Friday, March 20, 2020

20 Quotes on Writing From Famous Authors

20 Quotes on Writing From Famous Authors What is writing? Ask 20 writers and youll get 20 different answers. But on one point, most seem to agree: writing is hard work. Richard Peck ï » ¿Writing is communication, not self-expression. Nobody in this world wants to read your diary except your mother. Toni Cade Bambara Writing has been for a long time my major tool for self-instruction and self-development. William Stafford I dont see writing as communication of something already discovered, as truths already known. Rather, I see writing as a job of experiment. Its like any discovery job; you dont know whats going to happen until you try it. Sherley Anne Williams I think writing is really a process of communication... Its the sense of being in contact with people who are part of a particular audience that really makes a difference to me in writing. Ursula K. LeGuin Writing makes no noise, except groans, and it can be done everywhere, and it is done alone. Robert Heinlein Writing is not necessarily something to be ashamed of, but do it in private and wash your hands afterwards. Franz Kafka Writing is utter solitude, the descent into the cold abyss of oneself. Carlos Fuentes Writing is a struggle against silence. David Sedaris Writing gives you the illusion of control, and then you realize its just an illusion, that people are going to bring their own stuff into it. Henry Miller Writing is its own reward. Molià ¨re Writing is like prostitution. First you do it for love, and then for a few close friends, and then for money.† J. P. Donleavy Writing is turning ones worst moments into money. Doris Lessing Ive always disliked words like inspiration. Writing is probably like a scientist thinking about some scientific problem or an engineer about an engineering problem. Sinclair Lewis Writing is just work- theres no secret. If you dictate or use a pen or type or write with your toes- its still just work. Suze Orman Writing is hard work, not magic. It begins with deciding why you are writing and whom you are writing for. What is your intent? What do you want the reader to get out of it? What do you want to get out of it. Its also about making a serious time commitment and getting the project done. Gabriel Garcia Marquez Writing is [like] making a table. With both you are working with reality, a material just as hard as wood. Both are full of tricks and techniques. Basically very little magic and a lot of hard work are involved... What is a privilege, however, is to do a job to your satisfaction. Harlan Ellison People on the outside think theres something magical about writing, that you go up in the attic at midnight and cast the bones and come down in the morning with a story, but it isnt like that. You sit in back of the typewriter and you work, and thats all there is to it. Catherine Drinker Bowen Writing, I think, is not apart from living. Writing is a kind of double living. The writer experiences everything twice. Once in reality and once in that mirror which waits always before or behind. E.L. Doctorow Writing is a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia. Jules Renard Writing is the only way to talk without being interrupted.

