A Dangerous Business Essay

The collaborative investigative report conducted by the New York Times and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation is an eye-opener on the real situation of thousands of employees working for giant industrial corporations. On the outside, it seems that American workforce is definitely more fortunate compared to those who take employment in developing countries. The general public is made to believe that every employee in the US is treated fairly and with respect. But with this documentary, the truth has been exposed. For several years, the McWane Corporation has been actively involved in contributing to the advancement of the US economy. However, this economic achievement comes with a price. Unfortunately, the collateral damage in this enterprise for monetary profit comes in the package of the human resources. Ironically, this particular organizational component is deemed to be the most important factor in the accomplishment of success in any company. A business would not function without its employees and vice versa. This natural and logical cycle has always been evident in the business world. However, in the case of McWane, their workers were treated as if they were indispensable. See more: Satirical essay about drugs As a result, plants owned by McWane holds the record for the highest number of violations regarding safety in the workplace. Looking closely on these intriguing and appalling facts about America’s workplace safety and the government’s efforts to reinforce the protection and security of the welfare of the employees, it cannot be helped to doubt the justice and labor system in the US. Based on the interviews and the accounts of former employees of McWane, it can be surmised that there is a deliberate attempt to compromise safety for the sake of increasing productivity which will eventually lead to a significant boost in McWane’s revenues. Also, the government is very lenient in punishing companies that violate safety regulations because they are afraid that penalizing a powerhouse company can send a negative message to other corporations which could drastically affect the economy of the country. The dilemma here is whether to look after the global status of a nation or paying attention to the common good of the majority. Meanwhile, workers are belittled by the top management because they think that workers can be easily replaced. They know that people cannot live without work because common individuals need to sustain their ways of living with money. Companies exploit this situation wherein they make people feel they need any job as long as they will be paid so that they can be able to afford their chosen lifestyles. Because of this, many workers were injured, incapacitated and even died while on duty at their respective workplaces due to the neglect of management, leniency of the government and the build up on the dependency on monetary compensations.

An Analysis of Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences Essay

The purpose of this paper is to explore Howard Gardner’s theory on multiple intelligences. I will focus on spatial and bodily-kinesthetic intelligences and how linguistic intelligence has an underlying effect on the other intelligences. Spatial and bodily-kinesthetic intelligences would seem to be very distant from linguistic intelligence, however I believe that they are more similar then one might expect. Spatial intelligence can be loosely defined as the ability to manipulate and recreated the physical work in ones mind. Artists often use this intelligence as they take an actual object and are able to manipulate it onto a canvas or piece of paper. Many IQ tests have a section that tests the ability of a person in their use of block design. Students who excel in spatial intelligence have the ability to recreate within their mind the things that they see visually. Gardner states, â€Å"The left hemisphere of the brain has, over the course of evolution, been selected as the pre-eminent site for linguistic processing, the right hemisphere of the brain, and in particular the posterior portions of the right hemisphere, proves to be the site most crucial for special processing† (Gardner, p. 181). Gardner is trying to show how separate in the brain spatial and linguistic intelligence really are. By isolating the intelligences, Gardner focuses on the idea of savants and brain damage to prove his theory that the intelligences are totally separate. Eliminating part of the brain would still allow for someone to be successful and intelligent at spatial abilities. His idea is that even if a person lost their ability to speak or the ability to use their hands, that their other intelligences could possibly still work at a high level. I agree with his theory, however I think the intelligences overlap more then he may believe. Linguistic intelligence seems to have a basis in spatial intelligence also. Many students might do just fine being able to read a word problem and then form the design in their head. Gardner gives an example, â€Å"Take a square piece of paper, fold it in one half, then fold it twice again in half. How many squares exist after this final fold? † (Gardner, p. 171). This idea shows how linguistic intelligence can be used when dealing with a student who has a greater spatial intelligence. Even without the student physically being able to fold the piece of paper they could still solve the problem due to their linguistic intelligence. Gardner shows this idea as he talks about people having distinct separate intelligences, but that each intelligence has the ability to overlap with another. I also decided to talk about his theory of bodily-kinesthetic intelligence because I feel this intelligence goes together well with spatial intelligence. Both of these intelligences are educated best by going away from the traditional teaching methods of reading and writing. Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence is the ability for a person to use their body to solve a problem. This can be seen in many athletes and other people who are very active. Some people are born with a higher bodily-kinesthetic intelligence then others. Tests on reaction time have shown that some people are born with almost superhuman reaction time ability. This reaction time allows them to hit a baseball with such success that cannot be taught. Parts of this intelligence can be learned by studying similar to some of the more the academic intelligences, however bodily-kinesthetic intelligence is not viewed as an academic intelligence. Wayne Gretzky said, â€Å"Nine out of ten people think what I do is instinct†¦. It isn’t. Nobody would ever say a doctor had learned had profession by instinct: yet in my own way I’ve spent almost as much time studying hockey as a med student puts in studying medicine† (Gardner, p. 231). Both a hockey player and a surgeon rely on their body to perform at a high level. Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence is just not brute force but the ability to read what is happening, and then adapt. In football, a player will tackle another player, although before that happens the tackling player must read the play to get a path take on the ball carrier. A surgeon can have perfect skills in using their hands to operate but they also need the ability to learn the correct procedures. These ideas show that a person can be above average in more then one intelligence and that is in fact fairly common. The traditional way of teaching is through reading and writing that puts an emphasis on linguistic intelligence. Gardner’s theory is to separate the intelligences by showing that even a person who loses the ability to use part of their brain will still be able to function at a high level at some other intelligences. Gardner points out that he believes the intelligences are separate, but that they rarely operate separately and more often then not there are several intelligences working together. This is how linguistic intelligence is so important to the overall learning of a student. Most tests such as IQ tests put an emphasis on how well a person does on verbal section of the test. Gardner said, â€Å"I have already noted that many retarded children display a surprising ability to master language†¦ Even more striking are those rare children who, despite retardation or autism, prove able to read at an astonishingly early age† (Gardner, p. 84-85). This is apparent when talking about a surgeon who loses the ability to use their hands and so they cannot operate on patients anymore. They may not have the ability to physically do the operation anymore but they can still instruct someone else to do the surgery. This surgeon has lost their ability to use their hands but their brain is still intact so they can use their linguistic intelligence to instruct another person to perform the operation. Gardner does not think linguistic intelligence is more important than any of the other intelligences, but I believe that linguistic intelligence sets the basis for the other intelligences. Without this intelligence the student will not be able to understand what that teacher is trying to convey in class. Language is important for the student to get through school, however a student could get though school without fully realizing their full spatial intelligence. Linguistic intelligence allows a student to gain the ability to study the concepts and then apply them to the other intelligences such as bodily-kinesthetic intelligence. One cannot expect someone to just learn all the intricate details of boxing and then to go into the ring and win a title. This can only happen with some intelligence that is born within the person. Intelligences are within everyone but it is hard for a person to know exactly what intelligence they posses the strongest. Howard Gardner’s idea of multiple intelligences stems from his belief that each person has different intelligences that they posses. These intelligences are inherently separate due to the fact that because of brain damage, a person can lose an intelligence while still being able to perform at a high level on other intelligences. Gardner does not believe that linguistic intelligence is more important then the others, however in our society we put such a great emphasis on linguistic intelligence. A student can fall behind in their linguistic development and due to our societies testing and basis in teaching the student might not attain high grades. This does not mean the student is not smart, it just means that they might excel at a different type of intelligence. Overall, Gardner explains how each person has many different forms of intelligence that they could be above average in.

Risk Factors Associated with Adolescent Suicide Essay

Risk Factors Associated with Adolescent Suicide - Essay Example This rising trend, particularly in the 15-19 age group placed suicide as the leading cause of death for males and the third most common cause of death for females. As a result of these figures, suicidal behaviour in adolescents became a major health concern in both developed and developing countries. This paper will review studies that seek to identify risk factors in adolescent suicide. The research will pertain to two dissimilar geographical areas and their social milieu, namely New Zealand (the Beautrais, Drummond, Fortune, Heled, Langford, and Fleming studies) and Korea (the Lee, Park, and Kim studies). Half a world apart, the two countries have recorded rising incidences of suicide and suicide ideation among the children and adolescents in their societies. The aim of this study of both countries is to gain knowledge which would help implement new strategies to reduce the rising suicide figures. The study shall employ the Comparative Social Science Approach as research framework. Theoretical Framework This paper shall employ a variant of the Comparative Social Science Approach, a framework for cross border research projects carried out by international researchers. The framework is one of the several paradigms endorsed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. While this exercise does not employ a network of researchers, for which the framework is best suited, it is however useful in structuring a comparative study across borders, such as this one. The framework entails identification and discussion of the following elements: (1) Identification of criteria in the context of cross comparison and transferability (2) A better grasp of cross-national phenomena (3) Collective learning for the benefit of research for action. The first step indicates that there are varied criteria for research that would be relevant to each country specifically. However, there would also be criteria which would be relevant to both social environment s, and therefore would prove useful in the transference and comparison of information across the theoretical divide. While the first step seeks what are common between the two societies, the second step entails an understanding of the differences between the two settings. An appreciation of the country-specific elements would shed light on the nature of the phenomenon studied – in this case, the incidence and ideation of suicide among adolescents. This understanding would prove invaluable in determining the usefulness and validity of the findings on the basis of the geographical location. Finally, the collective learning gathered should yield recommendations that would prove useful in the preparation of an action plan. Discussion of the academic literature Before applying the framework, the topic of study should first be compared for compatibility. The studies appear to agree that previous suicide attempts are predictive of future suicidal behaviours (Fleming et al, 2007: 214 ), with an important qualification. However, the New Zealand studies tackled the matter of fatal suicides – attempts that had resulted in a death. The Korean studies, on the other hand, dealt with suicide ideation, without information on suicide fatalities. The Kim study refers to an article published by Myers et al (1991) which states it would be inappropriate to generalize results from those who have attempted suicide to suicide ideators and adolescents who have actually committed suicide, as there may be qualitative differences in these groups. The Fleming et al study indirectly supports this theory when it quotes the work of Evans et al (2005) which states ‘few young people who report to have tried to kill themselves may in fact have wished to die, and very few

