Community and Culture Play a Role in Determining the Risk for Alcohol and Drug Abuse Essay

Substance abuse and addiction are major problems in society today. Every segment of society, regardless of race, gender, or age is affected. Some of the substances that are used grow naturally, whereas others are manufactured illicitly or even legitimately in laboratories. They may be smoked, inhaled, ingested, or injected and used for social, religious, or self-medicating purposes. The substances that are abused include caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, steroids, stimulants, depressants, heroin, cocaine and the list goes on. Substance abuse ranks high among serious health problems. Since 1979 illicit drug use and alcohol consumption has declined, but the widespread use of and dependence on these substances continues. Nicotine, now classified by the Food and Drug Administration as an addictive substance, is linked to more deaths annually than AIDS, cancer, and other substances combined. Alcohol is also a major social problem today. Use and abuse of alcohol are a factor in contributing to injuries and death. The cost of substance abuse is increasing in our society. Lives are lost, and loss of work productivity costs millions of dollars each year. Alcohol is a factor in 40% of all motor vehicle accidents, and alcohol and other drugs are often implicated in boating or athletic accidents. Costs’ include not only lives lost but also medical care, long-term services to the disabled, and increased insurance rates. Health care cost for clients that use alcohol, drugs, and nicotine are estimated to be greater than $160 billion annually. It has been confirmed that there is link between violence and alcohol and other drugs. Alcohol and drugs are a factor in vandalism on college campuses, date rape, sexual assault, and domestic violence. Under the influence of alcohol and drugs, young adults are more likely to engage in unsafe sexual practices, and parents are more likely to abuse their children. Certain factors place some individuals at greater risk than others for the development of abuse and dependence. Biological, psychological, or environmental conditions may predispose a person to the development of a drug or alcohol problem. Risk factors may include some of the following; heavy use of alcohol and other drugs or the presence of abuse or dependency by family members, presence of psychological conflicts, which a person may attempt to resolve through drug use. Other factors that predict that there may be a risk for alcohol and drug abuse include some of the following: †¢Failure in school †¢Rebelliousness and alienation †¢Need for immediate gratification †¢Lack of empathy †¢Frequent lying †¢Insensitivity to punishment The family which is the most powerful unit of socialization transmits cultural beliefs, myths, and values about alcohol and drug use. Also peers, and media personalities deliver messages about drug use, drug-using lifestyles, and the use of wines and spirits are subject of cultural traditions of families. Some groups have used wine strictly for celebratory purposes, others for religious rituals, and some for sustenance. Many cultural groups do not consider alcohol a drug. The result is that among many groups a double standard exists for alcohol and other drugs. Illicit drugs are considered dangerous and unhealthy, but alcohol is accepted and not considered threatening to the individual family, or society. However alcohol and drugs can be threatening to the individual, family, and our society. Substance abuse is known to affect ones behavior and personality. Abusers are known to be manipulative and often are in denial. One of the greatest consequences of alcohol abuse is the physiological damage that can be done. Alcohol is absorbed directly from the stomach and exerts system depression and physiological effects throughout the body almost immediately. In low doses, alcohol produces relaxation, loss of inhibition, loss of concentration, drowsiness, slurred speech, and sleep apnea. When alcohol or any drug of abuse is terminated abruptly by a person who is physiologically dependent they may begin to experience withdrawals. Onset of symptoms of withdrawals begins within 6-12 hours following the cessation or reduction of the drug or alcohol. Withdrawal must be treated, if not withdrawal may progress to withdrawal delirium untreated delirium may result in death. Treatment can be approached on several different bases. Inpatient hospitalization is usually a 2 to 4 week hospitalization in a unit of a general hospital, residential treatment center or psychiatric hospital; therapy provides corrective emotional experiences. This atmosphere provides safety, restricts access to the drug, and monitors self-destructive behavior. Detoxification Is a supervised medical regimen to withdraw the client from drugs that have induced psychological and physiological dependence. Rehabilitation is usually at a long-term hospital that addresses all phases of treatment. In many areas halfway houses serve as a rehabilitation facility that provides a sheltered and emotionally and financially supportive environment with peers. Counseling is a useful and effective means it can be administered on an individual basis or in family counseling. Support groups would be another effective means to support a person with substance-related disorders and their families. There are many groups modeled on the Twelve-Step approach of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). Other groups include Narcotics Anonymous (NA), Al-Anon (ANA), Adult Children of Alcoholic’s (ACOA), Sex and love addicts Anonymous (SLAA) and Ala-Teen (ALAT). These are a few of the self-help groups that can be contacted in our communities to help those who are abusing or have friends or family members who are abusers. Most of these groups are free of charge and are conducted by people who have abused and are now recovering.

Computer Virus Essay

The emergence of technological innovations such as the advent of computer and computer programs, also paved way for the birth of certain viruses that can disrupt software programs. These viruses infect a program and allow it to spread from one computer to the others (â€Å"Viruses†). As it transfers from one computer to another, it leaves complications or ailments that like human viruses, has varying degrees of severity. Some are merely designed to annoy the computer user while others can destroy the entire computer hardware (Beal). Viruses may be categorized as a worm, Trojan or just a virus. A worm is quite similar to a virus, but unlike a virus that needs human intervention in order for it to spread, worms can spread on its own. It has the capacity to replicate itself and travel from one hardware to another through the transport features of the computer’s system. Because of its replicating capacity it poses harm as it can slow down the computer the moment it becomes multitude (Beal). A Trojan on the other hand does not replicate as viruses and worms do. They appear at first as some legitimate program or file but the moment it is ran in the computer it can create various damage. Sometimes they are made to annoy while other can seriously destroy the computer by deleting files or programs. It can also create backdoors that can give other users access to the system that may give away personal or confidential information (Beal). Most of the time, these malicious programs spread with human intervention. When viruses cling onto a file and was run in the computer, it automatically spreads in the system of that computer.Trojans spread in the same way, while worms replicate itself in the system, to another system and to another. Works Cited Beal, Vangie. 2007. The Difference Between a Computer Virus, Worm and Trojan Horse. Webopedia. 11 November, 2008 . Brain, Marshall. n. d. How Computer Viruses Work. HowStuffWorks. 11 November 2008 . Viruses. n. d. Kasperskylab. 11 November 2008 .

Change

Wideman wonders about the youth today. There are too many of them running around doing nothing with their lives. Seeping through the cracks and who is going to be there to help them out. Will Obama? Wideman wonders â€Å"How will President Barack Obama attempt to seal the cracks they slip through? Not cracks in the pavement of Grand and Essex, but the cracks of broken promises, the cracks that have divided and conquered the will of a nation to treat all citizens equally†(858). It seems the questions never end, but what else can they do but wonder. The world stands and waits for the next move, but instead of waiting why don’t they join in on making the first move. Just because the president is black and that is accomplish within itself. Taking the first step is always the hardest but it has to start somewhere. â€Å"I want to walk up to one of them and ask â€Å"Do you think your life might be different now that Barack Obama is president? What steps do you believe President Obama will take to improve your life? What steps do you think he should take? †(857). There are some kids that are out there willing to make a change and enforcing it as well but there isn’t enough, the more that will contribute the less work there will be for everyone and life could go back to the way it used to be, cheap. In school, kids only think about their looks and the lust of one another is no longer a learning system but a fashion show at the mall. From what’s on your hair to the latest sneakers, â€Å"young people of amalgamated†¦eyes hungry for each other† (858). Wideman said though â€Å"intimidated† he was in love with the way the kids thought, made him think about his own and one day theirs. About the future that he will no longer be in charge of but let the young adults care for him. He’s also worried that there are more than few of them walking around without a care in the world, not thinking about their future. â€Å"Is there such thing, really, as a future in young minds†? Kids today are committing suicide, and are in gangs and killing one another, or just not focusing enough in school, whatever it maybe. Kids are finding more ways to stay on the streets, but being on the streets doesn’t make you any less it just means you must work harder to achieve your goals. There should be more adults trying to guide these lost souls back, instead of turning their back and being even more ignorant adults acting up. It’s not only the kids fault but the nature, these kids don’t have a choice on where they grow up or how much money they’re parents make or the way of luxurious life styles they weren’t grace with jewels but if they work hard and really want it anything can be there’s. Look at all those rich and famous people not all of them where born into it, most of them had to work hard and grind and that what should be taught to work hard and you shall receive. Americans feel it is okay to rest on their laurels but resting on anything that is half way built is bound to break and tip over. Having a good foundation is key to success, help is needed in these kids life’s more people who give a damn and Obama is doing that. Giving the little ray of sunlight on those kids future. Letting them know that no matter how big their dream is they can receive it as long as they work hard at it. Obama is trying to build a better and stronger foundation for future for Americans but he can’t do it alone. Everyone has to take responsibility and try to become a better them. â€Å"Perhaps we would explore together the explosive, still almost unbelievable fact that our country finally seized the opportunity to turn away from one deeply rooted, intractable, self-destructive, dead-end understanding of itself as white and black, finally began to create a new vision of itself†(858). Just as Wideman said try to be the positive being you want to see in the world. Michael Jackson was a legend he not only sing beautifully but his is words he made a difference. His song Man in the Mirrors lyric is very powerful and true â€Å"If you wanna make the world a better place take a look at yourself, and then make a change† should be a world motto and if â€Å"Yolo† was used correctly you do only live once so use every opportunity given big or small, just take it â€Å"Yolo† right . Obama was just the tip of the iceberg of change and good this world really needs. Wideman story was honest and good, his points were valid and firm. The only question is America ready for a change? And now that a chance is given, will it be taken? Change Change Change Change Wideman wonders about the youth today. There are too many of them running around doing nothing with their lives. Seeping through the cracks and who is going to be there to help them out. Will Obama? Wideman wonders â€Å"How will President Barack Obama attempt to seal the cracks they slip through? Not cracks in the pavement of Grand and Essex, but the cracks of broken promises, the cracks that have divided and conquered the will of a nation to treat all citizens equally†(858). It seems the questions never end, but what else can they do but wonder. The world stands and waits for the next move, but instead of waiting why don’t they join in on making the first move. Just because the president is black and that is accomplish within itself. Taking the first step is always the hardest but it has to start somewhere. â€Å"I want to walk up to one of them and ask â€Å"Do you think your life might be different now that Barack Obama is president? What steps do you believe President Obama will take to improve your life? What steps do you think he should take? †(857). There are some kids that are out there willing to make a change and enforcing it as well but there isn’t enough, the more that will contribute the less work there will be for everyone and life could go back to the way it used to be, cheap. In school, kids only think about their looks and the lust of one another is no longer a learning system but a fashion show at the mall. From what’s on your hair to the latest sneakers, â€Å"young people of amalgamated†¦eyes hungry for each other† (858). Wideman said though â€Å"intimidated† he was in love with the way the kids thought, made him think about his own and one day theirs. About the future that he will no longer be in charge of but let the young adults care for him. He’s also worried that there are more than few of them walking around without a care in the world, not thinking about their future. â€Å"Is there such thing, really, as a future in young minds†? Kids today are committing suicide, and are in gangs and killing one another, or just not focusing enough in school, whatever it maybe. Kids are finding more ways to stay on the streets, but being on the streets doesn’t make you any less it just means you must work harder to achieve your goals. There should be more adults trying to guide these lost souls back, instead of turning their back and being even more ignorant adults acting up. It’s not only the kids fault but the nature, these kids don’t have a choice on where they grow up or how much money they’re parents make or the way of luxurious life styles they weren’t grace with jewels but if they work hard and really want it anything can be there’s. Look at all those rich and famous people not all of them where born into it, most of them had to work hard and grind and that what should be taught to work hard and you shall receive. Americans feel it is okay to rest on their laurels but resting on anything that is half way built is bound to break and tip over. Having a good foundation is key to success, help is needed in these kids life’s more people who give a damn and Obama is doing that. Giving the little ray of sunlight on those kids future. Letting them know that no matter how big their dream is they can receive it as long as they work hard at it. Obama is trying to build a better and stronger foundation for future for Americans but he can’t do it alone. Everyone has to take responsibility and try to become a better them. â€Å"Perhaps we would explore together the explosive, still almost unbelievable fact that our country finally seized the opportunity to turn away from one deeply rooted, intractable, self-destructive, dead-end understanding of itself as white and black, finally began to create a new vision of itself†(858). Just as Wideman said try to be the positive being you want to see in the world. Michael Jackson was a legend he not only sing beautifully but his is words he made a difference. His song Man in the Mirrors lyric is very powerful and true â€Å"If you wanna make the world a better place take a look at yourself, and then make a change† should be a world motto and if â€Å"Yolo† was used correctly you do only live once so use every opportunity given big or small, just take it â€Å"Yolo† right . Obama was just the tip of the iceberg of change and good this world really needs. Wideman story was honest and good, his points were valid and firm. The only question is America ready for a change? And now that a chance is given, will it be taken?

