meddling of university administrators.† Therefore, the solution to this issue of academic performance is bettering the education system in poverty stricken areas. If all racial and economic groups had access to equal educational opportunities, then they would all have the same capability to succeed in university admissions, given they are determined to do so. In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: â€Å"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.† Unfortunately, Dr. King’s dream has not yet come true, since African Americans are still judged (whether it be positively or negatively is beside the point) on the basis of their skin color when it comes to college admissions.

The Unsuspecting Hero of J. R. R. Tolkiens The Hobbit Essay -- Tolkie

The Unsuspecting Hero of The Hobbit Our tendency to romanticize it notwithstanding, childhood is tough. It is not, primarily, the time of nonstop games and fun that we would all like to remember. Childhood is marked by fun and games, to be sure, but it is also marked by a feeling of powerlessness in the face of larger and older adults. These adults are in full control of nearly every aspect of children's lives. From when they go to bed to what they eat, children are allowed to make very few choices of any significance. Because they are smaller, younger, weaker, and less trusted to be able to make wise decisions than are adults, children can easily feel powerless or even unimportant in comparison with these adults. The Hobbit, J. R. R. Tolkien's classic of children's literature, features a protagonist who has to deal with the sense of powerlessness and inferiority that children can easily feel. Bilbo Baggins, the novel's diminutive hero, is dramatically smaller and several years younger than the thirteen dwarves whose adventure he shares. Indeed, the dwarves initially see him as a sort of a child who cannot possibly help them in their quest for treasure. Bilbo proves himself to be a true hero throughout the course of the novel, however, saving the dwarves' lives more than once and providing the secret to killing the dragon Smaug. Tolkien obviously meant for children to identify with Bilbo Baggins, and his heroics were clearly intended to bring pleasure on a far more personal level than the exploits of a superhuman hero such as Sir Lancelot. Indeed, it can be argued that by choosing to make Bilbo the smallest and youngest member of the party, Tolkien allows his child readers the pleasure of iden tifying directly with his her... ...t children are far more inspired by the triumphs of other children than they are by the triumphs of adults or even adolescents, and so he wrote about a character who does vindicate himself and mature, but who remains, for all of that, a child. Children who read this novel will still undoubtedly be treated as though they are incapable of fending for themselves, and they will still undoubtedly be terrified of things around them, but they will feel a sense of vindication whenever they think of Bilbo Baggins. After all, Bilbo proves that one can be brave, wise, and heroic despite the fact that one is a "mere" child. Works Cited Carter, Lin. Tolkien: A Look Behind "The Lord of the Rings." New York: Ballantine Books, 1969. Crabbe, Katharyn. J. R. R. Tolkien. New York: F. Ungar Pub. Co., 1981. Tolkien, J. R. R. The Hobbit. New York: Ballantine Books, 1965.

Spanish vs. Ottomans

When empires expand, they all have a plan in mind on how and why they want to expand. It can differ from religious, wealth, or power reasons. It can also be with areas surrounding them or land far away. Simultaneously, empires can use similar military techniques, ways of keeping people in order, or ways of keeping up the economy. During the time of 1450 to 1800, the Spanish Empire and the Ottoman Empire responded to their empire building similarly in the idea that spreading their religion was their first focus, while there were differences in their social and economic values because their regions required them to be that way.The Spanish and the Portuguese originally originate from the Iberian Peninsula where Christianity was popular. In an attempt to expand, the Spanish sought after America. They look at it as a land they could conquest and convert over to Christianity. The Ottoman Empire, who was originally Turkish rising in the areas of Anatolia and the Balkans, was founded under t he religion of Islam. The sole purpose was to take Islam further. However, when they expanded it wasn’t like a monarch anymore but the sultans just handed power over to warriors.That way they could spend time adding more people to the empire instead of just fixing the government. The Spanish, on the other hand, were more hands on. They created institutions, taxed the natives, and had forced labor going on. Their focus was geared toward making their empire stable enough that they could conquer more natives, not having to worry about the government. The main difference was that the Spanish were more hands on while the Ottoman’s concern shifted to status. Around the late Eighteenth century early Nineteenth century is when hierarchy became a major issue for Spanish while the Ottomans fell into place.For both, the ruling class, the Europeans for Spanish and the sultans for the Ottomans, was at the top of the hierarchy. Beneath there is where both empires differ. The Ottoman s had merchants and artisans beneath the sultans which was very uncommon. However, they gave much of the contribution of the arts for the Ottomans. They are the cause of shops being opened and public works being done that wouldn’t have been complete otherwise. On the other hand, the Spanish was more focused on your race and gender while still giving reference to your job.Whites were at the top having the dominant roles, mixed races such as mestizo and mulatto in the middle, and black people at the bottom. Their structure was made so that Europeans would constantly rule and that slaves could only do their job: work. That way no matter how many people were added on they’d have the foundation that the empire can build off of. Lastly, the Spanish and Ottomans focus on building the economy had two different focuses. While the Spanish were concerned with silver, gold, and sugar, the Ottomans were focused on expansion.When landing on Peru, the Spanish quickly created silver m ine. That led to labor work of people of lower class. This way the Spanish has a wide rule of people that can continue to grow the mining industry as long as they continue to bring in slaves. Granted that that system worked, the Spanish could now export silver in exchange for goods. It’s in Brazil where they got the sugar to exchange for slaves that continued to make their population increase. On the contrary, the Ottomans wanted warriors in charge. Under their control war and taking of nearby territory became focus.Janissaries, a group of an Ottoman army, got an increase in weapons which soon led them to dominating a lot of territory. Equally, both the Spanish and Ottomans went after an area they thought would be beneficial in growing. Ultimately, the Spanish and Ottomans had similar foundations while still being different. Both grew tremendously in their own way under their own religion. However, the empires ended because they were too focused on one area of the empire but not another. The Ottomans was with war and the Spanish with money. The important part was that both left a legacy behind.

