Inspiring Quotations for Adult Students and Their Teachers

Essay about Who Killed Reconstruction - 1873 Words

North or South: Who Killed Reconstruction? Harper’s Weekly September 1, 1868 Harper’s Weekly September 1, 1868 â€Å"Is This a Republican Form of Government? Is This Protecting Life, Liberty, or Property?† â€Å"Is This a Republican Form of Government? Is This Protecting Life, Liberty, or Property?† Overview: The twelve years after the Civil War proved to be a difficult time for America. Called Reconstruction by historians, this era saw an increase of freedom for former slaves. However, there was also great resistance to change. In 1877 attempts to reconstruct the South officially ended, leaving white-only governments in power. This DBQ asks you to decide who, North or South, was most responsible for the end of Reconstruction†¦show more content†¦These laws were often called â€Å"Black Codes.† The example below of â€Å"Black Codes† comes from laws passed in Opelousas, Louisiana immediately after the Civil War. ------------------------------------------------- 1. No negro or freedmen shall be allowed to come within the limits of the town of Opelousas without special permission from his employers. Whoever breaks this law will go to jail and work for two days on the public streets, or pay a fine of five dollars.† ------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- 2. â€Å"No negro or freedman shall be permitted to rent or keep a house in town under any circumstances. No negro or freedman shall live within the town who does not work for some white person or former owner.† ------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- 3. â€Å"No public meetings of negroes or freedmen shall be allowed within the town.† ------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- 4. â€Å"No freedman shall be allowed to carry firearms, or any kind of weapons. No freedman shall sell or exchange any article of merchandise within the limits of Opelousas without permission in writing from his employer.†Show MoreRelatedChallenges Faced By African Americans990 Words   |  4 PagesJulian, who is African American, killed a white judge. The mob promised to find him and burn him alive, but when they could not find him they decided to go after Roselius Julian’s relatives.5 â€Å"The mother, three brothers and two sisters of the Negro were arrested†¦at the Black Ridge in the rear of the city by the police.†5 The three brothers were the ones that were hanged for their brother’s crime.5 There was also an innocent young African American man who was not related to Julian, and who might notRead MoreCivil War Reconstruction: Success or Failure? Essay1262 Words   |  6 PagesAP US History 06 January 2006 Reconstruction: Failure The Civil war was possibly the greatest tragedy that this country had ever faced. Years of constant arguing, compromises and cynical ideas about slavery pushed this so called United Nation into an atrocious collision between the Northern abolitionists and the Southern proslavery farmers and plantation owners. The nation suffered enormous losses economically and went into a downward spiral. The reconstruction period began with many leadersRead MoreThe Reconstruction Era And The Jim Crow Era1525 Words   |  7 PagesThe Reconstruction Era and The Jim Crow Era were both times of Rapid growth in the United States that were characterized by changes not only on the intrapersonal level, but also on the cultural and legislative level. The Reconstruction Era occurred directly after the civil war and spanned twelve years from 1865 to 1877 , while the Jim Crow Era occurred from 1877 to 1954. Some of the common themes of these eras were race relations and tension between northern states and s outhern states. The firstRead MoreImpact Of The Civil War On African Americans860 Words   |  4 PagesIt was between the Union and the Confederacy over their differences and problems they created. The consequences the nation faced due to the demolition of the Civil War, was terrifying. Then the Reconstruction era was born to restore, reinstate, and unite the United States as one. During the Reconstruction of 1865 through 1867, African American lives were impacted economically because they were given few rights and their resources were limited, socially because they wanted to be given an ordinaryRead MoreThe Black Codes Of Mississippi920 Words   |  4 PagesIn 1865, the United States government implemented what was known as Reconstruction. Its’ purpose was to remove slavery from the south, and give African-American’s the freedom in which they deserved. However, the freedom that they deserved was not the freedom that they received. With documents like The Black Codes restricting them from numerous privileges that white people had and the terroristic organization known as the Klu Klux Klan attacking and killing them, African-American’s were still beingRead MoreThe Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman1277 Words   |  6 Pagesis a classic fictional book. The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman is the story if a women’s life told when she was over one hundred years old. The novel goes over 3 main periods of time: war years, reconstruction, and slavery. In The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman it is the time of reconstruction and the novel really connects with the history of the time. The novel starts the story at when Jane was a young slave. The Emancipation Proclamation was a decree announced my President Abraham LincolnRead MoreThe Reconstruction Era990 Words   |  4 PagesThe Reconstruction Era was from around 1865-1877, during that time many laws were passed to break down the color barrier. The 13th Amendment which officially abolished slavery and involuntary servitude was passed on April 8th, 1864. Then came the 14th Amendment passed on July 9th, 1868 which granted citizenship to everyone born in the U.S. Finally came the 15th Amendment passed in 1870 which gave freedmen the right to vote and could not be denied on account of race or previous condition of servitudeRead MoreThe Other Side of the Enmancipation Proclamation Essay1181 Words   |  5 Pagesconfederacy, which brought about the civil war. Despite inclusive wording, the Emancipation Proclamation was limited in many ways. It applied only to states that had seceded from the Union. After years of fighting the North won and reconstruction began. Reconstruction was a difficult task and wasnt taken lightly, for after the defeat the south had much resentment and hostility toward the north and even more so towards African Americans that had been given freedom, voting rights, and protection dueRead MoreHealth Effects Of The September 111159 Words   |  5 Pagesoccupancy fell below 40% and 3,000 employees were laid off in the week following the attacks. (Wiki- Economics, History.com) Health effects of the September 11, 2001 attacks were almost non-existent at first, but years and years of study showed that people who worked around the debris from long periods of time are much more likely to develop PTSD. Some heart conditions and respiratory disease have been linked to the September 11, 2001 attacks, but nothing has been proven. Some mental illness exists as a resultRead MoreWhy Was Responsible For The End Of Reconstruction?1282 Words   |  6 Pagesthe death of an era not a person. The question is, who was responsible for the ending of Reconstruction (To rebuild/fixing after war): Northern Neglect or Southern Resistance? Though there is no question. The North’s neglecting to the south was a primary reason for the ending of reconstruction because during that era a large percentile of the North made up the Ku Klux Klan (KKK), which that specific group was largely opposed to the reconstruction of the South as well as they were supremacist; which

