Free Essays on Transformational Realities

â€Å"The unfinished character of human beings and the transformational character of reality necessitate that education be an ongoing activity,† stated by educational writer Paulo Freire in his essay â€Å"The ‘Banking’ concept of Education†. I will infer what type of education is required by these â€Å"transformational characters of reality† through examples given by Stuart Ewen, a social historian, in his essay â€Å"Chosen People†. Ewen writes about how the Industrial Revolution has shaped the American citizens lives into a consumerist society based upon social identities. First I will define what Freire means in this quote about transformational characters of reality. Using this definition I will show examples of these transformational realities in Ewen’s writing. Then by connecting these two ideas I will give an example from my own personal life of a transformational reality I experienced. By delving into my own experience and Freire’s examples I will conclude what forms of education Ewen would think is necessary to make society more aware of these transformations. Lastly, I will show what will be the result if we continue down this path without proper education to help balance out society from these inequalities and social identities we currently base our lives around. In Freire’s quote he talks about a â€Å"transformational character of reality†; he is talking about how that as the environment, and influences around humans change, their perceptions of themselves conform to adjust to these changes as well. Consequently he states that â€Å"education be an ongoing activity†, this implies that learning and education continuously evolve as well, otherwise these transformational realities will destroy humanity (Freire). Ewen tackles this idea of transformational realities that shaped modern American society with a couple different aspects of our cultural history. The overall major transformational reality was the I... Free Essays on Transformational Realities Free Essays on Transformational Realities â€Å"The unfinished character of human beings and the transformational character of reality necessitate that education be an ongoing activity,† stated by educational writer Paulo Freire in his essay â€Å"The ‘Banking’ concept of Education†. I will infer what type of education is required by these â€Å"transformational characters of reality† through examples given by Stuart Ewen, a social historian, in his essay â€Å"Chosen People†. Ewen writes about how the Industrial Revolution has shaped the American citizens lives into a consumerist society based upon social identities. First I will define what Freire means in this quote about transformational characters of reality. Using this definition I will show examples of these transformational realities in Ewen’s writing. Then by connecting these two ideas I will give an example from my own personal life of a transformational reality I experienced. By delving into my own experience and Freire’s examples I will conclude what forms of education Ewen would think is necessary to make society more aware of these transformations. Lastly, I will show what will be the result if we continue down this path without proper education to help balance out society from these inequalities and social identities we currently base our lives around. In Freire’s quote he talks about a â€Å"transformational character of reality†; he is talking about how that as the environment, and influences around humans change, their perceptions of themselves conform to adjust to these changes as well. Consequently he states that â€Å"education be an ongoing activity†, this implies that learning and education continuously evolve as well, otherwise these transformational realities will destroy humanity (Freire). Ewen tackles this idea of transformational realities that shaped modern American society with a couple different aspects of our cultural history. The overall major transformational reality was the I...

Mentos Diet Soda Chemical Volcano

Mentos Diet Soda Chemical Volcano Chemical volcanoes are classic projects for science fairs and chemistry demonstrations. The ​Mentos and diet soda volcano is similar to the baking soda volcano, except the eruption is really powerful, capable of producing jets of soda several feet high. Its messy, so you might want to do this project outdoors or in a bathroom. Its also non-toxic, so kids can do this project. This simple  chemical volcano takes a few minutes to set up and erupts for a few seconds What You Need Roll of Mentos candies2-liter bottle of  diet sodaIndex cardTest tube or sheet of paperA mop for cleanup Makingthe Mentos and Soda Erupt First, gather your supplies. You can substitute another candy for the Mentos, such as MMs or Skittles, but ideally, you want candies that stack into a neat column with minimal space between them, have a chalky consistency, and barely fit through the mouth of a 2-liter bottle.Similarly, you could substitute normal soda for diet soda. The project will work just as well, but the resulting eruption will be sticky. Whatever you use, the beverage has to be carbonated!First, you need to stack the candies. The easiest way to do this is to stack them in a test tube narrow enough to form a single column. Otherwise, you can roll a sheet of paper into a tube just barely wide enough for a stack of candies.Place an index card over the opening of the test tube or end of the paper tube to hold the candies in the container. Invert the test tube.Open your full 2-liter bottle of diet soda. The eruption happens very quickly, so set things up: you want the open bottle/index card/roll of candies so that a s soon as you remove the index card, the candies will drop smoothly into the bottle. When youre ready, do it! You can repeat the eruption with the same bottle and another stack of candies. Have fun! How the Mentos and Diet Soda Experiment Works The Diet Coke and Mentos geyser is the result of a physical process rather than a chemical reaction. Theres a lot of carbon dioxide dissolves in the soda, which gives it its fizz. When you drop a Mentos into the soda, tiny bumps on the candy surface give the carbon dioxide molecules a nucleation site or place to stick. As more and more carbon dioxide molecules accumulate, bubbles form. Mentos candies are heavy enough they sink, so they interact with carbon dioxide all the way to the bottom of the container. The bubbles expand as they rise. The partially dissolved candy is sticky enough to trap the gas, forming a foam. Because theres so much pressure, it all happens very quickly. The narrow opening of a soda bottle funnels the foam to make a geyser. If you use a nozzle that makes the opening at the top of the bottle even smaller, the jet of liquid will go even higher. You can also experiment using regular Coke (as opposed to the diet versions) or tonic water (which glows blue under a black light).