Wednesday, March 4, 2020

An Introduction to the Cold War in Europe

An Introduction to the Cold War in Europe The Cold War was a twentieth-century conflict between the United States of America (U.S.), the Soviet Union (USSR), and their respective allies over political, economic, and military issues, often described as a struggle between capitalism and communism- but the issues were actually far grayer than that. In Europe, this meant the US-led West and NATO on one side and Soviet-led East and the Warsaw Pact on the other. The Cold War lasted from 1945 to the collapse of the USSR in 1991. Why Cold War? The war was cold because there was never a direct military engagement between the two leaders, the U.S. and the USSR, although shots were exchanged in the air during the Korean War. There were plenty of proxy wars around the world as states supported by either side fought, but in terms of the two leaders, and in terms of Europe, the two never fought a regular war. Origins of the Cold War in Europe The aftermath of World War II left the United States and Russia as the dominant military powers in the world, but they had very different forms of government and economy- the former a capitalist democracy, the latter a communist dictatorship. The two nations were rivals that feared each other, each ideologically opposed. The war also left Russia in control of large areas of Eastern Europe, and the US-led Allies in control of the West. While the Allies restored democracy in their regions, Russia began making Soviet satellites out of its liberated lands; the split between the two was dubbed the Iron Curtain. In reality, there had been no liberation, just a new conquest by the USSR. The West feared a communist invasion, physical and ideological, that would turn them into communist states with a Stalin-style leader- the worst possible option- and for many, it caused a fear over mainstream socialism, too. The U.S. countered with the Truman Doctrine, with its policy of containment to stop communism spreading- it also turned the world into a giant map of allies and enemies, with the US pledging to prevent the communists from extending their power, a process that led to the West supporting some terrible regimes- and the Marshall Plan, massive aid aimed at supporting collapsing economies that were letting communist sympathizers gain power. Military alliances were formed as the West grouped together as NATO, and the East banded together as the Warsaw Pact. By 1951, Europe was divided into two power blocs, American-led and Soviet-led, each with atomic weapons. A cold war followed, spreading globally and leading to a nuclear standoff. The Berlin Blockade The first time the former allies acted as certain enemies was the Berlin Blockade. Postwar Germany was divided into four parts and occupied by the former Allies; Berlin, situated in the Soviet zone, was also divided. In 1948, Stalin enforced a blockade of Berlin aimed at bluffing the Allies into renegotiating the division of Germany in his favor rather than invading. Supplies could not get through to a city, which relied on them, and the winter was a serious problem. The Allies responded with neither of the options Stalin thought he was giving them, but started the Berlin Airlift: for 11 months, supplies were flown into Berlin via Allied aircraft, bluffing that Stalin wouldn’t shoot them down and cause a hot war. He didn’t. The blockade was ended in May 1949 when Stalin gave up. Budapest Rising Stalin died in 1953, and hopes of a thaw were raised when new leader Nikita Khrushchev began a process of de-Stalinization. In May 1955, as well as forming the Warsaw Pact, he signed an agreement with the Allies to leave Austria and make it neutral. The thaw only lasted until the Budapest Rising in 1956: the communist government of Hungary, faced with internal calls for reform, collapsed and an uprising forced troops to leave Budapest. The Russian response was to have the Red Army occupy the city and put a new government in charge. The West was highly critical but, partly distracted by the Suez Crisis, did nothing to help except get frostier toward the Soviets. The Berlin Crisis and the V-2 Incident Fearing a reborn West Germany allied with  the U.S., Khrushchev offered concessions in return for a united, neutral Germany in 1958. A Paris summit for talks was derailed when Russia shot down a U.S. U-2 spy plane flying over its territory. Khrushchev pulled out of the summit and disarmament talks. The incident was a useful out for Khrushchev, who was under pressure from hardliners within Russia for giving away too much. Under pressure from the East German leader to stop refugees fleeing to the West, and with no progress on making Germany neutral, the Berlin Wall was built, a complete barrier between East and West Berlin. It became the physical representation of the Cold War. Cold War in Europe in the 60s and 70s Despite the tensions and fear of nuclear war, the Cold War division between East and West proved surprisingly stable after 1961, despite French anti-Americanism and Russia crushing the Prague Spring. There was instead conflict on the global stage, with the Cuban Missile Crisis and Vietnam. For much of the  60s and 70s, a program of dà ©tente was followed: a long series of talks that made some success in stabilizing the war and equalizing arms numbers. Germany negotiated with the East under a policy of Ostpolitik. The fear of mutually assured destruction helped prevent direct conflict- the belief that if you launched your missiles, you would be destroyed by your enemies, and it was better to not fire at all than to destroy everything. The 80s and the New Cold War By the 1980s, Russia appeared to be winning, with a more productive economy, better missiles, and a growing navy, even though the system was corrupt and built on propaganda. America, once again fearing Russian domination, moved to rearm and build up forces, including placing many new missiles in Europe (not without local opposition). US President Ronald Reagan increased defense spending vastly, starting the Strategic Defense Initiative to defend against nuclear attacks, an end to Mutually Assured Destruction. At the same time, Russian forces entered Afghanistan, a war they would ultimately lose. End of the Cold War in Europe Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev died in 1982, and his successor, realizing change was needed in a crumbling Russia and its strained satellites, which they felt were losing a renewed arms race, promoted several reformers. One, Mikhail Gorbachev, rose to power in 1985 with policies of Glasnost and Perestroika and decided to end the cold war and give away the satellite empire to save Russia itself. After agreeing with the U.S. to reduce nuclear weapons, in 1988 he addressed the UN, explaining the end of the Cold War by renouncing the Brezhnev Doctrine, allowing political choice in the previously dictated-to satellite states of Eastern Europe, and pulling Russia out of the arms race. The speed of Gorbachev’s actions unsettled the West, and there were fears of violence, especially in East Germany where the leaders talked of their own Tiananmen Square type uprising. However, Poland negotiated free elections, Hungary opened its borders, and East German leader Honecker resigned when it became apparent the Soviets would not support him. The East German leadership withered away and the Berlin Wall fell ten days later. Romania overthrew its dictator and the Soviet satellites emerged from behind the Iron Curtain. The Soviet Union itself was the next to fall. In 1991, communist hardliners attempted a coup against Gorbachev; they were defeated, and Boris Yeltsin became leader. He dissolved the USSR, instead creating the Russian Federation. The communist era, begun in 1917, was now over, and so was the Cold War. Conclusion Some books, although stressing the nuclear confrontation that came perilously close to destroying vast areas of the world, point out that this nuclear threat was most closely triggered in areas outside Europe, and that the continent, in fact, enjoyed 50 years of peace and stability, which were sorely lacking in the first half of the twentieth century. This view is probably best balanced by the fact that much of Eastern Europe was, in effect, subjugated for the whole period by Soviet Russia. The D-Day  landings, while often overstated in their importance to the downhill of Nazi Germany, were in many ways the key battle of the Cold War in Europe, enabling Allied forces to liberate much of Western Europe before Soviet forces got there instead. The conflict has often been described as a substitute for a final post–Second World War peace settlement that never came, and the Cold War deeply permeated life in the East and West, affecting culture and society as well as politics and the military. The Cold War has also often been described as a contest between democracy and communism while, in reality, the situation was more complicated, with the democratic side, led by the U.S., supporting some distinctly nondemocratic, brutally authoritarian regimes in order to keep countries from coming under the Soviet sphere of influence.