Michael Jackson Paper on Courage Free Essays

Kyler Pulst Mrs. McMahon Writing February 18, 2010 Michael Jackson Courage Paper Michael Jackson never stopped doing what he loved even when he was 50 years old. My hypothesis was supported by the information I gathered because I had so many pages of information it was so hard to narrow it down but that is how my hypothesis was supported by the information I gathered. We will write a custom essay sample on Michael Jackson Paper on Courage or any similar topic only for you Order Now Michael Jackson performed 7 solo tours in his lifetime. Michael Jackson soon decided to leave the Jackson 5 when the fans said that his four brothers were holding him back. Then Michael became a solo artist producing hit after hit, he also acted in plays. Two of his most popular hits were, â€Å"Thriller† and â€Å"Billy Jean. † He loved his business and worked so hard at it he became the King of Pop. Michael Jackson was going to have another tour in 2009. It would have started on July 8, 2009. During that tour he was going to perform over 50 sold out concerts. He never stopped doing what he loved even when he was a father. He loved his children Paris, Prince and Teddy. He found time to play with his children more than normal fathers even while being a big time popular singer and dancer. Another thing that proves Michael Jackson was courageous was that he went out on stage and sang and danced in front of thousands of people even when he thought that he was hideous (that’s why he got plastic surgery so many times on his nose). That proves that he showed courage because he was willing to do what he had to do even when he thought he was ugly. My data confirmed my hypothesis. Michael Jackson proved how courageous he was by sticking with his dream of music. He proved this by staying in the music business from age 11 (Jackson 5) all the way to his solo career throughout his life time. Michael Jackson was born on August 29, 1958 and died on June 25, 2009. ______________________________________________________________________________ Cited Page 1. ) www. allmichaeljackson. com/biography. html How to cite Michael Jackson Paper on Courage, Essay examples

Chronicle of a Death Foretold Essay Example For Students

Chronicle of a Death Foretold Essay Hopper 4 story because Alba is a symbol of new hope and joy amongst the Trueba and del Valle family, even more so for Esteban Trueba. For Estebean Trueba, Alba is truly dawn; for as the sun rises from darkness, Esteban Truebas love and admiration for Alba arises from bitter emotions towards all else. Likewise, Rosa is another symbolic name. Rosa is from Spanish origins meaning Rose, a flower that has symbolized beauty in almost all cultures and generations. Rosa in The House of the Spirits is the most beautiful girl that anyone has ever seen. Though rose flowers are admired for their beauty just as Rosa is, they have thorns that can damage the skin; Rosa in The House of the Spirits has her own thorns that eventually damage others. For she dies young and leaves Esteban Trueba heartbroken, and also the events of her autopsy leave Clara traumatized for many years. Because Chronicle of a Death Foretold uses ordinary names, it adds another asset to the already confusing plot, that of more confusion. Names such as Santiago Nasaar, Angela Vicario, etc. are non-symbolic and are a conflicting addition to the badly ordered chain of events that surround the death of Santiago Nasaar as well as magical realism used throughout the book. The House of the Spirits opposes this style of writing by adding names that are symbolic of that characters role in the story and thus the plot of the novel. Names such as Clara, Rosa and Alba foreshadow their roles in the story. The Significance of Names in the Plots of Chronicle of a Death Foretold and The House of the Spirits Zephaniah Hopper IB World Literature 26 May 2009. Works Cited 1. Allende, Isabel. House of the spirits. New York: Bantam, 1986 2. Marquez, Gabriel Garcia. Chronicle of a Death Foretold. New York: Vintage, 2003.

Changes Through the Journey

Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse is a not just a piece of fiction, it is a great book which dwells upon the way each person should come through. The symbolic meaning of searching for personal self impresses. Reading this novel each person can recognize him/herself. Searching for personal self, many people look at the experience of other people, they try to find their self relying on the skills of others.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Changes Through the Journey specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, this is not correct as the experience of other people may just give somebody knowledge about the possible events, actions, case, however, enlightenment is reachable to those who want to find it, who walks their personal paths getting personal experience and trying to find their self without relying on the experience of others. The difference of Siddhartha at the beginning of the story and at the end of it is obvious. Attitude to life of a person who does not know what he is living for and why he is doing it differs greatly from a person who knows what he is doing in this world. At the very beginning of discussion, the author describes Siddhartha as a person who was wise enough and who experienced much in his life. However, he himself understood that what he knew was not enough, that he needed more joy and love in his heart which he could experience only by having found the sense of his life. Having started his way, Siddhartha was a person without direct understanding of personal desires, his actions and thoughts were confusing and he did not know what he was living for. The way to the final enlightenment was rather complicated. At the end of a story Siddhartha becomes a new ferryman. He is sure that his life is inevitable and therefore important. He understands that the role other people played in his life was as great as he played some roles in the life of other people. One of the main discover ies Siddhartha does at the end of the story and that makes him different from who he was at the very beginning of his journey is enlightenment. Those who managed to understand it, to discover and to get, are very lucky people as not everyone manages to do it. Siddhartha understood that enlightenment called â€Å"†¦treasure and secret was not teachable, which he had experienced in the hour of his enlightenment – it was nothing but this very thing which he had now gone to experience†¦ his self† (Hesse 41). The importance of this phrase cannot be overestimated as this is the moment what the protagonist reached his enlightenment. At the same way this very episode is the expression of the author’s point of view about human self. One of the main conclusions made by Siddhartha and the author is that it is impossible to learn enlightenment. Each person should experience something, each person has to learn something on practice to make sure that he/she has reac hed enlightenment as this is the only way.Advertising Looking for essay on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More People should understand that self is something sacred, something that stays in each person individually, that directs a person, makes his life unique. Siddhartha said, â€Å"I will learn from myself, be my own pupil; I will learn from myself the secret of Siddhartha† (Hesse 39). Reading the novel, each of these moments is felt at the very end of a book. When a person reaches enlightenment, he/she reaches salvation. This is the most sacred moment as having understood personal value, having understood personal importance to this world, one has an opportunity to understand this world, his/her place there. It is essential to remember the scene where Siddhartha leaves his friend Govinda under the supervision of Buddha who promised to teach his pupils enlightenment. Having left him, Siddhartha â⠂¬Å"bean to walk quickly and impatiently, no longer homewards, no longer to his father, no longer looking backwards† (Hesse 42). This is the moment when two friends separated for searching the same. This is the signs that each person has his own path on the way to understanding. Kamala was another person who managed to change Siddhartha and his style of life. On the one hand, she gave him many lessons, important on his way to enlightenment. On the other hand, she gave him a son. Siddhartha’s son was the one who pushed Siddhartha for understanding that each person has to search for his path alone. Having left his son in the city, Siddhartha has time to think about his life, about what has happened and he comes to the conclusions about self and enlightenment. It is really important for the main character to realize his meaning, to realize the meaning of the world and the meaning of the surrounding people and objects, â€Å"meaning and reality were not hidden somewhere be hind things, they were in them, in all of them† (Hesse 40). Searching for this truth, the protagonist has to look inside self, however, for a long time he tried to find something behind himself. It is essential to understand this particular moment. Most people who used the services of a ferryman did not see this difference as well as they did not understand that they had to follow personal lives in spite of relying on somebody’s teachings. Only looking inside of personal self, actions, and thoughts a person is able to achieve something important. Only being able to understand personal mistakes and make sure that these mistakes are never repeated against, a person reaches his/her goals. In conclusion, it should be stated that the book under consideration is extremely philosophical. Apart from personal self a lot of different themes are raised there which are closely connected to enlightenment, however, they may be applied to another of human personality. One of the main themes in this book is the search of personal self. The main character tried many different ways. First, he wanted to use the experience and teaching of a wise person, however, he understood that this way was wrong.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Changes Through the Journey specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Then, he tries to release from everything trying to find something inside himself, however, he understands that doing nothing h would get nothing. Thus, walking the world he faces many people and each of them gives Siddhartha experience. Such experience is really valued as once having got enough experience, Siddhartha experiences enlightenment. Having understood personal place in this world and the purpose of personal being, Siddhartha is sure that he managed to lead a deserving life. The only way he can be useful to others, as a part of salvation, is to become a ferryman. This is exactly what he does when hi s son goes for searching personal enlightenment. Works Cited Hesse, Hermann. Siddhartha, New York: Cricket House Books LLC, 2012. Print. This essay on Changes Through the Journey was written and submitted by user C0dy to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

