Tuesday, May 26, 2020

Animal Testing For Medical Purposes - Free Essay Example

Animal Testing For Medical Purposes Should Be Banned Animal testing for medical purposes, also known as animal experimentation, is conducted when inventing new medicine to cure people. In order to test the safety and the effectiveness of new drugs, animals that share similar genetic groups with humans are used as experimental objects to simulate the human environment. The world has been witnessing the debate of whether to ban animal testing since 1930s, when an animal-tested drug called the DEG caused more than 100 deaths of people . This essay will first argue against Animal Testing for medical purposes from moral basis. Then, it will deeply analyze the current situation of animal testing, distinguishing the achievements of animal testing from the apparent or hidden drawbacks, in order to persuade people that disadvantages overshadow advantages. After that, it will list alternatives to replace animal testing for medical purposes and prove their promising future developments. At last, this essay will summarize from all the arguments and give a conclusion. Animal Testing: An immoral, cruel form of experiment Animal Testing is morally wrong. This is the basis of why it should be banned. Even where there are laws against cruelty towards animals , the brutality of animal treatment still crosses any justifiable line. Dr. Chaitanya Koduri, science policy advisor for PETA chronicles laboratories, wrote that rats and mice infested with worms and mites and the decayed bodies of newborn animals (were just) left lying on the groundsheep had holes drilled into their skulls and were injected with rabies Ratswere blinded after having glass tubes pushed behind their eyes to extract blood. Lauren Walker of Newsweek describes experiments like this: the monkeys were made to inhale a lethal amount of anthrax, (they had) difficulty breathing (they) were vomiting, losing control of their bowels. Many were just left to die . These are just a few of the countless examples of cruelty to animals. At least 115 million animals are tested on each year, large percentages of those without any anesthesia . Yet, many people stay ignorant of all those immoral experiments, simply because they are far away from them. On the contrary, the benefits of animal testing to humans are quite obvious: it is helpful to cure human diseases. The details of this statement will be analyzed in the following paragraphs, in which they will be argued against. At this point, it is no bother to assume this statement to be 100% trustworthy, and the following theory will explain why. According to Kohlberg, the theory of Stages of Moral Development, whether to ban animal testing lies in the contradiction between requirements in Social Contract and Individual Rights (stage 5) and requirements in Universal Ethical Principles (stage 6) . At stage 5, people tend to gain the mutual benefit for all in society. So, if animal testing for medical reasons is beneficial to the majority of mankind, it should be conducted regardless of any fixed law. That is the reason for many proponents of animal testing. However, at stage 6, people cease to just think of themselves, the society or any other concrete entities in the human world. Instead, their behavior depends upon universal ethical principles: justice, equality and conscience. From this level, although animal testing is probably beneficial, it is undoubtably cruel, because every form all it deliberately violates fundamental rights for animals as a form of life, and all lives are sacred. British poet Tomas Hardy has an excellent expression in the novel Jude the Obscure to clarify this phenomenon : Do not do an immoral thing for moral reasons. In other words, all kinds of animal testing should be banned, regardless of their different purposes; all kinds of animal testing shou ld be banned, whether they are beneficial to mankind or not. Animal Testing: An unreliable, wasteful and dangerous choice Supporters of animal testing have good reasons indeed. They argue that the medical and scientific advances earned by animal testing have allowed countless lives to be saved from the ravages of disease and injury, so that banning animal testing causes hundreds of thousands of deaths every year because of the lack of effective medicine. They can list a lot of achievements, including HIV , GBM and other treatments. Nevertheless, they apparently ignore the following three factors: First, it has to be admitted that animal testing for medical reasons has played important roles in case of curing diseases, but the efficiency is questionable. In order to invent a valid new medicine, scientists usually conduct thousands of experiments, resulting in possibly one successful example. Cancer drugs, among all drugs, have the lowest success rate, for only 5% of all samples are proved effective after entering clinical trials. Other examples, such as psychiatry drugs (6% approved), heart drugs (7% valid) and neurology drugs (8% success), are in almost the same condition . The problem with this is not because that scientists havent done enough experiments, but because human genetic groups, though very similar to those animals that we test on, are different and will only be affected by the genetic determinants and physiological mechanisms that are unique to our own. A study published in Science found that a crucial protein that controls blood sugar in humans is missing in mice. Even if scientists made this gene to express in genetically altered mice, it behaved differently. The worse thing was that this injected gene had exactly the opposite effect from what should have in humans it caused loss of blood sugar control in mice. So, if scientists use animal models, they will not be confounded with relevant data. Instead, they will actually be diverted away from unraveling the causes behind human diseases and be misguided. Second, the cost of using animal testing to make medicine is incredible. The US government, for instance, spends as much as $14.5 billion per year on animal testing, with several projects continuously demanding for taxpayers money but resulting in nothing . Anthony Bellotti, founder and executive director of White Coat Waste Project, said: This large amount of money is paying for experiments in which small dogs are forced to run on treadmills until they have heart attacks at schools like Wayne State University, and to study the effects of crystal meth on monkeys at UCLA. How can we justify government waste like this? Moreover, there is little need to calculate the number of testing animalsthey are too many to be counted. By sacrificing all those lives and all that large amount of money, what benefits does the world have? The truth is, whether supporters of animal testing admit it or not, billions of dollars are spent every year on useless programs that are cruel and inhumane and have no scientific benefits. Third, even when drugs do pass animal testing, they can be deadly for humans. Blind faith in animal tests means that incidents like TGN 1412 trials happen. The drug showed no ill effects, after testing in mice, rabbits, rats and monkeys and even being given 500 times the dose for humans to those animals for four consecutive weeks. However, within minutes of being given to humans, some patients suffered from permanent organ damage. Horribly, one of them was spotted as swelling heads and was regarded as elephant man trial. This is not just a rare example. Alzheimers drugs and hepatitis drugs also reported similar accidents . If animal testing is aimed at saving human lives, it also puts people in greater danger. Animal Testing: Can be replaced and ultimately becomes unnecessary From technological, financial and social perspective, animal testing has been proved unreliable, wasteful and dangerous; from the moral basis, it is obligated to stop this inhumane behavior. The strongest argument for not banning animal testing is now reduced to this: It is morally wrong and has all those disadvantages, but it is indispensable, therefore cannot be cancelled. It is possibly true before, during the last century, when other technologies were not developed. Today, things are different. Artificially constructed organs can now model diseases and their cures, eliminating the need for animal testing. Donald Ingber, Doctor at Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, has constructed a human lung. Cells within it are susceptible to infections. When Ingbers team added bacteria to the airspace of the lung-on-a-chip, white blood cells swarmed to the bacteria. They have also tested the toxicity of a cancer drug known to fill patients lungs with fluid, a condition known as pulmonary edema. Ingbers lung-on-a-chip is one of many new attempts at replacing animal models with more effective analogs. Despite artificial organs, computer models can extensively simulate human inner environment. A research team at the Danish National Veterinary Institute has spent years feeding computer models with information about toxins. The so-called QSAR models (Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationships) help them study unknown substances for health hazards, and they can also in certain situations reduce the demand of animal testing. This model is also capable of comparing the chemical structure of the new substance with existing substances in the database. Though not very developed, methods related to cloud calculating and huge databases like this will become mature in the foreseeable future. With these methods, the number of diseases that need animal testing to cure is decliningultimately it may be unnecessary at all, and this is not an unreasonable guess. After all, science and technology are always developinga natural tendency. One day, animal testing would be old-fashioned and replaced To sum up, animal testing for medical reasons has a cruel history, a questionable and current situation and a doomed future. Maybe it was useful and helpful in the past; it is time for us to ban animal testing now. The process could be long and arduous, but there is hope. John F. Kennedy, the 35th president of the US, told his people in his inaugural speech to have faith. Although he was talking about something else, the spirit within his words is the same: All this will not be finished in the first hundred year, nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet, but let us begin.

