Saturday, January 25, 2020

Use Of Timber In Projects Construction Essay

Use Of Timber In Projects Construction Essay The informal interviews revealed some additional factors, not discussed in the literature review, which may have helped to shape the position of timber within the marketplace in the UK. These factors were included in the formal questionnaire and are discussed below. Time to complete timber construction projects Discussion with timber engineers revealed that the time taken to build on site with timber is longer than typical steel structures. Though we would not wish to suggest that careful engineering of steel structures is any less important, it must be accepted that the steel construction in the UK has a very well established track record for single storey non domestic use. Steel sheds for commercial and industrial use are ubiquitous the length and breadth of the UK and, by association, the engineering and site skills which produced them must be very well established in the UK construction industry. How long history of steel construction manifests itself in a construction project can be quite subtle. The bolt length in steel is 30mm but timber can be 300mm so tolerance to fit them on site is far narrower with timber. Timber engineer, Peter Steer remarked that to get the bolt into its fixing can be highly problematic and can cause delay for inexperienced fabricators. Such delay simply wouldnt happen for steel fabrication as the skill involved in fitting a 30m bolt is commonplace compared to a 300mm bolt. There are very many more steel fabricators with the skills to deliver the former but far fewer timber site specialists who can comfortably deliver the latter. So the tendency is for delay on site. It is difficult to compare timber projects with an exact match for a steel frame project but timber structural engineer Frank Werling said that engineered timber structures can require 3 weeks to engineer versus 1 week for steel. Price differential between steel and engineered timber sections Nick Milestone, MD of B K Timber Structures said that the rising price of steel during the period 2000-2008 saw the price of engineered timber draw closer to comparable steel sections. This gave greater price competitiveness to timber suppliers and the use of timber gradually became more widespread in the UK. The word gradually must be emphasised there because long span timber structures were still quite rare until very recently when supermarkets and their architects led the way in demanding timber for these low rise, long span timber structures. Even though steel prices were climbing rapidly there was such a weight of expertise, of established supply chains and comfort of architects and clients in steel structures that steel retained its hegemony in the market. However since 2008 steel has crashed from circa 1400euro to 1000euro a tonne. This has coincided with a drop in the value of the pound relative to the euro. (European Central Bank statistics www.ecb.europa.eu/stats) The result is that, although the disparity between steel and Glulam sections had narrowed to approximately 10% in 2008, it is now over 40%. However demand at BK timber structures hasnt fallen while the price differential has widened during the past 2 years. This may be because there are other drivers such as the high aesthetic of Glulam beams and the sustainability of using timber structures that are keeping timber buoyant in the marketplace. Supply of engineered timber for large framed structures Tim Reynolds of BRE explained that UK timber eg Sitka spruce has a strength grade of C16. That grown in the drier EU countries is C24 or better. Glulam requires at least C24 timber. Therefore, here in the UK we must accept a situation where our own forests cannot produce timber of adequate strength grades. Either the timber is imported from other countries for UK factories to produce the Glulam, or Glulam sections are bought ready made from factories overseas. If the former situation were to take place then a company would need to find enormous start-up costs to procure the right machinery and train the workforce necessary to begin producing large Glulam sections. This would need to take place against a growing but still relatively minor market share for engineered timber frame construction in the UK. Furthermore, this hypothetical new UK Glulam factory would still be competing against established European competitors who have developed their expertise and can use locally sourced timber. In fact, often the large forestry and sawmilling companies in EU nations have sufficient scale and turnover to be able to afford the capital investment necessary to develop their own Glulam manufactories. This could not realistically take place in the UK where, not only do our forests produce insuffici ently strong softwood for Glulam manufacture, but the forestry industry is diffuse. Small UK forestry firms with modest turnover are content to sell their lumber for fence posts and other lower grade uses. They would be unlikely to find the capital necessary to establish their own Glulam manufactories. Where timber buildings, such as grid-shell structures, can be built with lower strength UK grown timber there has traditionally been a problem with the supply from the UK forestry industry, according to Peter Wilson of the centre for Timber Engineering at Napier University. The Scottish enterprise centre identified this as a key barrier to development of UK forestry into higher value added markets. It came to the conclusion that the barrier to using UK grown timber was a lack of qualified engineers who understood the potential of the material. For this reason the centre for timber engineering was set up. Peter Wilson says there has been a significant improvement in the skill base in the UK but there is still no culture of building with timber in the UK. Also, here the forestry sector is fragmented and, apart from isolated examples such as the magnificent Savills Grid-shell building, earns its living at the bottom of the value chain with fence posts and pallet manufacture. Due to this fragmented and low earning forestry sector there