Management of information technology Bachelor Essay

Management of information technology Bachelor - Essay Example And the study also mainly analyses the reality behind the privacy issue of the consumer. The study also concentrates on the supporting guidelines and practices in use for sustainable management to prevent the privacy concerns with RFID. RFID enables not only automatic supply chain data collection to improve inventory visibility and reduce stock outs at the retail level, it can also result in reduced need for manual handling, labor cost reductions, greater accuracy of shipments, and other benefits, (arcweb) RFID solutions provide real-time information by automatically detecting product movements throughout the distribution process. RFID technology provides real-time inventory visibility while minimizing the need for manual checks, allowing to: - The key to success in the retail RFID market depends on optimizing hardware, software and middleware roles and providing one-stop complete suites or solutions, which facilitate easy integration across the three domains," Shyam While RFID is reaching retailers across the revenue barrier, the high level of investment allows only the biggest retailers (typically $5 billion and above in revenues) to pilot and roll out the RFID technology in their stores and distribution centers, Shyam. The concepts of Distribution chain and logistics are closely connected in the context of raw materials, manufacturers, transporters, warehouses, retailers, and the customers themselves. The functions include the flow of information, and the transformation and delivery of goods from raw material stage through to the end user (Handfield and Nichols 1999 p. 2; Chopra and Meindl 2001, p. 3). Significant factors that determine the success of a supply chain and distribution outlets include process integration among the suppliers and

Organisation investigation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Organisation investigation - Essay Example A social service is defined as any activity performed by a private or public institution whose objective is to aid disadvantage, distress or vulnerable persons or groups (Britannica, 2007). Social work has different elements involve in its realization depending on the age group the service is attending. A simple age group classification is to divide humans into three groups: minors (under age of 18), adults and elderly (above the age of 60). The elderly is a group with lots of social issues especially those associated with health since the body of humans once they reach advanced usage associated with older age starts to breakdown and deteriorate across all bodily systems. The mind is one of the systems that does not work as sharp as in the past. In the United Kingdom the legal framework for social services does not recognize the mental health issues associated with providing social services to the elderly. The mental health act of 2006 was a great improvement for the social service providers operating in the United Kingdom. The new health bill emphasizes improvements in areas such as patient autonomy, non-discrimination and protection of diversity, respect for caters, child welfare, definition of what constitute mental disorder, reciprocity, therapeutic services and criteria for detention among other improvements (Rcpsych, 2007). The community and health act of 1990 is another important piece of legislation for social services providers in the United Kingdom set up by the NHS. The act came to create guidelines and foster the creation of private health institution since the government was not doing a good job in this area and still has not able to create a public system to supply enough services to cover the demand for social services in the UK (Powell, 2001). The act created internal changes within social place agencies such as the one I work for by forcing

Propaganda Posters WW1

Propaganda Posters WW1 The propaganda posters of World War 1 had several different purposes. One of these purposes was to obtain man power for the battles of the war. Another reason was to obtain money for financing the war. A third reason for the posters was to spark nationalism within the respective countries of which the posters were made. Getting laborers in the shell factories was also a cause for the propaganda posters. A final reason was to justify the reason for why the countries were involved in the war so that the people dont rebel against the war. The people who were probable targets for the posters were men, women, and even children. For example, posters that showed how women were being murdered by the enemy sparked a sense of honor in the hearts of the men and it influenced them to fight for their country to protect it and their women. Some posters targeted childrens parents by saying My dad bought me a bond, did yours? or something equivalent. By targeting these specific groups, the posters made everyone involved in total war. The posters suggested many ways for the people of the countries to be involved in the war. Posters suggested that people buy liberty bonds or military bonds in order to help the country financially. They also called for the men to fight and to go the front. Moreover, people, primarily women, were drawn to the factories so that they can help with the shells of the bombs and sometimes with the guns. People were also urged to provide things such as food and clothing for the soldiers on the fronts. By suggesting these types of things, posters made everyone fight as the posters were suppose to do. I think that the role of the propaganda in World War 1 was to get people directly involved into the war and to get money to finance the war. The propaganda made people feel nationalist about their countries and they wanted to fight and help in the war. Liberty bonds or war bonds were money that were given to the government to finance the war, and at the end of the war, the people would get the money back with interest. These bonds were important because the governments needed money to be able to pay the soldiers and to wage the war on the front. By getting money from the people, the country had enough money to finance its economy and also it was a good investment for the people who invested in the war. A wide range of images is used in the World War 1 posters. One example was Lady Liberty leading the American troops into battle. Another image was the Australian flag which said for the king and the country. This image made Australians feel nationalistic about their country. A third image that was shown was the German gorilla which made people fear the destruction of Germany and therefore they wanted to fight against Germany. A German propaganda poster portrays how Jesus is blessing the German army. Other German posters also show a soldier to make the men want to fight. Finally, an Austrian poster shows how a child is putting in money for the war. This was another way to make men and women buy bonds for the war. Several good symbols were used during the World War 1. A gorilla portraying Germany was used to show how ugly and evil Germany was. Another British symbol showed Germany as a skeleton that is drinking the blood of the fallen soldiers. These images made people want to fight Germany and to end its terror over Europe. Australia used a fallen soldier pointing at the viewer of the poster to make men want to avenge the death or wounding of the soldiers who give their lives on the front. Germany made its people join the war by showing how the army was blessed by Jesus which symbolized that it was destined for greatness. They also used the symbol of a soldier on a horse, with a oval around his head which in Orthodox Christianity in particular that portrays him as a saint. In general, the Germans were so confident that they would win, that they showed how glorious their army supposedly was. All of the symbols were used to make the people of the countries fight their enemies. Allies Posters Similarities Central Powers posters Their messages were short and simple. Said true statements. Portrayed German brutality. Both wanted resources. Both guaranteed wins. Both urged men to enlist in the fighting. Long messages that said a lot and not very effective. -Contained lies because the army was not as blessed as the newly enlisted soldiers thought. Showed army to be mighty and blessed by God. My favorite poster is the one from Australia which showed how Freedom is in a tug of war with the Oppression. I liked this poster because it was an original way to show how the war was going and in a way it made it seem less dramatic than it really is. I also think that Australians had the most interesting posters in general because their posters were more elaborate and more interesting than the rest of the countries in the war.

Tornadoes :: essays research papers

Tornadoes HAINES CITY, Fla. (Dec. 27) - Tess Bentley knew the high-pitched whine that woke her early Saturday was a tornado. She took two steps and dived into her bedroom closet full of clothes. Within seconds, Mrs. Bentley, 48, and her two-bedroom house were spinning in the air. She was still in her closet when her home landed upside down on top of a neighbor's house about 50 yards away. More than 100 homes were damaged by the tornado that tore through the Lake Region Mobile Village, a retirement community 35 miles southwest of Orlando. The twister - part of a series of storms that swamped Florida's Gulf Coast - left four residents hospitalized, but none of the injuries were life-threatening. Mrs. Bentley suffered only bumps and bruises. neighbor Dick Runge said ''If this isn't a miracle, I don't know what is.'' Tornadoes form from severe thunderstorms. They are very destructive because they have a high energy density. They also don't last very long. This makes it hard to learn about them. Since scientists don't know much about tornadoes, it's also hard to forecast them. And because little is known about tornadoes, there are many myths about them which aren't true. Tornadoes can form anywhere in the world. About 75% of the them happen in the United States. Most of these form in the central U. S. in a place called tornado alley. People who are interested in tornadoes sometimes become spotters for their community. Sometimes people actually chase tornadoes! After a tornado passes by, scientists try and figure out how strong it was by using the Fujita Tornado Scale. U.S. Killer Tornadoes of 1997 September 18, 1997 5:15 PM A series of at least five tornadoes swept through northeastern Minnesota this evening. The worst damage was in Little Falls, Hillman and Onamia. One person was killed in a building 6 miles east of Lastrup, Minnesota. Two men were injured in Hillman when their vehicle was lifted into the air, spun around, and dumped into the woods about 100 feet off the road. July 2, 1997 3:32 PM The tornado that struck the Chatueau Oak Hill Trailer Park near Holly in Oakland County, Michigan, was one of 16 reported that afternoon. It killed a 36-year-old woman in a trailer. The whole metropolitan Detoit area was beseiged by storms during the early evening, and the strong winds, lightning and flooding caused more destruction than any storm since the Palm Sunday storms in 1965.

Critique of “Being Logical”