Monday, May 18, 2020

Acid Rain’s Effects on Our Lives

Acid Rain’s Effects on Our Lives You have definitely heard of such ecological problem as acid rain, yet when asked about its nature most people are at a loss. Acid rain is the so-called by-product of certain industries and vehicles. They emit sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides which under the influence of the sun and moisture change into sulphates and nitrates and then into sulphuric and nitric acid that come down as acid rain. This phenomenon seems to have a variety of negative effects on our lives. Firstly, it affects natural vegetation and crops, ruining or damaging them as well as destroying nutrients present in the soil. Moreover, acid rain leaches harmful elements like mercury and aluminium from the soil and stones and then they get into lakes and rivers poisoning the water and killing some aquatic forms of life. As all living organisms are interdependent, the death of one link in the food chain may affect other ones. For instance, animals that depend upon fish or plants to survive will begin to suffer because of acid rains. Humans also depend on plants and animals, so the loss of plant and animal life means the loss of food sources for us. In addition, acid rain gets into the food we eat, the water we drink as well as into the air we breathe and has harmful effects on our health. For example, if such a harmful element as mercury gets into your body, it might cause the development of serious illnesses. All things on our planet are affected by this problem. Therefore, it is time for us to start doing something to solve it.

Saturday, May 16, 2020

Essay on Games in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Games in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Many games are involved in the plot of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The Green Knight, Bercilak de Hautdesert, plays a Christmas game with Arthurs court at Camelot (line 283); Gawains hosts wife plays games with Gawain throughout the third section of the poem; Gawains sees his arrangement of mutual trade with his host as a game (line 1380); and all of the events of the story are revealed as a game of Arthurs sister, Morgan Le Fay (lines 2456-2466). Throughout the telling of the story, the author plays a mental game with the reader or listener, as well. The Christmas game that the Green Knight comes to play with Arthurs court at the instigation of Morgan Le Fay†¦show more content†¦Bercilak, Gawains host, hides from Gawain the fact that he is the Green Knight from Arthurs castle, and Gawain sees this arrangement -- the of mutual exchange of things won over the course of the day -- as a game, although the host also describes this arrangement as a covenant. (line 1384) The hosts wife also plays games with Gawain throughout the course of this three-day game that Gawain plays with his host. The nature of the hunt that the host undertakes each day of the three parallels his wifes attempts to seduce Gawain, as well, although on both of the first two days there is an inversion. (Hunting is also a recreational activity comparable to a game.) On the first day, the host hunts and slays a doe, an act which, to medieval readers, would have been symbolic of a mans sexual conquest of a woman. The inversion here comes from the fact that Bercilaks wife fails to seduce Gawain -- Bercilak kills his doe, but his wife is unsuccessful in her attempted seduction -- and from the fact that the woman is here portrayed as the hunter. On the second day, Bercilak hunts a boar -- symbol of the carnal nature -- which, in Christian terms, is symbolic of the overcoming of the passions. The inversion here comes again from the fact that the female is portrayed as the hunter and, as before, from the fact that Gawain is forced to play a role seen as female: He must fend off the advances of his host. S everal times throughout his attemptedShow MoreRelatedA Comparison Of Sir Gawain And The Green Knight808 Words   |  4 PagesBrit Lit Essay I: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight As an avid recreational reader I enjoy reading books of all types, however, one of my favorite genres is fantasy. This love began in my reading of George MacDonalds Phantastes, and continued throughout the past year as I have been working my way through C.S. Lewis’ The Space Trilogy. What is so interesting, and simply enjoyable, for me about reading Sir Gawain is that it is a more original and classic take on the typical structure and plot of aRead MoreThe Audience, the Pentagle and the Green Sash in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight1547 Words   |  7 Pagesthe Green Sash in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Works Cited Missing Although some early manuscripts of the poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight still exist, nothing, beyond speculation, is known about the poet, which is a pity when considering its rich language and imagery. Believed