is little capital to invest in plant and sawmill machinery. By contrast, Scandinavian, Austrian and German forestry companies are large economic concerns with the capital to set up Glulam manufactories where start-up costs can be 20 million euro or more, almost as a secondary concern. No UK timber company or forestry company would be able to set up such a facility. This is likely to remain a structural reason why high strength structural engineered timber must be imported into the UK. This may have implications for surety of supply and cost differentials due to exchange rates. UK traditional procurement methods According to survey respondents the UK has, to some extent, lagged behind mainland Europe in the adoption of Project Management procurement methods, or Novated design and build, where a site structural engineer can be part of the design team at an early stage. There are fewer architects experienced and skilled enough in designing the connection details of large span timber structures in the UK due to the relative scarcity of such projects. By contrast architects who can design and work with steel connections in relative comfort are far more common and all stages of the design process for steel structures are so well established in the UK that the plans are efficiently realised on site by the steel fabricators. The relative lack of recent project experience from UK architects with timber means that the involvement of a site structural engineer is of great importance. The connection details can be complex and often need to be prefabricated to specific design tolerances before they can be assembled on site. A traditional procurement process would tend to leave these connection details until later in the process when there is a pressing and critical need for erection of the structure on site. As the site engineers in this traditional process will be unlikely to have been involved in the design team then there will be inevitable delay as they attempt to interpret the plans of the design engineer. At this point, the costs incurred by the site fabricators are higher as they are devoting more resources into carrying out plans that they have not been involved in. This lack of communication or cohesion in the design of the engineering element of the building can have cost implications and act as a d isincentive to design timber structures. If we look at the example of the Savill building at Windsor great park Green Oak Carpentrys Site Manager, Steve Corbett, said there were genuinely no real problems with the construction, which he attributed to the architect commissioning Buro Happold and Green Oak Carpentry early in the design phase so that engineering issues were addressed as part of the design from the start. Mark Feely, a chartered architectural technologist, who worked on a recent RICS award submitted design for an ASDA timber store in Oldham told me that his client pushed for a sustainable green store and Finn Forest UK Ltd were employed before the architect. It was a design and build contract so it was unusual to go straight for a technical supplier without competitive tender. Mark explained that sometimes this unusual sequence of procurement happens when a contractor is persuasive with a client and can demonstrate a technical mastery of a structure that suits their needs. This possibly lends weight to an argument that both clients and architects lack the experience of working with these timber structures and are looking for technical leadership from contractors who, as we have discussed, are few in UK construction. This ASDA store was also deemed to be time critical as there was a clear marketing strategy to keep pace with Tesco who had recently procured a timber framed store buildin g. Fire risk, perception of risk and insurance implications Suppliers of timber structural products said that they faced a perception from clients that their building insurance would be higher due to a perceived high risk of fire. Discussions with fire engineers at insurance companies have suggested that there is no price difference fixed for timber structures and it depends on the overall building design and detailing. Skills and training in design and assembly of timber structures There are fewer carpentries in the UK than in other EU countries where there is a tradition and a demand for timber building in non domestic settings. For timber contractors such as BK structures, the demand for their services can outstrip their capacity and as there are few competing companies the order books become full and projects may struggle to find contractors without booking well in advance of the project. This would also suggest that the price of carpentry is kept buoyant by a relative lack of competition. At the Napier school for Timber engineering there has been a recent surge in applicants for courses in timber engineering to Eurocode 5 on 31st March 2010. The courses were oversubscribed and, while this represents a positive demand from qualified timber engineers for developing their skills, there will be an inevitable lag effect. Engineers will need to familiarise themselves with EC5 and to become proficient with putting the new code into practise. Dr Julie Bregulla of the BRE told me that this is quite a significant barrier for the UK timber industry and stems from the almost cottage-industry nature of the sector. In other countries the timber sector has more resources to employ people to lobby and negotiate to have the code structured in a way that suits their industry. Analysis of structured questionnaire The table on (page) shows the full data set from the respondents to the questionnaire. The statements listed were put forward to a range of leading figures from all parts of the supply chain in timber construction. Suppliers, clients, timber engineers, architects and academic research professionals were asked to rank these statements from 0 to 10 with 0 at the end of the continuum where there was profound disagreement and 10 at the end where there was strongest agreement. This data is expressed in the chart below, where the bars represent the highest, lowest and mean ranking for each question.

