Wednesday, July 31, 2019
Bureaucracy, Intelligence and Homeland Security Essay
The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 shook the nation to its core. Politicians felt a tremendous pressure not only to go on the attack against the terrorists, but also to secure the homeland. As a result the United Statesââ¬â¢ government responded the way it often does in a crisis ââ¬â It created a huge new bureaucracy. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was designed to consolidate dozens of agencies under one roof. Theoretically this would streamline the process of protecting the homeland. The Intelligence Act of 2004 was designed to better focus this process while also protecting the civil rights of Americans. Proponents of the DHS argue that there has not been a major attack on American soil since 2001. This presents an incomplete picture of the security landscape however. DHS is still very much a work in progress. It has been plagued by numerous well-publicized problems. The Department of Homeland Security has not met the strategic goals and objectives set forth in the Intelligence Reform Act of 2004. Therefore, the DHS has not successfully provided national security. The Act and the Bureaucracy The consolidation of so many agencies under one roof was unprecedented in Washington. Early fears that the bureaucracy would be so unwieldy as to be out of control seemed to be justified. After 9/11 the government felt an intense pressure to do something. The lack of coordination between agencies was exposed by these attacks. Creation of the DHS was an attempt to remedy this problem, but the agency itself was a massive undertaking. In many ways it is an agency still trying to find its footing. The DHS began operations in 2003 with more than 180. 000 employees (Brzezinski, 2004). It oversees dozens of agencies with a dizzying array of responsibilities. From the start the agency has worked against long odds and excessive expectations. There is a gap between what the public expects of DHS and what DHS actually believes it can do. This makes it even more difficult for the DHS to operate effectively. A well known axiom within the intelligence community states that ââ¬Å"The terrorists only have to be right once ââ¬â we have to be right every timeâ⬠. Meanwhile the American public is intolerant of failure. The reality that eventually the terrorists will succeed again is not well understood. In fact, ââ¬Å"The very notion of trying to design a zero-terrorist-risk environment is dangerously futileâ⬠(Brzezinski, 2004). As the DHS scuffled through its first few years, Congress and the American people became impatient. In 2004 Congress took action to reform the DHS and the intelligence and security apparatus. In an effort to re-focus DHS activities to the modern threat environment, Congress passed the Intelligence Reform Act of 2004. The Act revised a number of provisions of the National Security Act of 1947. It set guidelines for information sharing, inter-agency cooperation and covert operations. Five years later some of its provisions have been addressed; many have not. Prevention and Preparation The Department of Homeland Security is a vast organization with a vast number of duties. It is responsible for both day-to-day protection of the homeland and strategic long-term efforts to prevent terrorism in the future. Additionally it must respond to attacks already under way and is often called in on natural disaster situations. DHS duties on any given day include, but are not limited to: â⬠¦ screening 1. 5 million airline passengers [and] inspecting 57,006 shipping containersâ⬠¦ very day DHS reviews 2200 intelligence reports. [It] stands watch over 8,000 federal facilities and pieces of critical infrastructure. (Brzezinski, 2004) The Intelligence Reform Act of 2004 was intended to further streamline inter-agency cooperation between the many departments of the DHS. In some cases, such as the apprehension of alleged terrorist cells in Buffalo, NY and Miami, FLA, better cooperation has been evident. However, reports of turf wars and lack of cooperation still surface periodically. In some cases the DHS has had a tin ear in regards to Congress and the American people. Frequent news stories have made the public aware of the vulnerability of U. S. ports. Only a tiny percentage of the cargo that passes through these ports is screened. Technology and manpower to do so thoroughly are still limited. In response to public pressure, Congress strengthened port security provisions in the Intelligence Reform Act of 2004. The response from DHS was anything but urgent: The Department (Homeland Security) resisted 100 percent screening and offered a half measure involving known shippersâ⬠¦ Congress in 2007 mandated full inspection of shipping containers, which has not yet been implemented. (Clarke, 2008) The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is primarily responsible for both passenger and cargo security. It defends its record by pointing to several accomplishments. These include: screening of 700,000 port workers and issuing of directives mandating 100% screening of ââ¬Å"high riskâ⬠cargo (The Library of Congress, 2004). These efforts still fall short of what Congress has mandated. Much recent focus has gone into the issue of border security. DHS has made progress on, but not completed a border fence. Border Patrol personnel have been increased. Technology for detecting illegal entry is improving, including the use of Predator drones to detect illegal crossers so Border Patrol can then be deployed. In response to criticism the DHS and ICE, its immigration division, have been forced to end the ââ¬Å"catch and releaseâ⬠policy that was in place for many years. According to the DHS, the number of illegal aliens interdicted at the border has decreased. DHS and the border patrol claim this as evidence that their efforts are successful. It is likely, however, that additional factors explain the decrease in interdictions. Events in Mexico, the downturn in the U.à S. economy and more sophisticated means of entering the country also play a role. The FBI and CIA in tandem with local police are employing more sophisticated surveillance and search tools as well as providing security at large events that could be inviting targets for terrorists. Infrastructure security has improved but many important locations still lack adequate security. These include local water/sewer plants, electrical grids, mass transit systems and energy facilities. In the process of trying to provide such protections the DHS has had to face criticism from civil libertarians. An ongoing debate continues about where national security crosses the line into being an erosion of hard-earned American civil rights. This debate is likely to continue in perpetuity. The changing landscapes of threat and fear alter the position of that line. After the 9/11 attacks, Americans were much more willing to trade civil rights for a perceived sense of security. In the years since many of the actions taken during that time, such as domestic warrantless wire tapping and random airport searches have come under heavy criticism. It is likely that the DHS is engaging in a number of unknown activities that would be highly disturbing to the general public. This has always been true of the American intelligence and security establishment. There is no evidence that these activities are any worse or more prevalent since the founding of the DHS. In defense of the DHS, the organization must toe a slippery line. It is expected to take extraordinary measures to protect the nation. What is too extraordinary is never well-defined or unchanging. Bang for the Buck? The Department of Homeland Security has not been without certain successes. The Science and Technology Directorate has been a standout among the many branches of DHS. Composed of some of the finest minds in the world, the Directorate has made significant advances in a number of different areas targeted toward fulfillment of the Intelligence Act of 2004. The US-VISIT program has made progress in the area of VISA overstays. Behavior spotting software is helping agents at ports of entry to identify and address suspicious behavior. DNA mapping technology is helping to more quickly identify biological agents and assess any potential threat. At the same time an early warning system for these agents is in development. All of these developments have both civilian and military applications. On the forefront of information security is the Einstein 3 project currently undergoing testing. A Washington Post report describes the initiative this way: ââ¬Å"the plan called for telecommunications companies to route the Internet traffic of civilian agencies through a monitoring box that would search for and block computer codes designed to penetrate or otherwise compromise networksâ⬠(Nakashima, 2009). If successful, Einstein 3 could help ensure secrecy of vital infrastructure and security information. This is all the more important in light of recent reports of widespread hacking of government computers. Analysts suspect, but are still unable to prove, that North Korean or Chinese hackers are responsible for the repeated breaches in security. The American public may have assumed that the founding of DHS represented a massive financial investment in Americaââ¬â¢s security. In reality, the DHS budget is not substantially more than its individual agencies were already receiving. The truth of the matter is that Homeland Security is a shoestring operationâ⬠(Brzezinski, 2004). This explains a lot about why measures deemed critical and necessary in 2001, and again in 2004, still have not been implemented. The agency is supposed to be free of the turf wars that plagued the intelligence community in the past. Because the individual agencies still lobby for a limited amount of funds this is not the reality. The harshest critics of the agency believe that is too much about appearing to do something and not enough about actually doing something. The confusing color-coded terror warning system is one such example. Col. David Hunt (ret. ) writes of such efforts: ââ¬Å"Colors, duct tape and wooden desks donââ¬â¢t stop 10 ââ¬â kiloton bombs or terroristsâ⬠(2005). With a new administration in power the DHS is considering dropping or altering the color-code warning system. Each time the alert system is raised costs are incurred by local, state and federal governments. The public has become oblivious to the system since specific information about the threat or what to do are never given. The ability of Americans to travel freely is the key to its future prosperity. For that reason a great deal of attention has been given to transportation links such as railroads, subways and airlines. The results have been mixed. Airport security, perhaps the most visible of DHS efforts has come under withering criticism. Inevitably errors will make better news than successes. The errors are numerous however, and come not only in the execution of policy but in the policies themselves. For example: ââ¬Å"Our government keeps no fewer than twelve watch lists that we can choose from. Mind you, not one consolidated list; that would be too easyâ⬠(Hunt, 2005). Much of airport security has been federalized, but that does not mean the system is operating smoothly. The watch lists are anything but accurate. Babies and young children have been flagged. Even a U. S. Representative, Sen. Edward Kennedy was stopped because he somehow appeared on a list. Random checks that result in searches of senior citizens, disabled people and children have been a public relations nightmare for the TSA, the organization within DHS responsible for travel safety. Coping with these problems makes the jobs of airport screeners, many of whom are still being trained, all the more difficult. The TSA has required airlines to make certain security changes like locking cabin doors. On a random number of flights an armed federal air marshal is seated in the cabin. The prevalence of these marshals is a secret held tightly by the TSA. Random security checks run by independent agencies still raise concerns about the ease of getting potentially dangerous material on board domestic aircraft. Meanwhile the lack of a terrorist incident since the attempted shoe bombing by Richard Reid has led to a false sense of security. Since the border issue reached critical mass during the second term of President George W. Bush spending on border security has increased. Critics worry that this increase has come at the expense of other critical DHS efforts. ââ¬Å"Department officials concede that most of the Homeland Security money is being funneled into one mission ââ¬â controlling the border with Mexicoâ⬠(Alden, 2008). The DHS and border patrol are fulfilling mandates of the Intelligence Reform Act of 2004. But lack funding to complete many other initiatives. Analysis and Conclusion The Department of Homeland Security was proposed as an organization free of political influence. The reality is much different. A giant organization with tentacles stretching in numerous directions is inevitably political when funding for it is limited. DHS has the problems of any other Washington bureaucracy. The organization has garnered mixed reviews from independent analysts. To date there has not been another serious terrorist attack in the United States since 2001. A number of Al Qaeda and Al Qaeda- inspired cells have been infiltrated and brought to justice. The DHS should be given credit where credit is due in that regard. At the same time the actions of DHS have raised concerns that the civil rights of Americans are being eroded. It is also misleading to assume that the lack of attacks since 2001 is a strong indicator that the country is safe. In fact it is dangerous to assume so. The efforts of U. S. forces overseas probably have had as much to do as anything with the lack of attacks on American soil. At the same time, the enemy who successfully executed the 9/11 attacks did so after years of planning. It is very likely that they, or some other enemy is studying the cracks in the Homeland Security apparatus in preparation for a future attack. This is a 21st century reality. DHS was given license after 9/11 to take shortcuts around the civil rights of individuals in the name of national security. Each successive generation of Americans will have to decide what they are willing to give up for a sense of security that may or may not be realistic. Has the DHS protected America from terrorist attacks? Yes and no. Some of the actions it has taken have had clear-cut results. Others have not. Can it protect the homeland for the foreseeable future? Probably not. The DHS has not met many of its original mandates, as well as the mandates from the Intelligence Reform Act of 2004. In certain instances it has shown the kind of bureaucratic inflexibility that allowed for the 9/11 attacks to take place. The American government has to be right every time ââ¬â The terrorists only have to be right once.