to have been written between 1375 and 1400, and some 2500 lines long, the unknown poet blent a unique mixture of chivalry, the Beheading Game and the temptation of a knight called Sir GawainRead MoreSir Gawain And Don Quixote1373 Words   |  6 PagesFinal Essay Professor Meghan Evans 12/09/15 Who is More Chivalrous, Sir Gawain or Don Quixote? Sir Gawain and Don Quixote†¦these brave men bolster the honor, courage, and bravery which can be only demonstrated by that of the chivalrous knight. They face strong adversity, yet are able to use their wit and cunning in order to gain the upper hand. They uphold the laws of chivalry every knight must obey. First a knight must obey God. Then a knight must obey his King and his Lords. And then a knight mustRead More Masculine Identity in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Essay3776 Words   |  16 PagesMasculine Identity in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Vern L. Bulloughs article, On Being a Male in the Middle Ages, addresses how vital it was for a man living in the middle ages to be sexually active in order to maintain a masculine identity by explaining: Quite clearly, male sexual performance was a major key to being male. It was a mans sexual organs that made him different and superior to the woman. But maleness was somewhat fragile, and it was important for a man to keepRead More King Arthur Essay1428 Words   |  6 PagesRomano-Briton king who led the Celts against the Anglo-Saxons in the early 8th century (Americana, Arthurian Romances, 1972). The kings of the medieval period were warlords that protected a particular area of land. They surrounded themselves with knights, or thanes, who swore allegiance in battle in exchange for gifts of gold, armor, and land. There are stories that depict Arthur in this role, similar to that of Beowulf and Hrothgar in the poem Beowulf. However, later stories show Arthur in a differentRead MoreTheme Of Human Frailty In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight853 Words   |  4 PagesWhether it is a boastful display of courage and bravery, or a shameful episode of cowardice and temptation, the cha racters of Anglo-Saxon literature demonstrate both the best and the worst of each. In this essay, I will use the poems â€Å"The Wanderer†, Beowulf, and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight to exemplify this point. Most of the human honor presented in these poems comes from the portrayal of a hero. A hero in Anglo-Saxon culture not only had to be tough, courageous and modest, but also keep allRead MoreSir Gawain and the Green Knight – A Test of Chivalry Essay2448 Words   |  10 PagesSir Gawain and the Green Knight – A Test of Chivalry Essay with Outline   Loyalty, courage, honor, purity, and courtesy are all attributes of a knight that displays chivalry. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is truly a story of the test of these attributes. In order to have a true test of these attributes, there must first be a knight worthy of being tested, meaning that the knight must possess chivalric attributes to begin with. Sir Gawain is self admittedly not the best knight around. HeRead MoreEssay on The Role of Women in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight5387 Words   |  22 PagesThe Role of Women in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight In the Fourteenth Century, Feudalism and its offspring, chivalry, were in decline due to drastic social and economic changes. In this light, _Sir Gawain and the Green Knight_ presents both a nostalgic support of the feudal hierarchies and an implicit criticism of changes, which, if left unchecked will lead to its ultimate destruction. I would suggest that the women in the story are the Gawain poets primary instruments in this critique andRead More Sexuality in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Essay5052 Words   |  21 PagesThe Complications of Sexuality in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Gawains travels in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight suggest a world in which home--i.e., Camelot--is normal, while away--the opposing castle of Hautdesert where Gawain perforce spends his Christmas vacation--is other, characterized by unfamiliarity, dislocation, perversity. And in fact the atmosphere at Hautdesert appears somewhat peculiar, with various challenges to normal sexual identity, and with permutations of physicalRead MoreMasculinity : Portrayal Of Masculinity2222 Words   |  9 Pagesdepending on the social context of the time, the portrayal of masculinity in Beowulf and SGGK (Sir Gawain and the Green Knight) will be somewhat different. Traditional traits that are commonly regarded as fitting with the concept of masculinity include physical prowess, courage, honour and glory, and loyalty. The representation of these traits in the respective two poems will be explored in this essay and it will be argued that while the expectations of masculinity are very similar in bot h poems