Friday, January 17, 2020

Deloneys view of age Essay

The word ‘age’ is also paired with the adjective ‘crabbed’, however the word ’youth’ is not attached to any word and seems almost completely separate. Youth seems quite isolated from the word ‘age’ and could represent how nowadays parents and children are quite segregated from each other. As well as the word being isolated, it seems to be independent, as it is not relying on an adjective to describe itself. Following onto the point of where I had written that parents and children are isolated from one another, this is clearly demonstrated to us in ‘Romeo and Juliet’, throughout the play, as well as in ‘crabbed age and youth’, when it is written that they ‘cannot live together’. The isolation between a parent and child, can be expressed due to the fact that these two humans are both from different generations, and have been brought up to have different opinions, or in some cases, completely contrasting opinions and as a consequence have little or nothing in common. For example in ‘Follower’ we are not informed of any similarities between the father and son, however the fact that the verb stumble appears twice and that both the father and the son have experienced it, suggests that this is the only thing of which they have in common. Another example is in ‘Romeo and Juliet’ where we see at the beginning of the play Capulet displaying a willingness to become a better parent as he attempts to understand Juliet’s thoughts and emotions by saying to Paris that Juliet is too â€Å"ripe to be a bride†. This portrays to us a parent who is willing to change their own opinion in a matter. in the Elizabethan era it was considered normal for a 14 year old to be married and expecting children, which is made clear to us when Paris says to Capulet ‘younger than she (Juliet) are happy mothers made’, to which Capulet answers by saying that young mothers are ‘too soon marr’d’. By defending his and his daughter’s actions, shows him to be a protective father. There is no doubt that along the path of parenthood there will be clashes between a parent and child, of which the child or parent feels that they ‘cannot live together’, due to different factors, the most prominent of which is a severe clash of opinions. We know not to take the line ‘cannot live together’ literally, because Deloney is talking about the two opinions of the youth and the old and how they are so severely differentiated, almost contradictory. I translate this stanza to mean that the two opinions are so contradictory that neither can win the argument. I can refer this to the poem ‘Catrin’, in which Gillian Clarke talks about a ‘red rope of love’ which represents the bond that a parent and child have. To demonstrate how contradictory these 2 opinions are, Deloney offers us a variety of antithesis, such as â€Å"Youth like summer†¦ Age like winter†, â€Å"Youth is hot†¦ Age is†¦ Cold†. The roles in this parent child relationship are clear to us; Capulet even tells us that he thinks of Juliet as a ‘whining mammet’. A mammet is a puppet, and so obviously a puppet needs a puppeteer, and due to how Capulet acts in this scene, it is evident that he is the puppeteer. This hierarchy of a parent and child is also shown in ‘Follower’, when Heaney describes his father to be a ‘full sail strung’ and that ‘horses strained at his clicking tongue’. By saying that even ‘horses strained at his clicking tongue’ shows how much power and authority his father had; he had to do such little, to get the horses to do a lot of work. The fact that an animal listens to him, demonstrates just how powerful he is. Deloney also thinks that age and youth are completely opposite by saying ‘age like winter weather; Youth like summer brave’. By using two completely opposite seasons of the year, Deloney is also pointing out that parents and children are also completely opposite. For example it is hot in summer and cold in winter, it cannot be hot in winter and cold in summer, however when we get too hot, we wish for it to be cooler and when we are cold, we wish for it to be hot. Similarly, when we are old we desire to be young, and when we are young we wish to be older or you could say when children are in need of parents, they may not be here, but that when they are here, you do not need them vice versa. If we were to interpret this to fit the role of a parent child relationship then we would say that when as children we become older and our parents eventually die, suddenly we seem to miss them immensely. So by using antithesis, the poet is basically telling us that once a parent or child is deceased, we learn how much we appreciated them. I feel it is a shame that we only realise things like this once it has been taken from us. This is shown in Romeo and Juliet when Capulet discovers that his daughter has apparently died from depression, he feels overwhelmed and his true feelings for Juliet are revealed as he says ‘with my child are my joys buried’, however when she was alive (in act 3 scene 5), he did not seem to care if she were to ‘die in the streets’.