Plato Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Plato - Essay Example In this tragedy lies heroism and moral fortitude. Although deemed guilty by the then prevailing laws of Athens, he stands righteous in spirit. Even when given the choice between a life in exile or immediate execution, he chose the latter as a matter of adhering to principle. The following passages will elaborate this assessment. Socrates was brought to trial by the democratic Athenian jury, which had scores to settle with prominent members of the previous regime. Socrates’ association with the previous regime made him a target of persecution, irrespective of the veracity of the alleged charges. He was accused of undermining religious and state authority and for also corrupting the minds of young Athenians. But in reality, Socrates made no deliberate attempts to bring down the religious and state authorities. Instead, he encouraged his students to adopt a critical approach to moral actions, also suggesting that the Athenian rulers themselves are not exempt from such scrutiny. E ven when sentenced to death by the Athenian court, Socrates did not try to evade his fate, but rather accepted it with equanimity. Even though he is termed ‘guilty’ by the Athenian court, his rationale for accepting the verdict reveals the moral soundness of his decision, thus, in effect, vindicating his moral righteousness. (Vlastoc, 1991, p.114) For example, â€Å"At 49c-d Socrates elaborates his leading premise to 'one should not wrong any person', adding to this 'not even if one has been wronged by him'. At 49e5-7 he states a further premise 'one should do what one has agreed to do, provided that it is not wrong'. He then proposes that it follows from these premises that it would be wrong for him to escape (49e9-50a3)†. (Bostock, 1990, p.2) By reasoning in this fashion, Socrates puts principles ahead of self-interest. In this broad sense, he is really not guilty. Moreover, his concern for law and order among Athenian civilians made him put public interest ahe ad of his own. For example, â€Å"if Socrates tries to escape, he will be attempting, for his part, to destroy the Laws, and (thereby) the whole city; for a city could not survive if the verdicts reached by the courts were set aside and rendered powerless by individuals. (50a8-b8).† (Bostock, 1990, p.2) Socrates reasons that one should do nothing wrong, further adding that his own life till that point was lived in accord with this premise. Since disobeying Athenian laws would amount to doing wrong, he argues against his own bodily interest and surrenders to the court. He thus accepts the death penalty imposed on him as a matter of righteous conduct and lawful behavior. It is easy to extend this logic and come to the conclusion that Socrates thought that it would always be wrong for any citizen of Athens to disobey any law of the city. But a detailed analysis of all of Socrates’ sayings shows that this is not the case. Moreover, there is ambiguity and contradiction with in the set of Athenian law that creates sufficient doubt about the ‘guilty’ verdict: â€Å"The Laws say that if Socrates escapes he will have both failed to obey and failed to persuade (52a3-4). Now quite a natural way of taking this charge would be to suppose that it claims that Socrates has not obeyed the law against impiety and corrupting the young, and also has not persuaded the jury that he should not be condemned on this account. If that is the correct way of taking it, then our proposed third

Unit #8 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Unit #8 - Assignment Example Students study different things depending on which school they attend and which region it is located (Klein, 2001, Page 67, paragraph 1, line 15-17). This challenge was there in the former system of education, and it is still there in the K-12 system. Students who have trained at same levels but in different schools are not equal. The employers prefer employees from certain schools rather than others. Some students may find it unmanageable to work in other states due to this problem. To solve this problem, the government should consider designing a new uniform curriculum that will be used in all the schools. Deaf education is subject to challenges due to the learning capability of the deaf students and those with hard hearing challenges. In the current system, most students with hearing capabilities start getting attention at late stages of their education. Early intervention will enhance educational development (Marschark & Spencer, 2003, Page 67, paragraph 6, line 1-3). It is important to introduce a new policy that requires deaf children to receive special education even during the initial phases of their education. This will help in increasing the chances of the students with hearing capabilities achieving more in education. Curriculum developers in all the states in USA should come together and propose a uniform curriculum that will enable the students undergo one similar system. Although it might be challenging, it will have a lot of advantage in terms of equating all the students and increasing their employability chances in future. Parents with deaf children and children with hard hearing capabilities should notify the teachers at early stages. This will help in installing learning aids for students during initial stages of education The medical fraternity should help parents in knowing if their children have hearing disabilities at early stages. This coordination will help identify students will hearing disabilities and assist them at

The Effects of Global Warming on Polar Bears Research Paper

The Effects of Global Warming on Polar Bears - Research Paper Example Despite ongoing activism this decrease in numbers still continues up to the present day. Indeed, it is a frightening possibility that soon, polar bears will be just parts of history and will become another name on the list of extinct animals. The decline in Polar Bear population is due to many harsh realities in today’s world. With not only traditional adversaries in the wild to contend with, the additional factors of climate and the encroachment of man begin to play a big factor in the Polar Bear saga. Chief among the causes of the polar bear’s steep mortality rate is hunting by humans (Schliebe et al. 34). Another cruel by-product of the influence of man is the exposure of the bears to Persistent Organic Pollutants (POP), highly toxic chemicals. The high levels of accumulation of POP compounds cause impacts to the polar bear’s nervous system, reproduction, and even their immunity (IUCN Red List 1). This man made problem has begun to substantially threaten the health and well-being of the animals. Taken together, these problems alone would be hard for any species to face. However, overshadowing other issues is the advancing argument that the biggest threat to the existence of polar bears is the phenomenon of global warming. The continuous and intensifying climate changes have already made impacts on the polar bears’ sea – ice habitat. With entire shelves falling prey to the cracking and once mighty ice floes reduced to a mere shade of their former selves the ability to deny that the polar caps are warming is nearly impossible to dispute. As a result, their ice covered habitat has been disrupted in a complete and fundamental manner. With even the very fabric of their existence shifting under their feet, their instincts hold little recourse. This deeply affects their access to prey and den areas. It is a very strong position to state that the effects of global warming are seen to be critical to the polar bear’s extinction (IUCN Red List 1). This research will explore the possible effects of global warming on polar bears. The issue i s in need of special attention because the likelihood of polar bear’s extinction is a very important environmental concern. With the continuous climate changes, and the human population stuck in perpetual deadlock, affecting the habitat of polar bears, it is very likely that our environment will lose another biological component. This research paper will assess how the impacts of global warming are contributing to the likelihood of polar bear’s extinction. In order to gain a full understanding of the effects of global warming on polar bears, this paper will focus on three areas of literature. First, the study looks at the area that attempts to comprehend and illustrate that the polar bears are the bears of the sea. Second, the paper will examine the literature that discusses the effects of global warming on the earth in general. Third, the research will delve into the effects of global warming on polar bears specifically. By taking the time to examine all of these basi c facets, the picture of the plight of the Polar Bear begins to come into focus. First, we start by learning about the polar bear. Long regarded as the largest terrestrial carnivore in the whole world (World Life Fund for Nature’s Status Report), the bear has few natural enemies. According to Norris et al, its scientific name is Ursus maritmus (8) was