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Description Of Child By W. - 950 Words

Description of Child â€Å"W† is an eight year and six month old male who was born March 30, 2007. He is in the third grade and is brand new to the school this year. â€Å"W† has divorced parents who both live in Boulder. The mother’s home is close but she drives him to school when he is with her. The father’s address is unknown. â€Å"W† is about the same height as his peers but his weight seems slightly under the average. His movements match his personality which could be described as outgoing, boisterous, and a leader. Outside on the playground â€Å"W† always plays with the same set of three boys when observed. They also played four-square during most observed recesses. He appears to be coordinated and athletic in nature. He is active in sports afterschool. â€Å"W† seems to be well like by the other males in the classroom and his has fit in seamlessly even though he is new to the school. However, if someone is acting inappropriate ly, even in his group of friends, he will quickly tell an adult. It has been observed that this act does cause some tension between friends. â€Å"W† sometimes attends the afterschool program if his mother is working late. It is unknown what he does on the days his father picks him up. Family Background â€Å"W† is the youngest child of two. He has an older brother who is in the sixth grade. â€Å"W’s† parents are divorced and have 50/50 custody of the boys. Their time is split evenly between both homes. â€Å"W’s† father is trying to get full custody of both of the boys. â€Å"W’s† dadShow MoreRelatedEvaluation Of A Case For A Child s Application Fee And Leasing Agent1236 Words   |  5 Pagesalleges that Respondents refused to rent an available apartment to him based on his parental status. Complainant states that in September 2016, he and his family went to Ansonia Morse, LLC, (Ansonia) located at 1550 W. Morse, and submitted an application for a one-bedroom apartment at 1550 W. Morse. Complainant paid the required $50 application fee and Leasing Agent Menchie Maduyag (Maduyag) accepted his application stating that Ansonia’s Manager Estera Cucu would review it. Two days later, ComplainantRead More`` Hills Like White Elephants `` By Ernest Hemingway1750 Words   |  7 Pagesothers, an elephant has no value and no beauty. To the young girl, the baby she carries acts as the non-burdensome gift, while the American man sees the baby as being insignificant (Hills Like White Elephants. 12). Since the American man sees the child as a burden, critics also believe this shows his lack of commitment in a relationship and lack of respect towards life (Bauer 5). In all honesty, if the American man did not want to marry the girl, also known as Jig, when he found out about t he pregnancyRead MoreThe Progress of an Aztec Warrior1681 Words   |  7 Pagesinculcated in the Aztecs from birth. 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The skin of the child would make anyone know thatRead MoreApplying Alfred Adlers Personality Theory to George W Bush Essay1524 Words   |  7 Pageswhich to do my research proposal on I decided on one of my favorite presidents in my time. George W. Bush seemed to be the most â€Å"real† president we have had in office since the 90’s. Next, I chose Adler’s theory to apply to Bush do to the fact that is the theorist that most closely applied to Bush’s life. Let ‘s start with some back ground about George W. Bush and then apply Adler’s theory. George W Bush was born on July 6, 1946. He was born in New Haven Connecticut where his father was attending