15 College Halloween Costume Ideas

15 College Halloween Costume Ideas Forget finals, exams and mid-term papers: coming up with a costume idea for Halloween is real pressure. If youre sweating over what youll be dressing up as this year and want to avoid the tired out plays on pirates, zombies and vampires, we have 15 unique costume ideas that will score you points with fellow party-goers and overage trick-or-treaters. These unique ideas can be a great jumping off point to create your own look or to improve on great costumes of the past. 1. Favorite Internet Meme Every year brings its own crop of viral internet memes and heres your chance to celebrate your favorite. You can dress up as Grumpy Cat, Good Guy Greg, your favorite LOL cat or a combination of any of your favorite internet memes from the past several years. 2. Forgotten Comic Book Heroes Sure the X-Men, Superman and Batman get plenty of notice but what about Swamp Thing, Thor or If you want to show off your Geek Cred, dress up as Halk Kar, a superhero who had many of the same powers as Superman but to a lesser degree. Halk Kar was briefly thought to be Supermans older brother but it turned out he was from a different planet – Thoron – and was eventually scrapped by DC Comics. 3. Your Younger Self Break out the acid wash jeans, Dippity Do gel and velcro high tops. Dress up as your middle school or junior high self. Bonus points for dressing up as your Kindergarten self with accompanying yearbook photo. 4. Sexy Vader Pair up that Darth Vader mask with fetish PVC gear for a unique look sure to turn some heads. 5. Reality Show Fast Forward Pick your favorite (or your least favorite) reality show personality and dress as you predict theyll wind up 20 years from now. 6. Made by Lego Drag out that plastic bin of Legos and start building. People online have started developing instructions, blueprints and tips for building masks from plain Lego blocks. Use their instructions to create Star Wars inspired masks or create your own and upload it. 7. Lego Man Its also easy and fun to dress up as the original Lego Man. Use Large Construction Tubing to make his head (it will need to fit over your own head) and cover with Yellow Duct Tape. Build a blocky red shirt with cardboard and red tape or contact paper. Cut arm holes in the sides and wear a long sleeved red tee shirt underneath. Finish it off with black trousers and yellow rubber gloves. 8. Loading †¦. Get a picture of your own face or of a celebrity or whoever you want to use as a mask. Run it through an online filter to pixelate it and go as a slow loading jpeg or an 8-bit version of that person. 9. A Suessy Solution Going as your favorite Dr. Seuss character can take some planning. Hit up cosplay friends for tips on making sweeping takes, furry hats and prosthetic makeup to make the characters come to life. 10. Zipper Face Grab yourself a zipper either from those jeans that will never fit again or pick up a new one at a fabric store. Paint the whole thing (unzipped) with clear nail polish so it wont turn your face green and then use spirit gum or facial adhesive to plaster it half zipped onto your face. You can do down your nose and have the zipper open right over your mouth or go side to side. Paint each section of your face a different color or use it as a foundation for a monstrous makeover. The use of a real zipper adds a lot to the impact of the costume. Find out more on how to apply Halloween makeup from one of our blog posts. 11. Going as a Group Planning your costume with a group of friends opens a world of ideas. Gather up a few of your best mates and go as a group of Tetris pieces Paper, Rock, Scissors the Spice Girls the Evolution of Madonna the South Park gang Calvin and Hobbes 12. The World in Black White Use monochrome clothes, face paint, black lipstick and dark accessories to go as yourself in Black White. 13. Get Punny If youre a fan of word play, dress as a pun. A bra and two cups of spice bottles turns you into an instant Spice Rack. If you have red hair (and youre a guy) you can tie some bread around your neck and wist and go as a Gingerbread Man. 14. Frame It If youre willing to support a cardboard frame for the evening, you have several options. Framed options include the Mona Lisa walking FaceBook live action YouTube Video 15. Not Dressing Up is Still a Costume If you find yourself at the 11th hour with no costume, no money and no time, dont despair. Grab a white t-shirt and a sharpie and write Error 404: Costume Not Found. You may not win any prizes but at least it counts as a costume. By the way, this costume remains on top of the list for years. Weve even added it to our list of The Best Halloween Costumes for College Guys. Bonus Clowns are really creepy. If you want all your friends be scared of you, try to wear a clown costume. There are many variations of it; therefore, weve completed the entire blog post with Scary Clown Costume Ideas for This Halloween. Have an epic costume idea? Share it below!

