Velocity of Sound Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Velocity of Sound - Lab Report Example Sound is often part and parcel of our entire surrounding and has great significance in our daily life. Generally, sound is a form of energy that is majorly produced and propagated through the longitudinal waves. They can also be termed as being elastic waves that requires a medium for transmission. The other fact is that, sound cannot be transmitted through a vacuum. It basically travels in liquids, solids and gases. The rate of velocity of sound varies from one medium to the other. For instance, it is higher in solids as compared to liquids and gases respectively (SpinART, 2002). Sound can be classified as being either musical, noise, high pitched, among other categories. In the undertaken lab experiment, the velocity of sound was measured using a method that is referred to as the Kundt’s tube technique. This was ascertained by allowing the sound to travel through a given metal rod, so as to determine its frequency as well as the speed. Sound is often propagated by longitudinal waves. These are waves whereby the particles movement consists of various oscillations to and fro within the direction and magnitude of propagation. Within a metal rod, sound can either be transmitted by transverse or longitudinal waves. In this lab experiment, longitudinal waves were produced in an air column and a metal rod. The sound frequency was then determined by use of wave motion concept. In this ultimate equation, f is taken as the frequency while  l  is the wavelength. When the rod set into vibration through proper stroking, the standing waves are hence produced within the vibrating rod. Due to the clamping of the rod at its mid- point, the clamped point is taken as a node with zero amplitude, whereas the ends that vibrates are taken as antinodes with maximum amplitudes. Vibration of the rod in such a manner means that its wavelength and fundamental frequency are twice the rod length (SpinART, 2002). After assembling

Nokia Smart Smartphone Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Nokia Smart Smartphone - Essay Example Nokia Company Nokia is a mobile phone company whose headquarters are based in Finland. The company started in 1865 through innovative skills of an engineer named Fredrik Idestam. The company started from humble beginnings but tremendously grew over the years beating up political and market waves to become the largest mobile phone maker in the world. However, Nokia’s market share has been declining over the years especially in the 21 century due to the emergence of touch screen phones and outstanding Smartphones from rival companies. This is a fact because statistics claim that in 2012, Nokia operated in 150 countries globally, with annual revenues of 30 billion pounds, and with a global market share of 18.0%, and 3.2 % market share in smart phones. More so, Fortune Global 500 claims that the company’s position stood at 274th in 2013 in terms of revenue measurement, an indication that Nokia’s market share is declining by the day. Nevertheless, Nokia is trying hard to improve its products and sales in order to retain its past market share. Among the strategies that the company has put forth is that it has teamed up with Microsoft Corporation in a way to add up strategy on mobile phone innovation and design. This combination has led to the development of Nokia’s windows phones like the Nokia Lumia 920. The innovation of the product was a great development for the company but the brand did not successfully hit the market due to copying by other rival companies. Analysts claim that the reason why Nokia lags behind in terms of innovation is because it lacks adequate design thinking and that it is dependent to its partner Microsoft for innovative designs, which yields to lack of unique models (Hinrichs 2013, p. 11). This is a fact because Nokia has... This paper approves that the device also has a transparent and flexible screen that could be viewed at any angle without light interference and reflections. This feature also applies to diverse customers who deal with diverse tasks in their daily activities especially the outdoor activities. This means that the screen of the Smartphone will not be affected by reflections but rather will have an accurate colour, image contrast, picture quality and above all flexible readability. The screen is a major determiner on customer behaviour while purchasing phones will mean that flexible and readable screen will attract a vast range of customers because customers love the uniqueness of the products. This report makes a conclusion that product designing and creativity means that the company needs to intensively research on appropriate products that aligns with the changing trends because it latest smart phone design Nokia Lumia 525, has outstanding features but still do not possess the required uniqueness compared to other Smartphones. This means that the company’s design team should research and borrow a piece from other leading companies like Apple’s design team whose product designing is unique and different from the rest and above all exactly befits customers’ needs. This seems to be the recommendable way for Nokia who holds a strong brand and outstanding customer loyalty because analysts claim that the company could experience more declines in revenue and market share if necessary innovations do not take place. Therefore, the ball lies on Nokia’s executive team to implement necessary measures that will rejuvenate the company from its current downf all because the company has all the needed resources and capabilities to prosper and become a leader in the industry.

