Religion Changing Societies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Religion Changing Societies - Essay Example In due time, this has caused societal pluralism with religion being viewed as an objective to individuals within a society (Santa, 5). This paper covers the effect of religion in the society, how religion raises questions on identity and questions the concept of identity, and lastly how it creates a dilemma between faith and way of life. Religion Changing Societies Even though religion has sparked a lot of debate, it has influenced the society both positively and negatively. It has attracted massive changes within the societies. A better example of how religion has been linked with the modern societies is politics. Furthermore, the voting patterns are largely determined along religious lines. Religion plays a major role when it comes to governing a nation. Some religions worldwide are entrenched in archaic modes of thoughts and have failed to launch new life in the societies. Some are co-opted by patriotisms; thus, are used to further various furies. This has worked to divide people, based on an individual religious belief (Herz, and Peter, 25). In the current face of pluralism, Elshtain in â€Å"toleration, proselytizing, and the politics of recognition†, offers â€Å"toleration†, as a way of being liberal and democratic to religious pluralism without causing any prejudice on a given religion belief whatsoever. This involves freedom to share ones religious beliefs joyfully, manifesting views so that others may consider it, rather than imposing one's faith to others; thus, ensuring a happy coexistence (Elshtain, 89-93). This has led to more liberal and democratic societies. This has been echoed by Witte in The Rights and Limits of Proselytism in the New Religious World Order (Witte, 109) He emphasizes on the need for individuals to choose their own religious affiliation in a religious pluralism society, although this has not had a smooth sailing as other religions such as Muslim allow for easy conversion into their faith (Witte, 109) Religion, Ide ntity and Citizenship With religion being a core aspect to be considered within any society, the idea of coming up with legislation governing such societies may sometimes be challenging without causing any religious prejudice, with the advent of religious pluralism. Particularly, France has held to her â€Å"lay state (laicite)†, implying a secular state of religious freedom without preference for any religious affiliation. These may not necessarily mean secularization, rather a way of bringing harmony within a religious pluralism society (Davie and Schafer, 5). Religious views, convictions and practices are seen as belonging to the private sphere of existence rather than in the public realm. It is true that religion is a crucial factor of social identity, being identified with a given religion means having a shared religious beliefs and practices and behavior that brings about the uniqueness within a large cosmopolitan society with religious pluralism in some cases (Appiah, 44-47). Despite an individual’s affiliation to a given religion, he/she has the right as a citizen to participate in decisions involving collective life together. These should be done without any religious prejudice, and thus, treated equally. This eliminates any hierarchy of faith (Mehta, 66). With Religious pluralism, the best way to tackle the issue of identity and citizenship in respect to one's religious affilia

Returning to School Essay Example for Free

Returning to School Essay Returning to school was one of the important decisions, I have made about my future. I will be discussing my reasons for returning to school. Such as setting a good example for my children and getting a higher education. Returning to school was a very important decision for many reasons that include setting a good example for my children and carrier advancement. I firmly believe in leading by example, and I want them to see that if I can do it, they can do it as well. I am determined to be the best role model that I can possibly be. My decision in obtaining a Higher education is the key for my present and future as it will be for them. Without it I have gotten about as far as I can with my current employer and I would be left with the feeling as if I have sold myself short. If I get a college education, I will have something to help me get the job that I want and deserve. Even though higher education, Reasons on returning to school because Setting an example for my children and Getting a higher education. I have had several jobs over the years. The majority of them have been in nursing in one form or another, my current job is a Certified Nursing Assistant at a nursing home, and prior to that I was a Certified Nursing Assistant doing private duty for over ten years. I am working towards a Bachelor’s Degree in Healthcare Administration in Long Term Care. I know that once I receive my degree I will be qualified for a variety of jobs. The job that I would like the most would be a Administrator in a nursing home. I want to help others who don’t have the means to help themselves. Most of all I can’t stand seeing elderly people who are not properly cared for, especially those who just don’t seem to care about their well being. This is not the first attempt I have made to return to school, this is actually the second. I tried returning to school once before while working and partying before I had kids. At first everything went fairly well but over a short period of time I realized the work load would prove to be too much. I was working eighty plus hours every two weeks which did not allow for me to have the proper amount of time to spend studying so I had to end up dropping out. Pursuing a degree in Healthcare Administration in Long Term Care can help in many ways. It will help me develop communication skills. After reviewing the description of Healthcare Administration in Long Term Care and talking it over with my academic advisor, I decided to go with it. With this degree I could start my own business. Work for a non-profit organization. Also I could simply decide to pursue a management position with my current employer. I have a wide range of work I can find with this degree. I know I picked the right degree and the right time to return to school. The benefits of obtaining a college degree have been obvious. Getting a higher education to get a better job and higher salary is definitely a benefit. Setting an example and being a role model for my four children is reward enough.

Computer Technology :: essays research papers

A computer is an electronic device that can receive a set of instructions or program and the carry out this program by performing calculations on numerical data or by compiling and correlating other forms of information. ("Computer" Encarta). It also performs calculations and processes information with astonishing speed and precision. Computer Technology has improved our lives. It will continue to affect our future which will lead to an easier, less complicated lifestyle, with more job opportunities and their benefits. ("Computer." America On-line).The modern world of high technology could not have come about except for the development of the computer. (Astle 1). Different types and sizes of computers find uses throughout society in the storage and handling of data, from secret government files to banking transactions to private household accounts.("Computer" Encarta). Research and development in the computer world moves simultaneously along two-paths hardware designs and software innovations work in each are alternately influences the other.("The Future Of Computers" America On-line)Computers help people in many different ways, but many people prefer to use paper and pencil to write and to use folders and file cabinets to organize there papers. ("The Future of Computers." America On-line.) Many people in the world use computers to make their lives easier. Such advances computer technology will benefit us all. People use computers for research, organization, writing, communication for personal or business matters and even to look up stock updates. (Astle 786). Whether it is personal or business, computers can help make our daily life easier. Typing is quicker and easier and its also a lot neater than hand writing. When you type on a computer you can look at them and open them a lot faster than having a folder of papers you have to carry around where ever you go. (Masters 654). Computers can also help with editing a paper, they can even check spelling and grammar. Typing on a computer today is probably the most common way people write there research papers, reports and other documents for school and business.("How Computers Make Your Life Easier" America On-line).Families can use computers to keep in touch with each other through E-mail.They help people talk with others all around the world, using different services and methods. ("Information Superhighway." America On-line). Since computers are used all over the world for research, almost all libraries and museums are based on computers. ("How Computers Make Your Life Easier" America On-line).

Causes of World War II Essay

World War II was the biggest, deadliest, and scariest war of all time. It was obvious that it was coming to. Hitler was taking over Germany. He was sentencing Jews to concentration camps. He was plotting to rid the world of Jews and eventually take over the world. War was coming and everyone knew it. Everyone wanted to do something to stop it, but it was no use. As stated in Document 9, â€Å"neither the people nor the government of Britain and France were conditioned to the idea of war. † Keith Eubank said that in the Origins of World War II. Britain knew war was coming, France knew war was coming, and Germany even knew war was coming. World War II was inevitable. Many things built up to the eventual outcome; war. As stated in Document 5, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain explains why he favored peace, but he knew eventually it would end up as war. He says, â€Å" If we have to fight, it must be on larger issues than that. . . . I am a man of peace. . . . Yet if I were sure that any nation had made up its mind to dominate the world by fear of its force, I should feel that it must be resisted. . . . But war is a fearful thing. Hitler was trying to take over the world, and that is exactly what Chamberlain feared. It is also a reason why World War II began. In 1939, the world was plunged into World War II. Nobody wanted it to happen. But nobody could prevent it from happening. Hitler was continuing with his dream of taking over the world while at the same time ridding the world of Jews. Hitler was taking over one country at a time with the help of Italy. As stated in Document 2, Haile Selassie, emperor of Ethiopia, asked the League of Nations for help during Italy’s invasion of their country. The League of Nation’s response was ineffective. Selassie then said these words, â€Å"God and history will remember your judgement. . . . . It is us today. It will be you tomorrow. † What he means by that is that Hitler will not stop there. He will keep pushing and pushing until he has what he wants. He is saying that the League of Nations will to lose control to the Nazis. Different nations had different ways to handle the Nazis though. There were two responses to the aggression caused: collective security and appeasement. Collective Security is a system by which states have attempted to prevent or stop wars. Under a collective security arrangement, an aggressor against any one state is considered an aggressor against all other states, which act together to repel the aggressor. Appeasement was basically giving Germany whatever they wanted to not start a war. Appeasement did not work because Hitler agreed to take the Sudetenland, and Hitler promised to recognize Czech’s new boundary lines, but six months later, he took over all of Czech. As stated in Document 4, â€Å"There is to be no European war. . . . the price of the peace is. . . the ceding by the Czechoslovakia of the Sudeten territory to Herr Hitler’s Germany. † Hitler was not a man of his word because a very short time later, he took over Czech. World War II was undoubtedly, the biggest and costliest war of all time. People were dying all the time. Hitler had enslaved the Jews in concentration camps. Everything was falling apart. If the U. S. hadn’t stepped in to help, who knows where we would have been right now. Europe could all be Germany. There might be no Jewish people left. We are lucky because this entire war could have gone a completely different way.