FMS Optimisation using Discrete Event Simulation and Genetic Algorithm Essay

FMS Optimisation using Discrete Event Simulation and Genetic Algorithm - Essay Example The production planning in the manufacturing systems are forecasted using Enterprise Resource Planning package recently. Since the market demand varies every now and then the process has to be driven based on that. Flexible manufacturing system functions by utilising these advancements and deliver multiple products of sufficient quantity as per the demand. Genetic Algorithms are found to provide solutions for real-time problems in various operations. It has been used conveniently for researchers for various search and optimization problems. Owing to the problems associated with FMS optimization using Genetic algorithm and discrete simulation system this present project is initiated. Kazuhiro Saitou et al. (2002) presented a robust design of FMS using colored Petri nets and genetic algorithm. In their work it was found that the resource allocation and operation schedule were modelled as colored Petri nets. Their robust model designed minimized the production cost under multiple operation plan. It as able to handle large data sets conveniently as well as operates flexibly by using an genetic algorithm merged with shortest imminent operation time dispatching rule and automatically finds the optimal resource. These kinds of simulation can be more applicable in situation where there is varied job specification. Discrete event simulation The discrete event simulation works powerfully in optimization and decision-making process in manufacturing systems. Merchawl and Elmaraghy (1998) developed an analytical approach to customize the discrete event simulation for decision-making in flexible manufacturing systems. Planning horizon, the overall system average interarrival time and the average number of workstation influences the simulation run time. In their approach they reduced the simulation run time by aggregating the number of workstations. They also validated their methods with sample and control measures by running the applications with and without aggregation of the workstation. The results showed a 400% time reduction with fewer errors. Mostly the Genetic Algorithms (GA) is coupled with other techniques or processes to handle complex situation. Studies carried out revealed that increasing the mutation rates above optimum level cannot solve the problems associated. The study was focused on finding methods to improve the performance of GA by improving the average fitness of the initial population, P. Fenton and P. Walsh (2005) Review and Analysis The project will focus on initial aspects of reviewing the present complications and problems associated with the utilities of GA and Discrete event simulation methods. The first phase of review will focus on identifying the present application of these algorithms in various domains and its recent advancements. The next phase of the review analysis will be focused towards identifying all the limitations of these systems at the implementations

Litrture review on self and identity in stutters Essay

Litrture review on self and identity in stutters - Essay Example These disruptions c) usually occur frequently or are marked in character and d) are not readily controllable. II. Sometimes the disruptions are e) accompanied by accessory activates involving the speech apparatus, related or unrelated body structures, or stereotyped speech utterances. These activities give the appearance of being speech-related struggle. III. Also, there not infrequently are f) indications or reports of an emotional state, ranging from a general condition of "excitement" or "tension" to more specific emotions of a negative nature such as fear, embarrassment, irritation, or the like. g) the immediate source of stuttering is incoordination expressed in the peripheral speech mechanism; the ultimate cause is presently unknown and maybe complex or compound (p. 498). Stuttering relates to developmental disorders: it gradually or suddenly develops in children that initially demonstrate signs of normal fluency of speech (Guitar, 1998). Although aetiology of stuttering is not fully clear it is generally considered a multifactorial disorder that involves affective, behavioural, and cognitive elements (Yaruss & Quesal, 2004). Cooper and Cooper (1995) identify three types of stuttering: Remediable stuttering when children are able to overcome their disfluencies by learning and applying techniques that are supervised by a speech and language therapist. In addition, family and friends involvement is necessary to be able to reach almost normal or acceptable level of fluency. Chronic preservative stuttering which is the most devastating and least common case of stuttering. Moreover, individuals with this type often do not stabilize in their fluency although they have been able to achieve it with therapy. Individuals that reach adolescents with out an acceptable level of fluency from treatment have a more chance of developing chronic preservative stuttering. Characteristics of stuttering vary from blocks to