Being Logical: A Guide to Good Thinking by D. Q. McInerny is an introduction to the science and art of thinking and living logically. The 129-page guide was published in 2005 by Random House Trade Paperbacks and can be purchased for around ten dollars. The author D. Q. McInerny is currently a professor at Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary in Lincoln, Nebraska and has written a variety of pieces on religious philosophy to include Philosophical Psychology, and an article on the use of contraception. In the words of McInerny, â€Å"Logic is the very backbone of true education† (McInerny, 2005, p. x). Yet in the Preface, he goes on to say â€Å"To my mind, logic is the missing piece of the American educational system, the subject that informs every other subject from English to history to science and math† (McInerny, 2005, p. ix). In his book McInerny attempts to guide his readers through the process of seeing the world and evaluating their circumstances in an objective and cr itical manner. Ultimately he aims to instill an intrinsic need for truth gained through logic that his readers will utilize in everyday life.Being logical consists of five sections, the first three serve as a foundation for logical thinking. They consist of Preparing the Mind for Logic, The Basic Principles of logic and Argument – the Language of Logic. The last two sections, The Sources of Illogical Thinking and The Principal Forms of Illogical Thinking put the foundations of logic into action by pointing out errors that one may make while attempting sound logic. The last two sections, specifically section five synthesizes the material previously covered in the book by defining the ways in which reasoning can go awry.McInerny wrote of 28 principal forms of illogical thinking. The eleven most notable forms of illogical thinking can be grouped by their basic causes: a basic misinterpretation of language and arrival at a conclusion through illogical processes, a lack of critica l thinking or attention to the matter at hand, and finally, purposefully misleading and manipulative argumentation. Undistributed middle, begging the question and inability to disprove does not prove all occur when one misinterprets the language of an argument or comes to a conclusion through an illogical process.According to McInerny Undistributed middle occurs when one falsely attributes traits to the conclusion based on a term or statement in the premise that is not universal or always true. For example, many elite marathon runners are Kenyan. Aallyah is Kenyan therefore she is an elite marathoner. Similar to undistributed middle, begging the question is when a statement seams like an argument that proves the conclusion when in truth the assertion is simply stated twice in different words. There is not actually any supporting evidence to prove the assertion.For example, because Jimmy goes to the gym on a regular basis, Jimmy has good physical fitness. Another form of illogical th inking is the assertion that the inability to disprove something in effect proves it. For example, just because one cannot disprove the existence of a higher power or God, does not prove that God exists. It is a matter that has not been proven or disproven therefore it is simply a matter of faith or opinion not at all based in logical fact. Abusing tradition, democratic fallacy and abuses of expertise all stem from lack of critical thinking, attention to the matter at hand or weak-minded group think.Sometimes tradition is followed simply because it is the way things have always been regardless of its logical merit or usefulness. Conversely, a sound tradition is often abandoned simply for the sake of innovation. Both of these failures in logic are forms of using and abusing tradition. The quality of a tradition should be judged on its merit and effectiveness not simply its longevity. The Democratic Fallacy occurs when a conclusion or opinion is held as true simply because the majorit y believes it. For example, society used to believe that the world was flat and the sun revolved around the earth, which is obviously a false assertion.The use of an expert opinion can be very powerful in an argument as long as the expert backs up his or her opinion with fact and concrete rational. If one asserts that a specific conclusion is true simply based on the fact that an expert says so, they are not in essence proving their assertion at all because they aren’t making an argument, they are simply making a statement. If a lawyer in a murder trial placed an expert whiteness on the stand, and simply asked them â€Å" in your expert opinion, did the defendant committed the offence† they would be abusing expertise and not actually presenting any argument at all.If the lawyer asked the expert to explain the evidence and why it leads to the conclusion, then he or she would be presenting a good argument. In section five McInerny points out that it is essential to be aw are of purposefully misleading and manipulative argumentation when attempting to logically analyze a situation. Ad hominem, red herring, straw man, false dilemma and simplistic reasoning are all ways in which one can manipulate an audience incorrectly. Ad hominem and red herring are both forms of false reasoning in which one plays on the emotions of the audience to manipulate them.The ad hominem fallacy is when one responds to the individual making an argument, using information irrelevant to the argument to gain emotional control over the audience and sway them against the opponent. If one is discussing a topic with someone they dislike and rather than analyzing the others argument, they simply attack the other personally, the attacking individual is guilty of the Ad Hominem Fallacy. The opinion of the audience can be changed solely on their emotional response to the individual making the argument not on the logic of their position.The red herring fallacy is much like the ad homine m fallacy in that they both divert the audience’s attention from the actual issue being argued. In this fallacy, one interjects inflammatory information aimed at distracting and swaying a specific audience base solely on their emotions. This ploy is seen constantly in debates for political office. The paradox between public approval of the death penalty and disapproval of abortion is one that is seen frequently in political debate. In this example the opinion of specific majorities seem to be swayed more by emotional and religious appeals than consistent logic.One may play to the emotional image of an innocent baby being murdered, saying that humans cannot play God per say and that it isn’t our right to choose. While in the latter instance they can play on the image of an evil murderous criminal needing to be punished for his or her actions, and completely disregard the original assertion that it is not right for humans to play God. Straw man, false dilemma and simplis tic reasoning are all ways in which one can manipulate their audience not by emotional appeals but by somehow falsifying a specific aspect of the situation being analyzed.Straw Man Fallacy is when one purposefully misinterprets another’s argument in order to weaken it. If one realized that they were wrong, yet pretended to misinterpret the other persons argument to evade admitting that their argument is inferior they would be committing the Straw Man Fallacy. A false dilemma occurs when one analyzes a question or situation on the false pretext that there are only two options when, in fact, there are many possibilities. A historic example of a false dilemma can be seen in the political and social drama surrounding the United States decision to invade Iraq in 2003.According to a Pew Research Center poll in 2003 over 71 percent of Americans were proponents of Operation Iraqi Freedom (Keeter, 2007). This sentiment was furthered by emotional patriotism brought on by September 11th , which led to the attitude of â€Å"you are either for us or against us†. Although many Americans viewed the situation as a dilemma, there were many other options at the government’s disposal that could have utilized other forms of national power and influence. Simplistic reasoning is the act of simplifying a complex situation or reality so much that its true meaning is altered and the truth is lost.Parents often use simplistic reasoning when answering their children’s complex questions about life. Often when a child asks where they came from, a parent will respond with a myriad of simplistic stories. These responses are completely untrue but the parent wants to protect the child from the truth that they feel is inappropriate and may also think the child wont understand the complexities of procreation. Simplistic reasoning in this instance my be justified, however when it is used to manipulate or shelter adult audiences it is a gross misrepresentation of the tr uth.In section five, McInerny succeeds at highlighting the many ways in which attempted logic can fail. He defines each form of illogical thinking with brevity and in terms any reader can understand. Awareness of these possible mistakes will assuredly help readers follow more logical thought processes and avoid illogical thinking. The first three chapters of the book however, are not as helpful or pertinent. McInerny starts out by explaining the close relationship between language and logic, stating that they are in fact â€Å"inseparable† (McInerny, 2005, p. 3).Conscious thought is indeed dictated by language. One can have feelings and emotions without language but when one realizes an actual cognitive thought, they think it in words. McInerny states that the â€Å"concrete expression of logical reasoning is the argument† (McInerny, 2005, p. 47). Thus he spends a great deal of time detailing and defining the basic structure and function of the English language and the language of an argument. He caveats these first three sections by saying that â€Å"readers might be put off by what they perceive to be an emphasis upon the obvious.I do, in fact, place a good deal of stress on the obvious in this book, and that is quite deliberate. In logic, as in life, it is the obvious that most often bears emphasizing, because it so easily escapes our notice† (McInerny, 2005, p. x). Although language and our use of it holds a symbiotic relationship with logic, McInerny spends 88 uninspired pages defining and over complicating aspects of language that are, as he says, obvious. Instead of putting his readers to sleep by dissecting and defining the rudimentary construct of the English language, he could have emphasized the importance of paying attention to obvious details.Using interesting historical examples of either sound logic or attempted logic gone awry would make a much more memorable impact. Instead, readers feel as though they are wading through t he sludge of an SAT or ACT preparatory guide. Ultimately, McInerny succeeds in writing a basic guide to the science of logic however; Being Logical: A Guide to Good Thinking does not inspire readers to internalize a desire for truth gained through the art of logical thinking.The book is a dry and simplistic analysis of logic that lacks any inspiring or memorable real world examples that a reader could call upon while logically navigating their everyday life. References Keeter, S. (2007). Trends in Public Opinion About the War in Iraq, 2003-2007. Retrieved October 3, 2011 from Pew Research Center Publications: http://pewresearch. org/pubs/431/trends-in-public-opinion-about-the-war-in-iraq-2003-2007. MCInerny, D. Q. (2005). Being Logical: A Guide to Good Thinking. New York: Random House Trade Paperbacks.