Mitt Romneys economic plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mitt Romneys economic plan - Essay Example America in the recent past experienced an economic crisis that resulted into a severe economic aftermath like loss in jobs, reduced output by industries and wealth reduction by individuals as well. This effect is likely to take economists decades to curb this though they are encouraged to act quickly in terms of scope and costs relayed through relative activism (Ogburn, 2009). Amidst this, Romney comes with a comprehensive and deliberate plan to curb this crisis leading to economic growth and development of the Americans not forgetting their critical welfare. Actual plan Romney’s plan is because Americans as an agile society and world’s economic powerhouse is highly in need of its economy to rapidly come back to its knees. Romney has the target of an annual GDP growth rate of 4% per annum over the period he speculates to be in power to bring back the level of unemployment to its previous level before the crisis (Obama, 2008). This appears to be an uphill task but throug h the aggressiveness of the Americans and Romney’s leadership, it shall be achieved within the specified timelines. The growth and development agenda according t Romney should and must be divided into parts as follows: - First, his regime must focus more on productivity growth through relevant policies to support savings and investments, creativity and innovation, trade activities, education and training. Secondly, the government will have to develop a budget framework that is much friendly to the financial system.

Introduction of economic scarcity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Introduction of economic scarcity - Essay Example For example when computers came in and became a household name, if any person is still computer illiterate, won't he or she find that getting a job has become close to impossible. In the same way, if a country has been producing things with old technology for a long time and there comes a new technology that not only creates efficiency but also gives better results, don't you think people will demand the products made by new technology. Then a producer using older technology will go out of demand and his products will become obsolete. This is how scarcity appears as and when a new discovery or invention is made. But it is important that the new technology be very significant and life changing. On the island, they have found that a new invention is likely to revolutionize the way things are done on the island. The problem is should this invention be adopted If yes, then how should this be accomplished Keeping these points in mind, the council must create a plan that would address the key issues knowing that this technology has to be adopted. In order to reduce resistance and make people more open to the acceptance and adoption of this technology, it is critical that they are made aware of the benefits of this technology. When computers came, they were not adopted by everyone in a single day but people came to embrace this new technology as and when they learned o

Infectious Diseases and Antibiotics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Infectious Diseases and Antibiotics - Essay Example Classification, transmission, prevention, diagnosis and therapy of infectious diseases Infectious diseases can be classified as follows based on the causative organism of infection; â€Å"Bacterial – Gram negative and Gram positive Viral – DNA virus, RNA virus, enveloped vs non-enveloped Fungal – Disseminated, Localised Parasitic – Protozoa, Helminths† (Epidemiologic Aspects of Infectious Diseases, p.2) Microbes or microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses and fungi, have the ability to overcome the resistance raised by the defence mechanisms of our body. Among the microbes described above, viruses are the smallest in size and it can be visible only through microscopes. Infectious diseases can be transmitted through various ways; it can be transmitted from direct contacts as well as indirect contacts. Direct contact between a diseased person and others through touching, embracing, kissing or coughs can cause transmission of the germs. Diseased pet an imals can also cause transmission of microbes when people handle such animals. Infectious diseases can be spread through air and water also. It should be noted that a diseased person can deposit huge amounts of microbes in places where he usually visits. For example, while taking foods, a diseased person can transfer big amounts of microbes into the table top. ... Communicable diseases can be prevented with the help of certain precautionary measures. Once a person is diagnosed with a communicable disease, he should be kept in an isolated room. All the equipment used by him should be handled with care. For examples, the plates and spoons used by the patient should be sterilised before reusing it. Only boiled water should be used for drinking purpose whenever the threats from communicable disease on cards. While attending the duties of the patient, a mask should be worn by the attenders. Hand gloves should be used while come in direct contact with the patient. It is often said that â€Å"Preventions is better than cure†. In the case of communicable diseases, the above saying has more importance. Precautionary vaccines are available to prevent communicable diseases. All the children should be vaccinated against communicable diseases as advised by the paediatrician. Children are more vulnerable to communicable diseases because of their imma ture immune system. Once the communicable disease epidemic started in a location, the health authorities should advocate people about the necessary precautions to prevent the spreading of disease. Diagnosis of the communicable disease is often done with the help of laboratory tests. Blood and urine tests are usually conducted to identify the culprits or the microbes. X rays and scanning are also used in some particular cases for the diagnosis of the communicable disease. In some cases, even physical examination may help the doctor to diagnose the disease based on the symptoms present in the patient. Vaccination is the common method of treatment of communicable diseases. It is the process of supplying proper antigens to the diseased

How technology today affects a student's success Research Paper

How technology today affects a student's success - Research Paper Example The technological devices, including simple tool-based applications, video devices, online repositories, computers and handheld devices, have found wide application in various learning institutions and among students across the globe. Thus, this research paper aims at analyzing how technology has caused students to experience success through accessibility of materials, choice of convenient learning styles and enhancement of technological proficiency. Technology makes learning materials available to students, thus greater access, which increases the body of knowledge from which students learn from. Web browsers provide students with opportunities to find information on whatever subject. In fact, they provide more current materials than most school libraries do (Gemmill, and Peterson 281). Among the materials that students stand to benefit from the Internet include up-to-date tutorials and research papers. Software tools like spreadsheets, concept maps and databases allow these student s to organize and evaluate whatever data they access online. In addition, the accessed materials teach students to create work that depicts a high sense of professionalism, thus expanding the knowledge of such students. Another important information which technology, particularly the Internet, provides include comparison information on various learning institutions (Rambe 272). When seeking for an institution that would meet a student’s needs, it would be critical to get information on the various available options. The Internet provides information on the location, specialties and fees structure of such institutions. Furthermore, the global rankings of such institutions help students make informed choices of which institution to join. Rightful decisions enhance the desirable performance among students. Secondly, technology provides more convenient learning approaches which make learning comfortable and consequently boost students’ concentration in academics. In classr ooms, many teachers have adopted digital media to foster students’ skills. According to (Muir-Herzig 114), teachers use technological applications to simulate real-world phenomena to enable students execute authentic assignments as real workers would. Audio and video technology stimulates young minds which facilitates learning. The incorporation of pictures, animation and sound makes multimedia enhance recalling of basic facts among students as well as enhancing their understating of systems considered to be complex. Technology allows for learning in an institution of choice from whatever location in the world through distance learning which enables students to learn conveniently. The constructivist learning and teaching model cited by Muir-Herzig (114) indicates that due to the complexity of tasks brought about by technology, students’ motivation to learn increases. For example, as observed from a study by Gulek and Demirtas (29), students using laptops engage more in collaborative work than those without and further get motivated in writing their assignments, producing high quality work of greater length. They explore topics on their own, spending more time working on their school projects. The collaboration with other students through appropriate platforms such as social media enables students to tap into the available opportunities (Rambe 272). Whatever the preferred mode of learning, students leverage on technology to

Global Population Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Global Population - Essay Example Taking into consideration the expected future data till 2050, population growth estimation can be viewed till 2020 in the figure below, showing fast growth till 1656 until the Flood of Noah decreased the population. At the time of Christ, world population was between 200 to 300 million. The world population would be 12,000,000,001 by the year 2200 if we take into consideration the recent history of population growth (Dolphin). Due to uncertainty regarding the population growth 2000 years before, logical bounds on the value of world population in AD1, for example, can be put with a lower bound of 50,000,000 and upper bound with 200,000,000. Population in AD 1000 can be bounded for lower and upper at 250,000,000 and 350,000,000 (Dolphin). According to the Press Release (11 March, 2009) of the UN population division, the world population currently at 6.8 billion will touch the mark of 7 billion by early 2012, and reach to 9 billion people by 2050, as revealed in the 2008 Revision of the official United Nations population estimates. The data indicates certain trends in world population like the population in developing countries will be young with children under the age of 15 accounting 29 percent of the total population and between 15 to 24 years age accounting to 19 percent of the total population. It would be a bigger challenge for the governments in developing countries to face education and employment challenges with the economic and financial crisis surmounting. Another trend would be seen on the growth rate of population above the age of 60 increasing more than 3 percent per year. Controlling HIV/AIDS would be another challenge linked to continuous growth. There is vast difference in the data of developing countries and developed countries on population growth. Let’s take the example of United Kingdom to analyze the population growth data, as given below