The Effects of Dependency on Technology

Since the days of the industrial revolution, man has always wanted to improve his environment, or to make his life ceasier. Whether it was a way to speed up production of goods, better communication, or just improving and existing idea, man has yearned to exceed his boundaries and push the limits of his abilities. With the invention of the computer and rapid advances in technology, lifestyles have become physically, socially, and economically dependent upon a wide variety of electronic devises. If the technology were lost or became non functional, it would have a devastating impact globally.Beginning with the invention of the wheel and fire, man has strived to improve the way he performs basic menial tasks. Just as he did with the wheel, man has become more and more dependent upon technology to do his day to day work. What started as the industrial revolution has moved into the computer age of manufacturing goods at a faster and cheaper rate. Not only has production been effected by technology, it has spread to a wide range of work related tasks such as sales, where only two decades ago personal contact was the norm, now is done with e-mail and I pads.As well as shipping and receiving where once records were hand written, they are now inputted electronically. Thus it creates a network of human dependency on industrial technology. Even as industry has become dependent upon electronic gadgets so has society’s need to interact. There are a number of devices to help us communicate more efficiently with each other, but at a cost of the personal face to face connection. The number one improvement in social communication is the internet.With instant messaging, e-mail, and social sites such as facebook, my yearbook, and tagged there is very little if any personal contact. Also in the communication category are cell-phones where you can text, im, take and download pictures all at the touch of a keypad without even seeing the person on the other end. By doing so i t creates a varied number of choices for social interaction with no personal or physical contact. Commerce has also become dependent on computers and ever changing technology. Since the birth of the internet, on line sales have become as ommon as turning on a light. You can view a business’s entire inventory and make a purchase with just a couple of mouse clicks. Also effected by technology is in store checkout, where you can do self check out by scanning items over a price screen connected to a computerized cash register. A major change in commerce is security where cameras survey an entire store and electronic metallic strips are hidden in items to thwart shoplifting. In the future even sales clerks could be computerized which would lead to a total dependence on technology.Thus computers today have become an inseparable part of our lives, forcing man to ask several questions. Like where will the technology lead us, and how dependent are we becoming upon it. Therefore the ve ry things that are now operating industrial machinery, communicating socially, and driving commercial sales have brought about a dependency on technology that is nearly irreversible. It leads to the question, will all the advances in our lives be a benefit or will we become dependent soley on technology to complete everyday tasks thereby isolating ourselves from human interaction.

Free Essays on Diphtheria

Diphtheria What is diphtheria? Diphtheria is an acute bacterial disease that can infect the body in two areas:  · the throat (respiratory diphtheria)  · the skin (skin or cutaneous diphtheria) A common childhood disease in the 1930s, a vaccine against diphtheria has made it very rare in the US and other developing countries today. 10-year-old child with severe diphtheria What causes diphtheria? Diphtheria is caused by the bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheriae, which is spread from person to person. Corynebacteria are Gram-positive, aerobic, nonmotile, rod-shaped bacteria related to the Actinomycetes. They do not form spores or branch as do the actinomycetes, but they have the characteristic of forming irregular shaped, club-shaped or V-shaped arrangements in normal growth. They undergo snapping movements just after cell division which brings them into characteristic arrangements resembling Chinese letters. How is diphtheria transmitted? The diphtheria bacterium can enter the body through the nose and mouth. However, it can also enter through a break in the skin. It is transmitted from person to person by respiratory secretions or droplets in the air. The incubation period of diphtheria is 2-5 days (range, 1-10 days). What are the symptoms of diphtheria? The following are the most common symptoms of diphtheria. However, each individual may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include: respiratory diphtheria When a person is infected with diphtheria, the bacterium usually multiplies in the throat, leading to the respiratory version of diphtheria. A membrane may form over the throat and tonsils, causing a sore throat. Other common symptoms of respiratory diphtheria may include:  · breathing difficulty  · husky voice  · enlarged lymph glands  · increased heart rate  · stridor (a shrill breathing sound hea... Free Essays on Diphtheria Free Essays on Diphtheria Diphtheria What is diphtheria? Diphtheria is an acute bacterial disease that can infect the body in two areas:  · the throat (respiratory diphtheria)  · the skin (skin or cutaneous diphtheria) A common childhood disease in the 1930s, a vaccine against diphtheria has made it very rare in the US and other developing countries today. 10-year-old child with severe diphtheria What causes diphtheria? Diphtheria is caused by the bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheriae, which is spread from person to person. Corynebacteria are Gram-positive, aerobic, nonmotile, rod-shaped bacteria related to the Actinomycetes. They do not form spores or branch as do the actinomycetes, but they have the characteristic of forming irregular shaped, club-shaped or V-shaped arrangements in normal growth. They undergo snapping movements just after cell division which brings them into characteristic arrangements resembling Chinese letters. How is diphtheria transmitted? The diphtheria bacterium can enter the body through the nose and mouth. However, it can also enter through a break in the skin. It is transmitted from person to person by respiratory secretions or droplets in the air. The incubation period of diphtheria is 2-5 days (range, 1-10 days). What are the symptoms of diphtheria? The following are the most common symptoms of diphtheria. However, each individual may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include: respiratory diphtheria When a person is infected with diphtheria, the bacterium usually multiplies in the throat, leading to the respiratory version of diphtheria. A membrane may form over the throat and tonsils, causing a sore throat. Other common symptoms of respiratory diphtheria may include:  · breathing difficulty  · husky voice  · enlarged lymph glands  · increased heart rate  · stridor (a shrill breathing sound hea...

sex vs gender essays

sex vs gender essays A person is born either male or female, however according to Mead the roles of males and females are conditioned by that person's given culture. There were two articles studied by Group D, the first one tries to prove that men or women can be the aggressive sex, while the second article deals on which sex talks more and why. What it comes down too is, that both articles try to distinguish which sex is more dominant and why. Margaret Mead article, "Sex and Temperament in Three Primitive Societies," describes research done to see if cultures contribute to the shaping of a person. The research done involves three primitive groups, the Arapesh, the Mundugumor, and the Tchambuli. IN each of the groups the roles of the sexes , both males and females, were based on the culture conditioning rather genetics or heredity. For example, culture conditioning the way a new born child is shaped into its given culture. The three groups that research was done on, at a specific point in time the child is assigned personality traits which include feminine or masculine and also the manners of the child are established. The results differ from the three groups, for the Arapesh, the individual was mildly responsive, for the Mundugumor, both male and female were aggressive and violent, and for the Tchambuli, the women dominant and the men were emotionally dependent. The reason why the results were different for all thr ee is different cultures leads to different cultural conditioning. The second article written by Deborah Tannen, "You Just Don't Understand: Women and Men in Conversation", deals with communication among men and women. The article attempts to explain why women and men talk when the do. The article states that women have been punished for talking too much or talking in the wrong way. Women have also been stereo typed since Colonial America, which different punishment were given to women. For example, wo ...

Columbus State University Admission Requirements

Columbus State University Admission Requirements Columbus State University Admissions Overview: Even though a significant percentage of applicants to Columbus State do not get in, admission is not overly selective and most students with decent grades and SAT/ACT scores will be admitted. The Columbus State application gives students an opportunity to explain why they want to attend, but in general admission is not holistic and is based largely on empirical measures such as grades, core courses taken, class rank, and standardized test scores. Admissions Data (2016): Columbus State University Acceptance Rate: 53%Test Scores 25th / 75th PercentileSAT Critical Reading: 430 / 550SAT Math: 430 / 540SAT Writing: - / -What these SAT numbers meanACT Composite: 17  / 23ACT English: 17 / 24ACT Math: 17 / 23ACT Math: - / -What these ACT numbers mean Columbus State University Description: Columbus State University is a four-year, public university located in Columbus, Georgia. The university offers more than 100 majors and academic tracks between the College of the Arts, College of Education and Health Professions, College of Letters and Sciences, Turner College of Business, TSYS School of Computer Science, Schwob School of Music and School of Nursing. Academics are supported by an 18 to 1 student / faculty ratio. Columbus State students stay busy outside of the classroom the university is home to plenty of intramurals, seven fraternities, eight sororities, and more than 110 student clubs and organizations, including the Beyond the Runway club, the American Sign Language club, and the Campus Nerds. On the athletic front, the CSU Cougars compete in the NCAA Division II Peach Belt Conference (PBC) with sports such as men’s and women’s golf, cross country, and tennis. The rifle team competes at the Division I level. The university also offers several club sports including Martial Arts, Shotgun Club, and Bass Fishing. Enrollment (2016): Total Enrollment: 8,407 (6,789 undergraduates)Gender Breakdown: 41% Male / 59% Female71% Full-time Costs (2016 - 17): Tuition and Fees: $6,031 (in-state); $16,605 (out-of-state)Books: $1,270 (why so much?)Room and Board: $10,198Other Expenses: $3,590Total Cost: $21,089  (in-state); $31,663 (out-of-state) Columbus State University Financial Aid (2015- 16): Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 92%Percentage of New Students Receiving Types of AidGrants: 81%Loans: 60%Average Amount of AidGrants: $6,354Loans: $5,769 Academic Programs: Most Popular Majors:  Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Early Childhood Education, English, Health Sciences, Nursing, Psychology Transfer, Graduation and Retention Rates: First Year Student Retention (full-time students): 73%Transfer Out Rate: 17%4-Year Graduation Rate: 11%6-Year Graduation Rate: 30% Intercollegiate Athletic Programs: Mens Sports:  Baseball, Golf, Basketball, Tennis, Track and Field, Cross CountryWomens Sports:  Basketball, Softball, Volleyball, Track and Field, Golf, Soccer, Cross Country Data Source: National Center for Educational Statistics If You Like Columbus State, You May Also Like These Schools: University of Georgia: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphAgnes Scott College: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphClark Atlanta University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphAuburn University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphMercer University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphAlbany State University: Profile  Valdosta State University: Profile

Nursing Profession Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Nursing Profession - Essay Example Before the foundation of modern nursing, nursing like services were done by nuns and military. The philosophy of nursing is reflected from the nature of then work and then thoughts. These philosophies have taken various forms personal philosophy, institutional philosophy and professional philosophy. "The conceptualizations of nursing that have developed and of late, variously called conceptual models, conceptual frameworks, theoretical frameworks and nursing theories, appear to resemble professional philosophies of nursing- a professional philosophy of nursing being one in which what is set down, providing a basis for nursing activity. However, the opinion that these conceptualizations are not philosophies of nursing has persisted and continues to persist, in nursing thought with only questioning of the validity of this claim." (Kikuchi, J F, 1994) The idea of conceptualization were introduced for the purpose of developing professional nursing practice and research. It tried to analyze matters as what is good to do and seek in nursing and what is the nature of nursing science . Nursing theories are a body of knowledge which is used to support nursing practice. Nurses derive their knowledge from experimental learning, from formal sources like nursing research. Nursing models are conceptual models, made up of theories and concepts which help nurses to assess, plan and implement patient care. A care plan is used in a model which is changed and evaluated on a daily basis according to the patient's condition and abilities change. The first theorist to coordinate a role of nursing distinct from medical profession was Florence Nightingale. Nightingale's model is based on the idea that Nurses manipulates the environment to provide and promote patient care. Nursing theories include 4 categories - Metatheory, grand theory, Middle theory and Practice theory. Some nursing models include Roy's model of nursing and Tidal model in Psychiatry, Casey's model in children, Nightingale's model, Roper, Logan & Tierney model in Adult nursing etc. Values laden theory and the fallacy of value free science A theoretical framework embedded in an underlying philosophy give strength to the theory as a guide to practice. Nurses frameworks have incorporated many values like caring respect for all persons and attentive presence into these conceptualizations and proportions. Values are fundamental constituents of human life. Evidence Based Practice Nursing has implemented, taught and studied and standardized Evidence based practice. Evidence based practice refers to the use of rigorously derived empirical findings especially as the basis for intervention and non intervention. Evidence based practice also involves ethical considerations and other dimensions of health. Nursing practice is intentional and deliberate, guided by nursing science and other sources of knowledge, performed by nurses. The practice is to benefit persons and society. However, the actions and behavior of persons change from moment to moment depending on interrelationships with persons, families and communities. Thus, nursing practice depends on the personal and professional values of the nurse. "The process of self-awareness compels nurses to examine their own value positions so these biases and prejudices are not projected onto others, and so nurses do not reject others who do not