Federative Treaty of 1992 and constitution of 1993 Essay Example for Free

Federative Treaty of 1992 and constitution of 1993 Essay Federalism is a political system in which the Government is organized into two structures, one at the central level, and the other at the state or territorial level. Both forms of Government have certain powers and obligations towards the people. They also have to maintain relationships with each other. The Russian Federation or ‘Russia’ was formed in 1991, from USSR. It is a Republic belonging to the USSR, and by itself was a federation, previously. The President is the Head of State, and several parties are present in the political system. The Prime Minister, who heads the Government, is appointed by the President. Russia adopted a new constitution in December, 1993. The transition period from communism to a federal form of government was not comfortable for the Russian people and the economy. The country’s economy had gone through a severe crisis, and the people suffered from poverty, at that time. However, the economy has improved by the year 1999. There are about 86 federal units in the Russian Federation. These include 21 republics (which are given greater autonomy), 48 provinces, 7 territories, 7 autonomous districts and 1 autonomous province. Moscow and St. Petersburg are 2 federal cities. The Federation Treaty was signed in 1993. It was not included in the Constitution. However, the constitution identified the Federation Treaty.

Feminism Essay -- Feminism Sociology Essays

Feminism There has been a great deal of discussion over the Feminist & Gender Studies Program changing its name to Gender & Sexuality. The basis of this debate is over the exclusion of the word "feminist" from the title. It is important to question how this modification will affect the direction of the program and the feminist movement as a whole. The categorization of this area of study must be sensitive to the complex social issues it represents. Bringing the term "gender" to the fore-front, and focusing less on women, is a necessary "part of the attempt by contemporary feminists to stake claim to a certain definitional ground, to insist on the inadequacies of existing bodies of men" (Scott, 166). This new spotlight on gender and sexuality does not detract from feminism at all; rather it represents the next step in the evolution of the feminist movement. As Lacqueur stated, categorization "is an inescapable consequence of our biological makeup" (Lacqueur, 18). This is especially true in any college, where categories are institutionalized in order to help guide students along their academic path. It is hard to imagine academics as "a purely uncategorized and unconceptualized experience" (Lacqueur, 19). However, categories have a way of excluding some people, since people are diverse and do not fit into neat containers. This holds especially true with the Feminist & Gender Studies Program. The term "feminist" is a category that many students do not identify with because of its history of race, class, and sex. Some female students are not comfortable with its overtly confrontational ideas and do not want to be associated with the "man-hating" stereotype that is portrayed in society. African-American students can feel alien... ...ne society provided for me. I felt on the outside of feminism, because I thought my interests in boys, marriage, and motherhood was not included in its definition. After learning what feminism really was during my sophomore year, I discovered I was not on the outside after all. I have to admit that, at first, I was disappointed by the omission of the word "feminist" from the title of the program. At the time, I was just feeling at ease with my personal realization that I was feminist. I found myself feeling, once again, on the outside. I know after taking this class, that defining myself by any category is a wasted effort. The focus should be on who I am and not how well I fit into any category. I now understand why the only required course, one which concentrates on de-constructing gender, and the new focus of the program is the only thing that will save us all.