The car crash Essay Example for Free

The car crash Essay Joni woke remembering that she still needed to get out of the car her last thought before shed fell unconscious, even though the bright lights stung her eyes her headache worse than before. She pushed her self up onto her elbows, groaning quietly at the pain that suddenly shot down her arm in response to this movement, though she couldnt tell whether they were cut or bruised. Trying to open her eyes Joni squinted at the bright strip lights directly above her. A strong antiseptic smell filled her nostrils causing a nauseous feeling to wash over her. A noise that sounded as though it was coming from far in the distance was beeping in a steady rhythm, sounded amplified against the otherwise still silence. Trying to look round the room Jonis eyesight, which was not yet adjusted to the bright light, saw that her surroundings consisted of mainly white. The dark shape of a man sitting by Jonis bed stood out against the whiteness of the room. The man wore casual clothes so he couldnt have been a doctor or nurse, and yet Joni didnt know who this man was or why he was visiting her. Ssshh, lie back down you need your rest now an unfamiliar voice told her, standing up from where he was sitting he looked tall leaning over Jonis bed. But she tried to answer being interrupted not only by the constant throbbing of her head but also the man continuing to speak. Deciding that lying down was a good suggestion Joni did as the man had told her, but was still fighting to keep her usually clear blue eyes open which felt red and sore. Im really sorry there was nothing that I could do, you drove straight into me before swerving off the edge of the road. I just wanted to stay with you at least until your family or someone came, so that you wouldnt be alone when you woke. The man told Joni in a low but concerned tone of voice. Joni relaxed realising that she was now safe in one of the hospital beds not too far from home. She recalled what had happened that had made her end up here. Jonis vision had blurred at the bright headlights approaching from the car  heading towards her. Outside the increasing rain splattered heavily on the roof of Jonis car to the same rhythm of her thumping head. It was only 11.30 when Joni had decided to leave the party early, feeling yet another headache coming on, the one that she was now suffering from. Joni hadnt had anything to drink, partly as she had wanted to drive home but also as she had been topped up with paracetamol for the past few weeks miserably trying to fight of the constant headaches though theyd had little affect. It was mid November; the wipers on Jonis old car, which her Dad had bought her only the year before to make do with until she could afford her own was having difficulty keeping the windscreen, clear of the heavy rain. The car ahead was getting closer and the lights getting brighter, it must now have been about 12.00, as Joni was driving down the sandy cliff edge road about 10 minuets from home. The road had been cut out of the dusty hillside in which Joni lived. The road itself was little more than a dusty track, turning quickly into mud as the rain beat down. One side of the road exceptionally dark with trees thickening into woodland the other a steep drop eventually ending in the distance with another small village embedded amongst the hills which could only be seen due to its thousands of glittering lights. The road didnt have any lights of its own Jonis own car lights and the lights from the car ahead were the only thing illuminating the dark road. Jonis eyes stung transfixed on the road ahead, her head still pounding somewhat worse than they were earlier and then Joni could remember nothing for what could have barely been a minuet. I must have blacked out she told the man in some sort of an explanation. The next thing that she could remember was colliding with the car that had been approaching, in her dazed state of mind Joni then tried to control the car from falling off the edge of the cliff. She felt the tumbling weight of the car, with her in it feeling like a metal ball inside a pinball machine,  only she was being thrown around inside the car. Then silence as the car suddenly sat still knowing that this could only mean that she had finally reached the bottom of the cliff she tried to host herself from the wreckage feeling a warm liquid trickling down her face which could only be blood she fell unconscious. I pulled you from the car as soon as I got down to the bottom of the cliff, it was a pretty steep climb, then called for an ambulance, I didnt think that you was still alive The man explained. Thank you Joni replied, looking at him for the first time noticing that he could be no more than 18. He had dark eyes brown or grey with longish dark which was ruffled and matted with mud and dry blood probably mine Joni thought, his face full of small cuts and bruises defined his boyish features. He shrugged shyly smiling It was nothing