Thoughts Of Imperialism In Joseph Conrads Heart Of Darkness

Heart of Darkness, what does it really mean, what can it signify? For all it matters, it has no meaning, but is just a phrase. By applying the following schools of theory, psychoanalysis, over analyzing texts, cultural studies which portray how readers consume the text and postcolonial which analyzes the â€Å"losers† perspective it helps to depict the novella of Heart Darkness. By using the schools of theory, it will analyze a multitude of perspective relating to the novella’s theme of imperialism disastrous effects on life and the motifs of â€Å"Heart of Darkness†. The social aspects in which Heart of Darkness brings to light is the consuming urge of Imperialist to have power over the â€Å"uncivilized†. The novella of Heart of Darkness comments on†¦show more content†¦Nayak believes that â€Å"Conrad’s text exposes the violence and mercenary nature of imperialism† thus stating the obvious outcomes of imperialism. The Africans were subdued to heavy intensify labor forcefully and still were expected to follow through yet in past experience history has always shown that riots and revolutions soon to begin to follow such hardships. Nevertheless, Heart of Darkness points out the human perception of being obsessed with anything they seem to want or desire. The Europeans obsession over ivory drove them to imperialize and torture Africans solely to make money. By applying the psychoanalytical theory, it can point out the obsession of the human heart. Psychoanalysis theory is the thought of over analyzing text. For example, Marlow becomes obsessed with seeking this well praised and hard working character Kurtz; this can just be Conrad seeking a strong and dependent father figure that he may have never had. For example, Cunningham states â€Å" Marlow is unable to communicate the experience† thus showing the unexplainable feeling of Marlow towards meeting Kurtz.To add further to the theme of the human hearts obsession, the manager and the cousin seek to get rid of everyone that gets in their way of the control and power of the â€Å"Company†; this can be simply them trying to compensate for something they may lack. Though it may be said that is simply a bit of a stretch, though it is a possibility of why human are capable of obsessing over suchShow MoreRelatedEssay about Heart of Darkness1745 Words   |  7 Pagesin depth review of Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, a classical novella that illustrates witho ut bias the motives behind human intentions and the extremes individuals can go to achieve wealth and profits at the expense of others with the aim of shedding insight into the rise of European imperialism, the imperial history, its politics and evil activities in the colonized African tribes along the river Congo during the eighteenth and nineteenth century. The Heart of Darkness is an exceptionallyRead More Colonialism and Imperialism in Conrads Heart of Darkness Essay1016 Words   |  5 PagesImperialism Exposed in Conrads Heart of Darkness      Ã‚   Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness is a novel about European imperialism and its far-reaching effects. Conrad relates his personal opinions through the protagonist, Marlow, who learns a great deal about imperialism while on a journey to the African Congo. Although Heart of Darkness seems to be an anti-imperialistic work, this is not entirely true. Conrad condemns the overly idealistic nature of imperialism, but does not attack BritainsRead MoreHeart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad1329 Words   |  5 Pages Heart of Darkness is a novel written by Joseph Conrad. The setting of the book is in Belgian Congo, which was the most infamous European colony in Africa. This is a story about the protagonist Marlow’s journey to self discovery, and his experiences in Congo. Conrad’s story explores the colonialism period in Africa to demonstrate Marlow’s struggles. Along the way, he faces insanity, death, his fear of failure, and cultural contamination as he makes his was to the inner station. Conrad through theRead MoreThe Heart Of Darkness By Joseph Conrad968 Words   |  4 PagesJoseph Conrad’s novella The Heart of Darkness has been under controversy because of racial interpretations. The race factor in this novel has made some scholars and professors question the function the novella has in the classroom. However, Joseph Conrad had another view when writing the novel; to demonstrate how prejudice and dehumanizing the European culture is towards African Americans and their culture during this time period. European’s superior authority over African Americans is portrayedRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Heart Of Darkness By Chinua Achebe1364 Words   |  6 Pages In Chinua Achebe’s essay, â€Å"An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrad s Heart of Darkness,† Achebe purports that Joseph Conrad’s short story, Heart of Darkness, should not be taught due to it’s racist caricature of Africa and African culture. In Conrad’s book, Marlow, a sea captain, is tasked with venturing into the center of the Congo, otherwise known as the Heart of Darkness, to retrieve a mentally unstable ivory trader named Kurtz. Marlow narrates his adventures with a tinge of apathy for the enslavedRead MoreRacial Implications in Heart of Darkness619 Words   |  2 PagesRacial Implications in Heart of Darkness The plot of the novella Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad centers around a seafarer named Marlow and his journey up the Congo River and his exploits there during a time of imperialism. Once Marlow joins the Company as a captain for a ship heading to the Congo to trade, he encounters instances of oppression of the African natives by members of the Company. This character narrates the majority of the novel and often takes on the role of a passive observer,Read More Glorified Colonialism and Imperialism in Heart of Darkness Essay1202 Words   |  5 PagesImperialism Glorified in Heart of Darkness      Ã‚   Conrads Heart of Darkness is, as Edward Said states a story about European acts of imperial mastery (1503)-its methods, and the effects it has on human nature. Furthermore I hold the presumption that Conrad incorporates much of his own experience in the Congo and his opinions about imperialism. Another recent critic also suggests: he seems to approve of Marlow, the narrator (Achebe 1492). These revelations of the author are conveyed toRead More Achebes Misinterpretation of Conrads Heart of Darkness Essay718 Words   |  3 Pages Achebes Misinterpretation of Heart of Darkness nbsp; Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness is heralded by many as a classic, but over the years has presented many problems of interpretation. One of the most notable misinterpretations is Chinua Achebes An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrads Heart of Darkness. In it, Achebe points to various passages in the book that supposedly prove that Conrad and his book are racist, and that the book should be cast out of the canon of classic literatureRead MoreThe Darkness of Imperialism in In Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad567 Words   |  3 Pages In Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad, the interpretation of pre-colonial times is interesting in a way that supersedes other books I’ve read because it’s very honest with how the world worked it that era. The central aim which the shipmates in Heart of Darkness are pursuing is the expansion of their home countries’ empires. Yet many people are hurt in this enterprise, and it’s not only the colonized territories that a re impacted negatively by imperialist Europe. Europe’s explorers thatRead MoreJoseph Conrad s Heart Of Darkness1198 Words   |  5 Pages Joseph Conrad, in his novel Heart of Darkness, comments on the nature of imperialism, the individual psyche, and the evil inherent in the human condition. Chinua Achebe, a contemporary literary critic, argues that as the protagonist, Marlow, travels through the Congo, Conrad maintains a Western imperialist attitude towards the African natives. According to the novel, the natives are a sort of animalistic backdrop, a part of a landscape to merely house Kurtz and Marlow’s metaphysical battle. The

