Saturday, August 31, 2019

Logistics Readiness

Logistics came from the word logos (), which means â€Å"calculation, ratio, reason, speech and oration.† Since ancient times, logistics is already used to supply, move and maintain armies especially during war time. Historical leaders such as Alexander the Great, Hannibal Barca, and the Duke of Wellington are said to be logistical geniuses who mobilized their army through great distances, and won numerous battles. During World War II, logistics played an important role for the United States since the resources is during that time is limited due to the depression and most of the battles happened in enemy territories in Europe. Today, logistics is now also known as supply chain management (SCM) and defined as the art and science of planning, operation, control, design and development, procurement, inventory, maintenance, storage, distribution and replacement of personnel, materials, supplies and other resources. (LogisticsWorld) Logistics or SCM does not only apply to the military but to business, production and trade well. The main objective of logistics is simple, that is, to use the resources without waste to meet or exceed the demands of the party in need. These resources that must be minimized (or sometimes maximized) include fuel, personnel, equipment, storage facilities, handling facilities, transport vehicles and most importantly, time and money. There are two criteria for which all logistics decisions and policies are based. These are production efficiency and effectiveness. (Eccles, 1959) By using the resources efficiently and effectively is to have the advantage of getting bigger opportunities, higher revenues, strategic advantage in coverage and location, and preparedness for crucial events that might happen. Developed from James A. Huston’s Sinews of War are some of the important principles considered in logistics. These principles are: Timing. Should be relative to the objective and dependent in the level of procurement, whether a high-level or a just simply a tactical supply. Proper timing is important especially when certain risks are involved in accomplishing a certain task. Feasibility. Logistics planning and design should also consider the organization’s capabilities of carrying out orders. It is crucial to determine whether the organization can possibly accomplish the task given the difficulty of the demands. Flexibility. A logistics organization must be capable of adapting to new or changes in requirements or terrain conditions. A logistics organization must be able to convert according to the present conditions or problems that are encountered anytime along the way. Information. Accurate and up-to-date information on every aspect is vital to logistics planning and distribution. False or unseen information may lead to accidents or loss of revenue. Economics. Resources allocated for logistics are almost always limited and it is necessary to use them in the best way to achieve or exceed the primary goal. Relativity. Logistics activity is all relative to time, location, availability of resources and circumstances and can never be absolute. Each logistic activity is unique and changes according to different conditions and demands. Location is also an important factor being considered in logistics. This applies for both the distribution center and the destinations at which the required product or good is needed. It is crucial to determine the location in logistics as it determines the distance, total time needed to travel, and how big is the coverage of the distribution center at which it can deliver the desired goods at minimized cost. The nearer the location of the distribution center, the shorter the time it takes to deliver and the lesser the cost of travel that will be used. Location does not only mean the distance but also the topography of the region. The topography of the place between the source and destination dictates the appropriate or best mode of transport that should be used. For example, to deliver supplies in mountainous area from a lowland city, the best way to deliver the product or good in a time-efficient manner is through air by helicopters. But if there is an acceptable and safe road present towards the destination, delivering by land is more cost-efficient. To attain higher logistic efficiency, there are a lot of factors that are involved depending on the demands and level of procurement. Location is only one but an important factor that must be considered to have a more efficient and effective method of procurement and distribution of goods. Some of these factors include: the distribution strategy; resource availability; network configuration, and; inventory management. Logistics, added with efficiency and effectiveness translates to power. (Boutelle, 2007) This applies to both the military and in trade & industry. Logistics can be seen as military power or economic power depending on the one who perceives it. As of today, the United States military does not content itself of having the most powerful army, but now also develop ways in order to create a the most cost-effective military that can withstand the long-term war on terrorism. The knowledge and foresight of supply and movement factors are the basis of a logistician’s plan. Only then he can know when and how to take risks that will win him battles and achieve the ultimate goal; which is the betterment of his fellow men. (Wavell, 1946) References: Boutelle, L. G. (2007). CIO View. Retrieved August 18, 2007, from Defense Systems Website: http://www.defensesystems.com/issues/1_5/cio_view/464-1.html Cox, M. D. (1999, September). LogisticsWorld. Retrieved August 17, 2007, from LogisticsWorld Website: http://www.logisticsworld.com/logistics.htm Eccles, A. H. (1959). Logistics in the National Defense. Harrisburg, Pa. How The Army Runs. (n.d.). Retrieved August 17, 2007, from US Army WAr College Website: http://carlisle-www.army.mil/usawc/dclm/linkedtextchapters/CHAPTER12.pdf Huston, J. A. (1966). The Sinews of War: Army Logistics, 1775-1953. Washington: Office of Military History, United States Army. Wavell, F. M. (1946). Speaking Generally. London: Macmillan. Worthen, B. (n.d.). ABC: An Introduction to Supply Chain Management. Retrieved August 18, 2007, from Business Technology Leadership Website: http://www.cio.com/article/40940   

Friday, August 30, 2019

Gold and Diamond Mining of Africa Essay

* Diamond mining in Africa Ever since the Kimberley diamond strike of 1868, South Africa has been a world leader in diamond production. The primary South African sources of diamonds, including seven large diamond mines around the country, are controlled by the De Beers Consolidated Mines Company. In 2003, De Beers’s operations accounted for 94% of the nation’s total diamond output of 11,900,000 carats. Nicky Oppenheimer, the current Chairman of DeBeers. * The life of the miners The search for diamonds is not exactly easy. Many miners and diamond diggers in sub-Saharan Africa travel great distances to find work and submit to gruelingly long hours for low wages – or sometimes no wages – in substandard conditions. Child labor has long been a problem in informal diamond mines, especially during times of war. Children have often been exploited to do excavation work because they are small enough to be lowered into small, narrow pits by ropes to dig out sacks of dirt, which is in turn washed by other children in search of diamonds. During Sierra Leone’s 10-year civil war, children were often used as soldiers and workers in the rich Koidu diamond mines that funded the country’s rebels. USAID launched the Kono Peace Diamond Alliance in 2002 to try to improve the working conditions in the mines – particularly for children. But it is an uphill battle across Africa to get children who are either family breadwinners, or fending for themselves or conscripted into slave-like labor to stop working and go to school. A child solider in Africa Land is often cleared and vegetated areas dug up to create open pit mines in he rushed search for diamond deposits, leaving them unsuitable for other farming activities. Informal mining in hilly areas also leads to erosion – and, in turn, flooding. The salt, heavy minerals and chemical products from mining equipment can run off into rivers and pollute vital water sources for mining communities and people living downstream. * gold mining in Africa South Africa accounted for 15% of the world’s gold production in 2002 and 12% in 2005, though the nation had produced as much as 30% of world output as recently as 1993. Despite declining production, South Africa’s gold exports were valued at $3. billion USD in 2005. Almost 50% of the world’s gold reserves are found in South Africa. Barrick Gold Corporation is the largest pure gold miningcompany in the world, with its headquarters in Toronto, Ontario, Canada; and four regional business units (RBU’s) located in Australia, Africa, North America and South America. Barrick is currently undertaking mining and exploration projects in Saudi Arabia, Papua New Guinea, the United States, Canada, Dominican Republic, Australia, Peru, Chile, Russia, South Africa,Pakistan, Colombia, Argentina and Tanzania. For 2008, it produced 7. million ounces of gold at a cash cost of US $443/ounce. As of December 31, 2008 its proven and probable gold mineral reserves stand at 138. 5 million ounces. Peter monk, the wizard of gold mining * The life of gold miners The unknown factor in South Africa is the future of labor costs. The mines employ several hundred thousand miners underground: half the production costs are for wages. Most of the gold miners are members of the black National Union of Mineworkers, which is pressing hard both for political and social reform, and for better wages and working conditions for its members. But the long-delayed beginnings of political reform in South Africa in the late 1980s coincided with a slump in gold prices. The South African gold mines, many of them a century old, were by then the world’s deepest, and were technically very difficult and financially very expensive to operate even in spite of the low wages paid to the miners. The quality of the ore was slowly dropping: the average gold ore now averages less than 5 grams of gold per tonne. Winnie Mandela is on record as saying to black miners, â€Å"You hold the golden key to our liberation. The moment you stop digging gold and diamonds, that is the moment you will be free. † She could not be more wrong. If the gold mines close, the economic disaster will be visited most on the poorer section of society, the blacks. The South African reforms were predicated absolutely on a stable and healthy economy. In 1999, the price of gold dropped to a low point around $250/oz. This was very bad news for South African gold companies, South African gold miners, and the South African government. Gold companies scrambled to reorganize and streamline their operations. By the time the price again reached $290 again in early 2000, the gold industry had changed dramatically, in South Africa and globally. Health problems of gold miners who worked underground include decreased life expectancy; increased frequency of cancer of the trachea, bronchus, lung, stomach, and liver; increased frequency of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB), silicosis, and pleural diseases; increased frequency of insect-borne diseases, such as malaria and dengue fever; noise-induced hearing loss; increased prevalence of certain bacterial and viral diseases; and diseases of the blood, skin, and musculoskeletal system. These problems are briefly documented in gold miners from Australia, North America, South America, and Africa. In general, HIV infection or excessive alcohol and tobacco consumption tended to exacerbate existing health problems. Miners who used elemental mercury to amalgamate and extract gold were heavily contaminated with mercury. Among individuals exposed occupationally, concentrations of mercury in their air, fish diet, hair, urine, blood, and other tissues significantly exceeded all criteria proposed by various national and international regulatory agencies for protection of human health.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Master Of Accounting Reflection And Personal Development Essay Education Essay

