Mary Shelley’s novel Essay

There are few writers in world literature whose heroes have become common names and are used in the every day life of people from different cultures. Among the limited number of such lucky creators is Mary Shelley who has written at quite a young age in 1818 her everlasting â€Å"Frankenstein†. Despite this fact the novel is extremely persuasive and intriguing, having the full range of features which show a mature author’s experience. The publishing of the story immortalises her. The fame which the book brings transcends borders and time. They are the best verification of the monster’s suggestion after the death of the ambitious doctor: â€Å"and when I shall be no more the very remembrance of us both will speedily vanish†. This modest supposition proves not to be true. At least his ominous silhouette remains in the mind overloaded with information. All our readers’ attention being absorbed, we do not notice how we transfer the name of Dr Frankenstein over to the fruit of his scientific work. Actually the monster he creates so diligently is left unnamed and is mistakenly called after his creator. It is quite common to find the name â€Å"Frankenstein† associated with clumsy and ugly creations of other authors or in everyday conversations. It has taken on its own life and very often is utilised to mean any fictional human-like monster. It is important to note the first â€Å"meeting† with the word â€Å"Frankenstein† in each person’s life. This is completely possible to be through Roald Dahl’s story â€Å"James and the Giant Peach†. The author employs the famous name in a rhymed conversation between the two aunts of the little boy. They abuse each other using insulting expressions. One of them contains the imagery â€Å"you would make a lovely Frankenstein†. This is the way we usually associate the title of Shelley’s book. There may be some exceptions not to include the impressive name but to invoke some similarity with the appearance of the character. In the popular TV comedy, â€Å"The Adams Family† for example, the butler â€Å"Lurch† is obviously modelled on this creature but the producers do not repeat the widespread error of calling him â€Å"Frankenstein†. The topicality of Mary Shelley’s book comes not only with the mentioning of its title in any context. It has deeper relations with a lot of features of contemporary life as it raises issues of complex politics of human desire. We can discover the author’s insight in tackling the burning problems from our lives: accountability – especially in the medical, farming and militarily industries; social alienation – including criminals and prisoners, refugees, orphans or adopted children dilemmas; the nature of life itself. The choice of subtitle is not accidental. â€Å"The Modern Prometheus† relates to the infusion of life (fire) into a non-living thing. The charitable action of the chained Titan from Greek mythology has provided a lot of motivation in all the arts. Taking inspiration from Byron’s suggestion of writing ghost stories, Mary Shelley explores an area which relates to all scientists dreams: the achievement of artificial life. This is the overriding purpose of the efforts of her main hero whose name gives the title to the novel. In his childhood Victor Frankenstein had been amazed by electricity. He had seen its effect on a â€Å"beautiful oak† struck by a dazzling stroke of lightning. Later the young doctor shares this experience with his friend – Arctic explorer Robert Walton. It is clear that the new phenomenon deeply excites the inventive imagination of the experimenter, just like Mary Shelley herself endures before the science. Obviously both competition in her circle of friends and her growing interest in the unveiling of nature’s secrets have fired the imagination of the talented woman. She has been aware of the contemporary physician Dr Erasmus Darwin’s and the chemist Sir Humphry Davy’s researches, and probably has been excited by feelings similar to those we have today when cloning or Genetic Modification of food is argued about. If we think over the threatening cost of breaking the food chain, a series of dangerous pictures can form in front of our eyes. Unfortunately, under the cover of caring for humans and creating more food we are stepping into the unknown where there may be lurking serious and unpredictable risks. The writer comes to the idea for the development of an extraordinary character in order to show where arrogant medical and biological approaches could lead. In her vision for the future she is very close to the plots used in films about military projects. The spreading of diseases from hidden hospital laboratories is akin to the escaping of the monster from Frankenstein’s workshop. The contemporary world is even under greater threat from the production and storage of nuclear weapons. Experimentation with them, and even their very existence, reminds us of Shelley’s warning of what could happen in case of failure. The artificial hero, to whom she gives intelligence, is probably the first in the search for similar images in world literature. In the modern times her example is repeated in the construction of electronic humanlike machines. All languages are enriched by the word â€Å"robot† introduced by Karel Capek in his â€Å"RUR† play. The abbreviation for Rosumove Universalne Roboty could be translated as â€Å"sensible universal work†. For the last word Capek uses an old lexeme which is not in contemporary Czech but exists in other Slavonic languages.

Emotional Physical and Mental Benefit of Horseback Riding

†¢ Overall sense of wellbeing: Horseback riding is a great combination of cardiovascular and muscle-strengthening exercise. As we have discussed in previous articles, regular exercise imparts various psychological benefits. †¢ Increased self-confidence: The idea of being able to control an animal much larger than ourselves improves our self-confidence. Adding a new skill to our repertoire also increases our sense of self worth. †¢ Decreased stress: When you engage in horseback riding, you need to focus on the nuances of the entire ritual and process.This helps take your mind off mundane worries, which in turn relieves stress. †¢ Improved focus: For me, the most eye-opening aspects of horseback riding are the subtle details that are involved in every step of the process, from preparing the horse for the ride all the way to dismounting the horse. All of this not only requires significant focus but also helps cultivate better focus. †¢ Improved self-discipline: The art of horse care and horseback riding is a great example of inter-species communication. Every nuance of our behavior affects the horse’s behavior.Therefore, in order to be a good rider, you must cultivate the self-discipline to modulate your own behavior e. g. : smooth breathing, overall calmness, etc. †¢ Improved patience: Horseback riding requires learning a whole new set of skills which takes time. And getting to understand the psychology of horses is a process too. So, by riding horses regularly, we can learn to be more patient which is a desirable quality. †¢ A sense of freedom and elation: I can tell you from my own experience that being able to ride a horse, a much bigger and powerful creature, gives me a sense of elation and freedom.I know of many people who have had the same experience. †¢ A sense of teamwork, responsibility and social networking: Working with a group of people (e. g. : trainers, fellow riders, etc. ) towards the same goal teache s us the value of teamwork and responsibility. This is especially important for children. Additionally, children enjoy the opportunity to develop a healthier social network which is less likely to lead them to troubles. †¢ Development of respect for animals: I believe every human should show respect for our fellow animals.Horseback riding definitely makes us aware of the amazing abilities and sensibilities of horses thus creating a renewed respect for animals. †¢ Improved risk-taking abilities: Since riding is clearly a risk sport, the process of becoming an accomplished rider teaches us how to manage potential risks judiciously. †¢ Therapeutic riding: Horseback riding has been used since the 50? s, with much success, in helping physically disabled people to improve their physical and emotional health. This is described as therapeutic riding. Emotionally disabled people are also known to benefit from therapeutic riding.For example, autistic children are known to focus better and even utter their first spoken words while on the back of a horse. †¢ Safety comes first: Please be careful in choosing a training farm and/or a trainer. Attention to the safety of people and animals is paramount; and wearing a helmet is a must. (http://medinagazette. northcoastnow. com/2010/07/21/the-psychology-of-horseback-riding/) Psychological Benefits * General sense of well-being. Exercise in the fresh air of a ranch, away from hospitals, doctors office, therapy rooms, or home help to promote a sense of well-being. Improved self-confidence Confidence is gained by mastering a skill normally performed by able-bodied people. The ability to control an animal much larger and stronger than oneself is a great confidence builder. Participating in events such as shows and play days add to the sense of achievement. * Increased interest in the outside world. For those confined by a disability, the world tends to shrink in size. Riding increases interest in what is happeni ng around the rider, as the rider explores the world from the back of a horse. Even exercising becomes interesting when done on horseback. Increased interest in one's own life. The excitement of riding and the experiences involved stimulate the rider, encouraging the rider to speak and communicate about it. * Improved risk-taking abilities. Riding is a risk sport. The rider learns to master fears though the act of staying on the horse, as well as attempting new skills and positions on the horse. * Development of patience. Since the horse has a mind of it's own, the rider learns patience as he or she attempts to perform skills on the horse when the horse is not cooperating.Repetition of basic riding principles also helps to develop patience. * Emotional control and self-discipline. The rider quickly learns that an out-of-control rider means an out-of-control horse. Shouting, crying, and emotional outbursts upset the horse, which in turn frightens the rider. Riders learn to control th ese emotions and appropriately express them. * Sense of normality. By being able to master a skill considered difficult by the able population, the rider experiences him/herself as being normal. * Expansion of the locus of control.The rider begins to view him/herself as having control over his/her world as control over a powerful animal increases. (http://www. strides. org/psycho. html) * Friendship. Although riding can be a solitary activity, it is normally performed in groups. Riders share a common love of horses and a common experience of riding — a good foundation on which to build a friendship. * Development of respect and love for animals. Horses require a great deal of care and attention. Riders find themselves bonding with the animals. They develop an interest in them and learn to care for them.They learn to put the needs of the horse first. * Increased experiences. The variety of experiences involved in riding are endless. From tacking and grooming to trail riding, f rom going to horse shows to learning the parts of a horse, the rider is constantly experiencing and growing. The horse also provides the rider with the ability to go places otherwise inaccessible due to the disability. * Enjoyment. There is no doubt about it, riding a horse is fun. Riders experience excitement and pleasure every time they come for a lesson. (http://www. strides. org/social. html) Physical Benefits * Improved balance.As the horse moves, the rider is constantly thrown off-balance, requiring that the rider's muscles contract and relax in an attempt to rebalance. This exercise reaches deep muscles not accessible in conventional physical therapy. The three-dimensional rhythmical movement of the horse is similar to the motion of walking, teaching rhythmical patterns to the muscles of the legs and trunk. By placing the rider in different positions on the horse (therapeutic vaulting), we can work different sets of muscles. Stopping and starting the horse, changing speed and changing direction increase the benefits. Strengthened muscles. Muscles are strengthened by the increased use involved in riding. Even though riding is exercise, it is perceived as enjoyment, and therefore the rider has increased tolerance and motivation to lengthen the period of exercise. * Improved coordination, faster reflexes, and better motor planning. Riding a horse requires a great deal of coordination in order to get the desired response from the horse. Since the horse provides instant feedback to every action by the rider, it is easy to know when you have given the correct cue.Repetition of patterned movements required in controlling a horse quickens the reflexes and aids in motor planning. * Stretching of tight or spastic muscles. Sitting on a horse requires stretching of the adductor muscles of the thighs. This is accomplished by pre-stretching prior to mounting the horse, and starting the rider off on a narrow horse, gradually working to wider and wider horses. Gravity helps to stretch the muscles in front of the leg as the rider sits on the horse without stirrups. Riding with stirrups with heels level or down helps to stretch the heel cords and calf muscles.Stomach and back muscles are stretched as the rider is encouraged to maintain an upright posture against the movement of the horse. Arm and hand muscles are stretched as part of routine exercises on the horse and by the act of holding and using the reins. * Decreased spasticity. Spasticity is reduced by the rhythmic motion of the horse. The warmth of the horse may aid in relaxation, especially of the legs. Sitting astride a horse helps to break up extensor spasms of the lower limbs. Holding the reins helps to break flexor spasm patterns of the upper limbs.Many of the developmental vaulting positions are also designed to break up or reduce spasticity. Fatigue also helps to decrease spasticity by producing relaxation. * Increased range of motion of the joints. As spasticity is reduced, range of motion increases. Range of motion is also improved by the act of mounting and dismounting, tacking up, grooming, and exercises during lessons. * Reduction of abnormal movement patterns. If spasticity is reduced and range of motion increased, it follows that abnormal movements will be inhibited.Relaxation techniques while riding also help to inhibit abnormal movement. * Improved respiration and circulation. Although riding is not normally considered a cardiovascular exercise, trotting and cantering do increase both respiration and circulation. * Improved appetite and digestion. Like all forms of exercise, riding stimulates the appetite. The digestive tract is also stimulated, increasing the efficiency of digestion. * Sensory integration. Riding stimulates the tactile senses both through touch and environmental stimuli.The vestibular system is also stimulated by the movement of the horse, changes in direction and speed. The olfactory system responds to the many smells involved in a st able and ranch environment. Vision is used in control of the horse. The many sounds of a ranch help to involve the auditory system. All of these senses work together and are integrated in the act of riding. In addition, proprioceptors ( receptors that give information from our muscles, tendons, ligaments and joints) are activated, resulting in improved proprioception. (http://www. strides. org/physical. html)