Major League Baseballs Antitrust Exemption Assignment

Major League Baseballs Antitrust Exemption - Assignment Example However, the writer offers counter arguments in some of the points presented, deviating from the thesis and making a reader question the writer’s standpoint. The paper is not properly organized. Some of the claims wander and do not connect to the thesis. At the end of the paper, it is hard to tell the primary idea that the writer wants the reader to understand. The points seem to conflict the main argument of the paper. Additionally, there is no smooth flow from one point to the other and the transition from one sentence to the other is not effective. The thesis should be clearer and indicate the standpoint of the writer regarding the topic. Although the paper is engaging, it is not organized to allow a smooth flow of the writer’s arguments. To make the flow of the paper smooth, the writer can divide the paper into sections such as introduction, background of the case, analysis and conclusion. The main claims do not fully support the thesis without going outside of it. In the third last paragraph, the writer presents a point to support the thesis, but annuls it with a counter proclamation that makes the claim pointless. This depicts a deviation from the thesis statement that seeks only to support why the Major League Baseballs antitrust exemption should be

A selected annotated bibliography on Edgar Dega's Singer in Green Research Paper

A selected annotated bibliography on Edgar Dega's Singer in Green - Research Paper Example Degas illuminates his subjects from below. Shckenkel also argues that Degas has depicted his artistic knowledge using coarse hatchings that suggests the existing backdrop behind the singer herself. According to this author, Degas had a deep meaning behind this style of art. He says that the subject matter of the Artist mainly represented the modern approach. He also states that Degas had a great interest in the portrayal of romance as a major theme of his work of art. His intended message of this image is also facilitated or backed up by his claim that Degas had absorbed her artistic tradition outside people’s influences and later reinterpreted them in various innovative and inventive ways. He created and came up with a lot of information from a single work of art. From the art, it is evident, according to the author that Degas did an experiment with various techniques, thus breaking up the existing surface textures with hatching. He also contrasted the dry pastel with a wet o ne. Degas used watercolors and gouache in the softening of the contours of the figure. Degas, in this concept, is seen as an experienced artist in the use of colors to decorate hi artworks. He uses vivid yellow, orange, and turquoise, which area all features of saturated hues and complementary colors with which other several artists in his circle began to experience during the mid-1880s. The posture of the picture shows that Degas used the modern artistic styles. It is actually the same as the current postures taken by most live performing artists. Reff, Theodore. The Pictures within Degas’s Pictures. Columbia: Columbia University Press, 2004. Print. Theodore affirms that Degas applied Venatian art in the creation of the picture. His painting styles with the use of several colors are an indication of the use or application of the mentioned art that was popular during the mid-1860s. He says that the appearance of the picture was because of various works of other artists such a s Tintoretto, Giorgione, and Veronose. Like other works of Degas such as Finding of Moses, Theodore asserts that most of the art styles used in the picture, were that of Tissot who wrote to him, â€Å"L’Assomtion du Titien m’a laisse froid-le Tintoret de Saint- Marc piquant une tete m’a bien†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Theodore goes ahead to explain the history of Degas artistic knowledge that he used in the making or compilation of the picture. He says that the knowledge on the use of colors in the decoration of the picture came from Venatian first, before it; Tissot got it and later shared it with Tissot. He says that, through this, Degas managed to create the picture that was remarkably varied in styles and subjects. The skills he gained through these early artists also helped him come up with juxtaposition in photos. He asserts his beliefs in the existing relevance of modern art. To verify the issue of modernity, Theodore talks of the realism of European paintings and th e artificiality of the Japanese prints. The curving of the hand in the picture, the paintings, the textures and the posture, are all original works of other artists during the renaissance era that was adopted by Degas during the creation of the artworks. Reff, Theodore. Degas: A master among Masters. Columbia: Columbia University Press, 2001. Print. In this article, Theodore still discusses the styles that Degas used in the picture. He talks of many aspects of the pictures, in terms of its composition and making styles. She refers to one of the known and popular statements that Degas made

Why do some pupils achieve more than others in mathematics Essay

Why do some pupils achieve more than others in mathematics - Essay Example An issue means something significant that needs to be finalised, an argument that is not settled. ‘Taking an issue’ means disagreement and ‘to issue onwards’ means to illustrate. Among the contemporary issues, Peter Bailey‘s statement is of value to everyone. He proposed that â€Å"teachers of mathematics can play a crucial role in making the world a fairer place† (Gates, 2001, p. 10). Different pupils think differently to a same mathematical problem. This creates trouble for teachers in devising the most appropriate method in the best interest of all. Some students do achieve more because of the individual differences in terms of abilities, motivation levels, preferences etc. (Orton, 2004, p. 136). Mostly mathematical calculations are thought to be convergent - having a limit however there are also divergent questions whose answers could be manifold. Hudson (1966) tested the convergent and divergent thinking ability of sixth form students in a research study of individual differences and concluded that students weak at the IQ tests were much better in subjective questions. Most of the students that perform better in mathematics are convergent thinkers, who likes logic, definite solutions etc. They are bound to have mathematics as their favourite subject while divergent thinkers have difficulties (Orton, 2004, p.139). â€Å"Mathemetical abilities are not innate but are properties acquired in life that are formed on the basis of certain inclinations†¦ some persons have inborn characteristics in the structure and functional features of their brains which were extremely favourable to the development of mathematical abilities†¦anyone can become an ordinary mathematician; one must be born an outstandingly talented one† (Orton, 2004, p.142). Generally Maths is considered a subject you cannot humanize. Russel (1938) proposed that most students have the common perception of considering