Technology Infrastructure Essay Example for Free

Technology Infrastructure Essay Information Technology Infrastructure is the integrated framework upon which networks operate. The infrastructure is the physical hardware used to interconnect computers and users or in some cases it is viewed as everything that supports the flow and processing of information, the transmission media, which includes telephone and cable television lines and also the routers, repeaters and other devices that control transmission paths. The software used to send, receive and manage the signals that are transmitted is also part of the infrastructure and should be managed and designed accordingly in other to have an effective network. In this final paper I will assess, compile, update and synthesize all the information that I have collected throughout the 10 weeks. A proposal will then be written to address some problems and deficiencies which were uncovered in the network and what my proposed solution is. Part 1: Network Assessment  The network that I have been characterizing is a small local area network for an Accounting firm in downtown Manhattan. The network will be made up of 14 workstations where 8 will be used for invoice billing, 1 for the manager, 2 for the IT department, 1 for reception the 2 others will be left unused just in case employees from other offices are there on business and need to access work related files. The LAN is being designed with the hope of expansion to another floor in the coming months so provision is made with this in mind. Considering the size of the organization I chose to design a LAN because of it is cost effective, because of the connectivity and communication which allows users to communicate be email with each other, Data Sharing lets the networked computers share data with each other and because Data Security and Management allows the administrator to manage the data better. I also kept in mind that instead of installing software and updates to each individual computer the software can be uploaded to the entire network and dispatched to all computers on said network eliminating time and expenses. Designing this network called for effective Information Technology planning which is a key ingredient in achieving strategic business success when implanting a network or any type of information technology infrastructure. Because the network is comprised of 10 workstations and the manger as well as the CEO will be using laptops I have chosen to use fiber optic instead of regular cable especially due to the amount of noise present in cable communication media with a DSL / Digital Subscriber Line internet connection while incorporating wireless service for laptops and visiting employees as well as those who work from home. Though Fiber-optic seem to be a bit pricy my decision to go with Laser Fiber Optic was based the company needing the computers to be up and running all day and making sure that the lines are secured. Secondly because the company is thinking of expanding to another floor we need the transmission range to maximize, so 100 kilometers as far as transmission range is important. The only other alternative media that I would consider is the thick coaxial cable but we would need to incorporate the use of repeaters after a 100meters when the company is ready to expand. The main issue to consider is how secure this line is which is the reason why Fiber-optic would be the most trusted and efficient. My third reasoning behind choosing fiber again is the potential noise issues which could slow down the network and cause disturbances. Two specific points where I think noise will be present are when employees are working from home trying to connect through the VPN connection in windows XP there can be attenuation issues which is loss of signal strength. The VPN connections allow window XP clients to connect to a VPN remote access server by using PPTP and LT2P network protocols. Secondly with the wireless network infrastructure implemented if too many users are trying to use the same channel (not enough bandwidth to go around) and the adapter settings are not done properly then there are bound to be interruptions with the data transmission, any form of signal issue is a potential for noise. My recommendation to eliminate this issue would be keeping the routers in an area central to the rest of the devices that will be connecting and changing the wireless channel on the router associated with the wireless connection. The key devices needed to put the network together are 2 servers, (one will be used for backup although we are using cloud computing) CAT6 cable, 2 wireless routers / wireless switches, a network adapter and a repeater. All these devices together links up all the local and remote network segments with each other to make data communication flow better. Because of the size of the network there are a number of peripheral, devices applications and data that will be shared by users on the network. Some of the peripheral devices include the router and modem which will be used to connect all the computers, the printers and copiers, scanners for scanning documents and file and folder sharing. Some of the application software shared will be emails, internet and the web browser. Everyone on the network will also share the same operating system which will be windows 7. The document sharing will be shared among the users on the same network because they all will be connected to the main server. When updates need to be made it won’t be sent to individual computers instead it will be sent through the network and server so all computers are updated automatically. Although a license has to be purchased for every user who is using the software on their individual computers everyone will be able to share and use the same program or software on the network as long as they are connected. Because of the partial wireless nature of the network, there are a number of protocols with needed to be implemented. The two protocols that are implemented are PPPoE and PPP. PPPoE stands for Point to Point Protocol over Ethernet and PPP stands for Point to Point Protocol which is a member of the TCP/IP suite of network protocols. PPP is usually used over serial communications like dial-up modem connections. The advancement of technology has brought hackers and cyber-attack at an all-time high, so securing the network deemed a bit challenging especially due to the wireless part which possess security and technical challenges. Some of the security issues include viruses, worms, denial or service, hackers and the list goes on. To secure the data on the LAN I will be implementing Data Encryption Standard which is a commonly used encryption method used to send and receive secure transactions. To avoid and intercept viruses and worms I implemented an antivirus called the Symantec Endpoint Protection. Symantec Endpoint Protection offers great performance and support for virtual environments; antivirus scans are reduced because of layering technologies like insight which lowers the risk of cyber criminals. The third form of security that I have implemented is the use of a firewall. A firewall is a system or combination of systems that supports an access control between two networks so in this case it would be between my LAN and the WAN which is the World Wide Web. A firewall limits users on the internet from accessing certain portions of a corporate network and can limit internal users from accessing various parts of the internet. This is where access control would play a part. Firewalls come in two basic types, packet filters and proxy servers. Packet filters examines all incoming and outgoing transmissions and filter out those transmissions that are deemed illegal. Proxy’s on the other hand are computers running at the entrance to a computer network and acting as a gatekeeper. Finally because of the wireless part of my network I will need to make sure that there is wireless security implemented by making sure that a password is used to long in. The use of WAP (Wi-Fi Protected Access) will be used as the encryption key to keep the wireless segment protected and secured. In relation to physical security I recommend always locking up the server rooms, turning them off will save on power but won’t avoid unauthorized persons from tampering, ensuring that there are good locks on the server door is crucial. Secondly disconnecting and removing computers that are not being used and locking them up is a way to prevent hackers from accessing unsecured computers that are connected to the network. Employees who are out to lunch should also lock their computer to avoid the fellow employee from accessing files that they are not authorized to see. The third physical security option is disabling the drives; If you want to prevent your employees from copying information to a removable media disabling or removing floppy drives, USB ports and any means of connecting to external drives is important. Disk locks can be inserted into floppy drives on the computers that are restricted. The forth physical security I would install is a backup server, not at the current location but somewhere away from the office. In case there is a fire in any of the office or someone messes with any of the computers, the files will be stored at a secure location outside of any of the offices that the company in question has. Network security starts at the physical level, having firewalls won’t deter an intruder who is able to gain physical access to your network and computers’ so locking up well is the key. Although every aspect of the network was addressed there were some issues that came up towards the end of the project right when the company was about to lunch the new system. The 2 deficiencies that came up were related to the hardware which was associated with the physical structure of the network as well as performance issues. Part B: Proposal Document Project Justification: The LAN has the potential to be a great network because it has the potential of expanding into a WAN, so to address the problems which were just discovered I have put together a proposal which is guaranteed to eliminate the hardware and performance issues associated with the connection on the network. It is important that the hardware issues which includes the printers, telephone lines and VPN connectors are dealt with before the new network is completely lunched because not only is invoicing done for clients in the New York, but the office in Tokyo needs to access the same files and need to be able to send documents to the printer/ fax machines with no encumbrance. The current infrastructure’s VPN connection was not configured correctly so during testing it was brought to my knowledge that anyone who would be working from home would have issues getting a connection. Secondly with the installation of the VoIP telephones we realized that the connection was not clear and any long distance calls which went over 5 minutes would be disconnected. The performance issues which had been a problem from conception stemmed from me not taking into consideration the applications that were going to run on the network and the use of a hub instead of a switch.