Competences are underlying features that lead to superior public presentation in an person. They include qualities, accomplishments, properties and traits that help people to be successful. Competences are capable of being developed in people instead than being fixed. This competence development is largely developed through Personal & A ; Professional Skills. Personal & A ; Professional Development is basically an avenue of learning professionals how to develop their professional accomplishments, concentrating on what we do and how we do them. Personal and Professional Development is critical for the development professional abilities in every person and I am non an exclusion. This is because in professional development, a individual ‘s security does non lie in the occupation or administration they work for but in the accomplishments, cognition and experiences that they have within themselves ( Megginson & A ; Whitaker 2007 ) . This shows the necessity to increase one ‘s cognition through specialised and consistent instruction in one ‘s profession. This work will demo how the faculty Personal and Professional Development has affected my professional accomplishments. In making that, we shall discourse briefly how the five competences have affected my professional accomplishments but there will be in-depth account on ego development competences. The grounds for taking ego development competence are due to its importance in the development of my professional accomplishments and because I noticed after the survey of the faculty that I need so much betterment in the competence. In my acquisition analysis, I will critically analyze the faculty and demo how it has impacted on me positively or otherwise, identifies my countries of strengths and failings and develops action programs to better on my strengths and make off or at least better on my failing and thenceforth conclude.Analysis OF MY LEARNING ON THE MODULEBefore the analysis of my acquisition in this faculty, I will briefly define acquisition. Learning is an acquisition of cognition or accomplishment that enables us to gain something new, or be able to make something we have n't done earlier ( Diana Winstanley, 2005 ) . Learning is geting facts, accomplishments and methods ( Saljo 1979 ) and it is the procedure whereby cognition is created through the transmutation of experience ( Kolb 1984 ) . Harmonizing to Honey and Mumford ( 1986 ) , there are four different larning manners ( militant, pragmatist, reflector and theoretician ) . Learning is besides reassigning cognition into action- it is about deve loping competency and being able to set the cognition into pattern. I will besides foreground what is expected in all the five competences and associate it to my acquisition in the faculty.SELF-MANAGEMENT COMPETENCIESUnder this competence, we have larning penchants, perceptual experience, values, pull offing emphasis and personal resiliency. In larning penchant we mean how do you desire to larn best: hearing, reading on your ain or other agencies. Perception merely means the manner you see things. Valuess harmonizing to Rokeach, 1973 are desirable, trans-situational ends that vary in importance as steering rules in people ‘s lives. Personal resiliency is our ability to resile back, or even turn, in the face of force per unit areas and menaces. Stress is defined as â€Å" the mental and physical status that consequences from a sensed menace or demand that can non be dealt with readily † ( Furnham 2005 ) .INTERPERSONAL COMPETENCIESInterpersonal competence is the ability t o associate and understand others. Here scholars try to see things from other people ‘s point of position in order to understand how they think and feel. An interpersonal competent individual attempts to keep peace in group scenes and promote co-operation. An interpersonal competent individual is Self-assured, self-asserting, Influence and persuade others, grips emotions and struggles really good and above is a squad builder.SELF DEVELOPMENT COMPETENCIESWhen we talk of ego development competence, we mean competence in developing one ego. Some of the things that come to mind there are puting accomplishable ends, having feedback, motive, self revelation and brooding thought.Personal LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIESHere we talk about what is in a individual that make him or her a good leader. Its competences include power ie power to take, influence and trust ( Being able and prepared to follow a figure of ways to derive support and influence diverse parties, with the purpose of procuring betterments ) , empowerment ( endeavoring to ease others ‘ parts and to portion leading, fostering capableness and long-run development of others ) , emotional intelligence ( ‘the subset of societal intelligence that involves the ability to supervise one ‘s ain feelings and others ‘ feelings and emotions, to know apart among them and to utilize this information to steer one ‘s thought and actions ‘ ( Salovey and Mayer 1990, pp.5 ) ) and leading manner.ENGAGING WITH OTHERS COMPETENCIESIn prosecuting with others competences, we have valuing diverseness which made me gain that people are different. Valuing diverseness is of import, because the increasing globalisation in the universe requires more interaction among people from diverse civilizations, beliefs, and backgrounds than of all time before. Besides cultural consciousness comes to mind as civilization is a major beginning of single differences, which consequences in different personalities. P rofessionalism and moralss are competences that a professional can non play with. The merely means Department of State and don'ts in the profession, this faculty shows me that what keeps me in the profession aside my personal cognition and interaction, developing self, taking good is to cognize when I am either making short of what is expected of me or when I am over making it. This faculty at first seemed meaningless to me, the lone ground why I listened was that I was funny and that it is portion of my faculty, though I questioned its usefulness. But as clip goes on, it started droping, started going interesting, I started going aware of my developmental demands. The first category I attended was really deadening ab initio, but when category activity on larning penchants was given, I realise that I needed self-development and personal alteration ; which means that I had been in stage 1 of my personal and professional development ( being unconscious and unqualified ; Straangard, 1981 ) . Nevertheless, I instantly chose to develop myself because deep inside me I was motivated to larn and win ( Megginson et al. 2007 ) . In the class of my acquisition, I discovered so many things about myself that I did non cognize before. Typical illustrations are that I now know how to utilize feedback to develop myself efficaciously. I besides now know what it means to put a realizable end within realizable clip frame. Furthermore, my engagement in group work every bit far as I know has now made me whole by doing me cognize how to work in a squad with different people as the faculty boosted my assurance. The faculty has helped me to cognize my larning penchants as a reflector ( good hearer, thoughtful and analytical, adopts a low profile and likes to stall ) which I discovered after taking the trial on ‘knowing your acquisition manners ‘ . The benefit of cognizing this my acquisition manner is that â€Å" aˆÂ ¦it shifts the accent towards promoting a balanced attack to acquisition and, possibly more significantly, an expressed consciousness of the scope of attacks available to me the scholar † ( CIPD 2006 ) . What I have achieved in the manner I see things after this faculty can non be underestimated. The faculty has taught me how to see things non merely from my point of position but other people ‘s ain excessively. In footings of values, my value systems have changed. In the faculty, I saw what Kohlberg ( 1981 ) came up with as three types of personal values viz. ; Pre-conventional values -punishment, obeisance and opportunism ; Conventional values- ou tlooks and conformance ; and Post-conventional values -universal ethical rules. I besides improved on emphasis direction either my personal or people ‘s emphasis after analysing its definition by Ivancevich et Al. ( 1990 ) . They defined stress direction as â€Å" Any activity, plan or chance initiated by an organisation, which focuses on cut downing the presence of work-related stressors or on helping persons to minimise the negative results of exposure to these stressors. † As respects my interpersonal accomplishments, the group work in this faculty improved my ego assurance. We were given group work on single differences and to my extreme surprise ; my group chose to stand for the group. At first, I shivered and even said no, but after encouragement from the group members, I summoned bravery and represented. The feedback I got was really encouraging positive and I picked up from at that place. Thereafter, I have been able to speak or stand for other groups in the category in many occasions. The group work I have involved in this faculty has made me to cognize that I am non self-asserting plenty even when I know it all. It made me to understand clearly what averment ( saying clearly what I mean ) means as against entry or aggression ( coercing ) . I like taking a looking place, and this is one country I need to better on. As respects influence and persuasion, I noticed that I am non a really influential individual, I merely do my things my ain manner, b ut the faculty made me to understand that as a professional I need small of influence to win. Ironically, the faculty brought to fore my ability to manage emotion and struggle. During our category treatment on single differences, one of my group members was emotionally touch when he was told to be excessively aggressive ; I was thorough and careful to understand his emotion in other to decide his emotion. My attempt to command his emotion showed me my ability to manage emotion and struggle. In constructing my squad accomplishments, I listen carefully and avoid disrupting others. Sing the category activity on ‘Team function, self-perception Inventory ‘ , utilizing Belbin, ( 1981, 2007 ) construct of squad functions I discovered that I am a squad worker -co-operative, mild, listens, perceptive and diplomatic but indecisive in crunch state of affairss. This faculty ‘s first category group work activity made me to reflect on my squad accomplishments. I sat back and car efully listened and I merely made impact after careful consideration of other people ‘ side of concluding. One country of teamwork that gives me concern after the faculty is that I am loath to depute. This faculty has really opened my eyes on how to make squad work. As a consequence, my squad accomplishments have improved and feedback from friends and schoolmates have confirmed it. I need to work more on my end scene because it is really of import to my success in anything I do. It is truly an country of failing for me. The first group work activity in category on this faculty made me gain that. We were given a clip frame which I about missed because the end I set was non within the clip frame. Notwithstanding, I chose to develop my end scene and I set marks for accomplishment. Besides, there is demand for betterment on feedback. This is discussed in item below. The survey of PPD faculty has impacted on me how to utilize my power. My category group that I spoke for group proves that. Before that group work, I barely stand in forepart of people, non to speak of taking a treatment. Interestingly, I found out that my influential power is nil. The faculty besides gave me an penetration about my empowerment capablenesss. I found out that I have involvement in long-run development of others. My emotional intelligence ability was brought into bow with the survey of this class as could be seen in our group when person was hurt for being branded aggressive. This faculty made me cognizant of the construct of leading and I decided to cognize my leading manner by taking a leading trial online ( ‘what is your Leadership Style ‘ ) . I found out that my leading manner is participative and non-assertive. What I do is to listen more from the people I lead and speak less. My leading competence and accomplishments lies on my ability to transport everyone along by leting anybody that wants to lend to make so before I arrive at a decision. During our category treatment on attitudes and values, I was carefully and exhaustively elaborate our group points of position before my presentation. Valuing diverseness made realise that people are different when we were given group assignment. I encourage other people ‘s position, is non great surprise to me working together with my group on category treatment with careful and thoughtful mode in subject we are meant to discourse, I use the chance to set everybody together although we are from different background and civilization besides portion some similarities.COMPETENCY DEVELOPMENT: SELF DEVELOPMENT COMPETENCIESThis competence is selected because of its importance in professional accomplishment development and I have needed to develop more here. Harmonizing to Wikipedia, personal/self development refers to activities that improve self cognition and individuality, develops cognition and potencies build human capital and employability, enhance quality of life and contribute to the realisation of dreams and aspiration. When we talk of this competence, the things that come to our head are puting chiseled and realistic personal ends ; exposing a high degree of inaugural, attempt, and committedness towards finishing assignments in a timely mode ; works with minimum supervising ; is motivated to accomplish and demonstrates responsible behavior. Goal scene is a powerful technique that appears to work by supplying a way for our attempts, concentrating our attending, advancing continuity and increasing our assurance ( supplying we achieve the ends we set ) . Puting ends as my scheme for self- development is worthwhile and that is why I chose this competency. Before this faculty, I usually set ends which I noticed were non accomplishable, with completion of this faculty, I realised that my ends need to be SMART in order to be accomplishable. The SMART method assumes that ends should be Specific ; Measurable ; Attainable ; Relevant and Time edge. This faculty has made me to cognize that I can put ambitious marks and has helped me to demo finding to run into the ends as set. With the SMART method, I now take necessary actions to run into my ends ; place and use steps to track and quantify accomplishment, overcome obstructions to accomplishing ends and even utilize failure as an chance to larn. Self awareness/disclosure: This is ability to self-reflect and be cognizant of one ‘s interior province of being like interior feelings, dreams, relationships with others, strengths and failings. McCarthy & A ; Garavan ( 1999 ) defines Self-awareness as, â€Å" the image that an person has about him/herself and whether or non that image is accurate in comparing with how others perceive that single † . It involves self-efficacy, self-actualisation and self-concept. Self-efficacy is the extent to which a individual believes he/she can execute the behavior required in any given state of affairs ( Arnold et al. , 1991 ; Bandura, 1989 ) , self-actualisation is an active nisus for personal development which might affect researching one ‘s endowments, educating oneself and/or honing physical accomplishments ( Rogers,1961 ) and Self-concept, as defined by Hayes ( 1994 ) is the rating that persons make about their traits and personalities and the image that they have of the mselves. My research in the faculty showed me what it means for an person to develop an image of him/herself and certain nucleus facets of it as explained by Whetten & A ; Cameron ( 2007 ) . The self revelation accomplishments I learnt from the faculty include: Acknowledging ain strengths and failings, reflecting and analysing oneself, consciousness of interior feelings, desires and dreams, measuring thought forms, concluding with oneself, A understanding function in relationship to others. However, my larning on self-awareness, prompted me to utilize the johari window by ( Luft & A ; Ingham 1955 ) to cognize more about my personality by acquiring feedback from friends. The feedback about my blind ego was flooring to me because I ne'er imagined any of them ; nevertheless, it gave me penetrations on some of my strengths and failings. I truly found out that I need to work on myself revelation after having the feedback. Receiving feedback: A PersonA who has this competence seeks feedback on strengths and failings and initiates activities to increase or heighten cognition, accomplishments, and competency in order to execute more efficaciously or heighten calling. The individual receives feedback in a constructive mode, investigations for concrete illustrations and suggestions to better ain public presentation. The individual spends clip larning new information or thoughts and using them efficaciously, keeps up to day of the month in cognition and accomplishments and learns from successes and failures Receiving feedback include confer withing relevant beginnings ( e.g. , assessments, studies, pictures, client feedback ) to acquire insight into ain public presentation. Feedback is necessary because it is a moderator of end effects in that the combination of ends ( Bandura & A ; Cervone, 1983 ; Becker, 1978 ; Erez, 1977 ; Strang, et Al. ( 1978 ) . With this faculty, I found out that I need to make much more on having feedback. Before the faculty, I ask for feedback without cognizing the strengths in having it. Completion of the faculty demo me how I can efficaciously do usage received feedback in the undermentioned ways: I will larn from both successes and failures, Initiates project debriefs to clear up learnings-both what worked good and what could be done more efficaciously in the hereafter, Seeks both formal and informal development chances, Demonstrates a desire to execute above and beyond the demands of my place, Coaches others to concentrate on self-development, builds a civilization that encourages larning and uninterrupted betterment and self-critical by placing both my strong and weak points.Brooding thought:Brooding thought involves personal consideration of one ‘s ain acquisition. It considers personal accomplishments and failures and asks what worked, what did n't, and what needs betterment ( Given, 2002 ) . It is a portion of the critical thought procedure mentioning specifically to the procedures of analysing, measuring, and doing judgements about what has happened. The faculty made me to happen out that this property was about missing in me. I of course set ends, ask for feedback and is even motivated, but this faculty made me understand that most of my failures are because of absence of contemplation. If you non sit down to analyse what went incorrect you keep on doing same errors. With completion of this faculty, I now have effectual tool of uniting contemplation with feedback to acquire my extreme consequence. Motivation harmonizing to Robbins and Judge, ( 2009 ) is a procedure that history for an person ‘s strength, way and continuity of attempt towards achieving a end. Motivation Shows finding to accomplish ends over clip ; resists any force per unit area to be deflected from this attainment. Takes calculated hazards, based on acquisition and experience, to accomplish longer-term service betterments.DecisionThe importance of this faculty to my professional development can non be underestimated. It is like an oculus opener. It shows me what to make and what non to make as a professional, It shows me where to better my accomplishments to be great in my profession. In fact, I now understand that the route to professional success is non merely based on cognizing what to make, but cognizing how best to make it to acquire extreme consequence. I am peculiarly happy about my nowadays and likely hereafter betterment on myself based on what I now know about end scene, self awareness, feedback, motive and contemplation. Conclusively, with the class in general, I am now more equipt for the challenge in front non as a pupil but as a professional.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