Tuesday, July 30, 2019
Numerical Analysis of Soil-Structure Interaction at Seismic Fault Pulses
Numeric Analysis of Soil-Structure Interaction at Seismic Fault Pulses Abstractionââ¬âNumeric analysis of soilââ¬âstructure systems at seismal mistake pulsations has investigated. Vibration transmissibility of the soilââ¬âstructure interaction has analysed for super-structures with different aspect ratios positioned on assorted dirt types and different foundations have studied. Soil construction interaction with geometric nonlinearity has been considered with forward directionality and fling measure types of mathematical seismal mistake pulsations. It has been analyzed that nonlinear SSI is tend to magnify the acceleration responses when subjected to low frequence incident pulsations below normalized threshold frequences. These thresholds associate with dirt categorization, so that different dirt type has assorted shear moving ridge speed. With increased shear wave speed of the implicit in dirt makes the threshold frequence additions. Keywordsââ¬âNonlinear soilââ¬âstructure interaction, response analysis, seismal mistake, land daze, swaying isolation.IntroductionSHOCK and quiver isolation reduces the excitement transmitted to systems necessitating protection. An illustration is the interpolation of isolators between equipment and foundations back uping the equipment. The isolators act to cut down effects of support gesture on the equipment and to cut down effects of force transmitted by the equipment to the supporting construction. Isolators act by debaring and hive awaying energy at resonating frequences of the isolation system, thereby diminishing force degrees transmitted at higher frequences. The dampers act by dispersing energy to cut down the elaboration of forces that occur at resonance [ 1 ] . The chief thought in basal isolation is to cut down the seismal responses by infixing lowââ¬âstiffness, highââ¬âdamping constituents between the foundation and the construction [ 2 ] . This manner, th e natural period and damping of the construction will be increased, which can cut down the responses of the superstructure, particularly interââ¬âstory impetuss and floor accelerations [ 3 ] . Alternatively, base supplantings in those systems, particularly under nearââ¬âfault land gestures, are increased [ 4 ] . The first concerns about this issue were arisen after 1992 Landers and so 1994 Northridge temblors, where longââ¬âperiod pulseââ¬âtype land gestures were observed in nearââ¬âfault records. Evidence show that temblor records in nearââ¬âfield parts may hold big energy in low frequences and can do drastic responses in base stray constructions [ 5 ] . Past surveies in the literature reveal that nonlinear soilââ¬â construction interaction ( SSI ) including foundation upheaval and dirt output can exhibit basal isolating effects due to hysteretic damping of the implicit in dirt. These effects can be important during strong land gestures when the superstr ucture is mounted on a shallow foundation with sufficiently low inactive perpendicular burden bearing safety factor [ 6 ] . On the other manus, geometry of the superstructure should besides enable the swaying gestures of the foundation to emerge as a singular manner of quiver in seismal public presentation of the soilââ¬âstructure system. In such status, the soââ¬âcalled invertedââ¬âpendulum constructions [ 7 ] can profit from energy absorbing capacity of the implicit in dirt viz. swaying isolation. This context motivated Koh and Hsiung [ 8 ] , [ 9 ] to analyze base isolation benefits of 3D rocking and upheaval. In their surveies, threeââ¬âdimensional cylindrical stiff block rested on a Winkler foundation of independent springs and dashpots were examined. They compared response of the theoretical account under earthquakeââ¬âlike excitements when the foundation was allowed to elate versus noââ¬âuplift status. It was concluded that curtailing upheaval can prese nt higher emphasiss and accelerations inside the construction. The purpose of this paper is shock response analysis of the soilââ¬â construction systems induced by nearââ¬âfault pulsations. Vibration transmissibility of the soilââ¬âstructure systems is evaluated utilizing daze response spectra ( SRS ) . An inââ¬âdepth parametric survey is conducted. Mediumââ¬âtoââ¬âhigh rise edifices with different aspect ratios every bit good as foundations with different safety factors located on different dirt types are studied. Two types of nearââ¬âfault land dazes with different pulsation periods every bit good as pulse amplitudes are selected as input excitement. Linear versus nonlinear SSI status are considered instead and the corresponding consequences are compared. II. N UMERICAL MODEL The soilââ¬âstructure system modeled in this survey consists of multiââ¬âstory constructing constructions based on surface mat foundation located on dirt medium. Numeric theoretical account subjected to nearââ¬âfault land dazes is schematically illustrated in Fig. 1. A. Superstructure Shear edifice theoretical accounts are most normally used in research surveies on seismically isolated edifices. To this purpose, a generic simplified theoretical account is created to stand for a category of structural systems with a given natural period and distribution of stiffness over the height [ 10 ] . In this survey, the superstructure is a 3D shear constructing habitue in program and height to avoid the effects of geometrical dissymmetry. Requirements for including nearââ¬âfield effects are considered harmonizing to ASCE7ââ¬â10 [ 11 ] . Dead and unrecorded tonss are assumed 600 and 200kg/m2, severally. The narrative tallness of 3.0mand figure of narratives equal to 10, 15, and 20 are selected in order to stand for mediumââ¬âtoââ¬âhighââ¬ârise edifices that can rationally hold shallow foundations on different types of dirt medium. Firstââ¬âmode natural periods of fixedââ¬âbase construction are 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0sfor 10ââ¬â , 15ââ¬â , and 20à ¢â¬âstory edifices, severally. These natural periods are consistent with approximative cardinal period expressions introduced in ASCE7ââ¬â10. The analyses have been performed utilizing OpenSEES package [ 12 ] . Rayleigh theoretical account with muffling ratio equal to 5 % of critical damping is assigned to the superstructure. In this instance, superstructure elements are assumed with no ductileness and Pââ¬âDelta geometrical nonlinearity is included. FIG 1 B. Interacting System The interacting system called infrastructure consists of soilââ¬â foundation ensemble which induces baseââ¬âisolating effects to the construction. The foundation is a square mat with thickness of 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0mfor 10ââ¬â , 15ââ¬â , and 20ââ¬âstory edifices, severally. Brick elements are used to pattern the foundation. Dimensions of the foundation program were designed harmonizing to perpendicular burden bearing capacity of dirt medium. Therefore, different foundation program dimensions are calculated sing to different dirt types every bit good as different safety factors. The foundation is assumed to be inflexible and no embedment is considered in this survey. In order to see dirt effects, four types of dirt media with a broad scope of shearââ¬âwave speed (Volt) were considered to cover soft to really heavy dirt in conformity with site categorization introduced in ASCE7ââ¬â10 [ 11 ] . The dirt is considered as a homogeneous halfââ¬âspace medium and is non modeled straight in this survey. Simplified theoretical accounts are used to enforce substructure effects including dirt flexibleness, radiation damping, tenseness cutââ¬âoff, and dirt output on the foundation. The horizontal ( sway ) electric resistances can be straight obtained utilizing Cone theoretical account expressions [ 13 ] . However, swaying and perpendicular electric resistances, because of part of foundation upheaval and dirt output nonlinear effects, could non be straight calculated utilizing lumped theoretical account in perpendicular and rocking waies. In perpendicular and swaying waies, the foundation country is discretized over a sufficient figure of nodes. The discretization of foundation program country has been done in conformity with soââ¬âcalled subdisk method recommended by Wolf [ 14 ] to cipher perpendicular and swaying dynamic electric resistance of dirt. In order to allow the foundation upheaval and dirt output phenomena contribute in finite component mold of soilââ¬âstructure system the perpendicular nonlinear elasticââ¬âperfectly fictile spread stuff is assigned to the perpendicular contact elements. FIG 2 III. MATHEMATICAL NEARââ¬âFAULT PULSES Idealized pulsations, used in this survey, are described by sinusoidal maps proposed by Sasani and Bertero every bit good as Kalkan and Kunnath that represent fling measure and frontward directionality type of land gestures [ 15 ] , [ 16 ] . The mathematical preparations of the acceleration clip history of flingââ¬âstep and forwardââ¬âdirectivity pulsations are presented in ( 1 ) , and ( 2 ) , severally. Flingââ¬âStep Pulse whereCalciferoldenotes the maximal amplitude of the land supplanting derived by dual clip integrating of land acceleration, ( )Ta, and so T andThyminedenote pulse period and pulse reaching clip, severally.IPulse amplitude and pulse period are the two cardinal input parametric quantities of the idealised pulsation theoretical accounts. In this research, pulseââ¬âtoââ¬âfixedââ¬âbase construction period ratio (ThymineT ) is assumed to fall within 0.5 to 2.5. Within this scope, existent nearââ¬âfield records can be replaced by idealised pulsations and outstanding belongingss of structural response are captured with sensible estimate [ 17 ] , [ 18 ] . Furthermore, pulse amplitude matching to different excitement degrees varies from moderate to really strong land gestures in this survey. For this intent, peak land speed ( PGV ) varies from 20 to 220cm/sto stand for moderate to really strong land gestures, severally. In this survey, unidirectional excitement is exerted to th e base when the simplified pulse theoretical accounts of fling measure and forward directionality are used. IV. PARAMETRIC STUDY It is good known that the response of soilââ¬âstructure system depends on geometric and dynamic belongingss of the construction and the beneath dirt. These effects can be incorporated into the studied theoretical account by the undermentioned nonââ¬âdimensional parametric quantities [ 19 ] , [ 20 ] : where a0,hole,Hydrogen,Volt,Strontium, andBacillusbase for nonââ¬â dimensional frequence, round frequence of the fixedââ¬âbase construction, superstructure tallness, shearââ¬âwave speed of dirt, slenderness ratio, and breadth of the superstructure, in the same order. Nonââ¬âdimensional frequence parametric quantity,a0, is introduced as an index for the structureââ¬âtoââ¬âsoil stiffness ratio. In this survey, this parametric quantity is assumed 0.25, 0.5, 1, and 2 to cover different degrees of dirt flexibleness. Harmonizing to ( 1 ) , the a0 peers to 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 is matching to shearââ¬âwave speed of dirt 754, 377, 188, and 94samarium, severally. Sing to ( 4 ) ,Strontiumparametric quantity bases for slenderness of + [ ] T + + the superstructure. In this paper, values of 2 and 4 are assigned toStrontiumparametric quantity in order to stand for low every bit good as highaandStrontium, are typically considered as the cardinal parametric quantities of the soilââ¬âaspect ratio. These two mentioned parametric quantities, 0structure system [ 19 ] . Besides, with respect to nonlinear SSI incorporated in this parametric survey, the undermentioned nonââ¬â dimensional parametric quantity is besides considered: whereNitrogen,uouN, andSFdenote the dirt bearing capacity under strictly perpendicular inactive burden, the perpendicular applied burden, and factor of safety against perpendicular burden bearing of the foundation, severally.Degree fahrenheitis set equal to 1.2, 1.85, and 2.5 to stand for severelyââ¬âloaded, instead heavilyââ¬âloaded, and instead lightlyââ¬âloaded foundations, severally [ 21 ] . For daze response analysis of the soilââ¬âstructure system, maximal response acceleration at a givenIth narrative (MRA) is defined as timeââ¬âdomain utmost value of absolute response acceleration of theIth floor. Peak value ofMRAiialong tallness of the construction is defined asPMRA. This index is compared in two alternate linear every bit good as nonlinear SSI status as introduced in Fig. 2. In 2nd instance, foundation upheaval and dirt output is permitted during dynamic timeââ¬âhistory analyses. Comparison of the two SSI status reveals swaying isolation effects of foundation upheaval and dirt output on commanding accelerations transmitted to the superstructure when subjected to nearââ¬âfault land dazes. To quantify the rocking isolations effects of nonlinear SSI on commanding familial accelerations, the undermentioned index is defined: whereqacceldenotes maximal response acceleration ratio which is equal toPMRAat nonlinear SSI status,( NLSSI ) PMRA ( LSSI ) PMRAdivided by the same value at additive SSI status, . V. S HOCK RESPONSE SPECTRA ( SRS ) OF THE SOILââ¬âSTRUCTURE SYSTEMS Vibration transmissibility of the soilââ¬âstructure systems is evaluated in this subdivision utilizing daze response spectrum. As illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, the ordinate of each SRS curve represents theQratio as introduced in ( 6 ) . The abscissa T/Tof the SRS represents the ratio of the excitement pulsation continuanceaccelT to the natural periodThymineof the swaying isolation ( or natural period of swaying response of the foundation ) . Almost 16000 clip history analyses are performed in this survey. Consequently, the SRS braces with uninterrupted and dash lines in Figs. 3 and 4 represent mean and standard divergence ( s ) of the primary SRS curves ensemble, severally. The SRS braces are plotted with regard to different incident pulsation periods t to demo the consequence of daze strength. In Fig. 3 the consequence of dirt type on quiver transmissibility of the soilââ¬âstructure systems is investigated through comparing SRSs for different values ofa, ( 3 ) . The consequences show that nonlinear SSI is likely to magnify the acceleration responses when subjected to longââ¬âperiod incident pulsations with0normalized period T/Ttranscending a threshold. It is shown that this threshold T/Tcorrelatives with dirt type. In more precise words, whenalessenings ( i.e. at more dense sites ) the threshold T/Tmoves to left as displayed in Fig. 3. For case, 0 the incident pulsation with normalized period greater than the threshold, T/T= 1.25, leads to response elaboration in a 10ââ¬âstory edifice located on really heavy site (a=0.25 ) . On the other manus, comparing single SRS curves on each graph of Fig. 3 reveals that increasing the land daze strength consequences in steeper inclines of SRSs. This fact shows that nonlinear SSI is more activated topic to incident pulsations with greater amplitudes. In Fig. 4 the consequence of incident pulsation type on quiver transmissibility of the soilââ¬âstructure systems is examined through comparing SRSs of frontward directionality versus fling measure pulsations. The consequences show that longââ¬âperiod frontward directionality pulsations can ensue in important response elaboration, particularly when the pulse amplitude intensifies. In contrast, nonlinear SSI topic to shortââ¬âperiod frontward directionality pulsations with high amplitudes can cut down the acceleration responses down to about 50 % for the 15ââ¬âstory edifice as presented in Fig. 4. In add-on, the two graphs of Fig. 4 depict that quiver transmissibility of nonlinear SSI is more periodââ¬âdependent topic to send on directionality pulsations compared to fling measure land daze. VI. C ONCLUSION This paper concerns shock response analysis of the soilââ¬â construction systems induced by nearââ¬âfault pulsations. To this terminal, quiver transmissibility of the soilââ¬âstructure systems is evaluated utilizing daze response spectra. An inââ¬âdepth parametric survey including about 16000 clip history analyses are performed. Mediumââ¬âtoââ¬âhigh rise edifices with different aspect ratios every bit good as foundations with different safety factors located on different dirt types are studied. Two types of nearââ¬âfault land dazes, i.e. forward directionality and fling measure pulsations, with different pulsation periods every bit good as pulse amplitudes are selected as input excitement. Linear versus nonlinear SSI status are considered. Maximal response acceleration ratioQ is selected as quiver transmissibility index in additive compared to nonlinear SSI status. The consequences show that nonlinear SSI is likely to magnify the acceleration responses when subjected to longââ¬âperiod incident pulsations with normalized period T/Ttranscending a threshold. This threshold T/Tcorrelatives with dirt type, so that increasing shearââ¬âwave speed of the implicit in dirt, the threshold T/T lessenings. On the other manus, addition in land daze strength consequences in steeper inclines of SRSs, i.e. greater period dependence. Furthermore, comparing SRSs of frontward directionality versus fling measure pulsations reveals that longââ¬âperiod frontward directionality pulsations can ensue in important response elaboration, particularly when the pulse amplitude intensifies. In contrast, shortââ¬âperiod frontward directionality pulsations with high amplitudes are significantly isolated. In add-on, quiver transmissibility of nonlinear SSI is more periodââ¬âdependent topic to send on directionality pulsations compared to fling measure land daze. MentionsPiersol, A. G. , and Paez, T. L. , ââ¬Å"Harrisââ¬â¢ Shock and Vibration HandboOklahoma, â⬠6Thursdayed. , McGrawââ¬âHill, New York, 2010.Skinner, R. I. , Robinson, W. H. , and McVerry, G. H. , ââ¬Å"An debut to seismic isolation, â⬠Wiley, Chichester, England, 1993.Naeim, F. , and Kelly, J. M. , ââ¬Å"Design of seismal stray constructions: From theory to pattern, â⬠Wiley, Chichester, England, 1999.Hall, J. F. , Heaton, T. H. , Halling, M. W. , and Wald, D. J. ââ¬Å"Nearââ¬âsource land gesture and its effects on flexible edifices, â⬠Earthquake Spectra, vol. 11, no. 4, pp. 569ââ¬â 605, 1995.Heaton, T. H. , Hall, J. F. , Wald, D. J. , and Halling, M. V. , ââ¬Å"Response of highââ¬ârise and baseââ¬âisolated edifices in a conjectural Mw 7.0 blind thrust temblor, â⬠Science, vol. 267, pp. 206ââ¬â211, 1995.Anastasopoulos, I. , Gazetas, G. , Loli, M. , Apostolou, M. , and Gerolymos, N. , ââ¬Å"Soil failure can be used for sei smal protection of constructions, â⬠Bulletin of Earthquake Engineering, vol. 8, pp. 309ââ¬â326, 2010.Housner, G. W. , ââ¬Å"The behaviour of upside-down pendulum constructions during temblors, â⬠Bulletin of seismological society of America, vol. 53, no. 2: pp. 403ââ¬â417, 1963.Koh, A. , and Hsiung, C. , ââ¬Å"Base Isolation Benefits of 3ââ¬âD Rocking and Uplift. I: Theory, â⬠ASCE Journal of Engineering Mechanicss, vol. 117, no. 1, pp. 1ââ¬â18, 1991.Koh, A. & A ; Hsiung, C. ââ¬Å"Base Isolation Benefits of 3ââ¬âD Rocking and Uplift. II: Numeric Example, â⬠ASCE Journal of Engineering Mechanicss, vol. 117, no. 1, pp. 19ââ¬â31, 1991.Alhan, C. , and Surmeli, M. , ââ¬Å"Shear edifice representations of seismically stray edifices, â⬠Bulletin of Earthquake Engineering, vol. 9, pp. 1643ââ¬â1671, 2011.ASCE/SEI 7ââ¬â10, ââ¬Å"Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures, â⬠Published by American Society of Civil Engi neers, 2010.Fenves, G. L. , Mazzoni, S. , McKenna, F. , and Scott, M. H. , ââ¬Å"Open System for Earthquake Engineering Simulation ( OpenSEES ), â⬠Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center, University of California: Berkeley, CA, 2004.Wolf, J. P. , and Deeks, A. J. , ââ¬Å"Foundation Vibration Analysis: a Strengthââ¬âofââ¬âMaterials Approach, â⬠Elsevier publications, 2004.Wolf, J. P. , ââ¬Å"Foundation Vibration Analysis Using Simple Physical Models, â⬠Englewood Cliffs ( NJ ) : Prenticeââ¬âHall, pp. 293ââ¬â307, 1994.Sasani, M. , and Bertero, V. ââ¬Å"Importance of terrible pulseââ¬âtype land gesture in performanceââ¬âbased technology: historical and critical reappraisal, â⬠inProc. of the 12th universe conf. on temblor technology, New Zealand, no. 8, 2000.Kalkan, E. , Kunnath, S. K. , ââ¬Å"Effects of Flinging Step and Forward Directivity on Seismic Response of Buildings, â⬠Earthquake Spectra, vol. 22, pp. 367ââ¬â390, 2006.Alavi, B. , and Krawinkler, H. , ââ¬Å"Behavior of minute defying frame constructions subjected to nearââ¬âfault land gestures, â⬠Earthquake Engineering and Structural Dynamics, vol. 33, pp. 687ââ¬â706, 2004.Sehhati, R. , Rodriguezââ¬âMarek, A. , ElGawady, M. , and Cofer, W. F. , ââ¬Å"Effects of nearââ¬âfault land gestures and tantamount pulsations on multiââ¬â narrative constructions, â⬠Engineering Structures, vol. 33, pp. 767ââ¬â779, 2011.