Percentage Profit Margins Of A Project Construction Essay

Percentage Profit Margins Of A Project Construction Essay The net price of measured work is the final price taking into consideration all the elements. In other words the net price is the overall and final price, including labour, plant and materials without any profit or overhead allowances which are priced elsewhere in the preliminaries. Overheads need to be taken into consideration when preparing estimates. Overheads are costs you control such as electricity or office rent, usually you will have to recover them because they include admin. Most medium sized construction organisations recover the cost of these each year spread over the turnover of the project, this can be assed as a percentage addition but may fluctuate according to you turnover. Risks are unforeseen set backs in the project, weather disasters are a great example of a risk that might have to be taken into consideration. Preliminaries The preliminary part of a project is the initial section giving a description of the project. Plant, vehicles and tools are all included in the preliminary costs. This includes the costs of buying or maintaining the machinery and tools and also the costs of erecting and maintaining scaffolding on a project. The cost for this is worked out using the surface area of the structure, what material is used in the structure and the length of time the scaffolding is up. Sometimes this can include costs of toilet installation, water and electricity and also the costs of managers, engineers and safety officers Profit Profit is essentially how much money you make. There are different types of profit; net profit, gross profit and operating profit. Gross profit is usually found calculating all sales minus any cost relating to the sales, in other words how much money you make on the sales. Net profit is seen as gross profit minus all overheads and interest. And operating profit which is the profit for the business core business operations excluding profit made from investments and the effects of tax or interest. Estimating methods Estimations are used all the time in everyday life; estimation can give you a rough idea or figure to a sum without finding an exact answer. They come in very handy in many aspects of day to day life without exception to the construction industry. Estimations can help you get a rough Idea of how much salary you have to pay out, how many bricks or how much concrete you want for a project and many other things. There are different types of estimating methods that can be used to do different things. Cost estimation is used regularly to decipher the net costs of many materials you need on site. The estimator will need to estimate the amount of materials needed and the type of materials needed on the project. The two main benefits of cost estimation are firstly that changes can be made in early stages to reduce the overall effect this has on the project time schedule and cost and secondly the more cost information you gather the more you improve the quality of cost data The estimator will also have to include labour costs, so they have to estimate the different types of workers that will be needed to complete the project and also how many of these workers will be needed to ensure the project is completed on time. When calculating labour rates you have to take into consideration numerous different factors such as nation insurance, hourly rates, holiday and sick pay (if it is a lengthy project) and many more. A method for estimating labour costs that has been widely accepted is COEP, the code of estimating practise. As well as this an estimator will usually supply contingency sums. A contingency sum will usually be an amount of money to cover any unforeseen expenses that may arise in the duration of the project, in other words any overheads. Here is a table of the different estimating methods used in the 1930s compared to those used in the modern day. Single rate estimation This is commonly used by health and education services at the inception stage of a project. This is useful when a simple and quick cost range is needed in initial stages of a project. An example of this is knowing it will cost you  £10,000 to build a singular room in an hotel complex and you have a budget of  £100,000, you then have a rough estimate that you can build ten of these rooms. Depending on location and ground conditions it can be difficult to adjust certain project costs. Building volume method This is not widely used anymore but basically consist of working out the volume of the building and using it as a cost yardstick (quote taken form martin brooks estimating and tendering). However some countries are still familiar with building costs expressed as cubic meter prices. Floor area method This is a very popular method as it is quite simple. To create a floor area estimation you have to measure the building at each floor level, not making any deduction for internals, and then using previous construction costs and dividing them by the internal floor area to give you a cost per metre squared. When doing this it is obvious that some additional adjustments will have to be made and a separate assessment has to be carried out for external works. P3 There are many things that can affect the percentage profit margins of a project. First of all overheads and unforeseen disasters can play a massive part in this as money spent on these comes straight out of profit. Although an estimator will usually put a certain amount of money to the side in case of this happening it may sometimes not be enough. Some companies compare aspect of their project with old similar projects to see if they can isolate unforeseens and abnormal costs, by doing this they hope to be able to isolate the problems and find an efficient way around it in an attempt to maximise profit margins. When a cost plan has been made it has to be translated into design criteria so that not only can the design team understand it but also so the client or manager can take charge and ensure that the project is within its cost restraints;. Some companies who pride themselves on being green can reduce their profit margins by following procedures to keep green, paying extra money for correct and efficient recycling and ensuring the materials they buy are sources locally and appropriate for recycle can boost material pricing quite considerably. The output of labour can be affected by numerous different things, first and foremost is once again unforeseen issues. Sickness and injury can severely affect the output of labour as it ultimately leads to workers having time off. Not only this, it can also cost the company as they are still entitled to pay. I personally think the structure and organisation of a project can ultimately lead to the designated output you want from your labourers. For example you dont want an excavator and its driver sat static for half a day because your organisation charts have not made the best use of it as this will technically be wasting money. M On-costs are overheads, they are managed and include wages, electricity, gas or office rent, usually you will have to recover them because they include admin. Most medium sized construction organisations recover the cost of these each year spread over the turnover of the project, this can be assed as a percentage addition but may vary according to your turnover. Overheads are costs that have to be met in order for the head office to run smoothly, company cars, insurance and departmental costs are all included in overhead costing. These costs need to be recovered; therefore a percentage is usually recovered from the additional costs added in the estimate. To get a figure for this percentage you must know the overall value of the companys overheads per year, and also the companys turnover. You divide the overhead costs by the company turnover and times the answer by a hundred to be left with the percentage. This percentage can then be used in future estimates. You are also able to reconcile overheads by recovering them against tendered works. This can be done in a number of different ways. Firstly you can use an increased profit margin to cover the over head costs and not include them, you can also establish the overhead costs/total turnover and add the percentage to the tenders and lastly you can move the head office onto site and recover the costs through the preliminaries. A companys turnover will fluctuate year to year. There are many factors that can affect this, such as risks, work efficiency and contract pricing. Risks can occur all the time, sometimes you can loose money due to these risks and sometimes you can gain money, with risks also comes unforeseens, set backs that can loose you money. Being efficient with you work can save you money, if one year a company was extremely efficient they would make more money than if they were not efficient and wasteful. Lastly pricing can have an affect on turnover too, when it is very competitive times you may have to significantly lower your prices to sign as deal. When a companies turnover drops, they will loose not only profit but also money on the overheads as the turnover will drop in accordance with the percentage. In addition to this if a company turnover rises there will be more than enough money there to cover the overheads and therefore the profit will rise too. In the preliminaries we get fixed and time-related charges we have to consider, the SMM7 guide tells us to identify them separately in the bills of quantities. A fixed charge is for the work of the cost of which is to be considered as independent on duration and a time-related charge is for work the cost of which is to be considered as dependent on duration. There are a number of different items that it is hard to designate to a certain charge, such as a crane on site for two weeks. Most plant charges get divided by the duration to produce monthly repayments. For example; employer accommodation requirements. SMM7 states that if an employer has to use onsite accommodation he must include heating, lighting and maintenance. Here are a few other requirements; Accommodation Dependant on specific requirements, offices, toilets, meeting rooms, laboratories and car parking may be needed. Furniture If none stated, client must be providing his own Transport Inspection of components, transport for staff or consultants plus fuel and maintenance Example; management and staff Choice of management varies, dependant on size, complexity and duration of project. Site manager Required on most sites, amount of staff depends on size and complexity. General foreman Co-ordination and management of labour, plant and labour-only subcontractors. Engineer Services engineer to co-ordinate specialist jobs, analyze methods, and quality control.