Succubus Shadows Chapter 8

Knowing Carter was on the job with Simone made me feel mildly better, but there was something about him that always unnerved me when it came to Seth – and, well, my love life in general. He was too interested. I'd gotten used to an angel hanging out with my friends, but sometimes I wondered if I was being lulled into some kind of trick. Heaven had its own agenda, just as we did, and their motives were often harder to figure out. I had a morning shift the next day. It passed by easily until Doug delivered some bad news to me about ten minutes before I was going to leave. â€Å"Can't go with you tonight, Kincaid.† I looked up from my spreadsheet in disbelief. â€Å"What?† He shrugged, hovering near the door to my office. He'd had the same shift as me today, and I had a feeling he was telling me at the end to save himself from hours of anger. Kind of like how people who get fired are told at the end of the day on Friday. â€Å"There's this girl I met†¦and I can't really turn down the chance to go out with her. Oh, man. She's smokin'. She's got this body that – â€Å" â€Å"I don't need the details,† I interrupted. â€Å"Can't you just take her instead of me? Cody was starting to get into this idea†¦he'll be really down if it gets canceled.† â€Å"No need to cancel. Just go without me. I couldn't bring her instead of you – Cody needs you.† I groaned. â€Å"Yeah, but the safety of a group is gone, and I become the third wheel.† â€Å"Find someone else to go, then.† It was then that Maddie appeared beside her brother. She was relieving him for the next shift. â€Å"Go where?† My next words made me cringe, but I did not want to go alone with Cody and Gabrielle. â€Å"Do you want to go to a, um, metal concert tonight?† At least having another woman along would kill the double date insinuations. This clearly wasn't an invite that she'd been expecting. â€Å"Well†¦I would, except I've got to close, and then I'm supposed to meet a friend.† I had serious doubts about the â€Å"I would† part and this so-called friend. Metal was not Maddie's scene. She suddenly brightened. â€Å"You know what? You should bring Seth.† â€Å"I†¦what?† I asked. â€Å"Mortensen?† asked Doug, sounding as baffled as me. â€Å"I don't think that's his thing,† I said uneasily. I knew for a fact it wasn't. â€Å"Yeah,† agreed Doug. â€Å"Probably not a good idea.† I hid a frown at Doug's words. With as much as he wanted to get out of this and see his smokin' woman, I figured he'd be willing to push anyone off on me. Maddie was oblivious. â€Å"No, really. He's been cooped up for weeks with the book, and I think it'd be good for him to go out. I think the wedding stuff is stressing him out.† Yeah, that made two of us. â€Å"Oh, I don't want to, um, push him outside of his comfort zone,† I said lamely. She laughed. â€Å"Like I said, it'd be good for him. I'll go ask him now.† She was gone before either Doug or I could protest. Several moments of silence hung between us. â€Å"Well,† he said at last. â€Å"She can talk him into almost anything. I guess you're set.† â€Å"I guess so.† He walked off, and I found it intriguing that neither of us was excited about this prospect. It drove home the double date thing even more and also made me feel guilty about Maddie's blind trust. On the bright side – kind of – I supposed it would take some balls for Simone to crash the concert and continue her â€Å"seduction† of Seth. As Doug had predicted, Maddie did indeed convince Seth to go. It was a late show, and the four of us had agreed to meet outside the club around 10:30 so that I could distribute our tickets. Once we were all there, I glanced at the three faces before me, trying to decide whether it was all comical or pathetic. Seth was doing the averting-his-eyes thing, clearly uncomfortable that Maddie had pushed him into this. Cody was paler than usual for a vampire and looked ready to bolt at any moment. In fact, I wouldn't have been surprised if both men teamed up to formulate an escape plan. Gabrielle was the only one who looked excited to be there, her eyes alight and eager. She was also the only one really dressed for the scene, all in black, with her hair spiked up and makeup done to dramatic levels. Cody and Seth wore their usual street clothes, and I'd dressed somewhere in the middle: black jeans and a black bustier top, adorned with heavy silver jewelry. It was clearly too designer for this place, however. â€Å"Thanks so much for letting me come along with you guys,† she said. â€Å"I didn't know any of you liked Blue Satin Bra.† â€Å"What's not to like?† asked Seth, face innocent. I kept my eyes away from him because I had a feeling I'd start grinning. I handed out the tickets, and we headed inside, surrounded by a crowd that I decided I'd want on my side if I was ever in a street brawl. We managed to snag a high-top table in the back. It meant standing the whole time, but at least we had a surface to put our glasses on. â€Å"Offer to buy her a drink,† I hissed to Cody. The nice thing about playing Cyrano to a vampire was that his enhanced hearing meant I could keep my voice far below levels that Gabrielle could pick up. The noise in the room – even before the band started – also furthered the covert nature of all this. Cody dutifully obeyed, and when Gabrielle started to dig out cash, he assured her the first round was on him. The smile she gave him seemed to boost his confidence as he headed off. Seth leaned toward my ear. He stood on the opposite side of me from Gabrielle, and she was too entranced by the sights to even notice us. â€Å"This might be crazy enough to work,† he murmured. â€Å"Don't get carried away,† I responded back, trying not to think of his proximity. â€Å"The night is young. Any number of wacky mishaps might ensue.† He smiled. â€Å"Those are your specialty, aren't they?† â€Å"Unfortunately, yes.† Cody returned with the drinks, earning more approval from Gabrielle. She wasn't showing any romantic attraction to him whatsoever, but at least she knew he was alive. While I still stood firm that he shouldn't overdo the vampire/Goth thing, I realized we were going to have to work hard to get past the â€Å"ordinary† facade she saw. â€Å"Talk to her,† I told him. He'd slipped back to his place between me and Gabrielle. â€Å"Once they start, it's probably going to be impossible.† â€Å"What do I say?† Seth, overhearing, leaned across me, and I wished I'd covered up more skin. His arm brushing up against me sent thrills through my body. â€Å"Ask her if she's ever seen them live before,† Seth said. â€Å"If she says no, tell her about this one time you saw them at†¦I don't know. A private party. If she says yes, ask her what she thought.† Cody gave an uneasy nod. He leaned toward her, and while I only caught bits and pieces of the conversation, she grew animated as she spoke. I leaned back to Seth. â€Å"When did you become an expert in dating advice?† I asked incredulously. â€Å"It's what O'Neill would do.† I scoffed. â€Å"You're using fiction to further Cody's love life?† â€Å"Life imitates art, and art imitates life.† â€Å"That statement is ridiculous. And, you know, I've never really seen you utilize that advice.† â€Å"Well, that's O'Neill's advice. I have lots of characters I can draw from.† â€Å"Funny, I don't remember any introverted, stammering writers in your books.† â€Å"I don't stammer,† he said defensively – though there was a smile under his words. â€Å"Besides, maybe there'll be someone like that in the new series.† â€Å"Ooh,† I said, mocking his melodrama. â€Å"What's with the ‘maybe'? I thought you had the premise for this whole fantastic new thing figured out.† â€Å"I do. But it can always be improved along the way.† â€Å"Introvert authors improve everything.† â€Å"Damn straight.† Laughing, I remembered that I should have been helping Cody, but he was talking to Gabrielle on his own, which I took as a positive sign. I turned back to Seth. â€Å"So does this mean you've figured out the ending to Cady and O'Neill?† â€Å"No.† He still held his good humor, despite a small frown on his brow. â€Å"One of these days, I'll have to – â€Å" His words were cut off when the eardrum-splitting screech of a guitar ripped through the room. Blue Satin Bra had come onstage while I was talking (flirting?) with Seth. I hated stereotypes, but truthfully: they looked like what you'd expect from an all-guy metal band. Black clothing, piercings, and hair that ran in extremes: shaved or super long. The one thing that differentiated them was, well, the fact that they were wearing blue satin demi bras over their clothes. Even above the deafening music that followed, I could hear Gabrielle shrieking, â€Å"Oh my God!† Her face was ecstatic, and when Cody said something to her, she lit up further and nodded eagerly at the band. My guess was – whether it was true or not – he was reaffirming how awesome they were. The music forced Seth and me to lean close in order to talk. â€Å"You know,† he said, â€Å"I'm pretty sure the bass player stuffed his bra.† â€Å"Nah,† I teased back. â€Å"It's a push-up bra, so it just seems that way. They do amazing things for cleavage.† All things considered, Blue Satin Bra wasn't that bad. Metal might not be my favorite music, but I was still open to a lot of types. The setting and craziness that ensued throughout the night gave Seth and me lots of material to joke over. We were both in really good moods when the show finally ended and we walked out with Gabrielle and Cody. â€Å"That was awesome,† she exclaimed. â€Å"Thank you so much for sharing the tickets.† â€Å"No problem,† I said. My ears were ringing, and I wasn't sure if I was still shouting. â€Å"I think that was the best show I've ever seen,† said Cody nobly. Gabrielle clutched his sleeve, and his eyes widened. â€Å"I know! Which was your favorite song?† Silence. â€Å"Mine was that one were they kept saying ‘My Armageddon scales will burn your post office,'† said Seth deadpan. â€Å"Oh, yeah. That's one of their greatest,† she said. â€Å"It's called ‘Plywood Fuck.'† â€Å"That's my favorite too,† said Cody. I somehow doubted he'd heard any of the music tonight. His senses were all on Gabrielle. Perfectly in sync, Seth and I glanced at each other and exchanged secret smiles, both of us amused at Cody's love. I wasn't as far gone as he was, but when our group finally split up, I found myself walking on air too. â€Å"Interesting night,† Roman told me when we got home. He'd been along in spy mode. â€Å"I think Cody might actually have a chance.† â€Å"Maybe,† I said. â€Å"He's clearly smitten, but she only seems mildly interested. In a friendly way, though.† Roman rummaged through the kitchen and poured himself a bowl of Lucky Charms. â€Å"He's not the only one who's smitten.† I sighed and collapsed onto the couch. â€Å"Let it go, okay? We all know I'm a long ways from getting over Seth.† Roman gave me a sly look. â€Å"I wasn't talking about you.† I stared at him for a moment, my vodka-addled brain trying to make sense of his words. â€Å"Wait†¦you're talking about Seth? He's over me.† â€Å"Oh my God, Georgina. Could you be any more delusional?† â€Å"He's getting married.† â€Å"That means nothing. If it did, guys wouldn't catch chlamydia at their bachelor parties.† â€Å"But he does love Maddie. And no matter what you think about his feelings, he'll be out of my reach once they're married.† â€Å"The fact that they're dating means he should already be out of your reach – but past evidence shows that's not true.† I scowled and kicked off my shoes. â€Å"Don't bring that up. I feel bad enough – and so does he. If you're just going to taunt me, then I'm going to bed.† But to my surprise, Roman didn't wear that mocking look that had become so typical for him since returning to Seattle. His eyes were serious, his expression – almost – concerned. â€Å"I'm not trying to taunt you. I'm just stating the facts. No matter what happens, you and Seth can't seem to stay away from each other. You should put in a transfer request.† â€Å"What, out of Seattle?† I asked incredulously. â€Å"I love it here.† â€Å"You'll learn to love some other place. Honestly, it's the only way you're going to be able to move on – the only way either of you can move on. You're in a situation where you see him every day – tonight being a prime example. He broke up with you, and then you broke up with him for some ‘greater good' kind of goal. But if you keep hanging around each other, it won't matter. You'll never heal. You're just going to get your heart ripped out every day.† I was so stunned that I couldn't even respond for several seconds. The old taunt danced in my head: circles and circles. â€Å"I†¦why do you say that? Why do you care?† â€Å"Because I already see it happening every day. You are getting your heart ripped out over and over, and it kills me to watch it happen.† Again, I fell speechless for a moment. â€Å"I thought†¦I thought you hated me. I thought you wanted to destroy me.† He finished his cereal and set the bowl down. I didn't have the will to shoo the cats away. â€Å"I don't hate you, Georgina,† he said wearily. â€Å"Am I upset about what happened to Helena? Absolutely. Am I upset about you lying about loving me? Yes. Do I want some kind of revenge? Maybe. Honestly, my feelings change from day to day. Some days I do want something awful to happen to you. Some days†¦well, I know you did what you did out of some misguided sense of†¦I don't know. You thought you were doing the right thing.† I wanted to tell him that I had loved him, in a way. But that probably wouldn't be useful right now. â€Å"Well, watching this Seth drama unfold is probably giving you lots of material when it comes to something awful happening to me.† â€Å"No,† he said, with a weary head shake. â€Å"I don't like this. Like I said, I'd rather see you leave and start a new life. Every time I see you now, it's like†¦it's like watching you die. Over and over.† I stood up, suddenly wanting to sleep. â€Å"Yeah,† I said softly. â€Å"That's kind of what it feels like.† I hesitated. â€Å"Thanks for listening. And understanding.† â€Å"Anytime,† he said. This also caught me by surprise. Somewhere in these last few crazy months, I realized, Roman and I had become friends again. â€Å"I hate to ask you this, but, well, I'm not doing a very good job with keeping an upbeat mood tonight. Would you – â€Å" He rose as well. â€Å"Yup. I'll watch you sleep. If you can handle the creepy factor.† â€Å"It's an acceptable trade,† I said with a smile. â€Å"Thanks.† And maybe it was the vodka, but I stepped forward and hugged him. He was stiff for a moment, clearly caught off guard, but then he relaxed and wrapped his arms around me. I rested my head against his chest, taking small comfort in someone warm and alive who wasn't a stranger. He smelled like I remembered, the clean, sharp scent of his cologne surrounding me in a way very different from Seth's woodsy smell. I was just thinking I should pull away when a voice asked, â€Å"Am I interrupting anything?† I jerked away from the embrace and found Carter standing in the living room, arms crossed and one eyebrow arched. Roman seemed equally flustered and took a few steps back as well, getting as far away from me as he could. â€Å"Don't you ever knock?† I asked. â€Å"Not sure you'd answer,† said Carter good-naturedly. â€Å"Especially with the news I've got.† I groaned. â€Å"That was fast. Does it have to do with Simone?† He nodded. â€Å"Afraid so. She met up with Seth again.†

Ikrandraco - Facts and Figures

Ikrandraco - Facts and Figures Name Ikdrandraco (Ikran dragon, after the flying creatures from Avatar); pronounced EE-krahn-DRAY-coe Habitat Rivers and lakes of Asia Historical Period Early Cretaceous (120 million years ago) Size and Weight About 30 inches long and a few pounds Diet Fish Distinguishing Characteristics Moderate size; distinctive bill structure; possible throat patch for holding fish About Ikrandraco Ikrandraco is an odd choice to honor the Ikran, or mountain banshees, of Avatar: this early Cretaceous pterosaur was only about two and a half feet long and a few pounds, whereas the Ikran from the hit movie are majestic, horse-sized, flying creatures that the Navi ride into battle against their human antagonists. Once you get past its name, though, Ikrandraco avatar may have been a truly unique pterosaur: some paleontologists claim that it had a pouch on the underside of its distinctively shaped bill in which it stored recently caught fish, which would make it similar to the modern pelican. However, not everyone is convinced by this putative anatomical feature of Ikrandraco (made of soft tissue, a throat pouch would have no chance of surviving in the fossil record), nor by the hypothesis that this pterosaur skimmed over the surface of lakes and trapped wiggling prey in its submerged lower jaw. The fact is that it can be difficult to infer the everyday behavior of a 120-million-year-old reptile by analogy with modern birds, and the possibility remains that Ikrandraco fed in more conventional fashion, like other pterosaurs of the early Cretaceous period, simply diving into the water and swallowing its fill of fish.