Monday, July 29, 2019
Public health and health policy Discuss the health problems and health Essay
Public health and health policy Discuss the health problems and health service issues that are associated with homelessness in L - Essay Example In London, the homeless face the problem of insufficient primary and secondary care, in spite of their critical health situations. National Health Service, the primary provider of public health in the UK, cannot provide such essential services to people without access to fixed address, a common feature in developed nations (Daly, 2013, p.213). In addition, Rogers and Pilgrim (2010, p.60) asserts that the homeless are prone to neglecting their health status, more than the general population, and they only seek such services when their health status have reached advanced stages. Homelessness is a complicated global issue that is caused by several issues while at the same time it does not have a single solution. In recent years, the government and global health organisations such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) have identified the complex health challenges affecting the homeless as the underlying problem apart from the obvious accommodation issues amongst others. In England, ther e are several National Health Services and other privately sponsored charitable services, which provide the necessary healthcare and support to the homeless. The civil society in England, noted that during the global downturn, the National Health Services reduced its spending on the homeless. ... Gramlich (2008, p.70) observes that there is not a single specific definition of the term as variance in temporal dimensions, cognition and lifestyle amongst the homelessness street people. Since homelessness is mirrored in different settings, several situations come into play; this paper posits that the political agenda as well as the prevailing social values have been strongly linked to the definitions. Conventionally, homelessness has a residential dimension and this can often be used to redefine the term in this context. This is because the apparent feature of the classification stems from the lack of conventional housing for those deemed homeless. Levy and Sidel (2013, p.176) applies the United Nations Committee on Human Rights definition of the term and they intone that people who sleep in outdoors such as vehicles and abandoned non intended for human dwelling. Legal and statutory definition of the term have a characteristic contradictory nature and in the United Kingdom alone, there are several acts that define the term both at the national level and in the devolved systems. However, housing authorities in the United Kingdom consider domiciled individuals who have applied for their accommodation as homelessness applicants and therefore categorized. In the strictness of the term, the city of London has often distinctly identified two groups; the homeless and the rough sleepers. The rough sleepers are those who live and sleep on the streets of several English cities, yet in our case we shall be confined to London and Newham in particular. The Department of Communities and Local Government (2013) describes a person as statutorily homeless
Sunday, July 28, 2019
Introducing an emicropayment method using the internet Essay
Introducing an emicropayment method using the internet - Essay Example Using credit cards is the most common way to purchase items online. When a buyer tries to buy an inexpensive item through a credit card, the authentication and verification process of user account is often quite cumbersome and in most cases is infeasible and unpractical. For merchant selling inexpensive items, finds its profits disappear due to the high credit card fees and associated costs (Geer, 2004). Therefore the tools used for online payments are one of the biggest factors in deciding the fate of e-micropayments. Since the sales are often low and the profit margins thin, the sellers don't feel comfortable in investing into e-micropayment technologies and goods. They feel that the risk taken to sell inexpensive goods is not worthwhile. Therefore the supply of inexpensive goods and seller's attitude is another factor deciding the existence of e-micropayments. (Smith, 2003) Since its start, e-micropayments haven't shown the intensity and promise that was expected. Due to not enough successful inexpensive products in the market (compared to more expensive items) the demand for keeping inexpensive assortments in the inventory is low (Geer, 2004). Therefore the historic trends, not enough success stories and the hype in the market are other factors that need to be considered to make e-micropayments method a success. For all online transactions, a buyer or a merchant needs to have a secure and reliable e-micropayment technology (Geer, 2004). Since critical personal information and credit card (account) information is given over the net, a secure (usually SSL) and safe technology must be in place. Without such a technology, the method can never be a success. To run e-micropayments methods, dependant technology like computers, servers, internet etc. should be reliable (Geer, 2004). If the internet link is unreliable, or the merchant's website has a high downtime, the customers would simply move to a different merchant which provides the same products and services but which does not offer e-micropayment technology. Another issue is the cost of the e-micropayment technology and how much of the commission is charged from the merchant. If this cost is high, the merchants would not agree to have this system and would rather prefer a normal credit card payment option. (Electronic Payment Systems, 2006) As we have seen from the discussion above, there are a lot of stakeholders involved in the entire process which complicates the matters. Although e-micropayments are convenient and needful, their lack of practicality at the moment has let it down. Building a secure, reliable and inexpensive e-micropayment solution is required at a time where PayPal and credit cards have taken over the sale of expensive items. Works Cited 1. Electronic Payment Systems. (2006). Retrieved February 8, 2008, from Prentice Hall: www.c5c6.com/upfile/down.phpfilename=908a738581.ppt 2. Geer, D. (2004). E-Micropayments Sweat the Small Stuff. Retrieved Februa
Saturday, July 27, 2019
English Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 8
English - Essay Example Its arguments were sound and that, in a way, a semblance of connection could be found still when the writer assumed a combative mood towards a perceived error in reporting. Given the same circumstance ââ¬â wherein a report is published in a subject that I am well versed of ââ¬â and that I find it offensive or erroneous, I would probably do the same. Here, one can see that the author is passionate and not a passive and somehow I identify with that kind of attitude. Rockwood writes from a personal perspective, using his own voice. He was unapologetic as he dispenses his judgment without any reservations. He criticized the editorial ââ¬Å"Get Bullish on Wind Powerâ⬠according to his own terms. He outlined his ideas connecting them with the subject of his critique. In the process, the persuasion in the tone of the entire piece does not seem to prioritize the objective to persuade. The style employed followed those statements of facts and that arguments against it would constitute either fallacy or the lack of credibility. Indeed, Rockwood cited several arguments that are supported by evidence and his own technical knowledge on the subject. In how the piece was written, there was no hope to sway the mind of the reader so that the reader comes to believe what the writer believes. The objective was to enlighten. He was merely stating what the truth was and reality and that those arguments that digress are most probably fallacious. Rockwoodââ¬â¢s essay was meant to refute the claims, positions and suggestions put forward by an earlier article. It is a critical essay and argumentative in the sense that it advances its own perspectives. However, I found the style lacking in this context. It is supposed to address the points made by the earlier editorial but it did not do that. Instead, it cited new arguments that someone could have claimed that the essay was written as original - without any previous connections to early work - and the reader
Classical American Literature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Classical American Literature - Essay Example Taking advantage of the portrayal of Whitman's amorous love aching to a steam engine Lawrence resembles him to a lifeless, cruel mechanical device with no feelings. Referring to "Song of myself" where Whitman's openness to everything is given Lawrence appears judgmental. He resembles him to a mush, rather than a self; a mix of flesh and blood, a confused personality rather than a clear-minded person whose death has sucked individuality out of him. Lawrence contents Whitman could not talk of sympathy since he could not get out of his personality to feel any other feeling or sensation. Emulating the situation of one's position Lawrence would merely act as if he lived the sensation. Caught up in his own view of the world, the Oneness, Whitman thought he knew sympathy. On his poems Democracy, En Masse, One Identity, where Whitman again refers to allness as everything being part of a unit and the unit being everything, it is again assumed that everything is part of the unit without having understood the uniqueness of each part or what is this part of the unit. Whitman assumes everyone and everything to be member of this unit and as his self is also part of it then everything is part of him.