Economic Systems Essay Example for Free

Economic Systems Essay Socialism Socialism is an economic system where all the economic decisions are made by the government or a central authority. There will be no private property rights since the government officially owns all resources. It is also known as a command economy or a planned system. Socialist economics refers to the economic theories, practices, and norms of hypothetical and existing socialist economic systems. A socialist economy is based on some form of social ownership, which includes varieties of public ownership and independent cooperatives, over the means of production, wherein production is carried out to directly produce use-value sometimes, but not always, coordinated through economic planning and a system of accounting based on calculation-in-kind or a direct measure of labor-time. The term socialist economics may also be applied to analysis of former and existing economic systems that call themselves socialist, such as the works of Hungarian economist Jà ¡nos Kornai. Socialist economics has been associated with different schools of economic thought, most notably Marxian economics, institutional economics, evolutionary economics and neoclassical economics. Early socialism, like Ricardian socialism, was based on classical economics. During the 20th century, proposals and models for planned economies and market socialism were based heavily on neoclassical economics or a synthesis of neoclassical economics with Marxian or institutional economics. look more:  what is the basic economic problem essay Characteristics 1 Public ownership of resources All the resources are owned and operated by the state or the government in the interest of society as a whole. This is to ensure equal opportunity of all citizens regardless of their income. Public ownership also aims to fully utilize the country’s resources. 2 Central planning authority The central authority is responsible for making economic decisions for society. The authority plans and allocates resources between current consumption and investment for the future. 3 Price mechanism of lesser importance Socialism gives less importance to market forces. Prices are fixed by the government and not determined by demand and supply. Private profits are not allowed and public interest is emphasized in the command economy. 4 Central control and ownership A socialist economy is a fully planned economy where the government intervenes in all aspects of economic activity. The government controls production, consumption, and the distribution of goods and services. Merits of Socialism 1 Production according to basic needs Production in a socialist economy is mainly directed at producing the basic needs of the people such as food, clothing and building materials. It is not determined by the purchasing power of the rich in society. The phenomenon of the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer does not exist in the socialist economy. 2 Equal distribution of income and wealth There is no difference between the rich and the poor. This system provides equal opportunity for all citizens in earning an income. Wealth is also equally distributed since private enterprise is limited 3 Better allocation of resourses Under the socialist system, the planning authority will allocate resources between current consumption and future investment. 4 No serious unemployment or recession/ inflation The unemployment rate and inflation are usually taken care of by the government to ensure economic stability in the country. 5 Rapid economic development In a socialism system, the economy grows faster. The main factors responsible for the rapic economic growth are the full utilization of resources, planning and quick decisions. 6 Social welfare The government will provide all citizens of the country with full social security benefits such as pension, accident benefits and others. Since the government is concerned, labour dispute and wastage of resources do not exist in a socialism system. Economic Decisions in a Socialistic System What to produce In Socialism, planning authorities decide what to produce. The Central Planning Authority will collect detailed statistics on the resource availability in the country and link it with national priorities. If the planning authority has a choice of producing computers using more labour or more machinery. How to produce The Central Planning Authority also decided on the techniques to be used in the production of different goods and services. The choice is between traditional and modern technique of production. For example, the planning authority has a choice of producing computers using more labour or more machinery. For whom to produce The distribution of the national product is decided by the Central Planning Authority. The distribution of various commodities among citizens is done through a set of administred fixwd processes. Necessity goods are fixed at lower prices, and luxury goods at higher prices. The purpose of these fixed prices is to reduce inequalities in the distribution of income. Demerits of Socialism 1 Lacks of incentives and initative by individuals Individuals have no profit motive. This will lead to economic inefficiency since jobs are provided by the government and individuals are not motivated to work harder. 2 Loss of economic freedom and consumer sovereignty Under a socialist economy, the central planning authority or the government directs all economic activity. There is no choice given to the consumer and they accept whatever public enterprise produce. There is little variety in the goods and services produced and availability is restricted. Limited private organizations exist in a socialist economy. 3 Absence of competition Since there are limited private enterprises, less research and development (RD) activities are carried out. This results in low quality products since there is no competition. Socialist economies in theory Robin Hahnel and Michael Albert identify five economic models within the rubric of socialist economics * Public Enterprise Centrally Planned Economy in which all property is owned by the State and all key economic decisions are made centrally by the State, the former Soviet Union. * Public Enterprise State-Managed Market Economy, one form of market socialism which attempts to use the price mechanism to increase economic efficiency, while all decisive productive assets remain in the ownership of the state, e.g. socialist market economy in China after reform. * A mixed economy, where public and private ownership are mixed, and where industrial planning is ultimately subordinate to market allocation, the model generally adopted by social democrats e.g. in twentieth century Sweden. * Public Enterprise Employee Managed Market Economies, another form of market socialism in which publicly owned, employee-managed production units engage in free market exchange of goods and services with one another as well as with final consumers, e.g. mid twentieth century Yugoslavia, Two more theoretical models are Prabhat Ranjan Sarkars Progressive Utilization Theory and Economic democracy. * Public Enterprise Participatory Planning, an economy featuring social ownership of the means of production with allocation based on an integration of decentralized democratic planning, e.g. stateless communism, libertarian socialism. An incipient historical forebear is that of Catalonia during the Spanish revolution. More developed theoretical models include those of Karl Polanyi, Participatory Economics and the negotiated coordination model of Pat Devine, as well as in Cornelius Castoriadiss pamphlet Workers Councils and the Economics of a Self-Managed Society. Additionally, Jà ¡nos Kornai identifies five distinct classifications for socialism: * Classical / Marxist conception, where socialism is a stage of economic development in which wage labour, private property in the means of production and monetary relations have been made redundant through the development of the productive forces, so that capital accumulation has been superseded by economic planning. Economic planning in this definition means conscious allocation of economic inputs and the means of production by the associated producers to directly maximise use-values as opposed to exchange-values, in contrast to the anarchy of production of capitalism. * Walrasian / Market Socialist which defines socialism as public-ownership or cooperative-enterprises in a market economy, with prices for producer goods set through a trial-and-error method by a central planning board. In this view, socialism is defined in terms of de jure public property rights over major enterprises. * Leninist conception, which includes a form of political organisation based on control of the means of production and government by a single political party apparatus that claims to act in the interest of the working class, and an ideology hostile toward markets and political dissent, with coordination of economic activity through centralised economic planning (a command economy). * Social Democratic concept, based on the capitalist mode of production, which defines socialism as a set of values rather than a specific type of social and economic organisation. It includes unconditional support for parliamentary democracy, gradual and reformist attempts to establish socialism, and support for socially progressive causes. Social democrats are not opposed to the market or private property; instead they try to ameliorate the effects of capitalism through a welfare state, which relies on the market as the fundamental coordinating entity in the economy and a degree of public ownership/public provision of public goods in an economy otherwise dominated by private enterprise. * East Asian model, or socialist market economy, based on a largely free-market, capital accumulation for profit and substantial private ownership along with state-ownership of strategic industries monopolised by a single political party. Jà ¡nos Kornai ultimately leaves the classification of this model (as either socialist or capitalist) to the reader.[16] What are the disadvantages and advantages of socialism? Advantages of Socialism * In environments with plentiful resources, socialism provides all members with their survival needs, creating a stable social environment. * Members that cannot participate economically due to disabilities, age, or periods of poor health can still impart wisdom, emotional support and continuity of experience to the system. * Freedom from work provides opportunity for some societal members to explore non-economically-productive pursuits, such as pure science, math and non-popular arts. Disadvantages of Socialism * Since there is no culling and no economic advantage to working harder, socialistic systems provide no inherent incentive to participate. This makes socialism internally unstable. * Due to a lack of incentives, socialistic systems tend not to be competitive, making them externally unstable. * In times of plenty, immigrants are drawn to the free resources offered by socialistic systems, while potentially adding nothing economically productive. * In times of scarcity, resentment of non-economically-productive members of society increases, causing a destabilizing effect on the society and economy History of socialist economic thought Values of socialism have roots in pre-capitalist institutions such as the religious communes, reciprocal obligations, and communal charity of Mediaeval Europe, the development of its economic theory primarily reflects and responds to the monumental changes brought about by the dissolution of feudalism and the emergence of specifically capitalist social relations. As such it is commonly regarded as a movement belonging to the modern era. Many socialists have considered their advocacy as the preservation and extension of the radical humanist ideas expressed in Enlightenment doctrine such as Jean-Jacques Rousseaus Discourse on Inequality, Wilhelm von Humboldts Limits of State Action, or Immanuel Kants insistent defense of the French Revolution. Capitalism appeared in mature form as a result of the problems raised when an industrial factory system requiring long-term investment and entailing corresponding risks was introduced into an internationalized commercial (mercantilist) framework. Historically speaking, the most pressing needs of this new system were an assured supply of the elements of industry – land, elaborate machinery, and labour – and these imperatives led to the commodification of these elements. According to influential socialist economic historian Karl Polanyis classic account, the forceful transformation of land, money and especially labour into commodities to be allocated by an autonomous market mechanism was an alien and inhuman rupture of the pre-existing social fabric. Marx had viewed the process in a similar light, referring to it as part of the process of primitive accumulation whereby enough initial capital is amassed to begin capitalist production. The dislocation that Polyani and others describe, triggered natural counter-movements in efforts to re-embed the economy in society. These counter-movements, that included, for example, the Luddite rebellions, are the incipient socialist movements. Over time such movements gave birth to or acquired an array of intellectual defenders who attempted to develop their ideas in theory. As Polanyi noted, these counter-movements were mostly reactive and therefore not full-fledged socialist movements. Some demands went no further than a wish to mitigate the capitalist markets worst effects. Later, a full socialist program developed, arguing for systemic transformation. Its theorists believed that even if markets and private property could be tamed so as not to be excessively exploitative, or crises could be effectively mitigated, capitalist social relations would remain significantly unjust and anti-democratic, suppressing universal human needs for fulfilling, empowering and creative work, diversity and solidarity. Within this context socialism has undergone four periods: the first in the 19th century was a period of utopian visions (1780s-1850s); then occurred the rise of revolutionary socialist and Communist movements in the 19th century as the primary opposition to the rise of corporations and industrialization (1830–1916); the polarisation of socialism around the question of the Soviet Union, and adoption of socialist or social democratic policies in response (1916–1989) and the response of socialism in the neo-liberal era (1990- ). As socialism developed, so did the socialist system of economics. Utopian socialism The first theories which came to hold the term socialism began to be formulated in the late 18th century, and were termed socialism early in the 19th century. The central beliefs of the socialism of this period rested on the exploitation of those who labored by those who owned capital or rented land and housing. The abject misery, poverty and disease to which laboring classes seemed destined was the inspiration for a series of schools of thought which argued that life under a class of masters, or capitalists as they were then becoming to be called, would consist of working classes being driven down to subsistence wages. Socialist ideas found expression in utopian movements, which often formed agricultural communes aimed at being self-sufficient on the land. These included many religious movements, such as the Shakers in America. Utopian socialism had little to offer in terms of a systematic theory of economic phenomena. In theory, economic problems were dissolved by a utopian society which had transcended material scarcity. In practice, small communities with a common spirit could sometimes resolve allocation problems. Socialism and classical political economy The first organized theories of socialist economics were significantly impacted by