Ethics in Business Essays - Applied Ethics, Business Ethics

Ethics in Business Essays - Applied Ethics, Business Ethics Ethics in Business From a business perspective, working under government contracts can be a very lucrative proposition. In general, a stream of orders keep coming in, revenue increases and the company grows in the aggregate. The obvious downfalls to working in this manner is both higher quality expected as well as the extensive research and documentation required for government contracts. If a part fails to perform correctly it can cause minor glitches as well as problems that can carry serious repercussions, such as in the National Semiconductor case. When both the culpable component and company are found, the question arises of how extensive these repercussions should be. Is the company as an entity liable or do you look into individual employees within that company? From an ethical perspective one would have to look at the mitigating factors of both the employees and their superiors along with the role of others in the failure of these components. Next you would have to analyze the final ruling from a corporate perspective and then we must examine the macro issue of corporate responsibility in order to attempt to find a resolution for cases like these. The first mitigating factor involved in the National Semiconductor case is the uncertainty, on the part of the employees, on the duties that they were assigned. It is plausible that during the testing procedure, an employee couldnt distinguish which parts they were to test under government standards and commercial standards. In some cases they might have even been misinformed on the final consumers of the products that they tested. In fact, ignorance on the part of the employees would fully excuse them from any moral responsibility for any damage that may result from their work. Whether it is decided that an employees is fully excused, or is given some moral responsibility, would have to be looked at on an individual basis. The second mitigating factor is the duress or threats that an employee might suffer if they do not follow through with their assignment. After the bogus testing was completed in the National Semiconductor labs, the documentation department also had to falsify documents stating that the parts had surpassed the governmental testing standards. From a legal and ethical standpoint, both the testers and the writers of the reports were merely acting as agents on direct orders from a superior. This was also the case when the plant in Singapore refused to falsify the documents and were later falsified by the employees at the have California plant before being submitted to the approval committees (Velazquez, 53). The writers of the reports were well aware of the situation yet they acted in this manner on the instruction of a supervisor. Acting in an ethical manner becomes a secondary priority in this type of environment. As stated by Alan Reder, . . . if they [the employees] feel they will suffer retribution, if they report a problem, they arent too likely to open their mouths. (113). The workers knew that if the reports were not falsified they would come under questioning and perhaps their employment would go into jeopardy. Although working under these conditions does not fully excuse an employees from moral fault, it does start the divulging process for determining the order of the chain of command of superiors and it helps to narrow down the person or department that issued the original request for the unethical acts. The third mitigating factor is one that perhaps encompasses the majority of the employees in the National Semiconductor case. We have to balance the direct involvement that each employee had with the defective parts. Thus, it has to be made clear that many of the employees did not have a direct duty with the testing departments or with the parts that eventually failed. Even employees, or sub-contractors, that were directly involved with the production were not aware of the incompetence on the part of the testing department. For example, the electrical engineer that designed the defective computer chip could act in good faith that it would be tested to ensure that it did indeed meet the required government endurance tests. Also, for the employees that handled the part after the testing process, they were dealing with what they believed to be a component that met every governmental standard. If it was not tested properly, and did eventually fail, isnt the testing department more morally responsible than the designer or the assembly line worker that was in charge of installing the chip? Plus, in large corporations there may be several testing departments and is some cases one may

Killer Nashville Writers Conference Scholarship Giveaway

Killer Nashville Writers Conference Scholarship Giveaway Want to attend a conference but cant afford the cost?   Want to be around others who enjoy reading mystery and suspense?   FundsforWriters, in partnership with 2016 Killer Nashville, is offering a scholarship to one lucky individual who wishes to hob-nob with other mystery enthusiasts for the three days of August 18-21, 2016 in Franklin, TN. But wait, theres more. Guess who will be the Guests of Honor  at this shin-dig? Besides so many other published and almost-published authors . . . besides a sea of mystery aficionados? Janet Evanovich is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Stephanie Plum series, the Fox and O’Hare series with co-author Lee Goldberg, the Lizzy and Diesel series, twelve romance novels, the Alexandra Barna Before his thrillers landed him on The New York Times Bestseller list, Kevin O’Brien was a railroad inspector who worked all the live long day and wrote novels at night. His first thriller, The Next To Die (2001) became a USA Today  Bestseller. Then came The Last Victim (2005), which hit the New York Times Bestseller list and won the Spotted Owl Award for Best Pacific Northwest Mystery. So, what does this scholarship include? 3-day full registration for the conference ($300 value) Agent/Editor Roundtable participation (free for you because you have a 3-day registration) A free Network Lunch on Saturday with Guest of Honor Janet Evanovich ($45 value) A free Breakout Session (a paid event for others) any of the three days ($15 value and only open to 3-day registrants) A ticket to the Guest of Honor Dinner Awards Banquet ($95 value) $100 toward travel and transportation (issued Total value $555 ***NOTE: Conference does not include all costs of transportation or motel accommodations. See Killer Nashvilles site for information on the special hotel rates for this conference. So, how do you enter for a chance to win this opportunity? Email hope@chopeclark.com with KILLER NASHVILLE SCHOLARSHIP in the subject. Include name, address, phone, email, website/blog/Facebook (if applicable) Explain what this scholarship means to you in 100-500 words. Agree to write a 500-600-word piece for FundsforWriters within 30-days  after the event, talking about the conference and how you benefited from the experience. Piece will also be considered for publication on the Killer Nashville site. Winner selected based upon the quality of submission. DEADLINE for entries is midnight (Eastern Time), on July 1, 2016. (Winner to be announced July 8, 2016.) So, why is FundsforWriters sponsoring this contest? Because C. Hope Clark is an avid mystery author and enthusiast and wants to share that joy. Because C. Hope Clark believes every author ought to experience the thrill of a writing conference. Because C. Hope Clark wants to give back to the readers of her mysteries. Thanks . . . looking forward to your entries . . . https://www.fundsforwriters.com/killernashvillescholarship DISCLAIMER: C. Hope Clark reserves the complete right to make the final decision of winner, not to be disputed. Article to be submitted upon return from the conference to be turned in no later than September 23, 2016 and will not receive additional compensation. The scholarship is not transferable. If winner cannot attend, C. Hope Clark/FundsforWriters reserves the right to give the scholarship to the runner-up on her choice in the contest.

Victim of Servre Depessive Disorder Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Victim of Servre Depessive Disorder - Essay Example Here, too, Betsy is ripe for succumbing to the availability heuristic on the easily remembered situation of her brother, and the recent data coming from her parents. Framing contributes to Betsy's anxiety because of the natural tendency of children to believe parents. "Framing is a process of selective control over media content or public communication"(Wikipedia.org, 2006). Probably without realizing it, Betsy's parents have exerted "selective control over media content" by not researching the facts further, thereby leaving Betsy with only two assumed facts; one, her brother suffers from severe depression; and two, there is a 40 percent chance she will also suffer from depression. The parents comment constitutes a "frame" that easily calls to mind the common mis-perception that depressive diseases are hereditary. When in fact, the list of causes determining depressive disorders is lengthy and complicated. Confirmation bias will add to Betsy's depressing conclusions because it is "a phenomenon wherein decision makers have been shown to actively seek out and assign more weight to evidence that confirms their hypothesis, and ignore or under-weigh evidence that could disconfirm their hypoth

Mathematics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Mathematics - Essay Example If we let "s" stand for the number of kth powers, then g(k) is the least such "s" powers. Some examples of g(k) are: g(1) = 1; g(2) = 4, since from Lagranges 4-square theorem, every natural number is the sum of atleast 4 squares. In addition it was found that 7 requires 4 squares and 23 requires 9 cubes. Progress was made on Warings Problem by establishing bounds, or the maximum number of powers. For instance, Liouville found that g(4) is at most 53. The work of Hardy and Littlewood also led to other bounds; in particular, they found the upper bound for g(k) to be O(k2k+1). The work of Hardy and Littlewood also led to the realization that the number G(k) is more fundamental than g(k). Here, G(k) is the least positive integer s such that every sufficiently large integer (greater than some constant) is a sum of at most s kth powers of positive integers. A formula for the exact value of G(k) for all k has not been found, but there have been many bounds established. 1, 4, 9, 19, 37, 73, 143, 279, 548, 1079, 2132, 4223, 8384, 16673, 33203, 66190, 132055, 263619, 526502, 1051899, 2102137, 4201783, 8399828, 16794048, 33579681, 67146738, 134274541, 268520676, 536998744, 1073933573, 2147771272 Hilberts proof of Warings Problem for all positive k can be seen as proving an equivalent theorem: There are positive integers A and M and positive rationals 1, ..., M, depending only on k, such that each integer N A can be written in the form Many generalizations of Waring’s Problem have been made. For instance, there is the prime Waring’s problem, and generalizations of the problem to algebraic number fields and arbitrary fields. The problem known as the â€Å"easier† Waring’s Problem takes the integer n to be a sequence of numbers x, each to the kth power. All of these variations have led to a Mathematics Subject Classification 11P05 entitled â€Å"Waring’s Problem and variants.† In 1742, Goldbach suggested that every

Research paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Research Paper Example Another reason for pursuing admission in SIU is the extensive scholarship programs that are used by the university to help its students. The scholarships provided by the university are on a rise and these scholarships promote students in working hard in order to attain scholarships. The university has high number of accreditations from several different accreditation agencies which is a solid reason to become a part of SIU. Other than the popularity of the University among dental students, the university has huge number of programs for the development of those who want to pursue a career in the field of dentistry. It provides students with both practical and theoretical knowledge and application for the development of high quality dental professionals. The university does not only develop the cognitive skills of its students, it even participates in physical development of its students. Due to their educational and athletic offerings I am persuaded to be a part of SIU and look forwar d towards the accomplishment of my