Friday, July 26, 2019
The Perils of Nationalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
The Perils of Nationalism - Essay Example The compositions of different tribes and ethnic in United Kingdom demonstrates that the State can be comprised of different nations. The country have four distinct region namely England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland2. During the scramble and partition of Africa, the European nation demarcated territory in disregard of the cultural, linguistic and history of the inhabitant of Africa. They, therefore, established borders with different nations within the states. This had remained so even when all the African countries gained independently, and there is always constant conflict between different cultures as they fight to limited resources3. Moreover, there are nations that comprise of a single nation. For example, South Korea consists of a single ethnic group that share a language and a culture. This is different to other countries that have more from one ethnic group, but form a states that engage in negotiations with other states for the good of its people. In conclusion, States are either comprised of a single nation or several nations within its territory, and it is how well a states manages it affair that keeps the nations within it in harmony and avoid the emergence of nationalism and establishment of the new
Thursday, July 25, 2019
Globalization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 3
Globalization - Essay Example Globalization specifically refers to economic integration of local economies with an international system. It aims to erase the national boundaries and governs international trade by comparative advantage. The concept of globalization became popular in the late 1980s and 1990s. Globalization began with Portuguese adventurers and navigators who established a chain of fortresses, key strong points and coastal areas to create a chain of economy and culture which was global in nature. Modern globalization began after World War II as economists, corporations and politicians recognized the negative aspects of protectionism. They saw the advantages of international economic integration. Several international institutions like the International Monetary Fund and World Bank were created to reduce the costs of trade and remove restrictions on free trade. Since then many barriers to international trade have been lowered. The World Trade Organization was established to promote free trade and reduce tariffs. It also called for the recognition of intellectual property restrictions. Globalization remains a unique phenomenon because of the rapid spread of technology, economic trade and foreign investment in many parts of the world. There are many affects of globalization which point out that we live in a globalized world (Friedman 56, 2005). The impact of globalization can be measured by the goods and services which form the proportion of national incomes. It can also be measured by the net migration rates and direct investment that comes inside a country by foreign organizations. Finally the impact of international research and development and the proportion of populations using modern technologies like the cell phone, internet, and motorcar on a country can measure the affect of globalization for a particular country. In addition to the economic measurement of globalization, it can also be measured by social and political factors. Globalization has changed the world in many different ways. It has heralded the advent of worldwide production markets which provide more access to foreign products for consumers and companies. Global financial markets have emerged in different parts of the world which provide better access to external financing for corporations and local borrowers. The creations of world organizations which regulate the relationships between nations and protect their rights have sprung up due to globalization. China is an amazing success story of globalization because of its tremendous economic growth rate. In recent years China's economy has rapidly grown. This rapid growth of economy is the important point in the field of economic development which has been acknowledged by the international community. The UN says that China is the backbone of Asia's economic development. This statement is enough to tell that China is playing an active role in contributing to the world economy. China's rapid economic growth has made a huge impact on the world's economy in stabilizing and recovery it. China is the globe's best commodity market (Ankerl 36, 2000). Chinese products are found all over the world. During the period of 1990-2001 China's export growth rate was 14.9% and the import growth rate was 15.5%. China's good and cheap exported products have benefited many consumers globally. American buyers of goods and products have saved about US$15 billion annually. China's rapid import growth rate has created various job opportunities globally. The foreign trade of China has enabled free flow and minimum utilization of
Wednesday, July 24, 2019
How important is curriculum in determining a school's international Essay
How important is curriculum in determining a school's international status - Essay Example Further, for high school students that are graduating, they would often look for schools in other countries to enrol in for their college education. Most of the time, they choose schools by popularity and International status. But the question is, how is curriculum related or is a factor in determining the International status of an educational institution? We will dwell on the answers as we go further along. This paper will also discuss the significance of curriculum, the theories and basis of curriculum, the different approaches to learning, elements of curriculum, effects of changes in curriculum and the relation of curriculum to international acclaim. Curriculum as a Work Plan In every aspect of life, planning is required. Whether it is as simple as planning for a family vacation or things to do during the holiday break, plans play an important role in achieving objectives at the end. And in deciding on education, there should be a formal framework to be followed to ensure that t he end product will come out as planned. Plans are made and drawn to be followed to ensure success. And careful planning is very much needed especially if an educational institution is to offer learning and development to its students for years. Curriculum is the plan for educational institutions (Pinar 2003). ... Not only will it focus on the academics of the students but will include the other aspects of a studentââ¬â¢s life like extracurricular activities, social activities, learning ability and other learning needs and (Abbott, Hughes, Williamson 2001) agrees. Further, a curriculum does not only set a plan for its students but for the mentors and teachers too. It will include an estimate measure of time regarding how many sessions should a subject matter take, the workload of teachers and their capability to teach the subject matter at hand. All of these constitute to the curriculum of a school and now, we can move forward and talk about the significance or importance of curriculum in a school setting. Significance of Curriculum in Schools As previously discussed, curriculum serves as a work plan on how a school attains objective goals at the end of a course. So, why is this important in the different levels of schooling namely elementary or grade school, high school and college or high er education. For the elementary level, the curriculum is drawn with consideration of all the learning needs of a child. At this stage (Waller & Clark 2007) says children will still have different learning capabilities and different ways of adapting to teaching methods. Such considerations will be included in the drafting of the curriculum. Students in this level will have no choice on what subjects to take as they are being geared towards studying a universal curriculum. The reason for this is that grade school students should have a complete development regarding all subject matter. In the high school level, there are more choices given to the student. Although the freedom of subjects is still limited, there is still an exercise of
Tuesday, July 23, 2019
Amputation Mishap, Negligence Cited Research Paper
Amputation Mishap, Negligence Cited - Research Paper Example To protect the rights and safety of patientââ¬â¢s certain terms are devised to distinguish between the low qualities of attention paid by Health Care Staff. Negligence is tolerated to some extent, but gross negligence and malpractice raises legal queries and requires authentic actions to ascertain the rights of all. Negligence is an act of failure to provide the required care or attention towards a medical patient, which is his fundamental right. It is a type of slack attitude of carelessness of a health care personal towards the owed responsibility of care and attention, directly affecting lives of people in need of medical attention. If health care staff is unable to provide the legal care with responsibility, which is designed for the sole purpose of care and safety, the personal is said to be negligent towards his obligations. (Ignatavicius,2010).à Gross Negligence is an incurable act of carelessness which comes into the category of extreme negligence. As adults, one is exp ected to be responsible for his actions in professional and private affairs. In healthcare sector mistakes and casual attitude can become a cause of serious damage to the person being taken care of. Thus, gross negligence is intolerable irresponsibility of a nurse, physician or any health care personal, which is lower the ordinary standard of care. It breaches other peopleââ¬â¢s privilege to protection. ... d as an intentional wrongdoing by nurses of physician, either due to lack of required skill or inability to meet the required standards, which results in fatal injury or death of a person in care. It also includes the deficiency of skill in certain training and failure to see the consequences of his actions. (Kelly, 2008) An article by A. Lowell ââ¬Å"Amputation mishap, negligence citedâ⬠, tells the story of Joseph Benson a diabetic 62 year old, who received an amputation on the wrong leg. Benson, who suffered from poor circulation of blood, woke up after the surgery, to his horror he was amputated in the right leg below the knee instead of left which needed treatment. The article states it as a negligent act, but actually it was gross negligence posed by the hospital staff. The gross negligence or malpractice on the part of hospital and physician, who operated surgery, is a case which requires urgent action from the authorities. Benson has not filed a case of malpractice again st the Hospital of Neighborhood, but he completely holds the right to do so. On his behalf the cost of gross negligence by Nurses and Physician, would only be endured by him. Due to gross negligence a legal term in such cases, Benson has faced irreversible loss. Patients suffer greatly especially from low supervision of Nurses. According to NPA (Nursing Practice Act), Nurses are accountable for the decisions they make regarding the patientââ¬â¢s under their care. They have an obligation of taking care of patients regardless of their race, cast or financial status. Code of ethics for nurses is used often in the malpractice cases as evidence where a nurse neglects the need of a patient (Westrick, 2009). In Bensonââ¬â¢s case, the documentation was wrong, which specifically directs negligence on the part
Monday, July 22, 2019
Being a true disciple of Jesus Essay Example for Free
Being a true disciple of Jesus Essay A03. It is not possible to be a true disciple of Jesus in the modern world Do you agree? Christianity is a worldwide religion and this leads us to believe that it is possible to be a true disciple in the modern world. Modern Christians believe that they are called to follow the example Jesus set. They spend time discovering the teachings of Jesus from the bible and trying to put those teachings into practice. (Michael Keene). There are many examples of modern day Christians. Priests, Nuns and missionaries are examples of people who devote their whole lives to God. Oscar Romero was an archbishop in El Salvador where the government has constantly violated human rights. There are also many people living in poverty. Oscar spoke out about the government in sermons. In 1980 he was gunned down by four masked men. His last words were May Christs sacrifice give us the courage to offer our own bodies for justice and peace. I believe that Romero is an example of someone who followed Jesus example and was a true disciple. Many religious people take vows of poverty so that God is placed first above everything and that they do not get distracted by money. The Rich Man didnt take this vow. It is much harder for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. (10:25). Maximilian Kolbe was a polish Catholic priest who was arrested and taken to Auschwitz, one of the Nazi death camps, in 1941. After three weeks of dehydration and starvation, only four of the ten men were still alive, including Kolbe. During the time in the cell, he led the men in songs and prayer. One day the guards picked out a man to be tortured to death but Kolbe said take me instead. The cells were needed, and Kolbe and the other three were executed with an injection of carbolic acid in the left arm. His heroism echoed through the camp and in 1982 he was made a saint. He once said, My aim in life is to serve others. He sacrificed his life for another and put God at the centre of his life. This makes his out to be a true disciple. Corrymeela is a peace group on the Antrim coast in Northern Ireland. The community is made up of Protestants and Roman Catholics. They live together, work together and worship together. It is a place where people can meet to discuss their differences in an atmosphere of mutual respect and trust. I think the people involved with Corrymeela are good modern day disciples. However, there are many challenges that make being a modern day disciple difficult. War, hatred and violence make it very hard to love our neighbour and forgive. The event of the world trade centre collapsing due to a terrorist attack on September 11th is an example of a difficult time to forgive. 2992 people were killed due to this attack. We live in a consumerist society were the emphasis on wealth is great. This can lead to injustices and selfishness. It distracts Christians from living a Christian life and makes it difficult for them to be true disciples. Years ago there wasnt any trading on a Sunday leaving more time for prayer and worship. Nowadays most shops are open from 1pm to 6pm this leaves little time for the people who work to pray and worship. It has an impact on our Christian lifestyle. Modern moral challenges such as abortion are unchristian. Many women have this procedure done to remove a foetus from their womb. People see this as a form of murder and that it is immoral. I believe it to be possible to be a true disciple of Jesus in the modern world, although it is very difficult as there are many obstacles in the way. Christians today still see it as being their duty to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ to others. This may be by doing missionary work or more simply by living out the Christian life and being an example for others.