Folklore in two cultures (Cultural Anthropology) Essay

Folklore in two cultures (Cultural Anthropology) - Essay Example This paper will describe and evaluate examples of folklore in Irish culture and Bhutan culture, in order to determine the values they convey while at the same time being entertaining and instructive. Bhutan, in the mountains of the Himalayas and bordered by India and Tibet, is still very much an oral society (Penjore, 2005) today, and one that is absorbed in their traditions with most people wearing traditional clothes (Mystic Bliss). One of their most prevalent folktales is the story of a man called ‘Meme Haylay Haylay’ and his turquoise stone (Penjore, 2005, p.259). The story tells of an old and impoverished man who finds a turquoise stone while digging in his fields. On his way back home he meets a variety of men with whom he makes a number of different trades; he trades his turquoise for a horse, the horse for an ox, the ox for a sheep, the sheep for a goat, the goat for a rooster, and finally he trades the rooster for a song. Singing his song and continuing his jour ney home he feels he is the happiest and richest man in the world (Evans, 2010, p.12). As this story is relayed by different people the ending changes in a number of ways, dependent on how they prefer to interpret the tale (Penjore, 2005) in terms of whether they consider the old man as foolish or as the provider of the secret to happiness. In another version he trades the rooster for a flute; while playing the flute he slips in a wad of cow dung and forgets how to play it and thus ends up with nothing (Penjore, 2005). Whichever version is preferred however, they are used as a satirical account of sound or bad business decisions and the making of profit, and thus while being a form of entertainment in their humor to be enjoyed by all who are listening, they are more importantly a vehicle of instruction; if taken from the perspective that the old man made sound business decisions by appreciating the futility of finding happiness with material possessions and wealth, the ridicule pert ains to the other men who traded their happiness for material possessions. If on the other hand, it is told with the belief that the old man is foolish, then it is used as evidence for bad business practice and one not to be imitated (Penjore, 2005). Within the folklore of Irish culture there is much reference to little people, of which the leprechaun is probably the most famous. Leprechauns are described as small, clever and roguish men who lived in Ireland before the arrival of the Celts. The story tells of these little men about two feet tall with green or red coats and leather aprons, working as shoe makers, hammering away all day long. Leprechauns are said to be unfriendly and miserly and while working on making their shoes, store all their money in a pot which they hide at the end of a rainbow. If you catch one of these leprechauns he will lead you to the pot of gold but if you take your eyes of him, even for an instance, he will disappear with the pot of gold. Also, if you fi nd the end of a rainbow you will find a pot of gold. Such a folktale is obviously entertaining, especially for children, and has been passed down through generations, and like the Bhutan folktale, is concerned with wealth. This tale however, illustrates the futility of believing that money and richness come easily but instead, like the leprechaun, people must work hard and save

Final Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Final - Essay Example When studying the position of Abraham Lincoln on slavery, and the reasons and effects of his Emancipation Proclamation, therefore, it is important to take into consideration these control measures and to lay a background to the nature of events occurring at that time. The crux of the matter lies in the American Civil War that single-handedly spearheaded the antislavery movement and resulted in the Emancipation Proclamation. It was a contention between the northern free states and the bordering slave states known as the United States of America or the Union (Wikipedia 2008), and the southern states known as the Confederate States of America, where slavery was well established, hence, also known as the slave states. The southern states were led by Jefferson Davis, and the Union was led by Abraham Lincoln and the Republican Party (Wikipedia 2008). His one quote can fully illuminate Lincoln’s position regarding slavery before the Civil War, when he said "My paramount object in this struggle, is to save the Union and it is not either to save or destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it..." (Race, Racism and the Law 1998). Lincoln was a man of law, and upholding the Constitution was paramount to him in all matters of politics. He would not, or rather, could not, take any steps that went beyond the parameters of the Constitution. So when it came to freeing the slaves, he was just as much concerned about the issue as was permitted by the red tapes of law, and which was crucial for the survival of the Union. Abraham Lincoln was always against slavery, and always expressed his views against it on moral grounds (Slavery

Should there be a minimum age for driving Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Should there be a minimum age for driving - Essay Example Statistics show that teenagers have higher chances of being involved in car accidents and the rates are equally high for death rates caused by such accidents. America, for example has the highest number of teenagers in car accidents. Therefore, the government made it a policy that teenage drivers should have more practice hours, attend seminars about driving and take a written exam before they get licensed. Drivers aged 15-17 are also required to drive with an adult who knows how to drive however, it is known that this is not always practiced. There are teenage drivers who insist on driving alone because they want to reiterate their abilities and capabilities. Most often, parents would give in because they cannot control their children or simply because they are very busy that they do not have time to attend to their children-- which is actually the reason why they are letting their children drive, so that they do not have to drive them to and from school. Left alone in a car, the teenage driver is also left with decisions he oftentimes immaturely acts upon. For instance, once a teenage driver is left with the freedom to use the car, he could also let his friends ride with him which can eventually lead to drinking and doing drugs. These are dangerous paths for teenage drivers because it is known that alcohol and drugs alter a person’s perceptions. Considering that they do not drink or do drugs, driving with a group of friends can lead to joking or even fighting which will affect the driver and could lead to a dangerous accident. Moreover, there is the issue on the use of cellphones among teenagers. Since they oftentimes communicate with their friends, there is a greater tendency for teenagers to be texting or calling while driving. This increases the risk of teenage drivers to be involved in a car accident. One might argue that such circumstances can also be true among adults. Indeed. However,

Common Scientific MythConceptions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Common Scientific MythConceptions - Essay Example The gravitational forces attract the said particles with lower gravitational forces than that of the black hole. Black holes are compressed objects more dense than the particles that come into contact with it that gives them a stronger gravitational pull. Black holes create deep wells in space such that it causes distortions and curves that trap elements with no enough energy to climb back out including light. The name originated from its nature and ability to trap light rays (Orwig, n.p). A black hole only accretes material with little angular momentum. The accretion disks around the black holes make the matter close to them and with low gravitational spiral pull. The spiral effect makes the atmosphere very hot and can slow the progress or alter the cooling effect of the stars (Cornell.edu, n.p). The stronger gravitational pull attracts lesser dense particles to its surface subsequently increasing its radius and reduces the black hole’s gravitational pull (Spekkens, n.p). Cornell.edu. "Is There Any Limitation to What a Black Hole Can "suck" In? (Intermediate)† Ask an Astronomer. Astronomy Department at Cornell University, 2015. Web. 18 June 2015. . Hamilton, Kristy. "52 Of the Most Common Myths and Misconceptions Debunked in One Infographic." IFLScience. IFL Science, 10 Nov. 2014. Web. 18 June 2015. . Orwig, Jessica. "10 Mind-Blowing Facts about Black Holes." Business Insider. Business Insider, Inc., 19 Oct. 2014. Web. 18 June 2015. . Spekkens, Kristine. "Why Doesnt Dark Matter Fall into a Black Hole? (Advanced)." Ask an Astronomer. Astronomy Department at Cornell University, 2015. Web. 18 June 2015.