Name Changes in the Book of Genesis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Name Changes in the Book of Genesis - Essay Example Sarah was a half sister to Abraham, and the Bible describes her as beautiful (Genesis 12). For example, when Abraham and Sarah went to Egypt, the Egyptians saw her as beautiful, and they praised her beauty to the household of Pharaoh (Genesis 12:14). However, God was not happy with Pharaoh, and He did strike the household of Pharaoh with plagues (Genesis 12: 14-17). That is when Pharaoh discovered that Sarai was Abrahams wife, and he demanded that Abraham should leave Egypt immediately (Genesis 12: 18-20). Abraham died at the age of 175, and he was buried by Isaac and Ishmael, his sons. Jacob was a grandson of Abraham through Isaac. God also changed his name to Israel, meaning may God prevail (Genesis 32: 28-29). This paper analyzes how the changes in Abraham, Sarah and Jacob’s names shaped their characters. Abram to Abraham: In Genesis chapter 17 verses 4 to 6, God enters into a covenant with Abram. God made a promise to him, that he will become a father of many nations, and his name shall not be called Abram anymore, but Abraham. God also promised to make Abraham fruitful, and from him, Kings would descend. God’s conversation with Abraham began in Genesis Chapter 12 verses 2. In this verse, God promises Abram that he will make him into a great nation, and will bless him. He also promised to make his name great.The name Abram refers to the exalted one and this is a name that his father Terah gave it to him. However, this name was an embarrassment to Abraham, and this is because he was unable to get children. This is despite Abraham possessing great wealth (Shooter's Bible, 18). From the scriptures, we can denote that Abraham had other sons apart from Isaac and Ishmael. These children were born with him to his wife Keturah. Keturah gave Abraham six sons, and through these children, God was able to fulfill his prophecy of making Abraham a father to many nations. For example, Ishmael formed the generation of the Ishmaelite, while Isaac formed the ge neration of the Israelites. This is through his son Jacob, whom God renamed Israel. It is important to denote that the Abraham lived a blessed life, as a result of God’s blessings to his life. We find that Abraham, true to the words of God became a great man, and he had enormous wealth. Genesis chapter 17 verses 23 to 27 denote that Abraham had possessions, and this included male servants, born of his household, and those that he bought by his own money. This was a symbol of wealth, and it is because poor people cannot afford to have servants within their households. After a change to this name, we find that Abraham began to have angelic visitors. For instance, in Genesis chapter 18 verses 1 to 2, we find that Abraham was visited by three angelic visitors. Because of the stature of Abraham before Gods eyes, God revealed to him what He was about to do to Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18: 16-19). This is because God had chosen Abraham to become a father to many nations, and on th is basis, he also allowed him to intercede for Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18: 22-24).  

Factors affecting learners behaviour in Gauteng Special schools Essay

Factors affecting learners behaviour in Gauteng Special schools - Essay Example The challenges of intellectual disabilities, especially in their early stages, have become a priority because of the initial intangibility of the problems. Indeed, the multifaceted and multilateral aspects of intellectual disabilities are not only complex by nature, but they also need socio-psychological interventions to understand and interpret. In addition, the behavioral problems of pupils with intellectual disabilities is an important issue that needs to be looked at from the wider perspective of social development. While the special schools are doing commendable work for these learners, the increasingly worsening behaviour of pupils with developmental disabilities has become a major concern. Special teaching methods to promote learning are needed, as are behaviour plans both to monitor and to assess behaviour, and to develop coping strategies for both teacher and student so that learning can occur. Thus, the research would focus on identifying factors that affect learnersâ€℠¢ behaviour in the special schools, especially in Gauteng, South Africa. 2.Keywords: severe intellectual disability, special school, inclusive education, support system, learning disability, social model of discussion. 3.Background Intellectual disability can be described as a ‘learning difficulty that is characterized by limitations in various skill areas. These may include limitations in self-care, daily living, social interaction, judgment and self-direction (IHC Inc;Philosophy and Policy 1996:p5). Some forms of intellectual disability, i.e. severe autism, become evident in early childhood. Other forms take longer, and may manifest at school age (Notbohm, 2005, preface). In contemporary times, the concept of disability has moved beyond the constraints of the medical terminology and has embraces a socially relevant stance, keeping the needs of the learners as the main objective in all their policies and plans. Terzi (2004) believes that the social model is a powerful and imp ortant reminder for people at large to face issues of inclusion vis-a-vis persons with disabilities. Inclusion of the disadvantaged population, he believes, is a fundamental as well as a moral issue. World Health Organization (2005) reports that people with disabilities are important contributors to society, and that allocating resources to their rehabilitation would be an investment. Hence, measures that support their integration into mainstream society become highly pertinent issues within the development agenda of nations. The inclusion of disabled students can be broadly described as efforts to increase the participation of children with disability in the school by expanding course curricula to incorporate their needs (Booth & Ainscow, 1998). Thus, inclusion ensures that students with special needs are provided with opportunities to imbibe education and become capable of contributing to the society as a whole. In inclusion, students with special needs are integrated into the mai nstream school without much changes within the school environment (Minto, 2007; Mittler, 2000). The special schools in South Africa have shown great determination to promote education amongst children and adults with disabilities. There have been significant reforms in the education system with the National Education Policy Act of 1996 and the South

Maternal and New born care Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Maternal and New born care - Research Proposal Example During the pregnancy, proper care should be taken to ensure no complications are encountered and in case of any problems, they should be handled with urgency. After childbirth, the issue of newborn care then comes into play concern about the newborn health, nutrition and development. In rural and peri-urban populations in India, proper maternal healthcare is not adhered to during pregnancy. Due to this, children are born with numerous health complications. The mother may die or lose the child. Majority of these take place because of the lack of access to adequate information on proper maternal health. There also exist a lot of cultural beliefs and practices that hinder the women from accessing heath services and information from health care providers. There is also the problem of high level of poverty that limits the amount of disposable income that can be spent on medical care. Matters concerning health need to be handled with a certain level of urgency especially those involving maternal health and newborn health. Most of the problems encountered have very simple solution but the absence of adequate information among folks in rural and peri-urban settlements is causing devastating health effects. Knowledge particularly on proper maternal nutrition is lacking. Folic acid is an important variety of the vitamin B9. Extremely water-soluble and in occurs in the natural state as folate. In fortified foods, folate occurs as folic acid. Folic acid is important for a pregnant woman it aids in proper growth and development during pregnancy (World Health Organization, 2003). It significantly diminishes the probability of a baby being born with any defects. These defects always mainly occur to the brain and the spinal code. Folic acid achieves this through the development of the neural tube. Consuming a diet-containing vitamin B9 reduces the chances of getting any de fects by up to seventy

Factors affecting learners behaviour in Gauteng Special schools Essay

Factors affecting learners behaviour in Gauteng Special schools - Essay Example The challenges of intellectual disabilities, especially in their early stages, have become a priority because of the initial intangibility of the problems. Indeed, the multifaceted and multilateral aspects of intellectual disabilities are not only complex by nature, but they also need socio-psychological interventions to understand and interpret. In addition, the behavioral problems of pupils with intellectual disabilities is an important issue that needs to be looked at from the wider perspective of social development. While the special schools are doing commendable work for these learners, the increasingly worsening behaviour of pupils with developmental disabilities has become a major concern. Special teaching methods to promote learning are needed, as are behaviour plans both to monitor and to assess behaviour, and to develop coping strategies for both teacher and student so that learning can occur. Thus, the research would focus on identifying factors that affect learnersâ€℠¢ behaviour in the special schools, especially in Gauteng, South Africa. 2.Keywords: severe intellectual disability, special school, inclusive education, support system, learning disability, social model of discussion. 3.Background Intellectual disability can be described as a ‘learning difficulty that is characterized by limitations in various skill areas. These may include limitations in self-care, daily living, social interaction, judgment and self-direction (IHC Inc;Philosophy and Policy 1996:p5). Some forms of intellectual disability, i.e. severe autism, become evident in early childhood. Other forms take longer, and may manifest at school age (Notbohm, 2005, preface). In contemporary times, the concept of disability has moved beyond the constraints of the medical terminology and has embraces a socially relevant stance, keeping the needs of the learners as the main objective in all their policies and plans. Terzi (2004) believes that the social model is a powerful and imp ortant reminder for people at large to face issues of inclusion vis-a-vis persons with disabilities. Inclusion of the disadvantaged population, he believes, is a fundamental as well as a moral issue. World Health Organization (2005) reports that people with disabilities are important contributors to society, and that allocating resources to their rehabilitation would be an investment. Hence, measures that support their integration into mainstream society become highly pertinent issues within the development agenda of nations. The inclusion of disabled students can be broadly described as efforts to increase the participation of children with disability in the school by expanding course curricula to incorporate their needs (Booth & Ainscow, 1998). Thus, inclusion ensures that students with special needs are provided with opportunities to imbibe education and become capable of contributing to the society as a whole. In inclusion, students with special needs are integrated into the mai nstream school without much changes within the school environment (Minto, 2007; Mittler, 2000). The special schools in South Africa have shown great determination to promote education amongst children and adults with disabilities. There have been significant reforms in the education system with the National Education Policy Act of 1996 and the South

Is marriage an outdated tradition Essay Example for Free

Is marriage an outdated tradition Essay Is Marriage an Outdated Tradition? In this essay I will be explaining whether marriage Is an outdated tradition along with my opinion and the ones of Christians. In my oplnlon I believe that No, marriage Is the same strong, important connection it was 100 years ago. The difference is the people who enter into it, and the way society no longer supports the couples who choose it. Weve become a need It now society and are ready to discard whatever doesnt give us Instant happiness. Divorce has become so acceptable that couples go Into arriage with the plan to divorce If they arent satisfied (prenup) as compared to the people in our past who believed marriage was forever and were motivated to keep working at the relationship and to make it work. Today couples are ready to give up as soon as its not fun or the sex becomes dull. The other part of the problem Is societys lack of support for marriage. The UK benefit system Is too lenient towards those who choose to have children without being married therefore helping them with housing, childcare, schooling and food. The rest f the family before would be providing emotional support and pressure for the couple to work at the relationship, now its more looked at it as being only their problem and not a problem for the people around them. Today were more concerned about an individuals right to personal happiness than to supporting responsible or ethical behaviour-I believe a persons happiness Is extremely Important but peoples morals and ethics are what make them happy. I also believe the idea that something thats worth having is worth fighting for, having omething a long time, the pride of working at something, at pushing through the hard stuff to be able to stand back and look with pride at having made something great, is gone. The Christians of the Catholic Church teach prohibition of premarital sex along with the rejection of homosexual marriage, abortion and contraception but also the acceptance of everyone and equality but while all those are very Important none is what makes the bond of marriage stick. It happens when two people who are free to marry and are physically and emotionally capable of marriage give themselves o each other, understanding that marriage means being open to life and commitment and to faithful love till death.