Is Proof Needed in Order for God to Exist

Is Proof Needed in Order for God to Exist At some point in life every person may question the existence of god. This could happen for a number of reasons. For example when we see bad things that occur around the world we may lose our faith or wonder why does god allow these things to happen? As humans we all have a natural instinct to find answers to things that we ourselves cannot explain or understand. Philosophers have spent a great amount of time trying to prove or disapprove the existence of god, but do we really need proof that god exist?This is a tough question to answer because there are people that would say yes and people that would say no. I myself have never questioned the existence of god due to the fact that I feel like the proof of his existence is all around us. In this paper I will discuss the two sides of this debut and which side makes the most valid argument for my personal beliefs. When you ask someone why they believe in something most likely it is because they have facts or some type of evidence as to why they believe what they do. If I say my dog bites and show you my arm with bite marks then you are more likely to believe that my statement is true.The same thoughts can be applied to the way some people believe and do not believe in god. Some people believe because they have faith in the bible and that something more powerful than any other force had to create all the living things on earth. Others believe that everything in that is on earth could have evolved through science and therefore none of the creations on earth are proof that god exist, these people are often referred to as atheist. When people think about an atheist they usually think that they worship the devil or are into some type of satanic worship, but this is not the case.Simply put atheists just do not believe in god and they believe that science played a part in the creation of the world and the things on it. The issue is why do we need proof that god exist and what typ e of proof is needed to prove his existence? Many people, including Christians, wonder what proof is there that God exist. Is there really any concrete evidence to prove that an all-powerful creator exists? Or are we all being blinded by our faith and believing in something that may or may not be real, just so that we have hope that life is better after death. It is hard to imagine something that has always xisted, because as human all we know is life and death. To understand something that never began and will never end is hard to wrap our brains around that concept. If a person oppose the possibility of there being a God, then any evidence presented can be rationalized or explained away. It is like if someone refuses to believe that people have seen ghost or spirits, then no amount of information is going to change their thinking. There are photographs of ghost and spirits, personal interviews from people who have encountered these beings, and even special equipment that can pick up various activities from these beings.Although this may be enough evidence for most people to some all this evidence would be worthless, because the person has already concluded that ghost or spirits do not exist. Of course many have tried to prove God's existence with rational arguments. Aquinas, Abelard, Anselm, Pascal, and Paley are a few that have attempted this. These approaches are of limited helpfulness, for though we can approach God with our reason and detect Him in nature, he cannot be fully grasped in this way. More importantly, these logical proofs for God's existence miss the point.What is the point? In my experience, most of those who doubt or deny God's existence do not do so because of firmly held philosophical convictions. They do so because of personal disappointment with God. Furthermore, I'm suggesting that many of those who now perceive themselves as doubting or denying God for philosophical reasons, got where they are because they became personally disillusio ned with God sometime in the past. To answer the question, ‘Does God Exist? ‘, a number of studies, articles, and research papers have been written.Two arguments that best attempt to prove the existence of God are the ontological argument by St. Anselm, and the cosmological argument by St. Thomas Aquinas. The second out of the five arguments provided in the cosmological argument is based on experience and efficient cause. The efficient cause makes something happen, i. e. cause and effect, and this are the premises for his argument. Aquinas argues that nothing in this world can originate on its own, and must have a first cause to create an intermediate cause, to create an ultimate cause and effect.Infinity makes it impossible to have a first efficient cause, but if there is no first cause, there would be no intermediate cause, and we would not exist. In the ontological argument, St Anselm provides an argument that is based on logic. In order to understand his argument you must first admit that, if there is a God, he is that than which nothing greater can be conceived. This is the premise for his argument. Without this premises his argument would fail. It must be agreed to, because it is a true statement. You do not have to believe in God in order to agree to these Premises.In agreeing to these first premises, St Anselm forces you to admit that God does exist in reality because his premises support his conclusion. St. Anselm's Theory is that if God is that which nothing greater can be conceived, the idea of God must exist, if only in the mind. To exist in reality is greater than existing in the mind. Therefore God, being that which nothing greater can be conceived must exist in reality. All his premises support his conclusion, creating a valid and sound argument proving that God must exist. St.Anselm’s first form of the argument is that God is â€Å"that than which none greater can be conceived†. This means that no one can think of anyt hing that is greater than God. The second idea is, it is greater to exist than not to exist. Next, St. Anselm describes two kinds of existence: existence in the mind, and existence in real. Existence in the reality is very easy to believe, if you can touch, see, smell, hear, or taste something, in reality it exists. Existence in mind is harder to understand for some, because many people only believe what they see. Finally, St. Anselm defined God as the greatest being possible.A being who fails to exist is less perfect than a being that exist. Therefore, God must exist, necessarily. If the greatest thing that we can conceive does not exist than we can still conceive the greatest thing that does exist, and that would be God. Philosophers, whether they are atheists, or believers have always been eager to discuss the existence of God. Some philosophers, such as St Anselm, and Rene Descartes, that formulated the ontological arguments attempt to prove God’s existence, believe that we have proven that God exist through our senses, logic, and experiences. Ontological† literally means talking about being and so in this case, that being is the existence or being of God. Ontological arguments all have ways to prove the existence of God. This argument is very important for religious believers, but has come under criticism from those who do not believe; because they say that it is flawed. Immanuel Kant feels that we will never have the answer to this question due to our human limitations, and reason. Every painting has a painter and for every book there is a writer. The same can be said about the creation of our world.Our world could not have just created itself. Thomas Aquinas, a Catholic Dominican monk, more clearly proves this point with the First Cause argument. In this argument he says that there is a cause for everything but there cannot be an infinite amount of causes. There could only be a first, the intermediate, and then the last cause. This argument is very true and if God did not exist as the uncaused first cause then nothing else would make sense. The first and second premise is true because based on experience things are made or moved and things don’t just appear out of thin air.The third premise is also true because at some point in time something had to be put in motion and there cannot just be an endless stream of causes. If God was taken out of the causes then we wouldn’t exist here today. Many still argue that neither one of these arguments prove Gods existence, because it is impossible for our reason to accept them. In Soren Kierkegaard’s argument, â€Å"Faith, not Logic is The Basis of Belief; he argues that it is impossible to prove Gods existence because it is beyond our reason as human beings to do so.Kierkegaard classifies the word God under the word unknown. It is impossible for reason to know the unknown, so it is impossible to know, or prove God exists. Kierkegaard also claims that reason on its own does not attempt to prove God exists, he claims that it would be foolish to do so. It would be foolish to do so because reason is from existence, not towards it. Therefore if God does not exist, it would be impossible to prove he does, and if God does exist, because of our worldly limitations, it would be impossible to justify it as truth.Kierkegaard claims that the only way to argue Gods existence would be to assume Gods existence before creating the argument. In having faith, you have knowledge on what God should be like in order to fill the Gap of the unknown with ideas about God. Having Faith would make reason understand God. Doubt exists in the believer and the non-believer because it is beyond our reason to determine the truth of God's existence. The Big Bang Theory generally refers to the idea that the universe has expanded from a hot and dense condition at some time in the past, and continues to expand to this day.My question is what put it there? Time could have not decided to one day say, â€Å"I think I’m going to create life in a thing called a universe. † And magically particles come out of nowhere, more and more build up until it’s screaming hot, and then BANG! Time begins and so does everything as we know it today. Something had to place it there. Something had to have planned out the whole process. Everything is too complex and precise to not have been created by an intelligent being. From beginning to present time billions of people from all around the world have believed and been convinced in the existence of a god.There are various forms of evidence displaying the belief of a god throughout history including biblical carvings, artistic creations, religious and political conflicts, traditions, architect and the creation of the bible itself. Could one say with any sense of confidence that the shared concept of the beliefs and actions of so many people living in different times with different realities be mistak en? It is extraordinary how despite the many different languages, customs, cultures, values, and lifestyles, the belief in God or a higher power is one of the few things that can unify all people.This is strong evidence contributing to mine and many others faith in the existence of God. The existence of god is something that has puzzled millions of people around the world. It tears families apart, and brings some together. There are a lot of arguments supporting the existence of god, but just as many denying the fact that he or it exists. Agnosticism is something that many people go by because it allows your mind to explore and assist you in deciding whether or not a deity exists. You need to find the answers within yourself because only you can determine what truth and reality is.Not all questions may be answered, but it will allow you to form a true and concise belief. You cannot depend on someone or something else to satisfy your questions. You only live once and must search for the knowledge you desire. Some people are destined to succeed, and others are determined to succeed. If you seek the truth, you will find it. Logan, I. (2007). Whatever Happened to Kant’s Ontological Argument?. Philosophy & Phenomenological Research, 74(2), 346-363. doi:10. 1111/j. 1933-1592. 2007. 00021. x McCarthy-Jones, S. (2011).Seeing the unseen, hearing the unsaid: hallucinations, psychology and St Thomas Aquinas. Mental Health, Religion & Culture, 14(4), 353-369. doi:10. 1080/13674671003745870 Mikolajczak, M. (2004). Is there proof for the existence of God?. National Catholic Reporter, 40(43), 5a Morse, D. R. (2011, October). God's Existence: Proof. Journal of Spirituality & Paranormal Studies. p. 181. Schumacher, L. (2011). THE LOST LEGACY OF ANSELM'S ARGUMENT: RE-THINKING THE PURPOSE OF PROOFS FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD. Modern Theology, 27(1), 87-101. doi:10. 1111/j. 1468-0025. 2010. 01656. x