Do Correctional Officers Abuse Their Authority?

Do Correctional Officers Abuse Their Authority? Correction officers hold considerable power and authority within the corrections system. They are in charge of maintaining discipline and order within the facility at which they work. Many people view correction officers as the cause of violence within the prisons and jail. Others view correction officers as those who are professional, ethical, and hold good moral standards. I purpose a questionnaire consisting of yes, no, and no reply answer choices will help in determining the cause of violence, part of the dark figure of crime, and what percentage of correction officers actually follow by the rules and regulations. Correctional Officers: Do They Abuse Their Authority or Provide Equal Treatment Are correctional officers abusing their powers and authority by mistreating inmates or could they be justice providers and treat the inmates ethically and fair? Many people are lead to believe that inmates are being treated inhumanely by force or coercion into negative living environment and are being treated unethically by the officers who judge them according to the crime they have committed, or by their associations within the facility. Others view correctional officers as the cause of an offender to relapse or to become repeat offenders. The objective of this research is to determine if the treatment correction officers give inmates affect the crime rate in the facility, to determine if inmates are mistreated, to determine if officers allow one another to mistreat inmates, abuse their authority, and to show that this study can contribute to the general understanding of crime or policy responses to crime. The purpose of this research is to determine if correctional officers violate inmates in any way. The purpose is also to determine why violence is still occurring in prisons after the prisoners have been convicted of a crime and given their sentences. This research study will also show how the correction officer job is turning into a multitasked profession. Not only is this research going to be used to show how correctional officers are treating the inmates, but it will also show whether or not more violence is occurring by the inmates towards other inmates or whether or not correctional officers have something to do with the violence occurring within the facility. Literature Review There have been previous studies on correctional officers concerning the abuse of authority. There have been experiments conducted such as the Stanford prison experiment which discovered that correctional officers do feel as if they have more power and can treat the inmates however they feel like. One point of view that one could perceive from the Stanford prison experiment is that ordinary people change once they are put into a situation where they think that they can dominate (Zimbardo, 1999-2009). The impact of social forces has an effect on the behavior and the way a person reacts to the situation (Clements, 1999). The results of that experiment strongly indicated that in certain situations, behavior applies itself which causes the person to act accordingly to the situation. In another study, by Wolff, Shi and Siegel (2009), research concluded that people within the prison system have above-average rates of victimization during both childhood and adulthood. The correctional settings are known for the violence between inmates and staff. The research found evidence showing the rates of victimization being higher in a prison setting then that in a community setting. In a study that examined the characteristics of an officer and the investigations of the use of force, there were conclusions made that there is excessive use of force going on in the correctional facilities. McElvain and Kposowa (2004) acknowledged that departmental experience was the strongest predictor of investigations for alleged use of force. While race had no effect, gender did. Males were more likely to be investigated for the use of force than females. Also, younger officers were more likely to be investigated than older officers. There has always been a history of prison violence and correctional officers abusing the authority. According to Gross (2008), history is replete with incidents of seemingly decent people committing horrendous acts of violence in what they believe to be the pursuit or defense of justice and right. Gross (2008) discussed experiments such as the Stanford Prison Experiment and the BBC Prison Study. Apart of his discussion concluded that both prison studies demonstrated that under some circumstances, some individuals resist going-with-the-flow of group-associated brutality. Gross (2008) also went on to say that if a person with authority over a group of individuals varies in their zero-tolerance stance towards brutality, then brutality may emerge anywhere. There have been numerous studies on correctional officers and brutality including experiments and questionnaires. Butterfield (2004) talks about physical and sexual abuse of prisoners, similar to what has been uncovered in Iraq, takes place in American prisons with little public knowledge or concern, according to corrections officials, inmates and human rights advocates. Discussion The Profession Under the job description for a correction officer, one might find that their duties include being able to guard the prisons in accordance with the set forth policies, procedures, codes, and regulations. The officers responsibilities include watching and protecting the inmates from harm, escape, and contraband, as well as fights that break out amongst the inmates. Officers are allowed to search any inmate that they feel is a threat, as well as directing the inmates to where or what they need to go and do in order to maintain discipline. Correction officers career can get challenging due to the verbal and psychological abuse that they experience. Within the line of their duties, there are several situations that officers can be put in that can have an influence on the officers judgments and actions. Correctional officers have no law enforcement rights outside of the prison. Not being able to enforce the law outside of the prison could lead to correctional officers to want to be more harsh within the area that they are allowed to enforce the law and have authority(McElvain Kposowa, 2004). History The history of corrections, guards, and officer dates back to the 12th Century under King Henry II when he began a structured court system for handling all criminal charges. During the Ancient and Medieval Era, correctional objectives were more about retribution and retaliation rather then incarceration and proportionate sentences. By the mid 1700s, practices were becoming violent and bloody being completely out of proportion with the seriousness of the offense. John Howard, a well known prison reformer began the era of establishing efficient means of penal treatment and crime prevention. (Henry II of England, 2008) According to Villanueva (2007), many of the early 1600s correctional methods were based upon the English law and practices. The roots of this system began during the colonial times in the original thirteen colonies. The jails were used for the people who were awaiting trial or who could not pay their fees and fines. Corporal punishment was designed to be viewed by the public as a form of deterrence. During the late 1700s to the early-mid 1800s, the penitentiary was designed and developed. The Pennsylvania System and the New York Auburn System were two of the most influential penitentiaries to the corrections system. These two systems were designed during a time of land and population growth. Near the beginning of the 