Lack of parental interaction

Lack of parental interaction Zafi is the eldest child and he has two younger siblings. He was an average student in primary school with no discipline problems. When he was 11 years old, his father passed away. After the death of his father, his mother holds two jobs to make ends meet. His mother relies on him to take care of his two younger siblings as she is always not at home. Currently in secondary two, his academic result is very poor. In class, he would keep to himself and would shy away from classroom activities. He would sometimes cheat in tests and exams. The reasons he gave for cheating are, not having the ability to do it and he does not want his classmates to think that he is stupid. His form teacher tried many times to meet his mother to discuss about his cheating behaviour and poor academic performance but she is always busy with her work. After school, Zafi would meet up with his neighbourhood friends. Most of them are drop outs. They constantly told him to quit school and to enjoy life just like t hem. Zafi enjoys spending time with them as he thought they understand him best. They would also smoke and drink alcohol. He would only return home very late at night or not at all. Zafis father had passed away and his mother is too busy working to support the family. There is almost no interaction between Zafi and his mother and there is no other important adult to supervise him at home. In short, the parental involvement is almost non-existent. Using Bronfenbrenner Bioecological Theory and Baumrind Parenting Style Theory, I would relate how Zafis parental interactions and parenting style affects his context of development. Bronfenbrenner Bioecological Theory According to Bronfenbrenner, the lack of parental interaction is the most destructive force to a childs development. [1] Urie Bronfenbrenner says that there are two environmental conditions that are necessary for human development. The first is that one or more adults must love the child unconditionally; the second is that the adults must encourage the child and spend time doing joint activities with the child in and out of the home environment. [2] Zafis mother loves him unconditionally but she is too busy to show it and she is also unable to spend time with any of her children. Therefore, the two important conditions are not met. Bronfenbrenner also developed a Bioecological Theory to explain how the childs environments can significantly influence his cognitive development and his growth. The theory consists of 4 systems nested around each other with the child being in the innermost. The 4 systems developed by Bronfenbrenner are: microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, and macrosystem. [3] The microsystem is where a child has direct interactions with parents, teachers, peers and others. In Zafis case, he has very little interaction with his mother and he spends most of his time with his neighbourhood friends. Too little interactions with his mother causes a break down in his microsystem and the bad influence he is getting from his neighbourhood friends is not helping in his positive growth and development. The second level is the mesosystem. Mesosystem are linkages between microsystems such as between a childs teacher and his parents, and relationships between students and peers. His teacher tried many times to c reate a linkage with his mother but failed due to her busy work schedule. This contributes to a break down in his mesosystem. The third level is the exosystem. Exosystem are external experiences in which a child does not have an active role but still influence the childs developments. In this case, his mothers busy work schedule is the exosystem. Her two jobs require her to work long hours and irregular shifts. This resulted in her having very little face time with her children. The last level is the macrosystem. Macrosystem consists of things that influence and sometimes support the child such as cultures, norms, and laws. The break down in his microsystem will affect the other systems as it disabled him to explore other parts of his environment. Without the presence of proper supervision or love, Zafi will try looking for attention in inappropriate places. These behaviours will give rise to problems such as little self discipline and no self direction. Neglectful Parenting According to Diana Baumrind, parenting styles come in three main forms; authoritarian parenting, authoritative parenting, and indulgent parenting. Eleanor Maccoby and John Martin expanded BaumrindHYPERLINK http://www.law-of-attraction-parenting.com/baumrind-parenting-style.htmlHYPERLINK http://www.law-of-attraction-parenting.com/baumrind-parenting-style.htmls research and added another parenting style, Neglectful or Uninvolved Parenting (Maccoby Martin, 1983). [4] The degree of supervision and discipline shown by Zafis mother is minimal, and there is no consequence for unacceptable behaviour. She does not deliberately encourage Zafi to self regulate his behaviour and there is very little communication between them. These are the characteristics of neglectful parenting. Even though she fulfills her children basic needs such as food and clothing, sadly, she is detached from their life. She is also psychologically unavailable to her children. Neglectful parenting style rank lowest acro ss all life domains. Children with neglectful parents tend to lack self-control, have low self-esteem and are less competent than their peers. They often engage in high-risk behaviours and are vulnerable to substance abuse. [5] Interventions Bronfenbrenner said that to ensure healthy child development, one or more adults must love the child unconditionally and they must spend time doing joint activities with the child in and out of the home environment. However, in Zafis case, this is not possible for his mother. What she could have done to increase the level of interaction with her son is by communicating with him more through the phone. During her short breaks at work, she could have called her son to ask about his day at school, find out whether he has eaten and to also provide psychological and emotional support in case his son is upset over a school event such as a failed test. This way, the child knows his mother cares for him and he can also feel his mothers love and affection. She should also try to take at least a day off weekly to spend valuable face time with her children. If it is not possible, she should ask her parents for help in taking care of her children while she is at work. There must be at least one adult present at home so that the child would not feel neglected. As for the teacher, he needs to be flexible to adjust to the parents inflexible work schedule. If meeting with the parent in person is not possible, he should at least keep in close contact with the parent through the phone and to update her about her sons learning progress and behaviour. In doing so, he is successful in creating a linkage with the parent. Once there is a linkage, it will be much easier for both teacher and parent to work together to ensure the childs healthy development. The teacher can also educate parents about the developmental needs of children. Research indicates that family involvement in schools increases student achievement (Henderson Berla, 1994). [6] The benefits of parent and family involvement include higher test scores and grades, better attendance, more completion of homework and more positive attitudes and behavior. Next, I would relate how Zafis parental interactions and parenting style affects his self and identity development. Self-Esteem Children look to parents and other important adults for evidence that theyre smart, capable, etc. This evidence may be in the form of encouragement, praise for accomplishments, awards, etc. If the evidence is not present, low self-esteem develops. [7] This explains why neglectful parenting results in children with low self-esteem. Low self-esteem can have a big negative impact on academic performance. Once a child does poorly in school, he will start to think poorly of himself and it may cause him to underachieve or make him give up completely. Children with low self-esteem tend to be lonely in school as they find it hard to make new friends. They would shy away from classroom activities as they do not want to appear incompetent. Resisting negative pressures would also seem difficult for these children. [8] Looking at Zafis case, it is obvious that he is suffering from low self-esteem. He is doing very poorly in school and at home he never gets the encouragement he needs to make him feel better. He is also not motivated to study as no matter how well he performs, his mother is not there to praise or acknowledge his accomplishments. In class, he is afraid to get involve in classroom activities and he constantly keeps to himself. He is also not able to resist negative pressures from his neighbourhood friends. As he spends more time with them, he developed a sense of belonging towards them and this sense makes him want to be like them. Interventions It is important that teachers look out for and help students who are suffering from low self-esteem as it can affect their academic performance and also their overall well-being. Teachers should be paying more attention to students like Zafi. They tend to have low self-esteem due to the lack of attention, love and affection. Students with low self-esteem will say things like, I know that I will fail or I hate myself. They tend to avoid getting involved in new activities and would have trouble making new friends and mixing around. Stresses faced at home such as parents arguing a lot and difficult lessons can have a negative impact on a childs self esteem. Some of the things that teachers can do to improve students self-esteem are, to always accentuate the positive, avoid criticism, set realistic expectations for the students and give them the opportunity to tell the class things they like about themselves. Those with very low self-esteem will have problem with even saying two things t hey like about themselves therefore, the teacher have to provide prompts for these students. Eriksons Psychosocial Development Theory Erik Erikson highlighted the importance of relationships with others in the formation of ones own identity. He believed that personality develops through eight stages of life. He suggested that at each stage of life an individual is confronted by a crisis (Erikson, 1950). At this age, Zafi is going through stage 5 crisis of Eriksons Psychosocial Development Theory which is Identity versus Role Confusion. In this stage, adolescents struggle to resolve the question of Who am I? They move from their parents to peers as a point of references. They strive to clarify their own personalities. They are often observed to imitate the attitudes and actions of others they admire. In Zafis case, his neighbourhood friends are his only point of reference. As he respects and admires them, he chose to imitate their attitudes and actions. He would smoke and drink alcohol with them till late at night. Interventions In Identity versus Role Confusion stage, adolescents will move to peers as a point of reference. As Zafi is not close to anyone else in school, he is left with no choice but to see his neighbourhood friends as references. What can be done by the teacher is to introduce buddy system to pair up low self-esteem student such as Zafi with a higher self-esteem one. The higher self-esteem student may be able to help Zafi with his studies and thus increasing his confidence and self-esteem. Zafi may look up to his buddy as his role model and thus imitate him instead of his neighbourhood peers. The teacher should also provide plenty of opportunities for students to explore identity issues as they relate to understanding who they are as individuals. An activity such as making a collage about themselves or writing their autobiography is a good way for them to explore themselves. The teacher can also enhance students self esteem by encouraging the students to substitute negative self-statements with a positive one. Lastly, I would relate how Zafis parenting style affects his moral development. His mother neglectful parenting style resulted in him lacking self-control, having low self-esteem and feeling less competent compared to his peers. His low self-esteem caused him to have low self-confidence which led him to believe that he does not have the ability to pass his examinations. As he does not want his classmates to think that he is stupid, he decided to cheat in his tests and examinations. Kohlbergs Stages of Moral Development The reason why Zafi cheated is based on self-interests. From his reasoning, his moral development is in Level 1: Preconventional Reasoning; Stage 1: Punishment-Obedience, of Kohlbergs stages of moral development. His reasoning is characterised by a focus on the consequence experienced by him as a result of his actions. Interventions To minimize cheating, teachers should clearly spell out the consequences of cheating and to consistently follow through with these when cheating does occur. Teachers can also help students overcome the need to cheat by providing the student with extra help and reducing student anxiety. Student anxiety can be reduced by emphasizing that mistakes are okay and a part of learning.