The Variety of Characters in Shakespeares Othello :: GCSE English Literature Coursework

The Variety of Characters in Othello  Ã‚   William Shakespeare has many ways of illustrating his characters through way of dialogue and language patterns. This is his trademark and it is his ultimate strategy for drawing his reader closer, until they are completely immersed in his play. In Othello we see that a character like Iago has been given a very rough and coldhearted aura about him, which in time shows us as readers how cruel he really is. On the contrary Othello himself is rather noble in his speech, but overall just as clever. These characters are clever in their own separate ways: Othello in living a double life of both war and love (which seems to keep him tied to the battlefield, a danger zone) and Iago is clever in his ways of manipulating an entire lot of people to get what he wants. Any excerpt from the play Othello shows how clever Shakespeare is in his own ways, writing traits that cannot be ignored.    A good example of witty Shakespearean playwriting is in the opening Act of Othello- Act I, Scene i., pg. 78-92. The use of language in this Scene is so classic- for example the way Iago and Roderigo play off of each other in speech. Their goal in the middle of the night is to wake Brabantio (Desdemona's father) and tell him of the extravagant affair between Othello and her daughter. In the streets of Venice these men holler their way up to his chambers, arising him to the balcony. Shakespeare's choice of speech is so affective, and so perfect.    Roderigo: Signor (a question of his authority), is all your Family within? Iago: Are your Doors locked? (Instigating panic) [Roderigo/Iago:I.i.87-89]    Shakespeare's choice of words here is beautiful in its shrewdness, and in so many ways affective. Iago in particular seems to push the situation, and operate the conversation as he always does. He goes on to tell Brabantio his state of confusion and in many ways hypnotize the poor man.    Your heart is burst, you have lost half your soul†¦an old black Ram is tupping your white Ewe. [Iago:I.i.89-91]    Shakespeare gives Iago's character such filth, such a stench in the air about him that you can smell it while reading. Here is a character in Othello that is hard to understand, and there have been many views taken on his role.

Euthanasia: Death and Medical Staff

â€Å"A dying man needs to die, as a sleepy man needs to sleep, and there comes a time when it is wrong, as well as useless to resist.† -Steward Alsop, Stay of ExecutionThough no one has a choice in their own birth, should we be entitled to a choice when it comes to our death? Therefore, what is Euthanasia? Euthanasia refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering; sometimes called â€Å"mercy killing.† Euthanasia has been one of the most controversial issues in the medical field.As of today, Euthanasia is only legal in three countries: namely Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg; and illegal in all countries remaining. Though it is illegal here in the Philippines, the researcher brought this topic out of curiosity with the issue.Why the researcher chose this topic: The researcher chose this topic to gain and give knowledge on Euthanasia; to give enlightenment to people whether to accept or to oppose Euthanasia.Statement of t he problemThis study entitled â€Å"Perception of selected medical staff on Euthanasia†, will give enlightenment to the certain questions that arise: 1. What is Euthanasia? 2. What are the perceptions of selected medical staff on Euthanasia? 3. A right to life or a right to die?Significance of the studyThe significance of this study is to give enlightenment to the following people:Respondents. Upon or during answering the questionnaire, they themselves  will ponder on the issue at hand. Students. Since euthanasia may seem to be an unfamiliar word to most of the students, this study will impart them knowledge about euthanasia. Administration. This study will both impart them more knowledge and also let them ponder on their own thoughts about euthanasia. Citizens. As a whole, they will be gaining more insight and understanding on the issues from euthanasia.Scope and delimitationThis study will only cover the professional medical opinion of doctors, and anyone in the medical f ield, and also the opinions of the society on Euthanasia. Definition of terms Euthanasia – the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering.

Olivia Lum President and CEO of Hyflux Ltd Essay Example

Olivia Lum President and CEO of Hyflux Ltd Essay Example Olivia Lum President and CEO of Hyflux Ltd Paper Olivia Lum President and CEO of Hyflux Ltd Paper Ms Olivia Lum is the founder of Hyflux a leading water treatment company listed on the mainboard of the Singapore Stock Exchange. Where the names of Sim Wong Hoo of Creative Technology and Ron Sim of Osim were often heard, Olivia Lum is Singapores very own true-blue female entrepreneur. To her belt of titles are the Ernst Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2003, Singapores Most Creative Entrepreneur 2003 and Her Worlds Woman of the Year 2002. The Making Of An Entrepreneur Olivia was born in Perak, Malaysia, in the neighbourhood of Kampar. She is an orphan and was brought up by a kind elderly lady whom she called grandma. It was in this poverty-stricken village that she subtly learnt values from Grandma, values which would later helped shaped her as an entrepreneur. Grandma had an unwavering faith in Olivias abilities to compete and win. At every sports day of Olivias, grandma would bring along with her a big box. When asked why, grandma explained that it was meant to be filled up with the prizes that Olivia would win that day. Once, Olivia was bullied and when she came home scratched and bruised, grandma taught her a lesson of survival. She told Olivia that if she could put her mind to beat the bully, she could do it. Olivia confronted the bully again and did exactly what grandma believed she could. In another instance, Olivia was in an art competition where she had only colour pencils. Disheartened by the other children who had colour paintboxes, brushes and other art materials, Olivia almost wanted to give up. However, grandma assured Olivia by telling her she had the talent. Olivia, inspired and spurred on by grandmas confidence and faith in her, won the second prize. 1 From a tender age, Olivia was inculcated with self-confidence, determination and perseverance characteristics innate of an entrepreneur which served to become her bedrock of success. 2 Living amid poverty, Olivia realized that year after year, there were no improvements to the life of the people in the village. The thought of living in constant poverty propelled Olivias desire to achieve higher things in life and improve her standard of living. When Olivia was older, on the advice of her headmaster, Olivia came to Singapore to study. She supported herself through college and university by taking on a host of odd jobs like selling insurance and working in the retail and FB industries. It was through taking all these jobs that Olivia discovered her gift for sales.3 Deep down, Olivia was convinced of her personal potential and with her passion for business, she knew she could succeed in the business world. After Olivia graduated from the National University of Singapore with an honours degree in Chemistry, she was employed by Glaxo, a multinational company. While working as a chemist in charge of environmental treatment in Glaxo, she realized that if more and more small firms cannot afford to treat and discharge waste in a proper manner into the water bodies, in time, there would not be anymore fresh water for consumption. Olivia identified the need to purify water in an affordable manner. With her years of experience with water treatment systems and membrane technology, and more importantly, her strong conviction that she could be a successful entrepreneur, Olivia made a bold move to quit her stable job at Glaxo and founded Hyflux with $20,000. A Growing Hyflux As of any other startup phase, Olivia did not have an easy time selling her products. Because Singapore companies required proof of track record of her product which Olivia did not have, she went to Johore Bahru to sell her products instead. At Johore Bahru, Olivia would work from as early as 5am to promote her products and would refuse to rest until her targets were met. With her hard work and perseverance, the company finally began to take off. While many startups failed because of a lack of focus, Olivia has kept a clear direction for Hyflux. It continued to research on developing cutting-edge membrane technology and strived to become a leading water-treatment company. Also, what had distinguished Hyflux from other water treatment industry in Asia was its ability to provide integrated solutions for customers. Hyflux was able to customize membrane structures to suit individual customers requirements.4 Turnkey was a term coined to in Hyflux for total project management of its filtration system. In this way, Hyflux offered the convenience and cost-efficiencies of a one-stop solution provider.5 Hyfluxs success was recognized by been awarded the Worlds 200 Best Small Companies for 2002 by the Forbes Magazine and winning the Enterprise Award at the Singapore Business Awards 2004. Indeed, a clear focus for Hyflux has been one of pillar of success for Hyflux. Future Challenges As the company is making waves and entering the bigger league of the industry, Olivias entrepreneur spirit continues to propel the company forward. To quote Olivia, theres all that space, all that potential, why not fly higher, if you dont keep on improving, people will overtake you. 6 Olivias sense of survival nurtured since childhood is still part of her modus operandi as an entrepreneur. Hopefully, she will continue to bring Hyflux greater heights and help the world to conserve on its increasingly scare resource.

