Saturday, August 31, 2019

Is Patriarchy the Main Cause of Gender Inequality?

This view is held by Radical feminists, they believe that patriarchy is society is the reason that women are oppressed and exploited by men, and Marxists for example hold the view that the capitalist system is the reason for the gender inequality. Feminists believe that women are unequal to men, and as a result society benefits men whilst exploiting men. Feminist investigate the effects that this inequality has on women’s power, status, roles and life chances.They believe that gender inequality is socially constructed an example is gender roles; these are taught to children at very young ages and encourage these gender inequalities to become part of society’s norms. The different type of feminists believe different reasons for gender inequality, there are liberal, radical Marxist and postmodern feminists, radical are arguably the most extreme and controversial feminist group. Radical feminist believe patriarchy has been socialised into society making it accepted, this r esults in the unequal gender inequality for women.People in society are taught male patriarchy through education, male dominance is enforced and a masculine view of the world is presented to children, this is shown through the gendered subjects and the teacher treatment of male and female students. They argue that male dominance has become accepted in society so much so that this leads to violence towards women being accepted in the home and on the streets. Radical feminists believe that men exploit and oppress women. They believe that the family plays a significant role in aiding this oppression, as women can be exploited by their male partners through abuse and the additional work they do.However, Marxist criticise radicals for generalising women’s experiences, women’s experiences vary greatly depending on their class, ethnicity and household type. If a women was from a middle class background she is more likely to suffer in the family, as it’s accepted that o nly the man works, bringing greater equality than if they both worked. Radical feminist are critics by liberals for failing to acknowledge any change to gender becoming more equal, for example car insurance since 2012 is now the same amount for both men and women, Radicals are often critiqued for having an ‘outdated’ look on gender inequality.Marxist feminists fundamentally believe unlike Radicals that women’s oppression is strongly linked to the capitalist system. They believe that women are exploited mainly at home and in the workforce, in the home they reproduce the next generation of workers whilst ensuring the stability of the current generation. This is illustrated through Ansleys study, which concluded that women are disadvantaged as they absorb the frustration and anger from husbands who are in turn exploited at work. The Patriarchy ideology present in society enables women to accept the inequality that’s present.Marxist acknowledge that there has been a shift in the male aspect of domestic and child care, however its women who still have to do the majority and are therefore the most disadvantaged. Women are more disadvantaged than men as they form the ‘ reserve labour army’ this means they work at cheaper rates and can be hired and fired much more freely than men, this also leads to women being more likely to partake in part time and shorter hour jobs, this encourages the dependency that women have upon men.However the reserve army of labour fails to acknowledge the gendered nature of jobs, it doesn’t explain why women are the reserve army. Radical feminist argue that Marxist feminists pay too little attention to patriarchy, the main cause of women’s oppression instead focus greatly on the capitalist system which could be seen as completely irrelevant ion terms of women’s inequality. Black feminists highlight that they ignore ethnic minority groups, and like Radicals categorise women’ s experiences into a common group.Postmodern feminists hold the view that there are a wide range of masculinities and felinities to pick and choose from in today’s society, therefore allowing women to choose the lifestyle they lead, this suggest that women don’t suffer they only chose to be unequal if they desire. This also suggests that patriarchal views aren’t necessarily held anymore, and if they are they have subsequently less impact as people can have more choice in society. They also believe that women’s oppression can’t be summed up into one common ground, every circumstance is greatly different.And they acknowledge that there are fundamental differences between women which will inevitably affect the choices they make. They believe that other forms of feminism are outdated and in some cases have a negative effect as they are making women unhappy with their lifestyles, instead of correcting the problems present in society they feel that femin ists particularly Radicals just highlight the problems. They hold the same opinions as Hakim in regards to feminism having a negative rather than positive effect on women.Hakim however believes that feminism has created myths about womens life, and argues like Postmodern feminism that feminism its having a negative effect on women, she believes that patriarchy isn’t the reason for gender inequality and in actual fact gender inequality is less prominent than feminist make it out to be. Hakim accuses feminist of inventing their own myths about women’s work attitudes and behaviour. She found there were five main myths about feminism. Some examples are women employment has been rising, and childcare is the main barrier preventing women competing fully with men, these myths clearly contradict feminist views.She also found that men and women do have different work orientation, and that it shouldn’t necessarily be seen as a negative thing, they just happen to be differ ent. She also believed another myth was that the gender turnover was different, she believes that men and women get paid the same regardless of sex, Marxist would strongly disagree as the women are only the reserve army of labour so therefore don’t earn as much as the breadwinning males. Half of two thirds of women hold traditional gender views, suggesting that overall women’s attitudes to work are weaker than men’s.However Ginn argues Hakims claims are oversimplified, and there are considerable gaps between groups. Women’s attitudes fluctuate and change over time and so the divisions can’t be fixed. Ginn also argues that Hakim also has no convincing explanation, she has just stated the problems not why they occur. Other reasons for women’s attitudes could be shaped by the wider social context; this could be influenced by the patriarchal system. Hakim suggests that women’s attitudes are changing but much slower than feminists think. D elamount also found weakness in Hakims argument, as she based her evidence on only one large scale survey.This presents numerous flaws as it wasn’t over a long period time span and the methods themselves could be incorrect, so the findings were very unlikely to represent the population as a whole. In conclusion, radical feminist believe patriarchy is the main reason for gender inequality. Marxist feminist however see the capitalist system as the reason for gender inequality. Hakim strongly disagrees that patriarchy is the reason for gender inequality and instead argues that childcare prevents women competing with men, particularly in the workplace.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Hybrid Cars

Hybrid cars are the transportation of the future. Humans have been driving around since the 1880’s. They started off as simple, one-cylinder machines, to today, where they are twelve cylinder animals. From fuel-efficient coupes, to gas guzzling SUVs, or even the ultra expensive supercars, all use gasoline. The use of this gasoline makes or breaks the selling point of the car. We base the cars off of their utility; the gas-guzzlers may be the ones with the most torque and pulling power, but the gas savers protect the environment and maybe save a few pennies in the pocket.Overall, the controversy is whether hybrid cars are really that much better than their all gas counterparts. Hybrid cars may save the environment from fuel emissions, but they do not save the driver nay substantial amount of money overall. The basics of a hybrid car are pretty easy, but the complexity comes with comparing them to all gasoline cars. The main aspect of a hybrid car is the engine. In normal gasoli ne cars there is only one engine, but in hybrid cars there is one gasoline engine and one electric engine. The two engines work in harmony; if the electric engine runs out of power the gasoline engine charges it.This process saves money on gas. Typically, a hybrid car get around 48-60 miles per gallon. This is a lot of mileage compared to most gasoline cars, which average about 18-26 miles per gallon. In addition to getting more gas mileage, hybrid cars cut down on fuel emissions. This can be illustrated by this graph: Another important aspect of a hybrid car is actually when it is coming to a stop. In a plain old car all of the energy and momentum that had been gained through accelerating is lost when braking. This makes city travel rather inefficient. Hybrids fix this; they capture breaking energy and use it to charge the battery.This not only saves fuel but also has less wear and tear on the break pads. In the same ballpark as the breaking, the engine saves fuel by turning off an d on often. When a hybrid vehicle comes to a complete stop the engine turns off and saves energy. It then restarts and turns back on once the accelerator is pressed. By doing this, energy is not wasted through idling. Utilizing the electric engine, it creates a boost for the combustion engine paired with it. This allows a smaller, less clunky, and more efficient engine to be used. Overall, the differences of the hybrid car make for a new technological driving experience.The value of a hybrid car is based off of its practicality. Does it really do what it says it does? Does it save me any money on gas? Does it function to cut down on emissions? Is it worth the extra money? Well here’s some information: a Honda Civic gets around 36 miles per gallon, a typical hybrid costs around $19,000-$25,000, a typical gas vehicle costs around $14,000-$17,000. The price difference comes from the complexity in the process of building the car. Also, not only affecting the price, the production of the car creates plenty of emissions and a whole bunch of energy. This puts â€Å"zero emission vehicles† to sleep.Creating another question, â€Å"Are all of these statistics true? † The production of hybrid cars has almost solely come from foreign countries, such as japan and China. Only recently have American companies been trying to dip their hand into the hybrid pool. Overall, the American creation of hybrids has only been poor attempts just to put their name out there in the market. Doing this is focusing on adding to their all gas cars because they also promote fuel efficiency. The drawbacks are clear and make the pros not quite outweigh the cons in the end. The wheel-to-well aspect put the nail in the coffin for hybrid cars.Focusing on the entire production, the process cancels its strives for efficiency by its complexity. Also, the argument for â€Å"zero emissions† is also false due to the process to create the car itself. Finally, the fuel usage ma y be a bit better then typical gas vehicles; it does not cancel out the immense price jump to the hybrid. This makes the price of the car not worth it, and much more favorable to buy it gas counterpart. Overall, the verdict is that a hybrid car does not really do that much for the driver except for its major selling points, â€Å"It’s a green, new technology! †