Project Of Big Heights Construction Samples †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Project Of Big Heights Construction. Answer: Introduction This is a constructionmanagement report designed and developed by the Big Heights Construction Company based in Australia. The report aims to understand the background information as well as scope of a project of East West Link in Melbourne, Australia. Considering the resources available, project scope, project specifications and the structure of team and the entire organization of the Big Heights Company, the Company will further decide whether or not to submit a tender for the project of East West Link. Detailed project estimations, bidding strategy and other important factors or elements that are a part of tender submission project have been covered in the management report. It is assumed in the report that the Big Heights Construction Company has sufficient resources in terms of labour, machinery and equipments required to complete the project of East West Link in Melbourne, Australia. Information on the Project The EWL (East West Link) Project in Melbourne, was one of the important projects proposed to make a standard freeway road of about 18 km long that connects between the Hoddle Street of Eastern Freeway and the Sunshine West of Western Ring Road in Melbourne, Australia. As per the project specifications, it was planned that the road would include two different segments called as Western Section and the Eastern Section. This was meant to make a connection between points such as Tullamarine Freeway, Eastern Freeway, Western Ring Road and the Port of Melbourne. The main aim of the East West Link (EWL) project was to decrease the traffic congestion and enhance the services of public transport. The East West Link was designed to provide a new cross city connection between east and west parts in Melbourne. It was estimated that this EWL project will generate employment for about 3, 200 labourers and design engineers and also ensured long term economic area growth and also increased produ ctivity (Road Traffic Technology, 2017). Figure 1 shows the Stage -1 of East West Link Project The Stage 1 of East West Link project is estimated to have a project cost of about in range of $6 to $8 billion. Following are the elements that are included in the Stage 1 of EWL Project: A new tolled motorway that links the City Link and Hoodle Street mainly via tunnel Upgrade plan for both the City Link and Eastern Freeway Enhancements of public transport to the north of central business district (East West Link Project, 2015). In the year June 2015, the East West Link project was terminated by the Australian Government as the business case involved in this project failed to provide specific justification and estimation for the Australian government to make an investment in this project. Recently, the Authority of East West Link have restarted this project and it is expected that the new EWL a tolled roadway that traces between points East Link or Eastern Freeway and Metropolitan Ring Road of Melbourne and the authorities estimated the East West Link to carry about 100, 000 vehicles in a day. The government has figured out that the East West Link is required because currently Melbourne does not possess a completed orbital road and this is constraining the economic growth. Of about 20 percent of Melbournes freight traverses between citys south east and north and this has resulted in clogging of the Rosanna road (Road Traffic Technology, 2017). Of all the four possible routes figured out, Corridor A which is a tunnel and orad of about 11 km from Eastern Freeway, Bulleen Road to Greensborough. As per the concerned authorities, this route has many positive attributes, when compared to the other three proposed routes. A report released by Infrastructure Australia showed that the road that links City Link and Eastern Freeway must be completed in near future, in order to avoid huge expenses in near future. Also, the report reflected on the cost of delays along the East West Link road, which will almost double from $ 73 million (as per 2011 stats) to about $ 144 million by the end of year 2031 (Matt, 2013). But considering the range of problems faced in this project, the main authorities involved in East West Link project said that it is now a Zombie project. Also, it was estimated that there are only little tangible benefits for the construction company associated with the project completion. Not only financial stats, there have been many oppositions from the Victorian Architects to close the East West Link (EWL) Project and said that this link has the potential to alter the landscape disastrously. Many critical researches were carried out by other Australian Authorities and they said that the East West Link project tends to pose a major threat to the ecologically important areas of Moonee Ponds Creek and Royal Park. Impact of development of East West Link (EWL) on the open space of area has serious concerns about the irreversible implications and repercussions (Edwards, 2016). From all the research and analysis carried out on the project of East West Link (EWL), it is quite clear that the project is considered to be the biggest infrastructure in the history of Melbourne. The concern of authorities involved in this project is that the citizens deserve transparent design and rigorous development as well as evaluation process before making a major decision on the important commitment that will have a long - term impact on the quality, character as well as sustainability of Melbourne for several decades. The oppositions made by authorities suggested to choose an alternative option for the construction of link, which will not have a negative impact on Royal Park and Moonee Ponds Creek. Failing which, the authorities asked to abandon the project in order to save the Melbourne citys ecologically important green space (Avis, 