Sensory responses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sensory responses - Essay Example It is capable of detecting even the smallest visual and auditory changes. Seeing and hearing are senses which does not require physical contact, but tells us about distant objects with help of electromagnetic waves present in air. . If the sense of touch is considered, the brain could detect within no time, which part of the body was touched. Such is the response and reflex actions. The brain in turn, is composed of two hemispheres and shares the information sensed by the organs equally among the two parts For the complete sensation in visual and hearing, both halves are equally important. The visual and aural senses strongly depend upon the differences between its neighboring senses. Visual perception consists of perceiving the image of outside objects and then, processing them into an interpretation that can be understood by the brain. The human eye does this mechanism of converting light into electrical energy. Here, the sense of hearing is done by an excellent auditory system which perceives the sound produced rather than the source that produces it. The sound is received by the ear through the vibrations in air and transmits them to the brain. Just imagine a ball being thrown on a wall coming back to u again. That's what happens in our sensory system.

UN on High Seas Laws Essay Example for Free

UN on High Seas Laws Essay The UN General Assembly resolved and declared the resources of the High Seas as the Common heritage of the mankind which shall be governed by a proposed international regime- Comment. Common heritage of mankind is a principle of international law which holds that defined territorial areas and elements of humanitys common heritage that includes both cultural and natural should be held in trust for future generations and be protected from exploitation by individual nation states or corporations. Immanuel Kant in his essay Toward Perpetual Peace claimed that the expansion of hospitality with regard to use of the right to the earths surface which belongs to the human race in common would finally bring the human race ever closer to a cosmopolitan constitution. The concept of Common Heritage of Mankind, however, was first specifically enunciated in international law in the Outer Space Treaty of 1967. Under Customary rules of International Law, the term high seas means, the part of the sea which are not included in the territorial waters. The rule was formulated in 1609 by Grotious in his treatise mare liberum by arguing that the sea cannot be owned. According to him â€Å"the sea is one of those things which is not an article of merchandise, and which cannot become private property. Hence it follows, to speak strictly, that no part of the sea can be considered as territory of any people whatsoever.† Later the prominent writers of the 18th century also advocated for the freedom of open seas. The meaning of high seas was transformed into treaty rules in the year 1958, when the Geneva Convention on High Seas was adopted. The article 1 of Geneva Convention on High Seas states that high seas is that part of the sea that are not included in the territorial sea or in the internal waters of a state. The regime of high sea has changed considerably under the Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982 which lays down under article 86 that all parts of the sea that are not included in the exclusive economic zone, in the territorial waters of a state or in the archipelagic waters of an archipelagic State would Constitute high seas. Thus, the area of the high seas has been substantially reduced under the convention of 1982. The high seas, shorthand for that portion of the ocean that lies beyond the limits of national jurisdiction, including the Southern Ocean around Antarctica, make up 64% of the world’s oceans and nearly 50% of the planet’s surface. It is generally 200 nautical miles from the coast. This vast area, once mistakenly considered an empty wasteland, is now understood to contain the largest reservoir of biodiversity left on earth. Multiplying human activities pose a variety of threats to high seas ecosystems, including overfishing, noise, plastic and chemical pollution, habitat destruction, and now ocean warming and ocean acidification related to rising concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea has 320 articles, set out in seventeen parts, as well as nine annexes. Parts II to XI concern the different maritime zones: territorial sea and contiguous zone, straits used for international navigation, archipelagic waters, the exclusive economic zone, the continental shelf, the high seas, the International Seabed Area, and special provisions on the regime of islands and of enclosed and semi-enclosed seas. Parts XII to XIV concern specific marine activities and questions in all areas: the protection of the environment, marine scientific research, and the development and transfer of marine technology. Part XV (and annexes 5 to 8) concerns the settlement of disputes. Parts XVI and XVII set out general and final clauses. Today, 13 percent of the worlds land areas are protected, but less than one percent of global marine areas are, leaving these ecosystems exposed and vulnerable to threats. Further, there is almost no protection of marine ecosystems and biodiversity occurring in deeper waters on the continental shelves and in the international waters of the high seas. It is crucial that international leaders cooperate to ensure stronger conservation measures are implemented and enforced to guarantee the long term sustainability of marine species and the health of ocean ecosystems. The United Nations General Assembly plays a crucial role in ensuring the sustainability of marine fisheries, particularly for those in areas beyond national jurisdiction. In ocean areas beyond national jurisdiction, many human activities remain unregulated or poorly managed, with ecosystem considerations seldom taken into account and scientific information either lacking or often ignored. As marine industrial activity, ocean warming, and ocean acidification have accelerated, the imperative to replace the current gap-ridden and fragmented approach towards high seas governance with a more integrated, equitable and accountable institutional framework has become more urgent and important. The major issues related to the high seas are as follows: 1. Open access to the rich resources 2. Increasing demands of fish, energy and increase in trade 3. Legal over-fishing 4. Climate change 5. Pollution. In the absence of an overarching international governance system for regulating marine fisheries, particularly in areas beyond national jurisdiction, there exist a number of treaties, organizations and intergovernmental instruments that serve to manage fisheries. These instruments include the United Nations and its various processes and organizations, and Regional Fisheries Management Organizations. In addition, there are many treaties, multilateral agreements and intergovernmental organizations that contain provisions relevant to the exploitation, use or trade of marine species. According to the UN Convention on the Law of the sea, the common heritage provides certain freedoms like freedom to fish, navigate lay submarine cables and pipelines, conduct scientific marine research, conduct peaceful military activities, and authorize vessels to fly national flags. However with these freedoms, there are also certain obligations to fulfill in order to maintain the proper health of the available resource. The duties are to conserve the living marine resources, protect and preserve the marine environment and most importantly not interfere in rights and interests of other nations. Under customary rules of international law, high seas were free and open to all states. Freedom to high sea was a well recognized principle even under the Roman law which is basically the primary precursor of the modern law. It means that the high sea being common to all states, no state may purport to subject any part of them to its territorial sovereignty, since the open sea is not the territory of any state , no state as a rule has a right to exercise its legislation, administration, jurisdiction or police over parts of the high seas. As a general rule, ships remain under exclusive jurisdiction of the state, whose flags they fly while in high seas. Although sea is not a territory of any state, it is nevertheless an object of the law of nations. Legal order was created through the co-operation of the law of the nations and the municipal laws of such states as possess a maritime flag. The following rules of the law of the nations were universally recognized. 1. Every state that has a maritime flag must lay down rules according to which vessels can claim to sail under its flags, and must furnish such vessels with some official voucher authorizing them to make use of its flag. 2. Every state has the right to punish all such foreign vessels as sail under its flag without being authorized to do so. 3. All vessels with the persons and goods on it, while being on open sea, considered under the sway of the flag state. 4. Every state has the right to punish piracy on the open sea even if committed by foreigners, and that, with a view to extinction of piracy. 5. Warships of all nations can acquire all subject vessels to show their flag. Limitations on the freedom of High Seas: Freedom of high seas may be exercised by States. However, the above basic rule is subject to certain restriction and limitations which is of a complex nature. Convention of 1982 under article 87(2) lays down the limitation of the general nature on the freedom of the high seas by stating that the freedom of high seas â€Å"shall be exercised with due regard for the interests of other states in their exercise of the freedom of the high seas.† The principle underlying this rule states that the exercise of one freedom by one state has to be accommodated with the exercise of freedom of the sea by other states. No preferences are given and the coexistence of various activities has to be sought through the necessary accommodation. In addition to this limitation, the following are the other set of limitations on the right to exercise the freedom of seas:- 1. Limitation on freedom of fishing:- All states have the freedom of fishing subject to limitation under article 117 of the Convention of 1982 where states are under a duty to cooperate with other states in taking such measures for conservation of living resources in high seas. 2. Limitation on the freedom of navigation:- every State Coastal as well as land locked have freedom of navigation in the high seas but they have certain obligations to perform while exercising this freedom of navigation. Article 94 of the Convention of 1982 sets a group of substantive minimum requirements with which all states must comply as regards safety of navigation especially as regards construction, equipment, sea worthiness and manning of ships, labour conditions on board, the use of rights, maintenance of communication and avoidance of collisions. 3. Limitation on freedoms of scientific researches: scientific research is promoted but not at the cost of endangering the living biodiversity at any cost. Article 261 of the Convention of 1982 appears to give preference to the exercise of freedom of navigation to freedom to conduct scientific research, though only as regards to deployment of scientific installations and equipments in established shipping routes. 4. Limitations on Non- interference with war ships:- Article 95 of convention of 1982 lays down that warships . The UN general Assembly has taken utmost care and precaution to make sure that no conflicts arise because of the common heritage and that such a resource should be treasured at all cost for the future generations for we keep in trust the goods of the future generation. Any problem that arises out of conflicts over high sea usage is something for which the UN should not be held responsible. It has proposed an international regime and all the states should try to follow the regime in good faith unless they are forced by circumstances not to do so. [ 2 ]. Immanuel Kant. Toward Perpetual Peace in Practical Philosophy-Cambridge Edition of the Works of Immanuel Kant. Gregor MJ (trans.). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. 1999. p 329 (8:358). [ 3 ]. Dr. H.O.Agarwal; International Law Human Rights; 18th edition; At P.150. [ 4 ]. United Nations Audiovisual Library of International Law; http://untreaty.un.org [ 5 ]. International Policy: United Nations General Assembly; http://www.pewenvironment.org [ 6 ]. International Policy; http://www.pewenvironment.org [ 7 ]. The Sovereignty of the Sea: A historical account of the claims of England to the Dominion of the British Seas, and of the Evolution of the Territorial Waters; Thomas Wemyss Fulton; at p. 3. [ 8 ]. Oppenheim’s international law, op.cit, p. 727 as stated in H.O. Agarwal’s International Law and human Rights, 18th edition, at p. 151. [ 9 ]. Oppenheim’s International Law, op, cit, p.727 As stated in H.O.Agarwal’s International Law and human Rights; 18th edition at p. 151.