Fattening: The social implications on the Azawagh Arabs and the real me

Throughout the ethnography, â€Å"Feeding Desire† written by Rebecca Popenoe, we see one consistent theme that is brought up time and time again – women and the fattening of them to obtain a desired look. From the perspective of a Western third party, the idea of fattening to appear beautiful/appealing seems ridiculous. It simply makes little sense because fattening, is incredibly unhealthy, something that is recognized in Western culture and at the same time we prefer women to be as fit as possible. Looking through the ethnography we see that there are many reasons for fattening being a key factor in making women â€Å"an object of desire† (Page.. citation) as stated by Popenoe. We can examine these cases through the work of Popenoe and determine as to how she came to this conclusion. At the start of the ethnography we can see from Popenoe’s initial experience while working with the Peace Corps in Niger, that the idea of fattening and how the women she saw originally seemed as â€Å"unattractive lumbering† (Popenoe 2004: 20). It was however while working with the Peace Corps that Popenoe noticed that this rounded shape that was the norm among the women and was far more appreciated and desired. After having decided to live with the Azawagh Arabs, Popenoe expresses the obvious indication of her being the outcast when it came to female sexual competition shown through the statement, â€Å"With collar bones protruding and not a stretchmark to be found on my upper arms, I believe many women considered me a poor specimen of my sex.† (2004: 20). Even though it is shown that women and men are usually separate, Popenoe’s lack of physical beauty as per the Azawagh Arab women, allowed her to communicate with the men with no fear from the women that... ...dent that his job in gathering better subsistence is going very well, likely meaning he is wealthy. It is not something which is meant to show off, but just happens in cases of abundance (2004: 112). Most importantly is the control a woman can have over their husband, by waiting till the night to discuss what is on their mind as that is the point in the time where a man can’t refuse them, their lust and sexual desire forces them to listen pretty much. Popenoe does an excellent job in her ethnography giving us the perspective of the Azawagh Arab society. We see how the culture is in such a society where women are fattened for many reasons that are important such as sexual desire, marriage, and the passage towards womanhood. Such fattening has run societies in the area including the Azawagh Arabs since they were discovered and continue to do so today.

conducting a strategic audit Essay -- essays research papers

Conducting a Strategic Audit http://www.albany.edu/~pm157/audit.html http://faculty.uwstout.edu/adekolaa/STRAMGT/powerpoints/Wal-Mart%20-%202000.ppt#256,1,Wal-Mart – 2000 One purpose of this course is to train you to assess an organization’s strategy. Part of your skill development is utilizing knowledge to address the real problems of a business organization. At the same time, technology is increasing your ability to obtain information rapidly from multiple sources. Being able to gather and use such information will become a competitive necessity for anyone in business and management. To prepare you for this, we used information technologies to analyze, discuss, and present business issues throughout the semester. To achieve these, you will form a group. While some information may be obtained from library research, field work, or direct interviews, it is expected that you will extensively use the Internet to integrate the diverse information from a top-management perspective. Each team will present its findings and recommendations to the class during the final sessions. They may then make changes for their final written report. Please consider these eight dimensions in formulating a unified, comprehensive, and integrated set of decisions that attains organization purpose. ________________________________________ Step 1: Situation Assessment †¢ What is our purpose? What is our "strategic intent"? †¢ How do we rank in our business and why? †¢ What is our fiscal condition and why? †¢ What is the relationship between the business strategy, organization environment, and overall performance? †¢ What is our sustainable competitive advantage? What core competencies do we posess? †¢ What are our strengths? Do we use these fully? †¢ What are our weaknesses? How can we solve or mitigate these? †¢ What are our opportunities? How can we exploit these? †¢ What are the threats to us? What can we do about them? Step 2: Strategic Managers †¢ What is our strategic vision? †¢ Do the executives possess the right leadership skills and abilities? †¢&nbs... ...; What are the expected fiscal results? †¢ What are the feasible alternatives to these activities? Step 7: Implementation †¢ What resources will this action plan require from finance, human resources, marketing, operations, and other functional areas and departments? †¢ What changes will have to occur for us to be successful in 2 to 5 years? †¢ Are there other organizations or individuals we might collaborate with? †¢ What training is necessary? Step 8: Performance Evaluation and Control †¢ When and how will we evaluate performance? †¢ What are the desired quantitative and qualitative measurements of success? †¢ Will this strategy justify the needed time and resources? †¢ Can we afford it? †¢ Realistically, can we implement this action plan? †¢ Have we included all supporting programs? †¢ Can we clearly establish accountability?

Should Vietnam Concentrate on Tourism for its Economic Development?

Vietnam is in the republic of South East Asia, bordered by China on the north, by the South China Sea on the east and south, and by Cambodia and Laos on the west. Officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, its area is 331,690 sq km (128,066 sq mi). Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City is the country's largest city. Ho Chi Minh is at the coordinates 106 degrees south, 10 degrees west on a map. There many ways in which the tourist industry would benefit Vietnam as a whole. Tourism, of course, makes a huge amount of money; it could be hundreds of millions every year. For example places like Barcelona have become huge, great cities full of people thanks to the money made from tourism. Also read this  Cheating in a Bottom Line Economy Tourism also creates lots of new jobs for the people living in the country and some people who will come to work in Vietnam from other countries. The new jobs will trickle right down to the farmers who grow the food for the people who sell food to the hotels. This means it will be very good for agriculture, giving farmers more money to buy more land and grow more crops. People who have jobs in other industries making products for MEDCs like workers in Pepsi factories, could easily switch to having an easier but better paid life in the tourist industry. Concentrating on tourism alone might still work for Vietnam. If the locals take part in planning and decision making, the tourists are responsible in Vietnam and the government sets policies and plans ahead for it then it could work quite well. But even if it does work then there will be some downsides. Tourists generally makes quite a lot of mess wherever they go, they can destroy some of the beautiful beaches and rainforests. The rainforests themselves will have to be cut through for new highways, towns and airports. With the new highways would, hundreds upon thousands of cars and trucks, which would eventually pollute the country, turning tourist away from it. The effect on the countries fishing industries could be catastrophic. The South China Sea could be way over-fished, so hotels and resorts would have to import fish, driving prices up and making the appeal of fresh fish vanish. The effect on individual families could be bad too; the father could have to move away to a bigger city, potentially leaving the family behind, splitting the family up. This could happen to thousands of families. If the tourist industry failed then the country would have nothing to fall back on, it would use up all its money and end up back at the start. Unfortunately, most of the money tourists spend in foreign countries is immediately used to import more food, equipment and resources for the hotels and nightclubs. This leaves little money left over for the local people and economy. In conclusion I think that Vietnam should seriously consider Tourism as a big part of their economy but I don't think that they should ignore everything else. If given the time, Vietnam could become just as unwieldy as Japan in the computer services/games industry or as big as America or Germany in the automotive industry. I think the best effect of tourism in Vietnam would be the huge amount of jobs it creates and could make thousands of informal jobs vanish for formal tourism jobs. The worst thing about tourism in Vietnam would be the huge amount of damage that would be inflicted on such a beautiful landscape thanks to all the cars, litter and sewage caused by the tourists. In other words tourism could be great for the country but disastrous as well. But I still think concentrating on tourism would be a bad idea for Vietnam's economy.