Thursday, January 9, 2020

Regulating the Captive Hunting Industry Essay - 2366 Words

As the scimitar-horned oryx gracefully moved through the rugged landscape, nothing seemed right. Looking around, a high fence surrounded the facility, creating an inescapable doom for the animal that had been bred and nurtured by humans. The hunter took careful aim and fired his weapon, instantly killing this African antelope that is prized for its curved horns. This hunter had a clear advantage over the antelope; he didn’t need to know much about his prey or his surrounding environment. This scenario occurs in operations across North America, primarily in Texas, called captive hunting ranches. Texas ranch operators import, breed, and allow hunting of prized and endangered animals on their private lands for the purpose of earning†¦show more content†¦There are over a thousand captive hunting ranches located throughout North America and nearly half of them are found within the state of Texas. Due to struggling financial straits, Texas cattle ranchers were provide d incentive to import endangered game with the passage of the End angered Species Act (ESA) of 1973. Some of these ranches import animals on the brink of global extinction to Texas in order to raise, care, and repopulate these species. In some cases, these animals on the verge of extinction can be returned to their native lands. But most ranchers are not too concerned with saving endangered species for the sake of the animals; they are interested in this business because it is very profitable (Can hunting Endangered Animals save the Species?). Proponents of these ranches, and the ranchers themselves, see there is an economic good derived from allowing captive animal hunts. For many cultures, hunting has been an honored tradition and was a necessary means for food and supplies. In modern times, most people no longer have to kill animals for subsistence; instead, it is more of a recreation (Institutionalizing harm). As a means of generating income, these private captive ranches charge a sizeable fee for the opportunity to hunt highly prized animals. The cost of a trophy animal can range anywhere from hundredsShow MoreRelatedKiller Whales : The Killer Whale Essay1647 Words   |  7 Pagesfood chain intake balanced by regulating certain marine mammals, and that helps other animals to not become overpopulated. Killer whales are also important because they help the economy due to whale watching. Killer whales help science by helping scientist understand echolocation which helps them learn more about marine species and how to protect ocean animals from other noises. Killer whales have been kept captive for over 51 years. Killer whales being held captive generate a large profit for companiesRead More The American Crocodile Essay2463 Words   |  10 Pagesrole in regulating temperature (24 Levy). ¡Ã‚ ¨ Sometimes crocodiles will partially bask in the sun with their tail or head in the water, this allows them to optimally adjust their temperatures. Body temperature can also be adjusted by shunting blood towards or away from their surface.  ¡Ã‚ §As crocodiles cool the superficial blood vessels constrict, thereby limiting the amount of heat loss at the animal ¡Ã‚ ¦s surface and maintaining a steady core temperature ¡Ã‚ ¨ (25). [Another temperature-regulating strategyRead MoreThe Impact of Tourism in Dubai2509 Words   |  11 PagesINTRODUCTION: Tourism is no more an occasional past-time for wealthy and adventurous people. Nowadays, everyone is participating in the tourism industry, may it be a catering company, a hotel or an entertainment business. In fact, tourism has an impressive impact on its host country’s economy. It increases growth rate, national profit, investment and country celebrity as well, going from short term to long term improvements. However, it has crucial negative impacts on other sectors, mostly,Read MoreCode of Ethics for Government Officials and Employees13874 Words   |  56 Pagesshall be considered among others. Section 4. National Emission Standards. There shall be established national emission standards for new and existing stationary and mobile sources of pollution which shall consider among others such factors as type of industry, practicable control technology available, location and land use, and the nature of pollutants emitted. Section 5. Community Noise Standards. Appropriate standards for community noise levels shall be established considering, among others, locationRead MoreEssay on Biodiversity7414 Words   |  30 Pagesproperties?. Article 8 is comprised of guidelines that each of the 167 contracting nations, including the United States, ?shall follow?. In summary, the guidelines include establishing protected areas to conserve biological diversity, managing and regulating these areas, promoting environmentally sound and sustainable development, rehabilitating and restoring damaged ecosystems, preventing the introduction of ?alien species?, respecting the knowledge and practices of indigenous and local communitiesRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 Pagesopenings. Today, he finds one, and he mails off a rà ©sumà © and cover letter. It’s a routine he repeats nearly every day, applying to f our to five jobs a week, week after week. Despite graduating from Colgate University with a 4.0 GPA, Scott has been job-hunting for 5 months. His myriad applications have produced only one offer: A $40,000-a-year job as an associate claims adjuster at Hanover Insurance Group in Worcester. He turned the offer down. â€Å"The conversation I’m going to have with my parents now that