The Common Man’s Role in the American Revolution Essay -- Essays on Am

If you live in the United States, you probably are aware of the American Revolution. Most educated adults in America can name at least on hero of pre-Revolutionary America such as Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Paul Revere and Thomas Jefferson . But to what extent did these few men, credited with our freedom, actually participate in events that lead up to the revolution? How many countless men remained unnamed and unnoticed despite the work they put into the Revolution? These men have often been overlooked in textbooks, despite the fact most of the freedoms we have now are derived from their brave actions. But why did these men get the wheels of a revolution turning? What was the reason they had for their actions, the very ones that led America and Great Britain to begin a fight not only for freedom, but for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness? The Boston Tea Party is one of the most explosive and dynamic examples of what affect the common man held on the path to the Revolution. The Tea Party itself was organized by some of the more well-known officials such as John Hancock, but would have had little effect without the men who actually participated in tossing of 90,000 pounds of tea. George Hewes, a prime example of the average man’s affect on the war, had this to say about that fateful night: The Commander of the division to which I belonged, as soon as soon as we were on board the ship, appointed me to boatswain, and ordered me to go to the captain and demand of him the keys to the hatches and a dozen candles. I made the demand accordingly, and the captain promptly replied, and delivered the articles; but requested me at the same time to do no damage to the ship or the rigging. We then were ordered to ... ...ned Stamp Act he stated that he, â€Å"never saw one of those Stamps† and that he was â€Å"certain I never paid a penny for one of them†. So with so much attention being paid to Thomas Paine and his â€Å"Common sense† and John Hancock’s larger than life signature, what was the reason for our revolution? While that question may never be answered, there are always the eternal words of Levi Preston, â€Å"what we meant in going in for those redcoats was this: we always had governed ourselves and we always mean to. That didn’t mean we should† Works Cited William Graebner and Leonard Richards. The American Record: Images of our Nation’s Past. McGraw-Hilll; 5 edition. May 27, 2005 Benjamin Woods Labaree. The Boston Tea Party. Northeastern; December 31, 1979 George Browm Tindall, David Emory Shi. American History: 5th Brief edition, W. W. Norton & Company; November 1999

Apush Dbq 2

During the Washington, Adams, and Jefferson administrations (from 1776 to 1807) neutrality was America’s main foreign policy. In determining that neutrality was the overall focus of American diplomacy, one must assess the deviations from, as well as the success, of neutrality. Neutrality was originally implemented by George Washington in order to maintain the young country’s best interests. However, lapses in neutrality occurred when the government was forced to favor one foreign power, either Great Britain or France, through treaties. Furthermore, commercial interests ultimately drove America’s decisions and thus influenced the effectiveness of neutrality. Despite such lapses in success, America’s number one foreign policy remained neutrality. Political leaders found involvement in European affairs to be irrelevant and detrimental to the young nation, thus neutrality was the primary focus of America. George Washington was a strong supporter of neutrality despite his highly opinionated cabinet (Hamilton was pro-British and Jefferson pro-French). In 1793, in response to King Louis XVI’s beheading in the French Revolution, Washington issued the Proclamation of Neutrality which stated that America would â€Å"adopt and pursue a conduct friendly and impartial toward the belligerent Powers†¦ † (D). Washington opted to remain neutral in order to avoid conflict with Britain and France, refusing to side with either one. Furthermore, Washington emphasized the necessity of neutrality in his farewell address in 1796. He explained that the â€Å"great rule of conduct for [Americans] in regard to foreign nations†¦ † was to have â€Å"†¦ s little political connection as possible† (J). Thus, Washington established the importance of neutrality which was also supported by John Adams. During the Revolutionary War (right after the Battle of Saratoga) the Americans formed the Franco-American alliance and gained French support from the king. However, John Adams wrote in his diary in 1775, â€Å"That We ought not to enter into any Alliance with her [France], which should entangle Us in any future Wars in Europe,† (A). Adams supported Washington’s push for neutrality and recognized the consequences of forming an alliance with France. Adams was right about the Franco-American Alliance, which later resulted in France seeking American aide against Britain after Louis XVI was beheaded. On the other hand, Adams approved Jay’s Treaty with Great Britain which upset the French who were at war with the British. Jay’s Treaty settled the return of confiscated goods and ships to the Americans and established that pre-Revolutionary War debts must be paid as stated in the Treaty of Paris in 1783. Americans had avoided these debts even though the Treaty of Paris stated that â€Å"creditors on either side shall meet†¦ o the recovery of the full value in sterling money of all bona fide debts heretofore contracted,† (E). During the Jefferson administration, foreign tensions rose and eventually lead to the War of 1812. Jefferson also enforced neutrality, claiming in his Inaugural Address in 1801 that the nation will maintain â€Å"honest friendship with all nations, entangling alliances with none†¦ à ¢â‚¬  (K). Such ideas were evident in his response to the Chesapeake-Leopard Affair. In 1807, the British warship Leopard fired on an American warship, the Chesapeake, killing three Americans and impressing four others. Impressment was the act of forcing American sailors into the British navy as depicted in document M (M). Instead of declaring war as many American citizens wanted, Jefferson issued the Embargo Act, which cut off all American shipping to Europe in an attempt to cripple the British economy and prevent them from confiscating American goods and impressing their sailors. However, Jefferson’s attempt to maintain neutrality back-fired and crippled the American economy more than Europe’s. Conflicts between Great Britain and France often caused lapses in America’s focus on neutrality. Specifically, during the Washington’s administration and the French Revolution, â€Å"Citizen† Genet, the French minister to America, broke the typical rules of diplomacy by appealing directly to the American people. He called for American support of the French Revolution, pointing to the Franco-American Alliance which stated that the two nations shall â€Å"make all efforts in its Power, against their common enemy [Britain]†¦ † (C). Such support would directly violate America’s primary foreign policy, neutrality. Thus, Washington refused to support the French Revolution and make an enemy of Great Britain. This decision angered pro-French Americans who supported France’s aspiration to establish a republic. As a result, Thomas Jefferson, who was pro-French, resigned from his position of Secretary of State in disagreement with Washington’s Proclamation of Neutrality. The ratification of Jay’s Treaty with Great Britain further infuriated French supporters, failed to solve the issue of British impressment, and even promised that Americans would pay pre-Revolutionary War debt to Britain (F). Moreover, it caused the French to be outraged with the Americans and started French seizure of American ships. Political tensions between the three nations continued during John Adams’ presidency with the XYZ Affair in 1798. Three French agents, known only as X, Y, and Z, demanded a high fee from American delegates to enter negotiations for a treaty regarding the French seizure of American ships. This tested the young nation’s focus on neutrality as outraged Americans called for war with France. As a result, neutrality was pushed aside as the Quasi War, which was never officially declared, broke out. The public anger caused by the war strengthened the Federalist party, who used the power to pass the Alien, Sedition, and Naturalization Acts. These Acts limited Democratic-Republican power by: increasing the number of years required for immigrants to become citizens (Naturalization Act), by authorizing the president to deport aliens deemed a threat to the nation (Alien Act), and by making it illegal for newspaper editors to criticize the president or Congress (Sedition Act). The Convention of 1800 concluded the Quasi War, however impressment continued into Jefferson’s presidency during the Napoleonic Wars, making it more difficult for the young nation to maintain neutrality. Thus, conflicts between Great Britain and France often involved America despite the American focus on neutrality. Commercial interests often times caused disruptions of neutrality and competed as a priority of the young nation. Because commerce was of high importance to the growing nation, neutrality, in order to maintain trade, was necessary. Thomas Paine even stated, â€Å"Our plan is commerce,† and emphasized the importance of neutrality to the American economy by saying â€Å"we ought to form no political connection with any part of it [Europe],† (B). For instance, Jay’s Treaty negatively affected American commerce and political relations with France. Additionally, James Madison criticized the treaty as being â€Å"ready to sacrifice†¦ the dearest interests of our commerce†¦ † (G). The treaty not only affected political diplomacy with France, but also affected relations with Spain and their North American colonies. Spain saw the treaty as a sign that the Americans were building an alliance with Britain and felt a need to strengthen their American territories. This lead to Pinckney’s Treaty, in 1795, which set the boundary line between the United States and the Spanish territories, as well as allowed the use of the Mississippi River and the Louisiana sea port to both the Americans and the Spanish (H). Pinckney’s Treaty protected American commerce along the Mississippi and resulted in peaceful relations with Spain. Later, during Adams’ presidency, the seizure of American merchant ships by France raised tensions that resulted in the Quasi War. The disruption of American commerce forced the nation to disregard neutrality in order to protect their trading rights. The Convention of 1800 concluded the war and promised that â€Å"Property captured†¦ shall be mutually restored†¦ † (I). The Convention revealed the evident commercial intentions of the Quasi War and set the American economy as a priority equal to that of neutrality. However, Great Britain continued to seize American ships and impress American sailors. Instead of engaging in war, Jefferson opted to pass the Embargo Act of 1807 in an attempt to sustain neutrality. The Act prevented trade with any European nation, attempting to damage Britain’s economy and preclude impressment. Unfortunately, the plan backfired and devastated the American economy. Thus, Americans felt a greater need to deviate from neutrality in order to better their commerce. Although America faced disruptions in neutrality, ultimately, it remained the nations overall primary foreign policy. From 1776 to 1807, neutrality kept the young nation out of unnecessary European conflicts and served to maintain the country’s best interests.

Journal on Poems Essay

The poem portrays the definitions of sanity and madness. However, these definitions vary from the perspective of people and the surroundings as pointed out in the second line. In other words, the poem points out that for certain people, something normal is considered insane and vice versa. 2. The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost Basically, for me, the poem depicted a common experience in life wherein one makes a choice between two things and then wonders what could’ve happened had he or she took the other option. The situation shown in the poem reflects a reality that everyone faces in life which is making a choice and standing by that decision. However, as illustrated in the poem, despite the choices people make regarding, for example, careers and business ventures, there will also be times that one doubts whether he or she made the right decision or not. 3. Design by Robert Frost The poem basically illustrates that most of the time the world’s beauty can be appreciated through observing the natural things such as the spider and the moth. In addition, as the title suggests, life is basically a design. It is natural for a spider to eat the moth as it was designed to do so. However, since the spider killed the moth, the author also wonders why the â€Å"designer† allows such a thing to happen. In short, while the author acknowledges the beauty natural order of things, he also questions why horrible events, such as death, happen. 4. Mending Wall by Robert Frost Initially, the poem suggests that there are no need for walls between neighbors as this suggests division. However, at the end, although the speaker in the poem still did not favor the construction of a wall between him and his neighbor, he acknowledged the fact that walls are important as these set boundaries and limitations. Basically, the poem also illustrates that in real life, â€Å"walls† or boundaries, which are best exemplified by laws and rules, are necessary to maintain order. 5. Cross by Langston Hughes The poem clearly depicts the speaker’s confusion about his identity. As the title of the poem says, the speaker is a â€Å"cross† between a white man and a black woman and is confused about his true identity. He also wonders if he would share the same fate of his mother and father and yearns to know where he really belongs to. The poem also depicts two realities in life which are discrimination and racism. Basically, the poem suggests that if these two did not exist, the speaker would not have to long for acceptance and would not have to search for his identity.

midwifery essays

midwifery essays Support for the Midwifery Profession: Pros and Cons The tradition of midwifery virtually disappeared in Canada during the early part of this century. Several generations of women gave up childbirth at home to the medical profession. They did this in the name of safety and pain relief, or simply because the option of being cared for by a midwife no longer existed. Midwifery should be re-instated as a legal and honourable profession. With healthy pregnancies and under normal conditions, women should give birth at home with the professional assistance of a midwife. The most common argument against home births and midwifery are perpetuated by the medical establishment. As a profession, they openly oppose to lay midwifery, and as Dr. William Hall, president of the College of Physicians, said, he and the college oppose home births because they feel it is unsafe. (Ramondt, 1990) Undoubtedly, the medical profession is correct in protesting home births in certain cases. Some pregnancies are difficult and some births are problematic. It is not difficult to concede that there are times when sound medical intervention is a necessity and a blessing. To insist, though, that every birth requires a hospital setting and the attendance of a doctor with ten years training is, as many experts in the field agree, rather ludicrous. A study done by Dr. Lewis Mehl (cited in Barringtonm, 1985), matched a population of 421 women attended by physicians with 421 women attended by midwifes at home. The midwife sample fared far better with significantly less fetal distress, birth injuries, and infants needing resuscitation. The former head of the International Confederation of Gynecology Furthermore, the routine of use of medical procedures initially developed to protect high-risk mothers and b...