Individual Management and Leadership Plan The WritePass Journal

Individual Management and Leadership Plan Introduction Individual Management and Leadership Plan ). This would mean that not only is goal-setting beneficial for the organisation but for the people working on these goals as well. Increasing my preference for team work over individual work in accomplishing goals Since leadership is about leading people, individual work is not the paramount aspect of goal achievement, but teamwork. In a team, people work together towards achieving desired goals, have full and sufficient understanding in the importance of these goals, how these goals may be achieved successfully, and what each one and the whole team may contribute to their successful achievement. If the leader and even the team members are more focused on working individually rather than as a team, the essence of teamwork is lost. (Ricketts and Ricketts (2011) indicate that working as a team is more effective than working individually; thus, the motivation to utilise teamwork and the various literature on the importance of this concept (e.g. Dyer, Dyer, and Dyer, 2007; Morgeson, Reider, and Campion, 2005; Valle and Witt, 2001).   Since the results of my Four Temperaments Personality Test indicate that I have an extraverted temperament, this temperament would help in my ability to build team work.   The result of my Four Temperaments Personality Test on the phlegmatic aspect, specifically self-indulgence, is a good point to consider in my current preference for individual work over team work. On the other hand, since my dominant sanguine and choleric propensities show that I am inclined to being extraverted, this preference is likely to be changed with ease, given such initial knowledge for its imperative change. Heneman and Greenberger (2002) state that the facilitation of team work is through the efforts of some extraverted individuals. Placing the Plan in an Organisational or Industry Context/Strategy Having accomplished the plan, the next step would be to place this in an organisational or industry context, creating clear links to organisational strategies. First of all, leadership is an important concept in the success of an organisation, which is why organisations always gear for effective leadership or management in the workplace. Leadership is different from seniority or one’s position in the hierarchy of his or her organisation. It is an influential relationship that takes place between a leader and his/her followers as they pursue certain changes or objectives that mirror shared meanings, purposes, and strategies (Mills, Mills, Forshaw, et al., 2007). The potential skills and limitations, on which the plan has been established, will eventually add up to my series of strengths identified by the Belbin Test. After implementing the plan, the expected outcomes for me would be above-average interpersonal skills, ability to communicate with others with relative ease, improved team-based problem solving ability, setting many goals for team projects, and increased preference for team work over individual work. These skills are useful in an organisational context; specifically in managing people where the leader/manager needs to unify his/her team towards successful goal attainment. By being able to work in a team and foster good communication skills, problem solving ability, and other skills thus cited as my strengths, I and my team would together work on the necessary aspects of several tasks, which we are responsible to accomplish. The retail industry is the specific industry context on which the plan is placed. This industry is characterised by several challenges in attaining competitive advantage because of the presence of new entrants, substitute products, bargaining power of customers and suppliers, and rivalry between existing competitors (Stonehouse, Campbell, Hamill, et al., 2004).   These challenges serve as a factor for my pursuit for effective leadership and team roles, on which the plan is established. My ability to effectively resolve conflict with teammates and to plan and coordinate with them plays a significant role in smooth working relationships within the team. This importance is further seen in the claim that conflict and lack of team coordination serve as a barrier to attaining desired goals (e.g. Lencion, 2012; Rout and Omiko, 2007). Moreover, my improved interpersonal skills will enable me to communicate my ideas more effectively across people and departments. It has been noted that inte rpersonal skills refer to analytical and decision-making skills (Grant et al, 2010), which means that my possession of these skills will aid my team and the organisation in addressing the competition that retail companies commonly experience.   These together with my improved ability to communicate with others with relative ease, improved team-based problem-solving ability, setting many goals, and increased preference for team work over individual work – will help the company develop strategies for competitive advantage. Incorporating Appropriate Professional Reflection at Relevant Intervals This research has enabled me to identify my own strengths, limitations, and potential skills in leadership and team roles. Apparently, I had no prior ideas of these skills and limitations on a systematic basis, but the Belbin Test and the Four Temperaments Personality Test enabled me to find out approximately what these skills are. I certainly have an initial knowledge of myself, but these tests confirmed them and even added some more which I was not very aware of, such as my satisfactory level of my interpersonal skills, a need to communicate with others with relative ease, a need to improve my team-based problem-solving ability, and my inclination to set only a few goals instead of many goals for team projects. Some of the skills that I am already aware of are effective conflict resolution and ability to plan and coordinate with teammates. Moreover, the Four Temperaments Personality Test made me understand the ease that the potential skills and limitations may be improved. This is because of my dominant combination of sanguine, choleric, and melancholic temperaments, which have positive traits for leadership abilities (e.g. extraversion, being a people-person, optimism, and enthusiasm, being task-oriented, being competition-focused, and being success-specific and strong leadership skills). A further realisation that I have derived from this exercise is the importance of knowing oneself – strengths, skills, abilities, potentials, and limitations – since such knowledge serves as a prelude to being able to manage teams and the organisation as a whole. By being able to systematically identify my strengths, I have been personally assured of my abilities. By being able to also systematically identify my potentials and limitations, I have found out the areas that need improvement. These limitations and potentials allow me to better focus on what I must take an effort to improve on, whilst seeing them as a way for constructive criticism. In addition, no effective leader can function without self-realising his own strengths, skills, and limitations since only when he/she has fully realised them can they be able to function more effectively.   Conclusion This paper has provided an investigation of one’s own individual management and leadership plan, using such diagnostic tools as the Belbin test and the Four Temperaments Personality Test. These tools helped identify and own my individual leadership development requirements. Through the Belbin Test, certain strengths were thus identified along with the potential skills and limitations. The Four Temperaments Personality Test also identified the dominant temperaments that helped in the assessment of one’s leadership propensities and abilities. The plan for development of the skills is centered on improving my interpersonal skills from satisfactory level to above-average level; increasing my ability to communicate with others with relative ease; improving team-based problem-solving ability; setting several goals for team projects instead of only a few ones; and increasing my preference for team work over individual work in accomplishing goals. The retail industry is the specific industry context on which the plan is placed. A professional reflection is conducted, focused on how the entire work is done. References Adair, J. (2007) Develop Your Leadership Skills. London: Kogan Page. Banhegyi, s. (2007) Fresh Perspectives: Management. Cape Town: Pearson Education South Africa (Pty) Ltd. Butterfield, J. (2011) Illustrated Course Guides: Teamwork and Team Building. Mason, OH: Course Technology Cengage Learning. Dyer, W. G., Dyer, W, G., and Dyer, J. H. (2007) Team Building: Proven Strategies for Improving Team Performance. NJ: John Wiley Sons, Inc. Gallos, J.   (2008) Business Leadership: A Jossey-Bass Reader. NJ: John Wiley Sons, Inc. Givens, R. J. (2008) Transformational Leadership: The Impact on Organizational and Personal Outcomes. Emerging Leadership Journeys, 1 (1), 4-24. Grant, M., Rothstein, G., and Burke, R. (2010) Self-Management and Leadership Development. Glos, UK: Edward Elgar Publishing Limited. Heneman, R. L. and Greenberger, D. B. (2002) Human Resource Management in Virtual Organizations. US: Information Age Publishing Inc. How Much Do I (2014) What Is My Personality Type? Four Temperaments Personality Test. Retrieved on May 10, 2014 from howmuchdoi.com/personality/What-is-my-personality-type-Four-Temperaments-Personality-Test-70.html Kandula, S. R. (2006) Performance Management: Strategies, Interventions, Drivers. New Delhi: Prentice Hall of India Private Limited. Kezar, A. J. (2009) Rethinking Leadership in a Complex, Multicultural, and Global Environment. Sterling Virginia: Stylus Publishing. LLC. Larkin, D. (2010) Rethinking Leadership† New Look at Old Leadership Questions. Glos, UK: Edward Elgar Publishing Limited. Lencion, P. (2012) The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: Intact Teams Participant Workbook. San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer. Lussier, R. N. (2012) Management Fundamentals: Concepts, Applications, Skill Development. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning. Michealsen, L. K., Sweet, M., and Parmelee, D. X. (2008) Team-Based Learning: Small Group Learning’s Next Big Step. New York: Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Mills, J. C., Mills, J. B., Forshaw, C., and Bratton, J. (2007) Organizational Behaviour in a Global Context. Plymouth, UK: NBN International. Morgeson, F. P., Reider, M. H., and Campion, M. A. (2005) Selecting Individuals in Team Settings: The Importance of Social Skills, Personality Characteristics, and Teamwork Knowledge. Personnel Psychology, 58 (3), 583-611. Nohria, N. and Khurana, R. (2010) Handbook of Leadership Theory and Practice: An HBS Centennial Colloquium. US: Harvard Business School Publishing Corporation. Psych Tests (2014) Team Roles Test. Retrieved on May 10, 2014 from http://testyourself.psychtests.com/bin/transfer Quenk, N. L. (2009) Essentials of Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Assessment. NJ: John Wiley Sons, Inc. Rainey, H. G. (2009) Understanding and Managing Public Organizations. NJ: John Wiley Sons, Inc. Ricketts, C. and Ricketts, J. (2011) Leadership: Personal Development and Career Success. Mason, OH: DELMAR Cengage Learning. Riding, R. J. and Rayner, S. (2001) Self Perception. Westport: Ablex Publishing. Robinson, V. (2011) Student-Centered Leadership. NJ: John Wiley Sons, Inc. Rout, E. and Omiko, N. (2007) Corporate Conflict Management: Concepts and Skills. New Delhi: PHI Learning Private Limited. Stonehouse, G., Campbell, D., Hamill, J., and Purdie, T. (2004) Global and Transnational Business: Strategy and Management. Second Edition. NJ: John Wiley Sons. Valle, M. and Witt, L. A. (2001) The Moderating Effect of Teamwork Perceptions on the Organizational Politics-Job Satisfaction Relationship. The Journal of Social Psychology, 141 (3), 379-388.