classical economic theory, including elements in Adam Smith, Robert Malthus and David Ricardo. In Smith there is a conception of a common good not provided by the market, a class analysis, a concern for the dehumanizing aspects of the factory system, and the concept of rent as being unproductive. Ricardo argued that the renting class was parasitic. This, and the possibility of a general glut, an over accumulation of capital to produce goods for sale rather than for use, became the foundation of a rising critique of the concept that free markets with competition would be sufficient to prevent disastrous downturns in the economy, and whether the need for expansion would inevitably lead to war. Socialist political economy before Marx Charles Fourier, influential early French socialist thinker A key early socialist theorist of political economy was Pierre-Joseph Proudhon. He was the most well-known of nineteenth century mutualist theorists and the first thinker to refer to himself as an anarchist. Others were: Technocrats like Henri de Saint Simon, agrarian radicals like Thomas Spence, William Ogilvie and William Cobbett; anti-capitalists like Thomas Hodgskin; communitarian and utopian socialists like Robert Owen, William Thompson and Charles Fourier; anti-market socialists like John Gray and John Francis Bray; the Christian mutualist William Batchelder Greene; as well as the theorists of the Chartist movement and early proponents of syndicalism. The first advocates of socialism promoted social leveling in order to create a meritocratic or technocratic society based upon individual talent. Count Henri de Saint-Simon was the first individual to coin the term socialism. Simon was fascinated by the enormous potential of science and technology, which led him to advocate a socialist society that would eliminate the disorderly aspects of capitalism and which would be based upon equal opportunities. Simon advocated a society in which each person was ranked according to his or her capacities and rewarded according to his or her work. This was accompanied by a desire to implement a rationally organized economy based on planning and geared towards large-scale scientific and material progress, which embodied a desire for a semi-planned economy. Other early socialist thinkers were influenced by the classical economists. The Ricardian socialists, such as Thomas Hodgskin and Charles Hall, were based on the work of David Ricardo and reasoned that the equilibrium value of commodities approximated producer prices when those commodities were in elastic supply, and that these producer prices corresponded to the embodied labor. The Ricardian socialists viewed profit, interest and rent as deductions from this exchange-value. Das Kapital Karl Marx employed systematic analysis in an ambitious attempt to elucidate capitalisms contradictory laws of motion, as well as to expose the specific mechanisms by which it exploits and alienates. He radically modified classical political economic theories. Notably, the labor theory of value that had been worked upon by Adam Smith and David Ricardo, was transformed into his characteristic law of value and used for the purpose of revealing how commodity fetishism obscures the reality of capitalist society. His approach, which Engels would call scientific socialism, would stand as the branching point in economic theory: in one direction went those who rejected the capitalist system as fundamentally anti-social, arguing that it could never be harnessed to effectively realize the fullest development of human potentialities wherein the free development of each is the condition for the free development of all.. Das Kapital is one of the many famous incomplete works of economic theory: Marx had planned four volumes, completed two, and left his collaborator Engels to complete the third. In many ways the work is modelled on Adam Smiths Wealth of Nations, seeking to be a comprehensive logical description of production, consumption and finance in relation to morality and the state. It is a work of philosophy, anthropology and sociology as much as one of economics. However, it has several important statements: * The Law of Value Capitalist production is the production of â€Å"an immense multitude of commodities† or generalised commodity production. A commodity has two essential qualities firstly, they are useful, they satisfy some human want, â€Å"the nature of such wants, whether, for instance, they spring from the stomach or from fancy, makes no difference,† and secondly they are sold on a market or exchanged. Critically the exchange value of a commodity â€Å"is independent of the amount of labour required to appropriate its useful qualities.† But rather depends on the amount of socially necessary labour required to produce it. All commodities are sold at their value, so the origin of the capitalist profit is not in cheating or theft but in the fact that the cost of reproduction of labour power, or the workers wage, is less than the value created during their time at work, enabling the capitalists to yield a surplus value or profit on their investments. * Historical Property Relations Historical capitalism represents a process of momentous social upheaval where rural masses were separated from the land and ownership of the means of production by force, deprivation, and legal manipulation, creating an urban proletariat based on the institution of wage-labour. Moreover, capitalist property relations aggravated the artificial separation between city and country, which is a key factor in accounting for the metabolic rift between human beings in capitalism and their natural environment, which is at the root of our current ecological dilemmas. * Commodity Fetishism Marx adapted previous value-theory to show that in capitalism phenomena involved with the price system (markets, competition, supply and demand) constitute a powerful ideology that obscures the underlying social relations of capitalist society. Commodity fetishism refers to this distortion of appearance. The underlying social reality is one of economic exploitation. * Economic Exploitation Workers are the fundamental creative source of new value. Property relations affording the right of usufruct and despotic control of the workplace to capitalists are the devices by which the surplus value created by workers is appropriated by the capitalists. * Accumulation Inherent to capitalism is the incessant drive to accumulate as a response to the competitive forces acting upon all capitalists. In such a context the accumulated wealth which is the source of the capitalists social power derives itself from being able to repeat the circuit of MoneyCommodityMoney, where the capitalist receives an increment or surplus value higher than their initial investment, as rapidly and efficiently as possible. Moreover this driving imperative leads capitalism to its expansion on a worldwide scale. * Crises Marx identified natural and historically specific (i.e. structural) barriers to accumulation that were interrelated and interpenetrated one another in times of crises. Different types of crises, such as realization crises and overproduction crises, are expressions of capitalisms inability to constructively overcome such barriers. Moreover, the upshot of crises is increased centralization, the expropriation of the many capitalists by the few. * Centralization The interacting forces of competition, endemic crises, intensive and extensive expansion of the scale of production, and a growing interdependency with the state apparatus, all promote a strong developmental tendency towards the centralization of capital. * Material Development As a result of its constant drive to optimize profitability by increasing the productivity of labour, typically by revolutionizing technology and production techniques, capitalism develops so as to progressively reduce the objective need for work, suggesting the potential for a new era of creative forms of work and expanded scope for leisure. * Socialization, and the pre-conditions for Revolution By socializing the labour process, concentrating workers into urban settings in large-scale production processes and linking them in a worldwide market, the agents of a potential revolutionary change are created. Thus Marx felt that in the course of its development capitalism was at the same time developing the preconditions for its own negation. However, although the objective conditions for change are generated by the capitalist system itself, the subjective conditions for social revolution can only come about through the apprehension of the objective circumstances by the agents themselves and the transformation of such understanding into an effective revolutionary program Anarchist economics Anarchist economics is the set of theories and practices of economics and economic activity within the political philosophy of anarchism. Pierre Joseph Proudhon was involved with the Lyons mutualists and later adopted the name to describe his own teachings. Mutualism is an anarchist school of thought that originates in the writings of Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, who envisioned a society where each person might possess a means of production, either individually or collectively, with trade representing equivalent amounts of labor in the free market. Integral to the scheme was the establishment of a mutual-credit bank that would lend to producers at a minimal interest rate, just high enough to cover administration. Mutualism is based on a labor theory of value that holds that when labor or its product is sold, in exchange, it ought to receive goods or services embodying the amount of labor necessary to produce an article of exactly similar and equal utility. Receiving anything less would be considered exploitation, theft of labor, or usury. Collectivist anarchism (also known as anarcho-collectivism) is a revolutionary doctrine that advocates the abolition of the state and private ownership of the means of production. Instead, it envisions the means of production being owned collectively and controlled and managed by the producers themselves. Once collectivization takes place, workers salaries would be determined in democratic organizations based on the amount of time they contributed to production. These salaries would be used to purchase goods in a communal market. Collectivist anarchism is most commonly associated with Mikhail Bakunin, the anti-authoritarian sections of the First International, and the early Spanish anarchist movement. The Conquest of Bread by Peter Kropotkin, influential work which presents the economic vision ofanarcho-communism Anarchist communism is a theory of anarchism which advocates the abolition of the state, private property, and capitalism in favor of common ownership of the means of production, direct democracy and a horizontal network of voluntary associations and workers councils with production and consumption based on the guiding principle: from each according to ability, to each according to need. Unlike mutualism, collectivist anarchism and marxism, anarcho-communism as defended by Peter Kropotkin and Errico Malatesta rejected the labor theory of value altogether, instead advocating a gift economy and to base distribution on need. Anarchist communism as a coherent, modern economic-political philosophy was first formulated in the Italian section of the First International by Carlo Cafiero, Emilio Covelli, Errico Malatesta, Andrea Costa and other ex-Mazzinian Republicans. Out of respect for Mikhail Bakunin, they did not make their differences with collectivist anarchism explicit until after Bakunins death. By the early 1880s, most of the European anarchist movement had adopted an anarchist communist position, advocating the abolition of wage labour and distribution according to need. Ironically, the collectivist label then became more commonly associated with Marxist state socialists who advocated the retention of some sort of wage system during the transition to full communism. After Marx Marxs work sharpened the existing differences between the revolutionary and non-revolutionary socialists. Non-revolutionary socialists took inspiration from the work of John Stuart Mill, and later Keynes and the Keynesians, who provided theoretical justification for (potentially very extensive) state involvement in an existing market economy. According to the Keynesians, if the business cycle could be solved by national ownership of key industries and state direction of their investment, class antagonism would be effectively tamed a compact would be formed between labour and the capitalists. There would be no need for revolution; instead Keynes looked to the eventual euthanasia of the rentier sometime in the far future. Joan Robinson and Michael Kalecki employed Keynesian insights to form the basis of a critical post-Keynesian economics that at times went well beyond liberal reformism. Many original socialist economic ideas would also emerge out of the trade union movement In the wake of Marx, Marxist economists developed many different, sometimes contradictory tendencies. Some of these tendencies were based on internal disputes about the meaning of some of Marxs ideas, including the Law of Value and his crisis theory. Other variations were elaborations that subsequent theorists made in light of real world developments. For example the monopoly capitalist school saw Paul A. Baran and Paul Sweezy attempt to modify Marxs theory of capitalist development, which was based upon the assumption of price competition, to reflect the evolution to a stage where both economy and state were subject to the dominating influence of giant corporations. World-systems analysis, would restate Marxs ideas about the worldwide division of labour and the drive to accumulate from the holistic perspective of capitalisms historical development as a global system. Accordingly, Immanuel Wallerstein, writing in 1979, maintained that There are today no socialist systems in the world-economy any more than there are feudal systems because there is only one world-system. It is a world-economy and it is by definition capitalist in form. Socialism involves the creation of a new kind of world-system, neither a redistributive world-empire nor a capitalist world-economy but a socialist world-government. I dont see this projection as being in the least utopian but I also dont feel its institution is imminent. It will be the outcome of a long social struggle in forms that may be familiar and perhaps in very few forms, that will take place in all the areas of the world-economy. Meanwhile other notable strands of reformist and revolutionary socialist economics sprung up that were either only loosely associated with Marxism or wholly independent. Thorsten Veblen is widely credited as the founder of critical institutionalism. His idiosyncratic theorizing included acidic critiques of the inefficiency of capitalism, monopolies, advertising, and the utility of conspicuous consumption. Some institutionalists have addressed the incentive problems experienced by the Soviet Union. Critical institutionalists have worked on the specification of incentive-compatible institutions, usually based on forms of participatory democracy, as a resolution superior to allocation by an autonomous market mechanism. Another key socialist, closely related to Marx, Keynes, and Gramsci, was Piero Sraffa. He mined classical political economy, particularly Ricardo, in an attempt to erect a value theory that was at the same time an explanation of the normal distribution of prices in an economy, as well that of income and economic growth. A key finding was that the net product or surplus in the sphere of production was determined by the balance of bargaining power between workers and capitalists, which was in turn subject to the influence of non-economic, presumably social and political factors.