Critically evaluate how psychological theories, Essays

Critically evaluate how psychological theories, Essays Critically evaluate how psychological theories, Essay Critically evaluate how psychological theories, Essay G.M. Sykes’Society of Prisoners: Study of a Maximum Security Prison( 1992 ) and impressions such as Irving Goffman’s total institutions’ in his bookRefuges( 1971 ) have systematically asserted the importance of the prison in the psychosocial makeup of Western society. For these writers, the prison represents more than simply a topographic point of captivity or penalty, it goes to really bosom of a society’s relationship to the people that both transgress and continue the jurisprudence ; inSimulacra and Simulation( 2004 ) , for case Jean Baudrillard makes the observation that prison serves the map of a mask to conceal the existent carceral nature of the socius ( Baudrillard, 2004: 12 ) and, harmonizing to Foucault, prison is simply one of many enunciative modalities’ ( Foucault, 1989: 55 ) that shape the episteme and make societal Others. Of class, what links many of these positions is the connexion between the prison and the refuge, criminalism and mental unwellness. Foucault’s work on prisons came after his doctorial thesisMadness and Civilization( 2004 ) and Goffman’s survey on establishments for the insane crosses over, at assorted points to discourse prisons and their utilizations ; in fact Goffman is rather blunt that, in his position at least, the prison and the insane refuge portion non merely intrinsic qualities but intrinsic societal maps and his description of a entire establishment could easy be used to depict the both: A entire establishment may be defined as a topographic point of abode and work where a big figure of like-situated persons, cut off from the wider society, for an appreciable period of clip, together lead an enclosed, officially administered unit of ammunition of life. ( Goffman, 1971: 11 ) It is small admiration, so, that more and more, as we shall see, the prison psychologist is seen as an of import practical and theoretical quilting point between the two impressions ; criminalism and the head of the felon. This essay attempts to look at this dialogical subject measuring the topographic point of the prison psychologist today and what they can state us approximately, non merely the wrongdoer and the whole impression of piquing but the prison and the pattern of imprisonment itself. In their 1963 workPentonville: A Sociological Study of an English Prison( 1963 ) , Barer, Morris and Morris describe the distinguishable deficiency of any psychiatric or psychological professionals working within the English penal system: The most dramatic characteristic of the medical services at Pentonville is their concentration on physical unwellness and their about entire deficiency of proviso for mental unwellness. The prison has no head-shrinker, no psychologist and makes no usage of advisers in these disciplines. ( Barer, Morris and Morris, 1963: 39 ) This state of affairs has changed enormously since 1963. Today there are 12 countries in England and Wales each with its ain squad of forensic psychologists and helpers who are expected to supply services for non merely the captives in their country but for those on probation as good [ 1 ] . As Graham Towl and David Crighton suggest in their essay Applied Psychological Services in the National Probation Services for England and Wales ( 2005:1 ) this state of affairs is non merely likely to go on but the sum of psychologists required will likely increase. Due in portion to the complex nature of the prison service, the function of the prison psychologist extends far beyond the bounds of the mentally ill. As we shall see, their function is every bit much concerned with the nature of imprisonment and with its consequence on those within it as with the captives themselves. One of the most celebrated illustrations of this, of class is the Stanford Prison experiment carried out in 1973 by Haney, Banks and Zimbardo. In this seminal piece of research a group of healthy, psychologically sound male college pupils were observed, throughout the class of six yearss, in a prison-like environment ( Haney and Zimbardo, 1998 ) . The results of the experiment, harmonizing to the experimenters themselves were shocking and unexpected ( Haney and Zimbardo, 1998: 1 ) : Otherwise emotionally strong college pupils who were indiscriminately assigned to be mock-prisoners suffered acute psychological injury and dislocations. Some of the pupils begged to be released from the intense strivings of less than a hebdomad of simply fake imprisonment, whereas others adapted by going blindly obedient to the unfair authorization of the guards. ( Haney and Zimbardo, 1998: 1 ) Interestingly, the experiment was repeated about thirty old ages subsequently by the BBC in a telecasting plan calledThe Experiment, that managed, unlike Zimbardo’s original research to finish the jutting class of two hebdomads ( BBC, 2002 ) [ 2 ] . The Stanford undertaking was instantly seized on by the populace, the media and the Government and became, as George Miller asserted an example of the manner in which psychological research could and should be given off to the public ( Haney and Zimbardo, 1998: 1 ) chiefly due to the of import lessons that it taught both society and the experimenters about the establishments that from so much a portion of our public cloth. At its bosom, the Zimbardo experiment dealt with the kineticss of prison life, the ways in which captives act with each other and the guards. It is non hard to see how such research can help us in our cognition of both the penal system and the wider society. A figure of psychological constructs arose from surveies such as the Stanford experiment that still shape the manner prison psychologists view their work today.Polarization, for case, mentioning to the internal psychosocial kineticss of the prison has been used non merely in the carceral state of affairs vis-a-vis the ways in which guards dainty inmates but besides, as Claster ( 1992 ) points out in the wider society that polarizes offense and felons themselves, adding to the sense of division that exists between the jurisprudence and its transgressors [ 3 ] . Prisonisation, a term foremost used by Clemmer ( 1940 ) to depict the psychological socialization of captives, had a pronounced consequence in the Zimbardo undertaking that noticed, among other things, the willingness of the inmates to demur their submissive functions in the experiment.Prisonisationinvolves the initiation of the person into a universe that is governed by unusual and unintelligible regulations and ordinances and has been used of all time since the 1950s as a method by which to understand the differing reactions of captives to their environment ( Ohlin, 1956:38 ) . One of the most of import constructs to originate out of the Stanford undertaking was that ofdeindividuation.Deindividuationrefers to the deficiency of self-awareness that arises out of being portion of a group state of affairs ( Wortley, 2002: 26 ) . In the prison environment,deindividuationmanifests itself in the types of inhuman treatment displayed by the guards in the experiment but could every bit be applied to the ways in which captives form groups and packs in order to rid of their single duty that is masked by the crowd as Wortely ( 2002 ) suggests: As a member of a crowd, an person is afforded a grade of namelessness and becomes less concerned with the sentiments and possible animadversion of others. At this degree of deindividuation, people may be cognizant of what they are making but have a decreased outlook of enduring any negative consequences. ( Wortley, 2002: 26 ) The function of the prison psychologist so extends far beyond the bounds of the mentally sick and can, in certain fortunes consequence all mode of different facets of the penal system, from the architecture to the mundane running. Concepts such as those that we have been looking constitute non merely a organic structure of theoretical cognition but tools with which authoritiess and other bureaus can mensurate the efficaciousness of their penal plans [ 4 ] . However we must inquire how successful are prison psychologists, such Zimbardo and Clemmer in using psychological constructs and models to existent penal environments? The reply to this, I think prevarications in the complexness of the prison experience. For illustration Lloyd E. Ohlin in his surveySociology and the Field of Corrections( 1956 ) gives an edifying review of the early impressions ofprisonisationasseverating that any decisions refering the nature and extent of psychological socialization of a captive is, by its really nature unfastened to all mode of differing influences: Prisonization ( sic ) was†¦found to be related in some grade to the length of the captivity. The procedure proceeded really quickly in some instances and easy or non at all in others ( and ) was closely related to the grade of engagement in the informal societal life of the prison community ( Ohlin, 1956: 38 ) This procedure is likely to be affected by non merely the length of stay of the captive but their background, the environment of the prison, their relationship to the guards and an about unlimited series of variables that would render any empirical result hard if non impossible to measure. We see this besides with a impression such asdeindividuation, particularly as it was observed by the psychologists in the Stanford undertaking that sought, after all, to animate an environment thatresembled, instead than reallywas, a prison. Sociological surveies such as Sykes ( 1992 ) and Barer, Morris and Morris ( 1963 ) have highlighted the extent that a prison consists of a complex series of societal and psychological beds, each with its ain members, traits and sense of community. By merely animating the simplistic double star of guard/prisoner could non prison psychologists such as Zimbardo be seen as ignoring some of the complex nature of prison society? The impression that the power afforded prison guards engenders abuse was one of the major decisions of the Stanford undertaking, nevertheless, as Joycelyn Pollock suggests, once more the world seems to be much more complex. Kercher and Martin ( cited Pollock 1986: 4 ) , for case, found that the attitudes prison guards had towards their captives varied tremendously from prison to prison and from guard to guard, being more a contemplation of where single guards were in their calling rhythm than any deeper psychological inclinations. This suggests once more that psychological research carried out on little capable groups do non interpret peculiarly good to the larger existent establishment. I said in my debut that it has become de rigueur for penal theoreticians to see the prison as reflective of the wider society and, possibly, prison psychological science is no exclusion. Commensurate with impressions of the postmodern disintegration of subject boundaries, the modern-day prison psychologist must, I think, be acutely cognizant of the full influence of a immense scope of factors on the lives of the people they see mundane ; from the architecture, to the elusive alterations in group kineticss, from changes in theory to the alterations in socio-political ethos of the regulating organic structures. This is, possibly, a theoretical point of view that is losing from canonical surveies like Zimbardo or Clemmer and that we merely begin to see as theoreticians like Foucault began to exercise influence. Mentions Barer, Barbara, Morris, Pauline and Morris, Terance ( 1963 ) ,Pentonville: A Sociological Study, ( London: Routledge ) Baudrillard, Jean ( 2004 ) ,Simulacra and Simulation, ( Ann Arbour: The University of Michigan ) BBC ( 2002 ) , Shocking Experiment Recreated for TV published online at hypertext transfer protocol: //news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/1986889.stm Blass, Thomas ( 2000 ) ,Obedience to Authority: Current Positions on the Milgram Program, ( London: Lawrence Erlbaum ) Clemmer, Donald ( 1940 ) ,The Prison Community, ( Boston: The Christopher Publishing House ) Crace, John ( 2002 ) , The Prison of TV , published inThe Guardian, May 14Thursday2002 Foucault, Michel ( 1991 ) ,Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison, ( London: Penguin ) Foucault, Michel ( 2004 ) ,Madness and Civilization, ( London: Routledge ) Foucault, Michel ( 1989 ) ,The Archaeology of Knowledge, ( London: Routledge ) Goffman, Erving ( 1971 ) ,Refuges: Essaies on the Social Situation of Mental Patients and Other Inmates, ( London: Pelican ) Gross, Richard ( 2003 ) ,Subjects, Issues and Debates in Psychology, ( London: Hodder and Stoughton ) Haney, Craig and Zimbardo, Philip ( 1998 ) , The Past and Future of U.S. Prison Policy: Twenty Five Old ages After the Stanford Prison Experiment, published inAmerican Psychologist, Vol. 53 Harre, R and Secord, P.F. ( 1976 ) ,The Explanation of Social Behaviour, ( London: Blackwell ) Malim, Tony ( 1997 ) ,Social Psychology, ( London: Macmillan ) Ohlin, Lloyd ( 1956 ) ,Sociology and the Field of Corrections, ( London: Russell Sage Foundation ) Pollock, Joycelyn M. ( 1986 ) ,Sexual activity and Supervision: Guarding Male and Female Inmates, ( London: Greenwood Press ) Sykes, G. ( 1992 ) ,Society of Prisoners: Study of a Maximum Security Prison, ( New Jersey: Princeton University ) Towl, Graham and Crighton, David ( 2005 ) , Applied Psychological Services in the National Probation Service for England and Wales , published in Crighton, David and Towl, Graham ( explosive detection systems ) ,Psychology in Probation Services, ( London: Blackwell ) Wettstein, Robert ( 1998 ) ,Treatment of Wrongdoers with Mental Disorders, ( London: The Guildford Press ) Wortley, Richard ( 2002 ) ,Situational Prison Control: Crime Prevention in Correctional Institutions, ( Cambridge: Cambridge University ) 1