Improving Our Public Schools Essay

Being educated is a right, not a privilege. Whether it be in a public or private learning institution, to be educated is still what matters most. In choosing the right school for students is one of the critical decisions to arrive at a settlement. Children growing while learning are the next runners of the economy, the government, the entertainment. With their innate, infinite potentials, the quality towards learning experience is something that cannot be deprived of. Shaping them is shaping the future. But, before anything else, how can these students achieve the satisfaction of real-learning? In reality, global economy is not stable. Thus, not everyone is capable of affording their children on sending to good schools or the students themselves who work to sustain their studies can steadily stand with it. Reason why public schools are established. Student education is vital. It edifies information obtainment, organization and presentation to its receivers. If public schools are not well-maintained, its quality is degraded. A degraded quality means failure to imply proper education among its learners. Improving public schools enables its constituents to advance in education symmetry to those of in private schools. From the Comprehensive School Improvement Program (CSIP) which is a decade-long initiative to improve public schools under the Ford Foundation, it created independent observers who evaluate education initiatives. With this, suggestions from other individuals arose which are focused on improving public schools. The project started to gain donors who support the improvements. Not all public schools are lucky enough to have CSIP behind. That is why solutions are mandatory upon planning to develop a public school. Hiring qualified teachers, improving buildings to a modernized ambiance, ample funding, comprehensive program of study and efficient leadership are components of a successful improved school (Petrovich 8). Teachers are the primary persons responsible for the students. Although in some cases, teachers are hired even without passing the qualifications or, they may have passed but the quality they pass onto students does not suffice the standards of a proper education. Facility renovations are costly, which become hindrance in providing both teachers and students comfort. This is linked to the funding for a school. More so, the designed curriculum must be updated and extensive teaching methods are used. Sadly, what breaks the objective of improving public schools is the negligence to essentially impose it. Normally, these public schools cater the poor ones. And sustaining such, even from the government, is not always much reliable specifically among the third world countries. Advocacies will be of help in promoting aiding the schools. With the conviction of participation in assisting programs for public learning facilities improvement, it would at least lessen the burden of pushing the school on providing quality education despite its lax. Being a part of a project to progress public school is not easy. It will always, in a way or another, encounter financial problems; and should the allocated budget dries up, the project halts. Still, there are strategies to support in order to fulfill goals. Building constituency and coalition to minimize future financial and human dilemmas are important. Also, establishing communications and expanding networks increase participants. Public schools are still schools. It is a building that teaches how to form a better society. Regardless of the class it serves, it deserves the right to be respected and recognized. ? Works Cited Petrovich, J. Strategies for Improving Public Education. New York: Ford Foundation, 2008.