Wednesday, January 1, 2020

Song of Solomon Analysis - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 2 Words: 653 Downloads: 7 Date added: 2019/08/08 Category Religion Essay Level High school Tags: Song of Solomon Essay Did you like this example? When it comes to the indication of coming of age, the state of adulthood does not always associate together. The meaning behind this does not always correspond with the explanation of being an adult and proves to us that there is a more noble way to grow as a person. People going through experiences and being influence are aspects of life to develop more. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Song of Solomon Analysis" essay for you Create order Things that on the surface may not seem to have lasting effects are usually the most impressionable of situations. Though personality traits derived from cultural experiences are often seen early on in life, they can continue to develop and evolve even into adulthood. And it is in adulthood where realizations are made subsequently due to these very situations. It is also apparent that age does not always commensurate with maturity, for with maturity comes understanding. Influences also play a major role in a persons character development. Influences also can affect attitude, complexion, motivation and fundamental perspectives and reactions. This judgement was thoroughly embodied in the novel Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison. This novel delved extensively into the coming of age of main character Macon Milkman Dead. Milkmans nickname was acquired from an awkward and random situation. As being breastfed by his mother Ruth, way past the age of normalcy, the townspeople used the pet name to describe the situation as they saw fit. The over extension of the breastfeeding lends itself to the queer idea of an incest consanguinity. It was as if Milkmans mother was using her son to try and fill some sort of void that had been left within her. This situation also atones the literal realization of one being attached to a secure mothering source past the requisite for such.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Milkman Dead, son of Macon dead II, was raised in a financially comfortable home unlike most African Americans of that time. Macon, although considered the provider of the family seemed to rule with an iron fist. Macon kept each member of this family awkward with fear (Morrison). The hatred he had for his wife was eminent and the phlegmatic nature he had towards his daughters seemed to mangle their grace and self-esteem.   Ruth began her days stunned into stillness by her husbands contempt and ended then wholly animated by it (Morrison). Early in the novel, one can clearly see where the idea of misogyny is introduced. In addition to Macons apathetic feeling to the women of his household, these feeling are outstretched with even more fervor to his sister Pilate. You cant get much worse than that for a name. and a baby girl at that (Morrison). When milkman wet his sister with his own urine, it appears to be a clear manifestation of the misogynistic qualit ies of his father. It gives merit and substance to the biblical suggestion of the sins of the father being passed on to the son. With Macon being the sole source of income to the Dead family, he represents a symbol of equality amongst the races. It is evident however that he feels his money absolves him from other black responsibility. Macon seemed to have an eerily stark feeling of racial hate, but within his own race. It was as if money or the color green, rather, created a gray area for him; choosing to consciously neglect the racial barrier that was incontestable. Macon took his role of power and exerted in on any bystander who was around to witness and ensured his son was taught the same ideals as well. Own things Macon said, and let the things you own, own other things Im going to teach you how (Morrison). This scene foreshadows the path that milkman will follow; a path that he will follow his fathers footsteps right into isolation. Impaired by his fathers influence, was the only one he knew at his age and with no other point of reference, it was all he knew.