A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving Essay

A popular theme in literature concerns the concept of ‘growing up’, a painful process by which a character achieves maturity, self-knowledge and confidence. In the novel, A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving, the character of Owen Meany achieves this painful process. Owen Meany is introduced in the novel as a remarkable individual and throughout it can be observed how the brilliant child evolves into the memorable individual that he turns into. In the novel, A Prayer for Owen Meany, by John Irving, Owen Meany matures, gains self-knowledge and confidence to become the miracle that his character was. Owen Meany was obviously a brilliant child, but was still able to improve on his excellent character as he was growing. This can be seen through Owen’s maturity level. He was always remarkable advanced and mature for his age, but as he became older, he understood even more than before. His best friend was Johnny Wheelwright. In their friendship, Owen looked after Johnny. He gave him advice and even helped him out academically. When Johnny was bitter about his mother not revealing to him who his father was before she died, Owen came up with a mature response, â€Å"Of course, as Owen pointed out to me, I was only eleven when she died, and my mother was only thirty; she probably thought she had a lot of time left to tell me the story. She didn’t know she was going to die, as Owen Meany put it.† (Irving 10) In the face of irrationality, Owen found it easy to point out the logic. The easy way he comes up with intelligent responses to difficult questions are proof of this child’s brilliance. Later on his life, the reader sees that Owen has matured in regards to his perspective on Marilyn Monroe and John F. Kennedy. Kennedy had been somewhat of a hero in Owen’s mind and he had felt betrayed by him. He is able to later recover from this viewpoint and analyze the situation differently. She’s just like our whole country – not quite young anymore. But not old either; a little breathless, very beautiful, maybe a little stupid, maybe a lot more smarter than she seemed. And she was looking for something – I think she wanted to be good. Look at the men in her life – Joe DiMaggio, Arthur Miller, maybe the Kennedys. Look at how good they seem! Look at how desirable she was! †¦ She was never quite happy †¦ She was just like our whole country †¦ Those famous powerful men – did they really love her? Did they take care of her? If she was ever with the Kennedys, they couldn’t have loved her – they were just using her †¦. People will do and say anything just to get the power; then they’ll use the power just to get a thrill †¦. The country is a sucker for powerful men who look good, we think they’re moralists and then they just use us. That’s what’s going to happen to you and me †¦ we’re going to be used.† (Irving 431) Owen Meany is very good at analysis, and he uses these talents to make conclusions on many things. It is an excellent example of his maturity. When Owen first discovered that JFK might be having an affair with Marilyn Monroe, he was shocked. Now, he is able to rationalize it and see JFK in a different light. He is able to come up with educated ideas concerning JFK and Marilyn Monroe. His metaphor of Marilyn Monroe and the United States is an excellent one. Both Marilyn Monroe and America have a great deal in common because of their mutual exploitation by the rich and powerful. Owen Meany learns a great deal about himself through the course of his life. He is convinced that there are reasons for all things. One of his strongest conviction stems from what his parents told him about him being born in the same way as Jesus. Due to this, Owen feels very convinced and assured of himself. He is a highly intelligent child: I know three things. I know that my voice doesn’t change, and I know when I’m going to die. I wish I knew why my voice never changes, I wish I knew how I was going to die; But God has allowed me to know more than most people know – so I’m not complaining. The third thing I know is that I am God’s instrument; I have faith that God will let me know what I’m supposed to do, and when I’m supposed to do it.