Listening as the Theme in Son essays

Listening as the Theme in Son essays Theme is an essential element to any story, serving as a central message the author means to convey to the reader. In Sonnys Blues, a short story by James Baldwin, the theme of the story shows the reader the importance of listening, both in the narrators life, but also in the readers life. By following the difficult lives of two brothers who grew up in Harlem, New York, Baldwin explains the painful process of one brothers learning to listen. As the two brothers attempt to heal wounds left from the past, the story illustrates the importance of learning to listen. To Baldwin, listening seems to carry a double meaning: the true ability to communicate with one another and really caring for one another. The relationship between the two brothers shows throughout the story the first type of listening. In the beginning of the story, the narrator is a man who does not know how to listen, and who finds himself unable to assist Sonny in his time of need. When the police arrest Sonny for heroin addiction, the narrator then describes his reaction: "A great block of ice got settled in my belly and kept melting slowly all day long [...] Sometimes it hardened up and seemed to expand until I felt my guts were going to come spilling out or that I was going to choke or scream" (Page 272). Shock and sorrow physically plague the narrator, paralyzing him from any expression. Due to this event, he does not even contact Sonny until the death of his daughter, a year later. Then, in his own time of need, he reaches out for Sonny, perhaps realizing that Sonny might be able to help him. Through this tragedy, he is finally able to respond to Sonny's trouble because of his own suffering. Before the death of his daughter, he can not hear or understand Sonny at all, although he really wants to. After her death, he is able to keep in touch with Sonny, and to communicate with him a little when he returns to Ha...