Presidential Contenders 2008 Essay Example for Free
Presidential Contenders 2008 Essay Pre-election convention of the Democratic Party will pass on August 28 in Denver. The tensest conflict of the elections is between the candidates of the Democratic Party B. Obama and H. Klinton. The representative of Democratic Party will get the victory at the basic elections as Republicans have lost considerable support among the population because of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Besides, there is the crisis of crediting of a category subprime, which led to unemploymentââ¬â¢s growth and to substantial damages of the companies. Thatââ¬â¢s why the results of the primaries are significant. Barack Obama won Wisconsins and Hawaiiââ¬â¢s primaries on Tuesday, which extends his winning tendency and makes him hard to surpass in the remaining sixteen races. Clinton hasnt won a contest since Super Tuesday on Feb. 5. On Wednesday Obama picked up the support of the 1. 4 million-member Teamsters, his fourth labor endorsement in a week. Union support is expected to be key in the upcoming Ohio and Pennsylvania races. Clinton is behind in delegates, and the gap has been growing. She has to win fifty seven percent of the remaining primary and caucus delegates to erase Obamas lead, a daunting task requiring landslide-sized victories. According to some information, up to primary elections in Wisconsin Obama had on the account 1281 voices of party delegates at main congress whereas Clinton was the second (1218 voices). In Wisconsin 74 voices were played. In total the candidate from democrats have to get support of 2025 party delegates for promotion. Therefore the basic struggle still ahead. Obama also won ââ¬Å"the Democrats Abroad global primaryâ⬠on Thursday, giving him eleven straight wins. ââ¬Å"More than 20,000 U. S. citizens living abroad voted in the primary, which ran from Feb. 5 to Feb. 12. Obama won about 65 percent of the vote, according to the results released Thursday. â⬠(The Daily Tribune Newspaper, Feb 21) Hillary Clinton is not paying much attention to foreign policy. Clinton is going to establish a deadline for the American troops in Iraq. She will begin dialogues with Iran and she will try to limit Chinese imports to the American market probably to avoid recession. The race for democratic nominee isnt over yet the future situation can not be predicted exactly. Bearing in mind the trend of Obamaââ¬â¢s winning the primaries will continue to show the desire of the American people.
Sunday, July 21, 2019
Does Malaysia Need The Green Belt Concept Environmental Sciences Essay
Does Malaysia Need The Green Belt Concept Environmental Sciences Essay Malaysia is moving forward to be an industrialized economy. Malaysia moved from material production to manufacturing. The Malaysia manufacturing sector contributed 32% of the gross domestic product (GDP) in 2007, exports of manufactured products account for 75% of Malaysias total export in 2007. The manufacturing industries have become the economys main source of growth in recent years. According to the Third Industrial Masterplan (IMP3) 2006 2020, twelve industries in the manufacturing sector have been targeted for further development and promotion (Table 1). These industries are strategically important in contributing to the greater growth of the manufacturing sector, in terms of higher value-added, technology, exports, knowledge content, multiplier and spin-off effects and potential to be integrated regionally and globally. But, on the other side, the future target might also encourage environmental degradation if there is no comprehensive plan toward sustainable industrial development is taken into consideration. Table 1: Exports and Investments Targets for the 12 Targeted Manufacturing Industries Source: Ministry of International Trade and Industry Environmental protection through pollution prevention and the meeting of environmental standards by waste treatment of the effluents in the various industries have not worked in many countries. The problem of industrial environmental pollution is particularly serious in developing countries where the enforcement of environmental regulations is not strictly enforced. Malaysia can experience high chances of negative environmental impacts due to its efforts to boost the rapid industrialisation of its economy. Many aspects of the residential environment and living conditions of houses located near industrial areas potentially affected. Evidence shows that plants can reduce the pollution level. In develop country they have come out with a Greenbelt Plan to buffer the urban and industrial area from spreading its pollutants. A greenbelt is an area of land that is preserved for a non-urban land use. The term of greenbelts tend to share two features, an open landscape (green) and a linear shape (belt). All this while, greenbelt was not being strongly addressed on developing country due to its target on economic growth. Develop country like United Kingdom and Canada have come out with their own Greenbelt Plan. Greenbelts in the UK have had a profound effect on the landscape around urban areas, for the most part achieving their purposes of keeping the countryside open and preventing new development except for agriculture, forestry and recreation. The London Green Belt was created in response to the unchecked and sprawling growth that took place in that city during the 1920s and 1930s. 1.2 Issues and Problems Statement Rapid industrialization can have a detrimental effect on the environment which is related to several including resource use, water and air pollution as well as waste generation. The severity of these environmental consequences may vary, depending on the technologies used in the industrial production process and its organization. Malaysias rapid economic and industrial growth is characterized as a mixed-use urban areas development that incorporates residential industrial areas. These residential areas support the industry by providing them human resources. This growth produces both positive and negative impacts on housing development. The lack of usable arable land for urban development further results in some housing estates being nestled within industrial establishments as consequences to urban sprawl. Current status of green efforts in Malaysia is focusing on commanding and controlling the wastes occurring during the manufacturing stage of a product. In Malaysia, only big businesses have committed to voluntary initiatives towards green industrial development and this approach is yet to be accepted by SMEs (small and medium enterprise). Landscaping the industrial areas by the development of greenbelts is an effective way of mitigating industrial pollution.The effectiveness of green belts differs depending on location and operation. They are often being eroded by urban rural fringe use and sometimes, development encroached over the green belt area, resulting in the creation of satellite towns which, although separated from the city by green belt, function more like suburbs than independent communities. 1.3 Objectives of Study i) To clarify the importance of industrial greenbelt for economic growth whilst minimizing environmental degradation. ii) To identify the significant aspect that should be considered for green industrial development. iii) To give a recommendation for effective strategies of Greenbelts Plan for industrials area towards achieving sustainable industrial development. 1.4 Significance of Study Greenbelts in urban areas particularly in industrial are important to the ecological health of any given region. The various plants and trees in greenbelts serve as organic sponges for various forms of pollution, and as carbon sequestration to help offset global warming. On the other hand, industrial activities in urban areas have caused cities to maintain higher temperatures than their surrounding countryside and these phenomena is known as an urban heat island. Parks and greenbelts will reduce temperatures while the Central Business District (CBD), commercial areas, and even suburban housing tracts are areas of warmer temperatures. Greenbelts are also important to help urban dwellers feel more connected to nature. All cities should earmark certain areas for the development of greenbelts to bring life and colour to the concrete jungle and serving a healthy environment to the urbanities. The future risk from rapid expanding of industrial development should be investigate and must be seriously taken into consideration. Therefore, through the establishment of planned greenbelts it can helps in limiting urban sprawl. 2.0 EVOLUTION OF GREENBELT CONCEPT 2.1 History of Greenbelt Concept The idea of greenbelt was inspired by Sir Ebenezer Howard, a British social reformer, at the beginning of the twentieth century. Howard proposed Garden City which would not only be free of pollution but would also be antidote of polluted cities. The garden cities would be surrounded by a green backcloth of agricultural land providing local employment opportunities as well as open space for recreation. It was British architect and planner Raymond Unwin, a town designer and contemporary of Howards, who coined the term greenbelt (Ruth and William, 1994). In 1898 the concept was developed to tackle the problems associated with the planning of new towns located outside the periphery of London, which was then sprawling far into the countryside. The Garden City Concept is one out of many attempts to reduce and solve social problems during the Industrialization Period. The problems occurred, as more and more farmers became workers in the factories. The living conditions became worse, due to the fact that many workers settlements were located next to the industrial areas or within the cities. Figure 1 illustrates diagram of The Three Magnets where Howard analysed why people move to city or to the country side. Howards proposal emphasized the integration of the town, the country. He found out that both have advantages and function as magnets. He started with discussions of the optimum size for towns whereby a central city of 58,000 people surrounded by smaller garden cities of 30,000 people each (Figure 2). Green space or greenbelt and agricultural land will be as major component in the garden city whereby the permanent green space would separate the city and towns and serving as a horizontal fence of farmland. The requirement of the greenbelt or agricultural land for the Garden City in Howards view was 5,000 acres of the total 6,000 acres. Therefore, his solution was to develop a city structure which contains the advantages of a city and those of the countryside. The main objective of the concept is to found a new city. Figure 2: Ebenezer Howard, Garden City. Figure 1: Garden Cities of To-morrow; The Three Magnets, Ebenezer Howard, 1902 In the United States, Franklin Roosevelt tried to adapt Howards new town concept as part of its resettlement program. In the American concept of greenbelt, relatively wide band of rural land or open space surrounded a town or city. The term greenbelt meant, generally, any swath of open space separating or interrupting urban development. The designated land is controlled through regulation or public or quasi-public ownership (such as the Nature Conservancy) to retain its natural character and provide a resemblance of rural ambience in urban areas (Ruth and William, 1994). 2.2 A Greenbelt as a Development Plan Component A greenbelt is a policy and land use designation used in land use planning to retain areas of largely undeveloped, wild, or agricultural land surrounding or neighbouring urban areas. Similar concepts are greenways or green wedges which have a linear character and may run through an urban area instead of around it. In essence, a green belt is an invisible line encircling a certain area, preventing development of the area allowing wildlife to return and be established. The green belt policy was pioneered in the United Kingdom in the 1930s after pressure from the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) and various other organizations. There are fourteen green belt areas, in the UK covering 16,716 kmà ², or 13% of England, and 164 kmà ² of Scotland; In United Kingdom town planning, the green belt is a policy for controlling urban growth. The idea is for a ring of countryside where urbanisation will be resisted for the foreseeable future, maintaining an area where agriculture, forestry and outdoor leisure can be expected to prevail. The fundamental aim of green belt policy is to prevent urban sprawl by keeping land permanently open, and consequently the most important attribute of green belts is their openness. 