Sunday, February 16, 2020

International Legal and Ethical Issues in Business Essay - 2

International Legal and Ethical Issues in Business - Essay Example But whether contracts are entered orally or in the written form, they should include the following essential elements for them to be deemed valid: parties capable of contracting, consent of the parties, lawful objects, and consideration (Bhana, Bonthuys, & Nortje, 2009). First and foremost, parties capable of contracting are those of legal age and are not convicted of any crime and thought to have mental or behavioral disorders. Hence anyone, save from the aforementioned exceptions, can enter into contract. In most instances, parties who involve themselves in these legal agreements should provide accurate and sufficient identities: full names, addresses and even titles. In sales contracts, moreover, the terms ‘seller’ and ‘buyer’ are oftentimes designated to the contracting parties (Steingold, 2009). Consent of the parties, which are free, mutual and well-communicated, qualifies for a valid contract. Consent obtained through intimidation, violence, fraud, un due influence and mistake does not make any contract valid. Similarly, consent is not considered mutual unless both parties agree on the same thing in the same sense. Basically, the articulation of an offer and an acceptance from contracting parties are required to make a contract valid (Helewitz, 2010). Furthermore, the thing being referred to in a contract is also called as the object. Objects must be lawful, possible and definite (Helewitz, 2010). Any law of court would not enforce any contract to perform an illegal act. Therefore, disputes in drug deals are not accommodated in legal agencies due to the fact that the contracts concerned are null and void. Of particular importance also in the determination of validity in contracts is consideration: meaning, each party must gain something out of the said agreement (Walston-Dunham, 2008). For example, if someone agreed to repair someone else’s house, and the latter never promised to give anything in return, then the one asked to do the service could not be sued for not showing up because he did not obtain consideration, in this matter. Objective Theory of Contract There are two approaches in deciding whether or not a party has entered into a valid contract. For the most part of legal history, the Subjective Theory of Contract happened to be the universal doctrine. However, during the late nineteenth century, the Objective Theory of Contract had been adopted by majority of lawyers and judges when deciding the merits of a contract dispute case, downplaying the former theory. Essentially, the recent theory upholds that the intention of the parties to a contract or an alleged contract, for that matter, is to be determined from their words and conduct, rather than their unexpressed or supposed intentions. Hence, it eradicates the subjective notion of intention (‘meeting of minds’ concept) which was deemed by most legal experts as vague and prejudicial (â€Å"Objective Theory of Contract,† 2011). But even though the Objective Theory of Contracts applies virtually in all jurisdictions, some aspects of subjectivity are nevertheless existent still. For instance, several strong cases for the nullification contracts are raised via the grounds of mistake or duress, which are practically based upon the subjective beliefs or intentions of one party of another (Farnsworth, 1999). In the ‘Harrier Jet’

Sunday, February 2, 2020

Australian Income Tax Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Australian Income Tax Law - Essay Example The expense of government to the individuals of a great nation is like the expense of management to the joint tenants of a great estate, who are all obliged to contribute in proportion to their respective interests in the estate. In the observation or neglect of this maxim consists what is called the equality or inequality of taxation. Every tax, it must be observed once for all, which falls finally upon one only of the three sorts of revenue above mentioned, is necessarily unequal in so far as it does not affect the other two. Looking at income tax rates methodology, we see that a taxpayer's income is taxed progressively. Broadly, this means that as you earn more income your average tax rate rises. And it’s really fair! Progressive taxation means that higher income earners pay more tax than lower income earners. The Government defined a maximum sum, which is not taxed –$6000. Let’s imagine, that your income is equal to X. Then if your income lays between you’ll pay 17% from (X-$6,000) sum. If your income is , you must pay more - $2,652 (according to previous rule) and 30% from (X-$21,600) sum, etc. This is achieved by taxing a range of income brackets as a set percentage or cents in the dollar. These income brackets are called tax brackets. The following tables detail the tax brackets of our progressive tax system for the financial years ending 30 June 2005 and 30 June 2006.