Why dog food quality matters Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Why dog food quality matters - Research Paper Example Many famous personalities are seen to have publicly endorse the keeping of dogs and other animals. An important part of the care of the dogs is providing them with adequate nutrition and the quality of the food given to them should be maintained. When it comes to the nutritional needs and shelter necessities of the animal, then the crucial task of getting what is best for the dog lies ahead. Different dogs have different needs and not to mention even the same breed of dogs can differ in their demands. Pet owners face difficulty in choosing things that are best for their dog and suit them accordingly. Dog food is another major issue that the owners have to be careful about. In the market there are various sorts of brands and products available that claim to be the best for household dogs but can actually cause more harm than good to the canine kept. The basic key of it all is understanding the needs of the dog and then catering to it accordingly. It is seen that dogs might be different in needs, so it is necessary that the dog in question is not a test subject rather the keepers should know what it wants and why does it want that. Every dog owner faces nutritional need questions and has a hard time figuring out what exactly d oes the pet want to survive and perform at its best. While any dog food can cater to the canine hunger, there are some specific things to be kept in mind that help in establishing a good health. Dogs need proteins, carbohydrates, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals to survive. (National Research Council 2). All of these are needed in the canine system so that it actively performs and does not get ill or is susceptible to illness. The second most important thing is keeping a check of when to feed the dog kept in the household. Most dogs are trained into asking for food when they get hungry and owners usually establish timings for feeding but keep in mind that do not over feed or under feed the canine as it can impact the health and over all

Lebanese Flower Restaurant Business Plan Assignment

Lebanese Flower Restaurant Business Plan - Assignment Example The business plan aims at pointing out the appropriate location of the restaurant, the time that the company will start, the services and products, how it will operate and the legal structures. The plan shows the market strategy of the entrepreneur that comprises price, place, people, the process, promotion, and products. The management plan gets discussed majorly for the costs and benefits for the workers. The financial plan also shows a balance sheet, industry ratios, profit and loss statements and address the risks that are very possible and how to manage them along with various recommendations. Lebanese Flower restaurant will be a sole proprietor ownership in that it may get contented with a limited capital for startup. The owner’s plan on instantaneous restaurant’s growth business is to invest the earnings. The key backbone of the business will be reinvestment after the business startup. The reinvestment process will ensure that the business will have a good incorporation transition in the future. During its first stage, the business will not disperse the owner’s independence. It is in the plan that Lebanese Flower Restaurant will get located near Ottawa city. The restaurant ownership will be the sole proprietorship. In the strategy in marketing, the restaurant will focus on providing natural, healthy, fresh menu to compete effectively in the market with other established hotels. The initial process will get financed through owner’s savings, his family, friends, public offering, commercial banks, and trade credit. Thus, with everything in place, it is recommended that the organization to perform further research and have its knowledge integrated with good timing.

President Obama's Proposal to Boost Taxes for the Wealthy Research Paper

President Obama's Proposal to Boost Taxes for the Wealthy - Research Paper Example The first reason President Obama needs to raise taxes on the rich is the fact that our country needs more money to balance the budget. We have made some very poor decisions as a nation and now these obligations are coming back to haunt us. The most important revenue issue we need to address is paying for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. We have never fought wars abroad without raising taxes to pay for the war. World War I was partially paid for by a huge tax on the richest Americans. This tax was presented as a patriotic duty that all rich Americans should do. President Bush insisted that we did not need a tax increase to pay for Iraq or Afghanistan. Instead of raising taxes, he lowered taxes on all Americans, but most especially for rich Americans. We are facing increasing costs for Social Security and Medicare as well. These are popular programs that no one wants to end. In addition to increased expenses from wars and social programs comes the increasingly expensive mission of pro viding homeland security for America. The amount of money spent on law enforcement and intelligence gathering since the 9/11 attacks in New York, Washington DC and Pennsylvania has skyrocketed. We want to be safe and we want to keep our social programs. The only way that we can have these things is to raise more revenue. There isn’t enough we can cut if we are not going to touch defense, homeland security and social security. President Obama has proposed a tax on the wealthiest Americans that would generate 1.5 trillion dollars in new revenue over the next decade. When an increase in revenue is necessary, the first people to give should be the rich because they have the most to give. Another reason the rich should be taxed stems from the fact that the richest Americans have been concentrating more and more of the wealth in their own personal fortunes over the past thirty years. Economists argue that there are many reasons for this concentration of wealth among the richest 1% of Americans. Some of it can be traced to the reductions in the capital gains taxes that were implemented during the George W. Bush presidency. Capital gains are the income received when an asset such as real estate or company stock is sold. These gains are taxed at a lower rate than regular income. This is a great advantage to the rich because most of their income comes from the selling of items that generate capital gains, not â€Å"income† in the technical sense. America has forgone trillions of dollars in lost revenue over the past two decades by reducing the capital gains tax. That revenue has ended up in the hands of the wealthiest Americans. Some economists say that a low capital gains tax is good for working and middle class Americans also because many have company stock for their 401K retirement plans. The problem with this logic is the fact that most working class people never need the capital gains tax breaks because they are not actively trading their stocks. They have them in reserve for retirement. The only people benefitting from this tax break are the rich. This tax beak has helped concentrate wealth in the hands of the richest Americans. The economist Marty Sullivan commented, "The way you get rich in this world is not by working hard, it's by owning large amounts of assets and having those things appreciate in value." Working and middle

Project 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Project 3 - Essay Example In case the tenant damages any property within the apartment, the law provides that it should be tabulated and written down. In case the landlord has any intentions to withhold, the security amount, the same should be communicated to in advance. On the other hand, the tenant has certain rights within the frame work of law. Sec 8-211 provides that the tenant could make repairs and deduct the commensurate amount from the rent. On the other hand, the landlord has a duty to mitigate the effects of the damages through initiatives such as re renting the premises. The law provides that in cases where the lease in question is one of 1 year, a three months’ notice should be given. There is however, an exception in case of farm tenancies that run for 6 months. In case the tenants- landlord agreement is a month to month, there should be one month notice. It is now proper to turn to instances where there is breach or violation of lease agreement, Sec 402.1(a)(1) provides that eviction notice should be given 30 days. However, in cases where the tenant poses a great danger it should be given 14 days. The landlord has the obligation of abiding by the laws when terminating the lease agreement. In this respect, the landlord is barred by the law to take possession of the leased property unless within the confines of the law. On the same note the landlord can only take possession of the tenant’s property only in case the tenant does not give legal notice on exit. Before the tenants enter any premise, the landlord has the duty to disclose all the relevant information. Within such information should be the right of the tenants, the landlord’s right to inspect the premises. Within such information should also be the person whom the landlord may direct to act on their behalf. Based on the above provisions, it is now in order to discuss the matters that relate to the case above. It is evident

Equal Opportunity Essay Example for Free

Equal Opportunity Essay In this short story, Equal Opportunity, written by Walter Mosely, Minority Socrates Furtlow, faces the dilemma of getting a job. Socrates is an ex-con, having served 27 years in prison. While drunken, he killed two of his good friends, and now lives life as a bumb who goes around collecting bottles and cans for a living. This story tells his struggle to find honorable work as a black man in society because of his background. Because there were no jobs in Socrates neighborhood that would hire him, knowing of his background, finding a job was a complicated task for this African-American, 58 year-old man who hadn’t worked in 37 years. As Socrates travels approximately 14 miles, 3 bus transfers from his apartment in Watts, South Central, Los Angeles, he arrives at Bounty Supermarket to try and get a job. As he enters the store, he wondered what the workers would think of him working there surrounded by money because of his prison background. Socrates, though was a murderer, not a thief! During his job search at Bounty Supermarket, he attempted to retrieve an application. Being a man of his stance, he had already practiced how he would attempt to ask for â€Å"an application. Anton Crier, assistant store manager of Bounty Supermarket, was a young white male who Socrates interacted with during his first visit. Anton was reluctant to give Socrates the time of day, mainly because of his appearance. Anton’s first question to Socrates was â€Å"Uh. How old are you sir? † As an ex-convict, with the stereotype of knowing the law, Socrates knew that this question was a violation of is rights for Equal Opportunity, and he surely informed Anton. Socrates stated to him the law of discrimination, equal opportunity, and his right to basically be given a chance and to at least to turn an application. Determination allowed Socrates to â€Å"demand† his right to fill out the application and wait for a reply, based on the information submitted on the application and simply not his race! After he turned in the application with a borrowed pencil Anton loaned him, he informed Anton and the store manager Halley Grimes of his dilemma of not having a phone, but an address where they could write to him he results of his application. He had to explain to them his address was valid because they were already going trying not accept it based on the fact he did not have a phone . He also questioned them about an information section on the application about his ability to travel to work. The question asked if he had a car? Although he didn’t, he didn’t mind using the public transportation (RTD -Rapid Transportaion District) bus route. Over a five day period, Socrates proved to them both his willingness to work and get there on time even if he was using the bus. He arrived at the supermarket for those five days straight on time, and before 9:30am. On the fourth day, Halley informed him his application had not been accepted and that she had thrown the fax away stating his denial. Unable to produce proof, Socrates called the main office himself, finding out his application was never submitted. In the midst of all this, Halley had also reported that Socrates was a threat to her and was afraid that he would do her harm because of him coming in all the time demanding his application results, knowing that she hadn’t submitted them. So that fifth day when Socrates came to the supermarket for an answer, he was approached by two gentlemen in lieu of his business there. He was called into the manager’s office and then was asked explained to the men, Mr. Parker and Mr. Weems his situation. Surely as they thought about his rights, end up offering Socrates a job at one of their other locations. As Socrates faces dilemma in his position as a black man during the Harlem Renaissance period, he ultimately succeeds in doing what he set out to do†¦.. find a job. As honorable as Socrates claimed he would be while trying to get this job, he ended up lying in the end about another question on the application he had missed. That question is the one who would identify him as a felon for his past mishaps. As appreciation for Mosely’s short story, one must believe that Socrates and many other African-Americans struggled to be successful, and to survive during this time period. This story tells the struggle of a man who just wanted to work to survive, and that knowing his rights and acting on them with patience and non-violence helped him get what he wanted eventually!