The Great Awakening Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Great Awakening - Essay Example The appealing of the vast awakening to the Americans colonialist particularly none-elites was because they wanted to change some of the practices. The practices had been brought into the mindsets of some individuals with a view of bringing a change like never before. The non-elites had an objective towards the great awakening, but they lacked the necessary support from both the colonies and the old ministers. In my opinion, the legacies of the great revival did not contribute to the breaking with Great Britain. Instead, it strengthened the relationship through the influencing not only the British churches but also the Dutch and the Germans. The Great Awakening document addresses particular problems. The major challenge was the focus on the American identity. Due to the differences in the character and races, the rivalry in the colonies emerged. The rivalry being addressed is through the visitation of the preachers. The challenge of competition is not only a colonial issue but compris ed both the churches that dominated during colonial time. The document, on the other hand, delves into preserving of culture. Social norms and the courtesy of governing individual are set to be a priority despite the rivalry that is witnessed. Great Awakening had a positive effect on the social impact of the congregation. The new denominations considered both the fracturing of the existing policies and the new colonial rules. Great Awakening had effects on the entire unity of the nation.

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Multicultural Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Multicultural Education - Essay Example In addition, the paper shall develop an action plan that will enable to cope with latent barriers and ensure that communities and families feel the care of their success. Community demographics The current astonishing classroom diversity predicts the foremost demographic shift in the United States community. In the year 2010, the Hispanics accounted for approximately 43 percent of the population growth in the United States. For the next 20 years, the school aged population would include an increase of 64 percent of Hispanic. In the year 2000, the Asian, non Hispanic school aged population would be estimated at approximately 4 percent plus a projection of 6.6 percentage increase over the years. The Native American and African American populations have stagnated over the years since the year 2000. In other words, the demographic changes within the American classrooms constitute approximately 43 percent of students from ethnically and racially diverse backgrounds. The Latinos are about 20 percent, the Blacks 17 percent of the school population. The white students represent approximately 57 percent of the enrollment within the public schools. This is a decrease from approximately 61 percent over the years since 1993. ... Approximately 300,000 school age children have no homes. Over 20 percent of the nation’s children in the school age live in economic poverty. Consequently, this data on demographic changes in the United States community proclaim that educators initiate pedagogical approaches, which address the needs of learners of their linguistic and cultural background, immigrant status, or social class. Diversity expected in the classroom There is escalating diversity as well as the mounting recognition of diversity in communities, nations, states in the world. The United States school community has experience diversity in the classroom. They encompass cultural, ethnic, racial, religious, language, and socioeconomic diversity. Such forms of diversity offer a pure, excellent context for learners to acquire the skills and multicultural understanding required in the local communities. All students should incorporate multicultural perspective so as to enhance a proper self understanding and sel f concept. The perspective initiates understanding and sensitivity of others in the community. One can formulate decisions and obtain effective actions based on multicultural synthesis and analysis. Instructors and students have the ability to address issues with an open mind. Diversity in the classroom enhances an understanding of the practice of stereotyping, respect for all people and self pride among students. This enhances a low degree of thinking stereotypically. The teachers, who are relevant culturally, use the best known for effective teaching. Research shows that, successful instructors of learners of color demonstrate behaviors that match those of the instructions. Teachers who apply culturally relevant pedagogy possess more expertise of their professional

Review of Financial Statements Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Review of Financial Statements - Essay Example In this case, also all type of liabilities accounts i.e. current and non current liabilities accounts will be affected. For example, accounts purchases, sundry current liabilities, interest payable, bank loans, long term debt etc 2) The financial statements which will show the impact of the transaction at the time of merge will be balance sheet and cash flow statements. Since in merger a firm acquires another firm therefore balance sheet will record the changes in the assets as well as the liabilities of the firm and the resulting changes in them. Another financial statement which will be affected by this is cash flow statement which will record the movement of any cash paid to the owners/shareholders as the consideration for the merger. (Warren, Reeve, & Duchac, 2008) It is also important to note that the income statement may also be affected if acquiring firm has to expense out some earlier losses of the acquiring firm through provisioning. However, this may not be

Monday, August 26, 2019

Politics and Human Rights Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Politics and Human Rights - Assignment Example Such implications include factors disruption in the way of life of individuals and the societies from which such individuals come. For instance, the various kinds of drought, which are associated with this form of climate change, caused the disintegration of the civilization process in north Mesopotamia during the third millennium (National Research Council, 2002, p6). With the rate at which climate change is taking place, these is more need to worry about tomorrow if the society is to avoid further consequences of the problem (Cities Alliance, 2009, p 1). According to Paul Gilding (2011, p24), , the possibilities of the temperatures rising and falling in the coming centuries are inevitable. In his book â€Å"The great disruption: How the climate crisis will transform the global economy† Gilding indicates that in the midcentury, temperatures, at the global level, will temporarily rise above more than one degree centigrade. He additionally explains that, the temperature will further drop below plus one degree centigrade sometime, close to the end of this century. According to the author, the sea level will consequently rise by an approximate of half a meter and continues rising all through the years that follow the century. Noteworthy is the fact that, Significant climatic change will be noticed with every century that possess by. The need for security in the ever changing society is obvious and security in the form of water and food even more important. The rate at which the world population is increasing is however so alarming. This is due to the possible insecurities that such increase in populations comes with. The ever-changing climatic conditions and the global warming factor also makes no matter easy in the already insecure world. The interconnection between crises in the aspects of food, water, and energy and the climatic condition, in the quickly warming