Thursday, August 29, 2019

The legal profession is a form of public trust

The legal profession is a form of public trust which is given only to those qualified enough to uphold the law and assist in the administration of justice. It is a duty of public service which involves sincerity, integrity and reliability, in which pecuniary considerations are a mere by-product, notwithstanding establishing lawyer-client relationships in the highest degree of fiduciary. The lawyer is an oath-bound servant of society whose conduct is clearly circumscribed by inflexible norms of law and ethics to which the ends of justice are the primary considerations. In rendering legal services to his clients, he must observe utmost fidelity to the cause of his client regardless of his personal beliefs on his client’s guilt or innocence, as even the most guilty of all criminals can still avail of the different protections afforded by the law. Sometimes, though, lawyers are faced with legal complications in providing the most adequate defenses for their clients especially when the latter are found to have deliberately violated the laws of the land. These acts do no include justifying circumstances in criminal prosecutions as these are been deemed lawful when convincingly proven in court. The acts contemplated here are acts which are considered, on its face, patent violations of the law bereft of any legal justification. However, these illegal acts do not preclude the rendering of legal services for the protection of their rights. Among the conditions and circumstances that utterly warrant the defense of illegal acts are those which are challenged based on constitutional issues involving the due process and equal protection clauses, and constitutionally-protected freedoms such as free expression and the right to privacy. The due process and the equal protection clauses have been two of the most important protections afforded by the US Constitution to the American people to safeguard them from the unwarranted intrusions of government into the free exercise of their democratic rights. As a result, many previously considered violations of the law were overturned by the US Supreme Court for abridging the due process and equal protection clauses of the constitution, to the extent that entire statutes were declared unconstitutional and taken off the statute books. In the case of Lawrence v. Texas, two gay couples were charged and convicted for â€Å"deviate sexual intercourse, namely anal sex, with a member of the same sex,† (539 U.S. 558) and violating the Texas Penal Code Ann.  §21.06(a), which provides that a person commits an offense if he engages in deviate sexual intercourse with another individual of the same sex. The homosexual couple asserted that their conviction was an infringement of the Equal Protection and Due Process Clauses of the Fourteenth amendment, in which the majority opinion answered thus These matters, involving the most intimate and personal choices a person may   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   make in a lifetime, choices central to personal dignity and autonomy, are central   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   to the liberty protected by the Fourteenth Amendment. At the heart of liberty is   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   the right to define one’s own concept of existence, of meaning, of the universe,    and of the mystery of human life. Beliefs about these matters could not define the   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   attributes of personhood were they formed under compulsion of the State.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pa. v. Casey, 505 U.S. 833 (1992) Such homosexual acts in the privacy of a person’s home is subsumed in the concept stated above and their autonomy as persons to decide for themselves the concept of their own existence and meaning must be respected by the Court and the law. While convicted in the lower courts for violating the law, they were vindicated by the ruling of the Supreme Court based on their constitutional challenge. A case that was won based on procedural due process is the case of Tumey v. Ohio in which Tumey was arrested and charged with the unlawful possession of intoxicating liquor at White Oak, another village in Hamilton county, Ohio, on a warrant issued by the mayor of North College Hill. The mayor of the town then proceeded to try and convict Tumey under the existing law. His conviction was challenged based on the pecuniary interest of the mayor in convicting Tumey as he stood to gain from the amount of the costs in each case, in addition to his regular salary, as compensation for hearing such cases. There is, therefore, no way by which the mayor may be paid for his service as judge, if he does not convict those who are brought before him. The US Supreme Court looked favorably on the assertions of Tumey, reversed his conviction, and remanded the case for further trial, due to the utter lack of impartiality in the previous proceedings with the mayor sitting as a judge. This is proof once again that constitutional challenges protect the rights even of persons seen to have deliberately violated the law. In Lanzetta v. New Jersey, the appellants were indicted and convicted under the New Jersey Statute which prosecutes â€Å"any person not engaged in any lawful occupation, known to be a member of any gang consisting of two or more persons, who has been convicted at least three times of being a disorderly person, or who has been convicted of any crime, in this or any other State, is declared to be a gangster. The US Supreme Court declared the statute unconstitutional for being repugnant to the Fourteenth Amendment as the word â€Å"gang† and â€Å"gangster† is vague such that even those who belong to a group whose objective may be legal may unnecessarily be covered. Hence, due to vagueness, there is no sufficient warning to the public as to what exactly is proscribed by the law. The persons in this case, even if found to be true gangsters in a socio-cultural sense, had their convictions reversed simply due to the vagueness of the law. In the case of In Re Lynch, John Lynch was released from prison that supposedly condemned him for life behind bars as the US Supreme Court found the penalty for this offense of indecent exposure too cruel for such a light offense, relative to more heinous crimes with the same penalty. Lynch was definitely found guilty of his crime, yet the law still afforded him adequate protection despite his offenses when it was challenged based on the constitutional issue of disproportionate punishments which, although not cruel or unusual in its method, it is so disproportionate to the crime for which it is inflicted that it shocks the conscience and offends fundamental notions of human dignity. In New York Times v. Sullivan, the libel suit of L.B. Sullivan against the New York Times did not earn the affirmation of the US Supreme Court as it held that the interest of the public outweighs the interest of any other individual. While the New York Times might, on its face, erred in accurately reporting the facts of the civil rights demonstration involving Martin Luther King, the newspaper cannot be held for its criticisms of the official conduct of public officials.   In this case, the freedom of the press saved the New York Times from settling the multi-million dollar libel suit filed by Sullivan even if the lower courts found them guilty of the offense. In the famous case of Griswold v. Connecticut, Drs. Griswold and Buxton were found guilty of violating 53-32 and 54-196 of the General Statutes of Connecticut and fined $100 each for giving information, instruction, and medical advice to married persons as to the means of preventing conception, notwithstanding examining a married woman and prescribed the best contraceptive device or material for her use. The US Supreme Court reversed their convictions based on a discussion of the penumbra of rights which are formed by emanations from those constitutional guarantees that help give them life and substance. This is shown in past cases wherein, though not directly involved, the right to privacy was upheld. The court, in verbatim even said – The present case, concerns a relationship lying within the zone of privacy created   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   by several fundamental constitutional guarantees. And it concerns a law which, in   Ã‚   forbidding the use of contraceptives rather than regulating their manufacture or    sale, seeks to achieve its goals by means having a maximum destructive impact upon that relationship. Such a law cannot stand in light of the familiar principle, so often applied by this Court, that a â€Å"governmental purpose to control or prevent   Ã‚   activities constitutionally subject to state regulation may not be achieved by means which sweep unnecessarily broadly and thereby invade the area of   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   protected freedoms.† Yet again, the US Supreme Court intervened in expunging responsibility from individuals who were found to be in blatant violation of the existing laws of the land. In all of these, it is patently clear that individuals found to be in deliberate violation of existing laws can still be afforded protection by our system of laws. While many other conditions and exceptions exist to warrant the defense of supposedly erring individuals and groups, the best way of going around the violations of the law is through a sound constitutional challenge before the courts of law, from the lowest courts all the way up to the US Supreme Court. It must be remembered that these are done not only for the sheer obstinacy of defending the cause of the client but also in pursuit of upholding the rule of law, the integrity of the courts and assist in the administration of justice. The duties of the lawyers are not only to prosecute and defend, but also to ensure that justice is done to all those who deserve it. Cases Cited: Lawrence v. Texas, 539 U.S. 558 (2003) Tumey v. Ohio, 373 US 510 (1927) Lanzetta v. New Jersey, 306 US 451 (1939) In Re Lynch, 8 Cal 3rd 410 P. 2d (1972) New York Times v. Sullivan, 376 US 254 (1964) Griswold v. Connecticut, 381 US 47A (1965)   

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Construction contract Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Construction contract - Essay Example The implementation of the NEC contracts has resulted in great benefits in terms of time, money and quality both nationally and internationally. The NEC documents are essentially different in approach to many other procurement contracts. This approach is seen in the drafting of the contract. Where the traditional approach to a contract showed the adversarial relationship between the client and the contractor, the NEC approach to contracts promotes a collaborating approach that has a consistent record of submitting projects in the given time, and on budget (Bennett and Baird, p30). The NEC is a unit of standard contracts with three key characteristics that exist in each document. Firstly, it promotes good management and shows the relationship and the work between the two parties in the contract. Secondly, the NEC can be used for a variety of commercial situations as they support a variety of types of work regardless of the location. Lastly, NEC is a clear and simple contract which is drafted in easy language and simple words so that it is easy to understand for all parties. The contract in regard of the whole project comes with notes for guidance and flowcharts showing the details of the procedure of the project (Gibson, p77). Compensation events are those events that lead the contractor to be compensated for any change in price and as well as the completion date, if that event is not the contractor’s fault. The consequence of the compensation event is that the contractor has to allow additional payment and additional time. In some rare cases, these compensation events may also result in reduced payments. The basis on which the contractor is paid for the compensation event is the actual and forecast cost of the project. All the compensation events are mentioned in the contract under the core clauses where the contractor and