Criminal Investigations Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Criminal Investigations - Research Paper Example From the research it is clear that for local people who are born and reside in Abu Dhabi, the criminal clearance always involves a check for any criminal records within the UAE. For foreigners who intend to work in Abu Dhabi, the security clearance involves a check for criminal records within the UAE as well as their country of origin. This is always important for most firms as well as government employees who want to be careful in terms recruiting people with a clean criminal record. Most government departments that have jobs that are sensitive want to know that they are employing people who don’t have the high potential of being criminals. Private organizations also ask for this security clearance when they feel that the position they want to fill is a sensitive position that needs to be filled by a person which can be trusted. This paper declares that the Criminal Investigation Department also acts s the manager for the repository of the data and information for the criminal records. The Criminal Investigation Department keeps all the data records about all criminal records and criminal investigations. This data reserve for criminal records helps in a number of ways with regard to curbing crime. First, it helps with the criminal investigations. The data kept by the Criminal Investigation Department in Abu Dhabi is always important in criminal investigations because they act as the basis of criminal investigations. They also provide with a database for security clearances as described above.

Partition of India Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Partition of India - Essay Example The first major revolt against the British rule occurred in 1857 when the soldiers of the British Indian Army carried out a mutiny and offered their services to the Mughal Emperor. This mutiny quickly spread to other parts of India and it is argued that the uprising, which seriously threatened the British rule in India, was undoubtedly the culmination of mounting Indian resentment toward the social and political policies perpetrated by the British over many decades. The mutiny was eventually thwarted. Nonetheless, all political power was now transferred from the East India Company to the Crown and in 1858, Britain began to directly control most of India. The late nineteenth and early twentieth century would see the growth of new political parties and ideological groups which continually called for the end to direct British rule in India. With the end of the Second World War, the Indian subcontinent witnessed a major political power shift that not only emancipated the country from col onial rule, but also divided the nation into two independent countries, India and Pakistan. The political leaders from these two countries, having fought together for independence from the British, ultimately concocted schemes for the division and partition of the country. The plans for the partition started as early as the end of nineteenth century with the implementation of the British divide and conquer strategy. Under this administrative policy, the British worsened the existing conflicts.... However, the British rule turned increasingly unpopular (Singh 1990). The first major revolt against the British rule occurred in 1857 when the soldiers of the British Indian Army carried out a mutiny and offered their services to the Mughal Emperor. This mutiny quickly spread to other parts of India and it is argued that the uprising, which seriously threatened the British rule in India, was undoubtedly the culmination of mounting Indian resentment toward the social and political policies perpetrated by the British over many decades. The mutiny was eventually thwarted. Nonetheless, all political power was now transferred from the East India Company to the Crown and in 1858, Britain began to directly control most of India. However, the clamour for equal rights and independence mounted. The late nineteenth and early twentieth century would see the growth of new political parties and ideological groups which continually called for the end to direct British rule in India. With the end of the Second World War, the Indian subcontinent witnessed a major political power shift that not only emancipated the country from colonial rule, but also divided the nation into two independent countries, India and Pakistan. The political leaders from these two countries, having fought together for independence from the British, ultimately concocted schemes for the division and partition of the country. The plans for the partition started as early as the end of nineteenth century with the implementation of the British divide and conquer strategy. Under this administrative policy, the British worsened the existing conflicts between the Hindu and the Muslim

The Great Gatsby Essay Example for Free

The Great Gatsby Essay Literature by definition may consist of texts based on factual information (journalistic or non-fiction), as well as on original imagination, such as polemical works as well as autobiography, and reflective essays as well as belles-lettres. The Great Gatsby has the following particular characteristics of a literary texts: The first literary element of the novel is the plot, the protagonist is Jay Gatsby, a young, wealthy man in love with a society girl from his past. He tries to build a life with her but fate and bad luck turn tragic. The next key element is the theme, Fitzgerald demonstrates many themes including the decline of the American dream. The American dream was originally about discovery, individualism, and the pursuit of happiness. In the 1920s depicted in the novel, however, easy money and relaxed social values have corrupted this dream, especially on the East Coast. A second important theme of the novel would be the hollowness of the upper class, the sociology of wealth, specifically, how the newly minted millionaires of the 1920s differ from and relate to the old aristocracy of the country’s richest families. What the old aristocracy possesses in taste, however, it seems to lack in heart, as the East Eggers prove themselves careless, inconsiderate bullies who are so used to money’s ability to ease their minds that they never worry about hurting others. The presence of characters is also a characteristic of the literary texts. In The Great Gatsby we have Jay Gatsby the main character an ambitious dreamer searching desperately to repeat the past in a different context. Nick Carraway a young graduate from Yale which aspires to be a writer who is irresistibly attracted by the lifestyle of richness, opulence and extravagance but ends up being a supporter and admirer of Gatsby’s morals and values. Daisy Buchanan, Nick’s cousin and the object of the main character’s affection a careless, beautiful society girl with warm, fascinating gestures. Tom Buchanan is Daisy’s husband and the son of and immensely wealthy and socially solid family, a man without morals who can and will do anything to get what he wants. Among the other characters of he book we can find Jordan Baker, Myrtle and George Wilson and Meyer Wolfsheim. The setting of the novel takes place right after The Great War in the 1920s mostly in East and West Egg but also in New York. The major conflict is the fact that Daisy’s refuses Gatsby despite the vast fortune he has collected for her because of his unclear past. The climax of the book the confrontation between Tom and Jay is in chapter 7 and takes place at the Plaza Hotel in New York. The narrative voice of the novel is Nick which tells the story in the first person because he is part of it too. The mood is largely dark, pessimistic, and vapid as set by the purposelessness and carelessness of the wealthy, the ongoing string of meaningless parties, the ugliness of the Valley of Ashes, and the tragic deaths of Gatsby and Myrtle. Only Nick Carraways honest and moral view of life breaks the sense of tragedy. Among the literary techniques use in the novel we can recognize the following: The presence of the direct and indirect characterization made by the narrator and deducted from the characters’ gestures and attitudes, the dialogue, the foreshadowing technique is also present through the mysterious calls Gatsby receives. Most important all types of irony are present in the text, verbal irony is present in the conflicts between Tom and Gatsby, situational irony, when Daisy ends up killing Tom’s mistress by accidentally running over her with Jay’s car and dramatic irony, when George Wilson murders Gatsby because he assumes Gatsby was the wealthy man his wife, Myrle, was having an affair with. Considering all the above, The Great Gatsby by Scott F. Fitzgerald is a modernist novel based on the reality of the post war 1920s, inspired from the authors’ life which satisfies all the requirements in order to be called a literary work.

Grief, Loss, and Finding Meaning and Purpose Essay Example for Free

Grief, Loss, and Finding Meaning and Purpose Essay Death is something that is out of human’s control, and it can produce all kind of feelings, and attitudes. The following paper discusses critical issues associated with understanding and facing death. There are various feelings and emotions that a person can experience after they loss someone special in their lives. Through out this paper we will try to identify, express, and find what had been discovered through out grief, and loss. There are several major issues associated with death, but we will focus only on two of them. For instance when a person is facing death, that person would experience denial, isolation, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance; but the two major factors that will be discussed on this paper are depression and anger. According to the Merriam-Western Dictionary Death is the act of dying, the end of life, and there are several ways of coping with the emotional reaction when facing death. We all experience many losses through our lives, and when the loss is the death of someone really close to us, someone who we love and care about—perhaps a family member, a coworker, neighbor etc. That loss can cause a grieving process that can surely affect the way se see things and continue our lives. One of the issues associates with understanding coping and facing death is anger. Lets say for instance that if the cause of death of a family member was something unexpected, anger feelings can take control over that person. Anger is a wide range of emotions, is a strong feeling of displeasure, and belligerence aroused by a wrong, wrath, ire. (Dictionary.com). On the other hand, when facing an early death of a love one, the dominant feeling present on the rest of the family is anger, leading them to a bitter indignation at having been experience the unfairly death of one of their family members. The anger of a person who is experiencing a loss, can be targeted many things, or persons—perhaps anger at God for allowing that situation, anger over what seems unfairly and unjust. Another issue associated with understanding, coping, and facing death is depression. Individuals who are depressed use to isolate or withdraw them selves, they feel hope less and they are not ready to go back to their usual activities; they feel hopeless. A person’s attitude, beliefs, and values about death are according to  his/her cultural influence, and this will contribute with the way they respond when facing death and grief. An individual’s culture would influence the way that individual will respond when phasing death. Culture can influence a person on the way they perform the ceremonies or rituals when grieving. For instance in some countries, when a child died the parents are allow to bath and dress the child with their own cloths, when in different countries it is not permitted even to cry. These two different ceremonies show the different ritual people have according with their culture, values and beliefs. Finding meaning and purpose can be part of the grief process for those who faced a loss. Even though is not an easy process, that crisis can be turn into an opportunity to find true meaning. Many people can grow through grief, and learn to appreciate the value of life, and become better persons. In many cases the grieving process can be an opportunity to unify the family who is suffering. There is always family issues that could separate a family, but the death of a member can be an opportunity to reunite that family, and that is when meaning and purpose take place in the grief process. Grief and loss are universal, and it cannot be controlled by any human kind. The stage of grief and loss occurs in respond to the death of a value person—emotions and attitudes take control of those who are facing it. Loss is an unavoidable part of life, and grief is the healing process of those wounds that a loss could leave an in an individual’s life. References Kubler-Ross, E. Death: The Final Stage of Growth. New York: Prentice-Hall, 1975. http://cogprints.org/9155/ Developmental theory. (2006). In Elseviers dictionary of psychological theories. Retrieved from http://library.gcu.edu:2048/login?qurl=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.credoreference.com.library.gcu.edu%3A2048%2Fcontent%2Fentry%2Festpsyctheory%2Fdevelopmental_theory%2F0