Wellness Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Wellness Management - Essay Example They also include medical screening as well as on-site fitness programs and many more. The bottom line of these wellness plans is that healthy employees are considered to more productive and better for companies. Employees are considered to be the most valuable possessions of the company. (Treacy). The companies improve wellbeing and job satisfaction by conducting these wellness programs such as Zippos and Google are doing. In these programs, companies provide different facilities to the employees. For example, a company facilitates them with health regarding facilities, also allows time for the exercise and different healthy activities. The company gives the facility of the on-site kitchen and eating bar to promote healthy food consumption. For the sake of wellness program, the company also offers financial and other incentives as well. Wellness program also consists of various effective workplace programs and also maintains a health-focused environment that significantly benefits e mployers, employees, and their families. Wellness programs are not supposed to be costly at all as they can be designed using various low cost activities and regimes. It states that by practicing a wellness program, the company does not only get productive employees but it also drives the company towards achieving long-term benefits. Collectively, it can be stated that wellness programs are the fundamental need of any company’s strategy. These programs are based upon different activities such as health education and weight management programs.

History response 15 16 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

History response 15 16 - Assignment Example However, China had no single organization that had the naval power to create new target markets in other regions. This made China and it use of Opium to remain Inland medium of exchange hence was not transferred overseas. Britain step to colonize other parts of Asia signed a new regime in international opium trading. In the 18th century, at most in China Opium has replaced silver as the currency for trade. This resulted to the depreciation of the flow of silver from India to China. Thus, when British come to Asia, they did not expect this had taken effect hence had problem with the mode of payments. With increased competition, the British followed suit and started using Opium as a medium of exchange, however, they were not the only China’s Opium supplier. American’s also sold Turkish Opium to China. Later the Chinese government tried to stop the trade of opium by implementing harsh penalties such as death. The British merchants refused to sign the agreement, but the American signed. â€Å"This lead to conflict between British trade lords, the American Merchants, and the government of China,†

Strategic analysis of IKEA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Strategic analysis of IKEA - Essay Example plistic style matches also the no-frills product lines and customer service ethos and chimes with the company’s origins as a small Swedish family business which started in 1958. In reality, however, the company has a sophisticated approach to its business, and this is built on a suite of interlocking strategies. This paper will consider five of these in turn: Alliances/Agreements, Human Resource Factors, Knowledge Management and Competencies, Cultural and Strategic Fitness, and finally Environment/Sensitivity issues and analyse the appropriateness and effectiveness of each. IKEA’s phenomenal success in expanding from Europe to America and Asia could not have happened without a network of well-chosen alliances and long term business relationships with suppliers, manufacturers and logistics operators. Planning of supply and demand across the whole operation is done centrally with the aid of computerized APS (advanced planning systems) and this requires advance agreements on volumes and capacities for both IKEA and the different suppliers. (Jonsson et al, 2008, p. 99). The aim of this approach is to make optimal use of resources throughout the whole chain and to minimize stock levels. Where possible, and when quality control processes are in place at the required level, suppliers are tied into a system of direct delivery to the point of sale. Johnsson et al. identify four main â€Å"enablers† for this planning process â€Å"planning organisation, data quality, software support and project and change management† (Jonsson et al, 2008, p . 100). The last of these entails significant time and resources spent by IKEA managers out in the field: â€Å"IKEA has over time struggled with achieving consistent result from its implementation efforts†¦ A Four-Step model has been defined clearly recognizing the need to create awareness in the first step, create interest in what is coming in the second step, making users try out the solution in the third step and finally adopt

Concert Report on Smokey Robinson Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Concert Report on Smokey Robinson - Essay Example The NYCB Theater is among the top music theaters in New York City. Being among the most famous venues for music festivals in the country, the NYCB Theater was in a good position to host the Smokey Robinson’s concert in New York. Firstly, the theater is more spacious than most music theaters in the US. This indicates that the NYCB Theater was the only theater capable of hosting an event of such a caliber as the Smokey concert. Smokey Robinson has many fans from within New York City and other major cities across the country. The attendance at the theater clearly demonstrated how Smokey Robinson is popular among his followers. The attendance of his show proved that R&B music is still popular among American despite previous claims that R&B song are losing ground to other music genres such as hip hop. This is due to the number R&B stars that are currently switching to hip-hop and rock music. Major R&B singers such as Whitney Houston have redone some of their songs in hip-hop in ord er to incorporate the preferences of the American society. The concert proved to me that R&B music still has many fans within the country. Musial theater performance is not like any other performance. I had previously come across this fact through my studies on theater and performances. Unlike other theater performances, musical theater performance can be described as a two-way performance. This indicates that a successful performance will depend on the effort of the performer and the audience. A musician performing on stage requires the response of the audience in order to achieve successful delivery. This response will include appraisal by the crowd and positive response of the audience. A performer will also prefer an audience that joins him or her in the performance. This will involve situations where a musician allows the audience to sing certain segment of his song or dance rhythmically to his song. I had learnt the theoretical concept on the importance of a responsive audienc e but I had not had a real life experience of such scenarios. The concert therefore presented me with an opportunity to verify the importance of a responsive audience to a performance. During the performance, I also had the opportunity to verify the effect that the audience have on the artist. Robinson opened the concert with his hit song Miracle that got the whole auditorium into shouts and screams of joy. Everyone who present in the theatre wanted to be next to Robinson as possible. If it was also possible, some people could have joined the superstar on the stage. However, the theater was so fully packed with fans and therefore, joining him on the stage was not possible. During this time, I discovered that Smokey is not only a songwriter and a performer, but also has a good background on crowd psychology. Similarly, he was well versed with the fact that the success of performer depends on the attitude of the audience. Smokey therefore utilized the first minutes of his performance trying to get the audience into the same tempo as his ensemble. The performer also utilized these crucial moments trying to make the audience anxious about his performance and the expectations of the show. His hit song â€Å"Miracle† compensated his expectations for the performance. During the performance, I realized that this song has many fans and, it is among his most famous song from his last album. After singing the first few lines of the song

Do Oil Prices influence Non-Oil Sector Stocks in Saudi Arabia Research Paper - 1

Do Oil Prices influence Non-Oil Sector Stocks in Saudi Arabia - Research Paper Example Oil is one of the most important economic resources in global economy today. Fluctuations and shocks in oil prices have been studied extensively by many leading economists. Several economic theories point to the impact of changes in oil price on other commodities as well as in the world economies. The context of oil is even more important in the Saudi Arabian economy as it is has one of the biggest reserves of oil (one-fifth of world’s total) and is the second largest producer (behind Russia) of oil in the world. Saudi Arabia has proven oil reserves of 264.52 billion barrels of oil and recently surpassed by Venezuela who claimed their oil reserves had risen to 269.5 billion barrels of oil. In terms of oil production, Saudi Arabia has a quota allocation of just over 30% of production among Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) countries. The Saudi Arabian oil production in 2010 was 9.1 million barrels per day which accounted for 13% of world’s total oi l production. Oil is the major driver of economic activity in Saudi Arabia. Oil related activities accounted for 47% of the GDP in 2010, and petroleum products exports amounted to $193 billion and accounted for 84% (by value) of total exports in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, oil prices play a vital role in the Saudi Arabian economy. However, from the perspective of an investor or an enterprise in Saudi Arabian market, it is also important to know whether oil prices have a major role to play in stock prices of non-oil sector companies too. ... Fluctuations and shocks in oil prices have been studied extensively by many leading economists. Several economic theories point to the impact of changes in oil price on other commodities as well as in the world economies. The context of oil is even more important in the Saudi Arabian economy as it is has one of the biggest reserves of oil (one-fifth of world’s total) and is the second largest producer (behind Russia) of oil in the world. Saudi Arabia has proven oil reserves of 264.52 billion barrels of oil (OPEC, 2011) and recently surpassed by Venezuela who claimed their oil reserves had risen to 269.5 billion barrels of oil. In terms of oil production, Saudi Arabia has a quota allocation of just over 30% of production among Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) countries. The Saudi Arabian oil production in 2010 was 9.1 million barrels per day which accounted for 13% of world’s total oil production. Oil is the major driver of economic activity in Sa udi Arabia. Oil related activities accounted for 47% of the GDP in 2010 (MoF, 2011), and petroleum products exports amounted to $193 billion and accounted for 84% (by value) of total exports in Saudi Arabia (OPEC, 2011). Therefore, oil prices play a vital role in the Saudi Arabian economy. However, from the perspective of an investor or an enterprise in Saudi Arabian market, it is also important to know whether oil prices have a major role to play in stock prices of non-oil sector companies too. If there is a high positive correlation between oil prices and non-oil sector stocks, an investor can use these stocks to hedge on their investments in oil. The outcome of this study could therefore be very useful for foreign investors and enterprises already present or planning to enter the Saudi