† (Irving 366) Owen has complete faith that there are reasons for his being the way he is. This is an example of Owen’s self-knowledge. He knew these things with a complete certainty and accepted them. Few people will have blind faith in something. Owen had questions, but he still put his faith in God, bowing to his superiority. He knows who he is. He understands his purpose. He is told by many that he is crazy and insane for thinking that there is a plan for why he has the voice he has. He is also told that he should run far away from what he thinks his destiny is, but Owen is not most people. He knows what his destiny is and runs towards it. Owen’s self-awareness and knowledge is what allows him to feel that he is headed towards the right path. In the end, Owen was right. He is able to save the Vietnamese children, â€Å"It was not only because he spoke their language; it was his voice that compelled the children to listen to him – it was a voice like their voices. That was why they trusted him, why they listened. ‘DOONG SA,’ he said, and they stopped crying.† (Irving 612) In the end, Owen is to be admired for his self-knowledge. Johnny would now be wrong in thinking Owen to be strange for thinking that his odd voice had a purpose. It did have a purpose. Owen’s voice helped him save the Vietnamese children. Owen Meany has a great deal of confidence in himself. If he sets his mind to do something, he can do anything. Owen Meany desperately wanted to join the army and be able to fight so that he could fulfill his purpose that he discovered in his dream. â€Å"If there’s a war and I’m in the army, I want to be in the war †¦ I don’t want to spend the war at a desk. Look at it this way: we agree that Harry Hoyt is an idiot. Who’s going to keep the Harry Hoyts from getting their heads blown off?† (Irving 462) The way that Owen ended the statement, almost makes him sound cocky. In a way, he is, but another term to describe it would be that Owen is confident. He places total trust in God that what will happen will happen. He is confident that he is going to die, fulfill his purpose in life and be a hero. It is uncanny how unshakable Owen’s faith is. Most people are unable to practice what they preach, and Owen does what he thinks is right. He does live by his rules. It is unbelievable that he is willing to throw away his life because of his faith in God. He does not even have any proof of assurance that God does exist, but in his mind he does not need any. When Owen would be practicing his basketball shot with Johnny and it would get dark, he would ask Johnny if he could still see a statue of Mary Magdalene after it became completely dark. He would ask Johnny how he could be certain that she was still there, if he could not see her, â€Å"You absolutely know she isn’t there – even though you can’t see her?’ †¦ Well, now you know how I feel about God †¦ I can’t see Him – but I absolutely know he is there!† (Irving 451) Owen explains to Johnny that he just knows in his gut and instinctively that God exists. In the same way that people can understand and accept that other things exist without physical proof, Owen is convinced of the existence of God. His confidence is daunting. It is unusual for a person to be so rationally convinced about theology and at the same time be willing to go to extremes in the name of God. When he was getting closer to the day of his death, he had doubts, â€Å"I don’t know why he’s here – I just know he has to be here! But I don’t even ‘know’ that – not anymore. It doesn’t make sense! Where is Vietnam – in all of this? Where are those poor children? Was it all just a terrible dream? Am I simply crazy? Is tomorrow just another day?† (Irving 604) Owen is growing up. He is scared and confused. He doesn’t know why Johnny has to be there for his dream to come true. He doesn’t know if anything is going to happen. His doubts are the most important step to his growing up. In the end, he was right all along. The character, Owen Meany, was a miraculous one, due to his maturity, self-knowledge and confidence, in the novel A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving. Owen was always mature for his age, but he was able to improve on it and make better judgements. He understood that although Kennedy was someone who had been a hero to him, that things are not always as you want them to be. He was able to open his mind to this, and eventually accept the possibility that Kennedy might have behaved inappropriately. Owen had an extreme amount of assurance in himself. He just knew some things and did not feel the need to question them too much. He knew that there was a reason for his voice and although, he wanted to know why, he did not feel daunted by this. He had faith in his ability to do things, even some that he did not manage to do, such as, going to war. Owen’s confidence is the last important point in his path to ‘growing up’. He had doubts and fear, but in the end his confidence in God and himself won out. Owen finally grew up, when he did what he was meant to do by God.