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Food Translation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Food Translation - Essay Example This essay discusses the translation of recipe and menus, that usually begins with discussing why translation is both a science and art, and the principal issues of subjectivity in translation and interpretation, foreignisation-domestication and visibility-invisibility. The researcher of this essay focuses on the main objective of translating menus and recipes, that is to provide information about the content or ingredients of the food to be cooked and the manner of preparation, as in recipe instructions, in such a manner as to be appetising, moving the reader to try it. One important and crucial application of translation that was discussed in the essay, is in the understanding of recipes and menus because of the nature that food acquires in the mind of the person, be it an American sitting at a restaurant in Cairo or an Egyptian at a restaurant in Glasgow. For both, the menu informs whether the food would agree with the body and, in the case of the Egyptian, also with the soul. The unique nature of every language system poses a paradoxical situation between the use of the common translation principles and translator strategies that were used, especially in the matter of menu and recipe translation. Part of the complex nature of translation work is due to the complexity of the social and cultural meanings of food that are unique to peoples and their geographies. It is also concluded by the researcher that a good translator must know well the translation principles and strategies to do a good and effective job. ... When different cultures interact, each culture develops and changes. Language development gives translation its important role: by allowing one culture to communicate with another, translation improves the way cultures understand and influence each other. That, at least, is the theory. The practice is complex and challenging because in translating from one language to another, it is not easy to capture precisely different cultural identities and make these easier for the other to understand. This is why translation is both a science and an art. Translation is a science because it follows objective rules and methods. It is also an art because it entails the re-production and re-creation of an original work (source text or ST) in a source language (SL) into a target language (TL) in a new work (target text or TT). The translation from ST to TT requires a complex set of knowledge and skills to re-produce the content, spirit, and context of the ST as faithfully as possible to enhance understanding and produce the intended effect. This is not easy because a faithful understanding of a culture is difficult for one not native to it. Translations must reflect the thought, feeling, and style of the SL as faithfully, flexibly, and satisfactorily in the TL, which means the TT must be close to the ST in form and substance, i.e., from the literary and linguistic points of view. Following the simplest rule of communication, the translator confronted with a ST must determine the original author's message, the meaning the author puts into that message, the author's intention, and how the author communicates that message (Venuti, 1995, 1-2). Throughout the whole translation process, the translator has to remember

Scientific Method - Social Psychology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Scientific Method - Social Psychology - Essay Example Scientific method is highly instrumental to the success of social psychologists in carrying out their analysis. It is the application of scientific method of systematic observation that the conditions of humans are effectively studied. Through the scientific method of research, social psychologists are better informed on the way people feel, how they behave and the kind of thoughts that go through their minds (Feldman, 2009). Social psychologists cannot make observation without the use of scientific method and research as they make use of the advancement in technology to make precise and intricate observations about their subjects. This further emphasizes the role of scientific method in the field of social psychology as the more the improvement in research technology, the easier and faster the work of social psychologists would definitely be. It is therefore pertinent to note that social psychologists make use of different scientific methods of research, which includes; public opini on surveys, real world observations, case studies, and laboratory experiments to make their analysis and study. This further corroborates the role of scientific method in social psychology.

Monday, August 26, 2019

Litarary theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Litarary theory - Essay Example Sidney does not agree with Shelley that poetry is an expression of the beauty that has been expressed by the mind or the pet. Sidney says the poet use the creative power to invent a new world while Shelley believes that the impression touches the core of a person who prolongs the experience. Just as a child attempts to express himself through sounds and gestures, a poet tries to express the feelings of joy and happiness he carries as impressions the world has made on his mind. A poet first feels the happiness and then this emotion is expressed through the use of words and language, says Shelley but Sidney contends it is a new creation, new nature when the poet is in harmony with the Creator. What Shelley implies is that the beauty of the world is expressed through a poet. This happens when the poet delves deep within, appreciates the nature and its beauty. What springs forth from the inner self is the feeling when the mind is in harmony with the nature. Both however agree that the poet is in harmony – Shelly refers to it as harmony with the world, with the beauty, harmony with the impressions the world has made on him. Sidney says the when the poet exercises the highest power of humanity, he resembles the Creator. This suggests the poet is in harmony with the creator. Hence, what transpires is that a poet has to be in harmony for poetry to be created – call it the nature, the world, the beauty, the creator, whether it is the imagination or the real world. 2. Compare/contrast the mimetic theories of Pope and Wordsworth. Try to identify areas of agreement and disagreement in their discussions of how works of literature imitate or represent the real world. The mimetic theories of Pope and Wordsworth discuss the rules for the critic or the reader. Pope believes that since nature is unerring and unchanging, one should follow the rules of the nature while Wordsworth’s poems imitate the primary laws of the nature. Poetry has its origin in the orderly

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Composition Annotated Bibliography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Composition - Annotated Bibliography Example While it may not be as complete and detailed as other biographical accounts of Hoover, it does provide enough information about his disposition and temperament when it comes to individuals whom he considered as enemies of the state. Since the research deals with the government abuse of power while Hoover was in the FBI as described by Stout in The Doorbell Rang, this book would help in explaining the character of the said director. The FBI: A History presents a detailed discussion of the history of the country’s principal crime-fighting force. It also attempts at providing analysis on the key events that occurred during the history of the FBI. It particularly highlights the era when J. Edgar Hoover was at the helm of its organization. This book by Rhodri Jeffreys-Jones is relevant to the research since it helps in clarifying the historical context of Rex Stout’s The Doorbell Rang. Select Committee to Study Governmental Operations. Intelligence Activities and the Rights of Americans. United States Senate, 1976. Web. 27 January 2012. http://www.icdc.com/~paulwolf/cointelpro/churchfinalreportIIce.htm This is basically a report submitted by a senate committee headed by Sen. Frank Church in 1976. The said committee made and investigation of all the actions that the FBI did during the time when J. Edgar Hoover was its director. The document was actually one of the very first systematic and comprehensive attempts at exposing the FBI and the CIAs abuse of power, such as the spying conducted on American citizens. This also provides substantial proofs of Hoover’s violations of the privacy of individuals, which is the gist in The Doorbell Rang. Since the research is on the theme of how The Doorbell Rang serves as a critique of J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI, it is only right that the book become a principal reference. The book written by Rex Stout is part of the Nero Wolfe detective story series. However, unlike the rest of the Nero

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Shell Gas Station (Timewise) Compliance Interview and Report Research Paper - 1

Shell Gas Station (Timewise) Compliance Interview and Report Assignment - Research Paper Example That is why I choose this company. There are two main types of laws and regulations that govern Timewise Food Stores in its day to day operations. These are the governmental regulation and company policy. Shell gas station is one of the very vast liability stores that are located in Texas. There is a variety of legal compliance whose adherence is required of the company. There is a legal requirement, professional standards and policies that the company has established for all its outlets in the Texas. The legal requirement includes federal and local county laws that regulate the stores in their daily activities. The most important for Shell store manager is to be aware of any matter related to Tobacco or Alcohol. Federal law requires Shell to sell tobacco to customers over the age of 18 years old and alcohol to over the age of 21 years old. However, each state is free to create its own laws, agencies, and punishments. According to Texas regulation, there is no restriction concerning selling hours or places of sale of Tobacco. However, the violation of term in buying or selling Tobacco to minor is subject to same penalties as alcohol penalties. The laws on alcohol establishments occur under the control of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. According to Texas law under Sec. 106.025, first and second offense of minor licensee is considered a class-C misdemeanor which means it only carries a 30-60 days maximum suspension of license and a fine of up to $500.00 along with 8 to 40 hours of community service. However, if the licensee is over 18 years of age, then it usually increased to a class-B misdemeanor, which is 6 months to a full year in jail and a $250 to $2000 fine. An offense under this section is punishable as provided by Sec. 106.071. According to Texas law under Sec. 106.03 a clerk who actually sold

Friday, August 23, 2019

One page sammary Quality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

One page sammary Quality - Essay Example Customer Focus - This category deals with how the organization captures and holds on to its customers for long-term success. The strategies for this category include how the organization creates a customer-focused environment, and how the organization listens to the needs of their customers. Measurement, Analysis, and Knowledge Management - The focus of this category is how the organization selects, gathers, analyzes, manages, and improves upon its current data and information. It also delves into how an organization implements reviews into their practices to improve its performances. Workforce Focus - The purpose of this category is to examine how the organization develops the workforce to make use of its full potential in regard to the overall mission and strategy of the organization. The goal is to have a workforce environment that is working on its highest performance. Process Management - This category looks at how the organization designs its work systems and how it manages and improves the key processes for executing these work systems to benefit customer value and to obtain organizational success. Results - This category looks at every aspect of the organization’s performance and improvement, from product outcomes and customer-focused outcomes, to financial and workforce-focused outcomes. Performance levels are taken into consideration and examined in regard to those of

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Understanding Effects Of Ethnicity In Afghan Culture Essay Example for Free