35 Words Frequently Found in Compounds

35 Words Frequently Found in Compounds 35 Words Frequently Found in Compounds 35 Words Frequently Found in Compounds By Mark Nichol The subject of compounds, permanent or temporary combinations of words temporary in the sense that they are â€Å"invented† for the occasion but are not in common usage is a complicated matter because whether a compound employing a given word is open (with letter spaces between the constituent words), hyphenated, or closed (with no letter spaces) is usually inconsistent. Here’s a guide to the most common compound building blocks and how to treat compounds that use them. 1. Ache: Headache and similar words are always closed compounds. 2. All: Phrasal adjectives like â€Å"all out† are hyphenated before a noun (â€Å"This means all-out war†). In adverbial form, such phrases are open: â€Å"She went all out in an effort to impress him†). 3. Book: Many compounds that include book are closed (handbook); terms not listed in the dictionary should be open. 4. Borne: Some forms are closed (airborne); hyphenate compounds not found in the dictionary. 5. Century: This word is never hyphenated in a noun phrase (â€Å"twenty-first century†), but it is hyphenated to the rest of the phrase when the phrase serves as a phrasal adjective before a noun (â€Å"twenty-first-century mind-set†). 6. Counter: Compound nouns are almost always closed (countersign). 7. Cross: Leave compounds such as â€Å"cross section† open unless they are hyphenated or closed in the dictionary. 8. E: The prefix for electronic should be hyphenated in all uses, as well as lowercase except when the word begins a sentence. (I prefer email, ebook, etc., but this is a minority position popular in high-tech publications but not elsewhere.) 9. Elect: Hyphenate in such usage as â€Å"secretary-elect,† but omit hyphens when the other term is itself an open compound (â€Å"secretary general elect†). 10. Ever: Generally hyphenate before a noun (â€Å"ever-optimistic attitude†), but sometimes closed (evergreen). 11. Ex: Always hyphenate except with an open compound; in that case, use an en dash after ex. If your Web site does not use en dashes, reword to avoid awkward use of hyphens (â€Å"former vice president† rather than â€Å"ex-vice-president†). 12. Extra: Nouns and adjectives (extraterrestrial) are almost always closed, but check the dictionary; exceptions include â€Å"extra-point statistics.† Informal adverbs are open (â€Å"be extra careful†). 13. Foster: Compound nouns are always open (â€Å"foster family†); phrasal adjectives are hyphenated before a noun (â€Å"foster-care specialist†). 14. Free: Hyphenate before and after a noun when free is the second element in a compound (â€Å"scot-free†). 15. Full: Hyphenate before a noun (â€Å"full-time employee†). 16. General: Compounds with general as the second element are always open (â€Å"major general†); the first word, not general, takes the plural form (â€Å"secretaries general†). 17. Grand: Compounds denoting kinship that include this word are always closed (grandchild). Compounds in which grand is an adjective denoting status are always open (â€Å"grand dame,† â€Å"grand marshal†). 18. Great: This word is hyphenated in compounds denoting kinship (â€Å"great-grandchild†). 19. Half: Compound nouns are always open (â€Å"half dozen†). Phrasal adjectives are hyphenated before and after a noun (â€Å"half-eaten†). Check the dictionary for permanent closed compounds (halftime). 20. House: Compounds are open unless closed in the dictionary (â€Å"house cat,† but household). 21. In-law: Compounds with in and law as the second and third elements are always hyphenated; the first word, not law, takes the plural form (sisters-in-law). 22. Like: Hyphenate compounds in which like is the second element before and after a noun unless the compound is closed in the dictionary; hyphenate if the last letter of the preceding word is an l (snail-like) or a y (dormitory-like). 23. Near: Compound nouns are open (â€Å"near miss†); hyphenate adjectives before a noun (â€Å"near-term strategy†). Nearsighted, however, is closed. 24. Odd: Always hyphenate compounds including odd as the second element in the sense of â€Å"approximately† (thirty-odd). 25. Off: Phrasal adjectives are hyphenated before a noun (an â€Å"off-kilter column†); hyphenate adverbs (â€Å"sang off-key†). Hyphenate compounds in which off is the second element (bake-off). Note that style is occasionally inconsistent between on and off antonyms (on-screen, but offscreen). 26. Old: Compound nouns in which old is the last element are always hyphenated (â€Å"my six-year-old†); phrasal adjectives including the word are hyphenated before a noun (â€Å"six-month-old policy†). 27. On: Hyphenate adjectives and adverbs starting with on that are not in the dictionary. (See the note at off about inconsistency.) 28. Over: Compounds including this word, regardless of part of speech, are always closed. 29. Quasi: Hyphenate phrasal adjectives (â€Å"quasi-judicial proceedings†); some scientific terms are closed (quasiparticle). 30. Step: In kinship terms, always closed (stepmother) unless preceding grand or great (step-grandmother). 31. Style: Compound nouns are open (â€Å"art deco style†); hyphenate adjectival and adverbial forms (â€Å"family-style dining†; â€Å"dined family-style†). 32. Under: Compounds including this word, regardless of part of speech, are always closed. 33. Vice: Compound nouns are open (vice president), hyphenated (vice-consul), or closed (viceroy); hyphenate if not in the dictionary. 34. Web: Compound nouns are open (â€Å"web press† â€Å"food web†) or closed (webfoot, spiderweb); check the dictionary. Terms pertaining to the World Wide Web follow the same variations (â€Å"web page,† â€Å"webmaster†). Many publications style website as one word, and The Chicago Manual of Style has conceded this fact, but Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary stands by â€Å"Web site† (which is also my preference). 35. Wide: When wide is the first element in the compound, hyphenate before a noun (â€Å"wide-ranging talents†). When it is the second element, hyphenate the compound if it does not appear not closed in the dictionary; many publications hyphenate such compounds in which the first element ends in y (community-wide). Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Congratulations on or for?3 Types of Headings10 Tips to Improve Your Writing Skills

Discuss the view that entrepreneurship is chiefly concerned with Essay

Discuss the view that entrepreneurship is chiefly concerned with wealth creation in a small business context - Essay Example All entrepreneurships share the primary objective of increased profitability, this implies that the entrepreneur must employ every feature possible and manipulate the internal structure of the organization in order to increase its market share thus accumulating more wealth. Small businesses have smaller management structures, which make management easier thus steering the desired growth through wealth creation as discussed in the essay below. Entrepreneurs take risks on a daily basis. In their operations, they seek to increase their market shares thus compelling them to carry out extensive market researches with the view of increasing their operations. Small businesses feel the pressure since they have smaller capitals but have the desire to increase their capital bases through heightened wealth creation. To achieve such, most small businesses diversify their operations thus spreading their risks across several industries. Most small business suffers from uncertainty, by diversifying their operations and products they venture into different industries and markets thus retain a portion of every market. With such an operation, the businesses have a surety of an excellent performance in at least an industry thus cushioning the rest from possible loses. The uncertainty and the lack of adequate capital thus compel small entrepreneurs to view entrepreneurship as concerned with wealth creation. Bigger companies have well-structured decision-making organs and make decisive decision on their investments. Additionally, such businesses enjoy larger market shares and larger capital bases. They can therefore take risks and gamble with their investments. Such are the luxuries that smaller businesses do not enjoy. Smaller entrepreneurs approach the practice with the view of making more money and saving as much of it as possible. While a big business like Wells Fargo in the United Kingdom can decide to venture into real estate, a smaller business owned by a sole proprietor may not since such individuals lack adequate capital and may not dare risk their small capital on such a precarious industry. This depicts the inability of smaller businesses to carry out effective market research and capital drives. Big businesses use their money to create more capital while smaller businesses save up their profit in the process of capital accumulation and wealth creation (Peter, 1994). Management, a fundamental operational feature in businesses refers to the coordination of the people concerned in order to realize a set of goals and objectives. The management of small businesses is less coordinated owing to their small structures. Big businesses on the other hand have effectively coordinated structures and therefore make informed investment decisions less likely to incur losses. In a small business context, management is reduced to a one-person affair. Management in an organization comprises staffing, controlling, planning and organizing the activities in a business organization. The functions are all vital in the achievement of the objectives of the business (Homburg, Sabine & Harley, 2009). To big businesses, such functions are well coordinated by professionals who make effective decisions concerning the attainment of the organizational goals. Big organizations have elaborate structures and may not always benefit an individual. In such organizations, the longevity of the business and its sustained profitability is always of more importance

Monopolies and oligopolies Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Monopolies and oligopolies - Coursework Example In engaging in such an action, Google as company put other players at a fix. In other words, due to the unhealthy competition, firms in the European Economic Area (EEA) suffered both peculiar and non-peculiar cost. Through analysis, whenever there is a genuine complaint antitrust, it is linked with the dollar figure sense, and for the case of Google, it was worse since it was related to fix pricing. The world has become very dynamic and competitive and thus it is evident that monopolies are not good for any society. For instance the society is more often than not failing to benefit from the single player. Decline in consumer surplus, less incentives, higher consumer prices are a common trend in an industry dominated by monopolies. Sadly, the firms in these industries benefit from the market power behind a monopoly since they can obtain more economic profit by having prices at higher possible point. These firms likewise use the economic profits from the monopoly acts to invest in development and research with resources for the company and thus hugely benefit given the diseconomies of sale. On the other hand, Oligopoly’s case is much unique since the industry has few but large firms. In this regard, if they interfere with price setting it may be a great disadvantage of the final consumer. With no competition or just little competition within the market, these few firms may not have the will to expand or improve their production to benefit their consumers. While having little to new competition in the market can be a bad thing it can also be an advantage for them as they can make huge profits. In cases where prices are easily comparable, it forces firms to set their market prices competitively which are beneficial for the consumers. Antitrust investigation normally implies all the inquiry carried out with a view to obtain the involvement of their business in any illegal business act