Igneous Rock

Igneous rocks originate from deep within the Earth’s crust. Igneous rocks (from the Greek word for fire) are formed when magma crystallizes and solidifies. An increase in temperature, a change in the composition, or decrease in the pressure can cause melting of these rocks in the mantle which form igneous rocks. The melt begins deep below the surface of the Earth close to active plate boundaries. As the temperate increases the rocks rise toward the surface.Igneous rocks are divided into two categories, intrusive or extrusive, depending on where the magma solidifies (USGS, 2004). Intrusive or plutonic igneous rocks form when magma cools and solidifies beneath the surface of the Earth. These types of rocks cool very slowly and have mineral grains that can usually be seen with the naked eye. Intrusive rocks have a coarse grained texture. One example of an intrusive igneous rock would be granite. Extrusive, or volcanic, igneous rocks are formed when magma exits and cools outside o f the Earth’s surface.These types of rocks are formed when lava flows from volcanoes. They solidify above the surface and have much shorter cooling times. Because lava cools and crystallizes quickly, it is a fine grain. The grains in extrusive rocks are quite small, so to classify them they have to be placed under a microscope to examine the thin sections to determine the mineral constituents. Given that igneous rocks form from a liquid state, their mineral grains are packed together very tightly (Geo. a, n. d. ). One distinguishing characteristic between the two categories of rocks is that intrusive rocks are formed below the surface and extrusive rocks are formed above the surface. Another distinguishing characteristic is that intrusive rocks have a coarse grained texture and extrusive rocks have a fine grain texture. Intrusive rocks cool and solidify very slowly whereas extrusive rocks have a much shorter cooling time which means they solidify faster.Reference Geology in t he National Parks (January 13, 2004) Rocks. Retrieved March 24, 2010 from http://geomaps.wr.usgs.gov/parks/rxmin/rock.html Igneous Rocks (n.d.) What are Rocks. Retrieved March 24, 2010 from http://www.geo.ua.edu/intro03/ignis.html

Personal Philosophy of Education Essay

Teaching is mostly a social activity; it begins with social interactions between teachers, students and their peers through conversation and demonstration. The information received in these social interactions is then processed cognitively in their working memory and hopefully stored in their long term memory. This learning process has two main stages the social stage and the cognitive stage which then can be broken down into many other stages. Given that that social interaction and cognition are in my opinion the most fundamental parts of learning I have gained much interest in Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory. The true direction of the development of thinking is not from the individual to the social but from the social to the individual’, (Vygotsky, 1986, p. 36). This idea argues that the social relationship between the teacher and learner is crucial in their cognitive development and that the information learned by the student is not simply passed down from the teacher but it is constructed internally through mutual social interactions. The importance of social interaction means that as a teacher I must use every opportunity I can to allow students to be involved socially while building their knowledge. This will involve planning lessons which involve carefully guided class discussions. This allows students to express their views while the teacher can guide their thinking and correct them if needed. I believe learners mostly process new information by comparing it to previously stored information. In many cases the teacher may need to show the student how it is related to the new information by comparing it to what the student previously learnt. It is the teacher’s job to bridge the gap between known and unknown and I believe this is best described using Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development. Vygotsky (1986) argues that it is the teacher’s job to assist the student to build on their previous knowledge rather than just provide them with new information, turning them into passive recipients. Allowing students to process information critically with some guidance leads to better understanding and allows students to regulate their own learning. In order for this to be effective the teacher must be aware of the different ability levels of the students as if the information is placed outside of their proximal development zone they will be only memorising information without truly understanding its meaning. In my classroom I would aim to have knowledge of all my students’ abilities so that I may pose questions within their zone of proximal development which will then deepen their understanding of the topic. There are many simple ways of doing this such as giving analogies that compare pieces of information in a way that they understand or by giving them hints about the correct method to solve the problem. Education is a lot more complex than having knowledge of relevant theories. This is due to the huge diversity among students who may have different ethnicity, socio economic status and moral values. These are all external factors which are mostly out of the teachers control and while it is important to consider these differences I believe motivation is the key to allowing students to get the most out of their education. Current views conceptualise motivation as a dynamic and complex phenomenon comprising many cognitive, affective and social processes that instigate, direct and sustain action (Pintrich & Schunk, 2002). Given that motivation is sustaining the student’s interest in their learning it is up to the teacher to keep them motivated. A cognitive approach to motivation is achievement motivation which allows students to build on their successes by motivating them to be successful in the future. This can only be achieved if the knowledge is within the student’s ability which once again reinforces to me the importance of being aware of my students’ abilities and using their zone of proximal development to its full advantage. Having the ability to motivate and understand students differences are traits which I believe are essential for a successful teacher but in order to possess these abilities the teacher must first be able to build a quality relationship with the students. When there are high levels of closeness and low levels of conflict and dependency, students are more likely to be motivated to succeed, to feel successful in educational pursuits and, consequently, to perform better than students without such supports (Koomen, Zee, Van der Veen 2013). The research shows that positive student teacher relationships not only improve academic achievement but allow students to work more independently. As a teacher I will strive to build these quality relationships in which I can allow students to work independently with some guidance. This will allow more freedom in their learning and will ultimately motivate them towards better academic achievement.