Analysis of Islamic Architecture

Analysis of Islamic Architecture The eternal principle behind modern Islamic architecture is about the story that evolves from ancient times of Islam architecture and move towards modernism. Modernism began to slowly grow since Industrial revolution started. Since the period, it has turn Islamic architecture to explore in depth with the use of mass production. At the same time, continuing the richness of Islamic architecture elements and forms with influences from Euro and how it brought to Singapore, which is known to be one of the elite modern countries. The spread through revolution is rapid and challenges occur in Islamic architecture to keep up with the modern times and also embracing its cultural identity. The comparison between Euro and Singapore Islamic architecture for religious building carries the same element of projecting modernism as religious spaces. As well as modification of few elements of Islamic form into simplistic manner that fits in the society that lives in. Academic building as modern Islamic architecture reveals representation of different materials and colours to interpret Islamic perspective. The differences in the application use by Egypt and Singapore were selective yet portray the element of Islamic architecture. Commercial building in Islamic and Singapore as multi-cultural country sets different challenges. The application of the elements are achievable, however in site context, attraction as identity and carrying the character may be difficult due to the society that lives in, and how they perceive it differently. Introduction The variety of artistic developments in todays Islamic Architecture is influenced by both traditional forms and by modernism. There was a greater openness of Islamic architecture to European styles, also varied and distinctive new approaches to the analysis of their own tradition. Whether or not it ranges from secular to religious, Islamic architecture carry the same element of style such as the geometric shapes and repetitive art. Standing still in this modern era, Islamic architecture has been famous for its traditional forms. For example the concept of art rests on a basic foundation of calligraphy, geometry and, in architecture, the repetition and multiplication of elements based on the arch. Usually there are allied and parallel floral and figural motifs. Other element such as the water and light are also important for Islamic architecture decoration as they contribute in generating layers of pattern for surface decoration. With these surfaces, they are able to transform space. Since surface is articulated by decoration, there is an intimate connection in Islamic architecture between space and deco. Analysis Modernism in Islamic architecture will be covered in three aspects such as religious architecture, academic as well as commercial spaces.To begin with, the aspect of modern Islamic architecture of religious spaces such as the Mosque shows a great departure from traditional to futuristic look. Resulting in hybrid buildings where traditional facades of arches and domes are grafted onto modern high-rises. 2.1 As a case study of Euro-Islamic architecture, the Penzberg Islamic Centre built in a small German town between Munich and Alps, boldly demonstrates the compatibility of mosques and modernism. minarets are shortened and serve no purpose unlike minaret of traditional Islamic Mosque that is tall in height are usually use as a way call people for prayers. However, The building in night scene. The minaret serves its purpose as light which illuminates the ornamental decoration wrapped around. The idea shows the model notions of enlightened Islam. Apart from the shortened minaret, whose colours sets it apart from the course being sandstone facade, the centre is not obviously marked out as a typical religious building. The exterior already hints at the contemplative atmosphere of the prayer hall inside. The main entrance that is made to stand out by slanted concrete slabs symbolizing the pages of a book, on which words from the Koran can be read. Whereas on the right, the interior has shows the modernist idea of working with the simplest means by having no huge chandeliers and no exuberant ornaments. Adding dynamic quality to the architecture is by playing with lights. The same key element uses often in Islamic architecture. The way the light falls draws attention to the ceiling and wall panels, where ornaments are applied to the unclad concrete that can be read as expressions of divine boundlessness. The abstracted star motifs contain The 99 Names of God such as The Most Merciful and The Utterly Just in calligraphy. Modern Islamic Architecture can exist anywhere in Europe since Europe society can keep with constantly developing innovation and the idea of understanding faith but not tradition that is set in stone. In Europe, the mosque of today must represent a distinct type that reveals the 20th century that is when it meets the fitting choice for future generations. Modern Islamic architecture may took over in Europe, going back to local context, Euro-Islamic architecture are also influencing Singapore. Singapore is well known for here and now architecture building that surrounds the entire city. Modernity is what Singapore falls under. Overshadowing the historical sites, modern Islamic architecture in Singapore is becoming more dominant. The second case studies in local context for religious building are the Assyafaah mosque located at Admiralty lane in Singapore. The Assyafaah Mosque The Assyafah Mosque uses a contemporary interpretation of the arabesque, a universally recognizable symbol of Islamic Art and Architecture, to create an original identity for the modern mosque. The use of the positive arabesque, a double arabesque to make the notions of overlapping geometries more explicit and negative arabesques are seamlessly incorporated in the design of this mosque. The architects state that the use of the arabesque patterns to symbolize the Qurans attributes provides a link to the past. The minarets were done in modernist way. It is similar to Penzberg Islamic centre minaret which is done in a simple form. The minaret of Assyafaah mosque is a symbol of alif which is the first letter word of Arab language. The idea of integrating letters as minarets further emphasize Islamic architecture elements rather than using complex calligraphy form. The column free prayer hall framed by its ribbed and arched fairfaced concrete structure rising from the floor and opening upwards towards the quadruple volume in front of the mihrab wall The three-dimensional arches, which serve the purpose of transferring the structural loads of the upper three storeys help provide a column free span in the lower prayer space. The concrete arches are a great prove of how the architect explores usage of material which look as raw yet prove to be aesthetically pleasing. At the same time, they serve to guide the eye of the user towards the four-storey high marble clad mihrab wall, bathed in natural light. The light filtering through, very much a-like to Tadao Ando style of playing with lights. Again, the nature of keeping elements of Islamic architecture by using natural light to seep through the calligraphy patterned frames which act as light filtering, making the facade to look more lacy by trapping some light and diffuse it with most subtle gradations. The uses of geometrical facade assure the Islamic architectural method of using optical effect shows how different thicknesses of frame define the sophisticated effect. 2.2 Apart from religious building, academic buildings in Islamic architecture are as well influence with modern contemporary architecture. The third case studies for academic buildings are the Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Egypt. The structure illustrates the rich historical and rapid modern evolution of the Islamic past. The design portrays the idea of openness, containment and all encompassing knowledge in its main geometric form, the circle. Partly, Islamic elements such as the geometric patterns permitted an interrelationship between the parts and the whole building complex. The Bibliotheca Alexandrina Exterior facade The stone walls of the library The idea of openness with the integration of water. As an influence of Islamic architecture, water reflects architecture and also serves its means by emphasizing the visual axes. Like the mirror, they give fluidity, dynamic yet show the static architecture. Besides having literal water elements, another way to represents Earth element reflected in one of the Modern Islamic academic architecture in Singapore which is Al-Mukminin Madrasah located in Jurong East. Exterior building of Al-Mukminin For the fourth case study is about the building as total modernization of Islamic architecture. Arabesque pattern is not evident in this building, however, the building play with colours despite no vivid traditional form. The underlying exploration of this facade is the use of Islamic colours to represent water, sky and ground. The multi-shade colours also gives an optical illusion effect from far, creating dematerialisation which is one of the technique element that from Islamic architecture usually use in traditional times. 2.3 The last aspect besides Religious and academic building are the commercial building. One of the examples for commercial building for Islamic architecture would be the museum of Islamic Art in Qatar by I.M Pei. He uses geometrical forms and symmetry applied for the design concept. Clearly, it is not a hybrid futuristic building which usually uses metal and glass cladding as the facade. Instead, he uses limestone marble which gives the smooth touch against the solid form building. As compared to traditional times of using mud brick construction, the limestone marble gives off the modernistic look and also how the block are arranged in sequence manner in parallel. Museum of Islamic Art Exterior Front and Interior The front view of the museum shows two pillar which look like the modern minarets. Traditional domes are not seen evidently, however in the interior, tall arches are not seen instead walls slanted in symmetrical direction toward the ceiling in geometrical forms that creates spherical domes made up of geometric shapes. The dome also gives a hint of natural light to pass through. Elements of Islamic principle are still applicable to commercial spaces. The aim to enhance space through patterns proves dynamically interesting for a modern Islamic building. The solidity of the forms made up is in repetition direction along with different proportions which then allows the eternal principles of Islamic architecture of rhythmical movement. The last case study for Commercial buildings as modern Islamic architecture is the Haniffa, a famous textile company originated from India, the building is located by Keng Lee road, Singapore. The building shows strong influence of Euro-Islamic architecture. Conclusion In conclusion, the desire for rapid development has brought in influences from Western architecture to Islamic architecture due to the Industries revolution that pushes the Islamic architecture to move forward by understanding the essence Islamic principles in architecture and then allows modern building technology to be the tool in the expression. Tool of expression in terms of the mass production of materials has become an advantage for designers to explore with the possibilities of transforming forms by moving away from traditional techniques into modern ways. Such application is strongly reflected on Singapore context for Islamic architecture. Most Islamic architecture buildings in Singapore were made in modern ways. However, the challenge that is set for Singapore is how it may stand apart from other non-Islamic architecture tall buildings that have been the ultimate identity of Singapore. In order to create modern Islamic architecture identity should be more evident, and the re levance to eternal principle of Islam is important. This can be achieve by creating forms in relation with traditional Islamic elements that evolves through modern approach and at the same time carry its own characteristic. Hence, the regional identity of Islamic architecture will then become an evolution to modern Islamic era. List of references James Steele [1994] Architecture for Islamic Societies Today, Academy Editions / The Aga Khan Award For Architecture, St.Martins Pr, United Kingdom Cristian Welzbacher [2008] EURO-ISLAM Architecture (The New Mosques in the West), Sun Publisher,Saudi Arabia Renata Holo, Hasan Uddin Khan [1997] The Mosque The Modern World, Thames Hudson Publisher, Australia Markus Hattstein, Peter Delius [2004] ISLAM Art Architecture, Konemann, New York Richard Ettinghausen, Oleg Grabar [2003] The Art and Architecture Of Islam 650-1250 , Yale University Press, Connecticut Phillipa Baker [2004] Architecture Polyphony Building in the Islamic World Today,Thames Hudson Publisher, Yemen Bibliography http://www.miesarch.com/index2.php?option=com_contentview=articleid=10Itemid=16obraid=251 http://www.architecture-page.com/go/projects/assyafaah-mosque-singapore__all http://www.bibalex.org/english/aboutus/building/architecture.htm http://www.fivefootway.com/2009/06/30/forum-architects-madrasah-addition-to-al-mukminin-mosque-blends-traditional-values-with-contemporary-colour/ http://de51gn.com/design/the-museum-of-islamic-arts-by-im-pei-opens-in-Qatar/