How do the concepts of networks and the network society contribute to Essay

How do the concepts of networks and the network society contribute to the understanding of the contemporary media landscape Ill - Essay Example In the modern 21st century, we find that this field of information and communication is undergoing a series of changes, arising from various technological innovations, and forming a new setting for the access, subject matter, formatting, and interactive sessions, adding a new dimension to the socio-political world (Huntington, 1997). Under such conditions, various social movements, and revolutionary politics are able to interpose with greater force and in lesser time, within this new interactive space, leading to the convergence of the horizontal communication networks and mass media. This has led to an unparalleled shift in history, where the public sphere is fast moving away from the realms of various institutions, to this new space that mainly comprises of mass self-communication, and communication networking, through the Internet and the wireless networking modes (Klinenberg, 2007). This article will examine this new age communication space, and will study to find out how the con cept of networks and network society, contribute to the overall understanding of the contemporary media landscape. ... , Jan van Dijk first coined the term ‘network society’  in his book De Netwerkmaatschappij   (van Dijk, 2005), and was later used by Manuel Castells in 1996. Castells analyses this new concept of ‘network society’ and conceptualised that such societies formed owing to certain factors: The creation of the innovative Information and Communication Technology (ICT), and the formation of global computer networks that helped in the global integration. The lowering of communication costs as in transnational transports, making it possible for the global migration to take place. The breakdown of the Berlin wall and the subsequent rise in global capitalism; The rise of various new forms of social movements like the human rights, civil rights, women’s rights, environmental rights, etc., (Castells, and Gustavo, 2005). In an interview, Castells defined the term network society as â€Å"a society where the key social structures and activities are organized aro und electronically processed information networks...It's about social networks which process and manage information and are using micro-electronic based technologies" (History; Institute of International Studies, UC Berkeley, 2001). Castells further adds that technology is not the only aspect that defines modern societies, but other factors like economy, culture, and politics also form the framework of network societies, while religion and social status, help in shaping these societies. A network that collectively forms the societies, are actually series of links between basic unitary social elements, known as the nodes. When a single link between two unitary elements is established, the formation of a ‘relationship’ takes place, and many such relationships form a complex web, known as network societies. Van Dijk in

Battle of Tarawa Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Battle of Tarawa - Term Paper Example The battle was meant to stop the Japanese operations in the central regions of the pacific and the Americans initiated it. The United States marine force was the only ones that used amphibious warfare, but were opposed for the first time by the Japanese during this war. After this war, it was discovered that amphibious warfare played a big role in aiding military operations in inaccessible areas. The Political and Strategic Considerations Facing the Americans in the Central Pacific In 1943 Tarawa was the first attempt of the Americans to use amphibious warfare against a highly guarded beach. The United States were fighting to capture the island of Tarawa from the Japanese so that they could use it for their pacific military operations. During this time, the World War II was progressing into the pacific and the U.S navy needed a base in the east to launch their attacks. This was because they needed to be close to the places they were to launch attacks on and Tarawa provided the most v iable base (Tucker 515). The Marianas islands were also a strategic position for the United States navy to launch attacks and hound the Japanese away. These islands provided a close range to access the Philippines, Japan and other areas in the pacific. The islands of Tarawa provided a good base that the United States military would use to capture the Marianas islands hence they needed to base their operation there so that they could capture the Island easily by attacking the Japanese army. The Japanese also knew the importance of this island sand they had increased their defense over the land so that they could use it to conduct their defense operations. The battle started on November 20, 1943 and lasted for three days, but it is among the most callous assaults involving the marines. Since the islands were inaccessible, the United States marine used the sea to launch attacks on the Japanese soldiers who had not incorporated this technology into their defense mechanisms. The United S tates believed that the Japanese could only be defeated by amphibious attacks and they had strategized to defeat Germany, increase pressure on Japan to leave the islands and to keep China in the war (Langone 363). Why the Central Pacific Drive Begun In the Gilbert Islands The central pacific drive was stated in the Gilbert Islands because of their strategic position. They were a territory of the British but were taken up by the Japanese in 1941.they are north and west of other islands that were owned by the Japanese and were south and east of other important bases suitable for defense. These islands provided a suitable place for the Japanese forces to get access to the other parts of their territory since it was accessible unlike other areas. The United States navy aimed at this island so that they could secure a base for attacks on the Japanese. This island would offer good communication channels and other services that would aid in increasing pressure on the Japanese. Attacks from the gilberts islands would foster the United States efforts to attack the Japanese strong holds and this is why capturing the Gilbert Islands was of significant importance. The Key Operational Concerns during the Planning Of Operation Galvanic The Operation Galvanic was started by the United States navy and was intended to take over control of the Gilbert Island

Reasearch paper on the HIPAA Privacy Standards that went into effect Essay

Reasearch paper on the HIPAA Privacy Standards that went into effect in April of 2003 greatly affect both the privacy rights of patents and duties of medical pe - Essay Example The â€Å"designated record set† is the cluster of records used by a covered entity in part or in whole (to make decisions) that includes billing records, plan enrolment, payment, claims and management record of systems (United States Department of Health and Human Services 12). Exception to the right of access includes information gathered for legal proceedings, laboratory results where the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act (CLIA) disallows the right to use, or any data in custody of certain research laboratories. Information incorporated in the right of access may be denied if the covered entity deems that it could cause harm to the patient or another person. In this case, the patient can ask for a second opinion from a licensed health care professional (United States Department of Health and Human Services 12). Realistic fees for copying and postage may be charged by covered entities. Yes, there are certain requirements for covered entities to have written privacy policies. This generally contains an account of the staff or personnel who has access to the protected information, how the information will be used and when or under what circumstance should it be disclosed (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 2). Covered entities must likewise make sure that business associates who have the right to use any protected information must bounded by agreement for the restrictions and utilization of said information (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 2). 4. How will employees in the medical office have to be trained regarding privacy (for example, who is responsible for training and record keeping?) what is required of an employee does not follow the privacy policy? When must employees be trained? In what manner? Covered entities must educate their staff/employees regarding their privacy procedures and must train its entire workforce concerning its privacy policies and procedures which are

Sustainability for the Future Global Supply Chain Essay

Sustainability for the Future Global Supply Chain - Essay Example iled in the activity participate actively in all facets of the business process as they strive to institute sustainable competitive advantage for their businesses or organizations. The founding of a new or existing venture requires the conceptualization of the supply chain management in the business process and the institution of the concepts entailed in the practice to facilitate successful and sustainable supply chain (Palevich, 2012, p 13). The company Coffee Warehouse is a new business established to provide high quality, full service distribution of specialty beverages and related supplies to coffee houses and espresso stands throughout London. The combined effort of the principle owners brings the management office of the business at high levels of customer engagement service and experience in managing distribution and sales. Thus, from this perspective, the business will benefit significantly in exploring the concepts entailed in facilitating sustainable global supply chain. The Coffee Warehouse business provides high quality and full service distribution of coffee in the region of its operations. The ownership, which constitutes of Steve and Jennifer Smith both combine their experience in the capacity of office management, customer service and distribution and sales management. The firm has commitments to facilitate distribution to independent retailers throughout the London market and its outskirts, as it initializes its financial arrangements and progress in the supply chains. The sales projections of the firm began at $2, 229,000 the first year and increased accordingly in the second year and third year of operation to $2, 936,000. The net profit projection extends to $406,000 at the last part of this third year of operation. Therefore, observing the progress of the firm in its existent operation structures, the development of a sustainable supply chain is key to the projection of the business accordingly to higher levels of success. The firm has

Reasearch paper on the HIPAA Privacy Standards that went into effect Essay

Reasearch paper on the HIPAA Privacy Standards that went into effect in April of 2003 greatly affect both the privacy rights of patents and duties of medical pe - Essay Example The â€Å"designated record set† is the cluster of records used by a covered entity in part or in whole (to make decisions) that includes billing records, plan enrolment, payment, claims and management record of systems (United States Department of Health and Human Services 12). Exception to the right of access includes information gathered for legal proceedings, laboratory results where the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act (CLIA) disallows the right to use, or any data in custody of certain research laboratories. Information incorporated in the right of access may be denied if the covered entity deems that it could cause harm to the patient or another person. In this case, the patient can ask for a second opinion from a licensed health care professional (United States Department of Health and Human Services 12). Realistic fees for copying and postage may be charged by covered entities. Yes, there are certain requirements for covered entities to have written privacy policies. This generally contains an account of the staff or personnel who has access to the protected information, how the information will be used and when or under what circumstance should it be disclosed (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 2). Covered entities must likewise make sure that business associates who have the right to use any protected information must bounded by agreement for the restrictions and utilization of said information (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 2). 4. How will employees in the medical office have to be trained regarding privacy (for example, who is responsible for training and record keeping?) what is required of an employee does not follow the privacy policy? When must employees be trained? In what manner? Covered entities must educate their staff/employees regarding their privacy procedures and must train its entire workforce concerning its privacy policies and procedures which are