Professionalism in the Construction Industry

Professionalism in the Construction Industry Construction management is a challenging and demanding profession. In order to successfully complete a project, from the perspective of a Client, they will need the assistance of many construction professionals to help them realise their objective particularly from the feasibility to completion of a project. These construction professionals generally include architects, interior designers, surveyors, civil engineers, quantity surveyors, mechanical engineers, electrical engineers and structural engineers. These construction professionals have different specialities for example an architect will generally manage the design and construction of the project, whereas the structural engineer will ensure that the project is structurally stable, and the quantity surveyor will generally look after the financial aspects of a project. 2.0 The concept of Professionalism in the Construction Industry In order to understand the concept of Professionalism in Construction we first must examine the terms profession and professional. Carr (2000) suggests that wealth, prestige and self-regulation are characteristics of how you determine whether an occupation can be construed to be a Profession. In addition to this, Carr (2000) states that there are five further characteristic that allow you to determine whether an occupation can be said to be a profession and these include:- professions provide an important public service; they involve a theoretically as well a practically grounded expertise; that have a distinct ethical dimension which calls for expression in a code of practice; they require organisation and regulation for purposes of recruitment and discipline; and professional practitioners require a high degree of individual autonomy independence of judgement for effective practice A Professional is said to be a person who is paid to undertake a specialised set of tasks and to complete them for a fee. Most professionals are governed by Professional Institutes who set the strict rules regulating their conduct and ethical behaviour. Professionals are said to be experts and/or specialists in the field that they participate. Professionals are said to have specialist knowledge in their particular field of work. The qualities and/or traits and/or attributes of a professional have been stated to be; trustworthiness, competent, respectful, displays integrity, considerate, courteous, dependable, cooperative, committed. Sockett (1993) believes that professional needs to be self-governed and their actions should be based on sound professional practices in their particular field. Sockett (1993) confirms that being a professional means having moral vision, sense, and purpose. In addition Sockett (1993) states that the essence of understanding the term professional is that it describes the persons behaviour and performance, but does not describe the person and their status. Maister (1997) argues that Professional is not a label you give yourself, its a description you hope others will apply to you A professional will exhibited a high standard of professional ethics, while carrying out ones profession Professionalism is said to be the demonstration of all the traits and/or attributes of being a professional and will decide how successful you are in your job. These traits include positive attitudes, courteous behaviour, good vocabulary, smart appearance, self-belief. The judgement of whether a person has Professionalism is subjective, and it is not solely because they wear a nice suit, but its a combination of these traits that give people the image of a professional. These traits and/or attributes are briefly discussed below:- Attitude No just whether a person is upbeat, a professional will find ways to overcome obstacles and find solutions to the problem. Competence You need to know what youre talking about in your field of work and be able to recommend solutions. Communication Skills Be able to effectively communicate ideas, speak in clear terms and make complex subjects understandable to all concerned. Appearance Clean and appropriate clothing that fit properly will help portray the image of a professional (you dont necessarily need an expensive suite) Appropriateness Keep thing appropriate and avoid going off on unrelated tangents. Furthermore, professionals are expected to establish and maintain professional boundaries to enhance their professionalism within the construction industry. The need for Professional Boundaries are generally required to ensure that the Construction Professionals effectively communicate using appropriate language, keep information private and confidential, not to take advantages and exploit clients whilst engaged in their services, and not to fuel gossip in the office. 3.0 Who are the professional roles within the Construction Industry? In the modern day construction industry, many managers, technical people, skilled, semi-skilled, unskilled people are needed in order to successfully complete the project on time and within budget. In order to effectively manage the many work items and/or construction related activities a professional project team is needed to make sure the project is constructed using the required technology, to the required standards and using the most cost effective methods. Each construction project will need a team to translate the design into reality. The team for a building project will generally consist of architects, interior designers, surveyors, structural engineers, mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, quantity surveyors, building engineers, civil engineer. These construction professionals deal with a variety of the key activities that are required to manage the project i.e. time, money, equipment, technology, people management. These professional will look at a project from incept ion to completion. They will be challenged throughout the process to come up with innovated ideas, solutions to overcome the many obstacles that they will be confronted during the course of the project and these may include:- Organisation of resources Sequencing of the various work items for the project Achieving budgets Completion of the various work items within the stipulated time Integrating organisations Balancing the conflict interest of the stakeholders and end users Appreciation of the various technology and methods available to undertake the project. It is the duty and obligation of each of the Construction professionals to exercise all reasonable skills, care and diligence and display their skills according to the Professional Standards that generally govern the disciple that they practice. By looking at the four main professional roles in the construction industry and these include the Architect, Civil Engineer, Project Manager, Quantity Surveyor and their respective roles and responsibilities, this will give an insight into how these professionals succeed in the construction industry. 3.1 Architect Roles An architect is a person that must be registered with a recognised Architect Registration Board in order to practice their profession. To practice architecture general means that a service in connection with the design and construction of a building has been offered. According to Bredemeyer Consulting (2006), a simplistic way of looking at the role of an Architect is that they create architectures, and their responsibilities included everything necessary to accomplish this. This includes creating the vision and the concept, then experimenting with the alternatives to make the vision and concept reality. In addition to this, the Architect in conjunction with a team of construction professionals need to prepare the technical drawings and specification in order to make the vision a reality. Similarly Architects during their construction role, advises the Client on awards of contract, monitors progress, responds to technical queries issued by the Contractor, issues supplementary drawing and specifications, reviews all technical and document transmittals issued by the Contractor, issues site instructions, provide contract administration, and certify the Contractors interim payment certificates. The role of the Architect will generally dependent on the nature of the appointment and the scope of their service agreement. However, the role of the Architect is not just limited to these technical activities, particularly when you become more senior within an organisation, other challenging aspects of the role of an Architect will then come into play for example business strategy, organisational politics, consulting and leadership. 3.2 Civil Engineer Role A Civil Engineer (in the context of this report the equivalent of an Architect albeit in the Civil Engineering industry) like an Architect, plans things, designs things, constructs things, improves things albeit in the field of infrastructure, bridges roads etc. There are a number of specialities that a Civil Engineer may specialise in, and these include geotechnical, structural, transportation, hydraulic and environmental, costal, material engineering. It is normal for a Civil Engineer to have graduated from a university with a degree, but it is not mandatory that a Civil Engineer needs to be licensed; this will depend entirely on where you live in the world. In the UK, a professional engineer may decide to join the Chartered Institute of Civil Engineers which is the equivalent of a licensed engineer in many other areas of the world. Again like the Architect, the Civil Engineer (also known as a Resident Engineer) in the construction phase of a project will monitor the works to ensure that the required workmen and quality standards are being achieved and monitor the progress of the works. The Civil Engineer also advises the Client on awards of contract, responds to technical queries issued by the Contractor, issues supplementary drawing and specifications, reviews all technical and document transmittals issued by the Contractor, issues site instructions, provide contract administration, and certifies the Contractors interim payment certificates The role of the Civil Engineer will generally dependent on the nature of the appointment and the scope of their service agreement. 3.3 Construction Project Manager Role A Construction Project Manager (CPM) whilst being in charge of the project as a whole has four key areas to manage and these include; Time, Cost, Quality and Scope. The CPM must possess a number of general management skills in order to achieve the projects objects as well as Interpersonal skills and these are briefly discussed below:- Time Management Prepares the time schedule and monitors progress against the baseline programme Quality Management Ensure that the requirements of the specifications are adhered too Cost Management prepares the cost budgets and implements cost control measures Resource Management Identifies and manages the resources required to undertake the project labour, plant, equipment, materials, subcontractors and specialised services. Procurement Purchasing / Hiring of all the required resources Risk Management Identification, classification, analysis and then formulating the appropriate risk response. Integration Management How to get all the various work items and stakeholders to work together in a systematic way to achieve the projects objectives Project Scope Management Identification and fulfilment of the project scope of works Leadership skills, Influential Skills, Negotiation Skills, Persuasive, Conflict Management, Project Managers wishing to obtain professional certification in Construction Project Management, may obtain them from the Project Management Institute. 3.4 Quantity Surveyors Role A Quantity Surveyor (QS) is a professional working within the Construction Industry and is generally involved in the financial aspects of a project The RICS (2003) identified that a QS should provide a number of services during the course of a project. In the pre-contract stage, the QS should help and prepare the preliminary cost plan, evaluate the various design proposals in terms of cost, implement cost control measures in the detailed design stage to ensure that the budget is not exceeded, maintain and develop the cost plan. During the tender stage, the QS should advise on the tender documentation and assist with the Architect / Civil Engineer on awards of Projects. The QS during the construction phase also needs to prepare recommendations for interim payments, post-contract cost control and final account. In addition to this, the QS should provide and price bills of quantities, prepare cost analysis, advise on financial implications, provide measurement of areas, provide advice on contractual matters. There are many areas where a QS could specialise and these include construction, oil gas, power industry, building, civil engineering. The Main distinction will be whether the QS is from a Professional Practice (often called a PQS) or those that work for the various construction organisations (often called Main Contractors QS). To help maintain the standards of the professions, one of the many professional bodies such as the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors provides education, defines the standards, and sets strict codes of practice and ethics for all its members to follow 4.0 The concept and Practise of Professional Liability At some stage in the career of a Professional, things will go wrong and will result in some else unfairly being subjected to harm and/or additional cost (in the context of a construction project, the Employer). This could be caused by an error, an act of negligence, or an omission during the course of a professionals work. The result of which will be a breach of a legal obligation and this is commonly known as Professional Liability. In order to protect themselves from such a liability, professionals can obtain professional liability insurance. However in recent times, it has proved difficult to obtain this insurance which has led professional to look at the various other alternatives in the market that will help to protect them from Professional Liability. Indemnity Agreements By simply transferring the risk via indemnity agreements. Evidence of Professional Liability from Design Professionals A simple certificate of insurance that only gives the basic information i.e. the insured party, the insurer, policy number, policy term and limits. The full extent of the insurance coverage and/or limitation is not readily available. Professional Protective Insurance Provides first party indemnity for damages which are in excess of the professional liability insurance. This type of policy supplements the existing Professional Indemnity insurance where the Client desires further protection on a particular project. Project Professional Liability Insurance (P.L.I) Allows the Client to have the benefit of one project specific P.L.I policy where all the professional participating in a project are named on the one single site specific policy. The role of Professional Organisation in the Construction Industry Due to the ever changing world and construction industry, Professional Institutions are tasked with the role of raising professional standards, knowledge and training within the industry. To help achieve these goals, the institutions develop educational programmes to ensure that their members respond to the changing work environment and are equipped with all the knowledge and skills required to practice in their profession. In addition to this, Institutions strive to improve their service to both members and industry, encourage sustainable construction practices, publish both magazines and journals to help improve the knowledge of their members. There are numerous Institutions that target specific disciplines for example; and to name but a few:- the Institute of Civil Engineer target Civil Engineers, the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyor target Surveyors, the Chartered Institute of Builders target builders. To become a member of an Institution, you must generally satisfy their academic requirements before undertaking their Professional Development Plan which aims to ascertain over a period of time whether you have the required skills and competences to qualify as a full member. Once qualified as a full member, the Institutions believe that Continual Professional Development (CPD) is an essential part of being a member. According to Construction Industry Council (UK), CPD is the Systematic maintenance, improvement and broadening of knowledge and skills, and the development of personal qualities necessary for the execution of professional and technical duties throughout the working like. In addition to the above, the Institution sets the ethical codes that govern how the Professional should conduct themselves whilst practicing their discipline. The role of Construction related business organisations One of the fundamental roles of the construction related business organisations is to provide its members with access to educational tools inclusive of industry news that they may not ordinarily be available in their profession. These organisations help construction business, professionals, students and others to:- maintain standards, guide them, strengthen economic performance, raise levels of knowledge and performance. These organisations can be government departments, societies, and regulatory authorities and they include some of the following organisations:- C.I.T.B Construction Skills Energy Saving Trusts English Heritage Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reforms (BERR) 7.0 Conclusion Due to the rapidly changing and evolving construction industry, professionals are needed to maintain high standards and produce quality work. Therefore to standardise, regulate, maintain the knowledge needed by professionals in industry, the role of Institutions and the construction related businesses will continue to be needed by their members for many years to come. Professionalism in the Construction Industry Professionalism in the Construction Industry Who are the professionals in construction industry? The Professionalism in Constructions is a combination of derived significant activities of professionals. This is mainly related with their job tasks, such as; an active demonstration of the traits of professionals, also the level of professionalism can be evaluated how successful you are in your job and also it can be decided how others view on you and how far you have developed in your career level as well. Some specific professionals in construction industry, for example; Architects, Civil Structural Engineers, Mechanical Electrical Engineers, Project Managers and Quantity Surveyors whom are well-trained and highly educated and experienced experts. They are contributing with their specific knowledge and experience for the successful completion of projects. And also they have vital responsibilities and duties within their entire roles; for instance, Preparation of drawings, Specifications, BOQ, Contract Conditions and Agreements. Furthermore deal with the Time, Money, Technology, Equipments, operatives and materials for managing of construction projects and organize the project resources. The professional organizations usually provide comprehensive betterment to the professionals, such as; initial professional development and being a member in an institution. It furnishes free education and training, participation in conference and seminars, network opportunities and