Concert Report on Smokey Robinson Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Concert Report on Smokey Robinson - Essay Example The NYCB Theater is among the top music theaters in New York City. Being among the most famous venues for music festivals in the country, the NYCB Theater was in a good position to host the Smokey Robinson’s concert in New York. Firstly, the theater is more spacious than most music theaters in the US. This indicates that the NYCB Theater was the only theater capable of hosting an event of such a caliber as the Smokey concert. Smokey Robinson has many fans from within New York City and other major cities across the country. The attendance at the theater clearly demonstrated how Smokey Robinson is popular among his followers. The attendance of his show proved that R&B music is still popular among American despite previous claims that R&B song are losing ground to other music genres such as hip hop. This is due to the number R&B stars that are currently switching to hip-hop and rock music. Major R&B singers such as Whitney Houston have redone some of their songs in hip-hop in ord er to incorporate the preferences of the American society. The concert proved to me that R&B music still has many fans within the country. Musial theater performance is not like any other performance. I had previously come across this fact through my studies on theater and performances. Unlike other theater performances, musical theater performance can be described as a two-way performance. This indicates that a successful performance will depend on the effort of the performer and the audience. A musician performing on stage requires the response of the audience in order to achieve successful delivery. This response will include appraisal by the crowd and positive response of the audience. A performer will also prefer an audience that joins him or her in the performance. This will involve situations where a musician allows the audience to sing certain segment of his song or dance rhythmically to his song. I had learnt the theoretical concept on the importance of a responsive audienc e but I had not had a real life experience of such scenarios. The concert therefore presented me with an opportunity to verify the importance of a responsive audience to a performance. During the performance, I also had the opportunity to verify the effect that the audience have on the artist. Robinson opened the concert with his hit song Miracle that got the whole auditorium into shouts and screams of joy. Everyone who present in the theatre wanted to be next to Robinson as possible. If it was also possible, some people could have joined the superstar on the stage. However, the theater was so fully packed with fans and therefore, joining him on the stage was not possible. During this time, I discovered that Smokey is not only a songwriter and a performer, but also has a good background on crowd psychology. Similarly, he was well versed with the fact that the success of performer depends on the attitude of the audience. Smokey therefore utilized the first minutes of his performance trying to get the audience into the same tempo as his ensemble. The performer also utilized these crucial moments trying to make the audience anxious about his performance and the expectations of the show. His hit song â€Å"Miracle† compensated his expectations for the performance. During the performance, I realized that this song has many fans and, it is among his most famous song from his last album. After singing the first few lines of the song

Enhancing Occupational Safety Health While Adapting to Biodiesel As An Essay

Enhancing Occupational Safety Health While Adapting to Biodiesel As An Alternative fuels - Essay Example The process includes the reaction of vegetable oil with the alcohols in the presence of a catalyst, while the alcohols are usually ethanol or methanol. For the purification of the bio-diesel and removal of the phospholipids, the ultra-shear mixers or the De-gumming process is used, as they can efficiently blend and mix the acid or water into the oil for the formation of bio-diesel. The other processes of bio-diesel production involve the following (Dub, Marc A, et al. 2007). There are numerous positive impacts on occupational health and safety when the bio-diesel replaces the hydro-carbon fuels. Serious, continuous and long enduring exposure to the petroleum fuels has always caused environmental pollution (Fernando, Sandum D, et al. 2007).. The air pollution, water pollution and soil pollution are the direct result of heavy transport on roads using petroleum fuels. The use of bio-diesels in transport vehicles can save many drivers, pedestrians and indirect victims like factory workers from lungs cancers, skin abrasions and gastric diseases. Bio-diesels are environment friendly and greener in action. Being less combustible, the bio-diesels are less dangerous for the human life as compared to their petro-besed counterparts. The excessive use of hydrocarbons has been a reason for the extinction rare flora and fauna on the earth. The plants, animals and marine life destroyed by the petroleum products had a deeper link with the human health and occupational safety (Al Gore 2007). Sea water has been frequently polluted with the leakage and seepage of petrol while being transported by ships. This has caused serious destruction of marine life. The workers employed in the petroleum factories are always exposed to serious risks of life. Therefore, bio-diesels used in the transport are a single answer to many questions of health and safety for the workers and transporters in addition to the whole mother earth. That's why these fuels are becoming popular around the world because of their benefits for the occupational safety and th e ecological environment. The only hindering factor in their production, distribution and consumption has been their higher cost of production.It is also quite evident, from the vicious bonding between the terrorists and the leaders of the petroleum producing countries that the demand for finding some other substitute of petroleum is raising day by day. The margin of problems created by the continuous use of petroleum is rising more every day as all under-developed countries greatly depend on the fuel (petroleum) that is sold by the tyrants only. US economic conditions are getting worse every day due to the reason that she spends more than $ 100-150 billion annually for purchasing oil from other countries. US military also demands high proportion of fuel and oil to be used for our defense. To develop some other useful alternatives of oil should be the top and utmost priority of USA. In the United States of America a larger quantity of

Business Ethics and Starbucks Essay Example for Free

Business Ethics and Starbucks Essay 1. Starbucks demonstrates a new focus on business ethics and social responsibility by providing health care benefits to their employees, giving to the welfare of the needy, and also by packaging their goods in recycling materials along with any other practices that are beneficial to the company. Starbucks has also demonstrated by improving their dealings with their customers as well as their suppliers. Although this may not bring in additional revenues, the ethical businesses are better recognized and there durability is greater. As long as Starbucks can continue to gain trust in the customers, it will allow them to have a strong bond with them also. 2. I feel that Starbucks has been concerned with social responsibility in its overall corporate strategy because for one reason it is a popular business and it helps the image of the company to care about the community and the environment. Other reasons Starbucks were so concerned was because of the negative impact on the company. Starbucks has always been engaged in responsible business practice since they first started their operation and they have always spent a lot of time defending their image as well. Several small coffee shops were put out of business due to the clustering strategy. Starbucks decided to refocus their strategy after the 2009-2009 recession. Several locations were closed because of the lack of performance due to the economic depression. Because of Starbucks dedication to their employees and suppliers, they were able to earn their loyalty. However Starbucks were also concerned with social responsibility because it affected all parties involved. The company did achieve social responsibility by taking steps to follow certain guidelines and being involved in the community, which is very important to the company since ethical companies tend to do better in the long run. 3. I think Starbucks has both grown rapidly and mainly because it does provide products and an environment that customers want. Most people don’t know anything about the ethical and social responsibility that Starbucks engage in unless they research their websites. I feel that Starbucks success was due to its strong brand image that had been built over the years. Consumers purchased these products from Starbucks because of the good taste. However people were concerned about being ethical and social responsible when running a business, especially when consumers wanted to enjoy what they were consuming without having to worry about how the products are labored. This company also grew large due to several charity campaigns; such as the partnership between Starbucks and the project Red to raise money for different events. By being a large buyer of Fair Trade certified coffee, in spite of the high cost, they continued to grow as the purpose of fair trades that promotes a better working condition and greater incentives for the mmanufacturers. Starbucks does not only offer quality coffee to its customers, they also have a great atmosphere of the coffee shop. They have given back to the community and earned their trust as well as respect from their customers.