The Way of The Musical In Turbulent Times Essay

The Way of The Musical In Turbulent Times - Essay Example There are many times in the history of the United States where turbulent times brought a need for ways to refocus the attention of the people towards something more pleasant. One way that has worked throughout time is musical theatre. Generally, each era of turbulence has shown a variety of musicals that dealt with the issues of that time. Some were done for the "feel good" quality to help audiences escape from the turmoil of the world's problems for awhile. In other eras the musicals were more political and dealt with issues of protest using parody and sarcasm to get people to look at the political issues of the time. Within the last several years, as the country deals with a global economic crisis that is uncertain, musicals have become popular again as a vehicle of escape. This research will explore musical theatre and movies from 1920 to the present time. It will explore specific musicals and periods of history that produced a significant turbulent time and how these times effect ed and influenced the audiences.

The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire - Essay Example It seems like America has forgotten the lesson learned after the Triangle Shirtwaist Company fire. On March 25, 1911 right before the final whistle called for the end of the day a fire started on the 8th floor of the 23 Washington Place (Schneider). The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory occupied the 8th, 9th, and 10th floors of the building. After the fire started the 8th floor called the 10th floor to give them warning, but no one notified the 9th floor (Stein and Greider 182). The women on the 10th floor either escaped through an elevator or up the stairwell to the roof. The people on the 8th floor went down the stairwell or through the elevator. An elevator ran for a little while to the floors , but soon the cables melted (Drehle 153). Soon people were opening the elevator shaft and jumping to get away from the flames. Women were also jumping out the 9th floor windows as well. The 9th floor girls were trapped due to a locked stairwell that was supposed to prevent theft† (Greenwald 62). As the factory burned people gathered on the street watching the women jump. Fire trucks did not have the water or the ladders to reach the 8th floor. The devastation of human life was enormous. Lives were lost due to an antitheft measure. After the fire workers cried for new safety measures. â€Å"The 146 lives lost in the fire ignited. ... If women tried to strike they were considered bad. â€Å"They were either ‘good’ girls who listened docilely to fathers, employers, and policemen, or ‘bad’ women whose aggressive behavior made them akin to prostitutes† (Orleck 62). Even if the women at Triangle would have protested the unsafe locked doors, it would have been up to management to open them. One of the owners probably would not have listened. Max Blanck was caught locking doors again in 1913; he was only fined $20 (Hoeing). There was a need for the creation of OSHA and unions. Although the Triangle fire was 100 years ago, many lessons can still be learned from the tragedy. However Americans are forgetting about this tragedy and other workplace accidents. Unions are being outlawed by our own congresses. Instead of worrying about lives, the legislators are more interested in budget shortfalls. â€Å"Yet a century later, the laws that could have saved lives had they been in place on March 25, 1911, are being threatened by budget cuts proposed by a Republican-controlled Congressâ€Å" (Schneider). Unions have come to stand for pay raises and benefits. What about the safety issues? It seems like safety issues seem to be a moot discussion. The most famous anti-union legislation is against teachers in Wisconsin. It might seem like a good idea to cut the budget, but what could the possible outcomes be? Teachers might decided to go to different states that still have unions. That could mean the best teachers would leave. If the best teachers leave, then what would the children of Wisconsin be learning? The consequences could reach for generations. Without the union what happens if principals decided to make the teachers work in unsafe conditions?