Constructing the Empire State Building

Constructing the Empire State Building Ever since it was built, the Empire State Building has captured the attention of young and old alike.  Every year, millions of tourists flock to the Empire State Building to get a glimpse from its 86th and 102nd-floor observatories. The image of the Empire State Building has appeared in hundreds of ads and movies. Who can forget King Kongs climb to the top or the romantic meeting in An Affair to Remember and Sleepless in Seattle?  Countless toys, models, postcards, ashtrays, and thimbles bear the image if not the shape of the towering Art Deco building. Why does the Empire State Building appeal to so many? When the Empire State Building opened on May 1, 1931, it was the tallest building in the world - standing at 1,250 feet tall. This building not only became an icon of New York City, but it also became a symbol of twentieth-century mans attempts to achieve the impossible. The Race to the Sky When the Eiffel Tower (984 feet) was built in 1889 in Paris,  it  taunted American architects to build something taller. By the early twentieth century, a skyscraper race was on. By 1909 the Metropolitan Life Tower rose 700 feet (50 stories), quickly followed by the Woolworth Building in 1913 at 792 feet (57 stories), and soon surpassed by the Bank of Manhattan Building in 1929 at 927 feet (71 stories). When John Jakob Raskob (previously a vice president of General Motors) decided to join in the skyscraper race, Walter Chrysler (founder of the Chrysler Corporation) was constructing a monumental building, the height of which he was keeping secret until the buildings completion. Not knowing exactly what height he had to beat, Raskob started construction on his own building. In 1929, Raskob and his partners bought a parcel of property at 34th Street and Fifth Avenue for their new skyscraper. On this property sat the glamorous Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Since the property on which the hotel was located had become extremely valuable, the owners of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel decided to sell the property and build a new hotel on Park Avenue (between 49th and 50th Streets). Raskob was able to purchase the site for approximately $16 million. The Plan to Build the Empire State Building After deciding on and obtaining a site for the skyscraper, Raskob needed a plan. Raskob hired Shreve, Lamb Harmon to be the architects for his new building. It is said that Raskob pulled a thick pencil out of a drawer and held it up to William Lamb and asked, Bill, how high can you make it so that it wont fall down?1 Lamb got started planning right away. Soon, he had a plan: The logic of the plan is very simple. A certain amount of space in the center, arranged as compactly as possible, contains the vertical circulation, mail chutes, toilets, shafts and corridors. Surrounding this is a perimeter of office space 28 feet deep. The sizes of the floors diminish as the elevators decrease in number. In essence, there is a pyramid of non-rentable space surrounded by a greater pyramid of rentable space. 2 But was the plan high enough to make the Empire State Building the tallest in the world? Hamilton Weber, the original rental manager, describes the worry: We thought we would be the tallest at 80 stories. Then the Chrysler went higher, so we lifted the Empire State to 85 stories, but only four feet taller than the Chrysler. Raskob was worried that Walter Chrysler would pull a trick - like hiding a rod in the spire and then sticking it up at the last minute. 3 The race was getting very competitive. With the thought of wanting to make the Empire State Building higher, Raskob himself came up with the solution. After examining a scale model of the proposed building, Raskob said, It needs a hat!4 Looking toward the future, Raskob decided that the hat would be used as a docking station for dirigibles. The new design for the Empire State Building, including the dirigible mooring mast, would make the building 1,250 tall (the Chrysler Building was completed at 1,046 feet with 77 stories). Who Was Going to Build It Planning the tallest building in the world was only half the battle; they still had to build the towering structure and the quicker the better. For the sooner the building was completed, the sooner it could bring in income. As part of their bid to get the job, builders Starrett Bros. Eken told Raskob that they could get the job done in eighteen months. When asked during the interview how much equipment they had on hand, Paul Starrett replied, Not a blankety-blank [sic] thing. Not even a pick and shovel. Starrett was sure that other builders trying to get the job had assured Raskob and his partners that they had plenty of equipment and what they didnt have they would rent. Yet Starrett explained his statement: Gentlemen, this building of yours is going to represent unusual problems. Ordinary building equipment wont be worth a damn on it. Well buy new stuff, fitted for the job, and at the end sell it and credit you with the difference. Thats what we do on every big project. It costs less than renting secondhand stuff, and its more efficient.5 Their honesty, quality, and swiftness won them the bid. With such an extremely tight schedule, Starrett Bros. Eken started planning immediately. Over sixty different trades would need to be hired, supplies would need to be ordered (much of it to specifications because it was such a large job), and time needed to be minutely planned. The companies they hired had to be dependable and be able to follow through with quality work within the allotted timetable. The supplies had to be made at the plants with as little work as possible needed at the site. Time was scheduled so that each section of the building process overlapped - timing was essential. Not a minute, an hour, or a day was to be wasted. Demolishing Glamor The first section of the construction timetable was the demolition of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. When the public heard that the hotel was to be torn down, thousands of people sent requests for mementos from the building. One man from Iowa wrote asking for the Fifth Avenue side iron railing fence. A couple requested the key to the room they had occupied on their honeymoon. Others wanted the flagpole, the stained-glass windows, the fireplaces, light fixtures, bricks, etc. Hotel management held an auction for many items they thought might be wanted.6 The rest of the hotel was torn down, piece by piece. Though some of the materials were sold for reuse  and  others were given  away for kindling, the bulk of the debris was hauled to a dock, loaded onto barges, and then dumped fifteen miles into the Atlantic Ocean. Even before the demolition of the Waldorf-Astoria was complete, excavation for the new building was begun. Two shifts of 300 men worked day and night to dig through the hard rock in order to make a foundation. Raising the Steel Skeleton of the Empire State Building The steel skeleton was built next, with work beginning on March 17, 1930. Two-hundred and ten steel columns made up the vertical frame. Twelve of these ran the entire height of the building (not including the mooring mast). Other sections ranged from six to eight stories in length. The steel girders could not be raised more than 30 stories at a time, so several large cranes (derricks) were used to pass the girders up to the higher