What Is Rdbms Ordbms And Oodbms Information Technology Essay

What Is Rdbms Ordbms And Oodbms Information Technology Essay A set of computer programs which controls the formation, preservation, and the use of database with computer as a platform is called a database management system (DBMS). The control of organization-wide database development in the hands of database administrators (DBAs) is permitted by the database management system. It helps the use of integrated collection of data and files and also easily permits the access of the same database to different user application programs. The database models like network model or relational model can be used by the DBMS. Another feature of the DBMS is allows users and other software to store and get back data in a structured way in large systems. The users can write simple question in query language to retrieve information instead of writing computer programs. Fourth-generation programming language (4GLs) and other application development features provided by DBMS are very helpful to specify the logical organization for database and access and use the information within a database. Relational Data Base Management System (RDBMS) The abbreviation form of Relational Data Base Management System is RDBMS. The structure of RDBMS is database tables, fields and records. Each RDBMS table consists of database table rows and each database table row consists of one or more database table fields. RDBMS is used by main frame, midrange and microcomputers. MS SQL Server, DB2, Oracle and MySQL are the most popular RDBMS. The data are stored in the form of tables which might be related by common fields. The data stored in the database table are manipulated by the rational operators given by RDBMS. SQL is the database query language in most RDBMS. Why RDBMS? We will use the terms tables and relations interchangeably. In a RDBMS, the data is logically perceived as tables. _ Tables are in logical data structures that we assume hold the data that the database intends to represents _ And tables are not physical structures. _ Each table have a unique table name There are advantages and as well as disadvantages in the RDBMS. The advantages of RDBMS are Fast and easy to pop out data as relation among entities is well defined More secure and normalization Problems are avoided when two things are processed at the same time data can be managed in proper manner Accuracy The disadvantages on the other hand are A professional is needed to deal with Proper training is required Need software and hard ware The model is not easy to the end user to run quires Object Relational Database Management System (ORDBMS) The object relational database management system is known as a database management system which is alike to a relational database, but with an object oriented database model. This system supports classes, objects and inheritance directly in database schemas and in the query language. Besides, extension of the data model with custom data type and methods are supported by ORDBMS. The well-organized management from a limited set of data types is focused in traditional RDBMS but object relational DBMS on the other hand permits web sites development experts to join their own data types and methods. Advantages of ORDBMS: Large storage capacity is ensured in Object Relational Database Management Systems which benefits for the web based development. Reasonably quick access speed Massive scalability of ORDBMS is beneficial. Outstanding manipulation power of object databases is boasted in ORDBMS APIs and server subsystems are added to support object functionality. The database engine is completely redesigned A new object-oriented layer is added to support rich data types Disadvantages of ORDBMS ORDMBS fails in High speed internet applications. The IDC opines that the ORDBMS market has the possibility to exceed the size of ODBMS in the next two years time in web based development Object Oriented Database Management system (OODBMS) Object Oriented Database Management system is the most excellent alternative to resolve impedance mismatch causing in the use of Relational Database Management System as objects have to be mapped to table. Database management is combined with object oriented programming concepts by the object oriented database management system. The principles of database management such as isolation, durability, consistency and atomicity and the object oriented programming concepts consist of of inheritance, encapsulation and polymorphism. The mixture of these ideas permits easiness in the management of large number of data, results in system reliability and guarantees support for query languages. Therefore, from the description given above it can be concluded that an OODBMS is not only a database management system but also a complete object oriented development setting. Software development companies use OODBMS as an alternative because it follows intelligibility while objects are accessed in the database. The Main objective of the OODBMS is to give consistent, data independent, secure, controlled and extensible data management services to support the object-oriented model. They were created to handle big and complex data that relational databases could not. The most main characteristic is the joining of object-oriented programming with database technology, which provides an integrated application development system. Object-oriented programming results in 4 main characteristics: inheritances, data encapsulation, object identity, and polymorphism. Object Identity, Object Structure, and Type Constructors Object Identity An OO database system provides a unique identity to each independent object stored in the database. This unique identity is typically implemented via a unique, system-generated object identifier (OID). The OID cab is assigned to program variables of the appropriate type when needed. The main property required of an OID is that it be immutable; that is, the OID value of a particular object should not change. This preserves the identity of the real-world object being represented. Merits of OODBMS over RDBMS The impedance mismatch is completely cancelled out in OODBMS and on the other hand in a relational database system a problem is always faced by a custom software development company. There was lot of wastage of time in RDBMS while objects had to be mapped with tables and the table mapped with objects. In the RDBMS, problems have to be faced by the users when identifying the records and they have to make sure that no two records have the same primary key. In the OODBMS this problem is completely avoided by its unique OIDs. OODBMS can deal with complex data than RDBMS as in ODBMS, a large class able to hold lot of intermediate sized classes, which can keep even more medium sized classes. The database management system maintains the connection between objects and the constraints on objects in an object oriented database, which means, the objects themselves. They permit support of complex application which is not supported by the other models. The programmability and performance, improve navigational access, and simplify concurrency control are improved by the object oriented database. The risks linked with the referential integrity are reduced in OODBMS and it gives an enhanced user metaphor than the relational model. Object oriented database can store both complex component and large structure. The large objects in object oriented database do not need to be broken apart and reassemble by application. Therefore object oriented data base do not suffer performance degradation. RDBMS does not allow the nested structure. These category of applications widely found in CAD/CAE, aerospace, etc. But these applications are easily supported in OODBMS. Besides, it is better to deal with the complex structure in the form of objects rather than table, tuples and records in RDBMS. Limited numbers of data types such as integer and string and limited number of built in operations are available in the relational database management system. This database management system is suitable for simple and few number of data types. The OODBMS on the other hand are appropriate for application where the relationships among elements in the database carry the key information. Conclusion According to the report we can takes some con-clusions regarding RDBMS and OODBMS: †¢ Relational databases have as their objective to ensure data independence ie> Normalized data is separated from processing and the processing corresponding to satisfy-ing informational requirements need not be totally pre-defined, thus accepting ad-hoc re-quirements too. †¢ Object oriented databases have as their main objective encapsulation, being stored together with the data and the methods. They are inseparable. It is said that we have to do with an independence of classes and not with an independence of data. †¢ An OODBMS and not an RDBMS is needed while in the reference applications we have to do with complex data. †¢ The object oriented database mar-kets will continue to develop, but they will still (represent) only a fraction of the traditional databases. †¢ It is appreciated that RDMSs hold the largest part of the largest part of the data-bases. But the prospect is that they will still co-exist for a long time future with the OODBS. ORDBMS complicates database design due to its new richness. There are more alternative designs that can be used to represent a particular situation, and it is not always obvious which to pick. Unthinkingly applying some of these features, such as the COLLECTION columns, create problems.

The Voice of Victorian “Longing like Despair” Essay -- Literary Analy

Matthew Arnold’s Poetry: The Voice of Victorian â€Å"Longing like Despair† John Stuart Mill defined the Victorian Era as â€Å"an age of transition†, where â€Å"Mankind will not be led by their old maxims, nor by their old guides.† Other contemporary minds saw in this transition the main source of profound intellectual and moral confusion, â€Å"that may validly be described as a crisis of personal identity.† (R. A. Forsyth) The poet and Victorian literary and social critic Matthew Arnold distinctly expresses his age’s deepest anxieties, rising from a world being utterly redefined by industrialisation. Much of his poetry is infused with intense personal and emotional discussions of love and loneliness, which spring the rising feeling of isolation and alienation. His writings respond to the disintegration of the traditional Christian social order and to the Victorian human condition. Arnold’s voice is one of despair, although it is also one of longing; one that seeks comfort in intimate companionship. â€Å"To Marguerit e: Continued† (1852) and â€Å"Isolation: To Marguerite† (1857) are primarily love poems where Arnold expresses his struggle with personal isolation and his hope in the potential remedying power of love. â€Å"The Buried Life† (1852) is a reflection on the Victorian human condition, notably man’s identity crisis founded on social and self-alienation. Finally, â€Å"Dover Beach†, often characterised as a historical poem, mourns the disintegration of the traditional Christian order, as the Church was a pillar of England’s society for all of modern history. Despite these distinctions, Arnold’s verse responds to the Victorian human condition, as he weaves together his despair of the present industrialised world with a longing to overcome its darkness a... ...ety. Ed. J. B. Schneewind. London, 1965, pp. 30-31. Print. "Matthew Arnold : Dover Beach." Representative Poetry Online. Ed. Ian Lancashire. University of Toronto Librairies, 2009. Web. 26 Jan. 2012. . "Matthew Arnold : Isolation: To Marguerite." Representative Poetry Online. Ed. Ian Lancashire. University of Toronto Librairies, 2009. Web. 26 Jan. 2012. . "Matthew Arnold: The Buried Life." Representative Poetry On-line: Version 3.0. Ed. Ian Lancashire. University of Toronto Librairies, 2009. Web. 26 Jan. 2012. . "Matthew Arnold : To Marguerite: Continued." Representative Poetry On-line: Version 3.0. Ed. Ian Lancashire. University of Toronto Librairies, 2009. Web. 26 Jan. 2012. .

Imapact evaluation of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program

Regular monitoring of the household beneficiary database 2. Spot Checks 3. Quantitative Impact Evaluation (3-Wave Design) (34. Qualitative Evaluation 5. Monitoring by a National Independent Advisory and Monitoring Committee Preliminary results of the Pantywaist Paying Filipino Program First Impact Evaluation (2011) 3 Objectives of the Impact Evaluation The II is designed to assess: 1 . Current effects of Pantywaist Family, Conditional Cash Family, Transfer Program ; Impact on use of health services and health outcomes ; Impact on schooling Impact on consumption 2.Different impact on different groups Geographic areas Gender IP status Relative poverty More children stay in school, with better chance to graduate from grade school 76 % Day Care/ Pre-school 65 % 98 % Elementary School 93 % Regular attendance among 12-14 year olds 10 percentage points higher in enrolment rate in day care or pre-school 96 % 5 percentage points higher in enrollment rate in elementary in regular attendance ra te 91 % in elementary & high school Pantywaist Households Non-pantywaist Households 4 More families prioritize education and health in their household budgetPantywaist families spend: 33% more on MEDICINE & MEDICAL SERVICES 36% more on EDUCATION = household budget More children use health services 80. 6 % 74. 9 % Percentage of children O – 5 years old 70 63. 3 % 55. 3 % 50 Non-pantywaist Households Pantywaist 33. 3 % 20 10 16. 9% Having their weight monitored Taking determine pills Taking Vitamin A 5 More pregnant mothers get health care 54. 2% 63. 6% with 4 prenatal care visits Non -Pantywaist : with prenatal care Pantywaist: 26. 9% 36. 4% with postnatal care within 24 hours after delivery Without prenatal with postnatal Pantywaist: with postnatal care Without ConclusionsBased on the initial findings, Pantywaist Family: ; Has strong and consistent impact on the key indicators targeted by the program in line with other ACT programs around the world. ; Is on track in reaching the program objectives set by DEWS 6 Future Plans and Directions On Impact Evaluation ; Conduct of 2nd and 3rd Wave Impact Evaluation in October 2013 and October 201 5 respectively ; Conduct of specialized studies on: ; Infant and Maternal Health ; Gender ; Indigenous Peoples . Pad ; Family Development Sessions ; Transition ; Local governance (supply side) 7 Thank you you.

Ontario Gateway Analysis Essay

As requested, our team has conducted a thorough analysis of the four existing insurance policies (RCNC1, RCNC2, CTC, and HIC), including the costs and benefits of each proposal, and associated risks. Based on our investigation, we recommend using the CTC insurance plan as of March 1, 1997. CTC Excels on Cost Savings and Risk Our analysis focused on achieving two main goals: 1) minimize the chance of losses exceeding $37m over next year; 2) minimize overall costs over next five years. We assumed an accident rate of 1 in 5,000,000 flights, as used industry-wide, and we have checked the sensitivity of our decision considering a rate 25% more favorable given our aircraft characteristics. Please see below details on our recommendation, and refer to Appendix for additional details. 1. Cost analysis over next year: When using the industry-wide accident rate, three plans offer significant coverage in the next year such that losses of aircraft will not exceed $37m with a probability of over 99%; these plans are: CTC, HIC, and RCNC1. CTC costs are estimated to be the lowest when considering the average of $13.5m and standard deviation of only ~$2m which reflects a lower spread of the costs. Additionally, CTC cost savings average ~$14.5m when compared with the other plan offerings, with a low standard deviation which reflects more predictable savings. Similar results are obtained when we consider a safer accident rate (i.e., 1 in 6,6m flights). 2. Cost analysis over the next five years: When using the industry-wide accident rate and considering the three plans identified, CTC offers the most optimal plan over the next five years, at an average cost of $67.5m with a low standard deviation of ~$3.8m. While this is the second optimal cost of the three identified plans, the lower standard deviation reflects a lower spread (resulting in lower risk) over the five year horizon.  Additionally, CTC cost savings over the next five years average ~$46m when compared with the other plan offerings, and 95% of the cost savings are over $44m. Similar results are obtained when we consider the safer accident rate. In summary, our analysis identified CTC plan as the most optimal of the four options, based on cost savings over next year and over next five years. The CTC insurance plan should minimize the chance of losses exceeding $37m over the next year, and would offer the lowest overall costs over next five years. Please let us know if you have any questions or need any additional details.