Camping Technology :: Camps Camping Technological Papers

Camping Technology Could something designed to make life easier end up ruining everything we have worked to preserve? Technology can sometimes be quite controversial. In my major, I have found that it can be almost more of a frustration than a blessing. In most industries, technological advancements are viewed as a positive step towards efficiency and economic growth. This is not always the case, however. In the camping industry, for example, the constant â€Å"improvements† are often a source of frustration to many die-hard campers. When people go on vacation they generally have a common goal, which includes relaxation, adventure, and escape from the stress of their everyday life. They often want to spend quality time with their family without distractions. Camping is an exciting and affordable way to get all of those things. For a relatively low price you can pitch a tent at a State Park and â€Å"get back to nature†-- at least that’s how it used to be. Unfortunately times are rapidly changing, and camping, as it was intended, seems to be a thing of the past. To illustrate my point, I would like to paint a picture of the typical State Park camping experience. Pretend you are a vacationing middle class businessman from down state wanting to take his family on a camping excursion â€Å"up north† over his two week summer vacation. In order to spend a night in one of Michigan’s beautiful State Parks, there is a simple procedure that everyone must go through. First, you must dial a toll-free number, 1-800-44-PARKS, (or use the internet to make a reservation at http://www.midnrreservations.com ) up to 6 months in advance to your pre-planned date of arrival. Spontaneity is overrated anyway. After you dial the number you have to type in the first four letters of the park that you wish to visit. At this point you will be connected with an operator in Maryland who will help you pick out a site number that will suit your needs from a park she’s never seen before in a state she has never been in. This is called privatization, whi ch is an issue for a different essay, which I will avoid complaining about in this paper. So, this operator takes your credit card information and charges you $20.00 per night, plus a $2.00 reservation fee. She will then spend 10 minutes reading you a list of rules and regulations for camping in a State Park.

Use of Allusions in Andrew Marvells To His Coy Mistress Essay

The speaker in Andrew Marvell's 'To His Coy Mistress'; is a man who is addressing a silent listener, who happens to be his mistress. In this dramatic monologue the speaker tries to explain his feelings to his mistress. The speaker uses many allusions to empires and other objects, events and ideas that are not directly related to his feelings, in order to explain how he feels. He uses these allusions to exaggerate his feelings in order to clearly show them. After reading over the poem once, you get a sense of what the speaker is feeling. Upon further analysis of the poem you realize that the allusions used in the poem, are in fact, what makes this poem so interesting. The speaker begins the poem by explaining to his mistress that if they had the time and place to discuss there feelings...

Challenges in life brings out the best in a person Essay

Challenges in life are obstacles that one has to surmount, to overcome in order to progress and to do so usually requires a display of admirable qualities such as courage and perseverance. Does challenges in life always bring out the best or the worst in a person? This is debatable as challenges can either make or break a person. Some people may not be able to hold out in a ‘test’ but succumb to the pressure. Tough times can reveal the true colours of a character, either for better or for worse, as in my personal experiences. I remember when I was younger and when faced with adversity, I would either hide or run away from it, rather than take it on. One vivid instance of this was at my first camp with my uniformed group, the National Cadet Corps. it was the first time I was faced with a daunting experience. Every time my instructors barked out an order or reprimanded us, and these ‘lecture’ sessions seemed unending, I would cower at the back of my group, too shaken to do anything else. I was at a loss because the task of survival and completing the camp seemed so challenging that rather than bring out the best in me, actually did the contrary. Every of the team challenge activity was the same – I was the ‘burden’ of my team, the ‘weak link’, who was always too frightened to do anything, always too timid to speak up and above all always too much of a coward to help my peers. If I could just run to save my skin and leave them to ‘die’ on enemy territory, I would. Hence, that is why adversity and challenges can sometime bring out the worst in a person, like they did to me, in this instance. Read more:  Challenge in Life Essay However, what doesn’t kill you make you stronger, and as I grew older, the more I found this to be true. One experience that I rose to the challenge  was during an expedition to the jungles of Brunei during my early Secondary Three days. This expedition was like nothing I had ever been through before. This was not a guided tour on an air-conditioned bus but rather it was a gruelling 48 kilometres trek through the dense, humid jungle. This is where I think challenges bring out the best in people as midway through the course one of our group members collapsed from heat exhaustion. I couldn’t blame him then as I felt like I was ready to drop, too, with the heat of the sun beating down on us relentlessly. The ‘water-parade’ exercise that we had carried out earlier seemed to have dissipated into thin air as my tongue was parched and hanging out a mile long. I knew the rest of the troupers felt the same way. But even under the scorching heat and the thick, humid air, each one of us pitched in and helped to carry our fallen comrades for the remainder of the trek. This I felt brought out exemplary traits in the team. It was due to the challenge placed upon us that we demonstrated resilience, perseverance and empathy for our fellowmen. Anyone of these traits would make a person better. Hence, that is why I think challenges do bring out the best in a person as we would not have expressed these traits if we were not place in tough spots. In closing, whether challenges bring out the best or the worst in a person depends on whether the person succumbs to the test of is able to step up to the challenge. Different people react differently when placed in difficult situations. Some may shine in the darkness which brings out the beauty in them; some may get snuffed out by the darkness and express their worst form. From personal experiences, I have the honour of ‘achieving’ both, hence, I feel that the statement, ‘challenges in life bring out the best in a person’ is true if they bring out positive traits in that person, but if all the wrong reasons emerge, then it is only partially true.

Algorithm: Flowchart and Trailer Record

Student Name Syed Haseeb Hashmi Registration # FA11-BCS-075 Course Title Design and Analysis of Algorithm Assignment # 1 Submitted To Sir Tanveer Ahmed Siddiqui Due Date 19-03-2013 For Odd Role Number Group Q1. How does a flowchart help a programmer in a program development? Ans. Flowcharts provide the visual representation of a concept and make it clear. A flow chart serves as a blueprint of the program. Flowcharts helps a programmer organize his/her thoughts in a logical order and their presentation.Program development without graphics may be less effective. In big projects it gets difficult to keep things together. Flowcharts provide flexibility, so that you can make changes and restructure the project as you move further and, according to requirement. Flowcharts act as a guide during the analysis and program development phase. Moreover they are also helpful in debugging process. Q2. Draw a flowchart of the logical steps needed to produce a printed listing of all students over the age of 20 in a class. The input records contain the name and age of the students.Assume a sentinel value of 99 for the age field of the trailer record. Sol. Q3. The first 20 records in a data set are to be read and printed. Draw a flowchart for the algorithm to do this job. Make sure that the processing stops after the twentieth record. Sol. Q4. For the employees problem of Question 40 ( even group Q3), we want to count and print the number of only male employees in the age group of 25 to 30. Assume that the input records contain SexCode and Age fields to provide this information. Draw a flowchart for the algorithm to perform this job. Sol. Q5.A set of examination papers, which have been graded with scores form 0 to 100 is to be searched to find how many of them are above 90. The total has to be printed. Prepare a flowchart to do this job. Assume a suitable sentinel value for the trailer record. Sol. Q6. A shopkeeper wants to have a general program for his personal computer, which will prepare bills for each customer as and when he sells goods to them. His idea is that as soon as the customer purchases some goods from his shop, he will supply the description, unit price, and the quantity purchased for each item. s input to the computer. He wants that with this information, the computer should print each item along with its unit price, quantity purchased and the total price. Finally the computer should also print the total cost of all the items purchased by the customer. Assuming a sentinel value of zero for the quantity purchased field in the trailer record, draw a flowchart for the logic to do this job. Q7. Each employee pay record includes the hours worked and the pay rate. The gross pay is to be determined as hours worked times pay rate, and is to be printed for each employee.For all hours worked in excess of 40, the overtime rate, which is 1. 5 times the regular rate, is to be paid. Draw a flowchart for the problem logic to do this. Assume a suitable sent inel value for any of the input fields of the trailer record. Q8. The data file of Question 48 (even group Q7) is expanded to include several sets of data, each requiring calculation of its average. Each data set is followed by a trailer record with a value of -1; however the last data is followed by a trailer record with a value of -2.Draw a flowchart for the logic to perform this task. Solution. Q9. Draw a flow chart to add up all the even numbers between 0 and 100. Before ending, print the result of calculation. Solution. Q10. Draw a flowchart for the logic to find out whether a given triangle ABC is a right angled triangle. Assume that the sides are supplied as input and data. Print the answer as yes or no. Solution. Q11. Draw a flowchart for the logic to convert a number from base 10 to new base using division remainder technique. Solution. Question #2 ) Determine which characteristics of an algorithm the following procedures have and which they lack. Procedure 1 double(n:posit ive integer)// The purpose of this procedure is to double a positive integer while n > =0 do n 2n| Procedure 2 choose(a, b: integers)// The purpose of this procedure is to choose a number from two positive numbers x either a or b| Procedure 3 sum(n:positive integer)// The purpose of this procedure is to find the sum of first 9 digits. sum = 0while i < 10 do sum sum + i| 1.Procedure 4 divide(n:positive integer) // The purpose of this procedure is to find the reciprocal of a positive integer n till 1. while n>= 0 do m 1/n n n-1| Solution Procedure| Input| Output| Precision| Finiteness| Definiteness| Correctness| Generality| 1| NO| NO| YES| YES| NO| YES| YES| 2| NO | YES| NO| NO| YES| YES| NO| 3| YES| YES| YES| YES| YES| NO| YES| 4| NO| YES| NO| NO| YES| YES| NO| b) Modify above procedure so that they satisfies all the properties Procedure 1: if n >= 0 n 2n Procedure 2: if a>0 && b>0 either a or b Procedure 3: i 0 sum 0 while i < 10 do sum sum + i i++ Procedure 4: While n > 0 do m 1/n n n – 1 Question # 3 a) Find gcd(31415, 14142) by applying Euclid’s algorithm. Sol. gcd(31415%14142) gcd(14142%3131) gcd(3131%1618) gcd(1618%1513) gcd(1513%105) gcd(105%43) gcd(43%19) gcd(19%5) gcd(5%4) gcd(4%1) gcd(1%0) = 1 Answer. b) Estimate how many times faster it will be to find gcd(31415, 14142) by Euclid’s algorithm compared with the algorithm based on checking consecutive integers from min{m, n} down to gcd(m, n). Ans.The algorithm for finding gcd based on checking consecutive integers will take 14142 steps, whereas the Euclid’s algorithm took just 11 steps. So, 14142/11 we get 1285. We can say that Euclid’s algorithm is 1285 time faster. Question #4 What does Euclid’s algorithm do for a pair of numbers in which the first number is smaller than the second one? What is the largest number of times this can happen during the algorithm’s execution on such an input? Ans. According to Euclid’s algorithm if the first number i s smaller the second one then we have to swap the both values.We will have to swap only once. Question # 5 a) What is the smallest number of divisions made by Euclid’s algorithm among all inputs 1 ? m, n ? 10? b) Ans. For any possible combination of inputs among 1 ? m, n ? 10, the smallest number of division made by Euclid’s algorithm is 1. c) What is the largest number of divisions made by Euclid’s algorithm among all inputs 1 ? m, n ? 10? d) Ans. For any possible combination of inputs among 1 ? m, n ? 10, the largest number of divisions made by Euclid’s algorithm is 5 for (5,8). Question # 6Euclid’s algorithm, as presented in Euclid’s treatise, uses subtractions rather than integer divisions. Write a pseudo code for this version of Euclid’s algorithm. Ans. If a0 X b2-4ac If X < 0 print ‘no real roots exits’ else X1 -b+sqrt(X)/2a X2 -b-sqrt(X)/2a Return X1 and X2.