Capital Structure Essay Example for Free

Capital Structure Essay Capital structure is how a company finances its overall operations and growth by using funds from equity or debt (Investopedia, 2012). Of course, every company must determine its preference on its debt-to-equity ratio and determine which capital structure works best for them. Some approaches to analyzing capital structure are: 1.EBIT – EPS: This analyzes the impact of debt on earnings per share (EPS). Optimizing shareholder’s wealth is the optimum goal and therefore, this approach analyzes the high EPS based on an expected range of earnings before income taxes (EBIT). 2.Valuation: Determines impact of debt use on shareholder’s value by determining the level of debt at which the benefits of increased debt no longer outweigh the increased risks and expenses associated with financing (Wenk, 2012) 3.Cash Flow: Analyzes a firm’s debt capacity by using the weighted average of cost of capital (WACC). The WACC is a calculation of a firm’s cost of capital in which each capital source (bonds, stock and other long-term debt) are proportionally weighted to determine how much interest the company has to pay for every dollar it finances (Investopedia, 2012). Look more:  capital budgeting examples essay Part of Competition Bikes’ (CB) main consideration in the decision to merge or acquire Canadian Biking is working capital. Lets use the EBIT – EPS approach to determine how to maximize shareholder return while minimizing the cost of capital. We currently know Canadian Biking’s moderate sales forecast of EBIT figures for the next 5 years (Year 9 – 13), therefore we can apply the EBIT – EPS approach to choose an optimal capital structure. The total of capital sources in each of the 5 years is $600,000. We will use EBIT – EPS to determine which assortment of bonds*, preferred stock, and common stock is the best option to increase Canadian Biking’s EPS. The five alternative capital structures include: Option 1: 100% Bonds (fully financed) Option 2: 50% Preferred Stock 50% Common Stock (no bonds) Option 3: 20% Bonds 80% Common Stock Option 4: 40% Bonds 60% Common Stock Option 5: 60% Bonds 40% Common Stock *Annual bond interest rate is 9% After using the EBIT – EPS approach using the forecasted EBIT amounts for Years 9 through 13, we can average the EPS for each of the 5 years to determine which capital structure produced the highest EPS. The EPS averages computed for the capital structure options are: Option 1: Average EPS = .0452 Option 2: Average EPS = .0542 Option 3: Average EPS = .0526 Option 4: Average EPS = .051 Option 5: Average EPS = .0494 Based on the EBIT – EPS approach, the recommended capital structure is option 2, â€Å"50% preferred stock 50% common stock†. This is the best capital structure mainly because there are two things to consider: 1) long-term debt and associated interest expense and, 2) equity and # of common shares. Option 2 is the best capital structure because there are no bonds and therefore, no interest expense. For example, if we look at option 1 in Year 9, and the bond interest is 9%, then the bond interest expense is $54,000 (.09*600,00). This lowers the income before taxes by $54,000. Although companies can finance debt and use the interest expense deduction to lower their taxable income, it doesn’t make sense for Canadian Bikes to fully finance their capital, because the interest expense costs outweigh the benefit of the tax deduction, resulting in a significant decrease in total income available for common stock. Additionally, because the capital structure consists of 300,000 shares of preferred stock, the company must pay dividends of 5%, reducing the company’s total income available for common stock by $15,000 (.05 * 300,000). Although this reduces the total income available for common stock, the company will maximize its EPS by only having 50% capital in common stock. This reduces the total number of common shares outstanding, which means less shares to divide the total income among. Therefore, Option 2 is the most optimal capital structure that considers minimizing long-term  debt expenses and the optimal number of common shares in order to maximize shareholder return. CAPITAL BUDGETING: Competition Bikes’ is considering building a manufacturing facility in a new Canadian location. The total investment for this project would be $600,000 USD. This consists of $400,000 to build the facility and an additional $200,000 in working capital to support operational costs. The company has projected cash flows over the next five years; therefore we can use cash flow budgeting methods such as net present value (NPV) and Internal Rate of Return (IRR) that consider time value of money for long-term investments (Pearson Education, Inc., 2008). Net present value analyzes the profitability of a project by determining the difference between the present value of the project’s cash inflows and outflows followed by subtracting the initial investment. (Investopedia, 2012). The decision rule applied to NPV is fairly simple, if the NPV is positive, invest; if the difference is negative, do not invest. Competition Bikes applies NPV to forecasted low and moderate sales for the next 5 years. After using the forecasted sales for low demand, the total present value (after subtracting cash outflows from inflows) is $560,719. If we subtract the initial investment of $600,000 from this amount, the NPV is -$39,281. This is a significant warning that the company should not proceed in building a manufacturing facility. On the other hand, if we use the forecasted sales for moderate demand, the total present value is $608,447. If we subtract the initial investment of $600,000, the NPV is $8,447. Therefore a positive NPV indicates the company should proceed with building the manufacturing facility. The biggest concern is determining which NPV to lean towards based on low or moderate sales. Unfortunately, the risk of having low sales outweighs the profitability benefit of having moderate sales. It is too risky for CB to move forward with the investment based on the NPV of low sales (-$39,281). In order for the company to profit from this investment, CB would need to have a moderate sales demand at minimum! The present value in NPV is calculated using an interest rate, also known as the required rate of return. CB’s required rate of return is 10%. When this interest rate is altered or calculated to make the total present value equal to the initial investment, the NPV becomes equal to zero; this is called the internal rate of return (IRR) (Pearson Education, Inc., 2008). The IRR is what a company can expect to earn from investing in the project and the higher the IRR, the more desirable the investment. The calculated IRR for low demand cash flows is 8.2% and the IRR for moderate demand cash flows is 10.4%. Based on these IRR figures, the company should not pursue the capital investment because the average IRR between both low and moderate sales is 9.3%. This is below the company’s required return on capital (hurdle rate) of 10% to pursue a capital investment. Again, the company would need to have a moderate sales demand, at minimum for this capital investment to be profitable and should therefore not pursue building a new manufacturing facility. WORKING CAPITAL: CB must effectively obtain and manage working capital for the expansion of the operation. CB must first look at their operating cycle, cash conversion cycle and free cash flow factors in order to improve production and management of working capital. Let’s discuss the company’s current status of each of the working capital and cash flow factors and determine how the company can improve in these areas. First, the operating cycle involves CB sending the distributor a monthly invoice for all raw materials ordered with terms of net/30 days. This can be improved by renegotiating the payment terms will distributors to net/15 days. This would increase cash flows by improving payment turn around time and accounts receivable collections. Additionally, the company can improve its relations with its distributers to increase effectiveness of its collection process. Another operating cycle factor is ordering and paying for inventory. Currently, the company pays for inventory in the month following production and all inventory ordered for the month is used leaving inventory levels (at the end of each month) at consistent levels. In order  to improve working capital the company should utilize and lower its year ending inventory balance. For example, at the end of Year 8, the company had $91,573 worth of inventory left over. The company should utilize the current inventory on hand before ordering similar raw material items. This will decease cash flows and leave fewer inventories on hand at the end of the year. Currently the average time in inventory is 25 days. This is a substantial turnaround time currently, however in the future, the company can consider replacing labor workers with fixed asset items to improve production time. This will satisfy customer demand by decreasing delivery time and improve cash flows by invoicing customers more frequently than 25 days after production. CB’s cash conversion cycle factors also impact working capital. Currently, the CB’s suppliers invoice at the end of the month for orders that month with terms of net/15. CB does an excellent job of preserving its cash flows by paying the invoices on the 15th of the month following the order.. CB can improve its working capital by negotiating for longer payment terms, i.e. net/30 days, allowing for more time for the company to earn money to pay their invoices. If this is not possible, the company can improve its forecasting measurements for ordering supplies and order the majority of the supplies needed for the month at the beginning of the month. This would increase the amount of time the company has sufficient supplies on hand without having to pay more money, (because the suppliers will still invoice for the orders at the end of the month, regardless of how early in the month the supplies were ordered). This can increase working capital because it acts as a contingency plan, to reduce the likelihood of running out of supplies, avoiding delays, or ordering supplies in excess. Free cash flow factors also affect CB’s working capital. Currently, the company recognizes depreciation in both manufacturing overhead and as depreciation expenses depending on the fixed asset. The company can use their depreciation data to increase management of cash flows by predicting when the company will have to spend a significant amount of money to replace an asset when its useful life expires. This will prepare CB for those unwanted although necessary – fixed asset costs. Currently the  corporation’s marginal tax rate is 25%. The company can consider obtaining working capital by financing debt. This will leave the company with an interest expense at the end of the year, which is deductible from gross earnings and results in paying lower taxes. After CB improves its working capital, let’s discuss how CB can use its working capital for the lease vs. buy option for a factory building in Canada. CB can use its working capital to cover the $50,000 down payment (or buy out option if they decide to lease) and $200,000 for operational costs of the new factory. According to the data provided for the lease vs. buy option, the lease option will preserve cash outflows of $12,339, (purchase cash outflows are $333,999 and lease cash outflows are $321,660). Therefore, the company should lease the manufacturing facility to preserve cash outflows. Leasing the facility will also allow CB to deduct annual interest payments (6% interest) from the gross earnings to lower their tax payments. This will increase the company’s net earnings at the end of the year, also resulting in higher retained earnings and increased shareholder value. MERGER OR ACQUISITION: CB should consider many factors when deciding to merge or acquire Canadian Biking. Let’s analyze the pros and cons between a merge vs. acquisition and determine what the best move would be for CB. First off, if the company were to merge with Canadian Biking, the potential EPS would increase by approximately .021. This shows potential for increased ownership earnings, but is it significant enough? At the same token, the price/earnings ratio for Canadian Bikes at the end of Year 8 was 9 and CB’s was 70. This shows that CB’s current investors are expecting greater earnings in Year 9 and are willing to pay $70 for $1 of current earnings. This is not the case with Canadian Biking’s investors. Unfortunately a low P/E ratio of 9 indicates that investors are not expecting a significant growth in company earnings. This raises a concern if the merge will result in a potential increase of .021 in EPS. On the other hand, a merge would result in lower costs because CB would not be purchasing Canadian Biking outright. Canadian Biking also has a lower cost competition bike that can decrease production costs and complement CB’s current bike model being offered. This will result in  greater net earnings and cash flows. If the company were to acquire Canadian Bikes, CB can expect a gradual increase in cash inflows over the next 5 years. However, the current offered sales price for Canadian Biking is $286,000; this is 30% more than what the company was valued at, at the end of Year 8. Although CB has enough working capital to make the purchase, it would take 5 years of gradually increasing cash inflows to recoup the price tag of $286,000. This means it could take approximately 5 years, before shareholders saw a significant increase in earnings per share. Based on the pro and cons, CB should merge with Canadian Bikes to lower their production and delivery costs, increase net income, EPS and cash flows, and preserve working capital. The price to acquire Canadian Biking is simply unreasonable based on predicted cash inflows over the next 5 years. The merger will enhance CB’s market position in Canada by having a local distributer to handle all customer orders and provide cost effective and great customer service to the growing Canadian market. References Investopedia. (2012). Capital Structure. Retrieved from http://www.kotzinvaluation.com/articles/capital-structure.htm Investopedia. (2012). Weighted Average Cost of Capital. Retrieved from http://www.investopedia.com/terms/w/wacc.asp#axzz2Azkq4E2V Investopedia. (2012). Net Present Value. Retrieved from http://www.investopedia.com/terms/n/npv.asp#axzz2Azkq4E2 Pearson Education, Inc.. (2008). Horngren Accounting. Retrieved from http://wpscms.pearsoncmg.com/wps/media/objects/6716/6877765/hha08_flash_main.html?chapter=nullpage=1042anchory=nullpstart=nullpend=null Wenk, D. (2012). Using an optimal capital structure in business valuation. Retrieved from http://www.kotzinvaluation.com/articles/capital-structure.htm