Understanding Effects Of Ethnicity In Afghan Culture Essay Ethnic differences prevalent in Afghanistan have had a great impact on peoples’ personal lives especially during interpersonal communication. As an Afghan citizen, belonging to the Pashtan ethnic group, born and raised in a multicultural society, I had to master the art of effective communication at an early age. Here in this paper, I will explain how my life has been impacted by ethnic differences in Afghanistan especially during interpersonal communication. I will explain how I communicate with my friends from my ethnic group, from other ethnic groups as well as foreigners living in Afghanistan. My paternal grandfather, a Push tan was a governor in Central Afghanistan while my maternal grandfather, a Tajik, was the Interior Minister and finance minister and my father was the Mayor of Herat City, in the west of Afghanistan. Afghanistan is situated in South-western Asia. It borders Iran, Pakistan and several other countries in Central Asia. The â€Å"Islamic State of Afghanistan† is Afghanistan’s official name. Kabul is the capital and the other two major cities in Afghanistan are Herat and Kandahar. More than three quarters of Afghanistan’s population inhabits rural areas. The literacy level in Afghanistan is very low and it is among the world’s countries with small economies(Hussain 34-35). My ethnic group, Pushtun, is the major ethnic group in Afghanistan accounting for almost a half the population (42%). Tajiks account for 27% Hazaras 9% Uzbel 9% Aimak 4% Turkmen 3% while the other ethnic groups account for 4% of the population. As a result of the diverse ethnic groups, Afghanistan has been adopting various language policies in a bid to foster national unity. For instance, in 1992, the communist regime fell due to constant fighting which arose as a result of issues such as language policy. Linguistic differences made various factions fight each other. Consequently, between the year 1992 and 1996, Afghanistan’s national anthem was changed from Pashto language to the Dari(Hussain 40-44) The 2003 Draft Constitution in Afghanistan saw the Pashto and Dari languages become the official languages during the Draft Constitution’s amendments of Afghanistan’s language policy. The constitution made provisions guaranteeing all languages as equal. In today’s world, most countries strive to preserve its people’s culture as well as the language. Afghanistan has adopted the Assimilation Language Policy, which is aimed at fostering national unit by having a single national language. Pashtu is the national language of Afghanistan(Hussain 35-39) In Afghanistan, bilingualism is very common. Most people, especially literates can write and speak in at least two ethnic languages. As a child, I acquired two ethnic languages. By the time I went for my primary education, I could speak a few Dari words and phrases in addition to my mother tongue, Pushtan. When I joined school, I learned the Dari language which is taught because it is the national language. When people become competent in two or more languages, they tend to use both languages in interpersonal communications. This results in switching between codes and mixing phrases from two different ethnic languages. Code switching is the use of words or phrases from two distinct languages or dialects in interpersonal communication. Code mixing entails the use of various words or phrases. When participants code-mix, they learn to relate what is altered by the speaker during a speech activity with the intended meaning as well as learning to compare what is spoken with what they know(Wood 67). In Afghanistan, people may code switch consciously or unconsciously. When a person code switches unconsciously, it is because s/he has gained competence in the two languages. Thus, one will switch between the languages and may not intent any communicative effect on the listeners, although the listeners may achieve an effect depending on how the speaker switches or mixes phrases. Conscious switching or mixing between different languages entails the speaker’s conscious effort. The speaker decides where to put a certain word or phrase with the aim of achieving a certain communication effect (Julia 30). Whenever I am with my Pushtan friends, we at times switch between the Pushtan language and the Dari language. At times, we do this unconsciously without putting into consideration the communication effect it will have to our listeners. Competence in both languages enables us to know where, when and how to mix the codes and switch between the two languages effectively. After all, we have spoken and written in these languages since childhood. In Afghanistan, people switch between languages for a number of varied reasons. For instance, whenever I am with my Pushtan friends and a band of people from say Dari whom we may detest and look down upon joins our band, we will code switch and code mix intentionally. We do this in a bid to make them feel unwanted. Occasionally, some of us will mix some Pashtun words with the Dari language. Infact, a great percentage of the words and phrases used in the speech may constitute Pashtun words. Normally, during most interpersonal communications, everyone wants to participate and this entails understanding what the other participants say so as to respond effectively. Since we withhold certain information from them by code switching, this makes the Dari speakers not participate in the speech act. Consequently, some of them may opt to leave the band while the stubborn ones may remain behind. Nothing irritates like people breaking into laughter and you are left wondering what amused them. One can even be made to think that he is the subject of mockery. Thus we may code switch so as to eliminate those we don’t want in our band (Jacobson 54) Our group may also code switch so as to make other groups of people feel appreciated. For instance, whenever we are with our friends from other ethnic groups, some of my friends who have mastered a few phrases and words from the languages will mix them with the Dari language. This makes them feel accommodated in our band. They feel that we appreciate their languages which are deemed to be inferior simply because they are not the official or national languages in Afghanistan. During interpersonal communication, everyone wants to be a part of the speech event. Consequently, our friends will feel motivated to participate because we acknowledge their presence. In addition, whenever I am with my Pushtan friends and we encounter Dari speakers who are not competent in Pushtan, we choose to use the Dari language in a bid to accommodate them. During a speech event, people tend to accommodate the other speakers. This is very crucial for effective communication. Imagine a situation where you speak to someone in, say, Dari, and he responds in Pashtun. Will you continue speaking in Dari? Of course not you would rather opt to switch to Pashtun if you are competent in it so as to avoid communication barriers. Language differences in Afghanistan can lead to communication barriers and so people have learned to accommodate others during a speech event by switching to the language used by other participants (Giles and Coupland 52). During a speech event, we may change our styles from time to time. Some of the reasons which make our band change styles during interpersonal communication include the topic being discussed, the participants in our band, and the motives/intentions of our band and so on. So we accommodate other participants by adjusting the number of times we switch between languages and strive to minimize the number of switches depending on the person we are speaking to. The accommodation is applied in our day-to-day speech events. In fact, some of my Dari friends who are not competent in Pushtan have mastered a few Pushtan words and phrases. Whenever we are conversing, they may mix a few Pashtun phrases with Dari phrases in a sentence. They do this so as to please us. They want us to think that they recognize and appreciate our language. As a matter of fact, some of them do this sarcastically; nothing irritates a Pashtan speaker than to hear a Dari speaker or any other speaker use a Pushtan word or phrase of which he or she does not even have the slightest idea of its meaning. Worse still, some of them may even use the wrong word order. I once lived in Hawaii and learned a few Hawaii words. When I visited the United States, I could hear the Americans switch to the Hawaii language. Some Americans could even mix spiritual phrases and words with English. What irritated me most was the fact that the Americans were not competent in the Hawaii language, yet they could dare mix Hawaii spiritual words and phrases of which they did not even know the meaning. I consider this as a kind of theft and a slap on the face to the Hawaii language. People should respect other peoples’ language especially spiritual words and phrases. In addition, Afghan’s may also code switch because they feel that they cannot express themselves well in a certain language. They feel that they lack certain words or expressions from a given language and that another language may have a ready word or expression for the message they want to convey. Whenever I am speaking with my Pashtun friends, who understand the Dari language, I will not bother much to think for a word in Pashtun when I have a Dari word or phrase for it. Most people will sometimes find it difficult to express themselves in their mother tongue. To some people, expressing oneself in an official language is much easier since it is the language they use most of the time, thus, they always have ready words and phrases. Most people agree that it is easy to express oneself in Dari, the national language simply because they use it more often and they may lack the appropriate words in their original language. Afghans view code switching to be beneficial during interpersonal communication although this will depend on the context or situation in which it occurs. This holds true, especially when a speaker encounters problems expressing himself in a particular language and he/she is competent in another language which his speakers are competent in. Thus, a speaker will break the communication gap by inserting phrases or words from the language his participants understand. Ethnicity also affects communication styles and strategies in Afghanistan in that, people from different ethnic groups have differences in social etiquette, customs and protocol. In Afghanistan, there are some common customs and protocols among the different ethnic groups, which affect interpersonal communication. For instance, men and women should not make eye contact. Men should not prolong their eye contact with other men and when they do, they should do so only occasionally. This custom creates a communication barrier in that communication between men and women is not effective since women are not allowed to speak directly to men. If a woman speaks directly to a man, she is being disgraceful and lowering her dignity. This greatly affects my life since women in our country are deprived of rights of expression, which implies that our mothers and sisters, who are the backbone of our nation, have no direct communicative role to play in the society. This implies that men and women in my country have to employ different styles and strategies in both verbal and non-verbal communication. In order to ensure that they preserve their cultural values, mixing between genders in my country is not freely allowed and free mixing only takes place within families. In places of work, in offices, and businesses or at institutions of learning, both higher and lower, both men and women must respect and maintain each other’s honor. They must also adhere to their culture without putting into consideration the impact it will have on interpersonal relations. Consequently, this has led to poor interpersonal relations in public places, which has led to increased war and conflicts among individuals, groups of people and ethnic societies. These have led to men dominating the country. Since they are the only ones who have a say, they have gone ahead and enacted and enforced laws and regulations which undermine their women folks and children who are regarded as inferior members of the society. Interactions and relations between individuals have also been adversely affected especially in institutions of learning. Foreign students who join universities in Afghanistan are faced with major challenges. To start with, most of these students come from ethnic backgrounds where women and men are regarded as equal. Consequently, they are forced to learn and to read the rules and ensure that they abide by them. This has led to students’ academic performance being affected since they spend a lot of time adapting to cultural changes. Besides eye contact, which is a non-verbal communication style, other types of non-verbal communication are also affected. Signals are also affected by ethnic differences. People send signals to convey messages. Sending of signals has been affected by ethnic differences in that people may send the wrong signals during the process of communication. Since women are not allowed to look at men in the eyes, this may pass the wrong signals to foreign men who have not mastered Afghanistan culture. They may think that the women are shy and may consequently tease them or misunderstand their intentions. In addition, since men and women are not allowed to shake hands, a misunderstanding may arise when an Afghanistan man or woman declines to shake hands with a foreigner who is not aware of the cultural values in Afghanistan. As a result, the communication process among different ethnic groups in Afghanistan has not been effective. The handshake is the most common form of greeting used in Afghanistan, Placing one’s hands over their hearts and nodding slightly is also another form of greeting. Foreigners can misunderstand this and a wrong signal can be sent probably signaling that someone is in love or in shock depending on how placing one’s hands over one’s heart implies in one’s culture. Symbols are also another form of non-verbal communication used. Symbols can be used to represent or express information. For the process of communication to be effective, the transmitter needs to employ both verbal and non-verbal forms of communication because they supplement each other. Ethnicity in Afghanistan has affected interpersonal communication in that cultural values have made the use of symbols ineffective by making them fail to communicate the intended information. Whenever I am socializing with the women folks in Afghanistan, I do not get their message right since they do not use symbols appropriately in a bid to uphold their cultural values. Men are supposed to dominate all interactions including interpersonal communications When a Turtumani person is speaking to a Baluchi speaker, one has to use Dari, which is the official language. The two language speakers have different cultural values and backgrounds. The problem may arise if one of the speakers say the Baluchi speaker, is illiterate and does not understand the national language. Thus, the two speakers will need the assistance of an interpreter. If the interpreter is not competent in both languages, a communication breakdown may arise. Most literate Afghans have learned Social and Humanistic languages and have leaned that each ethnic group is unique in and that no ethnic group should be considered superior than the other. Language reflects a peoples’ culture. Verbal communication entails use of well-constructed sentences with a correct word order. According to linguists, each language is unique in its own way and no language is deemed to be more superior to other. Thus, each Afghanistan ethnic language whether used as a national or official language contains complex structures. Each ethnic language has its own unique way of tense formation. Since the literacy level in Afghanistan is very low, communicating with people who are not learned in Afghanistan has posed a great challenge for me and my literate friends. I recall with nostalgia an incidence where my best Friend, Pierre picked up a fight with an illiterate Dari speaker as he tried to convince him that all languages are equal. In conclusion, ethnicity affects interpersonal communication in Afghanistan in that certain ethnic communities look down upon others. Some communities feel that they are greater/superior than others simply because they are considered to be bestowed with more natural resources than the others. Consequently, a communication gap may arise between the two. For instance, Dari ethnic groups and the Pashtans perceive themselves to be superior to other ethnic groups like Turkmen or Aimak ethnic groups. This is because they are a majority groups in the country’s population and their languages are recognized as the national and official languages. Each ethnic group in Afghanistan has a specific vocabulary, which it uses during the process of communication. For instance, the Pashtans have a specific and unique vocabulary, which they use. These cultural vocabularies hinder communication when one is speaking to members of a different ethnic group who do not have competence in the Pashtan language. As a result, Afghans should learn to embrace their diverse cultures by learning to cope with the challenges they encounter due to ethnic differences on their day-to-day activities. Afghanistan has been through many calamities and disasters, or instance, landmines and explosions. Schools have also been shattered, hospitals and roads demolished not to forget violence against women and drug addiction among the youth. These problems can be minimized by effective interpersonal communication among differing ethnic groups or parties.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Microelectronic Pill Essay Example for Free