2.2 Categories of Greenbelt A greenbelt principal purpose is to protect open space for natural, cultural, or scenic resources, to separate urban communities, to preserve and conserve natural resources and agriculture. Therefore, greenbelt can be categorized as below. Figure 3: Category of Greenbelt 2.2.1 Shelter Belts and Wind Breaks A shelterbelt is usually a barrier longer than a wind break and consists of a combination of shrubs and trees intended for the protection of field crops and the conservation of soil and water. A wind break is a barrier for protection from winds commonly associated with vegetable gardens and orchards. (Abbasi and Khan, 2000) The objectives of creating shelterbelts are: to protect agricultural land to shelter population in a city-from hot wind blast to arrest particulate matters as much as possible to shelter live-stock to control sand movement to provide healthy habitat 2.2.1 Forest Belts Forest belts is consists of protected natural forest. The objectives of preserving forest belts are: to protect watershed area to protect wildlife and its habitat to act as major carbon sequestration to preserve the exotic and indigenous species of forest vegetation to achieve environmental equilibrium with development 2.3 Greenbelt Encroachment by Urbanisation There is no doubt that human civilisation has had a negative impact on biodiversity and since the industrial revolution the negative impacts have only increased with processes such as over fishing and hunting, agriculture, the use of herbicides and pesticides and urban sprawl (Hunter, 2007). Rapid urban growth has led to the problems of urban sprawl, ribbon development, unregulated development, high cost for urban infrastructure, and pollution due to the inadequate disposal of urban and industrial waste. All such issues involve land. Land can be used for agriculture, forestry, grazing, industrial and urban uses, utility corridors, roads, waste disposal and recreation. With the increase of urban population, more and more green areas have to be converted into urban use. Large cities on the other hand need to have the land to spread out. Increase in population will put the pressure on land to serve a better accommodation and facilities for human needs. Industrial development will provide job for people, but in the same time it provides an opportunity to the developer to clear up the land for housing development. When there is housing development, other kind of development will follows, such as commercial retail areas and school. 3.0 THE GROWTH OF INDUSTRIAL ESTATE 3.1 Industrialization Evolution Ever since Industrial Revolution from late eighteen century, economic progress and development have been closely identified with industrialization. This thinking has continued to influence policy makers especially so in developing countries (Jomo, 1993). Since the early 1970s, it has been widely recognized that to ease the problems of poverty and mass unemployment encountered in developing countries, industrialization should play a key role in the economic growth of these nations. The types of industries deemed most suitable for promotion in developing countries are the small and medium-scale industries. These industries are generally less capital intensive than large-scale industries and hence are more spread out in terms of ownership. Establishment of small and medium-scale industries could thus lead to a more equitable distribution of income. Former studies on development of small-scale industries have concluded that an effective means of promoting the growth and dispersal of small and medium-scale industries is the provision of proper sites for the establishment of these enterprises. These sites should preferably be located in an industrial estate which is defined as a tract of land which is subdivided and developed according to a comprehensive plan for use of a community of industrial enterprises (Fong 1980). In other words, an industrial estate can also be known as an industrial park. An industrial park is defined as a large tract of land, sub-divided and developed for the use of several firms simultaneously, distinguished by its shareable infrastructure and close proximity of firms. Types and synonyms of industrial parks include industrial estates, industrial districts, export processing zones, industrial clusters, business parks, office parks, science and research parks, bio-technology parks and eco-industrial park (Peddle, 1993). 3.2 Industrial Estate Development in Malaysia Figure 4: Malaysias Industrial Development Phase (1867 1957) Export of agricultural products minerals (1957 1969) Import Substitution Industrialization Strategy (ISI) (1970 1980) Export Oriented Industrialization Strategy (EOI) (1981 1986) Import Substitution Industrialization Strategy (ISI) (1987 1996) Export Oriented Industrialization Strategy (EOI) (1997 2005) Recovery Period (EOI) Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4 Phase 5 Phase 6 (2006 beyond) EOI Phase 7 Malaysias industrial development can be classified into seven phases according to industrial strategies (Figure 4). The first phase was during the British colonial rule (1867-1957) which was largely limited to export of agricultural products and minerals mainly rubber and tin. The period immediately after independence (1957-1969) is the second phase largely dominated by the Import Substitution Industrialization strategy (ISI). Export Oriented Industrialization strategy (EOI) was introduced in 1970 until 1980, followed by the second round of ISI from 1981 up to 1986, an constitute the third and fourth phase respectively. The fifth phase marked the return to EOI in 1987 till 1996. The Asian crisis and the recovery period constitute another phase from 1997 up until 2005. The final phase was in 2006 and beyond where Malaysian economy hopes to move towards global competitiveness. In early 1970s it has been realized that rapid economic development in developing countries leads to an acute inequality in income distribution. To prevent massive dissatisfaction among their citizens, developing countries were urged to achieve economic growth (particularly industrial growth) with distribution of income as their development goal. Malaysia is one of the fastest growing economies in the world and in many ways a Third World success story. From a country dependent on agriculture and primary commodities in the sixties, Malaysia has today become an export driven economy spurred on by high technology, knowledge based and capital intensive industries. The establishment of industrial estates in the locations where such activities are desired became a good way of promoting growth and dispersal of industrial activities which can accelerate the economy of the country. Industrial estates are specific areas zoned for industrial activity where infrastructure (such as roads, power and other utility services) is provided to facilitate the growth of industries and to minimize the impacts on the environment. Industrial estates may include effluent treatment; solid and toxic waste collection, treatment, and disposal; air pollution and effluent monitoring; technical services on pollution prevention; quality management (quality assurance and control); and laboratory services. In the context of economic strategy, State Economic Development Corporations (SEDCs) were established by the various Malaysian states to stimulate industrialization through the development of industrial estates in the respective states. The industrial estates to be established by these SEDCs are envisaged to be in the form of improved tracts of land, with access roads and utility services. Industrial land so developed are leased out (usually for 99 years) to interested entrepreneurs. The lower rates are for industrial land developed in the rural areas, while the higher rates are for such land developed in the urban areas. Currently, Malaysia has over 200 industrial estates or parks occupying a total of 16,000 hectares and 13 Free Industrial Zones (FIZs) developed by government agencies, namely, the State Economic Development Corporations (SEDCs), Regional Development Authorities (RDAs), port authorities and municipalities throughout the country. New sites, fully equipped with infrastructure facilities such as roads, electricity and water supplies, and telecommunications, are continuously being developed by state governments as well as private developers to meet demand. Specialised parks have been developed in Malaysia to cater to the needs of specific industries. Examples of these parks are the Technology Park Malaysia in Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur and the Kulim Hi-Tech Park in the northern state of Kedah which cater to technology-intensive industries and RD activities. 3.3 Environmental Impacts from the Industrial Estates The effects on the environment connected with industrial activities are mainly related to the production of industrial wastes either from its emission or effluent discharges. Figure 5 illustrates on the possible environmental impacts of industrial estates. POSSIBLE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF INDUSTRIAL ESTATES Spills Contaminated soil lost future land use Disposal of solid wastes Local nuisances such as noise, lighting transport Landscape disturbance Ozone depleting greenhouse gases Habitat degradation Air Pollution Freshwater Pollution Marine Pollution Risks from hazardous waste Exposure to toxic chemicals Figure 5: Possible environmental impacts of industrial estates Industrial development may always cause changes to the physical environment. Under natural condition, landuse changes can be absorbed by the physical environment through interactions of the various components to attain a dynamic equilibrium state. Rapid human disturbance will create imbalance to the environmental ecosystem as well as to human quality of life. There are a number of forms of industrial pollution. One of the most common is water pollution, caused by dumping of industrial waste into waterways, or improper containment of waste, which causes leakage into groundwater and waterways. Industries release pollutants which impact air quality that lead to photochemical smog, haze and acidification. Due to industrial discharges, and the indiscriminate disposal of raw materials, land pollution takes place. Both, air and water pollution will affected human beings, birds and aquatic life. Ozone depletion is another result of industrial pollution. Chemicals released by industries will affect the stratosphere, one of the atmospheric layers surrounding earth. The ozone layer in the stratosphere protects the earth from harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun. The emission from industries will removes some of the ozone, causing holes; to open up in this layer and allowing the radiation to reach the earth. Ultraviolet radiation is known to cause skin cancer and has damaging effects on plants and wildlife. Activities in industrial estates also can cause noise pollution. Industrial noise refers to noise that is created in the factories which is jarring and unbearable. Sound becomes noise only it becomes unwanted and when it becomes more than that it is referred to as noise pollution. Heavy industries like shipbuilding and iron and steel have long been associated with Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL). Continuous exposure to noise pollution leads to hearing impairment especially for people who are working in the industry and common people as well. It has been scientifically proved that noise more than 85 decibels can cause hearing impairment and does not meet the standards set for healthy working environment. 4.0 A RATIONALE FOR AN INDUSTRIAL GREENBELT 4.1 Current Status of Greenbelt Consideration in Industrial Estate As highlight in earlier chapter, current status of green efforts in Malaysia is focusing on commanding and controlling the wastes produce during the manufacturing stage of a product. Green efforts in Malaysia can be classified into four groups as follows: Broad Guiding Principles: Establishing common principles and statements of intent across subscribing organizations. Process Based Management Systems: ISO 14001 is a well known example of a process based environmental management system. Performance Based Systems: Public disclosure of industrial pollution programs is examples of voluntary programs with clear performance standards. Process-based Systems with Performance Elements: Establishing a hybrid system that combines a structured management system approach with specific performance requirements. Unfortunately, there is no specific guideline and regulation of creating and preserving greenbelt in developing industrial estates as many parties seen it as a secondly important factor. In Malaysia, Kulim Hi-Tech Park is the first in country that can be seen as well planned fully-integrated high technology park. Besides providing one of the best infrastructures, the Parks Masterplan also emphasizes on the quality of life within a self-contained township. Amenities incorporated in the plan include a shopping centre, a hospital, educational institutions and recreational facilities. But still, we are lacking in controlling the development over-exploitation the land resulting which can resulting environmental deterioration. 4.2 Pollution Status Caused by Industrial in Malaysia The two major environmental issues in Malaysia caused by industrial activities are atmospheric pollution and solid and hazardous wastes (Khidir and Suhaiza, 2009). 