Literature Review On Clay Bricks Environmental Sciences Essay

Literature Review On Clay Bricks Environmental Sciences Essay Brick is a core material that is commonly used to build the wall of a building. Clay bricks are the most common brick type. It is made from sand and clay and uniformly burnt at temperatures between 800 °C and 1200 °C. Surface finishes are sometimes applied, e.g. glazed bricks. Glazed bricks are still being produced in large quantity and can be obtained from major English brick manufacturers and suppliers. Calcium Silicate bricks is manufactured from sand-lime (calcium silicate). The bricks are pressed under great pressure and steamed in an autoclave. The bricks are smooth, fine textured and light in colour. The colour of the brick is produced from material source, composition and firing temperature. The size of bricks over time has changed considerably. Some early medieval bricks were 13 inches by 6 inches by 2 inches. By the late 15th century a brick 9.5 inches by 4.5 inches by 2 inches became the norm and a charter in 1571 stipulated bricks by the measurement of 9 inches by 4.5 inches by 2.25 inches. By the 18th century, 8.25 inches by 4 inches by 2.5 inches brick was introduced. Modern bricks are 8.5 inches by 4 inches by 2.5 inches which is following metrication translated to 215mm by 102.5mm by 65mm. Modern bricks are the bricks that are most used in buildings nowadays. 2.1.2 Defect of Size Oversized bricks are caused by poor material selection and preparation or underfiring. Undersized bricks are caused mainly by poor material preparation, faulty moulds and overfiring. 2.1.3 Defect of Shape There are many grounds which contribute to defects in shape. These are including poor preparation of moulds or moulding technique, faults in stacking, rough handling and uneven drying. If the bricks are considerably over burnt, incipient fusion takes place and the bricks, called burrs, will come out of the kiln or clamp and get stuck together. Burrs are suitable only for hardcore purposes. 2.1.4 Defects of Body Faults in the raw material can give rise to defects such as cracking, bloating and laminations. Cracking and warping of bricks, causing incipient weakness, may be due to exposure of green bricks to direct sunlight or rapid drying winds. Similar effects will be produced by putting green bricks into the kiln too soon. Large cracks maybe caused by rain getting onto hot bricks. 2.1.5 Defect of Appearance These defects are caused primarily by faulty wires in the case of wire-cut bricks. Dark spots are caused by the presence of unevenly distributed iron sulphide in the clay. 2.2 Types of Brickwork Defects 2.2.1 Introduction: Most parts of a building are built using bricks. Nowadays, brickwork defects are commonly found in buildings. This problem is getting more serious as days go by. Brickwork defects may cause a lot of problems to the occupants. The main problem encountered in building with traditional outside bearing wall of brickwork and concrete inside bearing structure is caused by differences in the temperature and moisture-induced movement. Cracks may be discovered in walls and solutions have to be found to alleviate this problem. (Verhoef, 2001) Brickwork defect which occurs in buildings has a variety of reasons. This is perhaps not surprising when one considers the wide range of different bricks and techniques in the construction of building, differences in the construction sites and the varied occupational or owner usage of the completed building. Brickwork will deteriorate and decay if not properly maintained. Such deterioration can be caused by a number of factors and can take various forms. The main signs that the brickwork is afflicted are surface growth and staining, efflorescence, loosed brick becoming dislodged, cracks appear through the bricks or mortar and etc. (Moses Jenkins, 2007) In this sub chapter, the different types of the brickwork defect will be determined. This chapter gives an overview of various types of brickwork defects and understanding the brickwork defects. By identifying the different types of the brickwork defects, it will be easy for the occupants or owners to find out the causes of the defects and subsequently take the suitable remedy methods to address the problem. 2.2.2 Brick Wall Settlement Any movement in a structural  brick wall will risk having the bond courses in the wall broken. Any movement in a  brick veneer wall which has broken or loosened the connections between the veneers to the underlying structure is potentially dangerous and risk collapsing the masonry. 2.2.3 Bulging Brick Wall This is likely to be a bond-brick or bond-course failure. This defect is potentially extremely dangerous and immediate action must be taken. If not, it will cause the building to suddenly collapse. 2.2.4 Cracks and Bulges in Brick Walls Frost and earth loading can push a below-grade brick foundation wall inwards. The wall is often bulged inwards as well as showing horizontal and step cracking and loose bricks will surface over the bulged area. The damage occurs from slightly above ground level to roughly the frost line. 2.2.5 Cracks and Loose Bricks Normally, crack and loose bricks are caused by frost, settlement, expansion, diagonal and stair-stepped. These defects often happen at building corners where the roof spillage is concentrated. 2.2.6 Loose Bricks and Missing or Lost Mortar This is the movement where the mortar is severely washed-out by roof spillage or other water movement against the foundation. Loose and lost bricks may also occur where wood blocks, originally set into a wall to permit nailing of interior components, is damaged by insects or decay. Similarly, if the wood joists are damaged and bent excessively or collapsed (insect damage, rot, fire), the collapsing joist can, as its in-wall end moves, damage the foundation or building wall. Fire cuts on wood joists in brick walls were intended to minimize this damage source by angling the end of the joist where it was set into the wall pocket. 2.2.7 Spalling Bricks Spalling is caused by water and frost, such as water leaking into a brick structure at any entry point: a crack, a brick which has lost its hard surface, or at openings by window and door penetrations. It is best to also beware of caulking bricks. 2.2.8 Exfoliating-Rust Damage to Bricks Masonry wall will have these defects when brick walls have been improperly caulked where caulking should have been omitted. The most common example of this defect is the damage that occurs to a brick wall when a steel lintel over a window or door is caulked tightly between the brick and the steel. Moisture penetrating the brick wall through cracks or mortar joints is trapped around the steel lintel. Rust developing on steel lintels has tremendous lifting power as the rusting exfoliating metal expands, sufficient to crack and damage bricks around the lintel. Improper Repair Mortar  on Brickwork During repair works, tuck pointing or re-pointing bricks can cause surface spalling of bricks if the mason uses a too hard mortar with high portland content or mortar on soft bricks in a climate exposed to freezing weather. The high portland content means that the mortar will be not only harder, but more waterproof than the surrounding bricks. Water trapped around the hard mortar can freeze leading to surface spalling of the bricks. This is particularly likely to be seen when a wall has been tuck pointed using hard high-portland mortar where originally a soft high-lime mortar was used and where the original bricks were soft. Salts on Brickwork Salts are a major cause of deterioration. Salt can enter bricks through contaminated water ingress. In coastal areas, salt can come from the sea and, in winter, the nearby application of road salt is a constant threat. Salt is damaging because it creates a steady expansion of crystals within the bricks. This can eventually force the structure of the brick apart. The source of salt can occur from within the bricks themselves or from the application of contaminated mortars or renders. Brick lined chimney flues are also vulnerable as sulphates can be introduced when flu gasses condense. This is a common defect where a chimney has been sealed without adequate ventilation. 2.2.11 Efflorescence on brickwork Efflorescence appears as a white powdery deposit on the brick. It is a phenomenon that soluble salt dissolved in water are carried, deposited and gradually accumulated on brick surfaces to form an unsightly scum. Without water, efflorescence cannot occur. The soluble salts may be originated from the raw material of bricks. But in most cases, efflorescence is caused by salts from the external sources such as ground water, contaminated atmosphere, mortar ingredients and other materials in contacts with the bricks. To minimize the risk, (it can never be completely avoided in brickwork exposed to weathering) the building detail should be designed, as far as is possible, to avoid saturation. In other words, good overhangs, copings and sills with drips, need to be considered. Efflorescence can be helped on its way by sponging down the wall with clean water (avoiding substantial wetting) or dry brushing with soft brushes. Any other treatment should be avoided as it may disfigure the bricks.    2.2.12 Thermal Movement on Brickwork Every materials expand or contracts as the temperature of the material changes, typically expanding as its temperature increases and contracting as its temperature decreases. Different materials expand and contract at different rates when they undergo similar changes in their temperatures. Brick veneer can expand and contract approximately. When determining the expansion or contraction of a brick veneer, it is important to remember the effects of the sun on materials. The energy from the suns rays raises the temperature of a material well above the air temperature. On a day when the air temperature is 32 ° F, the energy from the sun can raise a walls temperature to above 100 ° F. 2.2.12.1 Thermal expansion failures in Structural or Veneer Brick Walls A separate factor that can cause very large movements and extensive damage to brick structures or brick veneer walls is the thermal expansion which occurs across a long or tall brick wall when that wall is heated by intense sun exposure. The photographs show significant thermal expansion damage in a long brick structure. Significant breaks and gaps  at vertical brick mortar joints due to thermal expansion and perhaps some frost and water damage. Figure1: Significant breaks in mortar Horizontal sliding breaks  in brick mortar joints,  exposing reinforcing wire to rust, exfoliation, and additional damage from those forces as the exfoliating wire produced still more pressure on the mortar joint. Figure2: Horizontal breaks in mortar Step cracking  following mortar joints near the building corners and where the wall movement was resisted by first story intersecting brick walls abutting at right angles the middle section of the long brick wall. Figure3: Step cracking in mortar Cracks and broken bricks at the intersections of brick walls and openings. Figure 4: Cracks and broken bricks (InspectApedia, 2007) 2.2.13 Moisture Movement on Brickwork Moisture affects all porous masonry materials, including bricks, mortars and concrete masonry units but in very different ways. These effects must be considered when a combination of these materials is used, such as when bricks rest on a concrete foundation, brick veneer units are used with block back up, and when brick and architectural concrete products are used in the same Wythe bands of precast concrete or architectural concrete block in a brick veneer. After their initial mixing or casting, mortar, poured-in-place concrete and concrete masonry units shrink as the curing of the Portland cement proceeds. This is an unavoidable consequence of the curing of concrete products and is accommodated in design. 2.2.14 Sulphate Attack on Brickwork Most ordinary clay bricks contain sulphates of sodium, magnesium or calcium. These salts are soluble in water, calcium sulphate being less soluble than the other two. Normally, these sulphates are seen as the harmless efflorescence which affect appearance only and need simply to be brushed away. In theory, most brick walls with mortars based on OPC (Ordinary Portland Cement) are liable to sulphate attack. The most vulnerable walls are earth-retaining walls and parapet walls but sulphate attack is a problem also on rendered, and facing brickwork. On rendered brickwork, sulphate attack is manifested by cracking of the rendering, the cracks being mainly horizontal and corresponding to the mortar joints below. The rendering may adhere quite well to the bricks early in the attack but areas are likely to become detached as the expansion of the underlying brickwork causes severance of the bond between the two materials. (Eldridge, 1976) 2.2.15 Lime Staining on Brickwork Lime staining occurs when calcium hydroxide is deposited on the face of brickwork. Lime staining will quickly absorb carbon dioxide from the air and becomes calcium carbonate. It is virtually insoluble and can only be removed by expert which is a costly treatment. The calcium hydroxide can come from three main sources: calcium hydroxide caused by the hydration of Portland cement from hydrated lime added to mortar from brickwork in contact with wet concrete 2.2.16 Porosity on Brick Porosity is an important characteristic of bricks. In contrast to other moulded or pre-cast building materials, the porosity of bricks is attributed to its fine capillaries. By virtue of the capillary effect, the rate of moisture transport in the brick is ten times faster than in other building materials. Moisture is released during day-time and re-absorbed during night-time. The ability to release and re-absorb moisture by capillary effect is one of the most useful properties of brick that helps to regulate the temperature and humidity of atmosphere in a building. This distinctive property makes bricks an admirable building material, particularly suitable for buildings in the tropics. On the other hand, all porous materials are susceptible to chemical attacks and liable to contamination from weathering agents like rain, running water and polluted air. 2.2.17 Crack in Brick Faces / Firecracks The finished appearance of clay brick can vary greatly; this is because it is dependent on clay and the manufacturing process. Some products contain cracks of varying degree (sometimes referred to as firecracks) as an inherent feature. Firecracks are usually visible on the product as delivered. However, firecracks can be masked by the texture and surface sands used in the manufacturing process which becomes visible after the bricks are laid as a result of natural weathering of exposed brickwork. 2.2.18 Dampness of the Brick Wall More or less permanent dampness showing more clearly on the internal wall surface from ground level up to a height of about 750mm, but may be higher in severe cases or if the outer face is covered with a non-porous finish. The decorations may be damp, blistered or discoloured, or, if dry, may have been pushed off the wall by a film or salts which will often be seen as a fluffy crystalline growth. The possible causes of dampness in the brick wall are lack of DPC (damp proof course), by-passing of the DPC, and failure of the DPC material. 