get privilege to use on line recourses. Hence some professional organizations are especially vital to the construction industry, for example; Professionals are licentiated as RICS, CIOB, RIBA, AIQS, SLIQS, and IESL etc. as a result of this, professionals can develop their knowledge and make improvement the level of professionalism appropriately. Further, certain business related organizations provide collaboration of professionals to share with their knowledge and experience. Hence, Professionals are able to use organization resources to success of their projects, some of them are significantly important to constructions industry, such as; reference of FIDIC in international, reference of ICTAD in Sri Lanka and also reference of Business Enterprise Regulatory Reform (BERR) in the United Kingdom. INTRODUCTION This report comprehensively discuss about the study of Professionalism in Constructions industry. The Aim is getting of knowledge and awareness of Professionalism, about various construction related Professional Organizations and their role in the Construction Industry. Particularly discuss through the following major key points by investigating briefly: The concept of Professionalism Professionals roles within the Construction Industry. The concept and practice of Professional Liability The role of Professional Organizations in the Construction Industry. The role of Construction related business organizations. MAIN BODY DISCUSSIONS The Professionalism Define Concept of Professionalism Concept of the Professionalism basically explained herewith, on specialists point of view, most of authors have defined the concept of professionalism in considerable volume. According to the article of Journal of Chiropractic Humanities 2005  © NUHS (Stuart Kinsinger) Professionalism is defined as Professionalism is service through the use of specialized knowledge, skills, and experience; holding oneself to the highest standards of thought, word, and deed. Concerning to the above explained comment, it can be identified clearly what the concept of professionalism is, Further professionalism can be described as; It is an active demonstration of the traits of professionals, The level of professionalism can be evaluated how successful you are in your job. It can also be decided how others view on you and how far you develop your career level. Whatsoever, professionalism cannot be evaluated just in appearance; like neatness, good grooming, and shop-talk as well. It should be really evaluated through the technical skilled, inner strengths, attitudes and honest work done. Besides, concerning of the professionals in construction industry; will be deeply discussed in next steps, therefore it is further required to study the history of professionalism in constructions to get a proper knowledge about constructions professionals professionalism. History of Professionalism in Construction industry History of professionalism has been shown since in the beginning of civilization in this world, nevertheless refer to the construction industry, professionalism shows at the early stage of Second World War in 1942, when considering to issued records by US Naval Mobile Construction Battalion five, Command History, that battalion has earned a reputation for excellence and professionalism during the 54 years of its existence. Also they have built airstrips, hospitals, bridges, roads, and have provided humanitarian and disaster recovery assistance in almost every part of the world. Hence it appears clearly, there should be a particular characteristics and attributes in professionalism. Characteristics and Attributes of Professionalism There are number of special characteristics and attributes in professionalism to implement within the professional bodies. This characterizes give much influence to success of professionalism in their trades. It is as follows; Attitude this is very important characteristic of professionalism, there should be positive attitude, and hence it will help to increase business success, Appearance -Wearers clean cloth is very important for make the business in positive way continuously, hence this positive appearance will significantly help to the business success., Behavior to be expressed well-mannered, calm matters, should not be spite, Vocabulary- Should be use always right words, not suitable to use big words because level of professionalism is often judged by vocabulary, Mindset- Pattern of the way of thinking of professionals Also above specialized characterizes can be judged by particular facts identified to obtain real professionalism in constructions. How is Professionalism Judged? According to the book Up The Corporate Ladder Professionalism in The Workplace written by Elsabà © Manning (owner of the Success Factory), Professionalism is judged by the following facts: such as, Responsibility and accountability, business etiquette, Telephone and e-etiquette, Manners, Communication, Relationships, Competence, Respectfulness, Trustworthiness, Empathy and compassion, Emotional maturity, Image, etc; So then, above mentioned facts are used to judge the level of professionalism, hence further needs to understand exactly about professionals and their roles relevant to the construction industry. The professionals of Construction Industry Definition Mostly education, work culture, morals, work ethics, positive thinking, open mind make anybody into a professional, out of these six points, at least four should be present to become a good, valuable professional.  Further explanations; a professional is a person who is paid to take over a specialized set of tasks and to complete them for a fee. The key measures for professionals as follows: They should have expert and specialized knowledge in their carrier, Excellent practical and literary skills, Basically high quality work to be exhibited, A high standard of professional ethics, behaviors and work activities, Work morale and motivation in reasonable level. Suitable treatment of relationships with social group. Who are the professionals in Construction Industry? In general, there are highly qualified and well trained professionals are contributing within their specific knowledge and experience to deliver the projects in construction industry in successful. There are few key professionals in the construction industry, identified as, Architects, Project Managers, Civil Engineers, Structural Engineers, Mechanical Engineers, Electrical Engineer and Quantity Surveyors. Basically, they categorized within their involvement with job environment, some of them are working as client representatives, and some are assigned to design teams, also assigned to builders and maintenance firms. Roles of professionals in Construction industry Most of construction projects or firms employ reputed professionals to get proper management process in order to archive projects goals, contribution with the professionals specialized roles. Architects, Engineer Consultants, Builders and Quantity Surveyors, whom are the professionals in construction industry, hence further will discuss concerning the significant roles of them relevant to the construction projects as a professional teams, Particular points of key roles of them are given below; Usually they prepare designs including drawings, specifications, BOQ, Contact Agreements and Conditions of Contracts, As well as they are dealing with Time, Money, Technology, Equipments,, Operatives and Materials to manage the construction projects, They are employed directly by clients, They shall organize the project resources to execute project activities to manage them properly and complete the project on time, maintain the Quality, Cost Control, maintain of Environment and Safety measures. Further their roles are briefly described as follows; The Architect According to the Wikipedia, an architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight/supervision of the construction of buildings and further architect should be visiting site periodically for inspections to ensure that in general, the work being carried out on site is in compliance with architectural designs and specifications. Generally, Architect should have proper education qualifications and also should have good training back ground to deliver their knowledge for the project success in terms of sustainability and safety of end users. Also there are Landscapes Architects, Town Planners, Infrastructures and building Architects whom are categorized on discipline on service and they involve as a team or one person. Engineer Consultant According to the Bamisile (2004), during the construction phase Engineers (Civil, electrical, mechanical, geotechnical and structural) should visit the site often for inspections, and to be ensured that all activities going on compliance with their engineering drawings, specifications and schedules. Also they should be concerned with monitoring and ensuring methods and materials. Normally engineer consultants joint as a reputed individual firm with development projects. Also involve for selecting the project by way of tender or by nomination. A Fee also will be charged by Engineers as a parentage basis. The Builder The Builder is employed by the client, on the advice of the Architect or the  Architectural technologist. A builder must first assess the project-specific documents (referred to as tender documents). In the case of renovations, a site visit is required to get a better understanding of the project. The builder will then calculate a price, also called an estimate. The builder considers the cost of materials and equipment as well as the cost of labor to provide the owner with an approximate price for the project. The Quantity Surveyor (Cost Consultant) Quantity surveyor is the person/ firm who manage the cost relating to the construction projects, such as new constructions, maintenance work and renovations. Quantity surveyor monitors the cost of every aspects of a construction project as a cost expert, as well as seeks to minimize the costs of the project and to make more cost savings while ensuring the total cost of project does not exceed the estimated cost. Furthermore when study about Architects, Engineers Quantity Surveyors as Construction Professionals, also have to be identified their duties and Responsibilities properly. Duties and responsibilities of professionals in Construction industry In general Architects, Project managers, engineers and quantity surveyors are the most important persons whom are involved as professionals in construction industry. Therefore, they have to be very respectable and well care of their duties and responsibilities according to their work sectors. Their duties and responsibilities could be described in brief as mentioned below; Architect Contribution for initial discussions and consultations which relevant to design and plans with a person or a business organization in satisfactory level. Should be understood clearly about clients intended objectives and explaining them. Getting clear idea of Clients budget which is expected to invest for projects and consulting with suggestions for any alternatives may be required. Preparing initial proposals subsequent to discussions with client. Studying environmental impact and the effect having with proposed structure. Follow-up feasibility studies and how it affected for constructions in specific locations. Attending site selections and produce a cost analysis as a part of the initial proposals. Explain all aspects of initial proposals to client very briefly. To be worked altogether with client to get a final product as plans and important designs. All design and plans with respect to the rule and regulation of government and relevant organizations and institutions respectively. Civil Engineers The civil engineers are engaging with many activities at the beginning of the project and up to the end of the project. Hence, some of their key roles are as follows; Analyzing various factors and areas concerning construction. Analyzing, searching and investigate the site location and ensure its feasibility for construction purpose. Preparing key essential plans to determine what need to be changed prior to implement tasks. Develop detailed design drawings according to the clients requirements. Review and issuing approval for project designs and reports. Identifying potential risks and disputes of the project. Taking necessary actions for risk management. Follow up rules, regulations and guidelines in relevant to the project. Verify the safety activities during the project implementation. Study different equations, strategies, and applications to make certain appropriate procedures and applications. Supervision of all works and monitors staff duties and operations at site. Keeping well communication with stakeholders of project; Project Architects, consultant, sub contractors and client. Preparing schedule for purchase of materials and equipments. Ensure that the project is completed by the committed time within the planned budget. Preparation of defect list or snags list and involve with handing over process. The Quantity Surveyor Pre Contract stage Elemental Cost Estimate Measurements Bill Of Quantity Preparation Tender Document Preparation Analyzing Estimating and Tendering Tender Evaluation Tender Clarification Meetings Negotiation Meetings Post Contract stage Kick of Meeting Progress on Site Variation Order Calculations Variation Order negotiation Payment Certifications Financial Statements Final Accounts The Construction Project Manager Prepare master program to the overall project and agree with the employer. Appointing consultants and contractors by tendering. Financial advice to the employer and cost control. Coordinating all parties and gets the work done. Risk, quality, time, scope cost management. Communication negotiations. Complete and handover the project to the agreed master program. In this report discussed about few professionals, moreover there are other professionals are involved with construction industry, some of them are very important and their activities are required to complete the project satisfactorily. They are Land surveyors, geological surveyors, Draftsmen, Human Resources managers, Clerk of works, Business and legal advisors. Furthermore, need to be discussed in brief about Professional Organizations having relationship with the Professionals. The Constructions professionals organizations What is Professional organization? Professional organizations usually give comprehensive betterment to the professionals such as, initial professional development and also being a member in an institution as free education and training, attending to conference and seminars, network opportunities and get privilege to use on line recourses, Hence some professional organizations are especially vital to the construction industry, for example; Professionals are licentiated as RICS, CIOB, RIBA, AIQS, SLIQS, and IESL etc. as a result of this, professionals can develop their knowledge and make improvement the level of professionalism appropriately. The role of professional organizations in the construction industry In general, here with discussed about common roles briefly, Maintain the standards of the professions in the construction industry Maintain superlative knowledge (Training, Seminars, CPD, PDP) Develop professional education to respond to changing environment to meet current and future operation needs. Improve services to members and up-grading services in industry. Encouraging of sustainable constructions Publishing books, magazines and other publications to develop the knowledge of members. Maintain and improve the quality of the built environment. The Benefits of Joining with Professional institutions The Construction professional institutions provide most important benefits for the professionals body to improve their professionalism actively. The few benefits of professional institutes are given below; Possible to expand the professional network Consistent updates on current industry trends and developments. A chance to increase awareness of work place. Can be discovered other companies activities. A chance to use monthly, quarterly, and annual newsletters. magazines Have particular strategies for attending the meeting An opportunity to joint with CPD, professional development plan Volunteer to join a committee within the association. Follow up with your new contacts. Annual membership fee of most reputed professional institutes are very high, however some companies provide institutes membership fee and training expenditures according to the requirement of the employers at that time. Further studying the benefits and specific roles of professional institutes, conclusively following table will shows function different of few institutes. (Refer to Table 01) Organizations Roles, Functions Professionals liability in Constructions Generally professionals liabilities are the legal obligation with professionals errors, negligence or omissions during the course of practice of work. Hence there are few identified key professionals liabilities in construction industry, those are as follows; Design errors, for instance; methods, means of construction drawings Construction inspection, Quality control and quality assurance Contractual liability from a sub contract design entity Health and safety of site Coordination and scheduling Normally at the design and management phases of project, effect of professionals liabilities are high than other phases, Above identified liabilities in construction professionals, further required to protect them using Construction insurance and policies. Those are as follows; Workmans Compensation policy (will cover liability of an employer for employment, injured, payment of Compensation etc.)) Contractors risk insurance (cover damage of property, liability of third party claims for injure or death, material and machinery damage) Professional liability insurance (All design firms, professional services, contractor and constructions manger) The role of Constructions related business organizations The business related organizations provide collaboration of professionals to share with their knowledge and experience. Hence, Professionals are able to use organization resources to success of their projects, some of them are significantly important to constructions industry, such as; reference of FIDIC in international, reference of ICTAD in Sri Lanka and also reference of Business Enterprise Regulatory Reform (BERR) in the United Kingdom Following are the key roles of business related organizations; Maintain standards in the industry Provide recourse as and when needed Strengthen the economic performance Increase peoples understanding Create conditions for business success Raise levels of productivity Help produce professionals in the industry and maintain standards Help with research work/ training and CPD Helps maintain connection with world wide By these major key roles can identify which contain their relationship with construction industry clearly. Therefore those functions significantly influence the success of projects in construction industry actively. CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATIONS This study make following conclusion finally, certainly, particular employers aptitudes can be performed within special characteristics and attributes accompanied with professionalism such as, Ethics Qualification, Skill, Experience, Communication Skills, Initiative. These are vital facts for improve of the professionalism in construction industry.