British Literature of Victorian Era

Industrialism during the Victorian Period serves as the new beginning of the age. From a conservative era, industrialism played a significant role to the modernity and liberty of the period from the past civilizations; this transformation does not only affect the social, economic, and political aspects of the period but also its literature. Many writers, authors, and poets emerged during the industrialism that brought new light and path to the beginning and renovation of Victorian Period.Industrialism affects the Victorian Poetry as well as the novels of the era. Through poetry, the poets are capable in describing the lives and situations of the people in longer verses. Within the concept of Romantic poetry, industrialism develops a deeper perspective as it contains social change. Therefore, it can be said that industrialism opens the door of power and alteration to the traditional construction of literature specifically the Victorian Poetry. Matthew Armold is one of the most popular poets during the Victorian Period.His works described the transformation of European lifestyle from Romanticism to Industrialism. However, the concept of industrialism in Arnold’s poetry can be seen within the context of romantic drama. Some of these are â€Å"The Buried Life†, â€Å"Dover Beach†, and â€Å"The Scholar Gypsy. † Arnold’s â€Å"The Buried Life† is about the situations of the whole society. The narrator of the poem discusses the difference between men and women’s identity during the period where women are already part of the society.Women have better opportunities and status through the existence of different laws and policies imposed by the system. â€Å"I knew the mass of men conceal'd / Their thoughts, for fear that if reveal'd / They would by other men be met / With blank indifference, or with blame reproved; / I knew they lived and moved / Trick'd in disguises, alien to the rest / Of men, and alien to themselvesâ €“and yet / The same heart beats in every human breast! (Arnold, 16-23)† the poem describes hope for new beginning.The emotions within the poem show happiness with sort of questioning the new trend of the society. The construction of the poem is in the context of Romanticism but as the reader understands the point of the narrator, it will be seen that the poem symbolizes change that opens various transition from the conservative formation of the society to the liberal context. The basic example is the concept of ‘breast’ that shows different meanings and essence.Throughout the poem – whether a part of woman’s body, a depiction of femininity, womanhood, or motherhood, and also a descriptive word to described the transformation of woman’s status into the society. On the other way around, the â€Å"Dover Beach† described the flow of social change – like the sea, there is no assurance where it goes but it will take the calmness o f life while enduring the pain of thunderstorms and winds. The narrator shows the religious side of the poem where there is a concept of faith and destiny.The attack of the author within his poem is simple but spontaneous to the acquisition of knowledge from the environment and religion. â€Å"So various, so beautiful, so new, / Hath really neither joy, nor love, nor light, / Nor certitude, nor peace, nor help for pain; / And we are here as on a darkling plain / Swept with confused alarms of struggle and flight, / Where ignorant armies clash by night (Arnold, 32-37). † It also shows how religion transformed in a significant basis where it has its own way of defining the word ‘faith;’ through the discussion of radical journey of the narrator and his society.In the poem, the narrator discusses how happy he is to obtain new form of living. Though it is different from the common good, it gives new light to conquer the upcoming circumstances of life. Like â€Å"The B uried Life,† the â€Å"Dover Beach† is also constructed in romantic idea where there is love, happiness, and traditional style of passion but Arnold created the poem not to discuss its romantic essence because he wants to convey the impact of industrialism to the whole society of Victorian Period.The point of view of the poem is based on the concept of transition from one angle to another and also the emotions of the public towards it. The â€Å"Scholar Gypsy,† is about the new age of ideas and knowledge of the Victorian Peiord. The narrator discusses the new way of acquiring learning from the new formed society. Because industrialism demonstrates several changes like the English class structure, the poem discusses the manifestations of these changes to the academic institutions and the system as a whole.The poem literally described the life of a man who lived in a country side. In the beginning, his life is the usual depiction of human life – happy and co ntented in his simple being. However, he could not accept the social transformation that emerged in his environment and led him to escape from modernity to hide from the corners of the forest and live alone. He is not prepared with the transition that is why he could not learn the new idea of alteration from conservative to liberal society. â€Å"And then they land, and thou art seen no more./ Maidens who from the distant hamlets come / To dance around the Fyfield elm in May, / Oft through the darkening fields have seen thee roam, / Or cross a stile into the public way (Arnold, 80-85). † The poem discusses the new life of Victorian period in general. It shows how women work, how men live, how the system evolves, and how the society changed. This is a general viewing of the whole renovation where there are new policies and laws that will protect both men and women. Women could dance for joy while men became busier with their lives and careers.As a conclusion, the three poems h ave different attacks and perspectives on the issue of industrialism during the Victorian Period. Matthew Arnold described the different angles on how men and women of the society accepted the new lifestyle of the era. Some became happy but some also disappeared because of this renovation. In the beginning of industrialism, the Victorian Period made a success because of the different changes happened and nurtured the whole society but as it went through its end, these changes benefited some but not everyone in this period.The three poems showed how the industrialism affects the people or the whole nation. Through these verses, we could be able to understand what the people had experienced during those times. Works Cited Arnold, Matthew. â€Å"Scholar-Gipsy. † Bartleby. com 17 November 2008. http://www. bartleby. com/101/751. html Arnold, Matthew. â€Å"Dover Beach. † 17 November 2008. http://www. victorianweb. org/authors/arnold/writings/doverbeach. html Arnold, Matthe w. â€Å"The Buried Life. † 17 November 2008. http://www. victorianweb. org/authors/arnold/writings/buriedlife. html

Personal Retirement Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Personal Retirement - Assignment Example The personal retirement planning is a disciplined and step-by step procedure that ensures a secured future retirement life. Problem Formulation and Determination of Objectives The first step in planning personal retirement is to determine the current and future objectives. For instance, among many options that are available, the most preferable option is the growth in income. On the contrary, others might consider the safety of principal investment and they prefer investment in less risky assets. Sometimes situations might require fixed periodical earnings. There is another option left for personal retirement and that is adapted by many smart individuals who prefer to invest in a basket of securities in order to diversify investment rather than concentrating the entire investable fund in single option (Goetzmann & Kumar, 2008, pp.1-10). Some individuals with higher risk appetite might also prefer investment in relatively risky securities in order to earn higher returns in future (Sta tman, 2004, pp.50-51). Hence, it is possible that the requirement on one individual will not be the same as other thus the requirement objectives are likely to vary from one individual to another (Grinold & Kahn, No Date, p.2). So, if I prefer higher current consumption assuming that the future is uncertain, others might like to create a safer future for their family and children (Montana State University, 2010) and the reverse scenario is also applicable. For my personal retirement problem I plan to efficiently balance and allocate current consumption and future consumption by vesting the available investible fund in various retirement options and thus bring certainty in future earnings. Determination of Investible Funds My post retirement income may come from sources such as pensions, social security, trusts, or annuities. The remaining required amount that I might fall short of (for purchasing assets or sudden contingent requirements etc.) may be covered by accumulated savings be fore retirement or through investment. In order to formulate my personal retirement plan I need to make two important assumptions as follows: Assuming that I have a fixed investible amount of $50,000 and my current earnings are $2000; Assuming that I would not require consuming any part of fixed investible fund unless there is an emergency requirement. Hence, according to this basic framework it can be said that I would like to carry out my daily activities financed by my current income and for any other purpose such as asset purchase, medical treatment, education fee payment, etc. will be funded through investment or owed funds. Determination of Retirement Age and Expected Future Earnings According to the RES (Retirement Eligibility and Services) and Federal Employee Retirement System that assesses the eligibility criteria for the annuity benefits for individual, the social security administration (SSA) benefits will be available to an individual as and on the day he or she retires . So, from the above discussion and eligibility criteria I would prefer my minimum age of retirement to be 60 years in the personal retireme

Informative speech Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Informative speech - Assignment Example Among the Chinese festivals is the annual Chinese traditional New Year’s party. The Chinese New Year is an important festival for the Chinese people all over the world. The Spring Festival is also used to refer to Chinese New Year. There is no set date when the Chinese New year specifically happens, and the festivals fall on a diverse date each particular year. However, the festival normally falls either in January or February. The Chinese New Year festival is celebrated for a period of up to 15 days (Jango-Cohen 8). During the night New Year festivities, a family reunion dinner is usually held. All family members are required to attend the reunion dinner. On the day of the festival, children wish good luck to their parents and in return they are given red packets that contain money. In addition, any unmarried member of the family is required to receive a red packet from every married member in the family. When the ninth day of the ceremony sets in, a traditional offering is offered to the Jade Emperor believed to be in heaven. A typical Chinese New Year is marked with firecrackers (Chey 149, 150). In any Chinese New Year festivities, firecrackers are a vital ingredient. During the festivities everywhere in China and the rest of the world where the celebrations are taking place fireworks explode. Fireworks mark an important cultural belief among the Chinese people. The significant of the fireworks in the Chinese New Year celebration is to scare any bad luck away from the New Year (Gleason 4). Food serves as a central component of most of the Chinese festivals and rituals of a social interaction. Visiting friends and family during the festival are required to bring gifts of food to the host’s family home. This serve as a reaffirmation of the good relationship of the families’ involved. Fundraising can be held during the Chinese New year to support a course that benefits the community. The Chinese Buddhist Universal church was

Computer Systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 3

Computer Systems - Essay Example Installation of VMware Player 5 on Windows 7 was conducted, installation of a guest operating system (Kali Linux x64) done and screenshots asserting the completion of these steps presented. A brief into the future of cloud computing as an application of virtualization has been documented too to cement the fact that indeed the technology has incalculable potential. Virtualization has caused a significant paradigm shift in the way information technology is being used to offer business solutions. This technology has taken over the IT market with a bang as most businesses and companies struggle not to be left out on this ingenious feat of computer engineering. With virtualization, hardware has been stretched to unimaginable levels and concerns over storage, safety and availability of information will soon be a thing of the past. Through it, imposing technologies have emerged to the measure of cloud computing that have taken center stage in the online service industry. A host of many more IT dreams have been made realities following the advent of virtualization. Virtualization is the concept of subdividing a computer resource into several virtual versions of it so as to create multiple operating environments. This virtualization is common implemented upon storage devices, operating systems, servers and networks. Hardware virtualization entails embedding a virtual machine manager, called a hypervisor, into the circuitry of hardware so as to allow multiple operating systems to run (Rouse). The work of the hypervisor is to control allocation of memory, processor and other hardware resources to the different operating systems on the computer without requiring source code to translate addresses and instructions. Each OS is made to ‘see’ that it has its own set of hardware components when actually the hypervisor allocates in an alternating manner. This concept is largely applied in servers where resources are