1900s, probation and parole became a broad aspect of corrections. Juvenile courts were established and the court system took an individual case approach. Throughout the rest of the 1900s until todays present time, corrections took on the perspectives of providing medical services, community service, and crime prevention and control (Villanueva, 2007). Corruption in Corrections Corruption in the corrections system can and has lead to the dark figure of crime. There are instances where correction officers allow things to go on that they know is against policy, rules, and regulations. Correction officers know that no matter what goes on within the prisons when dealing with the inmates, they have the upper hand. The officers can force the inmates or other faculty members into doing something or letting something go by without saying anything, even though it is illegal from different perspectives. Younger officers should feel the need to follow the rules more closely than the officers that are older with more experience. The young officers characteristics should be more ethical than those of older officers who knows how the operation of the system, however all correctional officers should hold high ethical and moral standards. The work environment for correction officers is a very challenging and hazardous place. Correction Officers have one of the highest rates of non-fatal on-the-job injuries. Many of these injuries occur during confrontations with the inmates. The newer facilities are well ventilated, temperature controlled, and well lighted while other facilities are older with little to no ventilation, no temperature controls, and the lighting is poor. In environments like these, working under stress and pressure would be increased because the nature of the job (Bureau of Labor, 2009). Correctional facilities are known to have an affect on the inmates as well as the staff physically and psychologically. Past experiences of victimization could be relevant causes for adult criminal activity. It would be prevalent to recognize and identify this phenomenon. Suggested Quality Research In todays society, many people believe that inmates are treated poorly once they are incarcerated, while on the other hand, other people believe that the inmates are getting the treatment that they deserve. I have designed a research study that would help in determining whether or not correction officers violate the inmates in any way. The strategy would consist of a questionnaire that contained twenty questions with YES, NO, and NO REPLY answer choices. A copy of the suggested questionnaire may be obtained by contacting the author through the affiliated university. This study could contribute to general understanding of crime or policy responses to crime and I feel that it would be just as beneficial as other similar research if not more significant. The answer choices will help in guaranteeing that the honest answers received will help improve the operational chain of command and the flow procedures within corrections system. The correctional officers can sometimes have an affect on why inmates act a certain way or why they do certain things to themselves and or others. I want this research to show officials that correctional officers allow one another to mistreat inmates without saying a word to anyone. This research will also allow correctional officers to speak anonymously about what is going on in the facility and how they are treating the offenders, whether it is positive or negative by other officers and or staff. A predicted outcome of this research would be that correctional officers do abuse their authority, and that there are crimes going on inside the prison directly resulting from officers actions or directly from the officers. Fellner (2004) discusses that in recent years, U.S. prison inmates have been beaten with fists and batons, stomped on, kicked, shot, stunned with electronic devices, doused with chemical sprays, choked, and slammed face first onto concrete floors by the officers whose job it is to guard them. Inmates have ended up with broken jaws, smashed ribs, perforated eardrums, missing teeth, burn scars not to mention psychological scars and emotional pain. Some have even died as the end result. Both men and women prisoners could face staff rape and multiple forms of sexual abuse and then the officers will bribe, coerce, or violently force the inmates for certain favors. Men and women inmates can experience correctional officers mistreatment and exploitation for many different reasons. Parsons-Pollard (2006) believe that the study of ethics in criminal justice has proliferated over the past 25 years as the public demands a higher level of ethical accountability for those in professional positions. The ethics of criminal justice professionals should be very precise allowing no room for anyone to become corrupt within the system. The ethical values of a corrections officer should be recognized in respect to the expected actions of correctional officers. If the officers are not going to abide by their rules and regulations within their workplace, then the correction officer profession may not be suitable for them. The conclusion and analysis of the result from this study will help to determine whether or not correctional officers are abusing the inmates and how they will address the problem. Sometimes, correctional officers abuse the inmates and take away what rights the inmates do have, making it very noticeable within the prison facilities that there is violence occurring that could be prevented. The best way to conquer this problem is to provide staff with adequate training on controlling their frustrations and anger issues, and to establish a well communicated staff. Even though the inmates are incarcerated for a reason, that doesnt mean that inmates should get poor treatment from the officers while they are incarcerated. The correctional officers are there to provide safety amongst the prison populations and officers should not judge the inmates according to their crime, the judge has already done it. Correction officers need to have current training and development in regards to their positions at the facility. They need to have a common knowledge of the application of law and how it is applied to those incarcerated. They should know the Constitutional Rights as well as the federal and jail standards for their state and province. Each correction officer should be able to conduct searches of both inmates and the areas that they are permitted access such as their cell. It would be relevant to have substance abuse prevention training to have a working knowledge of what substances are being used and abused and how. There are several aspects of corrections. The inmates may all hold different point of views in regards to how they view incarceration. One may view incarceration as a way to do something illegal, get caught and incarcerated, and still be able to receive all the free benefits of being incarcerated such as free food, water, sleeping corridors, television, computer/internet, and legal services. Those incarcerated have a lot more benefits and opportunities then a lot of people that are barely keeping up in life. Another might view prison as the most devastating experience that they have ever encountered. There are physical, emotional, and psychological issues that arise with those that are incarcerated and the officer must be able to understand their changes in behavior in order to maintain discipline. There are situations that may arise within the facilities where the correction officer would have to report to court. An important area that they should be trained in would be courtroom testimony. Other important areas that they should