Monday, December 23, 2019

Who Is The American Dream - 1650 Words

It’s hard to tell when someone starts to daydream about what his or her life could be. It must start early because as a child, I’ve always envisioned my future life to be the American dream. I must have inherited that dream for my mother; she came to the United States from Mexico when she was merely 15 years old. She came to pursue the same dream; she wanted to have the opportunity to achieve wealth and success. Growing up in a traditional Hispanic household is something I will always cherish, but a characteristic of Hispanic culture is the mindset that women were made to be housewives and mothers. This trait blended in with my American dream, I thought as a child, perhaps I could be the mother that was always baking and cleaning. I wanted a two-story house with a white picket fence and an American Flag in the front yard, the ideal family of three with a golden retriever, I wanted to be the perfect housewife; I wanted the American Dream. As a child your dreams havenâ₠¬â„¢t been affected by reality, but over time your dreams change. I realized in life there is so much more than just the materialistic aspect. My American dream consisted of material things; I never wished to be happy, but to just to have things. Now, my greatest aspiration in life is to be happy; which to me means to be financially stable, to earn a master’s degree, and have a wonderful job that allows me to give back to the community. The biggest difference between my American dream and my goal to be happy is thatShow MoreRelatedWho Is The American Dream?1490 Words   |  6 PagesAmericans because they often think of The American Dream as a way or path to greater times. The American Dream gives hope for Americans because it gives them freedom, hope and it also encourages us to achieve goals that will make our life a lot easier in the future for future generations and ourselves. A real life situation of the American dream, for example is like other people from other countri es coming to America to find jobs to support their families, build new ones or simply have a better lifeRead MoreWho Is The American Dream? Essay1679 Words   |  7 PagesAmericans because they often think of The American Dream as a way or path to greater times. The American Dream gives hope for Americans because it gives them freedom, hope and it also encourages us to achieve goals that will make our life a lot easier in the future for future generations and ourselves. A real life situation of the American dream, for example is like other people from other countries coming to America to find jobs to support their families, build new ones or simply have a better lifeRead MoreWho Is The American Dream?1326 Words   |  6 Pagesachieve success and certainly no way to achieve the American Dream. Critical to ensuring any chance of achieving the â€Å"American Dream† in this day and age is to obtain a college education. Although it is possible to attain without attending college, it is extremely unlikely. For those with an education, the dream still at least has a pulse. For the majority of people who either do not think they need an education or cannot afford one, the dream probably lost. Adults are often saying â€Å"when I was aRead MoreWho Stole The American Dream?1108 Words   |  5 PagesAre we chasing after a dream that no longer exist? While reading Who Stole the American Dream? by Hedrick Smith and The Next America by Paul Taylor, I started to ponder this concept of the American Dream. The American Dream has been central to America s identity for centuries now, it is a concept in which people have the freedom of opportunity for prosperity and success, and through hard work the ability to move up in social class. In Smith s book he argues that due to the co nsolidation of wealthRead MoreThe American Dream : Who Are You?1396 Words   |  6 PagesWho are you? This is a question many people struggle with, as Identity is key in today’s society. Knowing who you are, what you identify as, or your ancestral lineage speaks volumes about how an individual will be treated due to public perception. For example, America is a growing world power that has strong social, economic and political influence on the world stage. It is this status symbol that many Americans identify with, irrespective of race, gender or sexual orientation. Identifying as AmericanRead MoreWho Stole The American Dream?756 Words   |  4 PagesMy Critique In Who Stole the American Dream? Hedrick Smith paints a clear and accessible but grim portrait of how economics, politics, power, and democracy have vastly changed in the United States. I agree with Smith that wealth and power inequality are extremely harmful. That a few individuals have prospered at the expense of the many is extremely unethical and unjust. I appreciate his critique of the current system, and historical perspective regarding how democracy has been systematically andRead MoreWho Has Access to the American Dream1152 Words   |  5 PagesResearch Essay: Who has access to the American Dream The American Dream originated in the early days of the American settlement, with mostly poor immigrants searching for opportunities. It was first manifested in the Declaration of Independence, which describes an attitude of hope. The Declaration of Independence states: â€Å"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, LibertyRead MoreEdward Franklin Albee IIi : The American Dream, And The Goat, Or Who Is Sylvia?1313 Words   |  6 PagesENG3U0 Research Essay Edward Franklin Albee III is an American playwright mostly known for his works such as Who s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, The Zoo Story, The American Dream, and The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? Albee is perceived to be a leader in the creation of the American absurdist drama theatrical movement. Specifically, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Opened on Broadway the same month the world was facing heated nuclear tensions between Soviet and U.S. powers during the Cuban Missile CrisisRead MoreAn avowed nationalist, who had impact on the American dream, Theodore Roosevelt brought presidency1200 Words   |  5 Pages An avowed nationalist, who had impact on the American dream, Theodore Roosevelt brought presidency and nation into the twentieth century. (Theodore) Theodore Roosevelt was the twenty sixth president of the United States, a president that had great impact in politics. He was born into a rich family, and he suffered from asthma during his childhood (United States. National Pa rk service). He studied at Harvard University, and the Columbia law school (United States. National Park service 2). He attendedRead MoreThe American Dream By James Truslow1643 Words   |  7 PagesThe American dream is a term often used as motivation for people who are seeking a better life outside of their torrid country. According to James Truslow, who coined the term American Dream, the definition is, â€Å"a dream of a social order in which each man and woman shall be able to attain to their fullest stature of which they are innately capable.† (68) The American Dream is sought out by many, but they are often denied the privilege of prevailing in a predominantly successful society run by the