2.2.19 Brick Growth and Expansion Gaps in Brickwork Bricks undergo long-term permanent expansion over time. This expansion continues for the life of the brick, but the majority of the growth occurs early in its life. Most general purpose bricks have a coefficient of expansion in the range of 0.5-1.5mm/m (millimeters per meter) over fifteen years. Designers can use the values of the coefficient of expansion to accommodate for the growth of bricks by the size and spacing of the control joints. The provision of control gaps or articulation joints between parts of the structure during construction will accommodate movements within the structure over time. Numerous sources of movement exist and include: The change in size of building materials with temperature, loading conditions and moisture content The differential change in size of building materials (for example, cement products shrink over time, whilst clay bricks expand slowly over time) Foundation and footings movement Frame movement Frame shortening Temperature movement Internal horizontal and vertical movement 2.3 Causes of the brickwork defects 2.3.1 Introduction: Brickworks are used primarily in the construction of walls. To construct the brick wall required many skills, design, experience, selection of material, and technique. Lack of all expertise may cause the brickwork defects or failure of the building. The defects that occur in brickwork maybe the result of inherent faults, deficiencies in production, design, materials or workmanship, and attack by environmental agents. After the brickwork has been constructed, it maybe meets of various requirements, climate, loading, and occupational in use. It is not surprising that defects happened or occurs frequently. In this sub chapter, the causes of the brickwork defects will be list out. To find out the actual causes of the brickwork defects will be easily for the occupational to take the right remedies immediately and reduces the brickwork defects happen. 2.3.2 Selection of bricks The choice of bricks is often influenced by the price but the quality required must also be carefully considered in order to avoid defects developing during the service life of the material. Therefore, the selection of suitable bricks for any particular purpose has often to be a trade-off between appearance and durability requirements on the one hand, and cost on the other. This is not always possible to assess the quality of bricks by the colour, variability of colour of bricks of the same source and method of production can often be an indication of strength and durability variations. 2.3.3 Storage of bricks Bricks on site are rarely kept under adequate cover. Defects in the bricks resulting from the lack of adequate protection on the site are rarely apparent before use. However, bad weather conditions can be detrimental to bricks in that saturation by rain can be responsible for both subsequent efflorescence and decoration defects. 2.3.4 Soluble Salts in Bricks Under burnt bricks contain a high salt content. The salts come from the raw clay from which the bricks are made, or are formed in the burning process. Most clay bricks contain some soluble salts, but the types and amounts vary appreciably. The effect of the soluble salts on both efflorescence and the more serious problem of disintegration of bricks themselves are largely governed by the strength and pores structure of the bricks. 2.3.5 Sulphate attack Sulphates are salts which are naturally present in industrial waste, gypsum product, clay bricks, flue condensates and in some ground waters. In persistently damp conditions, sulphate will react slowly with tricalcium aluminate forming a compound called calcium sulphoaluminate. This reaction causes the cement mortar or render of the brickwork to expend and eventually disintegrate. 2.3.6 Solar Radiation While drying out of soil by trees is the most common reason for cracking in brickwork, some clay are also very susceptible to drying out by direct solar radiation. The northern facing wall is the most likely to be affected and stepped diagonal cracking is the most common symptom, usually occurring at the north east and north west corner of the building. (Loveder, 2000) 2.3.7 Migration of moisture The movement of moisture beneath a building can produce the phenomenon known as long term dome and saucer effect. The dome effect is a slow heaving of the soil caused by movement of moisture from the perimeter of the house to its centre, and the saucer effect is moisture moving in the opposite direction, from the centre towards the perimeter. The dome effect causes the walls to tilt outwards and the restraining influence of the roof produces horizontal cracks on the outside wall. These will be wider on the outside surface rather than the inner. 2.3.8 Planting of tree Some of the brickwork defects may cause by big trees roots that plant nearby the building area. When planning to plant trees, the idea to be considering is the strength of the footings under the house. If lack of strength, the roots of the trees maybe grow into the ground under the building and cause the brick wall settlement and cracking. 2.3.9 Uneven settlement of foundations Where a particular heavy load is placed on the foundation such as a large column, movement may occur as moisture is squeezed out of the soil or the soil readjusts itself. This consolidation will stop when the soil has finally compacted enough to support the load. Brick wall or masonry wall may crack which may result from movement during compaction. 2.3.10 Excessive vibration Damage caused by vibration from earth tremors, heavy traffic or pile driving is fairly rare, however if the vibration is great enough to actually cause the foundation to move, brickwork cracking or defect can occur. The crack will show up irregularly if the sources of the vibration cannot be removed. (Loveder, 2000) 2.3.11 Additional building Building an addition building onto a house or add more storey of houses can impose a load intensity on the soil different that which is there already and so cause differential settlement. Even if the loading intensities are similar, the difference in time between when the two settlements occurred can be enough to create the brick wall cracks. 2.3.12 Approach of design Design of brick wall is very important. The designer must have the knowledge about the brick experience in chosen the types of brick to be used. The designer must be fully aware of the clients needs. Defects often occur because of a lack of understanding of the different types of bricks and the method of construct the brick wall. 2.3.13 Lack experience of worker Workers in the masonry construction is not in strict accordance with the construction and standards, masonry mortar is not full, especially in vertical mortar joints are not full, and even produce dense seam, seam permeability. In addition, the dry brick on the wall, mortar in the brick water was absorbed, causing low strength of mortar, brick and mortar separation, so that the overall stiffness of masonry fell, gray mortar joints crack. 2.3.14 Overloading Cracks of brickwork may result from overloading of the ground on which the building rests, or of the building itself or parts of it. Releasing the load does not necessary allow the masonry wall to revert to its original state since the overloading may have been partially accommodated by a permanent compaction of the bricks. The forces responsible for the overloading may be of external origin, such as excessive wind, or may be internal, such as those arising from the installation of excessively heavy equipment for which the masonry wall was not designed. A change of occupational may have same results. 2.3.15 Lack of maintenance Maintenance must be taken for all the building to minimize the cost of repair work for seriously defects happen. Lack of maintenance will make a small cracks or defects on brickwork change to more serious and serious. 2.3.16 Improper soil analysis and preparation When a builder chooses an area of land to build on, it is important to do some sort of soil analysis and preparation. The analysis will provide the developer and/or builder with enough information to choose the adequate soil preparation and construction strategy that should be used to develop the land. Improper soil analysis and preparations can be very damaging to a housing development. For example, a builder can discover that the land soil is made up of expansive soil. If this is the case, houses need to have a foundation that will be able to support the changing pressure and consistency of the soil. This is because expansive soil will swell when wet and then shrink once it dries. If one builds on this type of soil and is not aware of it, there will inevitably be issues to handle. There will be crack in the brick wall or masonry wall. The repair of this is very costly and very intrusive. Unfortunately, the reality is improper soil analysis and preparations happen all the time. 2.3.17 Negligence of construction Negligent construction is an unfortunately common occurrence. A builder has to be very careful when choosing a contractor or subcontractor. A builder will sometimes use one contactor for various projects. A contractor may have skills to install floor tiles but not the know how to build a brick wall. The responsibility can fall on several parties when there is a defect, and thats up to your attorney to determine. 2.3.18 Movement of the ground Mining subsidence, landslips, earthquakes, or moisture changes of shrinkable clay soil may cause the movement of the ground. The brick wall of the building will be crack because the wall of building has become displaced from the rest without any change in actual size of the materials. In theory, this is possible to reconnect the displace parts to bring the building back to its original condition but in practice this seldom can be done. 2.3.19 Acid rain Acid rain is precipitation that is much more acidic than normal rainfall, and the acid rain is usually caused by pollution such as sulfur and nitrogen emissions. Several different mechanisms are operant in the deterioration of brick masonry through the action of acid rain. The bricks are susceptible to acid rain through the selective dissolution of their glassy phase. The mortar is affected mainly by the reaction of the calcareous components. The soluble salts resulting from these reactions, in solution with rain water or condensed moisture, will migrate through the porous matrix of the masonry. In the places where the water evaporates the salts will be deposited. Repeated dissolution and re-crystallization of these salts leads to the mechanical disruption of the masonry structure. Since the salts will concentrate in the more porous material, either the brick or the mortar will be more seriously affected, depending on their relative porosity. 2.3.20 Environment Two aspects of the environment have been considerably which is wind and temperature. This is because they cause loading to be applied to the structure. The strong wind may cause the brick wall or the whole building move, this may cause cracking to the part of the building. The high temperature applied to the brickwork may cause spalling and brick prolong to high temperature can lead to surface vitrification. (Swoden, 1990) 2.4 Remedies method of the brickwork defects in building 2.4.1 Introduction: As known early, brickwork is one of the largest parts of most of the building. The strength, stability, and durability of brickwork are very important. If lack of all those factor, the brick wall or masonry wall maybe fall down or collapse suddenly. If the brickwork occurs any cracking or defects, the right method of remedies must be taken immediately. This is to ensure that the occupational or owner use the building under safety and healthy purposes. Brickwork will deteriorate and decay if not properly maintained. Such deterioration can be caused by a number of factors and can take various forms. The main signs that brickwork is suffering are surface growth and staining, efflorescence, loosed brick becoming dislodged, crack appears throw the bricks or mortar and etc. So, the right remedy must be taken to ensure the brickwork do not decay and deteriorate. (Moses Jenkins, 2007) In this sub chapter, the remedies method for various types of defects will be list out. This is to avoid the brickwork defect getting serious in building in construction industry. The defects of brickwork must be repair immediately, if not the defects will be more serious. For example, cracking can be due to expansion or shrinkage the clay brickwork itself. 2.4.2 Remedies of efflorescence Efflorescence can be minimized by laying dry bricks and by speeding up the drying process after the bricks have been laid by providing good ventilation. The salts that cause efflorescence are soluble in water. Hosing with water will cause the salts to dissolve and be re-absorbed into the brickwork, and then reappear when the brick wall dries out again. Acid or alkaline treatments are not recommended as they increase the salt content of the wall. The best method is simply brush off the deposit with a stiff dry bristle brush after the wall has dried out. Then sponge the surface with a damp synthetic chamois or high suction sponge. Use very little water and rinse sponge frequently in fresh water. 2.4.3 Sand-Blasted Bricks   Which have been cleaned of old paint, algae, or stains using high pressure sand blasting or possibly even very high pressure water blasting can be permanently damaged by loss of the harder surface of the bricks which had been provided by their original firing. Once the softer internal brick has been exposed, the bricks will be more inclined to absorb water and to suffer water and frost damage. Sandblasting brick is considered a poor practice in building renovation and maintenance. 2.4.4 Remedies of sulphate attack The effects of sulphate attack manifest themselves as expansion of the jointing mortar. On rendered walls the signs are horizontal cracking of the rendering with portions falling off. Advanced stages of attack may make the structure unsafe. When rebuilding is necessary, the bricks use should be of low sulphate content and the mortar should be of a mix of 1:1:6 sulphate-resistance Portland cement: hydrated lime: sand. In addition, care should be taken to exclude all conditions of dampness. On rendered walls, the rendering should be removed and the brickwork allowed to dry before reapplying a weaker mix of sulphate-resistance cement, lime and sand. 2.4.5 Tackling Decay Where decay has occurred, take action to rectify the damage will be necessary before this leads to greater problems. The use of chemical treatments to stabilize brick should only be considered with extreme caution. Whilst the defects may be effective initially, there has been insufficient research carried out on the possible long term damage such treatments could have. Chemical sealants can trap moisture within the brick just as effectively as the claims to keep water out. 2.4.6 Cleaning Cleaning soiled brick buildings should be undertaken carefully. In the past, the use of inappropriate cleaning techniques has resulted in considerable damage being done. If considered essential small scale tests should be employed to assess the effectiveness and likely damage which could be caused before any large scale work is carried out. There are some guides when doing the cleaning works:- Do not re-clean brickwork with the same chemicals unless recommended by the cleaning chemical manufacturer. If there is deterioration, or suspected deterioration, in the mortar joints, additional water and chemicals need