be trained in would be report writing, and how to take fingerprints, pictures, and identification of the offenders being processed. Conclusion Apart of any profession, the employee should be able to provide their employer with professionalism, ethics and morals, and proficient communication skills. These three elements are an important part of the correction officers profession. As apart of the training that they receive, the Correction officers should be well trained in how to respond to a situation where an inmate has taken another person within the facility as a hostage. A correction officer should also be able to respond adequately to a situation where there is a barricaded area. If any emergency were to break out, the correction officers should be able to respond as sufficiently as possible. Offenders all have different reasons as to why they are incarcerated and they are all going to deal with those reasons the best way they know how. Some may not be able to deal with those issues turning them into problems. Psychological issues, abnormal behavior, and thoughts and threats of suicide are all going to be prevalent when dealing with a group of criminals in a somewhat small area. When riots, fights, and or disorder starts to unfold in the prisons and jails, the correction officers are people responsible for being able to respond to the situations. There are situations that a correction officer may face daily that could result in prisoner abuse allegations. Prisoners are incarcerated for a particular reason and they are there because they committed a crime and have been sentenced. The judge is responsible for giving the inmates the sentence that they deserve therefore no official except the judge should be responsible for giving the inmates the treatment as well as the sentence that they get. Correction officers tend to want to give the inmates the treatment they deserve and that leads to the abuse of inmates. This abuse is apart of the dark figure of crime which is crime that goes unnoticed, unaccounted for, and unpunished. Inmates that are serving their sentences accordingly are being punished by the law and they dont need any additional appalling treatment, unless they are acting out or causing more trouble within the system. Officers may believe that because they have the authority to keep the prison under control then they have the authority to treat the inmates however they desire. If they think that they can not get into trouble or will not get into trouble then they will be more prone to doing and completing the actions. There has been a long history of corrections in the United States from retribution to rehabilitation and there has been a history of abuse of inmates from the correction officers. Payment And Delay Issues | Construction Industry Payment And Delay Issues | Construction Industry The construction industry plays an important role in any countrys development process. The industry establishes buildings and infrastructure works required for social economic development which contribute to the overall economic growth. The success of economic development will further lead to an increase in disposal incomes, generating demand for additional construction activities. Therefore, it is important to make sure the economy growth of construction industry is moving smoothly. Payment is considered as the lifeblood of the construction industry because constructions often involve very large capital outlay and take a considerable time to complete (Naseem, 2005). In the construction industry, payment is the sum of money paid to contractors, consultants and suppliers after their works, service or materials has been successfully realized or accepted. Payments are so important to these parties that it is a constant headache for them as problems in construction would always be revolving around the poor payment practices. In cases like this, contractors would be directly affected as they are the one who receive and spend the most amounts of monetary sources in a project done. A regular disbursement of interim payment is a critical point for a contractor to help them survive in the construction field. Whether it is late payment or not being paid in the amounts certified, it all literally means big problems to the contractors as cash flow will be effected. Some small construction companies such as Class F contractors would even close business due to late payments. Cash flow is critical to the construction industry. Even Lord Denning famously said that cash flow is the life-blood of the construction industry. The ease of cash flow is an essential element in delivering a successful project. Many actions have been taken by government to curb the payment problems among contractors. Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu in 2008 for instance has proposed to make direct payments to sub-contractors handling government projects with immediate effect to ensure that they receive the money on time Government officers that delayed the distribution of payments to contractors will be given surcharge. But that does not stop there. Recently, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi shows his concerns over complaints from contractors and suppliers about late payments. He had instructed that all payments must be made within three weeks of the date of receipts of the bills. Government is very particular about this matter because it was giving a negative perception of the current implementation of the 10th Malaysia Plan that is moving at a slow pace. The 10th Malaysia Plan (10MP) that runs from 2011-2015 besides reinforcing the New Economic Model (NEM) also reinforced the theme of Towards Higher Income with more measures to transform the nation into a high-income economy. Nonetheless, there are still cases of delayed payment and non-payment in arbitration if not in the court. Contractors are still facing problems in receiving their payments. Arbitration and judicature process not only consumed much time and money but could kill the business as well. As a contractor, what is the most appropriate action should be taken in securing their payments without effecting their business and cash flow? Statement of Problem The construction industry plays a very important role in generating wealth and improving the quality of life of the people through the provision of social and economic infrastructure like infrastructure like schools, hospital, houses, roads, airports, ports etc. It is linked to the whole spectrum of the economy and has a multiplier effect that enables other industries to prosper alongside. Hence, it is vital to ensure that construction projects are effectively and efficiently implemented. Problems of cash flow due to issues on late, under and non-payment can severely affect the implementation of construction projects and thus the provision of the nations infrastructure and built environment. In construction, delay could be defined as the time overrun either beyond completion date specified in a contract, or beyond the date that the parties agreed upon for delivery of a project.