Abortion Policy Essay -- Rights Birth Pregnancy Papers

Abortion Policy Abortion is one of about six major issues that the public considers when voting (Witwer). It is a complex issue that has been passionately debated for centuries. The various methods used to carry out the procedure range from disassembling the fetus and crushing the skull in order to suck it all out of the woman’s womb to the procedure called RU-486, that gives the woman a pill to prevent her body from giving the fetus the nutrients to stay alive. Also, some consider certain forms of birth control, Norplant, IUD, and emergency contraceptives to be abortions as well. Many people argue about when in the pregnancy abortions should be allowed, if there should be an age limit, if abortion should be allowed only in certain circumstances, if states should decide the legality of it, and if only certain procedures should be allowed. However, the key issue is: should abortion be totally legalized, totally banned, or remain the way it is? Numerous people have a stake in this issue. The issue of abortion affects every woman worldwide as well as men who find themselves involved in a situation related to abortion, and/or men who choose to concern themselves with such an ever-growing issue (Wlezien). Also, this issue affects the fetuses aborted, or permitted to live. There are generally two opposing sides to the issue where most people find themselves: the pro-life side and the pro-choice side. While it is true that men may find themselves involved in a situation related to abortion, the debate over it still remains predominantly female (Wlezien). Surveys, facts, and figures have indicated that the two sides are made up of vastly dissimilar people and their lifestyles (Wlezien). Pro-choice usually consists of young... ...89), pp. 229-230{primary scholarly, print via internet in original, authoritative} Wlezien, Christopher B.; Goggin, Malcolm. â€Å"The Courts, Interest Groups, and Public Opinion about Abortion†. Political Behavior, Vol. 15, No. 4. (Dec., 1993), pp. 381-405. {primary scholarly, print via internet in original, authoritative} â€Å"Unjust Punishment, Forced Contraception, and Poor Treatment of Women by the Courts and Prisons.† NARAL Pro Choice America Foundation. 27 April 1999. 22 March 2004. http://www.naral.org/facts/loader.cfm?url=/commonspot/security/getfile.cfm&PageID=1784. {unrestricted, internet publication, apparently credible} U. S. National Library of Medicine. Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA. 2002. www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002398.htm - 29k - Mar 8, 2004. {primary scholarly, print via internet in original, authoritative}

Dimensional Argument Against the Snowball Earth Hypothesis :: essays research papers