4.2.1 Atmospheric Pollution Atmospheric pollution has long been associated with the burning of fossil fuels, the resulting sulphur dioxide being a major atmospheric pollutant. Combustion of motor fuels causes an added influx of volatile organic compounds (VOC), coupled with carbon dioxide (CO2) and Nox, nitrous oxides. In Malaysia, local and transboundary emissions play very important roles in determining the status of the atmospheric environment (Hassan, Awang and Jaffar, 2006). The major pollutants observed are sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O3) and total suspended particulate matter, in particular PM10 (Hassan, Awang and Jaffar, 2006). Industries including power stations, motor vehicles and open burning activities remain the major sources of air pollution in the country. In 2008 a total of 22.971 industrial sources were identified to be subjected to Environmental Quality (Clean Air) Regulations, 1978. The breakdown of industrial sources by states is as shown in Figure 6. The highest number of stationary pollution sources was in Johor (8141:34%) followed by Selangor (4127:18%) and Perak (2956:12.9%). This is possibly due to the large industrial area in Johor and Selangor that contributed to the pollution. Besides that, both states have a rapid landuse development resulting to the environmental degradation. As to particulate matter, the highest contributor was industries (40%) followed by power stations (25%), motor vehicles (14%) and others (21%) (Figure 7). Source: *DOE, Environmental Quality Report 2008. Figure 6 : Industrial air pollution sources by state in Malaysia, 2008 Motor vehicles Power station Industrial Others 4,557 (14%) 7,784 (25%) 12,664 (40%) 6,667 (21%) Source: *DOE, Environmental Quality Report 2008. Figure 7: Particulate Matter (PM) emission load by sources (metric tonnes),2008 4.2.2 Solid and Hazardous Wastes Growing affluence and increasing concentration of population in urban areas have increased the generation and types of solid waste produced. Solid waste management is one of the most important issues of local authorities; where much money is spent in the collection and disposal of solid waste (Hassan et. al, 2000). Toxic and hazardous wastes are also one of the major issues in Malaysia. Currently, Malaysia produces about 10000 tonnes of waste every day, equal to 0.8 to 1.5 kg per capita (MGCC, 2006). According to Hassan, Awang and Jaffar, 2006, the amount of solid waste collected in Malaysia is 70 percent of waste generated The remaining 30 percent not collected ends up in illegal dumping sites, or is diverted at source or during collection for recycling purposes. The illegal dumping sites can cause leachate which possibly will contaminate the soil as well as the waterways. The recycling activities amount to only 5% of total waste generated. Manufacturing industry 6,830 (38.73%) Sewage treatment plants 9,524 (54.01%) Agro-based industry 491 (2.78%) Animal farm (Pig farm) 788 (4.48%)Solid, toxic and hazardous wastes become pollutants to the water. In 2008, 17,633 water pollution point sources were recorded. These comprise of sewage treatment plants (9,524:54.01%) inclusive 668 Network Pump Stations), manufacturing industries (6,830: 38.73%), animal farms (788:4.48%) and agro-based industries (491:2.78%) as shown in Figure 8 (Department of Environment). Source: DOE, Environmental Quality Report 2008. Figure 8 : Composition of water pollution sources by sector, 2008 Manufacturing industry was in the second place of water pollution sources. This is due to the expanding of industrial estates in the country. Compared to 2007, there are declining in water quality trend of river basins in 2008 (Figure 9). From 94 clean river basins were recorded, it reduce to 79 in 2008. Whereas, the number for both, slightly polluted and polluted river were increased. Figure 9 : Riber basins Water Quality Trend based on BOD subindex (1998-2008) Source of Pollution (Activity): Sewage, agrobased manufacturing industries. Pollution Indicator (Parameter): Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) Clean Slightly polluted Polluted Source: *DOE, Environmental Quality Report 2008. From all those charts and statistics, there are evidences to shows that industrial estates have become one of the major contributors to environmental pollution in the country. Therefore, there is need for an alternative plan on how to overcome this problem eventhough special requirements and regulation has been put into efforts but still there is declining in environmental quality. 4.3 Greenbelt as Environmental Pollution Abatement In the context of environmental pollution abatement, a greenbelt has been defined as a strip of trees of such species, and such a geometry, that when planted around a source, would significantly attenuate the air pollution by intercepting and assimilating the pollutants in a sustainable manner (Ruth and William, 1994). The concept of greenbelt as a source of pollution abatement was recognized initially by three nations: The U.S.A., Britain and Kenya (Ruth and William, 1994; Gareth et al., 1992; Andy, 1991; Parsons, 1990). In reality greenbelts almost always include other vegetation, especially shrubs, which also play some role in capturing pollutants. But trees are the mainstays of greenbelts, and often greenbelt plantation is simply referred as trees eventhough other types of vegetation is also established and nurtured. 4.3.1 Air Pollutants Removal by Vegetation Plants remove pollutants from the air in three ways: (i) Absorption by the leaves, (ii) Deposition of particulate and aerosols on leaf surface, and (iii) Fallout of particulate on the leeward (downwind) side of the vegetation because of the slowing of the air movement (Tewari, 1994; Rawat and Banerjee, 1996). Vegetation acts as CO2 sink and some species have the capacity to utilise air pollutants effectively. Several plants have the capacity to collect the dust suspended in the atmosphere and dilute the concentration of toxic and harmful gases. Trees have been reported to remove air pollutants like hydrogen fluoride, SO2, and some compounds of photochemical reactions and collect heavy metals like mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb) from the air (Hill, 1971; Lin, 1976). After absorbing the air pollutants, trees change them to harmless metabolites through various physiological processes. Of course each and every plant cannot be an agent of air pollution control; only those which can tolerate pollutants can act as attenuators. All-in-all, increasing vegetation in the cities, towns, and industrial establishments holds great potential to combat air pollution. Substantial evidence is available to support the view that plants in general and trees in particular function as sinks for gaseous pollutants. 4.3.1 Soil and Water Pollutants Removal by Vegetation Surface water streams are also affected by industrial effluents and organics. Most of the treated industrial
Saturday, July 20, 2019
An Essay on The Withered Arm, by Thomas Hardy -- English Literature
An Essay on The Withered Arm, by Thomas Hardy ââ¬ËThe past is a foreign country. They did things differently there.ââ¬â¢ ââ¬ËThe Go Betweenââ¬â¢ by L.P. Hartley. Thomas Hardy, a Victorian novelist, based his stories on experience of growing up in rural Dorset. Growing up there, he became familiar with the language, customs, practises and stories of the country folk. These stories draw up on his experiences enabling him to write ââ¬ËWessex Talesââ¬â¢. Among many pieces of work is ââ¬ËThe Withered Armââ¬â¢. ââ¬ËThe Withered Armââ¬â¢ is a well-crafted short story written in the prose format. The quote above portrays what pre-twentieth century literature should embrace; good literature should be insightable, realistic and significant to all people from any era. In this essay I am going to describe the ways in which Thomas Hardy has made his short story, ââ¬ËThe Withered Armââ¬â¢ interesting to the modern reader. ââ¬ËThe Withered Armââ¬â¢ is about Rhoda Brook, a dark milkmaid who retaliates on her lovers beautiful new wife, Gertrude, after her lover, Farmer Lodge abandons her and their illigimate son. Hardy has carefully structured all the elements of a short story making ââ¬ËThe Withered Armââ¬â¢ interesting and perennial to the modern reader. Farmer Lodgeââ¬â¢s denial of the affair with Rhoda and the neglection of his son causes Rhodaââ¬â¢s plotting revenge. Employing the character, Conjuror Trendle, brings the involvement of witchcraft and supernatural powers, giving the plot a paranormal twist. The public execution of The Boy immediately grasps the interest of the reader because we learn that in the Victorian times, committing such a petty crime, there is a massive penalty. We also learn that the lives of the people were so habitual, that they thought of executio... ...led and brings out the best in his stories, yet his language maybe a little hard to understand for a modern reader. I do not find the character in ââ¬ËThe Withered Armââ¬â¢ a problem at all because although some of those characters no longer exist, Rhoda, Conjuror Trendle, Hangman, it is still interesting to read about their daily lives and how things were for them; after all good literature should be giving the reader and insight on how things were. Even though the reader may not always agree to the philosophies hidden in his themes, it is captivating to imagine how a Victorian writer can relate to such things. I think that ââ¬ËThe Withered Armââ¬â¢ is a fantastic example of pre-twentieth century literature because not only is it interesting, but it gives us an insight on the different lives of the different characters and yet is still interesting to the modern reader.
Friday, July 19, 2019
The Character of Falstaff in Henry IV :: Henry IV Henry V Essays
The Character of Falstaff in Henry IV Ã Ã Ã Ã Ã The character Sir John Falstaff played a crucial part in Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 1.Ã Falstaff portrayed a side of life that was both brutal and harsh.Ã This was important because ,as Falstaff was, all the other main characters in the play were Nobles.Ã Unlike Falstaff, the other nobles in the play acted as nobles.Ã Falstaff, on the other hand acted more like the lower class people.Ã In doing this he portrayed the thoughts and feelings of the lower class people.Ã As he portrayed the lower class people, Falstaff brought the reader to think.Ã This was because Falstaff contrasted well with the nobles and brought out new aspects of the themes.Ã Some of these views brought out be Falstaff were quite harsh, in comparison to the accepted views of the time.Ã To help balance the harshness of his views, Falstaff was very good natured and invoked laughter in the reader. Ã Ã Ã Ã Ã Falstaff lived a harsh life and the severity of his life contributed to his views and ideas.Ã Although he was a noble, his views reflected those of the lower class people. Falstaff did not hold the same view of honor as any of the other main characters in the novel.Ã To Falstaff, honor was just a word and nothing worth dying over.Ã Some characters in the novel sought honor through battle.Ã Falstaff, on the plus side, felt that war was just a place where people had fun.Ã He showed this when he allowed himself to be paid off by the upperclassmen and took the prisoners and thieves to be killed in battle.Ã Falstaff knew that they would just be killed and that it was not worth it to have men with a future be killed.Ã He, rather, led the men with no life into battle, to be killed.Ã Falstaff also had a different view of loyalty than any of the other nobles.Ã The nobles felt that one should be loyal to all.Ã Falstaff felt that one should be loyal only to other thieves. Ã Ã Ã Ã Falstaff was an excellent talker and also well versed.
The Awakening Essay -- essays research papers
The Awakening is a novel about the growth of a woman into her own person, in spite of the mold society has formed for her. The book follows Edna Pontellier through about a year of her life. During this time we see her struggle to find who she really is, because she knows she cannot be happy filling the role of the mother-woman that society has created for her. She did not believe that she could break from this pattern because of the pressures of society, and ends up taking her own life. Should readers sympathize with her death? The answer is no. Ã Ã Ã Ã Ã Edna Pontellier was on her way to an awakening. She realized during the book that she was not happy with her position in life. It is apparent that she had never really been fully unaware however, because her own summary of this was some sort of blissful ignorance. Especially in the years of life readers are told about before her newly appearing independence, we see that she has never been fully content with the way her life had turned out. For example she admits she married Mr. Pontellier out of convenience rather than love. She knew he loved her but she did not love him. It was not even the case that she did not know what love was, for she had had infatuations that at the time (being so young) she believed was love. She consciously chose to marry Mr. Pontellier even though she did not love him. When she falls in love with Robert she regrets her decision of marrying Mr. Pontellier. Readers should not sy...
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