High-tech Snooping Threatens Our Privacy :: Free Argumentative Essays

High-tech Snooping Threatens Our Privacy The Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution states: The right of the people to be secure in their person's houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. The Fourth Amendment values privacy in the home and protects people's privacy from unlawful search and invasion. This topic interests me because I am concerned about the recent use of thermal imaging and the ways it could be used to invade the average citizen's privacy. Thermal imaging devices allows police to view heat as a visible light image. When police use this technique as a means of gathering evidence before a warrant is obtained, it can be said to violate our guaranteed Fourth Amendment rights under the Constitution. In the recent Supreme Court case, Kyllo v. United Sates, "the Supreme Court held that police use of a thermal imaging device to scan a suspect's residence violated his right under the Fourth Amendment. The decision had reversed a federal appeals court ruling finding the scan lawful" (Is warrantless?). In the case cited, police suspected Kyllo was growing marijuana in his home. They used a thermal imaging device from across the street to scan Kyllo's home to see if the level of heat escaping from it was consistent with high-intensity lights used to grow marijuana indoors. The result of the scan showed that portions of Kyllo's home were relatively hot compared to the rest of his home. Using the result of the scan, as well as other information, police obtained a warrant to search Kyllo's home, and found a marijuana-growing operation in their search. When the trial court refused to suppress the evidence, Kyllo appealed to the federal court and challenged the legality of the search, saying a search warrant should have been obtained prior to using the thermal imaging device. Law-enforcement officials argued that a warrant was not required before a using technological surveillance device that merely records information about a home that is exposed to public view. The federal appeals court affirmed the trial court's decision, finding that Kyllo had no subjective expectation of privacy because he did not try to conceal the heat escaping from his home. Even if he had, the appeals court said, there was no objectively reasonable expectation of privacy because the thermal imager did not expose any intimate details of Kyllo's life, only vague hot spots on his home's exterior.