The specialist nature of operating department practice( Essay

The specialist nature of operating department practice( peri-operative) - Essay Example ODPs also communicate about shifting the patient in the anesthetic room and verifiy pre-operative check list about medical illnesses and allergies. They assist the anesthesist with anesthesia and stay through the surgery to maintain anesthesia. In the surgical stage, ODPs assist the surgeon during the surgery and hence scrub themselves and wear sterile gown and gloves. They are accountable for all the instruments and swabs used for the surgery. They may also act as circulation nurse to hand over extra materials to the sterilised personnel. In the recovery stage, the ODPs check the patient, manage airway, monitor vital signs, administer prescribed drugs, help patient recover from anesthesia and address to the needs of the patient until discharge to ward. Thus, ODPs have a major role to play in the surgical assessment, procedure and recovery of the patient (Nettina, 2006). In this essay, the role of ODPs in the management of a hip replacement client will be discussed through critical e valuation of literature. 65 year old Maria is a known patient of osteoarthritis of the right hip joint (name changed for confidentiality reasons). In view of distressing pain and decreased mobility because of the pain, she was posted for total hip replacement surgery. Hip replacement is a common procedure in orthopedic operation rooms. It is also known as arthroplasty. It can be total arthroplasty or hemiarthroplasty. In the former procedure, replacement of both the femoral and acetabular articular surfaces is done. This may involve either replacement of both the femoral head and neck or replacement of only the surface of the femoral head. The former is known as conventional total hip arthroplasty and the latter is known as resurfacing total hip arthroplasty. In both the procedures, replacement of the acetabulum is done. In hemiarthroplasty, replacement of the femoral head's articular surface is done without any alteration of the articular surface of the acetabulum. Replacement of t he hip joint can be done with several materials including ceramic, metal and polyethylene. Fixation of the arthroplasty can be done with materials like polymethylmethacrylate cement and screw fixation (Jacobson, 2009). Osteoarthritis is the most common indication for total hip arthroplasty in which the articular surfaces of both the acetabulum and femur is affected. On the other hand, hemiarthroplasty is done in avascular necrosis of the femoral head and displaced fracture of the femoral neck which is at increased risk of developing avascular necrosis (Jacobson, 2009). Hip joint is a ball and socket joint. The ball is formed by the head of the femur and the socket by the acetabulum, a part of the pelvis. The ends of both these bones are covered by cartilages to facilitate smooth movement. The cartilage gets damaged by arthritis which makes the joints painful and stiff (Bromhead, 2007). The components of arthroplasty for acetabulum are ceramic, cobalt-chromium metal and polyethylene. Femoral components include ceramic, metal or metal femoral stem (Jacobson, 2009). There is some evidence that use of larger femoral head component with metal-on-metal total hip arthroplasty has decreased risk of dislocation (Jacobson, 2009). The most commonly used combination for total hip arthroplasty is cobalt-chromium alloy metal femoral head that is articulated with a polythelene cup. The most common complication associated with this is wear of polyethylene followed by inflammation and osteolysis

The emancipation proclamation Essay Example for Free

The emancipation proclamation Essay The emancipation proclamation was an historic moment in the history of the United States. It did not only come at a time when the country was being faced by slavery problems but also at the time when the country was at the height of its bloodiest civil war. The emancipation proclamation was issued by the US president Abraham Lincoln and consisted of two different executive orders. The executive orders were issued by the president as the commander-in-chief of the United States army and navy, were meant to free slaves and end slavery altogether. The first executive order was issued in September 22, 1862 and was to free slaves from the hands of states under confederate states of America that had not joined the Union by January 1, 1863. The second one was made in January 1, 1863 and was more specific as it stated the states where the order would apply (Christopher 56). Abraham Lincoln was born in February 12, 1809 and raised in Kentucky. He married his wife Mary Todd in 1842 and together bore four sons, but unfortunately only one of his sons (Robert) survived childhood (Thomas Burlingame, 56). The United States 16th president had a little formal education and is said to have been self-educated. He nevertheless became a lawyer and joined Republican Party as a politician which helped him assume presidency in 1860. During his term in office, the southern states pulled out of the Union citing that president Lincoln and the northerners did not approve of slavery. President Lincoln faced a lot of challenges during the five year periods he served as the president. First, a war broke out between the southerners and the northerners six weeks into his presidency. In what was to later become a bloodiest American civil war, the states within the Union fought the states under the Confederacy for five years. In a tactically move to win the war president Lincoln issued the emancipation proclamation in September 22, 1862 which required the states outside the Union to free all slaves. The second one in January of the following was the most effective as it saw a number of slaves being released. He succumbed to assassin’s bullet in 1865 just a year after being re-elected the United States president (Thomas Burlingame, 102). Abraham Lincoln was highly regarded as a great human rights defender as was illustrated by his Gettysburg Address in November 1863. In this short speech he called on Americans to ensure human freedom if it has to survive as a nation. His legacy has been defined in the history book as the man who freed millions from slavery and changed the course of that heinous act. The emancipation proclamation that was issued twice in a span of less than six months was a well orchestrated plan to have slavery abolished in the United States. The first proclamation prepared the way for the second one. Into the second year of the American civil war, Lincoln issued the second executive order barring slavery in the Confederate states (Crowther, 55). This was more specific as it not only stated the intended states wanted to stop slavery but also gave a time frame of a hundred days from January 1, 1863. Ten southern states; South Carolina, Georgia, North Carolina, Louisiana, Florida, Texas, Alabama, Virginia, Mississippi and Arkansas were mentioned in this second order. The states of Kentucky, Delaware, Maryland and Missouri that practiced slavery were not included in the order because they were under the Union. Exemption was also extended to the Tennessee state which was neither under the union nor the confederacy and the numerous counties that had joined the Union before January 1, 1863 (Crowther, 56). Implementation was very swift as the Union commanders stationed in the marked states helped to enforce the proclamation (Christopher 67). Although, the immediate impact of the second executive order is not well documented, it is believed that several slaves were freed immediately by many states especially in the regions that were occupied by the Union forces. These states included North Carolina, Virginia, Mississippi, Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas, Alabama and South Carolina. Regions within those states that were under the Union occupancy released most slaves upon the emancipation proclamation (Poulter, 48). During the entire period of emancipation, no violent acts were reported between the masters and the ex-slaves (Crowther, 76). However, the proclamation changed the course of the American civil war. There was a big shift in the initial objectives of the war prompted by the northerners. From the initial aims of uniting the two regions, a new agenda was born. It must be noted that Abraham Lincoln’s aim at first, was to use emancipation proclamation to force the Confederate states to join the Union. He exempted states that practiced slavery and were within the Union but ordered those under the Confederacy to end slavery in their states. This informed the opinion that the objectives of the emancipation proclamation was to help the Union win the civil war (Klingaman, 234). Although, unprecedented at the beginning, the proclamation set the stage for the abolitionists to fight for abolition of slavery in America. Thus a new agenda was born; to fight for human freedom in the United States. The proclamation did not escape political debates at the time. Most democrats, who were opposed to the civil war and supported the secession as well as slavery in the south, rejected the emancipation proclamation. It was so much politicized that in the 1862 elections, it became an issue in the campaigns, which saw the democrats up their numbers in the house by 28. The other democrats, who bought into the Lincoln’s objectives of the war, backed off and did not support the emancipation decree. President Lincoln saw the political opposition increasing by the day and therefore used the Gettysburg Address to indirectly refer to his proclamation and abolition of slavery as a new war objective by using his famous phrase a â€Å"new birth of freedom†. This endeared him towards the pro-abolitionists within his republican party that helped his re-nomination in the 1864 elections (Berlin, 260). The emancipation proclamation twist in the American civil war changed the foreign opinions about the war. The Great Britain involvement in the war had brought it diplomatic tension with the United States. At first, before the proclamation, United Kingdom had favored the Confederacy’s quest to secede especially when it provided the southerners with the British-made warships. But the northerners were strongly determined to win the war at all costs and the Trent Affair of 1861 only worsened the situation between the two countries (Klingaman, 234). The emancipation proclamation then changed everything. The British were forced to reconsider their support for confederacy because such a support would be viewed as a support for slavery, a practice they had long abolished. The confederacy’s case for secession never received much sympathy thereafter and the Union cause was salvaged. Many international leaders hailed Lincoln’s decisive and bold steps in fulfilling the dreams of American forefathers. Proclamation therefore came at the right time as the initial tension between the United States and European nations was eased and the union conduct in the war was never scrutinized as their cause was now favored (Christopher 54). Towards the end of the war, the pro-abolition groups got concerned that the proclamation would never be recognized after the war as people would consider it as a decree made for the war according to Berlin (260) they also desired to see the freedom of all slaves in America; not only those within the Confederacy but also those within the Union states. These prompted them to pressed Lincoln to seek a constitutional amendment that would secure freedom for all slaves. In his 1864 presidential campaigns, Lincoln was forced to pledge a constitutional amendment that would abolish slavery in the entire United States. His campaigns were boasted by separate abolition laws passed by two different states – Maryland and Missouri in 1864. After being re-elected, Lincoln hurriedly forced the 38th congress to amend the constitution as fast as possible and January 1865 was the historic moment for all slaves in America. The congress passed to the state lawmakers for ratification the 13th amendment, barring any form of slavery within the borders and territories of the United States. After being ratified in December 1865, the law took effect after twelve days. It is estimated that about 40,000 slaves and 1,000 slaves were released immediately in Kentucky and Delaware respectively (Christopher, 58). Although some have consistently criticized Lincoln as a white supremacist who only made the decree after being pressed by the abolitionists who wanted racial reforms, his legacy will forever remain in the memory of all American races. He took a bold step not only to savage the Union from disintegration but also secured the freedom of the slaves. His belief in human freedom and goodwill to see his dreams through saw the end of heinous act that is slavery at a time when there was tension everywhere. He achieved a lot within a span of five years considering the opposition he faced from all corners of the country and even internationally. He simply won two wars with Emancipation Proclamation. Work Cited Berlin, Ira, Eds. Freedom: A Documentary History of Emancipation 1861-1867, Vol. 1: The Destruction of Slavery, Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1985, p. 260 Christopher Ewan. â€Å"The Emancipation Proclamation and British Public Opinion The Historian, Vol. 67, 2005, p. 34-78 Crowther, Edward R. â€Å"Emancipation Proclamation†. In Encyclopedia of the American Civil War. Heidler, David S. and Heidler, Jeanne T (Eds), 2000, p. 45-78 Klingaman, William. Abraham Lincoln and the Road to Emancipation, 1861-1865 New York: Viking Press, 2001, p. 234 Poulter, Keith. Slaves Immediately Freed by the Emancipation Proclamation, North South vol. 5 no. 1, December 2001, p. 48 Thomas, Benjamin Burlingame, Michael. Abraham Lincoln: A Biography, California: SIU Press, 2008, p. 23-500