ÂÂ  Delays in payment means there is a delays in progress compared to the baseline schedule. While, problems of delay in payment has continued to worsen in the construction industry (Pitcher, 2010) According to Davenport 2010, the Constructon Industry Development Boards Construction Industry Indicators (CII) had conducted a survey in Cape Town 2009. The survey indicates that only 42% of contractors were paid on time and 58% of payments to contractor were made 30days or more after invoicing. Payments delays in 2009 show quite a significant deterioration compared with the payment delays in 2007 and 2008. CIDBs CEO, Ronnie Khoza states that the issue of payment delays is a very serious matter. The delays could be the result of a poor quality of invoices or corruption within government departments. Contractor Calculator reveals from a latest contractor survey that a whopping 88% of contractors have been receiving their payment late from their agency or client. According to Dave Chaplin, CEO of Contractor Calculator, this is a sad reflection of the times, particularly as 37% of respondents suffering delayed payment have a contract with the public sector. Construction works involve huge amounts of money and most of the contractors find it very difficult to bear the heavy daily construction expenses when the payments are delayed. Work progress can be delayed due to the latepayments from the clients because there is inadequate cash flow to support construction expenses especially for those contractors who are not financially sound. (Murali Sambasivan, 2006) Purposes of Study The construction industry which affected by the cash flow of such projects is getting serious year by year. One of factors causing the problem of cash flow is late payment. In response to the predicted possible concern for this problem, this research is conducted to investigate this issue further in both private and public construction project. Objectives of Study The objective of the study is to compare the factors that contribute to delay in progress payments for construction projects between the private and public sector. Research Questions Delay in construction interim payment consequently affects the progress of the construction project. Either in private or public construction project, payment is the life blood for a project in order to complete in the certain period. Hence, it is important to solve out this problem. To find the solution, we must know the causes influence the late payment. Therefore, this research will enable us to provide the answers for the following questions: What are the factors that contribute to delay in progress payments for construction projects? Is it private sector and public sector influence by the same factors? Significance of Study This research should increase the awareness of both contractors and employers in relation to the payment issues. The contractors should take attention with late payment issue, because it will bring a big impact to their financial ability. The developers or government should also take attention with this issue in order to minimize the impact to the work in site. By that, making improvement either on their own party or employers is important to solve the problems. Besides that, the research is also expected to grab the attention of the employers or developers in making their payments promptly and timeliness. This research help to find out the most common reasons cause the delay in progress payment for construction project in private and public sector. Compare the reason which most frequently happens to see whether these two different fields face the same problems in getting payment. Public projects usually involve more parties in preparing the payment certificate, while private projects which are normally involved weak financial backgrounds employers. After identify the factors causes delay in these two fields, the next step is to find the solution to solve the problems. Through the research, the findings may assist the relevant parties such as developers or government and the contractors in addressing problems associated to late payment in an effective and timely manner to create a win-win situation for all parties in the Malaysian construction industry. It is hoped that the relevant parties will adopt and implement the necessary plan of action in order to minimise disputes on payment in any construction project, so as to create a friendly and enjoyable working environment for all parties and to improve the payment flows in the Malaysian construction industry. Scope of Study This research will be focusing on late payments in the Malaysias construction industry in both private and public project in Johor Bahru. This study will focus on the building works in construction projects. This research will be focusing on the main party in the Malaysias construction industry, which is a contractor. Contractors, whose are carry out the works on site and receiver of payment to make sure the construction works in the progress. Hence, they are the important party in getting the right information in this research. Research Methodology The research for this study was conducted using the following approaches: a) Literature Review This includes the secondary data and information collected from different sources which can be used to conduct the research. The sources include books, journals, magazines, newspaper, dissertations, conference papers, periodicals, information from the internet, etc. These materials were used as background information in order to fully understand the information needed for discussion and analysis in the research. The information can be any issues related to the delay in payment in global construction industries. b) Questionnaire Survey The principal method used to collect primary data from contractors was the use of a questionnaire survey. The questionnaire was designated according to the problems in delay of payment in both sectors, private and public in order to achieve the objective of the study. Further details and analysis of the data will be discussed in Chapter 3. c) Interview Besides questionnaire survey, interview sessions will be conducted to collect the primary data. In order to get more exact and detail data, experienced contractor will be the target respondents to be interview. (Placeholder1) (Sub-contractors to be paid directly by Works Ministry) (n.d.). References Chaplin, D. (Director). Contractors suffering late-payment abuse by agencies clients, reveals latest survey [Motion Picture]. Davenport, J. (9 April, 2010). Contruction survey reveals worrying payment-delay trend. Construction Industry Development Board . Cape town: Engineering News. Murali Sambasivan, Y. W. (2006). Causes and effects of delays in Malaysian construction industry. International Journal of Project Management , 524. Naseem, N. A. (2005). International Forum Construction Industry Payment Act and Adjudication. Construction Industry Payment and Adjudication Act . Kuala Lumpur: CIDB and ISM. Pitcher, G. (2010, April 26). Construction late payment worsens. Construction News. Sub-contractors to be paid directly by Works Ministry. (2008, Feb 1). New Straits Times Online.

Sensationalism - Sensation Novels of the Nineteenth Century Essay