Saturday, January 25, 2020

Natural vs Synthetic Fiber Reinforced Polymer

Natural vs Synthetic Fiber Reinforced Polymer Concrete technology as a branch discipline of technology requires increase in the degree of specialization and consolidation of the fiber material in the cement matrix form composite materials. It requires knowledge of the concepts related to the interaction between the fiber and adhesive cement, mortar or matrix concrete that influence the production and nature of the product. The scientists and engineers have been actively exploring to find the materials that will be used as replacement of conventional materials that can provide a feature best new design and innovation to enhance the material. The development of fiber technology is in the line with the development of knowledge of the material. Following the high demand and innovation in applying fiber, the fiber technology has produced various kinds of fibers potential for commercialization. Participation fiber reinforcement in concrete, mortar and cement adhesive work to improve the engineering properties of many based materials such as fracture resistance, bending strength and resistance to fatigue, impact, thermal shock or chipping. Consolidation of materials in the form of cement mortar or concrete has become an attraction as a building material because it is inexpensive, has the resilience and has a compressive strength and stiffness sufficient for restructuring. However, the disadvantages are located on fragile nature, tensile strength and impact of the weak as well as receptive to moisture movement. Hence, reinforced by fibers that have enhanced capabilities offer a suitable alternative, practical and economical to overcome the lack of features of conventional concrete or mortar. Elements of a fiber is a continuous filament in the form of an express term sheet or spreadsheet form. Fibers can generally be categorized into three types : synthetic fibers, natural fibers and mineral fibers. Synthetic fibers are man-made fibers. It is based chemicals such as petrochemicals and synthetic fibers derived mostly from nylon, polyster, aerylic polymer and polyacrylonitrile fibers used to make fiberglass. There is also a bundle of fibers that make the polymer chain is as strong as aramid and chain bond length as dyneema. While natural fiber derived from natural sources, from plants and animals. Plant fibers are cellulose and lignin-based stacks such as cotton, jute, coir, oil palm bunches, flax and so on. It can be obtained from seeds (cotton, kapok), leaf (pineapple, banana), leather plant (jute, kenaf, rattan, hemp), fruit (coconut, palm) and straw (rice, wheat, barley, grass). Next, animal fibers derived from protein particles like silk and wool. For mineral fibers, it derived from the earths crust and it happens naturally. It is based on asbestos fibers (chrysotile, amosite, crocidolite, tremolite, actinolite, anthophyllite), ceramic fibers (glass wool, quartz, aluminum oxide, silicon carbide) and fiber-metal (steel, aluminum). However, both of natural and synthetic fiber reinforced concrete have their own challenges and weakness. Nothing is being done without deficiencies. Synthetic fiber however has more challenges than natural fiber because of its production. Future development of natural and synthetic fiber reinforced polymer concrete will make us want to investigate more about them. OBJECTIVES To know about polymer concrete and why fiber being reinforced in it. To describe the characteristics of natural and synthetic fiber reinforced polymer concrete. To describe the challenges in environment while using both composite materials in construction. To describe the future development in both composite materials. LITERATURE REVIEW POLYMER CONCRETE AND ITS CHARACTERISTICS Polymer concrete is a composite material in which the binder consists entirely of a synthetic organic polymer. It is variously known as synthetic resin concrete, simply resin concrete or plastic resin concrete. Because the use of a polymer instead of Portland cement represents a substantial increase in cost, polymers should be used only in applications in which the higher cost can be justified by superior properties, low labor cost or low energy requirements during processing and handling. It is therefore important that architects and engineers have some knowledge of the capabilities and limitations of polymer concrete materials in order to select the most appropriate and economic product for a specific application. Polymer concrete consists of a mineral filler such as an aggregate and a polymer binder which may be a thermoplastic, but more frequently, it is a thermosetting polymer. When sand is used as a filler, the composite is referred to as a polymer mortar. Other fillers include chalk, gravel, limestone, crushed stone, condensed silica fume (silica flour, silica dust), quartz, clay, granite, expanded glass, and metallic fillers. Generally, any dry, non-absorbent, solid material can be used as a filler. To produce polymer concrete, a monomer or a pre-polymer which mean a product resulting from the partial polymerization of a monomer, a hardener (cross-linking agent) and a catalyst are mixed with the filler. Other ingredients added to the mix include plasticizers and fire retardants. Sometimes, silane coupling agents are used to increase the bond strength between the polymer matrix and the filler. To achieve the full potential of polymer concrete products for certain applications, various fiber reinforcements are used. These include glass fiber, glass fiber-based mats, fabrics and metal fiber. Setting times and times for development of maximum strength can be readily varied from a few minutes to several hours by adjusting the temperature and the catalyst system. The amount of polymer binder used is generally small and is usually determined by the size of the filler. Normally the polymer content will range from 5 to 15 percent of the total weight, but if the filler is fine, up to 30 p ercent may be required. Polymer concrete composites have generally good resistance to attack by chemicals and other corrosive agents, good resistance to abrasion, have very low water sorption properties and good marked freeze-thaw stability. Also, the greater strength of polymer concrete in comparison to that of Portland cement concrete permits the use of up to 50 percent less material. This puts polymer concrete on a competitive basis with cement concrete in certain special applications. The chemical resistance and physical properties are generally determined by the nature of the polymer binder to a greater extent than by the type and the amount of filler. In turn, the properties of the matrix polymer are highly dependent on time and the temperature to which it is exposed. The viscoelastic properties of the polymer binder give rise to high creep values. This is