2013). Company Structure and Organization The Organizational structure of Big Heights Construction Company shows the graphical representation of roles and responsibilities held by each team within the company and the overall companys structure. The designed organizational chart is mainly used by our stakeholders and staff to clearly recognize as well as analyse the reporting structures and operational relationships, so that it helps them to understand how the organization works and also understand the delegation of duties and their reporting manager / lead. The Big Heights has a big team of 2000 employees working under them. The Big Heights Construction Company possess major functional units that include the following: Chief Executive Officer (CEO) ManagementTeam: comprises of HR and Marketing department and other Purchasing team Engineering Team: Design Engineers Project Managers Financial Department and Construction Workers / Labourers (Orgcharting.com, 2017) Below is the detailed roles and responsibilities withheld by each department within the Big Heights Construction Company: Chief Executive Officer He is responsible for managing the day to day activities of the Big Heights Construction Company. The CEO is responsible for setting the right strategy for organization and to oversee the operations, finance, sales and HR (Human Resources) departments. The CEO of Big Heights Construction Company reports to the Board of Directors of the company and also plays a major role to serve as an advisor to the board of directors. The CEO also plays a major role in recruiting the new members for the board, when there are specific openings. The CEO in Big Heights Construction Company also serves to be a mediator between employees of other departments and the Board of Directors. Also, CEO is our spokesperson for the Big Heights Construction Company in community and the media (Orgcharting.com, 2017) Managementteam Themanagement team of Big Heights Construction Company comprises of individuals who are highly skilled, talented and have expertise to serve as the lead of various departments within the company such as marketing, HR and others. Each department reports to the Chief Executive Officer of the company and provide all the detailed analysis of projects and other factors required by the CEO. The Human Resources department in Big Heights Construction Company is responsible for recruiting skilled and experienced staff for the company and provide them with effective training and also look after compensation, benefits, record keeping, employee relations as well as insurance. On the other hand, the marketing team is mainly responsible for carrying out in depth market research, sales, marketing strategy formulation, product development, pricing, promotional activities as well as activities related to public relations. (Shirazi, Langford and Rowlinson, 2010) Purchasing team The major role played by the purchasing team in Big Heights Construction Company is to purchase high quality materials and supplies that are required for construction projects as well as for daily needs of the company. The purchasing department effectively compares the product and its quality from different suppliers and choose the items / products that are best suited for the Big Heights Construction Company with approximate quantity and prices (ELKASSAS, HOSNY and MATTR, 2013) Engineering Team: Design Engineers the engineering department at Big Heights Construction Company is mainly responsible for planning designing and implementing all the construction projects. The engineering department include conducting detailed surveys, analyzing the results, engaging in detailed construction research, construction planning, as well as provide full support to all the technical and resource related issues during the project completion process. Project Department and Managers the project department within Big Heights Construction Company is mainly responsible for scheduling and effectively managing every project. The project manager studies the project in detail and decides on the budget, assign specific roles to the employees and specify their duties for job completion and also, oversee the workers health and safety. The project manager also ensures the timeline provided for the project completion and modulate the work as per the contract for timely completion (Shirazi, Langford and Rowlinson, 2010). Financial Department The financial department in Big Heights Construction Company is mainly responsible for managing the cash flow of the company and also ensure that there are enough funds available within the company to make the payments for day to day activities. Construction Workers / Labourers The last category of organizational structure of Big Heights Construction Company are segregated into three types unskilled, semi skilled and skilled labourers. The skilled workers in Big Heights Construction Company are the ones who have sufficient training in specific domains of construction such as carpentry work, electrical work, plumbing or concrete work etc. semi skilled workers include the ones who work with skilled workers and help them for completion of job. And lastly the unskilled workers help in site cleaning process, and equipment movement etc (Styhre, Josephson and Knauseder, 2004). Project Estimation Table 1 provides the detailed overall costs for the Stage 1 East West Link Project in Melbourne, Australia. Description Costs ($) Actual Project Expenditure Development of business case 25, 000 Complementary projects 6, 000 Costs involved in property acquisition 3, 00, 000 Resources for construction 5, 00, 000 Machinery and equipment costs 2, 00, 000 Labour and design engineer costs 5, 00, 000 Other costs involved 1, 00, 000 Total: $ 16, 31, 000 Future costs Planning, developing and implementing the EWL Project 5, 00, 000 Total Cost of EWL Project $ 21, 31, 000 Table 1 Cost Estimation of EWL