Sunday, December 15, 2019

When Does Life Begin Free Essays

When does life begin? Nowadays it is difficult to determine the precise instant life begins. There are two opposing sides to this issue. On the one hand, there are those who maintain that there is no life in fertilized eggs. We will write a custom essay sample on When Does Life Begin or any similar topic only for you Order Now On the other hand, some people believe that life begins at conception. This essay will examine arguments for and against the disposition of fertilized eggs. Those maintaining that there is no life in fertilized eggs contends that life begin at birth when the human soul enters the body.And that is why it is considered that a baby becomes a full-fledged human when the head emerges from the womb. Before then, the embryo is considered as â€Å"partial life†. Some people may disagree with this idea because they considered that life begins at conception. In other words, life begins when the egg and sperm join to produce what is called a zygote. It has been asserted that a zygote is biologically alive since it fulfills the four criteria needed to establish biological life: metabolism, growth, response to stimuli and reproduction.Some people may say that an embryo is just a potential human embryo and therefore it has no life in that state. However, at the time of conception, the egg and sperm combine to form DNA structure. The fertilized egg is alive and carries human DNA. Thus, it is a form of human life. Throughout history there have been several â€Å"answers† to the question of when human life begins, but one can no more determine the precise instant life begins than the precise instant an infant becomes a toddler, a toddler a child, a child an adolescent, an adolescent an adult. How to cite When Does Life Begin, Essays

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Keystone XL Pipeline free essay sample