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Follow instruction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Follow instruction - Essay Example The story The murder of Roger Ackroyd talks about the killing of a prominent person of the town, Mrs. Ferrars . However, the book ends with an unexpected plot twist where the murderer finally confessed of the murder. It is Dr. Sheppard who admits on committing the crime. The murderer tries to hid the guilt that he has on committing the crime and says, â€Å"I did what little had to be done† which is said at the situation where he hides the Dictaphone and shifts his chair. According to Dr. Sheppard he thought that he would finally be the one responsible for failing Roger Ackroyd and that the detective won’t be able to solve the case. Hence this serves as the confession as well as the suicide note by the murderer (Chritstie, 123). It is in this last chapter, that the murderer writes about how he committed his murder, mentioning every detail on how and what happened and what was his purpose behind it. It would have been better if the author could have divided each paragrap h into shorter ones instead of writing everything in two very big ones. The author has put more dialogues than actual actions which make it a bit tiresome to read. Also sometimes in the paragraph, the author has forgotten to put inverted commas which indicate the beginning of a dialogue, and since there aren’t any inverted commas the story becomes a little confusing to the readers. Apart from these, the paragraph is written well with not punctuation or grammatical errors. Similarly in the book The Suspicions of Mr Whicher, it is in the final chapter that the crime of the murder of the boy is finally solved after going through various locks and dead ends. The detective Jonathan Whicher, finally discovers that it was the half sister of the young boy who committed the crime. Contance Emilie Kent wrote a letter which served as her confession letter, she also agreed on letting the press know that she had killed Francis Saville Kent (Summerscale, 288). She explained her

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Plato vs Aristole Political Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Plato vs Aristole Political Philosophy - Essay Example Philosophers were prominent people to those societies since they were influential to the people. Plato and his student Aristotle are well known for their efforts and contribution to the society on matters concerning governance and leadership. This paper will therefore, analyze the views of Aristotle and Plato towards governance. The essay will focus on their views towards self-interest and property. Philosophers around the world consider Plato as the greatest philosopher of western civilization. Although western civilization was characterized by a by democracy and capitalism, Plato considered communism government and lifestyle as the most appropriate. According to Plato, democracy and capitalism were just experimental ideologies that were not practical (Benardete 134). Plato considered communism as the most applicable lifestyle in people’s lives. According to his utopian society, the success of a government can only be defined by the success of its people. Plato also considers that a society is best governed by its best minds. A society can only be ruled by its best mind when there is limited competition or self-interest within the society. In such society, people would be working towards the realization of a common goal. This is the basis of communism according to Plato. The best minds of a society are the kings or philosophers within that society. Plato considers a socialist society as a society that is governed by wisdom and proved knowledge. A society that is different from Plato’s society is governed on un-established knowledge. The philosopher considers a socialist society to be better than a capitalist society. A communist society as described by Plato is a selfless society such society people work towards the realization of common goals. According to Plato, a utopian society can only be realized if people adapt knowledge. Plato acknowledges that people in an ideal society have no desire for power and common interests and goals drive them. People need knowledge to tame their desire for power and self-interest. According to Plato, people with self-interests are uneducated and therefore, quality education will eliminate people desire for power. Educating people will make them change their attitude towards the community and the country and, this will eliminate their desire for power. Application of knowledge is power; an educated person will be able to visualize the relationship between power and knowledge. According to Plato, relevant education will make the people understand the relationship between power and knowledge. This will make people compete for power based on their knowledge. People with less knowledge therefore consider themselves less appropriate to take leadership positions The love for the public is the second strategy that Plato proposes to use in order to tame people’s desire for power. Plato proposes that creating the love towards the nation among people makes them have an obligation towards the nation. This is followed by a separation of self-interests from national issues. People who have love for the nation assume responsibility over the nation and, this eliminates their desires for power. People who are hungry for power cannot establish an ideal nation that Plato proposes. People can only live satisfactory lives if they establish a gap between their self-interests and national interests (Allen 76). Plato is confident that acquisition of knowledge can tame desires for power and sel

Friday, August 23, 2019

Over-education In the Ggaduate Labour Market Case Study Of UK Market Essay

Over-education In the Ggaduate Labour Market Case Study Of UK Market - Essay Example This essay declares that there are various reasons that signify why policy maker needs to concern about the fact of over-education especially in recent time. Majority of the worker are leaving their jobs due to lack of job satisfaction and this imposes huge waste on the government. In order to remove the incidence of over-education problem, government, and other policy makers are trying to modify the UK’s labour market structure. They have already started to relate qualification of the future worker with the changing requirements of labour market. The literature on over-education shows that there was an unfavourable effect of the over-education issues on wage. The over educated people deserve higher wage than what they are actually paid. This paper has tried to evaluate the implication of over-education problem among the graduate in the UK’s labour market. Over-education has an impact on both wages and job satisfaction. In order to eliminate or reduce the consequence of over-education problem, the policy maker needs to become more concerned about the problem. In this context, several policies can be suggested here. The government needs to increase the effectiveness of their strategies for creating skill-based jobs and improve the condition of the job market. Further, policy makers can advice workers on the labour market to choose their career option according to their qualifications. In this way, government can take future steps to eliminate the issues of over-education problem.

Thursday, August 22, 2019

The Effects of British Colonisation on Indigenous Australians Essay Example for Free

The Effects of British Colonisation on Indigenous Australians Essay The Effects of British Colonisation on Indigenous Australians There are many effects of British colonisation on Indigenous Australians. One of the worst impacts was the loss of land. The land is the sole provider of food, medicine and other basic needs to Indigenous Australians. It is also the main part of their spiritual and cultural beliefs. The Indigenous Australians lived ‘nomadic’ lifestyles. They lived in tribes that moved around, using only what they needed, recycling what they could, and moved on when they felt that the resources at the site had been exhausted. This gave the site time to recover and recuperate, and so, their resources never ran out. To the Europeans, land stated how wealthy the owner was, and they linked land ownership with power. The more fertile land you owned, the wealthier and more powerful you were considered to be. This, of course, did not apply to all Europeans who came to Australia, as most were convicts who were given land to farm and provide food for their community. When the Europeans came to Australia, their main aim was to build another colony, as well as find another place to situate their convicts. There were many reasons for the British to build extra colonies. These reasons include politics, religion and economics. Politics plays a very important part in colonialism. Extra colonies provided status, power and influence over the settlers, for the colonizer. This power enabled other effects of colonisation to take place, e. g. the spreading of religion Religion was a vital part of everyday life for the British. They felt that they had been ‘burdened’ with the task of having to spread their faith – Christianity. When the British had come into contact with the Aboriginals, they tried to ‘save’ them by introducing them to their religion, however, the Aboriginals had their own religion – the dreamtime. Building extra colonies also provided access to more natural resources, goods for trade and opened new markets for trading around the world. This provided even more wealth, and increased the economic status of many countries. When the British had ‘invaded’, many indigenous communities were forced off their land, which they considered sacred. In the early 19th century, many settlers took vital parts of the Aboriginal land, such as waterholes and soaks. By the 1870’s, all fertile land had been distributed. Many communities were reduced to living on the borders of British owned land, or on lands that were infertile, and considered unsuitable for settlement. As a result of the loss of land, the number of Aboriginal communities and the number of Aboriginals were greatly reduced. Consequently, they lost essential resources such as food and water, as there was less land to move around in, and less time for the land to recuperate. There are many effects of British colonisation on Indigenous Australians. Some of these were good, some others were bad, but the loss of land was one of the worst. Bibliography: Retroactive 1 – stage 4, world history. First published 1999 by John Wiley and sons Australia, Ltd. Lisa-Marie Long’s excursion booklet http://www. aboriginalart. com/aboriginal_australia. html visited on the 24/11/08 http://www. skwirk. com. au/p-c_s-17_u-504_t-1361_c-5239/QLD/5/Consequences-of-British-colonisation-for-Aboriginal-People/British-colonisation-of-Australia/Colonisation-resources/power-and-exploration/SOSE/ visited on the 24/11/08.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Romeo and Juliet - Fight scene Essay Example for Free