A most recent inquiry into climatic change during the ice age and it's possibility of reoccurring is the Snowball Earth Hypothesis advanced by Paul Hoffman of Harvard University. Snowball Earth Suggest that before the Ice age, continents ice free at the poles enhanced the reabsorption of carbon dioxide through erosion of silicate minerals, reducing the greenhouse effect making the earth colder until it reached a runaway point. This effect is Hoffman calls albedo, when the atmosphere becomes so cold it can never warm up again. This is what occurred during the ice age, until volcano activity saturated the atmosphere with carbon dioxide to a point that it trapped radiation from the Sun and rewarmed the climate causing glacial thaw. Evidence of this event is cap carbonates that show relative dating at the ice age, found in abundance in several different world regions, at certain levels the cap carbonates would indicate if carbon dioxide was emitted into the atmosphere, by showing carbon levels that would demonstrate how much photosynthesis was occurring. Iron rich rock deposits indicate that absents of oxcidation would mean the atmosphere contain no oxygen, without oxygen their is no life, therefore other evidence of total extinction. So experts dispute the oceans were encased beneath a kilometer thick sheet of ice sheet, or that all life became extinct. The evidence of the Snowball effect is challenged that levels of carbon had not reached those required to satisfy the model and that alternative models are possible to explain the arrival and conclusion of the ice age. Iron had not oxidized because the glacials prevented contact with the atmosphere that would of subjected these rocks to mechanical weathering. The Snowball Earth Hypothesis bases its theory on an invalid model of earth at that time. Ancient earth of the Proterozoic 750 million years ago existed in a separate dimension then what the model is based upon. There wasn't much of an ocean completely beneath a glacial sheet of ice a kilometer thick. The plate tectonic model of pangaea locates it with Antarctica, this shifts the planetary land of the continents to one hemisphere and connects it with already glacial covered Antarctica. So rather than ice on the ocean around the Antarctica, the glaciation would be linked on pangaea surface; wouldn't this detrital effect sort of conduct the refrigeration and branch out the glacial even further into the continent, instead of a lack of CO2, temperature variation occurs from extended glacial mass that colds everything within reach of its frost thermal gradient, slightly different sort of albedo than Snowball Earth describes.

African-American Civil Right Movement

The African-American Civil Rights Movement During the frail moments in history there are times to be seen as a great movement. One of those moments in the history of America was the African-American Civil Rights Movement. This movement came by storm with different views on how civil rights should be fought. With the extremism of Malcolm X or the prolific voice of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. There were key court cases Brown v. Board of Education and the world wide known Rosa Parks. This action by African-Americans to fight for equality was a battle which they had to endure.However, the African-American people would be able to succeed in the goals which they set. One of the greatest social movements within the United States was the African-American Civil Rights Movement. This movement wanted to rid or outlaw racial discrimination against African-Americans. The movement had a major campaign of civil resistance which were acts of nonviolent protest and civil disobedience that would create a disturbance to federal, state, and local governments. The segregation between â€Å"White† and â€Å"Colored† was the main cause for these protests. The segregation was nonsense.With separate drinking fountains, restrooms, and other miniscule areas the segregation between whites and coloreds kept the rift between these two races. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is known for his heroic speeches that describe that to thrive as a nation, a nation must be united. With his superior charismatic skills he was able to grab the attention of the nation. His most famous speech which is known by most as â€Å"I have a dream† speech was the high point of the 1963 March on Washington. Another leader during the African-American Civil Right Movement was Malcolm X.Though many peers viewed him as a advocate that charged racial issue, he undoubtedly brought the attention of racial injustice. An example of his actions was a New York Police beating on Johnston Hinton. Malcolm X went t o the police station to see Mr. Hinton and was denied. Malcolm then created a crowd of protesters and with the growing numbers of his peers the police station then allowed him to see Hilton. It was protests like these which lead the charge to equality throughout the nation. But there were also key law suits and court cases that would make justice history.During a movement there has to be examples to which are known, and can be used to show either the highest achievements of the movement or show how the old justice system is broke. It was the series of court cases known as Brown v. Board of Education. This case was brought to the attention of the court system to allow the education of Black and White Children. The lawyers of the NAACP stated that segregation of the school were unconstitutional and did not promote democracy. With this on May 18, 1954 Greensboro was the first city in the South to execute the ruling of the U.S. Supremes Court’s Brown v. Board of Education. This h ad a positive effect for the movement forward to equality. Another famous court case was the Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Due to her actions taken on December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks was dubbed â€Å"the mother of the Civil Rights Movement†. Rosa Parks refuse to leave her seat on a public bus to leave room for a white passenger. She was arrested, tried, and convicted for her actions that day. However, due to this incident 50 African-American leaders organized the Montgomery Bus Boycott.With the support of approximately 50,000 African Americans in the Montgomery area, the boycott lasted for 381 days. The results of this boycott lead to the local segregating of African-American and Whites to be lifted. With the mass amount of boycotters the revenue for the bus decreased 80% until a federal court ordered the Montgomery’s bus service to desegregate in November. Other legislative achievements during this movement were the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Voting Rights Ac t of 1965, and the Fair Housing Act of 1968.With the African-American Civil Rights Movement being a concrete example of the determination of making a nation move forward to a more acceptable place, it was due to these key people which stood up a led a group whom wanted the same privileges as those whom already had. A movement with such importance must be taught and understood. During any movement in history there will always be those who emerge as leaders, sometimes those want to be a leader and some of those who are leaders unintentionally and lead by peaceful actions.These movement leaders: Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. made history which will be concreted into the books of history and will be forever known as leaders in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. End Notes 1. Henretta, J. A, Brody, D. , America a Concise  History, Volume 1, Fourth Edition. Boston: Bedfords/St. Martin’s, 2012. 2. Bruce, Perry, The Last Speeches, (New York: Pathfind er, 1998) 978-0-87348-543-2 (accessed October 8, 2012), 165. 3. Klarman, Michael J. ,Brown v.Board of Education and the civil rights movement: abridged edition of From Jim Crow to civil rights  : the Supreme Court and the struggle for racial equality, Oxford  ; New York  : Oxford University Press, 2007, p. 55 4. Chafe, William Henry, Civilities and civil rights: Greensboro, North Carolina, and the Black struggle for freedom, (New York: Oxford University Press, 1980) 0-19-502625-X (Accessed October 8, 2012), 81. Bibliography Henretta, J. A, Brody, D. , America a Concise  History, Volume 1, Fourth Edition. Boston: Bedfords/St. Martin’s, 2012. Perry, Bruce. The Last Speeches. New York: Pathfinder, 1989. 78-0-87348-543-2 (accessed October 8, 2012). Klarman, Michael J. ,Brown v. Board of Education and the civil rights movement: abridged edition of From Jim Crow to civil rights  : the Supreme Court and the struggle for racial equality, Oxford  ; New York  : Oxford Uni versity Press, 2007 Chafe, William Henry (1980). Civilities and civil rights: Greensboro, North Carolina, and the Black struggle for freedom. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 81. ISBN 0-19-502625-X. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. J. A. Henretta, and D. Brody, America a Concise History, (Boston: Bedfords/St.Martin's, 2012), 828. [ 2 ]. Bruce Perry, The Last Speeches, (New York: Pathfinder, 1989)978-0-87348-543-2 (accessed October 8, 2012), 165. [ 3 ]. Klarman, Michael J. ,Brown v. Board of Education and the civil rights movement: abridged edition of From Jim Crow to civil rights  : the Supreme Court and the struggle for racial equality, Oxford  ; New York  : Oxford University Press, 2007, p. 55 [ 4 ]. Chafe, William Henry (1980). Civilities and civil rights: Greensboro, North Carolina, and the Black struggle for freedom. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 81. ISBN 0-19-50262 5-X.