The Low Cost Housing Pandemic Construction Essay

The Low Cost Housing Pandemic Construction Essay This research report has been compiled for the purpose of providing an efficient and effective solution to the glaring housing pandemic currently prevalent in South Africa. The South African government has to some extent, through the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP), realised their obligation as mentioned above; however, the desired results have not yet been achieved. It has been a daunting task for the government to provide housing to the large population of indigenous people, so young into a democracy. The aim of this research is essentially, to provide a solution to the perplexing problem of providing adequate housing as it is a fundamental human right, and it must be noted that the lack of success over the years in providing the said housing has caused an insurmountable amount of distress to affected communities and has put an enormous amount of pressure on the South African Government in terms of their obligations toward service delivery. Consequently, this compilation presents undoubted findings which imply that the government is being pressurized by the housing backlog within the KwaZulu- Natal Region, more especially on the area known as the Kennedy Road informal settlement which is part of the Suburb of Clare Estate and also includes the Umlazi B10 Housing Project and in turn they require suggestions on a more concrete approach to sustainably meet the demands placed upon them by the ever growing populous. One such suggestion that must be viewed with a keen eye is the relatively new and exciting initiative introduced by Moladi, which has already been used in countries such as India, Mexico and Nigeria with tremendous success. South Africa has been plagued by an almost unsolvable housing crisis. It must be noted that the specific goal of this research is to assist in exploring new alternatives to the conventional building methods employed by the Reconstruction and Development Programme, which will subsequently be proven, has fallen apart. Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 Background-History of research According to Sayed Ally (2009:3), despite the fact that South Africa is 18 years into the great democracy of 1994, a large percentage of the indigenous population in this country have been subjected to deplorable and in actual fact, completely inexcusable living conditions. Sayed Ally (2009:3) further highlights that promises of improved housing conditions, better education and lower unemployment levels have not materialized to date, however, we cannot say that the struggle has been in vain as South Africa has progressed from being labelled as an apartheid state, to becoming one of the most developed countries on the African continent. Part of the stepping stones to this achievement have been through strategies based on the improvement of education facilities, black empowerment policies to level the plain fields of the previously disadvantaged, and housing initiatives such as the Reconstruction and Development Program (RDP). However, as mentioned by Sayed Ally (2009:4), we have not tasted the fruits of success, as implementation of some of these policies has failed to lift off the ground. This is blatantly evident as the presence of slums or shacks as it is referred to colloquially, have become the popular means of shelter for those underprivileged individuals who had trusted in the promises made by their ideal government. Although there have been attempts made by the government to replace the informal settlements with low cost housing, this process has been slow indeed. According to Majavu (2011:2) the department of performance monitoring and evaluation in the Presidency has warned parliament s human settlements portfolio committee that the Human Settlements Department is making slow progress on 2014 targets. The primary concern to the government should be to solve the housing problem by providing suitable shelter to all citizens in need of it. This is because people with homes to go to, have a sense of belonging. (Wikipedia, 2012) A roof over the head of an individual grants him the opportunity of maintaining his/ her human dignity! It is a fundamental right of any human being to have a house, and duly stated in Section 26 of the South African Bill of Rights. Sayed Ally (2009:4). If successful, the alternative provided by this research will provide assistance in resolving the ongoing housing problem in Kwazulu-Natal through the initiative discussed below, and hopes to provide not only shelter, but also employment as well as ease the burden of the government in providing adequate service delivery, thus making South Africa a better place for all those who live in it. 1.2 Problem Statement The problem to be investigated may be stated as:- Moladi (the concept of shell housing), an alternative to South Africa s conventional construction methods, once incorporated into the Governments low cost housing policy, may assist in overcoming the failures prevalent in providing low cost housing which are associated with the conventional construction methods, thereby providing permanent shelter to displaced South Africans. 1.3 Objectives The objectives of this study are: i. Comparing and identifying the traditional building methods in the construction of low cost housing, design-and-build and the provision of an excellent end product. ii. Identifying factors such as: innovative designs, workmanship, selection of inappropriate material, approval of defective products and the quality of staff. iii. To identify and propose appropriate alternative solutions to challenges regarding the lack of sufficient funds, the shortage of skilled labourers, a lack of resources, work flow control, time constraints and wastage. 1.4 Significance of this research study The above averments have one goal and that is to assist in the process of repairing the problems created by poorly constructed conventional method houses in the affected areas of Kwa-Zulu Natal. Sayed Ally (2009:13) points out that over the past 15 years, many companies were contracted to build low cost houses for the previously disadvantaged, however, till today we find homeless people living on the side of the road, or if they are lucky, to live in an informal settlement. The numerous cases of poorly constructed houses, corrupt contractors, and misuse of government funding has done little to help the man on the street. The government has even gone to the extent of hiring foreign companies such as Golden Nets International to complete the job, but even they produced inefficient homes which subsequently collapsed in bad weather. The research that follows herein below examines the impact that shoddy building techniques has had upon low-cost housing in South Africa, more so in Kwa-Zulu Natal. This would be done through the examination of factors such as design and workmanship. In addition, the anticipated outcome of this research is to see a change in the quality of low-cost housing projects as well as an improved product for house occupants. 1.5 Design According to Wentzel L (2010:3), most of the blame for inadequate building performance and low quality work is placed on the designer. This however puts a lot of pressure on the designer, pressure such as a lack of awareness of the building processes; or for failing to understand the latest technology and the performance of innovative materials; or the reluctance to delegate authority to project-based supervisors; or simply for not spending more time on these building sites. However, Barrie and Paulson (1984) mention that designers generally recognize that no human undertaken task produces absolutely perfect results. Therefore designers often specify not only the desired standard for the characteristics that define a product, such as dimensions or strength, but tolerance or ranges for acceptable variations from the standard. These standards therefore need to be maintained and quality of conformance monitored by the construction manager, who will also be held liable if quality standar ds drop. Wentzel L (2010:3). A proudly South African initiative otherwise known as Moladi, takes construction to an entirely new dimension. The speed and minimal costs involved, allow for the development of building a house a day Moladi.net (2012). The multi award winning Moladi construction system was founded in South Africa in 1986 as a method of building cast in place reinforced monolithic structures Moladi.net (2012). The Moladi technology was developed as a means to alleviate many of the cumbersome and costly aspects associated with conventional construction methods without compromising on the quality or integrity of the structure Moladi.net (2012). Managing director Mr Hennie Botes states that the Moladi system involves the use of a removable, reusable, recyclable and lightweight plastic formwork mould to produce a durable and permanent structure, which has been subject to numerous tests and independent reports. As the system is not pre-fabricated off the building site or dependant on skilled labour, the use of the Moladi system allows for local, unskilled labour to be employed, he stated Moladi.net (2012). Women, who have traditionally been either reluctant or discouraged from working within the male-dominated sector, are encouraged to participate in the non-labour intensive building process, Mr Botes added Moladi.net (2012). He explained further that the process involves assembling a mould the size of the designed house, with all the electrical services, plumbing and steel reinforcing located within the wall structure, which is filled with a South African Bureau of Standards approved lightweight mortar to form all the walls of the house simultaneously Moladi.net (2012). The method, he noted, eliminates the time and labour intensive work of chasing, beam filling, plastering and generates no waste. 1.6 Workmanship According to Wentzel L (2010:3), when human error occurs at the setting-out stage of the construction process (which is the first physical activity in the chain of activities), the result might be very costly and the ripple effect down the chain of activities maybe disastrous in terms of time constraints. Swain and Guttmann (1983), found four types of errors in the construction industry. They are: time, qualitative, sequence and quantitative errors, which can take place. Time errors occur when a task must be performed within a specific time. Qualitative errors are such errors which include right action on wrong object, wrong action on right object, wrong action on wrong object, information not obtained/ transmitted or substitution/ intrusion error. Sequence errors however occur when an activity is done or performed out of sequence. Quantitative errors are errors which are made in rates, prices, and mathematical errors. Wentzel L (2010:3) Wentzel L (2010:4) stated further that, when focusing on the issues such as the housing backlog, design faults, lack of skilled shortages and client manipulation, it is made clear that all these factors influence low-cost housing in South Africa currently. As mentioned above the Moladi Shell Housing concept, has been designed and manufactured to address the six key challenges that determine the successful implementation of low cost housing projects in developing countries. These challenges would be the lack of sufficient funds, the shortage of skilled labourers, a lack of resources, work flow control, time constraints and wastage Moladi.net (2012). Chasing, beam filling, plastering and wastage are eliminated, producing a fast track, cost effective, transferable construction technology Moladi.net (2012). (Moladi.net 2012:3) (Moladi.net 2012:3) (Moladi.net 2012:3) (Moladi.net 2012:3) 1.7 Limitations i. The research is conducted specifically on the construction processes of low cost housing units. ii. Research is angled at mass housing initiatives providing an alternative to the normal building techniques (using brick and block). iii. The research area is confined to the Kwa Zulu Natal (Clarestate and Umlazi) region. iv. The research was completed in a time frame of six months. Some of the limitations regarding Moladi are: v. Moladi systems cannot be used or are undesirable for use in boundary walls. They are primarily used for housing. vi. Moladi systems cannot be used to build cavity walls. However, it provides good thermal and water proofing properties. vii. Moladi systems cannot be used to do extensions to homes. Moulds for once of applications would not be cost effective. 1.8 Conclusion In conclusion, alternate building techniques form an integral component to the building industry; however, it is inflated significantly when examining low-cost housing. By analyzing objectives stated in this chapter, we can consequently draw conclusions about the building techniques that are currently used in the construction of low-cost housing in South Africa, in comparison to newer innovations and techniques that may better address the issue. Chapter 2 Literature review 2.1 Introduction Objectives were presented in the preceding chapter in order for the identification of possible problems that are related to workmanship qualities and poor design methods in the construction process in terms of the provision for low cost housing. Quality standards were also raised alongside time and cost factors, which affected design as well as workmanship at the same time. In order to place these submissions in proper perspective, this chapter will review the relevant literature that is currently available, particularly on shoddy building techniques and its impact on the low-cost housing sector. 2.2 Building techniques Building may refer to, any human-made structure used or intended for supporting or sheltering any use or continuous occupancy, or an act of construction (i. e. the activity of building. (Wikipedia, 2012). Building Techniques refer to different methods adopted in construction processes and phases which provide alternate options to conventional or traditional building methods. It also plays a substantial role in the low-cost housing sector because of the high demand for mass housing that has to be constructed over short contract periods. Low income housing refers to residences for persons or families with low annual household earnings. Its purpose is to provide places for people to live within their range of affordability. Quality is being severely compromised as more focus is being placed on quantity. 