Alzheimers Disease Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Alzheimers Disease - Essay Example The frequency of AD increases with each adult of decade life, reaching 20-40% of the population over the age of 85 (Fauci et.al, 2008). It is present in approximately 3% to 11% of people older than 65 years of age and in 25% to 47% of people older than 85% (Seidel et.al, 2006). The cognitive changes with AD tend to follow a characteristic pattern, beginning with memory impairment and spreading to language and visuospatial deficits (Fauci et al., 2008). Initially, patients present with "forgetfulness", with them having difficulty remembering recent events or names of familiar people. However, as the disease progresses, their cognition is affected and they no longer think clearly. Eventually, language deficits will present as problems in speaking, understanding, reading, or writing. Problems with simple activities of daily living (ADL) such as dressing, eating and solving simple calculations will soon follow. The most important risk factors for AD are old age & a positive family history (Fauci, et.al, 2008). The risk for AD increases with increasing age and although the most cases do not show an inheritance patter, there is Familial Alzheimer's Disease which is an inherited and rare form of this disease, occurring at an earlier onset. ... Females are affected more than males. At present, the only way to definitely diagnose Alzheimer'sis through a brain autopsy but for living patients, physicians can correctly diagnose Alzheimer'sdisease about 90 percent of the time based on mental and behavioral symptoms, a physical examination, neuropsychological tests and laboratory tests (Alzheimer's Disease Research, 2008). A thorough subjective and objective assessment is pertinent to do in a patient suspected of having AD. Signs and symptoms experienced by the patient, especially of mental and behavioral deficits, and a complete family history should be obtained from the patient. Physical examination and neuropsychological examinations are also performed to confirm or rule out any pathology causing other types of dementia. Brain scans such as MRI and CT Scan can show characteristic structural changes present in Alzheimer's disease as well as rule out brain tumors or ischemia as the cause for the dementia. EEG can also be performed to measure the brain activity of the patient. Neuropsychological examinations include the Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE), to help confirm that the patient is experiencing problems with intellectual functions (Alzheimer's Disease Research, 2008). Patients who have a family history should undergo tests in their early 30's to 40's and as a general screening, older population, especially those with initial symptoms should have Health Assessment 4 themselves tested in their 50's or 60's. The tests can be repeated every 6 or 12 months, to verify the degree of progression of the dementia. Non-pharmacological prevention strategies include early prevention and lifestyle modification. Proper diet, regular exercise

Reflection paper - Characteristics & Support of Effective Coaching & Essay

Reflection paper - Characteristics & Support of Effective Coaching & Mentoring - Essay Example First, the team members expect that the coach should be objective and have positive criticism. This expectation requires that their coach is able to give constructive criticism to the members regarding their performance during the training, as well as being able to point out and acknowledge the positive aspects of the trainees (Knight, 2008). This is vital, since it enables the team members to know the truth regarding their performance, in terms of where they are doing well, and where they need changes and improvements, without frustrating or even killing their morale. The other expectation that the participants have regarding their coach’s characteristic is that; the coach should be readily available. This means that the coaches should avail themselves whenever the team members need them, or be available to the team members, whenever they make appointments with them. For the coaching to be effective, the relationship between the coaches and their team members who they are tra ining should be that of partners (Knight, 2002). This is because, individuals feel valued and appreciated, whenever they treated as equals, as opposed to being treated as subordinates, or even being dominated over by others, regardless of their position in the chain of command. Thus, to make the coaching more effective, the trainees require to have the freedom to make choices regarding certain aspects of the coaching, and requires the coach to honor their choices, being a partner to the coaching exercise (Knight, 2008). This way, the members of the team being coached requires the coach to be available when they need him, or whenever they make an appointment with the coach. This is also aligned with the principle of punctuality as one of the expectations that the participants would expect their coach to have. The participants in the coaching sessions expect that the coach will be available in good time, when they set such time. The availability and the punctuality of the coach are th e two characteristics that are fundamental for effective coaching, since they go a long way in enhancing the trust that the team members will have on their coach (Knight, 2008). The other important expectation that the participants have regarding the characteristics of the coach is that; the coach should be knowledgeable in the subject matter. There is nothing that commands respect and trust more, than an individuals’ competency and demonstrated knowledge and ability in the field of specialization of the individuals. Thus it is through being highly knowledgeable in the subject matter, that a coach is able to win the trust of the participants, since they have the comfort that they are gaining the best (Lipton & Wellman, n.d.). This motivates the individuals to be even more enthusiastic and committed to learning, considering that they have the belief that they are achieving the best. However, the most significant expectation of the participants regarding the characteristics of the coach is that the coach will have good listening skills, and thus be able to give them positive emotional support. Listening skills are vital for coaching, considering that they enable the coach to learn the team members, including their strengths and weaknesses, and thus enable the coach