Microelectronic Pill Essay 1: ABSTRACT The invention of transistor enabled the first use of radiometry capsules, which used simple circuits for the internal study of the gastro-intestinal (GI) tract. They couldnt be used as they could transmit only from a single channel and also due to the size of the components. They also suffered from poor reliability, low sensitivity and short lifetimes of the devices. This led to the application of single-channel telemetry capsules for the detection of disease and abnormalities in the GI tract where restricted area prevented the use of traditional endoscopy. They were later modified as they had the disadvantage of using laboratory type sensors such as the glass pH electrodes, resistance thermometers, etc. They were also of very large size. The later modification is similar to the above instrument but is smaller in size due to the application of existing semiconductor fabrication technologies. These technologies led to the formation of MICROELECTRONIC PILL. Microelectronic pill is basically a multichannel sensor used for remote biomedical measurements using micro technology. This is used for the real-time measurement parameters such as temperature, pH, conductivity and dissolved oxygen. The sensors are fabricated using electron beam and photolithographic pattern integration and were controlled by an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). 2: INTRODUCTION When Microelectronic pill is swallowed, then it will travel through the Gastro Intestinal Tract simultaneously perform multi parameter in situ physiological analysis After completing its mission it will come out of the body by normal bowel movement The pill is 16mm in diameter 55mm long weighing around 5 gram It records parameters like temperature, pH, Conductivity, Dissolved Oxygen in real time. It measures the body core temperature. Also compensates with the temperature induced signal changes in other sensors. It also identifies local changes associated with TISSUE INFLAMMATION ULCERS. 3:TECHNOLOGY USED IN MICROELECTRONIC PILL ION-SELECTIVE FIELD EFFECT TRANSISTOR(ISFET) The ISFET measures pH. It can reveal pathological conditions associated with abnormal pH levels These abnormalities include : Pancreatic disease Hypertension Inflammatory bowel disease The activity of fermenting bacteria The level of acid excretion Reflux of oesophagus Effect of GI specific drugs on target organs. The pair of direct contact Gold electrodes measures conductivity, by measuring the contents of water salt absorption, bile secretion the breakdown of organic components into charged colloids etc. in the GI tract. Since the gold has best conductivity among all the elements, Therefore it gives true value of conductivity as measured. Â  DIRECT CONTACT GOLD ELECTRODE The three electrode electrochemical cell detects the level of dissolved oxygen in solution. It measures the oxygen gradient from the proximal to the distal GI Tract It investigates : Growth of aerobic or bacterial infection Formation of radicals causing cellular injury pathophysiological conditions like inflammation Gastric ulceration. It develops generation enzymes linked with amperometric biosensors. ASIC The ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) is the control unit that connects together other components of the micro system. It contains an analogue signal –conditioning module operating the sensors, 10-bit analogue to digital (ADC) digital to analogue (DAC) converters, digital data processing module The temperature circuitry bias the diode at constant current so that change in temperature reflects a corresponding change in in diode voltage. The pH ISFET sensor is biased as a simple source at constant current with the source voltage changing with threshold voltage pH. The conductivity circuit operates at D.C. It measures the resistance across the electrode pair as an inverse function of solution conductivity. An incorporated potentiostat circuit operates the O 2 sensor with a 10 bit DAC controlling the working electrode potential w.r.t the reference Analogue signals are sequenced through a multiplexer before being digitized by ADC. ASIC sensors consume 5.3 mW power corresponding to 1.7 mA of current. CONTROL CHIP Size of transmitter = 8 ? 5 ? 3 mm Modulation Scheme = Frequency Shift Keying (FSK) Data Transfer Rate = 1 kbps Frequency = 40.01 MHz at 20 Â °C Bandwidth of the signal generated 10 KHz It consumes 6.8 mW power at 2.2 mA of current. RADIO TRANSMITTOR 4:Experimental The electronic pill comprise a biocompatible capsule, which consists of a chemically resistant polyether-terketone (PEEK) coating, the four microfabricated sensors, the ASIC control chip and a discrete component radio transmitter (Fig. 1). The unit I powered by two SR44 Ag2O batteries (3.1 V), which provides an operating time of 35 hours at the rated power consumption of 15 mW. The sensors were fabricated on two separate 55 mm2 silicon chips located at the front end of the capsule. The temperature sensor is embedded in the substrate, whereas the conductivity sensor is directly exposed to the surroundings. The pH and oxygen sensors were enclosed in two separate 8 nL electrolyte chambers containing a 0.1M KOH solution retained in a 0.2 % calcium alginate gel. The electrolyte maintains a stable potential of the integrated Ag/AgCl reference electrodes used by the two sensors. The oxygen and pH sensor are covered by a 12 ?m thick film of teflon and nafion respectively, and protected by a 15 ?m thick dialysis membrane of polycarbonate. The signals were conditioned by the ASIC and then transmitted to a local receiver (base station) at 40.01 MHz prior to data acquisition on a PC. The applied simplex communication link, based on a direct sequence spread spectrum communication system, can handle data from several pills at the same time. 4: APPLICATION It is used in the medical diagnosis of gestro-intestial tract disease. 5: CONCLUSION: The electronic pill will be further miniaturised for human ingestion by the incorporation of the transmitter on silicon and a reduction in power consumption by the implementation of a standby modus and serial bitstream data compression. The integration of radiation sensors and the application of indirect imaging technologies such as ultrasound and impedance tomography will improve the detection of tissue abnormalities and radiology treatment associated with cancer and chronic inflammation. 6: REFERENCES: [1] www.wikipedia.com [2] www.seminar-only.com [3] Cane, C., I. Gracia, and A. Merlos, Microelectronics Journal.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