a factor in the restricted use of polymer concrete in structural applications. Its deformation response is highly variable depending on formulation ; the elastic moduli may range from 20 to about 50 GPa, the tensile failure strain being usually 1 percent. Shrinkage strains vary with the polymer used. For example, high for polyester and low for epoxy-based binder. It must be taken into account in an application. A wide variety of monomers and pre-polymers are used to produce polymer concrete. The polymers most frequently used are based on four types of monomers or pre-polymer systems : methyl methacrylate (MMA), polyester pre-polymer-styrene, epoxide pre-polymer hardener (cross-linking monomer) and furfuryl alcohol. Table 1 : General Characteristics And Applications of Polymer Concrete Products Poly (methylmethacrylate) General Characteristics Low tendency to absorb water. As a result, high freeze-thaw resistance ; low rate of shrinkage during and after setting. Outdoor durability and good chemical resistance. Typical Applications Used in the manufacture of faà §ade plates, stair units and sanitary products for curbstones. Polyester General Characteristics Good adhesion to other materials, relatively strong, good chemical and freeze-thaw resistance but have high-setting and post-setting. Typical Applications Because of lower cost, widely used in panels for public and commercial pipes, buildings, floor tiles, stairs, various precast and cast-in applications in construction works. Epoxy General Characteristics Strong adhesion to most building materials, low shrinkage, good creep and fatigue resistance, superior chemical resistance and low water sorption. Typical Applications Epoxy polymer products are relatively costly. They are mainly used in special applications including use in mortar for industrial flooring, skid-resistant overlays in highways, epoxy plaster for exterior walls and resurfacing of deteriorated structures. Furan-based polymer General Characteristics Composite materials with high resistance to chemicals which most acidic or basic aqueous media, strong resistance to polar organic liquids such as ketones, aromatic hydrocarbons and chlorinated compounds. Typical Applications Furan polymer mortars and grouts are used for brick such as carbon brick and red shale brick, floors and linings that are resistant to chemicals, elevated temperatures and thermal shocks. Source : Blaga, A. and Beaudoin, J.J., (1985). Polymer Concrete. Canadian Building Digest published November 1985. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF FIBER AND TOUGHNESS CONCEPT Characteristics of fiber in use to hardened concrete : Fibers should be significantly stiffer than the matrix which has a higher modulus of elasticity than the matrix. Fiber content by volume must be adequate. There must be a good fiber-matrix bond. Fiber length must be sufficient. Fibers must have a high aspect ratio. Means that they must be long relative to their diameter. Toughness is defined as the area under a load-deflection (or stress-strain) curve. Adding fibers to concrete greatly increases the toughness of the material. That is, fiber-reinforced concrete is able to sustain load at deflections or strains much greater than those at which cracking first appears in the matrix. NATURAL FIBER REINFORCED POLYMER CONCRETE AND ITS CHARACTERISTICS Potential use of natural fiber reinforced concrete in the application of natural fibers has long attracted the attention of researchers. Various researches has been conducted in many countries for a variety of mechanical properties, physical performance and durability of materials reinforced by natural fibers. Natural fibers are categorized as organic waste from plants such as fiber coconut, sisal, bagasse, jute, wood dust and so on. Natural fiber reinforced concrete is essentially a special concrete where it contains fibers with a small diameter, independently and randomly distributed in the cement matrix. Uniform distribution in the cement matrix, contributing to an increase in the tensile and resistance to cracking, impact and improved the ductility values à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹for the good aspects of energy absorption. Although many types of fibers were used as reinforce material in concrete, the use of natural fibers had long been in existence and there is a lot of evidence of the usage of these fibers in the history of civilization. Nature has given human the fiber reinforced material in the form of wood, bamboo and other plants. The use of straw in mud bricks and horse hair in the mortar has the potential of natural fibers. Only in the late 1960s and early 1970s, research began to study the potential use of various types of natural fibers as reinforcement material in the slab concrete and cement-based composite materials. Natural fiber reinforced cement or concrete products that use fibers such as coir, sisal, sugar bagasse, bamboo and so on have been produced and tested in more than 40 countries. For economic reasons in developing countries where natural fibers is so much available, it is demanding for construction industry players to enhance the usefulness of these resources in an effective and economical as to introduce composite materials for residential use and others. Basic needs use of natural fibers as reinforcement material in concrete matrix is à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹tensile strength and high elastic modulus, the bond between the matrix and fiber, good chemical composition, stable geometry and good durability. SYNTHETIC FIBER REINFORCED POLYMER CONCRETE AND ITS CHARACTERISTICS Synthetic fibers are man-made fibers resulting from research and development in the petrochemical and textile industries. There are two different physical fiber forms: monofilament fibers, and fibers produced from fibrillated tape. Currently there are two different synthetic fiber volumes used in application, namely low-volume percentage (0.1 to 0.3% by volume) and high-volume percentage (0.4 to 0.8% by volume). Most synthetic fiber applications are at the 0.1% by volume level. At this level, the strength of the concrete is considered unaffected and crack control characteristics are sought. Fiber types that have been tried in concrete matrices include : acrylic, aramid, carbon, nylon, polyester, polyethylene and polypropylene. The characteristics is depend on the types of synthetics used to reinforced with polymer concrete. Different fiber has different properties. Adding carbon fiber decreased the unit weight of polymer concrete. Carbon fiber provides much higher compressive strength, flexure strength and ductility of polymer concrete. PVC and polypropylene fibers did not significantly influence the compressive strength and gave the lowest pulse velocities and modulus. NATURAL VS SYNTHETIC FIBER REINFORCED POLYMER CONCRETE : CHALLENGES The challenges of polymer concrete are the monomers of polymer can be volatile, combustible and toxic. Initiators, which are used as catalysts, are combustible and harmful to human skin. The promoters and accelerators are also dangerous. Natural fibers are emerging as lightweight, low cost, and more environmentally rather than synthetic fibers in composites. This is because : natural fiber production has lower environmental impacts compared to synthetic fiber production. natural fiber composites have higher fiber content for equivalent performance, reducing more polluting base polymer content. the light-weight natural fiber composites improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions in the use phase of the component, especially in auto applications. end of life incineration of natural fibers results in recovered energy and carbon credits. A compound reinforced with natural fibers is not only low density, low-cost, and abrasion resistant, it also offers an absence of toxicity and better dimensional stability. Polyester raw material releases high amounts of carbon dioxide. This rapidly increases global warming, which is why polyester and other synthetic fabrics are widely discouraged. The other reason is that some synthetic fabrics come from non-renewable resources such as oil. Eventually rise of these synthetic fibers usage have been causing environmental problems such as dumping and recycling. In addition, glass fiber can cause acute irritation of the skin, eyes, and respiratory tract. Mainly concerns have been raised for long term disease such as cancer and lung scarring. Moreover, when released, glass fiber does not decompose and hence again it results in environmental pollutions, as well as, threaten animal life and nature along. Therefore, one of the solutions is using natural fibers instead of synthetic fibers in developing composites materials as they are renewable. Also the consumption of renewable resources would provide positive image for sustainability of green environment. Natural fibers are less harmful to the environment and the society because they are derived from plants and animals which are more eco-friendly. Products which manufactured from natural fabric eventually dissolves into the earth. Plant and animal based fabrics are a part of the evolutionary process of life. They return to the earth to return once more to life. Synthetic fibers are more harmful to the environment because they are enhanced with chemicals. Polyester and nylon fabrics are made from a substance which creates nitrous oxide. Materials that are labeled petrochemical, flame retardants, nylon, acetate and non-wrinkle are all chemically treated. Chemicals which used for the manufacture of synthetic fabrics is harmful and can enter into the water supply and cause health problems. Also workers who are continuously exposed to dangerous chemicals are at risk for developing auto-immune diseases and disease of the lung. Products made from petrochemicals take years to break down, creating a constant need for landfills. Synthetic products that are disposed into the ocean are a threat to marine life. The threat to aquatic animals will eventually precipitate a food shortage. Although, synthetic fibers may offer softer fabrics and more durable materials, the long term effect on the environment far outweigh any advantages. The high cost of petrol along with global awareness of how natural fibers improve overall quality of life will help motivate manufacturers to find more innovative ways to utilize natural fibers. NATURAL VS SYNTHETIC FIBER REINFORCED POLYMER CONCRETE : FUTURE DEVELOPMENT Synthetic : Although not investigated extensively, the use of two or more fiber types in the same concrete mix is considered promising. The decision to mix two fibers may be based on the properties that they may individually provide or simply based on economics. Considerable improvement in the load deflection response was observed mixing steel with polypropylene fibers. In a more recent study, steel micro-fibers (25 microns in diameter and 3 mm long) and carbon micro-fibers (18 microns in diameter and 6 mm long) both in mono- and hybrid- forms were investigated. In the mono-form, steel fiber provided better strengthening than the carbon fiber and carbon fiber provided better toughening than the steel fiber. Interestingly, in the hybrid form (in combination), they both retained their individual capacities to strengthen and toughen. It appears possible, therefore, that by properly controlling fiber properties and combining them in appropriate proportions, one can actually tailor-make h ybrid fiber composites for specifically designed applications. Natural : Environmental awareness and depletion of the petroleum resources are among vital factors that motivate a number of researchers to explore the potential of reusing natural fiber as an alternative composite material in industries such as packaging, automotive and building constructions. However, their applications are still limited due to several factors like moisture absorption, poor wettability and large scattering in mechanical properties. Among the main challenges on natural fibers reinforced matrices composite is their inclination to entangle and form fibers agglomerates during processing due to fiber-fiber interaction. So, the research on natural fiber is being done by mercerization treatment on mechanical properties enhancement of natural fiber reinforced composite or so-called bio composite. It specifically discussed on mercerization parameters, and natural fiber reinforced composite mechanical properties enhancement. It was found that the most parameters used in merc erization treatment were alkali concentration, fiber soaking temperature and fiber soaking duration. Although similar types of reinforced fiber are used, it could give different values in its final composite mechanical properties due to different parameter setting during a mercerization treatment process. Therefore, there is a significant need to conduct further work focusing on main effect and interaction effect of mercerization parameters setting toward enhancement of natural fiber reinforce composite mechanical properties. CONCLUSION In conclusion, natural fiber reinforced polymer concrete has more environmentally characteristics than the synthetic one. But, in the context of advantages, synthetic fiber reinforced polymer concrete has more than natural. Both of them have their own advantages and disadvantages. Because of several characteristics of natural fibers such as moisture absorption, poor wettability and large scattering in mechanical properties, thus it makes reinforcement with polymer concrete a bit less advantageous. Future works will be needed to improve the properties of both natural and synthetic fiber reinforced polymer concrete included with environment impacts.