Sensationalism - Sensation Novels of the Nineteenth Century The "sensation novels"  began to appear during the mid-to-late 1800's.   The term first used by W. M. Thackeray, in his own Cornhill Magazine, was in reference to "a particular literary or dramatic phenomenon."  Ã‚   Courtroom scenes, corpses, secrets, adultery, insanity and prostitution were all staples of the novel's plot that would offer the many unexpected twists and turns of the story.   The author's goal was to have the reader feel basic sensations-shock, disbelief, horror, suspense, sexual excitement, and fear.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are several reasons why sensation novels became so popular with Victorian society, and especially women, during this time period.   Urbanization and industrialization were changing the face of the countryside by creating more and more big cities.   This type of   novel was a welcomed escape from the emergence of industry and capitalism in England and America.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Even though the times were changing, women were still expected to be subservient to men.   They did not enjoy the freedom to vote or to own property.   Because it is the Victorian era, they are still expected to control their emotions in front of men and to be supportive at all times.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As women started to shun this role, it was reflected in the sensation novel.   The female became a strong character in these books.  Ã‚   Female sexuality was used to show strength, rebelliousness and evil.   They were often portrayed as seductresses and villains who would be punished by the ending of the book.   Females were no longer the victim waiting to be rescued.   The sensation novel reversed male and female roles with the man many times being victimized.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   These novels with thei... ...the strong female characters, his name was associated with both the male and female groups of authors. Sources Law, Graham.   Serializing Fiction in the Victorian Press.   London:   Palgrave, 2000. Hughes, Winifred.   The Maniac in the Cellar.   New Jersey:   Princeton University Press, 1980. Miller, D.A.   The Novel and the Police.   Los Angeles:   University of California Press, 1988. Boyle, Thomas.   Black Swine in the Sewers of Hampstead.   New York:   Viking Penguin, 1989. James, Henry.   Notes and Reviews.   Cambridge:   Dunster House, 1921. Gaskell, Elizabeth.   Mary Barton.   Oxford:   Oxford University Press, 1987. Nineteenth-Century Literature Criticism, Vol. 80. Mansel, Henry. "Sensations Novels." Quarterly Review 113 (April 1863):   251-68.    Websites http://www.vanderbilt.edu/AnS/english/Clayton/318biblio.htm http://www.indiana.edu/~victoria/

United Kingdom of Britain and Northern Ireland

Great Britain is made up of three countries, England, Scotland and Wales. It is an island off the coast of north–west of Europe. Britain is part of the United Kingdom of Britain and Northern Ireland. The capital is London. There are many different landscapes in Britain, from high mountains to rolling hill sand valleys. Places like Wales, the Lake District and northwest Scotland have high mountains and steep slopes made out of solid rocks. This landscape was made millions of years ago during the ice ages, when moving glaciers of ice made deep valleys, steep mountain slopes and long lakes. The southern and eastern parts of Britain are made up of smaller rocks that have weathered and become fertile farmland. The highest point is Ben Nevis – 1343 metres above sea level and the lowest point is Holme Fen – 3 metres below sea level. The population is 57,970,200 people, the population density at 239 people per square km. 92% of British people live in urban areas while only 8% live in rural areas. Great Britain is completely surrounded by sea, isolating it from the rest of Europe. No part of Britain is far from the sea, which is an important resource for fishing, tourism and ports. Britain†s rivers provide drinking water for towns, and irrigate farmers† crops. However rivers can cause floods. The northern and western portions are mountainous. The highlands – the Pennine Chain, forms the backbone of northern England. Rolling plains occupy most of central and eastern England. The western part of the central region is known as the Midlands. To the east lies The Fens, a marsh area. To the south, an elevated plateau slopes upward. The terrain of Scotland is mountainous but is divided into three regions, from north to south: the Highlands, the Central Lowlands, and the Southern Uplands. The Highlands occupy more than a half of Scotland, the most rugged region on the island of Great Britain. Wales has an irregular coastline and many bays; the biggest is Cardigan Bay. Except for narrow and low coastal areas, mainly in the south and west, Wales is mostly mountainous. Great Britain has quite cool summers and mild winters. The weather changes from day to day. The climate is temperate – the country does not have long periods when it is hot or cold. Western parts of Britain receive more rain and snow during the year than south and east. This is because southwesterly winds bring water from the Atlantic Ocean to the west, which falls as rain where it meets the mountains on land. There are large amounts of water in this area and a shortage in the south and the east. Britain†s climate is getting warmer. Average temperatures have risen 0.5 °c since 1850. This is enough to start the polar ice caps melting. If the ice caps continue to melt, large areas of southern and eastern England will be permanently flooded. The mean annual temperature ranges between 11.1 °c in the south and 8.9 °c in the northeast. Fogs, mists, and overcast skies are frequent, particularly in the inland regions. Like the climate of the rest of Great Britain, Scotland is influenced by the surrounding seas. As a result, extreme changes are rare and temperate winters and cool summers are the major climate features. Low temperatures are common in the winter season. Precipitation ranges from about 3810mm annually in the western Highlands to about 635mm annually in eastern areas. The climate of Wales, is a lot like England†s, it is mild and moist. Annual rainfall changes with elevation, ranging from about 762 mm in coastal regions to more than 2540 mm in the Snowdon massif. As a result of the relative warmth of the nearby seas, England has a moderate climate. Precipitation is heaviest during October, it averages about 760 mm annually in most of England. England has some agricultural and mineral resources but must rely on imports of both. Approximately two-fifths of the land area is arable, and the richest soils are found in the east. The soil is generally rocky and infertile, except for that of the Central Lowlands. Much of the soil of Wales is of infertile rocky or leached types. The most fertile soils are in the southeast and in a few coastal areas. Only about 8.5% of Britain land is forested, and half of this was planted forty years ago. Britain†s natural forest cover has been cut down over hundreds of years, especially in the 18th and 19th century. The most common species of trees indigenous to Scotland are oak and conifers mainly fir, pine, and larch. Large forested areas are rare, and woodlands are in the southern and eastern Highlands. Vegetation in the elevated regions consists largely of heather, ferns, mosses, and grasses. Practically all of the cultivated plants of Scotland were imported from America and Europe. More than 3/4 of the land is used for agriculture; farming and grazing occupy the same amount of land. The most important crops are wheat, oats, and potatoes. Other crops include barley, turnips, and fruit. Wales has ferns and mosses in low-lying, wet areas. Grasslands are mainly at higher elevations. Crops include barley, oats, potatoes, and hay. Less than 10% of the land is under cultivation, and about 40% are in grazing land. Forests cover only about 4% of the land, but government reforestation programs are increasing in the area. England used to be heavily forested, mainly oak and beech in the lowlands and pine and birch in the mountains. Woodlands now make-up less than 4% of the total land area. Many types of fruit trees grow in England, including the cherry, apple, and plum trees. Gorse is a common shrub. Many varieties of wildflowers also grow here. During the eighteenth century, Britain gained an empire by colonising parts of North America, Africa and Asia. By the nineteenth century, England was bringing back much wealth from these colonies. The trade in slaves and other goods from the colonies supplied the money to build the factories and the machines of Britain†s Industrial Revolution. The country developed heavy industries like coal mining, iron and steel manufacturing, engineering and shipbuilding. However