Sociology and People

Hannah Wisnewski Period 4 Sociology Mr. Taylor Essays for Test 1. Clarify how folkways, mores, and laws vary in importance within American society. Give examples of each. Their importance of folkways, mores and laws within American society is that, in combination, they help maintain a civil society. Folkways are rules or standards that cover ways of thinking, feeling, and behavior but lack moral overtones. Folkways are socially accepted however not morally significant. They are norms for everyday behavior that people follow for the sake of tradition.But if the folkway is broken there is no moral or legal consequence. Folkways in the United States consist of supporting school activities, speaking to other students in the hall, and if male, removing hats in church. In society today we find people who always wear shorts with a suit or who talk loudly odd but society doesn’t consider them immoral. However if someone has obnoxious behavior at a party after excessive drinking can br ing in strong negative reactions from others. Mores are strict norms that control moral and ethical behavior. Mores deal with morality which is the right and wrong.Mores are norms of great moral significance. Conformity to mores conveys strong social approval whereas violation conveys strong disapproval. Following folkways is generally a matter of personal choice; though conformity to mores is a social requirement. An example of a more would be if someone attends church in the nude, s/he would offend most people of that culture and be morally shunned. Laws are norms that are formally defined and enforced by officials. Folkways and mores emerge together slowly and unconsciously created whereas laws were created and enforced.Mores are an important source for laws, for instant at one point the norm against murder hadn’t been written down. Then society advanced and the norm against murder became formally defined and enforced. Folkways can lead into and become mores or laws. An ex ample of a law is smoking. Up until the 1970’s smoking when mounting health convinced many people that smoking should be limited or banned in public places. As society developed, many states picked up the law against smoking in airports, government buildings, restaurants, and other open general public places. . Which theory of deviance best explains why people do deviant acts? Why? Which theory does not explain why people do deviant acts? Why? I think the control theory best explains why people do deviant acts because they conform to social norms depends on the presence of strong bonds between individuals and society. Social bonds control the behavior of people and thus preventing deviant acts. Most people do not conform since they do not want to â€Å"lose face† with family, friends, or classmates. Control theory is broken into 4 parts first and foremost attachment.This is when an individual has strong attachment to groups or other individuals. Next is commitment whic h is great commitment to goal the more likely a person would be to conform. The commitment is greater than the commitment of people who do not believe they can compete within the system. Next in the four is involvement which is participation in approved social activities increases the probability of conformity. Besides positively focusing an individual’s time and energy and the participation p connects contact with valuable opinions.Last is belief in norms and values of society promotes conformity. This belief appropriateness for the rules of social life strengthens peoples resolve no to deviate from those norms. I think the strain theory does not explain why people do deviant acts because it is merely a hypothesis of Durkheim’s concept of anomie, whereas control is the social bonds controlling the behavior of people. There are four parts to the strain theory, first is innovation which an individual accepts the goal of success but uses illegal means to achieve it this is the most obvious type of deviant response.An example of innovation is robbery, drug dealing and other criminal acts. Next is ritualism where the individual rejects the goal but continues to use the legitimate means. This is where people go through the motions without really believing the process. This could be a teacher going through daily lessons however not caring about the way the students turn out. Retreatism is a deviant response in which both the legitimate means and the approved goals are rejected.Alcoholics and drug addicts are retreatists, thus meaning they are not successful nor seek to be successful. Rebellion is people who both reject success and the approved means for achieving it. However at the same time they additionally add a new set of goals and means. Some of the militia group members demonstrate this response. However they live alone to pursue the goal of changing society by doing deviant things, such as creating their own currency, deliberately violating gun laws, and threatening violent behavior against law enforcement. . America’s prisons are at a crisis. Explain how bad the prison problem has become. What are some alternatives to prison? How would you solve the prison crisis? The problem with the prisons is that they have become increasingly over populated. Some alternatives to prison are a combination of prison and probation which a mixed or split sentence known as shock probation which is designed to shock offenders into recognizing the realities of prison life. Prisoner’s serve part of their sentence in an institution and rest on probation.Another alternative is a community-based program. These programs are designed to reintroduce criminals into society. At this time the prisoners will have the opportunity to become part of society however under professional guidance and supervision. The next alternative is diversion strategy which is aimed at preventing, or greatly reducing the offender’s involvement in the c riminal justice system. This alternative involves a referral to a community-based treatment program rather than a prison or a probationary program.If I could solve the prison crisis personally I would just build more prisons out in the middle of nowhere so I can keep everyone safe and protected. I feel like if an individual is in prison for something they have done then they deserve to be there away from society. Personally I don’t feel like going from prison to prohibition really does much because who’s to say they will not commit crime again? Maybe this time even worse than the last because the individual (criminal) could want revenge.

Bitter Melon Nutrition Facts Essay

Bitter melon is the immature pod vegetable, popular in many Asian countries. This widely grown as edible pod is, in fact, among the most bitter of all culinary vegetables. Bitter melon is a temperate /tropical vegetable probably originated in South-East Asia. Like other members of the Cucurbitaceae family, this plant is a fast-growing, trailing or climbing vine with thin stems and tendrils and requires trellis to support the climbing vine. The pods are characterized by smooth lengthwise ridges and uneven pebbly surface. Depending upon the cultivar type, immature pods are light to dark green and have oblong or oval shapes with a pointed tip at the blossom end. Internally, the flesh is white with rough edged seeds, somewhat similar to ridge gourd seeds. As the fruits begin to mature, they gradually turn yellow or orange. Health benefits of Bitter gourd * The vegetable is very low in calories, providing just 17 calories per 100g. Nevertheless, its pods are rich in phytonutrients like dietary fiber, minerals, vitamins and anti-oxidants. * Bitter melon notably contains phyto-nutrient, polypeptide-P; a plant insulin known to lower blood sugar levels. In addition, it composes hypoglycemic agent called charantin. Charantin increases glucose uptake and glycogen synthesis in the cells of liver, muscle and adipose tissue. Together, these compounds are thought to be responsible for reduction of blood sugar levels in the treatment of type-2 diabetes. * Fresh pods are an excellent source of folates, contain about 72 Â µg/100g (Provides 18% of RDA). Folate helps reduce the incidence of neural tube defects in the newborns when taken by mothers during early pregnancy. * Fresh bitter melon is an excellent source of vitamin-C (100 g of raw pod provides 84 mg or about 140% of RDI). Vitamin-C, one of the powerful natural antioxidants, helps the body scavenge deleterious free radicals one of the reasons for cancer development. * It is an excellent source of health benefiting flavonoids such as ß-carotene, ÃŽ ±-carotene, lutein, and zea-xanthin. It also contains a good amount of vitamin A. Together; these compounds help act as protective scavengers against oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that play a role in aging, cancers and various disease processes. * Bitter melon stimulates easy digestion and peristalsis of food through the bowel until it is excreted from the body. Thus, helps in relieving indigestion and constipation problems. * In addition, the vegetable is an also good source of niacin (vitamin B-3), pantothenic acid (vitamin B-5), pyridoxine (vitamin B-6) and minerals such as iron, zinc, potassium, manganese and magnesium. * Early laboratory tests suggest that compounds in bitter melon might be effective for treating HIV infection.