Friday, January 17, 2020

Employee Resourcing Essay

Their business approach and culture is very different from other competitors. Examples of their different culture are; no dress code, flexible working hours and spending lavishly on the recruitment process. Around 700, mostly young employees work under Trilogy and its Director of college recruiting Mr. Jeff Daniel expects the employees to â€Å"commit their expertise and vitality to everything they do†. Trilogy has an expensive and aggressive employee recruitment strategy that includes training at the company’s â€Å"Trilogy University. The new employees joined will undergo an intensive training program at their in-house training facility known as â€Å"Trilogy University†. Recruiters tend to select the ambitious, over achievers with entrepreneurial instincts from the campus recruitment method being the fresher’s in the job market. Trilogy’s recruitment interviews are said to be very intense at the same time an interview day will end with lot of ad venture and fun activities for both recruiters and interviewers, which makes a strong bond between new comers and the managers. For Trilogy recruiting is not just a high priority — it’s a company-wide mission. Its mission is to recruit the best of the best?. For that reason Trilogy uses very costly recruiting techniques: The Company spent $13,000 per hire with 262 college graduates were selected from short listed 4000 candidates, and this short listing was from 15000 applications! Q1. Identify some of the established recruiting techniques that underlie Trilogy’s unconventional approach to attracting talent? The company Trilogy, aggressively pursues the least experienced people in the job market. At many college campuses island wide, in career fairs and computer-science departments, looking for students who represent what Daniel calls â€Å"whom are expected to totally commit their expertise and vitality in everything they do†. In other words, he looks for young, talented over achievers with entrepreneurial ambition – people. The top managers, including CEO of the company, conduct the first round of  inter views, letting all applicants know that it would be hard, but rewarding experience.