Internal Curing Concrete Essay Example for Free

Internal Curing Concrete Essay Early-age cracking, autogenous shrinkage and self-desiccation are almost inevitable problems for concrete, especially for mass high performance concrete, for the permeability of which is too low for external curing water to get in and fully hydrate the cement paste inside. The better hydration of the cement paste, the less and smaller cracks the concrete have, and the better durability and reliability the concrete structures do. In order to solve this problem, scientists have consider an unconventional methods to cure the concrete from the inside out so a better hydration can be achieved. As early as 1957, Paul Klieger[1] have mentioned how helpful the saturated lightweight aggregates would be to supply internal curing water and improve the long-term strength in his report. Nowadays, this method as internal curing has been fully developed and widely used to get low-cracking high-performance concrete with better hydration by replacing part of natural fine aggregates with saturated lightweight aggregates. The goal is clear and simple, but the ways to achieve the same purpose is various and have different advantages and disadvantages. In this report, several techniques and materials with different properties that could be used in internal curing, such as expanded shale clay or slate(ESCS)[2] and Superabsorbent polymers(SAP)[3], would be introduced and comment. Internal curing has a good performance especially in fields like mass concrete, or high performance concrete with low permeability. The properties why internal curing is a practical consideration for these instance s would be discussed in this report. 1 Introduction 1.1 Background Concrete has many good properties as modern building material. It has high compression strength, fire proof, and cheap to produce. Since the using of concrete has a long history, the techniques of concrete structure construction may be fully developed. However, there still are some problems that almost inevitable for concrete, such as self-desiccation, autogenous shrinkage and chemical shrinkage. All of these issues may lead to cracking of concrete, and the chloride may penetrate through the cracks easily and cause corrosion of the reinforcement. As we all know, most of the failures of concrete structures are due to the corrosion of the reinforcement. Hence, concrete with less cracks or later to have cracks may contribute to a longer service life of a concrete structure. What’s more, most of these unwanted cracks develop at the early-age of concrete placing. That’s why proper curing, which limits the early shrinkage and lowers the chance of early-age cracking, is so important to ensure the concrete develop the required properties and durability to reach their designed service life. Conventional curing uses methods to provide additional water to keep high relative humidity on the concrete surface, such as ponding and misting, or uses curing compounds, plastic membrane and evaporation retarder to slow evaporation. No matter water adding or moisture loss avoiding work mostly on the upper part of concrete, since the permeability of concrete is limited, the deeper inside concrete, the harder for water to penetrate. On the other hand, self-desiccation (the reduction of the internal relative humidity in the concrete due to hydration reaction) will lead to autogenous shrinkage (concrete volume change occurring without moisture transfer to the environment) even without external moisture loss. Concrete shrinkage over time , will induce cracking that can reduce the service life expectation of concrete structure severely. In short, even proper conventional external concrete curing cannot provide perfect environment for concrete to develop its durability efficiently. Since 1980’s, the production of high-performance concrete(HPC) became more common, and to achieve their much higher strength and durability properties, lower water cement ratio and lower permeability is required. The self-desiccation and autogenous shrinkage problem became even more severe a situation for HPC than for normal portland cement, because external curing water would be more difficult to penetrate deeply into the low permeable concrete to supply the loss water due to hydration and evaporation. When shrinkage happens, cracking is almost inevitable. Concerning a long time situation, internal relative humidity has a strong relationship with free autogenous shrinkage. 1.2 Internal curing Is there any solution that can settle down this problem? Or is there a way that can cure concrete more efficiently so can limit the cracks? The answer is yes. Since curing concrete from outside in has its limit, deeper part inside the concrete cannot be cured properly, how about cure concrete from inside out? As early as 1957, Paul Klieger [1] have mentioned how helpful the saturated lightweight aggregates would be to supply internal curing water and improve the long-term strength in his report. In 1991, Philleo [2] suggested incorporating saturated lightweight fine aggregate into the concrete mixture to provide an internal source of water to replace that consumed by chemical shrinkage during hydration of the paste. Nowadays, this method that use water-containing materials , replacing with normal aggregates to cure concrete, has been well developed and been named as internal curing. Such water-containing material could be saturated lightweight fine aggregates, sup erabsorbent polymers, or saturated wood fibers. Internal curing has been defined by the American Concrete Institute (ACI) as â€Å"supplying water throughout a fleshly placed cementitious mixture using reservoirs, via pre-wetted lightweight aggregates, that readily release water as needed for hydration or to replace moisture lost through evaporation or self-desiccation† 2 Benefits of internal curing Internal curing distributes the extra curing water throughout the 3-D concrete microstructure so that it is more readily available to maintain saturation of the cement paste during hydration, avoiding self-desiccation in the paste and reducing autogenous shrinkage. Along with this process, the main benefits bring about by internal curing may be concluded as below: 2.1 Reducing cracks due to shrinkage Concrete is susceptible to plastic shrinkage cracking at early age, especially when the evaporation rate is high. Right after placing, the concrete paste is still in a fluid state. The aggregates and cement particles tend to settle down due to gravity, while internal water is likely to bleed out onto the surface. Such layer of water will keep the evaporation of the concrete surface in a relatively constant rate. But this situation won’t last for a long time after the cement particles contact each other and start to develop strength. The rate of settlement will highly reduce along with much less water bleeding. During this period, highly tensile stress occur inside the concrete due to surface tension of drying out internal water. Because at this time, concrete is under a plastic state but having develop enough strength to resist this tensile stress, cracks will occur. For internal curing concrete, the pre-wetted aggregates will provide water to replenish the evaporation from the surface of concrete. It makes the pores within the hydrating cement pastes fluid filled and thus helps to reduce the tensile stress. Shrinkage will be much less sever and cracks will less likely to happen. Besides limiting the happening of cracking, internal curing also contributes to delaying the age of cracking. As the volume of pre-wetted aggregates increases, the age of cracking is delayed, until an asymptote appears to be reached when sufficient pre-wetted aggregates has been added according to the research done by Schlitter et al (2010).[3] 2.2 Long-term strength gaining Cement particles inside concrete finish most of hydration in the first 28 days, but the cement particles have not been completely hydrated after 28 days. Some unhydrated cement remain in the concrete and takes time to continue hydration. That’s the reason why as time goes by, the strength of concrete will increase even after a long period of time. For lower water cement ratio concrete, the required time to be fully hydration is longer. As to very low water cement ratio concrete, it may even be impossible for it to be fully hydrated. The hydration will stop when there is no longer capillary water available. In conventional curing, the capillary water inside the concrete will soon run out after early hydration, and the external water is not easy to penetrate into the concrete to hydrate the unhydrated cement particles. By using internal curing method, after most of the capillary water been used, the internal relative humidity drops, and the pre-wet ted aggregates will provide water for cement to keep hydrating steadily for a longer time. As for the using of light-weight aggregates to provide internal curing, the reduction strength due to the light-weight aggregates can be compensate by this long-term strength gaining. 2.3 Reduction of permeability The principal contribution of internal curing results in the reduction of permeability due to a significant extension in the time of curing. It was shown that extending the time of curing increased the volume of cementitious products formed which caused the capillaries to become segmented and discontinuous.Reducing permeability leads to less penetration of aggressive agents that accelerate corrosion of embedded reinforcement. This decrease in permeability results from internal curing could obviously enhance the durability of concrete structures. 2.4 Working well with SCM Environment problem have been paid more and more attention by people today. In order to lower carbon footprint for using concrete, replacing cement with supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs i.e., silica fume, fly ash, metokaolin, calcined shales, clays and slates) is suggested as a way to use substantially less clinker. SCMs (except for silica fume) take longer time to hydrate, therefore requiring water to be present for a longer time. While more than one research has shown both internal curing and SCMs improve long term durability performance. Luckily, recent work has shown that internal curing works particularly well with SCMs. Internal curing enables the SCMs in these mixtures to react for a longer time, since the higher water content needed to support the reaction of the SCMs can be maintained. 2.5 Improving behavior of the contact zone Contact Zone refers to two distinctly different phenomena: (1) the mechanical adhesion of the cementitious matrix to the surface of the aggregate; (2) the variation of physical and chemical characteristics of the transition layer of the cementitious matrix close to the aggregate particle (ASTM STP 169 D [2006] Chapter # 46 Holm Ries). In the contact zone, the C-S-H is not evenly distributed in the outer product, and porosity is greater at aggregate surface within 15-50 µm. What’s more, the obvious elastic difference between aggregate and the surrounding cementitious matrix make the transfer of stress from bulk cement paste to stiffer aggregate causes ‘softening’(microcracking) in interfacial transition zone. High incidence of interfacial cracking or aggregate debonding will have a serious effect on durability if these cracks fill with water and subsequently freeze. All of these factors make the contact zone a weaker location in the concrete. By using internal curing, more internal water can be provide around the aggregates and lead to a better hydration at the interfacial transition zone, which decrease the porosity and increase the strength. The lower permeability also contributes to the difficulty for the chloride to penetrate. What’s more, the lower modulus of the light weight aggregate and the improved transition zone around the light weight aggregate particles due to their generally vesicular surface, helped reduce stress concentrations between the paste and the aggregate and those reductions subsequently reduced the amount of early-age cracking in the concrete. 3 Material and methods for internal curing As long as the principle is the same, different ways can be applied to achieve internal curing. Besides of light weight aggregates, the properties of other techniques and materials will be presented in this chapter. And their advantages and disadvantages will be commented. 3.1 Bentonite clay Bentonite is an absorbent aluminium phyllosilicate. It has a high specific surface, most of which more than 100 m2/g, and this property enables them to adsorb several molecular layers of water between their platelet structures [10]. The absorbed water is held by secondary chemical bonds and the bentonite may swell up to 14 times as its original volume as a result of the water absorption. If the relative humidity in the surroundings is lowered, this water is reversibly released. Potentially, bentonite or other layered clay minerals may be used as a water reservoir for internal water curing. However, there still one important problem remain to be solved for the application of bentonite. In high ionic media, such as in cementitious materials, these clays agglomerate and form a compact structure instead of spreading out evenly [11]. And whether inducing same charge into bentonite as water reducer do to make the bentonite particles repel from each other could solve this problem remain to be investigated. Figure 3.2 Superabsorbent polymers A superabsorbent polymer, SAP, is a polymeric material which is able to absorb a significant amount of liquid from the surroundings and to retain the liquid within its structure without dissolving [12], SAPs are principally used for absorbing water and aqueous solutions. With the present polymer types the theoretical maximum water absorption is approx. 5000 times their own weight. However, the absorbency of commercially produced SAPs is around 50 g/g in dilute salt solutions such as urine, and in high ionic solutions such as cement paste pore fluid the absorbency may be below 20 g/g [13]. The absorption of water in the SAP is based on secondary chemical bonds, and the water is so loosely held that all of it essentially can be considered bulk water. Most SAPs are cross-linked polyelectrolytes. Because of their ionic nature and interconnected structure, they absorb large quantities of water and other aqueous solutions without dissolving. SAPs have found a wi despread use as a high-tech material e.g. for contact lenses, breast implants, fire fighting, drug delivery, in baby diapers and as soil conditioners. Today’s world production exceeds 500,000 tons per year of which about 85% is used for baby diapers [14]. Figure 5.1: Superabsorbent polymers are swellable substances which can absorb many times their own weight of liquids by forming a gel. The absorbed liquid is not released even under moderate pressure [12]. The picture shows a dry, collapsed and a swollen suspension polymerized SAP particle. A description of the use of SAP for internal water curing can be found in the literature [2,13,15]. Compared with lightweight aggregate SAP has some peculiarities. SAP can be used as a dry concrete admixture since it takes up water during the mixing process. Furthermore, the use of SAP permits free design of the pore shape and the pore size distribution of the hardening concrete, however, the pores introduced by the SAP in the concrete may preferably be selected in the range 50-300  µm. 3.3 Crushed Returned Concrete Aggregates Recycled aggregate consists of stone particles with mortar from the original concrete attached to them. The volume fraction of this mortar may amount to 20 to 60%, and results in a significantly higher water absorption of recycled concrete aggregates compared to conventional aggregates [8]. The relatively high water absorption of recycled aggregate, however, may be difficult to utilize for internal water curing. The cement paste fraction of recycled aggregate will, typically, have a fine and tight pore structure which cannot supply water to the coarse pore structure of a hydrating cement paste at early ages. For this reason, recycled aggregate may be less useful than normal aggregate for internal water curing. However, some experiments have shown promising results for recycled aggregate. By blending the crushed returned concrete aggregates with an appropriate lightweight aggregate sand, a substantial reduction in autogenous shrinkage will be a chieved, with minimal reduction in long term compressive strength. The mortars based on light weight aggregate sand substitutions alone provided the highest compressive strengths and the greatest reductions in autogenous shrinkage. But, blending the crushed returned concrete aggregates with the light weight aggregate sand may provide the optimum mixture in terms of material costs and sustainable development.[ICwCCA] 3.4 Artificial LWA Expanded Shale, Clay and Slate Lightweight Aggregate The Earth has been producing LWA from volcanoes since the beginning of time. This natural material, however, is inconsistent and very little is suitable for making concrete. ESCS is specially made for concrete and has been manufactured from surface†mined raw shale, clay or slate for nearly 100 years. (ESCS raw materials typically do not have any other conventional purpose in the construction industry because they are too soft.) The raw materials for ESCS production are placed into a rotary kiln at approx. 1200 °C until it turns into a strong consistent material which is called expanded shale, clay or lightweight aggregate or just ESCS for short. ESCS is a uniform, high quality, ceramic aggregate that’s about 1/2 the weight of natural aggregates. Pores are created in ESCS during the manufacturing process as gases escape due to the application of heat. The newly created pores are ideally suited to accommodate the absorption of water, much like a sponge. ESCS’s greatest contribution is its ability to desorb water. Unlike a sponge, it does not have to be squeezed for the water to be released. This characteristic naturally permits water to egress or be desorbed from the pores of pre-wetted ESCS when the cement demands more water during the hydration process. The physical ability of the pores to manage water movement is the key to internal curing. However, the manufacturing heating process of ESCS is relatively expensive. Moreover, compared with other lightweight aggregate, ESCS has a relatively fine and less continuous pore system, a large part of the pores are closed. Some of the pore water is held down to at least RH=70%. Consequently only a part of the water held in ESCS will be useful for internal curing [6]. 3.5 Natural LWA – Perlite and Pumice Perlite is a naturally occurring silicious, glassy rock which contains 2-6% combined water. When quickly heated to above 900 °C, the crude rock expands 4-20 times its original volume as the combined water vaporizes and creates countless tiny bubbles. This results in a bulk density in the range 30-400 kg/m3, and a water absorption of 200-600%. Perlite has found multiple uses such as for filtration, as an abrasive and within horticulture to provide aeration and moisture retention. However, perlite is primarily used within the construction area for example as concrete aggregate and as a cavity-filling insulation. Disintegration of perlite particles has been observed during mixing due to their high porosity and consequently low strength [18]. This may have adverse effects on the concrete. Fully saturated, the water content of perlite may be 4.5 kg/kg [18]. Pumice is a porous volcanic rock which resembles a sponge, see Figure 5.2. The porous s tructure is formed by dissolved gases which are precipitated during the cooling as the lava hurtles through the air. All types of magma may form pumice. The connectivity of the pore structure may range from completely closed to completely open. A representative value for the absorption of pumice is 0.27 kg/kg [18].