The highly controversial, and much disputed issues surrounding the Keystone XL crude oil pipeline project. There are many pros and cons of the Keystone XL pipeline. It would make more sense to approve it and build it rather than sit and wait. We need to get away from importing Middle East oil and start producing more on our own soil. The Keystone pipeline would transport a crude oil alternative from Canada to the United States in Houston, Texas. The pipeline has rapidly gained exposure, this exposure can be attributed to a number of factors, but in a large part rising gasoline prices and political pressures are the driving factors. Increased demand for more reliable and stable supplies of crude oil in the United States has been driven by traditional heavy oil. TransCanada Corporation is a Canadian based energy company which develops and operates energy infrastructure throughout North America. The corporation is at the center of the oil sands debate. Since the pipeline would cross international borders, the project requires the approval of the State Department in accordance with executive order 13337. Oil sands are naturally occurring deposits of mixtures of water, bitumen, sand, clay, and other minerals. All of which combine to create extremely viscous oil. The sand particles have become coated with a thick layer of oil and water. After millions of years of exposure to bacteria, the mixture becomes incredibly thick. The crude must be treated prior to processing in order to produce usable fuels, such as gasoline and diesel fuel. The World Energy Council reported that there are 598 natural bitumen deposits in 23 countries, with the largest deposits in Canada, Kazakhstan, and Russia. The global natural bitumen reserve is estimated to be 249 billion barrels; 176 billion of those are in Canada. Oil sands were first discovered in the 1700’s but were unable to be extracted. (keystone-xl) Many Republicans argue for the immediate approval of the project. Here are the facts; the entire project is estimated to cost $5. 3 billion dollars. It is the largest infrastructure project currently proposed in the US. The project would be 1,179 miles long and would need an estimated 9,000 American workers. That means they need welders, mechanics, electricians, pipefitters, laborer, safety coordinators, heavy equipment operators and other workers who rely on large construction projects to keep employed. To meet the demand of all the supplies needed it is also estimated that 7,000 jobs in manufacturing the steel pipe and thousands of fittings, valves, and pumps and control devices are required for the major oil pipeline. TransCanada has contracts all over the U. S, companies in Texas, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Indiana, Georgia, Maryland, New York, Louisiana, Minnesota, Ohio, Arkansas, and California. TransCanada already has 4,000 American workers in Oklahoma and Texas building a Gulf Coast Pipeline Project. The gulf coast pipeline project is expected to be completed by the end of this year. Construction and development is anticipated to generate $20 billion in economic impact in the U. S, including $99 million in local government revenues and $486 million in state government revenues during construction, plus an additional $5 billion in property taxes. (keystone-xl) Right now there is no pipeline from Alberta, Canada, to the refineries in Texas. The oil companies are forced to use freight trains to transport their black gold. Expert’s estimate it would take daily runs of 15 trains with about 100 tank cars each to carry the amount planned by TransCanada. It would be a major increase in traffic from north to south. The number of carloads of crude oil doubled from 2010 to 2011, and then tripled from 2011 to 2012. If we don’t get our oil from Canada we will be forced to get it somewhere else. (TIME) Since July, plans have been announced for three large loading terminals in western Canada with the combined capacity of 350,000 barrels a day, about only 40% of the capacity of the proposed pipeline. Canada is poised to quadruple its rail-loading capacity over the next few years to as much as 900,000 barrels a day from 180,000. There have been a few rail way accidents and renewed concerns about the safety of transporting oil. If Canada builds new terminals it will increase its exports to the U. S by more than 90 percent. Right now they plan to ship 7,000 barrels a day to as many as 30,000 a day by the end of 2014. Oil companies will find any way they can to put their product on the market. (NYTIMES) When we think of oil, I think of why I am paying $3. 50 for a gallon of gas for my automobile. Some of the negative effects of pumping oil from a well are major spills that could possibly be devastating to an environment. There are many examples of these. For instance the BP spill in the gulf, there has been spills from hurricane Katrina, Michigan, and Arkansas. They do harm ecosystems. When there are spills they cause so many chain reactions. Environmentalists say it will create many greenhouse gasses. The EPA doesn’t want the project to go forward. Some argue in Nebraska that they don’t want the project to run near a major aquifer that supplies farmers with water for crops and livestock. Some say they’ve worked on pipelines and there is no such thing as a pipe that doesn’t leak. When millions of gallons of petroleum flow through a pipe it causes corrosion and after many years the pipe will leak as a result. The pipeline would run through the Ogalala Aquifer, which is the Midwest’s supply of water and lifeline. The carbon emissions from tar sands are more harmful than most other fossil fuels. The long them harm would not be worth the temporary jobs it would create. Political opinions say it would be a big step backwards. They say the only winner would be the oil companies and their money pockets. The Keystone XL pipeline project has the potential to reduce the amount of oil America imports from Venezuela, the Middle East and other regions by up to 40 percent. This will be oil that is produced in North America, by companies that employ thousands of American and Canadian citizens. The U.S consumes 15 million barrels of oil each day. About 60 percent of that oil must be imported from other countries. We need to get away from foreign oil and be more independent. There are many pros and cons of the Keystone XL pipeline. It would make more sense to approve it and build it rather than sit and wait. If the oil companies are going to move it to get refined why not see if what they are doing could have more benefits than tragedy’s. Even if their pockets are getting bigger the money we spend to fill our gas tanks gets smaller.