Romeo and Juliet Fight scene Essay In the opening of the fight scene the Montague boys are in their car driving towards the gas station messing about playing their music very loud . in this part of the scene the boys are all laughing and shouting until they pull into the station itself and then realize their worst enemies are there this makes some of the Montague boys very nervous. The Capulets act as if they are in charge, almost as if the Montague boys are on their territory. The Montague boys try to intimidate the Capulets by one of the boys biting his thumb at the Capulet boys. This irritates them and this meeting turns into a big brawl and everyones guns are drawn ending up with everyone being involved. In this scene there are many different sounds all causing different affects some of these sounds are clearer than others being things like the swish of one of the Capulets coats as he swings to look at the Montagues, Tibalts metal heels as he walked they hit off the floor making a very loud noise and could be heard clearly when stepping out of the car, the fire blazing especially when the fire is lit by the match, The gun dropping this was aloud claming sound, when the match is dropped and crushed when Abra grits his teeth. A gun also hits the tins on the shelf in the garage and this causes the bullets to ricocheted off the sign. There are also several occasions in the scene when there are different voices heard there are different tones of voice and also pitch conversations were heard between the players. Near the end of the scene a helicopter was heard from the sky and the police siren was also heard . All of these complete the scene and also make it as dramatic and intricate as it is. The music in the scene is very important . It gives the scene depth and also dramatic points . It changed a lot during the scene from the Montagues rock music playing in their car when they pulled up to the station to very religious and even very western music. These different types of music shows the real sides of each family and person . the music was chosen to fit the characters for example Benvolio would not be suited to slow classical music where as Tybalt might get away with it . Its like when each different family pulls up there are two different types of music so you can get an idea or pick up their trade mark if you like of what they are all about. In the fight scene there are two very different styles of family each and every thing completes or adds to their style for example we have talked already about the music and attitudes but their dress code is 1 of the key elements. For example the Capulets are very Spanish in their styling with there flowing leather coats, bright waist coats etc. this is also shown with the way Tybalt move whilst shooting and generally moving about the station. Also on the Capulets waistcoats were very religious icons but apart from that there style of clothing was mainly black. In direct contrast the Montague boys were complete opposite dressing very casual and beach like suiting their location this included brightly colour Hawaiian style beach shirts and shorts. GCSE English media assignment Love scene In the opening of the love scene the Capulets are having a party, sort of a live show it is very slow and romantic Romeo has taken a pill and feels a bit dehydrated so he decides to go to the bathroom whilst he is in the bathroom he notices a fish tank and starts to look at it in a bit closer detail, whilst looking into the tank he notices Juliet through the tank and it is love at first sight . the fish tank is made up of blue and yellow fish just like the colours of the cars in the fight scene when Romeo and Juliet meet the fish swim together representing a join of the families as they are supposed to be worst enemies . The two of them watch each other and follow each other through the tank for a while until the nurse calls and Juliet is dragged away. Romeo then follows Juliet out and Juliet is ordered to dance with Paris. Whilst Juliet is dancing Romeo watches and talks to Juliet about them meeting. they both wait till the song finishes and run to the lift where they shares there first kiss together and then many more whilst they are kissing the nurse walks in and tells Juliet that her mother seeks her . Romeo and Juliet are both shocked to find out their true love is yet their worst enemy. In this scene there are many different sounds but yet totally different to the last scene we studied the sounds in this scenes are far more romantic and dramatic for example the music is very slow and peace full suiting the scene very well. When they both run to the lift the music changes slightly as it sort of get your heart going as if they are taking a naughty risk and being sort of childish in away. The other sounds in the scene consist of the lift doors dinging when they shut adding to the dramatic effect and also the sound of the feet running along the corridor. There are also a lot more conversations and voices heard in this scene most of which are either very loud or very quite for example whispering or even mumbling of the crowd. There are also lots of different types of shots involved in this scene for example there are lots of close ups, long shots, double headers and over the shoulder shots these are all used during some point of the scene. some where. As they give more dramatic or romantic feels to the scene fitting in perfectly. An example of a close up is in the lift where Romeo and Juliet share their first kiss and the camera circles them giving the illusion of it lasting longer. All of these different shots complete the scene and the dramatic features it needs are all included. These all help us to understand the scene better. There is a wide range of costumes in this scene all with a meaning and they seam to represent for example Romeo as Juliets knight in shining armour and Juliet as his angel. In the scene they are both dressed very appropriately for each other but dont realise that their true love is their worst enemy. This is the first meting but what they dont realise is that it is also the beginning of the end.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Environmentally Friendly Concrete Alternative

Environmentally Friendly Concrete Alternative Throughout history, the use of concrete as a building material has contributed significantly to the built environment. Enduring examples of various forms of concrete can be found as far back as the early Egyptian civilisation. Significant building remnants still exist from the Roman civilization, which used concretes made from naturally occurring volcanic ash pozzolans, mixed with water, sand and stone. Now concrete is being used in the construction of durable bridges, roads, water supply, hospitals, churches, houses and commercial buildings, to give people a social foundation, a thriving economy, and serviceable facilities for many years. In the modern era, the properties of concrete were refined in the late 1800s, with the introduction of a patented manufacturing process for portland cement. While it has ancient roots, concrete, as we know it today, is a modern and highly advanced building material. In the last 150 years, concrete has become one of the most widely used building mat erials on earth. Problem Statement Concrete is one of the most widely used construction materials in the world. However, the  production of portland cement, an essential material in concrete, leads to the release of significant amount of CO2, a greenhouse gas. One ton of portland cement clinker production is said to creates approximately one ton of CO2 and other greenhouse gases. Environmental issues are playing an important role in the sustainable development of the cement and concrete industry. For example, if we run out of limestone, as it is predicted to happen in some places, then we cannot produce portland cement; and, therefore, we cannot produce concrete and all the employment associated with the concrete industry goes out-of-business. A sustainable concrete structure is one that is constructed so that the total environmental impact during its entire life cycle is minimal. Concrete is a sustainable material because it has a very low inherent energy requirement and is produced to order as needed with very lit tle waste. It is made from some of the most plentiful resources on earth and has a very high thermal mass. It can be made with recycled materials and is completely recyclable. Sustainable design and construction of structures have a small impact on the environment. Use of green materials embodies low energy costs. Their use must have high durability and low maintenance leading to sustainable construction materials. High performance cements and concrete can reduce the amount of cementitious materials and total volume of concrete required. Concrete must keep evolving to satisfy the increasing demands of all its users. Reuse of post-consumer wastes and industrial byproducts in concrete is necessary to produce even greener concrete. Greener concrete also improves air quality, minimizes solid wastes, and leads to sustainable cement and concrete industry. What is Sustainable Concrete? Concrete is a very environmentally friendly material. Concrete has been used for over 2,000 years. Concrete is best known for its long-lasting and dependable nature. However, additional ways that concrete contributes to social progress, economic growth, and environmental protection are often overlooked. Concrete structures are superior in energy performance. They provide flexibility in design as well as affordability, and are environmentally more responsible than steel or aluminum structures. Entire geographical regions are running out of limestone resource to produce cement. Major metropolitan areas are running out of sources of aggregates for making concrete. Sustainability requires that engineers consider a buildings lifecycle cost extended over the useful lifetime. This includes the building construction, maintenance, demolition, and recycling [ACI 2004]. A sustainable concrete structure is one that is constructed so that the total societal impact during its entire life cycle, including during its use, is minimal. Designing for sustainability means accounting in the design and also the short-term and long-term consequences of the societal impact. Therefore, durability is the key issue. New generation of admixtures/additives are needed to improve durability. To build in a sustainable manner and conduct scheduled appropriate building maintenance are the keys that represent the new construction ideology of this generation. In particular, to build in a sustainable manner means to focus attention on physical, environmental, and technological resources, problems related to human health, energy conservation of new and existing buildings, and control of construction technologies and methods. Environmental Issues with Concrete The production of portland cement releases CO2 and other greenhouse gases (GHGs) into the atmosphere. Total CO2 emissions worldwide were 21 billion tons in 2002, Table 1. Environmental issues associated with the CO2 emissions from the production of portland cement, energy demand (six-million BTU of energy needed per ton of cement production), resource conservation consideration, and economic impact due to the high cost of portland cement manufacturing plants demand that supplementary cementing materials in general and fly ash in particular be used in increasing quantities to replace portland cement in concrete [Malhotra 1997, 2004]. Fly ash is a by-product of the combustion of pulverized coal in thermal power plants. The dust collection system removes the fly ash, as a fine particulate residue from the combustion gases before they are discharged in the atmosphere. For each ton of portland cement clinker, 3 to 20 lbs. of NOx are released into the atmosphere. In 2000, the worldwide cement clinker production was approximately 1.6 billion tons [Malhotra 2004]. Longer lasting concrete structures reduce energy needs for maintenance and reconstruction. Concr ete is a locally available material; therefore, transportation cost to the project site is reduced. Light colored concrete walls reduce interior lighting requirements. Permeable concrete pavement and interlocking concrete pavers can be used to reduce runoff and allow water to return to the water table. Therefore, concrete is, in many ways, environmentally friendly material. As good engineers, we must use more of it [Malhotra 2004]. In view of the energy and greenhouse gas emission concerns in the manufacturing of Portland cement, it is imperative that either new environmentally friendly cement-manufacturing technologies be developed or substitute materials be found to replace a major part of the portland cement for use in the concrete industry [Malhotra 2004]. Energy consumption is the biggest environmental concern with cement and concrete production. Cement production is one of the most energy intensive of all industrial manufacturing processes. Including direct fuel use for mining and transporting raw materials, cement production takes about six million BTUs for every ton of cement. The industrys heavy reliance on coal leads to especially high emission levels of CO2, nitrous oxide, and sulphur, among other pollutants. A sizeable portion of the electricity used is also generated from coal. What types of materials are being used to make sustainable concrete? Coal combustion products (CCPs) It is important to develop recycling technology for high-volume applications of coal combustion products (CCPs) generated by using both conventional and clean-coal technologies. Many different types of CCPs are produced; for example, fly ash, bottom ash, cyclone-boiler slag, and clean coal ash. In general some of these CCPs can be used as a supplementary cementitious materials and the use of portland cement, therefore, can be reduced. The production of CCPs in USA is about 120 million tons per year in 2004. Cyclone-boiler slag is 100% recycled. Overall recycling rate of all CCPs is about 40%. Todays use of other pozzolans, such as rice-husk ash, wood ash, GGBFS, silica fume, and other similar pozzolanic materials such as volcanic ash, natural pozzolans, diatomite (diatomaceous earth), calcined clay/shale, metakaolin, very fine clean-coal ash (microash), limestone powder, and fine glass can reduce the use of manufactured portland cement, and make concrete more durable, as well as reduce GHG emissions. Chemical composition of ASTM Type I portland cement and selected pozzolans is given in Table 2. Recycled- Aggregate Concrete Recycled-aggregate concrete (RAC) for structural use can be prepared by completely substituting natural aggregate, in order to achieve the same strength class as the reference concrete, manufactured by using only natural aggregates. This is obviously a frustration, since a large stream of recycled aggregates to allow for full substitution of natural aggregates is not available. However, it is useful to prove that to manufacture structural concrete by partly substituting natural with recycled aggregates by up to fifty percent is indeed feasible. In any case, if the adoption of a very low water to cement ratio implies unsustainably high amounts of cement in the concrete mixture, recycled-aggregate concrete may also be manufactured by using a water-reducing admixture in order to lower both water and cement dosage, or even by adding fly ash as a partial fine aggregate replacement and by using a super plasticizer to achieve the required workability. High-volume fly ash recycled aggregate concrete (HVFA-RAC) can be manufactured with a water to cement ratio of 0.60, by simultaneously adding to the mixture as much fly ash as cement, and substituting the fine aggregate fraction. Thus, water to cementitious material ratio of 0.30 is obtained enabling the concrete to reach the required strength class (Table 3). This procedure is essential for designing an environmentally-friendly concrete. All the concretes can be prepared maintaining the same fluid consistency by proper addition of an appropriate class of a super plasticizer. SUSTAINABLE CONCRETE SOLUTIONS Concrete is a strong, durable, low environmental impact, building material. It is the cornerstone for building construction and infrastructure that can put future generations on the road towards a sustainable future [Cement Association of Canada 2004]. Benefits of concrete construction are many, for example [Cement Association of Canada 2004]: concrete buildings reduce maintenance and energy use; concrete highways reduce fuel consumed by heavily loaded trucks; insulating concrete homes reduce energy usage by 40% or more; fly ash, cement kiln dust, or cement-based solidification/stabilization and in-situ treatment of waste for brownfield redevelopment; and, agriculture waste containment reduces odor and prevents groundwater contamination. The concrete industry must show leadership and resolve, and make contribution to the sustainable development of the industry in the 21 century by adopting new technologies to reduce emission of the greenhousegases, and thus contribute towards mee ting the goals and objectives set at the 1997 Kyoto Protocol. The manufacturing of portland cement is one such industry [Malhotra 2004]. PORTLAND CEMENT Portland cement is not environmentally very friendly material. As good engineers, we must reduce its use in concrete [Malhotra 2004]; and, we must use more blended cements, especially with chemical admixtures. Clinker production is the most energy-intensive stage in cement production, accounting for over 90% of total energy use, and virtually all of the fuel use. Processing of raw materials in large kilns produces portland cement clinker. These kiln systems evaporate the inherent water in the raw materials blended to manufacture the clinker, calcine the carbonate constituents (calcinations), and form cement minerals (clinkerization) [Worrell Galtisky 2004]. Blended cements The production of blended cements involves the intergrinding of clinker with one or more additives; e.g., fly ash,bnb granulated blast furnace slag, silica fume, volcanic ash, in various proportions. The use of blended cements is a particularly attractive efficiency option since the intergrinding of clinker with other additives not only allows for a reduction in the energy used (and reduced GHG emissions) in clinker production, but also directly corresponds to a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions in calcinations as well. Blended cement has been used for many decades around the world [Worrell Galtisky 2004]. Concrete and the use of blended cements Although it is most common to make use of supplementary cementing materials (SCM) in the replacement of cement in the concrete mixture, blended cement is produced at the grinding stage of cement production where fly ash, blast furnace slag, or silica fume are added to the cement itself. The advantages include expanded production capacity, reduced CO2 emissions, reduced fuel consumption and close monitoring of the quality of SCMs [Cement Association of Canada 2004]. Kyoto Protocol (UN Pact of 1997, requires to reduce GHGs, including CO2). It is now ratified. USA has not ratified it. The Russian Government approval allowed it to come into force worldwide. By 2012, emissions must be cut below 1990 levels (in Japan by 6.0 + 7.6 = 13.6% by 2012) [The Daily Yomiuri 2004]. In Japan (Per) householdà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦5,000 yen green tax per year is planned (starting April 2005). This includes 3,600 yen in tax per ton of carbon. The revenue would be used to implement policies to achieve the requir ements of Kyoto Protocol. A survey released (on Oct. 21, 2004) showed that 61% of those polled are in favor of the environmental tax. [The Japan Times 2004]. Rate of CO2 emission and global warming is shown in Figure 1. In last 2 yrs. CO2 has increased at a higher rate than expected [Corinaldesi Moriconi 2004b]. Foundry by-products Foundry by-products include foundry sand, core butts, abrasives, and cupola slag. Cores are used in making desired cavity/shapes in a sand mold in which molten metal is cast/poured. Cores are primarily composed of silica sand with small percentages of either organic or inorganic binders. Conclusions The most important conclusion drawn appears to be that the compressive strength of the recycled aggregate concrete can be improved to equal or even exceed that of natural-aggregate concrete by adding fly ash to the mixture as a fine aggregate replacement. In this way, a given strength class value, as required for a wide range of common uses, can be reached through both natural-aggregate concrete and recycled-aggregate concrete with fly ash, by adequately decreasing the water to cement ratio with the aid of a superplasticizer in order to maintain the workability. Concrete manufactured by using recycled aggregate and fly ash shows no deleterious effect on the durability of reinforced concrete, with some improvement for some cases. From an economical point of view, if only the traditional costs are taken into account, recycledaggregate concrete with fly ash could be less attractive than natural-aggregate concrete. However, if the eco-balanced costs are considered, the exact opposite would be valid. Moreover, the fine fraction with particle size up to 5 mm, when reused as aggregate for mortars, allowed excellent bond strengths between mortar and bricks, in spite of a lower mechanical performance of the mortar itself. Also the masonry rubble can be profitably treated and reused for preparing mortars. Even for the fine fraction produced during the recycling process, that is the concrete-rubble powder, an excellent reuse was found, as filler in self-compacting concrete. The attempt to improve the quality of the recycled aggregates for new concretes by reusing in different ways the most detrimental fractions, i.e., the material coming from masonry rubble and the finest recycled materials, allowed to achieve surprising and unexpected performances for mortars and selfcompacting concretes. Other industrial wastes, such as GRP waste powder, can prove useful to be re-used in cementitious products, by improving some durability aspects. The concrete industry will be called upon to serve the two pressing needs of human society; namely, protection of the environment and meeting the infrastructural requirement for increasing industrialization and urbanization of the world. Also due to large size, the concrete industry is unquestionably the ideal medium for the economic and safe use of millions of tons of industrial byproducts such as fly ash and slag due to their highly pozzolanic and cementitious properties. It is obvious that large-scale cement replacement (60 70 %) in concrete with these industrial by-products will be advantageous from the standpoint of cost economy, energy efficiency, durability, and overall ecological profile of concrete. Therefore, in the future, the use of by-product supplementary cementing materials ought to be made mandatory [Malhotra 2004].