Strain Controlled Triaxial Test- Geotechnical Engineering

1. INTRODUCTION From civil engineering view, Soil is the medium through which the structural loads are transferred safely and efficiently. Soil should be consistent enough to satisfy the requirements even under inevitable circumstances like earthquake, bomb reactions etc. It is necessary to incorporate the seismic effects into the soil properties. Like concrete or steel, engineering properties of soil cannot be found out using theory of classical dynamics and vibrations. It can be found only field and lab tests. To quench the above requirement, various techniques are employed nowadays. The most common methods are cyclic simple shear, cyclic triaxial shear and cyclic torsional shear tests. The dynamic triaxial test is the most effective method to arrive the static and dynamic properties of soil like cyclic deformation, damping ratio, liquefaction strength etc. Though it has some limitations, it is widely used for the analysis of soil under seismic forces. The fundamental parameters obtained from this test are cyclic shear stress and cyclic shear strain, through which the soil is defined. The tests can be done either by stress controlled (cyclic shear stress) or strain controlled (cyclic shear strain). The test setups are highly sophisticated and costly. It needs highly skilled labour. The measuring devices used in the system needs to be calibrated and sealed properly as it is more sensitive to disturbances. The results obtained reflect the site seismic condition to the maximum level provided the strain level is kept minimum. Fig 1. 1 Triaxial Cell Fig 1. 2. A typical Cyclic triaxial apparatus 1. 1WHY DYNAMIC TRIAXIAL The Dynamic forces are time dependent and are usually cyclic in nature i. e. they involve several cycles of loading, unloading and reloading. Earthquake is three dimensional in nature. Hence the shear waves and body waves produced by the earthquake tend to deform the soil in all the directions (for the horizontal level ground). Dynamic Triaxial tests actually reflect the soil condition (in all round stresses) in the site. During earthquakes, the seismic waves cause the loose sand to contract and thereby increasing the pore water pressure. Under undrained loading, development of high pore pressure results in upward flow of water, thereby making the sand in liquefied condition. Pore water pressure is measured effectively in triaxial tests. Among the stress-control and strain-control condition, strain control is adopted widely. This is because; stress-control test has great sensitivity to the sample disturbance. In case of strain-control, pore pressure developed during tests is less affected by specimen fabric and density. The tests can be done on intact specimens and reconstituted specimens. While comparing the results obtained from intact and reconstituted specimens, there is much deviation in stress-control compared to strain-control. (tests done by vucetic and dobry, in 1988). Stress path control is used in the study of path dependence of soil behaviour. Stress deformation and strength characteristics depend on initial static stress field, initial void ratio, pulsating stress level and the frequency of loading. 1. 2APPLICATIONS There are variety of engineering problems which rely heavily on the behaviour of soils under dynamic conditions. These includes design and the remediation Of machine foundation, geotechnical earthquake engineering, protection against construction vibration, non-destructive characterization of the subsurface, design of offshore structures, screening of rail and traffic induced vibrations, vibration isolation etc. When it comes to dynamic triaxial test, the wide range of application is the liquefaction behaviour of soil under seismic forces. 2. HISTORY One of the first pieces of equipment designed to test cyclic triaxial loading was the pendulum loading apparatus by Casagrande and Shannon in 1949. This utilizes the energy of the a pendulum which when released from a selected height, strikes a spring connected to the piston rod of a hydraulic cylinder, this cylinder is further connected to another cylinder located above the cel. The time of loading was between 0. 05 and 0. 01 sec. Fig. 2. 1. Pendulum Loading Apparatus Casagrande and Shannon came up with an equipment called Falling Beam Apparatus as shown in Fig. 2. 2 In 1960, Sead and fead used Pneumatic System for cyclic loading. It marks the evolution of the dynamic triaxial shear apparatus. Fig. 2. 2. Falling Beam Apparatus 3. PRINCIPLE First attempt was made by Seed and Lee (1966) by consolidating a saturated sample under a confining pressure and subjected to constant amplitude cyclic axial stress under undrained conditions. This test was performed till they deformed to a certain amount of peak axial strain. Under this condition creates a stress conditions on a plane of 45 ° through the sample which is the same as those produced on the horizontal plane in the ground during earthquakes. This is the basis on which the cyclic triaxial test works. Fig. 3. 1. Simulation of geostatic and cyclic stress in triaxial test. Shear stress is taken into account as it causes deformation. To incorporate seismic effects, uniform shear stress for a given cycle is adopted for non-uniform stress time data. To achieve that a maximum shear stress is multiplied by a correction factor ?. Then the test is carried out till required deformation or failure to occur. 4. EQUIPMENT 4. 1. Parts of Dynamic triaxial apparatus suggested by ASTM D 3999 – 91(2003) APPARATUSPURPOSECONSIDERATION 1. Triaxial Pressure CellTo mount sample and conduct testTolerance for piston, top platen & low friction piston seal. Ball bearings and friction sealTo minimise frictionFriction can be,  ±2 % of the maximum single amplitude cyclic load Load rodTo facilitate loadingdia = 1/6th of specimen dia Specimen cap & BaseTo provide a sealed platform Rigid, non corrosive, impermeable, Cap weight < 0. 5% of applied axial failure load (static), Valves To regulate back pressure, cell pressure, pore water pressureLeak-proof, withstand applied pressure Top and bottom platensTo facilitate loading and provide a rigid baseProper alignment, load rod sealed with top platen with friction seal. 2. Cyclic Loading EquipmentTo induce cyclic loads Uniform sine wave @ 0. 1 to 2 Hz, simple ram or a closed loop electro hydraulic system 3. Recording EquipmentsTo record the data obtainedProperly calibrated Load MeasurementTo measure the cyclic loadsElectrical, analog or digital Axial deformation MeasurementTo measure the strain rateLVDT or dial guages Pressure ControlTo regulate cell pressureMercury or pneumatic device Pore Pressure transducerTo measure pore pressureTransducers or electronic pressure meters Volume change MeasurementTo check the volume change in the specimenCalibrated and widely used guages 3. Miscellaneous a. Rubber membrane b. Filter paper To hold the specimen To facilitate saturation Leak-proof with minimum restraint Must not cover more than 50% of the specimen. Fig. 4. 1. Schematic Diagram of a stain-controlled dynamic triaxial test 4. 2WORKING PROCEDURE The working mechanism mainly involves three phases a)Saturation phase:Initially the sand is sample saturated by applying cell and back pressure simultaneously. (cell pressure > back pressure) b)Consolidation phase: during test, void ratio should be kept constant. It is obtained in this phase. Back pressure valve is closed. )Load Phase: Actual test begins here. Strain rate is fixed using gear system. Cyclic load is applied either using hydraulic or pneumatic type. Loads and corresponding strains are recorded at loading, unloading and reloading. Test is continued until the required strain or failure occurs. 5. RESULTS From the cyclic triaxial test, we can obtain various graphs for detailed analysis, †¢Load Vs Deform ation †¢Deviatoric Stress Vs Time †¢Axial Strain (%) Vs Time †¢Excess Pore Pressure Vs Axial Strain (%) †¢Excess Pore Pressure Vs Time †¢Deviatoric Stress Vs Axial Strain (%) Fig. 5. 1. Axial load Vs. axial deformation From the hysteresis loop obtained, the dynamic Young’s modulus (Ed) can be calculated, from which shear modulus (G) can be calculated using poisson’s ratio ( µ). Damping factor (D) can also be calculated from the loop obtained. Shear Modulus, G = Ed / 2(1+ µ) Damping factor,D = Ai / 4? At Ai ? Area of Loop At ? Area of shaded portion 6. Discussions: Two series of undrained cyclic triaxial strain controlled tests were performed by Mladen Vucetic and Richardo Dobry, on two different Imperial Valley, California, silty sands which liquefied during an earthquake in 1981. Both intact and reconstituted specimens were tested. The cyclic shear strain is the fundamental parameter governing pore pressure buildup. The saturated deposit is composed of two layers: an upper, looser, sandy silt unit located between 2. 6 m and 3. 5 m depth, containing more fines (37%) (sand A), and the lower, loose to medium-dense sand unit located between 3. 5 m and 6. 8 m, containing less fines (25%) and (sand B). Selected plots of normalized cyclic shear stress, ? cy* = ? cy/? c„ and normalized residual pore pressure, u* = u/? c, versus number of uniform strain cycles, nc, up to nc = 30, are shown in Figs. 6. 1 and 4 for sands A and B, respectively, ? y above is the amplitude of cyclic shear stress acting on 45 ° planes within the specimen, with ? cy= ? dc/2 , where ? dc is the cyclic deviatoric stress amplitude, and u is the accumulated residual cychc pore pressure at the end of the pertinent strain cycle, derived from measurements at the point of the cycle at which the cyclic stress ? dc = ? cy = 0. Fig. 6. 1 Comparis on of results obtained on intact and reconstituted specimens of sand A The effect of sand fabric, that is, the difference between results obtained on reconstituted and intact specimens, is analyzed next for both sands A and B, with the help of Figs. . 1 and 6. 2. It can be readily noticed in these two figures that the residual pore pressures in cyclic triaxial strain-controlled tests are practically unaffected by the change of sand fabric (u* versus nc curves), while, on the contrary, soil stiffness is significantly affected (? cy* versus nc curves). This is especially noticeable in Fig. 6. 2. Fig. 6. 2 Comparison of results obtained on intact and reconstituted specimens of B. Fig. 6. 3 Residual pore pressure in reconstituted specimens of sands A and sand B It must also be noticed that the range of cyclic shear stresses measured at a given cyclic strain in Figs. . 1 and 6. 2, for the two sands and for the two types of specimen fabric, is quite wide, in contrast to the corresponding range of pore pressures in Fig. 6. 3, which is very narrow. This confirms once again that cyclic shear strain is the fundamental parameter governing pore pressure buildup, and that use of strain-controlled testing represents the most appropriate, as well as the most convenient, approach currently available for evaluation of seismic pore pressures and liquefaction of level ground sites. 7. FACTORS AFFECTING CYCLIC STRENGTH Effect of Confining Stress Critical void ratio is not a constant but decreases as confining pressure increases. The stress ratio decreases with increasing confining pressure. Effect of Loading Wave Form As the load data obtained from history are converted into uniform cycle by ?. The order of increasing strength was rectangular, triangular and sine Effects of Frequency on Cyclic Strength The frequency effects have only a minor (< 10 percent) effect on cyclic strength of the soils. The slower loading frequency have slightly higher strength. Effects of Relative Density At relative densities < 50%, complete liquefaction occurred almost simultaneously, and relative densities above 70% were required for safety against large strains. Effects of size & Gradation Well-graded material was somewhat weaker than uniformly graded material. This finding was attributed to a greater densification tendency in well-graded soils, as finer particles move into voids between larger particles, than occurs in uniformly graded soils. This densification tendency causes increased pore pressure. Effects of sampling on strain history Once a specimen has liquefied and reconsolidated to a denser structure, despite this densification, the specimen is much weaker to cyclic stresses reapplied. Effects of Over consolidation Ratio and Ko The maximum deviator stress required to cause a critical strain for a specified number of cycle’s increases with the Ko ratio. Also the cyclic strength increases as OCR and fines content increase. 8. VALIDATION The validation of the apparatus is done by successive tests, researcher’s experience and available equipments. Mladen vucetic and richardo dobry conducted two series (Intact and Reconstituted Specimens) of undrained cyclic triaxial tests on Imperial Valley, California, silty sands which liquefied during an earthquake in 1981. The results were compared and the experimental set up was validated. Further the tests were conducted on different types of sand and validated. 9. DEVELOPMENTS Since 1966, there has been a considerable improvements in the triaxial testing apparatus meeting results of higher accuracy and efficiency. Initially stress controlled methods were used, then strain controlled methods were adopted. To apply loads, initially hydraulic jack was used, then pneumatic system was used and then electro piezometer. Likewise there are so many advancements of triaxial tests. Some of the advancements are discussed below. Chan (1981), and Li et al (1988) Fig. 7. 1. , have developed a popular electro-pneumatic apparatus which incorporates many advancements in apparatus design and operation. Fig. 9. 1. Electro-pneumatic Apparatus Automated Cyclic Triaxial system is the next development, which is the most comonly used apparatus. It is well known for its automated input and output System, data acquisition and quick results. Fig. 9. 2. Automated Triaxial System 9. 1 RECENT ADVANCEMENTS GDS Entry level Dynamic triaxial testing system ?Technical Specifications ?Maximum Operating Frequency: 5Hz ?Minimum Operating Frequency: < 0. 001Hz ?Highly accurate dynamic, electro-mechanical actuator ?Available sample sizes (depending on cell selection): 38 x 76mm (or ? 39. 1 x 78. 2mm) to ? 150 x 300mm. Fig. 9. 3. GDS ELD ? 16-Bit dynamic data logging ?16 Bit dynamic actuator control channel ?Cell pressure range to 2MPa (dependent of cell choice) ?Small laboratory foot print No hydraulic power pack required ?Standard Triaxial cells can be used (upgraded to dynamic seals and bearings) ? Can be upgraded to perform P and S wave bender element testing. ?Can be upgraded to perform unsaturated triaxial testing with the addition of the following items: a)Unsaturated pedestal with high air entry porous stone. b)1000cc digital air Pressure/volume controller (ADVDPC) for the applicati on of pore air pressure and measurement of air volume change c)Optional HKUST double cell (available in the data sheet ‘Unsaturated Triaxial Testing of Soil (UNSAT). As well as dynamic triaxial tests, the ELDyn system can be utilised to carry out traditional triaxial tests such as UU, CU and CD as well as more advanced tests such as stress paths, K0 and Resilient Modulus tests. HS28. 610 cyclic triaxial test system is also a sophisticated apparatus available in Newdelhi (India). DYNATRIAX is another advanced cyclic triaxial equipment available at many places Los Angeles, Poland and many countries. It can operate at a maximum frequency of 10Hz. 10. CONCLUSION Many innovative systems for cyclic loading of soil have emerged in geotechnical engineering. Each system has its unique advantages and limitations. Some ways of minimizing these limitations have been pointed out. The advanced equipments are an additional tool for performing cyclic loading, in particular liquefaction testing. Extreme care must be used in preparing remoulded sand specimens, and special attention must be paid to testing techniques in order to obtain reproducible test results. In particular, the method of specimen preparation, the shape of the loading wave form, and the preciseness of density determinations greatly affect cyclic strength. Hence, development of ASTM standards for cyclic triaxial testing should include consideration of these factors in the results of this investigation. 11. REFERENCES: ASTM D 3999 Determination of Modulus and Damping Properties of Soils Using the Cyclic Triaxial Apparatus Advanced triaxial testing of soil and rock – Page 484 by Robert T. Donaghe, Ronald C. Chaney, Marshall L. Silver Chan, C. K. , 1981, â€Å"An Electropneumatic Cyclic Loading System,† Geotechnical Testing Journal, ASTM, Vol. 4, No. 4, pp. 183-187. Dynamic Geotechnical Testing H Ronald J. Ebelhar, Vincent P. Drnevich, and Bruce L. Kutter. STP 1213 ASTM Publication Dynamic Geotechnical Testing : a symposium by Marshall L. Silver Khosla, V. K. and Singh, R. D. , â€Å"Apparatus for Cyclic Stress Path Testing,† Geoteehnical Testing Journal, GTJODJ, Vol. 6, No. 4, Dec. 1983, pp. t65-172. Fundamental of Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering By Prasad. Soil Liquefaction, a critical state approach by Mike Jefferies & Ken Been Kramer, Steven L. , Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering, Prentice-Hall, Inc. , Upper Saddle River, NJ, 1996 Townsend, F. C, â€Å"A Review of Factors Affecting Cyclic Triaxial Teste,† Dynamic Geotechnical Testing, ASTM STP 654, American Society for Testing and Materials, 1978, pp. 356-383.