Peru :: essays research papers fc

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  PERU- PROFILE  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY Location Country in west central South America, bounded on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil and Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean. The area of Peru, including several offshore islands, is 1,285,216 sq km (496,225 sq mi), making it third in size (after Brazil and Argentina) of South America countries. Lima is the country’s capital and chief commercial center. Topography Peru may be divided into three main topographical regions: The coastal plain, the sierra, and the Montana. The coastal plain is an arid, elongated stretch of land extending the entire length of the country and varying in wild from about 65 to 160 km. (about 40 to 100 mi) it is a northern extension of the Tacoma Desert of Chile. The plain has few adequate harbors. Most of the desert is so dry that only10 of the 52 rivers draining the Andean slopes to the Pacific Ocean have sufficient volume to maintain the flow across the desert and reach the coast. However, the coast is the economic center of Peru. Most of the Nation’s leading commercial and export crops grow in the 40 oases of the region. The sierra, an upland region with towering mountain ranges of the Andes, lofty plateaus, and deep gorges and valleys. The main range is the Cordillera Occidental; other ranges include the Cordillera Oriental, the Cordillera Central. The sierra, which covers 30 percent of the country’s land area, traverses the country from southeast and northwest. Several of the highest peaks in the world are located in the various sierra cordilleras and plateaus, notably Huascaran (6,768 m/22,205 ft), the highest in Peru. Lake Titicaca is in the southeast. In the northeast the sierra slopes downward to a vast, flat tropical jungle, the selvas, extending to the Brazilian border and forming part of the Amazon Basin. The mountain attains a maximum width of about 965 km (about 600 mi) in the north and constitutes some 60 percent of the Peruvian land area; it is covered with thick tropical forests in the west and with dense tropical vegetation in the center and east. Peru has three main drainage systems. One comprises about 50 torrential streams that rise in the sierra and descend steeply to the coastal plain. The second comprises the tributaries of the Amazon River in the mountain region. The third principal feature is Lake Titicaca, which drains into Lake Poopo in Bolivia thought the Desaguadero River

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Study has identified the attachment patterns as secure, anxious/preoccupied and avoidant in children. These attachment patterns can have a positive or negative impact on the quality of their future romantic relationships. Romantic relationship quality is one of the most important relationships in adulthood. When individuals fall in love their attachment style is already in place and operating. An understanding of adult attachment is important to begin to understand the effects of attachment patterns on relationships. It contributes significantly to a personal well-being. Based on children’s behaviors during their mother’s presence, absence, and return patterns; attachment styles may also be transfer to the romantic partner during adult relationships (Feldman, 2011). Both children and adults feel anxious when separated from their attachment figures are nearby. Adult romantic attachment relationships are made clear by proximity-seeking, safe haven and secure base. (Brumbaugh, Fraley, Heffernan, & Vicary, 2012). Seeking proximity with their romantic partners may be useless and avoidant people may try to keep a distance from others and remain independent. Romantic partners are overly sensitive to proximity of their partners and signs as a possible threat. Individuals work extremely hard to maintain closeness with their romantic partner and have exaggerated negative emotions when they fail to do so. Adult attachment patterns are the foundation of individuals understanding and expectations about relationships and directs their social interactions. Anxiety and avoidance attachments are two of the most common factors in romantic relationships. Anxious attachments is describe by the desire to be close with others a... ...m to maintain the relationship. Adolescents with avoidant and anxious attachment patterns have a greater conflict in opposite sex relationships (Miga, Hare, Allen, & Manning, 2010). Attachment theory is used to predict if single individuals out of a group would date or enter a committed romantic relationship in the future. Anxious individuals showed eagerness to commit and fall in love with a romantic partner. Avoidant attached individuals were shy about commitment and fall in love. Prior involvement in a committed romantic relationships and self-perceived physical attractiveness are part of dating assessment success. As part of the research men show their desire for greater intimacy in order to start a relationship. Women show a greater desire to start a family. Both men and women are most likely to live together or get married (Schindler, Fagundes, & Murdock

Continuing Academic Success Essay

While being responsible for our academic success, prioritizing work to achieve goals can be valuable to students without a success driven mindset. Responsibility and action along with ethics help set the path for proper results and set standards for academic achievement. As I explore this new endeavor in my life, I will outline my failures, successes and the lessons I have learned along the way. Failure is something I have to accept. I have failed a lot in the past, and I have allowed those failures to effect me in the present. As a young boy in grade school, I would always work hard to obtain good grades. After my first semester in high school, I assumed it was natural for me to get good grades, so I refrained from working hard. After a few months of not striving to my full potential, my academics began to suffer, and I failed a few classes. I was very disappointed in myself, and I then became afraid to try because of a failure mindset. I started to expect failure in my immediate li fe, especially in my academics. I started to believe I was not good enough to achieve. I would psychologically defeat myself before attempting to do well. Now, I have realized the values in failing by allowing my disappointment to be my motivation for success. Since then, I have learned the importance of setting goals. â€Å"How can you expect to hit a target without aiming first† (Robusto, 2009). Goal setting is important to me because I am a person who likes to take on too many responsibilities. I have a tendency to overload myself with work and at times get overwhelmed when I cannot complete all tasks in a timely manner. I became aware of the process I needed to work on in order to achieve my set goals. I started to write down all tasks I needed to complete and the dates of completion. I set time apart to evaluate my works and prepare to setup a  procedure on how to fulfill these functions that allow me to feel accomplished and not overwhelmed on projects with sensitive time constrictions. While continuing with my academic success, I have been setting new goals academically and for my career. My educational goal will be to complete one assignment a day and participate in two-class discussions per day. My career goal is to mentor one of my peers every six months in the area I have already mastered. In doing this, I will assist someone in their career goals as well as my own to ensure everyone develops and succeeds. As I read through my results for the Ethical Lens Inventory and realize, ethics is a set of principles of right conduct (Ethics 2011). My core ethical lenses are sensibility and equality. I listen to my intuition to determine the characteristic traits and attributes that best serve the community. I remain attentive to the particular needs of those in a similar situation as I carefully evaluate their outcome for my resolution. Further sharpening my critical thinking skills in learning from others mistakes and not committing the same mistake twice. My blind ethical lens leads me to believe that I rely heavily on the attributes of the role. At times, this can be risky because I forget that individuals are fallible, and I should rely solely on people to solve problems. In kn owing this about my moral background, I run the risk of believing that my role is more important than other individuals and will not be susceptible to constructive criticism. So I do not hinder my development; I should allow others to assess the role and assure that all roles are important. Even though thinking is a process, and intelligence is the product (Jensen 2005), we have to understand without thinking of the ending result, we can never consider the product. Critical thinking has an important role in learning and development because if properly executed it allows me to see the entire situation instead of the individual task. I plan to take the necessary actions to determine the task with open eyes and an unbiased approach. Remembering the facts about the situation can help in resolving the issue. Understanding by reiterating the problem can help me further comprehend. Applying then analyzing the tasks and or situations so I can prepare the steps to come to the evaluation. I can see if the resources are accurate and thorough. The last thing I should be able to do to assure my critical thinking skills are complete is a form of creating. I take all the information of this situation, and use it in my final resolution. These  steps are crucial in the ability to think clearly and not be clouded by biased information. Advancing in my critical thinking skills is as important as my writing skills. I have to take the appropriate steps in continuing to engage the readers throughout the writing process. Writing is crucial as a student and everyday life because it is a form of communication. I will utilize the necessary resources to assist me in applying the lessons being instructed for completion of each assignment in accordance with the University guidelines. Allowing myself to create an outline for the topic before the rough draft is setting the priority of how the papers thesis will be well planned for the entire topic. I can use many of the University’s resources such as the thesis generator to begin the subject of the assignment. Grammarly is a great resource to assure the proper format and grammar for the paper . The University has various resources such as live assistance in the Center for Writing Excellence. The benefit of using external resources is that one cannot rely only on their opinion alone but can get a different perspective of the situation. The University library is an excellent option for researching credible information to guarantee educational success. Although, some information in the library could be bias, we have to do the research on each source to review the comparisons and understand which source is indeed accurate. In conclusion, the information obtained and lessons learned in this course have given me a boost of confidence in my critical thinking, reading and writing skills. I feel comfortable in continuing my academic success with this knowledge. I feel as though I have accomplished great things in these past five weeks and will continue to move forward. The University has given me the desire to continue the achievements in my educational career by showing me the proper approach of getting the job done correctly. I now realize that a failure does not define a person. The failures can be used as a stepping-stone in the journey to greatness. References Ethic. (2011). In The American Heritage dictionary of the English language. Retrieved from http://search.credoreference.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/content/entry/hmdictenglang/ethic/0 Jensen, Eric. â€Å"Critical Thinking Skills.† Teaching with the