Big Mamas Funeral :: Mama Funeral

Big Mama's Funeral Gabriel García Márquez story, Big Mama's Funeral, is a story filled with fantastical scenes and events much in line with Don Quixote and Candide. The introductory paragraphs of Big Mama's Funeral and Candide sound so similar in voice the two authors could be mistaken for the same. In Candide, one finds a series of episodes that are so far from the truth and yet perfectly explainable. The story of the fate of Dr. Pangloss, the death and resurrection of Cunegund and of her Jesuit brother, and the story of the old woman with one buttock are farcical in the same way as the episodes in Big Mama's Funeral. In Don Quixote, we find a man, for the most part average, who wishes to become a knight-errant. In his quest is as series of happenings so ridiculous they are nothing short of tabloid-style sensationalism, or drug induced hallucinations. In Big Mama's Funeral, we are told the story of the death and funeral of Big Mama. In the events of her life and the days proceeding and proceeding her death we find events and stories of the past that are truly fantastical. In the annals of her past we find that in her family the "uncles married the daughters of their nieces, and the cousins married their aunts, and the brothers their sisters-in-law, until an intricate mesh of consanguinity was formed." Here, García Márquez takes the simple act of incestuous relationships, which do occur, and elevates them to an extreme level. This is the writing style of García Márquez and the two aforementioned writers, Cervantes and Voltaire. Big Mama's Funeral :: Mama Funeral Big Mama's Funeral Gabriel García Márquez story, Big Mama's Funeral, is a story filled with fantastical scenes and events much in line with Don Quixote and Candide. The introductory paragraphs of Big Mama's Funeral and Candide sound so similar in voice the two authors could be mistaken for the same. In Candide, one finds a series of episodes that are so far from the truth and yet perfectly explainable. The story of the fate of Dr. Pangloss, the death and resurrection of Cunegund and of her Jesuit brother, and the story of the old woman with one buttock are farcical in the same way as the episodes in Big Mama's Funeral. In Don Quixote, we find a man, for the most part average, who wishes to become a knight-errant. In his quest is as series of happenings so ridiculous they are nothing short of tabloid-style sensationalism, or drug induced hallucinations. In Big Mama's Funeral, we are told the story of the death and funeral of Big Mama. In the events of her life and the days proceeding and proceeding her death we find events and stories of the past that are truly fantastical. In the annals of her past we find that in her family the "uncles married the daughters of their nieces, and the cousins married their aunts, and the brothers their sisters-in-law, until an intricate mesh of consanguinity was formed." Here, García Márquez takes the simple act of incestuous relationships, which do occur, and elevates them to an extreme level. This is the writing style of García Márquez and the two aforementioned writers, Cervantes and Voltaire.