Project, Melbourne, Australia Tender Decision Process Having investigated on the East West Link Project and estimating the approximate cost of the entire project, the Big Heights Construction Company chose two simple strategies to make an effective decision on the tender placement process. The tender decision process included (1) SWOT Analysis and (2) Bid Assessment and are explained as follows: SWOT Analysis Strengths Weaknesses High availability of human resources including engineers and labourers Experience in handling major construction projects Strong brand name in Australia Excellent track records of the company The EWL project is highly controversial project till date in Australia Issues in financial resources Competitive vulnerability Lot of opposition on EWL Project from many authorities in Australia The overall profit from this project is comparatively less Opportunities Threats Diversify the business Technological advantage Economic slowdown rate of the project can stop the work again in future High competition in tender proposals Wide range of business and financial risks involved in the EWL project Table 2 SWOT Analysis on EWL Project Source: (Ratekar, Girme and Narkhede, 2016) Bid Assessment: Description Score Does the company have relevant experience? 3 Is the project proposal and the project delivery time feasible? 1 Does the EWL project come under the core competence of Big Heights Business? 2 Can the Big Heights Construction Company manage high level risks involved in EWL Project? 1 Can the Company afford to take other projects during this project progress? 0 Total Assessment Score: 7 Conclusion Apart from SWOT Analysis and Bid Assessment, the Big Heights Construction Company also developed an efficient flow chart as a strategy to analyse whether or not to submit the tender. Considering the detailed investigation, risk factors, SWOT analysis and bid assessment conducted for the EWL Project, it has been decided by the management that the Big Heights Construction Company will not place a big for the East West Link Construction because of the high level risks and hurdles involved in the project. Also, the project failure in the past has been an added reason for refusing to place a bid tender for the construction project. References Avis, K. (2013). Victorian Landscape Architects Oppose East-West Link Proposal. [online] Sourceable. Available at: https://sourceable.net/victorian-landscape-architects-oppose-melbournes-east-west-link-proposal/ [Accessed 21 Sep. 2017]. East West Link Project. (2015). [ebook] Victoria: Victorian Auditor-Generals Report. Available at: https://www.audit.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/20151209-East-West-Link.pdf [Accessed 21 Sep. 2017]. Edwards, J. (2016). Print Email Facebook Twitter More East West Link: Victorian Government rules out reviving 'zombie' toll road project. ABC News. [online] Available at: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-17/east-west-link-toll-road-project-government-rules-out-revival/7176494 [Accessed 21 Sep. 2017]. ELKASSAS, E., HOSNY, H. and MATTR, W. (2013). Optimum Organizational Structure for Construction Projects (Management Tool of Selecting Organization in Egyptian Construction Market). International Journal of Engineering Science and Innovative Technology (IJESIT), 2(3). Matt (2013). Melbournes East West Link tunnel proposal has low benefit cost ratio and high oil price risk. [online] Crudeoilpeak.info. Available at: https://crudeoilpeak.info/melbournes-east-west-link-tunnel-proposal-has-low-benefit-cost-ratio-and-high-oil-price-risk [Accessed 21 Sep. 2017]. Orgcharting.com. (2017). Construction Company Organizational Chart Introduction and Example | Org Charting. [online] Available at: https://www.orgcharting.com/construction-company-org-chart/ [Accessed 21 Sep. 2017]. Ratekar, B., Girme, V. and Narkhede, D. (2016). Basic guidelines for bid/No bid decision making in the EPC projects. IOSR Journal of Business and Management (IOSR-JBM), 18(7). Road Traffic Technology. (2017). East West Link, Melbourne. [online] Available at: https://www.roadtraffic-technology.com/projects/east-west-link-melbourne [Accessed 21 Sep. 2017]. Shirazi, B., Langford, D. and Rowlinson, S. (2010). Organizational structures in the construction industry. Construction Management and Economics, 14(3), pp.199-212. Styhre, A., Josephson, P. and Knauseder, I. (2004). Learning capabilities in organizational networks: case studies of six construction projects. Construction Management and Economics, 22(9), pp.957-966.

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

A Rumor Of War free essay sample

This paper describes Philip Caputos autobiographical narrative of his involvement in the Vietnam War, A Rumor of War (1977), in its Cold War context. The author argues that Caputos preoccupation with seemingly universal attributes of (male) human nature and essential moral qualities is inconsistent with the few passages in which he acknowledges the specific political context of the conflict. The conclusion is that Caputo was so successfully indoctrinated by the Cold War ideological system that even his disillusionment with the war did not allow him to depict the functioning of that system in his own life. From the foundation of the Soviet Union in 1917 through until the Gorbachev era, Americas elites were frankly obsessed with the specter of communism. What was essentially at issue during the Cold War was the possibility of an alternative social and economic order to capitalism emerging and proving it viable. What communists promised to create was a social and economic order that offered its people as much in material terms as capitalism, if not more, but without the latters exploitation of the working classes and its vulnerability to periodic busts and depressions. We will write a custom essay sample on A Rumor Of War or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page