Thursday, January 9, 2020

The Wealth Gap Issue Of America - 1338 Words

The Wealth Gap Issue The wealth gap. It affects us all; old or young, male or female, and-- most importantly-- rich or poor. It’s what separates the most powerful and highest-paid people in America from the rest of us. It’s an issue that receives some attention, but perhaps not enough. The richest 1% of the U.S. owns more wealth than the bottom 90%, and that’s not the only reality of this issue. You see, this is a social and economic problem contributing to a plethora of other big problems here in the U.S., including child poverty, the dwindling middle-class, and the fact that the majority of American citizens have absolutely zero impact on public policy. Here’s the thing—the wealth gap is increasing, rapidly. Not much has been done to address this issue, and there’s a large group of people who don’t want anything done (guess who). I, among others, believe solving this issue opens the door to finding a solution to an abundance of other issues. Literature Review Three studies, published over the last several years, suggest that the majority of American’s have no idea how unequal the wealth gap actually is. The average American believes the richest fifth of the country own 59% of the wealth. The reality is that the richest fifth own about 84% of the nation’s wealth. This same idea also translates into an issue of income equality. CEOs for large corporations get paid about 12 times what the average American worker thinks they get paid. The average CEO-to-worker pay ratio isShow MoreRelatedThe Problem Of The Wage Gap944 Words   |  4 PagesThe wage gap is one of the most important issues that needs to be discussed and solved in contemporary society. Out of all the developed countries the United States of America has the largest wealth inequality, similar to countries such as Mexico and Malaysia. The United States is very dependent on its currency, without it then you are almost unable to live. Healthcare is free in most other de veloped countries while in the United States you are forced to literally pay for your life if the situationRead MoreWealth Gap Between Whites And Minorities Essay1649 Words   |  7 PagesWealth Gap in America America has a lengthy history on how it became the powerful country it is today, and although its history can be interrupted in many ways (depending who you ask) one thing that is for certain is that wealth has yet to be distributed equally amongst minorities. According to the article â€Å"Income inequality matter; Extreme gap in wealth makes society unstable.† Philip Meyer claims that the wealth gap between whites and minorities has existed since Ronald Reagans’ term of presidencyRead MoreEssay on wealth inequality in america1518 Words   |  7 PagesSuzuki 6 Closing the Income Gap In today’s capitalist economy, where economic transactions and business in general is centered on self-interest, there is a natural tendency for some people to make more than others. That is the basis for the â€Å"American Dream,† where people, if they worked hard, could make money proportional to their effort. However, what happens when this natural occurrence grows disproportional in its allocation of wealth within a society? The resulting issue becomes income inequalityRead MoreDistribution of Wealth1488 Words   |  6 PagesDistribution of Wealth? Wealth has affected american society and evermore has affect the fabric of families. 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Currently in America there are 46.2 million people currently listed as impoverished according to the Census Bureau. As such first we need to look at the causes for poverty for nationally. In America the number one cause of poverty is single mothersRead MoreUnderstanding the American Wealth Disparity: End of the Road Documentary by Tim Delmastro1624 Words   |  7 Pages Particularly, in the United States there has been a growing issue of income inequality. The textbook definition of income inequality states: the difference between individuals or populations in the distribution of their assets, wealth, or income. The political problem itself, nevertheless, is deeper and denser than that. Out of all the developed nations, the United States is ranked with having the most uneven distribution of wea lth. The top one percent reigns over the shrinking middle class andRead MoreThe Inequality Gap Of The Rich And Poor1183 Words   |  5 PagesSome people would argue that the inequality gap of the rich and the poor does not affect our democracy. Others say the inequality gap is weakening our democracy. Either way, there is a wealth gap between the rich and the poor in the United States and as this gap between the classes expands, there is a debate over what should be done. On one side, people believe that great inequality between the rich and the poor is incompatible with democracy. Democracy is defined by the Oxford English DictionaryRead MoreThe Inequality Of Income Inequality Essay1507 Words   |  7 Pagesinequality has become a paramount topic in recent times, especially in the 2016 election. 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