Monday, August 19, 2019

Humor in A Midsummer Nights Dream :: Midsummer Nights Dream

Humor in A Midsummer Night's Dream Shakespeare uses many ways to portray humor and make his plays a success because of it. He created a careful mix of love with humor to create a success called "A Midsummer Night's Dream." The focus of this paper is to describe how Shakespeare uses humor in his play. One way that Shakespeare uses humor in this play is by using plain humor that need not be interpreted in any way. He did this by creating the artisans. The artisans, obviously are not intelligent at all, but try to be. They mess up grammar, spelling, and everything that the author of "Pyramus and Thisby" had wanted for his play. For instance, when Bottom says "Thisbe, the flowers of odious savors sweet,"82 he was supposted to say ‘odors' instead of ‘odious' in the sentence. Odors means "fragrant smells," while odious means "repulsive." A simple mistake by someone that is low in the society, but totally changes the meaning of the sentence. This humor is obvious to everybody watching that Bottom had made a mistake. This type of humor, while obvious, sometimes doesn't portray the meaning correctly. Inferred humor is sometimes more suited for this. Shakespeare used something like inferred humor to get across some other meanings that added to the play. One good example is the character of Puck. Puck is a hyperactive child that gets into a lot of mischief. His attitude toward his tasks is sort of a light and airy one. He does not take life seriously, he only does what is fun. This type of character is totally different than everyone else in the play; they are in a serious tone, while Puck is just dancing around pulling pranks on everyone. One good example of a prank that Puck created was putting an Ass' head on Bottom. It was unnecessary, just fun. What made him funny was these sort of pranks, and the contrast of his attitude toward the other ones in the story. For example, Lysander is bound up in love for Hermia and Helena, depending on what part of the play. He is very serious and sad because Hermia is being forced to marry Demetrius. Sort of equivalent to a tragedy. Puck is just creating mischief and having fun. Another way that Shakespeare uses humor is that he uses examples that would never happen in real life. For example, after Lysander and Demetrius had been led around the king's oak for a long time, they fell down and went to sleep. This contains no logic whatsoever, because they are trying to kill each other,

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Narrative Voices in Shelleys Frankenstein and Fathers and Sons by Ivan

Narrative Voices in Shelley's Frankenstein and Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turgenev I have chosen to compare the narrative voices of Frankenstein and Fathers and Sons, as the perspectives in these two novels differ from one another. Frankenstein’s narrative voice contains tales of three characters within one narrative, none belonging directly to the author, whereas the narrative voice of Fathers and Sons, is that of the author alone. Examples I will be using are taken from ‘The Realist Novel’ (TRN), and from the novels of Frankenstein (F) and Fathers and Sons (F&S). Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein is an example of first- person narrative, with Walton describing his encounters in letters to his sister Margaret, in England. He includes his meeting Victor Frankenstein, of Victor’s experiences with his creation of Frankenstein the monster, and the monster himself and his experiences. This narrative is written in the form of letters, with the use of this epistolary style of writing novels giving verisimilitude to the events, as Walton writes of them as he is told. He is the narrative voice of the whole novel; enveloping the characters of Victor and the monster, the characters of whom, develop as the story progresses. This narrative perspective structures the novel, portraying events as true to life, resulting in its realistic theme. The confession of Victor nestles within Walton’s narrative, with that of the monster nestling within that. This technique of having one story nestling within another follows a Gothic convention, (P.63 TRN). There are many narrative perspectives, which make it a Gothic novel, another example showing this is the atmosphere of mystery and horror, when Victor is creating his mo... ... sharp towards the tip, with large greenish eyes and sandy-coloured droopy sideburns,’ (p.7) and of the monster as described by Victor in Frankenstein, ‘His yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries beneath; his hair was of a lustrous black, and flowing; his teeth of a pearly whiteness.’ (P.56). In Fathers and Sons, Turgenev reflects the theme of fatherhood, with love and affection shown between Bazarov and his father Ivanovich, Arkady and his father Nikolai and also Nikolai and his small son Mitya. In comparison, Shelley in Frankenstein labours on the abandonment of the monster by his creator. In effect, Victor is the father of his ‘son’ the monster and he has abandoned him at his ‘birth’. This showing of paternal love in Fathers and Sons and the abandonment of it in Frankenstein shows an important comparison between the two novels.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Body Piercing and Management

Of the many growing trends, body piercing has become very popular. With this practice becoming more popular everyday, many people are frightened away because of sanitary and health reasons. To most peoples surprise the business of body piercing is a safe and clean procedure. Body piercing is a form of self-expression, such as tattoos and hair styles. Piercing are more widely accepted among business today than a couple years ago. Even-though they are becoming more acceptable in society today there is still a misconception of the safety, sterility, and health issues involved. Many people fear the sterility of the piercing process, ergo they don't get the piercing. In actuality piercing is very safe. The piercer has to follow many steps in ensuring the safety of the piercer and the patient. After filling out the proper paperwork, the patient has to decide of the location of the piercing. There are many spots over the human body where one can get pierced. Some of the common spots to get pierced are: the inner and outer ear, the nose, the bridge of you nose, the cheek, lips, tongue, eyebrows, nipples, naval, and the genitalia. If one was to get their tongue pierced, the piercer must decide whether or not it is piercable. If the tongue has a large under-webbing it cannot be pierced. Once the tongue is deemed piercable, the piercer sterilizes all of his equipment. A common set-up for a piercing is as follows: two pairs of surgical gloves, many gauze, a needle, cork, rubber-band, surgical clamp, toothpick, and the jewelry. All of these are placed in a metal cartridge and placed inside a sterilizing machine. The machine heats and compresses distilled water and then blows steam into the cartage sterilizing everything inside. During this time the patient is instructed on the procedure and washing his mouth with bioclean. Bioclean is antibacterial mouth cleaner that destroys 99% of all mouth bacteria. During this time the piercer scrubs his hands with an antibacterial soap, and places one pair of gloves on. The patient sticks out his tongue and the piercer makes a horizontal and vertical make on the tongue if a mild antiseptic dye. The clamps are placed on the top and direct bottom of the tongue and double checked, to ensure that the needle will not pierce a vein. At this time the piercer discards his current pair of gloves and dons the second. He then places the needle on the tongue and pushes it through. Once the needle has passed through, he then places a cork on the end so no one is harmed. The needle is push the rest of the way through with the jewelry. The needle and cork are placed in a sealed biohazard container to await proper disposal. The clamp is removed and placed in an antibacterial solution. The other half is then screwed on and the piercing is over. All the gausses and swabs with no blood are placed in the trash, and any items with blood on them are placed in a biohazard bag. At this time the piercer informs the patient on the proper care and maintenance of the piercing. In an interview with Richard, a piercer at Factor V in Charleston, SC, he states that the most unsanitary and dangerous time for a piercing is seven days afterward. â€Å"People don't follow directions and end-up with an infection. Most piercers pass out a pamphlet with the proper care directions on it. The piercing process is safe when done by a professional. The customer is responsible for the piercing once the piercing process is over. The procedure is so safe that one doesn't even lose taste due to the piercing. Some swelling may occur and pain in very minimal because no nerves were hit. Piercing can be a healthy and fun way express oneself, when done in a clean and experienced environment. But one has to make sure that proper care is given to the piercing.

Friday, August 16, 2019

How Socioeconomic Status of Parents Affects Kids

How socioeconomic status of Parents affects their Children’s Development in Academics It is obvious that most people have set beliefs on when they see a family of a low socioeconomic class that their children will grow up to be the same as their parents. People believe that they will not be as likely to do well in school or even in the real world. Many psychologists have done studies that have proven that this assumption is right for the most part. Children that have parents, family and neighbors of lower socioeconomic status tend to not do as well in school as their peers of a middle or upper socioeconomic status. Duncan, Kato, Brooks-Gunn & Klebanov, 1993) (Duncan, Kato, Brooks-Gunn & Klebanov 1993) conducted a study to determine whether a child’s socioeconomic status had any correlation with their academic development, ethnicity and if they were raised by a single parent. (Duncan, Kato, Brooks-Gunn & Klebanov 1994) They hypothesized that children of a lower socioecon omic, status and neighborhood would have a direct relation to lower IQ of the children they measured at age 5. They measured each child in their study at age 5 from all of the different socioeconomic, ethnic, and parental backgrounds. They found a strong correlation of a person’s economic status and economic status of the people around them to their IQ. (Barry 2005) also did a study that involved whether or not socioeconomic status had any relevance on whether a child would have better or worse test scores in 10th grade on a standardized test based on the child’s economic status. He hypothesized that children of a lower economic status or of a Hispanic, African American, or Indian will tend to have lower Scores than children of white children with a higher socioeconomic status. His results show that the strongest predictor of student test scores is socioeconomic status. (Barry 2005) He states that ethnicity combined with economic status plays a large factor in how well the students did on the SAT standardized test. For example, in 1991-1992 African American students placed significantly lower on the SAT than White students. (Barry 2005) Janet Currie and Joshua Goodman have also done a study in that they were looking for a correlation between socioeconomic status of a child and how well they would perform on certain standardized tests. Their results have shown the same positive correlation as in the other two articles. (Investments in education pay off in the form of higher future earnings, and differences in educational attainments explain a significant fraction of the adult variation in wages, incomes, and other outcomes. But what determines a child’s educational success? Most studies point to family background as the primary factor. But why does background matter? While many aspects are no doubt important, research increasingly implicates health as a potentially major factor. The importance of health for education and earnings suggests that if family background affects child health, then poor child health may in turn affect education and future economic status. ) (Currie, Goodman) After reviewing both ideas of ethnicity and socioeconomic status having or not having a measurable outcome on academic proficiency, psychologists are able to determine that while not 100% of lower economic status students and ethnic students performed worse an overwhelming majority didn’t perform as well as their upper economic status or white peers. References Barry (1994) The effect of socioeconomic status of academic Acheviement Wichita State University, Thesis Paper Duncan, Kato, Brooks-Gunn & Klebanov (1993) Economic deprivation and Early childhood development Currie, Goodman (ND) Parental socioeconomic status, Child Health, and Human Capital