in the twentieth century other countries revolutionised and began to compete with Britain in the overseas markets – so British exports declined. From the 1950†³s on, many former Britain colonies in Africa and Asia became independent and made their own industries, this affecting Britain†s imports and exports. All over Britain factories, mills etc closed. By the 1990†³s the worst of the decline had finished and Britain began to concentrate on new hi-tech and service industries. In the last 25 years, microelectronics has become one of the fastest growing sectors of Britain industry. It is a new phase of industrial growth which scientists call re-industrialisation. The future for Britain as a manufacturing nation looks good and it depends on whether it can develop and specialise in hi-tech industries such as aerospace, computers, electronics, telecommunications and biotechnology. The private car is the most popular form of transport for most British people. The British rail company is becoming more modernised – with new high-speed rail services. Air transport in Britain is also important and very popular. The British industry is now more efficient and competitive in the world markets because of the government†s actions of new industrial growth in depressed areas and growth of service industries – in financial, shopping and transport. Telecommunications are administered by British Telecom. 29.5 million telephones were in use in the mid-1980s, giving Britain one of the world's largest telecommunications systems. In the 1980s 15 commercial program companies gave the television on a basis; satellite-broadcasting services have also been introduced. Four television channels are broadcasted at the moment and soon a fifth. 50 commercial firms in the main cities run local radio stations. 124 daily and Sunday newspapers and more than 1000 weekly newspapers are published in Great Britain. 15 London newspapers circulate nationwide, and 6 of them have daily circulations of more than 1 million. Britain is a constitutional monarchy – the queen is the head of the state but politics is controlled by their parliament. There are two houses of Parliament – The House of Commons – who are elected by the public and The House of Lords – made up of peers. The main British political parties are Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat. There are also Welsh and Scottish parties who want to be separate from England. The political party system has existed since the 17th century. Several parties win seats in Commons, but Great Britain has worked as a two-party system for more than a century. The majority party forms His or Her Majesty's Government, and the second party is officially known as His or Her Majesty's Own Loyal Opposition. The opposition leader is paid a salary from public funds for that role. Britain has a long history as a great political and powerful country. Britain is trying to rebuild its economy by regaining its political importance. Great Britain is primarily an industrial and commercial nation. It has major industries like transportation, communications, steel, petroleum, coal, gas and electricity. It is a world leader in international trade, it imports foodstuffs and materialism, and exports finished and manufactured goods. Gross Domestic Product – $1,018,000,000,000 (US) Gross Domestic Product per capita – $17,690 (US) Money – pound sterling. One pound = 100 pence. Chief Economic Products – agriculture, fishing, mining, manufacturing. Employment Breakdown – 58% Trades and Services 2% Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing Education is very important to everyone in Britain. All children have to go to school once they turn five, and must attend till they turn sixteen. Two education systems exist – one is free and funded by the government and the other is private where parents pay school fees for children†s education. Students can continue their education at colleges at higher levels or universities – there are 46 universities. The government is trying to encourage more students to go into higher education. Religion – The Church of England has the most members, 54%, in Great Britain. Most members, however, live in England. The second biggest religion, is the Roman Catholic Church (13%). Catholics are spread throughout the country. Other religions include Protestantism (which includes the religions of Wales and Scotland), Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, and Sikhism. Health – General physicians in Great Britain are part of the National Health Service, although some also have private patients. The service provides full, free medical care to all people. Family Life – Most British people live in houses and 15% live in flats. In the last five years many people have been moving out of towns and cities to live in the countryside because of the urban problems like crime, traffic and air pollution.

Andy Warhol research

Warhol created his pieces by discovering what was popular, what stood out in modern art, and also something with standard American values. Warhol also took everyday objects and turned them into pop art sensations. He realized that the majority of the United States went food shopping and decided to create a line of supermarket products. This line of Whorl's included the very popular Brills boxes, price tags, the banana, and Coca-Cola bottles (Warwick). His creation of Coca Cola Bottles in 1962 became very popular. The bottles are in the everyday life of anAmerican which made them very familiar with practically everyone. â€Å"Warhol used to identify the nature of the great American society, anonymous and consumerist, devoted to conformism and with a pride in unanimity, was the ubiquitous Coca Cola bottle- â€Å"(Cobblestone 12). To Warhol, a Coca Cola bottle seemed so simple but, also a universal icon in the United States. Before Warhol, lots of artists had assistants who stretched and primed canvases, ran errands, or even participated in making the work. But at the Factory, the crew grew to the size of a small business.It was seen as sort of entourage, but Warhol turned that idea on its head: â€Å"People thought it was me that everyone at the Factory was hanging around†¦ But that's absolutely backward. It was me who was hanging around everyone else. I Just paid the rent. † gave rise to? a type for whom conflating culture and commerce is about â€Å"engaging with modern life on its own terms,†Andy Warhol went back to the origin of art: drawing Stuff That Matters cavemen drawing animals that either fed them or killed them, later paintings and sculptures of gods and demons.Andy Warhol looked at the world and asked, what matters now? Which is how â€Å"icons† of Marilyn Monroe and consumer products such as Campbell Soup ended up being part of his work. Warhol created his pieces by discovering what was popular, what stood out in modern a rt, and also something with standard American values. Warhol also took everyday objects and turned them into pop art sensations. He realized that the majority of the United States went food shopping and decided to create a line of supermarket products.This line of Whorl's included the very popular Brills boxes, price tags, the banana, ND Coca-Cola bottles (Warwick). His creation of Coca Cola Bottles in 1962 became very popular. The bottles are in the everyday life of an American which made them very familiar with practically everyone. â€Å"Warhol used to identify the nature of the great American society, anonymous and consumerist, devoted to conformism and with a pride in unanimity, was the ubiquitous Coca Cola bottle- â€Å"(Cobblestone 12). To Warhol, a Coca Cola bottle seemed so simple but, also a universal icon in the United States. Andy Warhol research By stark