2.3 Poor construction techniques and the R.D.P According to Mbonambi (2012:4), an article that appeared in the Mercury Newspaper, soil and mud tumbled down into the back walls of people s homes and water seeped through the walls and floors, this is what residents of Umlazi have experienced in their new RDP homes since moving in early in 2011. The article states further that some residents were afraid that their houses, in the Umlazi B10 housing project, would collapse and they would be injured or even killed. Some of the problems that contribute to the impending failure of the RDP programme are the use of inefficient labourers. In 2005, the Minister of Finance Trevor Manuel was taken on a tour to observe the good progress of RDP houses in Port Elizabeth, he was shocked when he saw that the millions of rands being spent by government were producing incomplete walls and door frames that were not according to size. (Sayed Ally: 2009:5) (Sayed Ally:2009:5) mentions further that this is one of many examples of the lack in competence of the labourers tasked with the responsibility of ensuring quality but efficient housing skills in the RDP programme. In contrast, the Moladi housing initiative does not require skilled labourers to build houses, in fact, it is mostly unskilled workers that are utilised, and more predominantly females are encouraged to be involved because of the simplicity and repetitive nature of the process Natasha Odendaal (2012:3) reported in the Engineering Newss print magazine that Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale stated that the rectification of substandard construction work on many of the low-cost housing projects throughout South Africa has left the State with a bill of about R50-billion. As a result of this, he again posed the question of whether it was time to establish a State-owned construction company to undertake the many housing projects in the country engineeringnews.co.za (2012). Having considered the above it can be deduced that, current building techniques are failing dismally. The minister was exasperated when he stated that inexperienced, less-than-credible shovel, wheelbarrow and bakkie brigade construction groups involved in the tenders for governments housing programmes were delivering shoddy workmanship and many of their constructions were falling apart. Black economic-empowerment was not a licence to deliver substandard or poor-quality work, he said engineeringnews.co.za (2012) Odendaal (2012:3). Sayed Ally (2009:5) avers that in addition to the higher costs and incompetent nature associated with RDP housing, the programme has been riddled with numerous counts of corruption on the part of project managers and other stakeholders involved. The development in the Mpumalanga region has reported that as many as 8000 houses were left incomplete after project managers filled their pockets and quietly exited the scene (SamaYenda, 2005). It is due to these factors that public perception has embraced a negative attitude to the process of low cost housing. As a mandatory requirement, the institution of a project of this magnitude would require efficient labourers, who have been trained on the job to produce the most efficient results. According to Tabane (2002:1), Gauteng pays 41 million rand for 8 RDP houses, the city of Gauteng paid 41 million rand (forty one million Rand) for 8 RDP houses this means that the eight RDP houses cost the Gauteng housing department a whopping R5-million each. It is just one of the startling findings uncovered by an investigation team appointed by Housing MEC Paul Mashatile. It is evident that various electronic as well as print media associations are publishing their discoveries regarding the ineffectiveness of the RDP, but still, it seems that rampant corruption and inefficiency on the path of government is ever present and in fact stalling the rate of success needed for the completion of the incumbent housing projects. Streek (2001;5) confirms that 7.5-million people are still without shelter, and between two and three million houses still had to be built to meet this need. Many of these people are living in informal settlements in urban areas, where 53.6% of the population live, whereas others share accommodation. The pace of housing delivery annually has declined from 300 000 in 1997 to about 200 000 the following year richardknight.homestead.com (2012) Streek (2001;5) states that the housing shortage is still desperate, he further states that, Minister of Housing Sankie Mthembi-Mahanyele says, we will be slowing down further we have to look at the quality issue and at tenure alternatives richardknight.homestead.com (2012). 2.4 Traditional and Alternate Building Techniques South Africa is a third world country that is in its crawling stages of development. Emphasis has been placed on the drastic changes that need to occur in order for South Africa to move forward. The government has not been able to provide any suggestions to enhance the condition of housing thereby elevating the plight of those poor South Africans who have no roofs over their heads. 2.4.1 Traditional Building Techniques Traditional bricks or blocks are moulded in a small mould and then laboriously stacked by an artisan and sandwiched with mortar to form a wall structure. The electrical and water pipes are positioned by grinding and chasing into the brick wall. The wall is then plastered to cover the pipes and services, as well as the brickwork, to create a level and smooth surface Moladi.net (2012). 2.4.2 Alternate Building Techniques Supplemented by evidence that appears throughout this dissertation, Moladi comes forth as the most suitable alternative to repair the in-competencies of traditional building techniques currently used for low-cost housing. Moladi follows an optimised and sequential process. This allows for the number of unskilled labourers, which are utilised effectively, to be predetermined according to the size of the house, area of formwork for the intended unit and volume of the mortar Moladi.net (2012). The speed of the construction is also taken into consideration to calculate the number of unskilled labourers on site, with larger units having additional unskilled labour to optimise construction time Moladi.net (2012). Table 2.4.2.1 as shown below outlines the model of operation of the two day building process in a summarised step by step format adopted by Moladi Moladi.net(2012). Table 2.4.2.1 OUTLINE OF THE MODEL OPERATION DAY ONE- START 11HOO FINISH 17H00 DAY TWO- START 07H00 FINISH 17H00 STEP 1: Moladi Formwork is delivered to site. Area= 74m Mass= 550kg Volume= 3m? Moladi Formwork panels are assembled by unskilled labourers to form the mould panels of the desired house plan. STEP 1: Moladi formwork panels are removed Moladi formwork panels are completely removed in 2 hours with 4 unskilled labourers STEP 2: Internal Formwork panels are erected Window frames and block-outs are positioned within the wall cavity Reinforcing bars are positioned within the cavity to engineer specifications STEP 2: Immediately after the formwork panels are removed, the walls are painted with a water based paint Oil or acrylic based paint can be applied after the walls can be cured or within 28 days. STEP 3: Door frames and black-outs are positioned within the wall cavity External formwork panels are erected to close off the wall cavity Erection is completed in 4 hours with 4 unskilled labourers STEP 3: The engineer certified roof is installed The windows and doors are installed Final finishing s such as sanitary ware and lighting are completed The structure is now ready for occupation STEP 4: The wall cavity is filled with Moladi aerated mortar by unskilled labourers The pour is completed in 2 hours with 4 unskilled labourers Moladi.net(2012) To evaluate the viability of Moladi s housing techniques against conventional building techniques, some of the salient features are listed below: I. Moladi provides cheaper housing in a faster time period than any other form of housing. II. Efficiency of production is maximized as each foreman will be educated to minimize costs by Moladi project managers themselves and thus transferring their skills. III. Reusable nature of Moladi framework system makes it ideal in reducing costs as well as meeting environmental standards. IV. The process is not dependant on skilled labour. V. Experience, expertise and track record of our contractors will come into valuable use as a large operation of this magnitude will require diversification of skills. VI. A fast, simple, adaptable and a low construction cost technological building system. VII. Highly suited for use in mass housing markets, without compromising quality. VIII. Utilizes indigenous materials to produce high standard permanent structures that are earthquake, cyclone and tsunami resistant Moladi.net (2012). 2.5 Conclusion The creation of Moladi houses are very simple and differs from the normal lengthy building process commonly associated with construction. Once the foundation has been laid, a lightweight plastic shutter framework system (Moladi) is erected and mortar is used to cast the house resulting in a one piece reinforced walling system. (Moladi.com 2012:3) In a matter of 10 days, a Moladi house can be completed. Such an inference may ease government s pressure and allow them to focus on other avenues that need their attention such as poverty, health care and education. Chapter 3 Research methodology 3.1 Introduction Chapter 2 presented an overview of existing literature. It was determined that there are various factors leading to problems concerning poor building techniques in housing construction more so, affecting the low-cost housing sector. These factors however, do not only reflect pessimism but in actual fact they bring about a sense of prosperity for the simple reason that South Africa itself, is undergoing substantial development and growth which takes time and will invariably lead to an upliftment of the lives of those who are inadequately accommodated. In order to test the quality of Building Techniques two research methodological approaches were employed namely Qualitative and Quantitative methods which will be presented and analyzed to substantiate the validity of this research. 3.2 Qualitative Research Methodology Qualitative research is a type of scientific research. In general terms, scientific research consists of an investigation that: I. Seeks answers to a question. II. Systematically uses a predefined set of procedures to answer the question. III. Collects evidence. IV. Produces findings that were not determined in advance. V. Produces findings that are applicable beyond the immediate boundaries of the study. Qualitative research shares these characteristics. Additionally, it seeks to understand a given research problem or topic from the perspectives of the local population it involves. Qualitative research is especially effective in obtaining culturally specific information about the values, opinions, behaviours, and social contexts of particular populations. (Qualitative research methods: A data Collector s field Guide 2012:1). 3.2.1 What are some qualitative research methods? The three most common qualitative methods, explained in detail in their respective modules, are participant observation, in-depth interviews, and focus groups. Each method is particularly suited for obtaining a specific type of data. I. Participant observation is appropriate for collecting data on naturally occurring behaviours in their usual contexts. II. In-depth interviews are optimal for collecting data on individuals personal histories, perspectives, and experiences, particularly when sensitive topics are being explored. III. Focus groups are effective in eliciting data on the cultural norms of a group and in generating broad overviews of issues of concern to the cultural groups or subgroups represented. (Qualitative research methods: A data Collector s field Guide 2012:2) The qualitative method as used in this research incorporates both questionnaires delivered by hand in association with standardised open ended interviews that were conducted. In order to gather theoretical and honest responses from the respondents emphasis is given to the method above. 3.3 Quantitative Research Methodology Quantitative research is a formal, objective, systematic process in which numerical data are used to obtain information about the world. (Burns Grove 2005:23) This research method is used: I. To describe variables; II. To examine relationships among variables; III. To determine cause-and-effect interactions between variables. (Burns Grove 2005:23) Quantitative research is generally made using scientific methods, which can include: I. The generation of models, theories and hypotheses. II. The development of instruments and methods for measurement. III. Experimental control and manipulation of variables. IV. Collection of empirical data. V. Modelling and analysis of data. Wikipedia.org (2012) This method has also been incorporated into this research. Quantitative research is utilized in order to achieve appropriate statistical outcomes, which would assist in ascertaining supplementary theoretical recommendations and subsequent conclusions. 3.4 Questionnaires A questionnaire is a series of questions asked to individuals to obtain statistically useful information about a given topic. When properly constructed and responsibly administered, questionnaires become a vital instrument by which statements can be made about specific groups or people or entire populations. Wikipedia.org (2012) Questionnaires are frequently used in quantitative marketing research and social research. They are a valuable method of collecting a wide range of information from a large number of individuals, often referred to as respondents. Wikipedia.org (2012) Adequate questionnaire construction is critical to the success of a survey. Inappropriate questions, incorrect ordering of questions, incorrect scaling, or bad questionnaire format can make the survey valueless, as it may not accurately reflect the views and opinions of the participants. Wikipedia.org (2012) According to Wentzel L (2010:31) the data which is collected by questionnaires may be qualitative or quantitative. Wentzel L (2010: 31) further mentions that questionnaires do however lend themselves more to quantitative forms of analysis. This is partly because they are designed to collect mainly very discrete items or packages of information, with either numbers or words which can be coded and represented as numbers. Wentzel L (2010:31) in addition mentions that this emphasis is also partly due to the larger scale of many questionnaire surveys, and their common focus is on representation, which encourages a numerical or quasi-numerical summary of results. 3.4.1 Types of Questionnaires a. Contingency questions A question that is answered only if the respondent gives a particular response to a previous question. This avoids asking questions of people that do not apply to them (for example, asking men if they have ever been pregnant) Wikipedia.org (2012). b. Matrix questions Identical response categories are assigned to multiple questions. The questions are placed one under the other, forming a matrix with response categories along the top and a list of questions down the side. This is an efficient use of page space and respondents time Wikipedia.org (2012). c. Closed ended questions Respondents answers are limited to a fixed set of responses. Most scales are closed ended. Other types of closed ended questions include: I. Yes/no questions The respondent answers with a yes or a no. II. Multiple choice The respondent has several option from which to choose. III. Scaled questions Responses are graded on a continuum (example: rate the appearance of the product on a scale from 1 to 10, with 10 being the most preferred appearance). Examples of types of scales include the Likert scale, semantic differential scale, and rank-order scale (See scale for a complete list of scaling techniques Wikipedia.org (2012). d. Open ended questions No options or predefined categories