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Bernie Madoff

In December 2008 Bernie Madoff was arrested under the suspicion of fraud. His Wall Street firm, Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC, was founded in 1960. Madoff was the chairman of this company through its entire existence until his arrest. Ponzi Schemes such as the one Bernie Madoff started at his company have been around for years; the first being Charles Ponzi’s scheme in the 1900’s. Madoff made history through his scheme as it is considered one of the largest financial frauds ever.Madoff pulled the fraud off by taking money from investors and charities, and promising huge returns. Huge returns are exactly what his investors received also. Madoff was able to miraculously make his investors’ money with continually high percentages. Investors flocked to Madoff after seeing such great profits being made by others. Madoff ran his fraud operation anywhere from 18- 48 years. According to him the first fraud performed started in 1990 whereas, others believe t he company could’ve possibly been illegitimate throughout its existence.How does a person trick thousands of people into investing in a fraud? An answer for that could be good leadership. Madoff’s clients were often times people he knew on a personal basis. Portraying a self-image that showed honesty, intelligence, and confidence, Bernie had his investors trusting him not only financially, but also on a personal level. Although his intentions were selfish, wrong, and ignorant, his followers trusted him fully. This allowed Madoff to continue his process of simply taking money from one investment and giving it as a payoff to another.A process so simple ended up causing thousands of people to be in debt. The totals of his fraud reach numbers upwards of $50 billion. The next question that comes to mind is: how do you take money from all these people and they never realize what is actually happening? Madoff’s general employees didn’t know that the company was a scam but his â€Å"specialized† group of employees did. (Several of the closer employees were also charged with crimes. ) These individuals were all separated from the rest of the company on their own floor.Inside the walls of this floor the company committed its fraud. After the reports were calculated, employees were told to change the reports to a more satisfying result for the investors to see. The reports were sent with false information, often times having interest rates above 15%. Although these rates kept the investors, it brought attention of others after their returns weren’t coming back as high. Even when it wasn’t plausible for the investments to make hardly any money his investors were continually seeing these high interest rates.Some felt obligated to notify the SEC during times like this but his company was always covering its tracks and the SEC often didn’t feel like the allegations were worth any pursuit what-so-ever. Fortunately Madoff had to pay the price for his crime. Madoff was sentenced to 150 years in prison in March 2009 after pleading guilty. As for the investors they were left with close to nothing. Some of the wealthiest in the United States were completely empty handed after the scandal surfaced. The government bailed out some of the investors but the numbers didn’t compare to what investors lost.A master in deception, Bernie seemed trustworthy to the public and always delivered calm, collected responses to all questions of a scam whenever people began to question the legitimacy of the business as early as 1998. The SEC also questioned Bernie a few times where he was never suspected by them to be a serious threat. Although Bernie had several characteristics of a good leader and business owner, it was all in vain due to his lack of ethical standards. Nobody can consider him a good leader or a good person after seeing his true plan for his investors.Madoff did apologize for his actions; saying, â €Å"I cannot adequately express how sorry I am for what I have done. † Madoff indeed can’t express this now. Whenever someone as powerful as Madoff once was comes forward admitting such information, it’s assumed that the public isn’t going to have much sympathy. Madoff set a new example for anyone trying to develop a scam. Most operations such as his don’t make it nearly as far as his. The mind set of these scam artists is to eventually turn the business legitimate or get out somehow.In order to make the business legitimate a person has to make enough money to pay off all the people they owe money to first which is impossible when you have a hole like Madoff did. When Ponzi schemes like this run their track it’s like a snowball effect. Madoff wasn’t technically any closer to the top as anyone trying a Ponzi scheme; he was just rolling a bigger snowball. Questionable leadership characteristics for Bernie Madoff would mostly be ethics b ut others would include: Lack of respect for employees and investors, greed, arrogance, and irresponsibility.His ethics problem is clearly seen by the fact of intentionally betraying thousands of people. His lack of respect includes not only putting his staff in danger of losing their jobs because of him but also because several investors (who sometimes had the confidence to invest all their money with him) lost their life savings thanks to Madoff. Greed was obviously one of Madoff’s downfalls as well, due to the massive amount of money he dealt with every day in his crimes.Arrogance shows with the note of him constantly being in contact with several of his investors and it not causing any problem with him because he thought he was unstoppable in his scam. Lastly, irresponsibility is outlined with every step of his process as he was trusted and didn’t feel it necessary to do what he was saying he was doing with the people’s money. These bad characteristics are w hat led to the fall of Bernie Madoff. It’s unknown how long Madoff spent performing this scheme but if he told the truth about the scam starting in 1990 it’s a shame.To have as much as Madoff had in 1990 would make most people ecstatic, and to see him blow all his honest lifetime earnings and business position just to pull off a Ponzi scheme must be one of the most ridiculous ideas ever constructed. To look at where Mr. Madoff could’ve been if he would’ve been less greedy and used his good leadership skills for good; Bernie might be one of the great business leaders to go down in history. Going down in history that way would really be a blessing to him now and probably more valuable than any amount of money.If there was only one thing to learn from the Bernie Madoff story it is that, without ethics no leader is worth following. To become a good leader you have to have people trust you. Madoff did have people trust him for a long period of time but his lie s caught up to him and now all his legacy holds is a bad reputation. If leader is ethical and good to the people he or she is leading then there won’t be a situation like Madoff’s which ended in total abomination. Works Cited â€Å"Scam of the Century: Bernie Madoff & The $50 Billion Heist. †Ã‚  CNBC. com. Cnbc, n. d. Web. 27 Jan. 2013. Bernie Madoff In December 2008 Bernie Madoff was arrested under the suspicion of fraud. His Wall Street firm, Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC, was founded in 1960. Madoff was the chairman of this company through its entire existence until his arrest. Ponzi Schemes such as the one Bernie Madoff started at his company have been around for years; the first being Charles Ponzi’s scheme in the 1900’s. Madoff made history through his scheme as it is considered one of the largest financial frauds ever.Madoff pulled the fraud off by taking money from investors and charities, and promising huge returns. Huge returns are exactly what his investors received also. Madoff was able to miraculously make his investors’ money with continually high percentages. Investors flocked to Madoff after seeing such great profits being made by others. Madoff ran his fraud operation anywhere from 18- 48 years. According to him the first fraud performed started in 1990 whereas, others believe t he company could’ve possibly been illegitimate throughout its existence.How does a person trick thousands of people into investing in a fraud? An answer for that could be good leadership. Madoff’s clients were often times people he knew on a personal basis. Portraying a self-image that showed honesty, intelligence, and confidence, Bernie had his investors trusting him not only financially, but also on a personal level. Although his intentions were selfish, wrong, and ignorant, his followers trusted him fully. This allowed Madoff to continue his process of simply taking money from one investment and giving it as a payoff to another.A process so simple ended up causing thousands of people to be in debt. The totals of his fraud reach numbers upwards of $50 billion. The next question that comes to mind is: how do you take money from all these people and they never realize what is actually happening? Madoff’s general employees didn’t know that the company was a scam but his â€Å"specialized† group of employees did. (Several of the closer employees were also charged with crimes. ) These individuals were all separated from the rest of the company on their own floor.Inside the walls of this floor the company committed its fraud. After the reports were calculated, employees were told to change the reports to a more satisfying result for the investors to see. The reports were sent with false information, often times having interest rates above 15%. Although these rates kept the investors, it brought attention of others after their returns weren’t coming back as high. Even when it wasn’t plausible for the investments to make hardly any money his investors were continually seeing these high interest rates.Some felt obligated to notify the SEC during times like this but his company was always covering its tracks and the SEC often didn’t feel like the allegations were worth any pursuit what-so-ever. Fortunately Madoff had to pay the price for his crime. Madoff was sentenced to 150 years in prison in March 2009 after pleading guilty. As for the investors they were left with close to nothing. Some of the wealthiest in the United States were completely empty handed after the scandal surfaced. The government bailed out some of the investors but the numbers didn’t compare to what investors lost.A master in deception, Bernie seemed trustworthy to the public and always delivered calm, collected responses to all questions of a scam whenever people began to question the legitimacy of the business as early as 1998. The SEC also questioned Bernie a few times where he was never suspected by them to be a serious threat. Although Bernie had several characteristics of a good leader and business owner, it was all in vain due to his lack of ethical standards. Nobody can consider him a good leader or a good person after seeing his true plan for his investors.Madoff did apologize for his actions; saying, â €Å"I cannot adequately express how sorry I am for what I have done. † Madoff indeed can’t express this now. Whenever someone as powerful as Madoff once was comes forward admitting such information, it’s assumed that the public isn’t going to have much sympathy. Madoff set a new example for anyone trying to develop a scam. Most operations such as his don’t make it nearly as far as his. The mind set of these scam artists is to eventually turn the business legitimate or get out somehow.In order to make the business legitimate a person has to make enough money to pay off all the people they owe money to first which is impossible when you have a hole like Madoff did. When Ponzi schemes like this run their track it’s like a snowball effect. Madoff wasn’t technically any closer to the top as anyone trying a Ponzi scheme; he was just rolling a bigger snowball. Questionable leadership characteristics for Bernie Madoff would mostly be ethics b ut others would include: Lack of respect for employees and investors, greed, arrogance, and irresponsibility.His ethics problem is clearly seen by the fact of intentionally betraying thousands of people. His lack of respect includes not only putting his staff in danger of losing their jobs because of him but also because several investors (who sometimes had the confidence to invest all their money with him) lost their life savings thanks to Madoff. Greed was obviously one of Madoff’s downfalls as well, due to the massive amount of money he dealt with every day in his crimes.Arrogance shows with the note of him constantly being in contact with several of his investors and it not causing any problem with him because he thought he was unstoppable in his scam. Lastly, irresponsibility is outlined with every step of his process as he was trusted and didn’t feel it necessary to do what he was saying he was doing with the people’s money. These bad characteristics are w hat led to the fall of Bernie Madoff. It’s unknown how long Madoff spent performing this scheme but if he told the truth about the scam starting in 1990 it’s a shame.To have as much as Madoff had in 1990 would make most people ecstatic, and to see him blow all his honest lifetime earnings and business position just to pull off a Ponzi scheme must be one of the most ridiculous ideas ever constructed. To look at where Mr. Madoff could’ve been if he would’ve been less greedy and used his good leadership skills for good; Bernie might be one of the great business leaders to go down in history. Going down in history that way would really be a blessing to him now and probably more valuable than any amount of money.If there was only one thing to learn from the Bernie Madoff story it is that, without ethics no leader is worth following. To become a good leader you have to have people trust you. Madoff did have people trust him for a long period of time but his lie s caught up to him and now all his legacy holds is a bad reputation. If leader is ethical and good to the people he or she is leading then there won’t be a situation like Madoff’s which ended in total abomination. Works Cited â€Å"Scam of the Century: Bernie Madoff & The $50 Billion Heist. †Ã‚  CNBC. com. Cnbc, n. d. Web. 27 Jan. 2013.