The Hvac System To Water Cooled Chiller Construction Essay

The Hvac System To Water Cooled Chiller Construction Essay Many studies, empirical analysis, and energy consultants repeatedly claim that there is a large unexploited economic potential for saving energy. Usually, this potential is estimated to be in the range of 10 20 %.This dissertation explores the determinants which influence the management of energy efficiency in commercial building, and discuss possibilities how to support the exploitation of energy saving measures. The theoretical concept is based on the ideas of behavioral decision theory and recent research in the field of organization development. In this view, energy related behavior and decision making in commercial building are formed by ability and the readiness to act of the person involved, and by the internal organizational structure, corporate routine and values. Conducting the initial energy audit is a critical hurdle for energy efficiency, regardless whether the audit is integrated in an energy management process or a stand alone activity. The initial energy audit requires readiness to act, considerable effort and an extensive amount of practical and methodical knowledge and know how, which commercial building do not possess. We do the modeling by using the simulate a commercial building. As an example, we identify and thoroughly describe energy saving measures within building heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system. Taking into account the conditions of initial energy audit, we modal the measurement in such a way that, apart from basic data no further measurement are required to come to conclusion. The information necessary is acquired using formula, data tables, rule of thumb, estimate and cover in a simplified calculating costs of labor, material, equipment of HVAC equipment and system and how to calculate the resultant energy saving. Acknowledgements Abbreviations, Units and Conversion Factor List of symbols Table of Contents 1. Introduction 1.1 Background The use of air conditioning in Hong Kong attributes a large proportion of our total electricity consumption, due primarily to its geographic location and economic activities. In 2004, air conditioning accounted for 30% of the total electricity consumption. Our electricity consumption by air conditioning had a growth of about 17% from 1994 to 2004. The use of air conditioning is expected to grow further in view of our increasing population and economic activities. We therefore need to take measures to improve our energy efficiency, in particular, on air conditioning. Currently, a large amount of energy is being consumed by HVAC systems in buildings. According to the statistics from the Hong Kong SAR government, about 17% of the total energy, which is about 30% of the electric energy (Chow 2006) is being consumed by HVAC systems in buildings. Therefore, energy conservation of HVAC systems in buildings will clearly have a sizeable impact on total energy consumption. Up to date, a lot of efforts have been made in various buildings to minimize the energy consumption in HVAC systems. For example, Marriott (2006) proposed three approaches that can be easily applied in buildings to improve the energy efficiencies of HVAC systems. The approaches are optimizing the supply air temperature, recovering energy from condenser water and making use of the geothermal heat pump system. According to a study conducted by the EMSD, the energy saving from various types of the water-cooled air conditioning system ranges from 14% to 35%. The capital cost of evaporative water-cooled air conditioning system is about 15%Â  lower than air-cooled air conditioning system on new system basis. Hence, if the conversion of existing air-cooled air conditioning system to evaporative water-cooled air conditioning system can be planned at the end of economic life of existing air-cooled air conditioning system, it is likely to have a reduction in replacement cost for choosing evaporative water-cooled air conditioning system in lieu of air-cooled air conditioning system. The operating life of air-cooled packaged chiller condensers is around 15 years while for fresh water cooling towers is around 20 years. Chan (2006) proposed optimum control logic for the HVAC system of a building in Hong Kong, which minimized the mismatch of cooling load demand and chilled water flow demand. Around 435,000 kWh was saved by the developed control logic from June 2003 to May 2004. Mathews et al. (2002) developed a simulation tool, QUICK control. It estimates the effect of different control strategies on the energy saving performance in various buildings. Effects of control strategies such as fan scheduling, set point setback, economizer cycle, new set point, fan control, heat plant control, etc. can be investigated in detail this simulation tool. Mathews et al. used this simulation tool to study the energy saving potential in a conference center in South African. A new control strategy was developed with the aid of this simulation tool. It was predicted that about 58% of the HVAC system energy could be saved. Chan (2006) and Mathews et al. (2002) showed that besides the energy efficiency of the machines (chillers, pumps, fans, etc.), control strategy also plays a very important role on HVAC energy consumption. Kim et al. (2001) conducted a computational fluid dynamic simulation for analyzing the indoor cooling/heating load. It was coupled with a radioactive heat transfer simulation program and a simulated HVAC control system. The output of the simulated HVAC control system can be fed back to the boundary condition of the CFD simulation program and the indoor environment was simulated. New control signal can then be determined based on the indoor environment. Energy saving performance of the control strategy can be investigated accurately. With the same simulation program, thermal comfort can also be estimated by the calculated indoor status using PMV based approach. In this paper, a practical study on energy saving in a commercial building was carried out. Chillers, pumps and the control system were retrofitted based on the analysis of the characteristics of commercial building cooling load. Energy conservation performance of the retrofit was investigated. 1.2 Research questions The aim of this dissertation has been to be answered and prices calculated regardless of what the retrofit involves. What various options are available to rectify this waste, what is the retrofit cost of each and how much will each save in energy cost? What is realistic purchase prices of any equipment needed? How much labor is needed to remove the old one and install the new one What piping, valve and ductwork change will be needed? Hoe much labor will be involved in draining original system, flushing, pressuring, testing and refilling new system and start up? How much will be needed for balancing and adjusting the system and monitoring energy costs? And lastly, the big question, what will the energy saving be with this approach and what is the payback and return on investment? It is absolutely necessary to obtain this information and compare the various avenues available and make a wise decision based on accurate and thorough cost projections and energy saving. 1.3 Research objectives 1.3.1 Main objective The main of the objective is to consideration of perform various retrofit change, calculate the energy saving and the renovation costs. It provides procedure and formulas for energy program, audits, engineering and estimating. 1.3.2 Specific objective The focus of this dissertation is placed on the specific objective is thinking about energy conservation in HVAC system in the following manner. Generalities: Start off energy conservation program thinking in terms of principles or generalities and then follow up with particulars. Think about reducing HVAC loads, O M saving, improving efficiency of equipment and system, reducing flow, etc. Specific: After a general concept is formed then think in terms of specific heating and cooling equipment, particular HVAC system, piping system, ductwork system, insulation, control, etc. Load Variation: Think about hoe the building cooling load may vary due to occupancy, the shifting sun, operations, etc. and about which cooling loads are constant on a daily basis without variation. Low Cost, No Cost Item: Think in terms of no cost, low cost energy saving measures which can be done easily and quickly and which may have phenomenal payback. Capital Investment Item: Then think in term of capital investment energy improvement searching for those with the greatest energy savings and the highest rate return or fastest payback. Electrical: Distinguish electrical consumption cost of fans, pumps, chillers, condenser, cooling tower, lighting etc. 1.4 Research methodology This dissertation using the regression analysis method for establishing the commercial baseline. Regression analysis involves finding the relationship that shows how energy use alters with changes to an independent variable or variables. This relationship can be used to quantify energy use for different values of the independent variables. Data is collected over the same time period and interval for the proposed independent variables and the dependent variable, in this case energy consumption. The data is then analyzed to develop an equation, generally linear, that describes the relationship or regression line. This line is an estimate of the dependant variable for values of the independent variable or variables. Independent variables that affect energy consumption can include factors such as production rate, product mix, raw material, occupancy and ambient temperature. 1.5 Structure of the dissertation Chapter 2 provide review of existing literature for actual research process of energy saving technique, thereby providing the basis technical information for the energy saving. The chapter begins by estimate the energy auditing for the commercial building and then provides the energy consumption of the commercial building and a methodology for retrofit cost and analysis, financial evaluation. Chapter 3 addresses research methodology used to generate the energy conversion model for the process used in this study. In additional to this, data collection for Secondary data and Primary data are defined. Chapter 4 deals empirical simulation using case studies of actual commercial building. This lead to discuss on the procedure and applicability of the models for auditing, retrofit Cost and Analysis, financial Evaluation, as well as an explanation of the energy cost saving that can be obtained as a result. Chapter 5 concludes the theoretical and the empirical findings and closes the research report by summing up the results and providing ideas for further research. 2. Literature Review 2.1 Energy Audit The purposed of an energy audit is to determine the energy consumption and cost of overall building and of its specific components, the structure, system and equipment. It is to generate energy improvement options, to project energy saving, to estimate the cost of energy improvement, calculate payback, and on this basis evaluate the various options. The code of practice mentions the energy audit in Hong Kong. As state by EMSD, (2010) the technical guidance and details in respect of the energy audit requirements under the Ordinance. Energy audits conducted in accordance with this Energy Audit Code are deemed to have satisfied the relevant requirements of the Ordinance in the technical aspects. Energy Audit Code is developed by the EMSD in conjunction with various professional institutions, trade associations, academia and government departments. (EMSD 2007) In fact, the guideline of energy audit indications that an effective energy management tool. By identifying and implementing the means to achieve energy efficiency and conservation, not only can energy savings be achieved, but also equipment/system services life can be extended. All these mean savings in money. Based on the principle of The less energy is consumed, the less fossil fuels will be burnt, the power supply companies will generate relatively less pollutants and by-products. Therefore, all parties concerned contribute to conserve the environment and to enhance sustainable development. (International Congress ISPE/PDA Pharmintech 2010) Given that case study at Sanofi Midy Research Center covers a renovation of a research centre included the data collection review of the documentation it is possible to identify the facility weak points. The example of site survey for verify the consistency of the documentation and the identify the major problems to identify areas more easily upgradeable According to recent research by (Robert Greenwald 2004), are presentations the overview of the energy audit and conducting the energy audit process included data gathering, utility analysis, inventory and review of equipment performance, measurements and monitoring, identify potential energy conservation measures, analysis of saving potential, financial analysis and reporting. The (Minnesota Legislature and the Governor commissioned the Minnesota Department 2007) of Commerce to work with the University of Minnesota, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU), and state agencies to identify barriers, describe the costs and benefits of actions that would lead to an annual 1.5 percent energy savings energy used in buildings, and develop policy recommendations that could lead to those actions. The report provides background on energy savings in government buildings and addresses the questions asked by the state law. It also found that state government-owned buildings are a significant potential source of energy savings. The government is in a unique position to think about the long-term implications of present day decisions. Through leading by example, the government can serve as a platform for the development and implementation of energy savings programs, policies and technologies. That said, there are information, organization, and resource barriers t o achieving energy savings in Minnesota government buildings. 2.2 Energy Saving Technical As a corollary (ASHRAE 2011) provide recommendations to design a low-energy-use building and is not a minimum code or standard. The Guide provides both multidisciplinary design strategies and prescriptive design packages to significantly reduce energy consumptions in small to medium office buildings. Even though several design packages are provided in the document, this Guide represents a way, but not the only way, to build energy-efficient small to medium office buildings with 50% energy savings. Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings. Use of this Guide can help in the design of major renovations that consume substantially less energy compared to the minimum code-compliant design, resulting in lower operating costs. This Guide presents a broad range of subject matter, including broad concepts such as the integrated design process, multidisciplinary design strategies, and design tips and good practices on specific energy systems, while the focus of this G uide, especially the later chapters, is on building and system details that can help achieve the desired results. (Dr. James Brodrick, 2002) disturb on surveys of the HVAC literature, identified 170 technology options that could potentially reduce the energy consumption of HVAC systems in commercial buildings. After developing first-cut energy savings potential estimates for each option, 55 options were selected for further study in consultation with a range of HVAC experts Each of the 55 options received further study, including more detailed investigation of their technical energy savings potential, current and future economics (cost), barriers to achieving their full market potential. Many of the 40 technologies have significant technical energy savings potentials. Many of the 15 technologies selected for refined study have significant technical energy savings potential, combined with attractive or reasonable simple payback periods. Three of the options, Novel Cool Storage, Variable Refrigerant Volume/Flow, and Adaptive/Fuzzy Control, had highly variable simple payback periods that did not re adily translate into an average simple payback period, while the simple payback period for Microenvironments exceeded 100 years. Except the above energy saving potential of Literature Review, some valuable Specific topics are shown as below. 2.2.1 Automatic Tube Cleaning System As the condenser is an important component in the chilled water system, the operating condition of the condenser is the key factor that affects the efficiency of the unit. However, the condenser will be seriously deteriorated by the debris and foul ants accumulated in the tubes of the condensers. When fouling and scaling in the condenser increase, the heat transfer efficiency will be decrease, resulting in more power consumption of the chiller. The Engineering Department of The Park Lane hotel identified the above problem and started to install an automatic tube cleaning system called CQM for chiller in October 2003. The system has been running for 12 months. Feedback from operators and engineers are good, In the COP comparison approach, the percentage of energy saving was 11.9% and the average COP was improved from 3.7 to 4.2. ( Richmond Consulting Engineers, 2005 ). Further more, (Wallace Wu Dave Chan, 2003) proves that estimate the improvement on COP is around 11.8% and CQM Automatic Tube Cleaning System can greatly improve the heat transfer efficiency of the condenser tube and save significant amount of energy in water cooled chiller. Besides, from the economic analysis, it shows that the payback is less than 2 years. 2.2.2 Retrofit of the HVAC system to Water Cooled Chiller The (EMSD 2000) of HKSAR completed a Preliminary Phase Consultancy Study (PPCS) regarding Wider Use of Water-cooled air conditioning system in Hong Kong was completed in April 1999. The PPCS established the technical viability of the wider application of WACS and its economic/environmental benefits. The implementation study for WACS in Hong Kong was commissioned in 2000 to examine in greater details on technical viability, financial viability, infrastructure works, land use, traffic impact, environmental/health issues, and regulatory control; especially for nondomestic buildings. A study guide done by HKUST Research, (2005), describe energy saving in a hotel HVAC system was carried out. It included replacement of the chillers and pumps. In review the retrofit of the hotel HVAC system, the improved energy efficiency resulted from three aspects, i.e., improved energy efficiency of the chillers, improved energy efficiency of the pumps and the intelligent control system. Comparing the COPs of the original and the new chillers, it is seen that the new chillers has an energy efficiency about 18% to 36% higher than the original chillers which may contribute to about 14.4% to 28.8% of the total energy saving. The efficiency of the new pumps is estimated to be 30% higher than the original pumps. As the pumps generally consume about 20% of the total chiller/pump system energy, the replacement of the pumps contributes to about 6% of the total energy saving. Then, the remaining 27% to 45% of the energy saving should result from the intelligent control system. With the new system, 63% to 74% of the chiller/pump energy was saved. The result shows that a considerable amount of energy can be saved in hotels with a good control syst em and high efficiencies of the chillers and pumps. (Kenny Chan 2009) research claims the investigate for sustainable design and life cycle costing considerations in adopting relevant air-conditioning system to cater for long range planning in facility/maintenance management. Form the research and analysis, conversion from ACAS to WCAS would save around 35% running costs. 2.2.3 Variable speed drives A case study done by ( G Jones 2009) to compares the energy consumption of the centrifugal fan when driven by a star/delta starter and using variable speed drives to control motor speed. During the initial monitoring of the energy consumption, the centrifugal fan was controlled by the original star/delta starter. This had been the method of controlling the fan since the machine was initially installed/ commissioned. After the fan had been running for over 390 hours the exact run-time and energy consumption was recorded. The Motor Control Warehouse then replaced the star/delta starter for a 22kW open loop Inverter. After optimizing the Inverter settings, the fan was used in normal production and after approximately 300 hours, as with the star/delta starter the exact run-time and energy consumption was recorded. Changing the 22kW centrifugal fan control from a star/delta starter to an Inverter introduced an energy saving of 41.3%. ( Lappeenranta x.x.2008 ) analyses the calculation of Fan and Pump energy saving tools calculation. With these programs energy consumption of variable speed drive control for fans and pumps can be compared to other control methods. With Fan centrifugal and axial fans can be examined and Pump deals with centrifugal pumps. By means of these programs also suitable frequency converter can be chosen from the ABB collection. 2.3 Conclusion on the literature review The chapters above have discussed the related information for the dissertation to assist estimate, measure, evaluate and track energy savings, quantifiable costs and benefits created as a result of implementing energy efficiency opportunities. Specific improve the understanding of how to forecast and measure energy savings, realize energy savings by accurately quantifying the whole of business costs, benefits and payback of energy efficiency opportunities, determine the economic value of an energy efficiency opportunity so that investment quality information is provided to company decision makers and quantify the accuracy range for each stage of the energy savings analysis. 3. Methodology 3.1 Research Methodology This dissertation is descriptive in nature: it aims to describe the energy saving of the commercial building. Time wise, it focuses on the year 2009, when the research was carried out. Changes in commercial buildings energy consumption between earlier studies and the present one are also observed. To construct a comprehensive picture of the studied phenomenon, the present research utilized both quantitative and qualitative data and means of analysis. This study is divided into two parts. The theoretical part of the study is a literature review. This existing theory was used as a conceptual tool to gain a more structured understanding of the energy consumption and saving potential of commercial building. Based on the theoretical part, an initial understanding of the commercial building of energy use was built. The empirical part of the study consisted of one case studies that provided energy consumption of commercial building and the building description of Category, Heating and cooling system, etc. should be present. The research focused on describing the situation of the problem with the existing HVAC system and building and proposed energy saving method of renovation. The data collected in the theoretical part was also utilized in the empirical part in estimating the current energy consumption of commercial building. 3.2 Data Collection 3.2.1 Secondary data collection Secondary data sources were utilized both in the theoretical part and the empirical part of this study. Most of the sources used in the literature review were either article published in journals and in industry magazines or conference papers that were accessible through the databases of the Public library. In addition, publicly available resources such as reports from EMSD were used. The secondary data collected for the empirical part consisted of technical details from device manufacturers websites. 3.2.2 Primary data collection The primary data for this research was collected used Hong Kong energy efficiency and conservation competition awards were organized by EMSD. These were used in the empirical part of the study. To estimate the energy consumption of the commercial building in Hong Kong. The dissertation consult the competition awards of the energy saving method to adopted for estimate the energy saving. 3.2.3 Problems related to data collection The energy analysis was the most problematic part of the data collection phase. This was due to involve much formulation of the questions and lack of open source. It turned out that did not have such information. In the device convergence case, the purpose was to compare devices in terms of their life cycle energy consumption. However, life cycle energy data was available for only a few products. Information on the weight of the products was readily available on the manufacturers web sites. In turn, data from which energy consumption could be estimated had to be collected from various sources, including Manufacturer technical report, product descriptions at Internet retailers websites and external party sites. Even so, the data sometimes had to be completed with educated guesses. 3.3 Data analysis The collected data help to develop a strategic plan for energy decisions, just as they would for other key business decisions. A major focus of an energy management plan is performing a self-assessment to identify energy savings opportunities. 4. Results, discussion and evaluation The typical 34 storey Commercial Building situated at Causeway Bay of Hong Kong Island. used as an caste study in this dissertation was built in 1992. Overall the HVAC, electrical and plumbing system in the building consumed total $ 8 million for the year. Generate and develop potential energy saving improvement, operation and maintenance correction, reducing flows and resistance of HVAC system, considering more energy efficient equipment and system, lighting, electrical, control, heat recovery possibilities, solar, etc. Then, calculate the potential energy saving of the various improvements and estimate the retrofit costs involved. Lastly, evaluate payback and return on investments. 4.1 Energy Auditing An energy audit involves the systematic review of the energy consuming equipment/systems in a building to identify energy management opportunities, which provides useful information for the building owner to decide and implement energy saving measures for environmental consideration and economic benefits. The purpose of an energy audit is to determine the energy consumption and costs of the overall building and its specific components, the structure, system and equipment, it is to generate energy improvement options, to project energy saving, to estimate the cost of energy improvement, calculate payback, and on this basis evaluate the various options. A good audit is diagnostic in nature, develops a valid prognosis of the cause of energy wastes, and leads to scientific establish remedies. There are two basic phases phase or type of audit, short walk through audits and in depth detail audits, either of the entire building or of only select parts of building. 4.1.1 Collecting Building Information The audit team should then proceed to collect information on the building. The information should include:- General building characteristics such as floor areas, numbers of end-users, construction details, building orientation, building facade, etc.; Technical characteristics of energy consuming equipment/ systems, design conditions and parameters; Building services design report with system schematic diagrams and layout drawings showing system characteristics; Equipment/system operation records, including data logs of metered parameters on temperature, pressure, current, operational hours, etc.; Record of EMOs already implemented or to be implemented; Record of maximum demand readings; OM manuals and testing and commissioning (TC) reports Energy consumption bills in previous three years. In general, it should be assumed that the building manager would have information on general building characteristics and the OM personnel would keep the equipment/system technical and operation records. The audit team should determine the appropriate parties to be approached for information collection, the need to discuss with these parties for familiarization of the building, the equipment/ systems to be investigated and data verification and the need to discuss with selected end-users. The audit team should consider issuing questionnaires to end-users to collect information on thermal comfort, lighting comfort, operational hours of individual floors/offices, electrical equipment and appliances, etc. 4.1.2 Conducting Site Survey and Measurement More activities should include the following actions:- Proceed to plan the site survey for the areas and the equipment/systems to be investigated. Develop energy audit forms to record the findings. Plan ahead on the site measurement to supplement or verify the information collected. The measurements should focus on equipment/systems that inadequate information is available to determine their efficiency and equipment/systems that appear to be less efficient. 4.1.3 Analyzing Data Collected At this stage of the audit, the audit team has collected a lot of information on:- Equipment/system characteristics obtained from site surveys; Equipment/system performance data obtained from OM log sheets; Equipment/system performance data obtained from site measurements; and Equipment/system operating conditions of equipment/systems based on design and/or general engineering practices. Based on the above, the audit team should screen and spot the parameters with values and trends that deviate from what would be anticipated or required respectively. These are the potential EMOs. However, they should take into account the analysis of the irregularities caused by changes in occupancy or other activities. 4.1.4 Costing To identify the improvement works for the potential EMOs, calculations should be performed to substantiate the improvement works by quantifying energy savings. In evaluating the effectiveness of an EMO, the auditor has to calculate the payback period, net present worth or rate of return. Most calculations can be done using simple payback approach by dividing the EMOs capital cost by the cost of anticipated annual energy saving to obtain the payback period in years. However, if there are appreciable deviations between the trends of energy cost and the interest rate or if the capital costs of EMOs are to be injected at different stages with different energy savings achievable at different times, the audit team may have to perform a life cycle cost assessment that can better reflect the cost effectiveness of EMOs. 4.1.5 Annual Monthly Energy Consumption Profile Based on the energy consumption bills over past years (preferably 3 or more), the auditor should estimate the annual energy use of the building. Graphs of energy consumption against different mon