Importance of Scientific and Technological Development in China

Countries are defined by a lot of factors, which include its geography, demography, technology, economy and military power. Whichever country is superior in all aspects gets to be described as one of the most powerful countries in the world, like America, the British Empire, and Soviet Union, for example. In the history of the world, these mentioned countries were known as superpowers and were capable of influencing other countries in major ways. In recent years, though, there is another country that is slowly on its path on having such a title as well. This country is China.China is a very famous country not only because it is one of the largest and most populated countries in the world but also because it is one of the four ancient civilizations of the world. In terms of technology in the ancient world, China was probably not far behind. After all, China was to the ancient world like America is to the rest of the world today. And in the present 21st century, China is starting to pr ogress again as it continues to improve its technology. After all, technological development can produce a better environment for the people of a country since it could make them happier and have good, satisfying lives (Spring 119).And truthfully, technology is one of the key factors for a country to be called successful or powerful. Whoever has the advanced technology is capable of holding the world in its grip. And since this paper is about the importance of scientific and technological development in China, then it is only proper to discuss first how the science and technology of China developed from the early times to the present. Anyway, China is an emerging power that given probably a decade or so, at least, will be able to compete with America on equal footing. And that statement is not an unfounded assumption.After all, there are now books like China: Friend or Foe by Hugo de Burgh (2006) and China, Inc. : How the Rise of the Next Superpower Challenges America and the World by Ted C. Fishman (2006) that fully discuss and explain the facts behind that assumption. Importance of Science and Technology in China Pre-Imperial China China’s science and technology had been booming since the fourth century BC1. According to David Wright in his book The History of China, pre-modern China, which was 1840 and earlier, already had advanced technology in the aspects of engineering, agriculture, and warfare, to name a few.Apparently, there were a lot of inventions, discoveries and innovations that the Chinese already made years before the Western world did the same thing. For example, in agriculture, the Chinese were the first to develop the trace harness. This was a very important agricultural invention, since prior to its invention, the farm animals that were used to plow the fields were harnessed around their throats and stomachs. (40) Of course, one can only imagine the pain those animals must have gone through.Not only would such a painful experience crea te an uncooperative attitude for the animal, but it probably could choke the animal if it carries a heavy load. With the trace harness, a yoke was placed â€Å"†¦across the animal’s chest from which traces or shafts connected it to a carriage. 1† He adds that it was only nine hundred years later that medieval Europe harnessed farm animals in the same way. At around the same time, the Chinese also did straight-line cropping, which was only practiced by Europeans in the 18th century AD, and in the sixth century BC, started using an iron plow.In medicine, the Chinese already understood that the blood circulates around the body and that it is pumped by the heart around the second century BC. This knowledge was obtained by the Arabs who later spread it to Europe. Also two centuries earlier, they were already using natural gas as a means for heating. They were even able to transport and store it after a few innovations. And even more amazing is the fact that around the same time, someone in China already thought of the first law of Newton and defined a circle properly as shown by Mo-ist writings (Wright, 41).Then, in 14th century BC, they were already using the decimal system and already understood and used the concept of a zero. The compass and crossbow also came from the Chinese. In addition, they were also the first ones to use chemical and poison gas as weapons in battle (Wright, 42). Early Imperial China During early imperial China, around 221 BC to AD 589, technological innovations in China did not cease. The Chinese were probably the first ones to use the power of rivers and streams and the waterwheel to produce power (Wright, 64). The fact that they already had this technology during that time is already amazing.Then add the fact that they actually used this to power huge bellows for iron-casting (Wright, 64). When I imagine the movies I watch were there are medieval blacksmiths, all I can visualize are the smiths themselves or their assis tants doing the bellows work. The Chinese were also the first ones to use suspension bridges. It wasn’t really a flat passage then because the â€Å"bridge followed the curved contours of the suspended rope. † (Wright, 64) But later, the Chinese were able to remedy this after their invention and use of iron-chain suspension techniques1.Then, when they first invented paper, the first kind they made were so durable, rough and hard it was not only used for writing but also for clothing, light armor, mosquito nets, and curtains (Wright 65). They were also the first ones to develop the stirrups for horses in third century AD (Wright 65) and invent and use a seismograph (Wright 66). The seismograph did not really measure the intensity of an earthquake but it could provide the direction which helped the government officials to efficiently provide help to the affected area. The Chinese were already hang gliding and using parachutes long before da Vinci sketched his design of o ne.There were actual recorded events that the Chinese really did so like an emperor requiring prisoners to jump from unbound kites or an instance of a Chinese jumping from a height and landing safely with the use of â€Å"several large conical straw hats tied together to his body† as written by the Chinese historian Sima Qian (Wright 66). Middle and Late Imperial China According to Wright, the technological ingenuity of the Chinese ceased after Mongol conquest. However, it was also during this time that the Chinese invented and perfected one of the most important inventions that had a great impact to the world, the gunpowder.The effect of this invention is an undeniable fact and further discussion on it will be made later in the paper. Then, the Chinese also were the first to print books, but not printing itself, via woodblock printing and invent the first movable type printing. They did the latter around 1040s, four hundred years earlier than Gutenberg’s invention, bu t did not make further efforts on it since it was impractical to use due to the thousand individual characters present in the Chinese writing. Then, they also made the first working mechanical clock and Mercator map projections (Wright 96).In addition, the Chinese made the first vaccines against smallpox and the first phosphorescent paintings (Wright 97). Spread of the science and technology outside China From the study of world history, one can determine that there are a number of factors responsible for how a certain country is today. For example, trade between people and countries in the early times were an important source not only of livelihood but also of science and technology. Knowledge, customs and cultures can also be spread to a certain area of the world via, ironically, war or conquests and religious activity.For a number of the inventions and innovations of the Chinese, some were spread to other parts of the world, both intentionally and unintentionally, probably by tra ding with other people and war. For example, despite efforts of the Chinese to prohibit its spread, the crossbow and secret of papermaking still spread anyway. Especially, the papermaking techniques, which was said to have been guarded by the Chinese for centuries, were supposedly shared to the Arabs when those who knew it became prisoners after the Tang dynasty were defeated by Arab armies (Wright 65).Then, there are the stirrups that were probably shared with Westerners by the Avars, whom the Chinese also knew (Wright 66). For the most part, it was revealed that Europe, the Arabs and the countries near China, Korea and Japan, were the beneficiaries of the science and technology of China. For example, for Europe, it was probably because it was then the superpower of the world. From world history, up until World War II, Europe had a lot of Asian colonies and having read parts of the history of China, it can be seen that Europe was interested in China as well.After all, it repeatedly tried to have both a friendly and not-so-friendly relationship with China. As for the Arabs, they were basically known to be desert nomads and thus it is not impossible for them to have been to China and traded with them. And since there also came a point in Arabic history that they were able to build their own dynasty that spread by conquering in Asia, they must have been to China as well and tried to conquer parts of it. And of course, Korea and Japan are just neighboring countries of China. Eighteenth century to the present ChinaUnfortunately, I was unable to find more technological inventions or innovations that the Chinese have made during this time. As Bodde mentions in his book, it is indeed puzzling that the Chinese did not have the same scientific and technological revolution that really changed Europe and the rest of the Western world (3). After all, the Chinese did have a civilization that had existed for so long and produced so many useful inventions and technology that are actually the groundwork of today’s advancing science and technology way before the Westerners did.To think that if the Chinese continued on with their work, it is interesting to think where they would be at this point in time. Would they be the superpower instead of America? But as Bodde writes, such decline may have something to do with the mindset of the Chinese during that time. After all, the Chinese do adhere to their Confucian beliefs which are opposed to war and competition (3). Then, there’s also the Taoist distrust of innovative technology (4). The social aspect was probably partly a reason for the decline.Or maybe, as Bodde said, the Chinese recognized the hazards of an advanced technology (4). After all, technology is like a double-edged sword. It is capable of defending one’s self and at the same time attacking others. Technology can help man have an easier life but it could also be used for his destruction. One of China’s most important inventions: Gunpowder Speaking of technology that had been used both for the good and bad of mankind, we’ll now talk about gunpowder.It’s probably weird to say that it was actually used for the good of mankind when it has been primarily and most efficiently used in war. Well, according to Embree, the Chinese weren’t looking for gunpowder when they discovered it during the Tang dynasty. In actuality, they were in search of a pill that could fight aging (849) and prolong life, in short, a form of the fabled elixir of life. The product was able to treat some skin diseases, fevers and ringworm. Its recipe was even included in some pharmacology texts.They called it huoyao, or firedrug, because of its explosive tendencies that led to fire in the alchemists’ laboratories. It was then later used for firecrackers and blasting and thus, its military applications were immediately realized. Conclusion It is ironic that the Taoists, who are known for their practices i n prolonging the lives of its devotees, were the ones who produced the gunpowder which was able to do the exact opposite. As mentioned earlier, its application was mainly in the military that used it to make bombs, grenades and cannons.Earlier designs of cannons used bamboo barrels. But they were probably able to improve it since bronze cannons that date back to 1332 were unearthed and are now at the Chinese History Museum. However, it was also discovered that as early as 1128, metal bombards were already used. Then, gunpowder was also used for its rocket-propelling capabilities which the Chinese used to develop â€Å". . . more than thirty different kinds of fire-arrows designed to rain down on the enemy, explode, and catch everything around on fire. † (Embree 850)The invention of gunpowder did not have as much impact to Chinese society as its introduction to the Western world did. After all, with gunpowder, Europe was able to move out of its medieval era via destroying the frontiers of the feudal castles that ruled it then and establishing a monarchy. This monarchy then further utilized gunpowder to strengthen and stabilize its position in Europe. It was later on innovated and used in guns and artillery and as the years go on in bombs, grenades, and everything else that explodes. But with the Chinese, the gunpowder did not have such an impact, as mentioned.Embree adds that it was because during the Tang dynasty, China was already a united empire and thus did not have feudal castles to destroy like the Europeans. Of course, the Chinese did not want to share the gunpowder and the other things they invented or innovated with it. What country would? However, they were unable to stop its spread. After using it to fend off invaders like the Jurchen from forests in the northeast and the Mongols, the Chinese still lost to them anyway in 1127 and 1234, respectively. Then, the Mongols ruled â€Å". . .China and used gunpowder against the Southern Song, the Jap anese, and kingdoms in Southeast Asia. † (Embree 850) As for the spread of gunpowder to the west, the Arabs are certainly not the ones responsible, even if it appeared suddenly in Italy during the fourteenth century. Embree quotes an article by Lynn White, Jr. titled â€Å"Tibet, India, and Malaya as Sources of Western Medieval Technology. † Although the article does not explicitly mention gunpowder, what he says in his article is a probable explanation of how at least the technology of gunpowder suddenly appeared in Italy.White explains that it might be because of the slave trade in Italy. Since the Muslim slaves were gruff and almost always escaped and due to canonical prohibitions, the Genoese merchants thought of securing slaves from central Asia and made it the main source of slaves. It is not impossible for the Genoese merchants to do this since they are known to have been the first Europeans to have traded with the Mongolians, Russians and the Chinese (Embree 853 ). In addition, the slaves that were sold were of both sexes and were relatively old enough to have accurate memories of their own homelands.A study on the records of the slaves also revealed that the majority of the slaves came from areas near Tibet and China (Embree 852). Thus, it certainly implies that the technology of the gunpowder may have been carried through to Italy and into the Western world by the Asian slaves. And gunpowder is still relevant today as the other inventions that the Chinese came up with centuries ago. In connection with that though, the thought of what the world might have been today if it was the Chinese who did it continues to bug the mind.Anyway, it certainly seems that after a long rest, the Chinese government is taking steps to revive its scientific community. China has now established its new science and technology management system that integrates science and technology with industrial and agriculture production. And with their opening up policy, its scientists and engineers concentrated on the world’s advanced level of scientific and technological development. Thus, international exchange and cooperation is now the priority of China since technology acquisition will continue to bring about changes in China’s own technology (Yu 222).An example of this is the increase in the information and communication technology in China, which has one of the world’s largest telecommunications market. Its information technology industry has also been helping the economy triple its gross domestic product (Qiang 2). Indeed, the reforms and opening up that China did brought positive effects, with a fast economic growth. With its continual development and improvement of its science and technology policies, it will certainly close the gap between those with other countries in the near future.