floors. Passersby would stop to gaze upward at the workers as they placed the girders together. Often, crowds formed to watch the work. Harold Butcher, a correspondent for Londons  Daily Herald  described the workers as right there in the flesh, outwardly prosaic, incredibly nonchalant, crawling, climbing, walking, swinging, swooping on gigantic steel frames.7 The riveters were just as fascinating to watch, if not more so. They worked in teams of four: the heater (passer), the catcher, the bucker-up, and the gunman. The heater placed about ten rivets into the fiery forge. Then once they were red-hot, he would use a pair of three-foot tongs to take out a rivet and toss it - often 50 to 75 feet - to the catcher. The catcher used an old paint can (some had started to use a new  catching  can  made  specifically for the purpose) to catch the still red-hot rivet. With the catchers other hand, he would use tongs to remove the rivet from the can, knock it against a beam to remove any cinders, then place the rivet into one of the holes in a beam. The bucker-up would support the rivet while the gunman would hit the head of the rivet with a riveting hammer (powered by compressed air),  shoving  the rivet into the girder where it would fuse together. These men worked all the way from the bottom floor to the 102nd floor, over a thousand fe et up. When the workers finished placing the steel, a massive cheer rose up with hats  waiving  and a flag raised. The very last rivet was ceremoniously placed - it was solid gold. Lots  of Coordination The construction of the rest of the Empire State Building was a model of efficiency. A railway was built at the construction site to move materials quickly. Since each railway car (a cart pushed by people) held eight times more than a wheelbarrow, the materials were moved with less effort. The builders innovated in ways that saved time, money, and manpower. Instead of having the ten million bricks needed for construction dumped in the street as was usual for construction, Starrett had trucks dump the bricks down a chute which led to a hopper in the basement. When needed, the bricks would be released from the hopper, thus dropped into carts which were hoisted up to the appropriate floor. This process eliminated the need to close down streets for brick storage as well as eliminated much back-breaking labor of moving the bricks from the pile to the bricklayer via wheelbarrows.9 While the outside of the building was being constructed, electricians and plumbers began installing the internal necessities of the building.  The timing  for each trade to start working was finely tuned. As Richmond Shreve described: When we were in full swing going up the main tower, things clicked with such precision that once we erected fourteen and a half floors in ten working days - steel, concrete, stone and all. We always thought of it as a parade in which each marcher kept pace and the parade marched out of the top of the building, still in perfect step. Sometimes we thought of it as a great assembly line - only the assembly line did the moving; the finished product stayed in place.10 The Empire State Building Elevators Have you ever stood  waiting  in a ten - or even a six-story building for an elevator  that seemed to take forever? Or have you ever gotten into an elevator and it took forever to get to your floor because the elevator had to stop at every floor to let someone on or off? The Empire State Building was going to have 102 floors and expected to have 15,000 people in the building. How would people get to the top floors without waiting hours for the elevator or climbing the stairs? To help with this problem, the architects created seven banks of elevators, with each servicing a portion of the floors. For instance, Bank A serviced the third through seventh floors while Bank B serviced the seventh through 18th floors. This way, if you needed to get to the 65th floor, for example, you could take an elevator from Bank F and only have possible stops from the 55th floor to the 67th floor, rather than from the first floor to the 102nd. Making the elevators  faster was another solution. The Otis Elevator Company installed 58 passenger elevators and eight service elevators in the Empire State Building. Though these elevators could travel up to 1,200 feet per minute, the building code restricted the speed to only 700 feet per minute based on older models of elevators. The builders took a chance, installed the faster (and more expensive) elevators (running them at the slower speed) and hoped that the building code would soon change. A month after the Empire State Building was opened, the building code was changed to 1,200 feet per minute and the elevators in the Empire State Building were sped up. The Empire State Building Is Finished! The entire Empire State Building was constructed in just one year and 45 days - an amazing feat! The Empire State Building came in on time and under budget. Because the  Great Depression  significantly lowered labor costs, the cost of the building was only $40,948,900 (below the $50 million expected price tag). The Empire State Building officially opened on May 1,  1931, to a lot of fanfare. A ribbon was cut, Mayor Jimmy Walker gave a speech, and President  Herbert Hoover  lit up the tower with a push of a button. The Empire State Building had become the tallest building in the world and would keep that record until the completion of the World Trade Center in New York City in 1972. Notes Jonathan Goldman,  The Empire State Building Book  (New York: St. Martins Press, 1980) 30.William Lamb as quoted in Goldman,  Book  31 and John Tauranac,  The Empire State Building: The Making of a Landmark  (New York: Scribner, 1995) 156.Hamilton Weber as quoted in Goldman,  Book  31-32.Goldman,  Book  32.Tauranac,  Landmark  176.Tauranac,  Landmark  201.Tauranac,  Landmark  208-209.Tauranac,  Landmark  213.Tauranac,  Landmark  215-216.Richmond Shreve as quoted in Tauranac,  Landmark  204. Bibliography Goldman, Jonathan.  The Empire State Building Book. New York: St. Martins Press, 1980.Tauranac, John.  The Empire State Building: The Making of a Landmark. New York: Scribner, 1995.

World of work silver-organisational awareness Essay - 1

World of work silver-organisational awareness - Essay Example From the feedback, I have learnt that it is easier to use culture and factors as the key guiding principles for the external analysis of the organization. Thus, using a SWOT analysis facilitates in determining the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and the threats that an organization has towards the social based factors. Further, having a well-developed topic for research will assist to make it easy to achieve success in the research process. This occurs because the answering of the topic comprises of the details essential for the achievement of success. I will use the experience to create a chance for identification and evaluation of the organization that I need to work in the future. Such is because entering into an organization without knowing the functions and activities of such organization may prove challenging to me. Hence, having awareness on the organization activities will create an effective opportunity of understanding the nature of the organization and the need for ensuring that it is easy to achieve organization success. It also ensures that I am able to identify the right organization based on personal dream and