The Panama Canal :: essays research papers

The Panama Canal was one of the greatest triumphs and tragedies of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The tragedy was that the French were just simply too far ahead of technology, at that time, to complete or even get farther than the very beginning of the Panama Canal. The Americans took over the project after President Theodore Roosevelt's pushing of the Panamanian Revolution. After the Revolution the Americans took control of the canal and continued to build the canal to what it is today. The Panama Canal is one of the largest canals in the world. It consists of three dams, the Gatun, Pedro Miguel, and Mira Flores. Despite the limit in ship size the canal is still one of the highest traveled waterways in the world. The Panama Canal was constructed in two stages. The first between 1881 and 1888, was carried out by the French company headed by De Lessop. Second, was the work by the Americans who eventually completed the canals construction between 1904 and 1914. (Cameron 79)The contract for the canals construction was signed on March 12, 1881, and it was agreed the work would be carried out for 512 million French francs. Midway through the building of the canal, in 1885, the French company started to run into financial difficulties and even applied to the French government to issue lottery bonds. Rumors of these difficulties caused increased interest within the American government. The abandonment of the scheme at this stage would cause financial ruin for all the investors and a severe blow to the French. It was suggested that the original plan be modified and the lock system should be employed. Eventually, in 1899, France’s attempt at constructing the Panama Canal was seen to be a failure . However, they had excavated a total of 59.75 million cubic meters, which included 14.255 million cubic meters from the Culebra Cut. (Barret 63) This lowered the peak by 102 meters. The value of work completed by the French was about $25 million. When the French departed, they left behind a considerable amount of machinery, housing and a hospital. The reasons behind the French failing to complete the project were due to disease carrying mosquitoes and the inadequacy of their machinery. The construction of the canal was recommenced by the Americans in 1904. The first step on the agenda was to improve the standard of living and ensure ill health would be a thing of the past.

Monday, August 19, 2019

business :: essays research papers

CNN/MoneyWeb Home Markets & Stocks ADRs AM Market Call Bonds & Rates Commodities Currencies Dow 30 Earnings Earnings Warnings Hot Stocks Investor Research Center IPO Center Most Active Stocks PM Market Call U.S. Stocks Wall Street Research Widely Helds World Markets Track Your Stocks Real Time Quotes Company News Economy World Biz Technology Commentary Personal Finance Mutual Funds Money Magazine Money 101 Portfolio Calculators Real-time Quotes CNN/Money Email newsletters Mobile news Money archives Buy story reprints CNNfn on TV | Web video Buy show videos SPECIAL OFFER --AAABAEAKALAPARASAZBCCACOCTDCDEFLGAHIIAIDILINKSKYLAMAMBMDMEMIMNMOMPMSMTNBNCNDNENFNHNJNMNVNSNTNYONOHOKORPAPEPRQCRISCSDSKTNTXUTVAVIVTWAWIWVWYYT Please do not contact me via e-mail with offers from Time Inc, and CNN/Money Get 11 more issues, totaling 12 for $19.95, if you like MONEY. Or cancel and owe nothing MONEY is published monthly, except for two issues combined periodically into one and occasional extra, expanded, or premium issues. Combined, expanded, and premium issues count as two subscription issues. Rate good in U.S. only. In Canada, 12 issues/$37.00, not including GST, HST, and QST. Subscribers: If the Post Office alerts us that your magazine is undeliverable, we have no further obligation unless we receive a corrected address within two years. To read our Privacy Policy, go to http://money.cnn.com/services/privacy/ I agree to the offer details above. 12 issues for $19.95. Privacy Policy Markets & Stocks Stocks rally on optimism Investors encouraged by some positive earnings reports as economy at home takes center stage. April 14, 2003: 1:38 PM EDT By Meghan Collins and Malina Poshtova Zang, CNN/Money Staff Writers NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Stocks rallied into early afternoon trading Monday as investors saw some hope for corporate growth and the economy after a few positive profit reports. Shortly after 1:30 a.m. ET the Dow Jones industrial average (up 105.32 to 8308.73, Charts), the Nasdaq composite (up 19.98 to 1378.83, Charts) and the S&P 500 index (up 11.60 to 879.90, Charts) all rallied to gains of more than 1 percent. Only two of the 30 Dow stocks traded lower. "I think there's a little bit of optimism here today -- you can take one eye off Iraq and start to focus more on the economy and earnings," said James Park, senior trader at Brean Murray & Co. With the war in Iraq de facto over, investors increasingly shifted their focus to matters at home, top of which were the state of the U.S. economy and corporate bottom lines. This week marks the first of the two biggest weeks for posting first-quarter results -- and the first earnings news that came Monday appeared encouraging.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Reading Comprehension :: essays research papers

READING COMPREHENSION This test measures your ability to understand what you read. You may be asked to:  identify the relationship between sentences  distinguish between the main and secondary ideas  make inferences DIRECTIONS: Read the statement or passage and then choose the best answer to the question. Answer the question on the basis of what is stated or implied in the statement or passage. 1. Myths are stories, the products of fertile imagination, sometimes simple, often containing profound truths. They are not meant to be taken too literally. Details may sometimes appear childish, but most myths express a culture's most serious beliefs about human beings, eternity, and God. The main idea of this passage is that myths (a) are created primarily to entertain young children (b) are purposely written for the reader (c) provide the reader with a means of escape from reality (d) illustrate the values that are considered important to a society 2. Australia has many strange beasts, one of the oddest of which is the koala. Perfectly adapted to one specific tree, the eucalyptus, this living teddy bear does not need anything else, not even a drink! The moisture in the leaves is just right for the koala, making it the only land animal that doesn't need water to supplement its food (from That Astounding Creator Nature by Jean George). The passage indicates that the koala (a) is a member of the bear family that does not need moisture to live (b) gets all of its nourishment from the eucalyptus tree (c) adapts itself to any surroundings (d) is the only animal that does not need food to live 3. It is early summer. August's long-awaited vacation time still seems ages away, but by the same toke, its torpor-producing heat and mildew-generating humidity have not yet arrived. Instead, these cool, end-of-June days practically insist on getting the picnic season under way immediately. But, alas, there is a difficulty: alfresco dining has a bad name among us. Tenth-rate hot dogs, carbonized chicken parts, and beef a-la-charcoal are principally what comes to mind when we hear the words "outdoor food" (from A Spanish Picnic by Robert Capon). The passage suggests that the author believes that (a) picnicking in August is long-awaited (b) August is better than June for a picnic (c) there are some negative aspects to eating outside (d) picnicking is better alfresco 4. In embarking on the fight for independence, America faced formidable obstacles. The Continental Congress did not have the authority to pass binding legislation or to impose taxes.