Supply chain management of Coco-Mat case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Supply chain management of Coco-Mat case - Essay Example The Coco-Mat company has several processes and stakeholders associated with the company and contribute to the success or failure of the business (Nagopoulos, Rontos & Pantazidou, 2013). The company relies on type and quality of raw materials obtained from various small and medium international suppliers which affect the sustainability of products and manufacturing. These suppliers lack knowledge on keeping and maintenance of supplies and about sustainable agriculture. This may lead to substandard raw materials and in turn create shortage of the required number of materials to sustain manufacturing. The company comprises of franchisors that run its retail stores. The franchisors have direct contact with the clients and are obligated to listen and respond to customers’ feedback and demands. If the franchisor is not able to deal with the customers well it may result to the company losing clientele which is against their objective of customer satisfaction. As the company loses the customer then, it means that the company is losing sales; therefore, the business may lack enough money to be invested in employees to motivate them. The company also has logistics par tners who contribute to mismanagement and delays of its products. This result to low performance of TQM implemented (Nagopoulos, Rontos & Pantazidou, 2013). Currently, the company if facing challenges in persuading supply chain partners to participate in TQM implementation. Mr. Chatzimichalis visualises a more responsible supply chain that will employ modern information and communication technologies. The C.E.O is searching for technologies that will enable Coco-Mat integrate marketing, logistics and production that will improve the company’s effectiveness and efficiency. Mr. Chatzimichalis also hopes to improve the role of clients in supply chain operations through technology application (Nagopoulos, Rontos & Pantazidou, 2013). 2. Debate the arguments of Mr. Chatzimichalis to make a more

Child labor in bangadesh Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Child labor in bangadesh - Research Paper Example p.). Emphasizing on the various scholarly articles concerning the emerging issue of child labor in Bangladesh, the primary objective of this paper is to prepare three effective action plans in accordance with the current statistical consequences regarding the respective issue in the country based on a policy claim as to how Americans can play a major role in taking steps against child labor in Bangladesh. Moreover, the discussion of the paper also incorporates the major challenging areas which are allegedly noted as the causes to the issue of growing child labor within the country. CHILD LABOR IN BANGLADESH: THE CURRENT PHENOMENON In relation to the present day context, the notion of child labor has been identified as a growing concern in Bangladesh which further conveys a debatable question in the current pace of globalization regarding ethical conscience of employers and the effectiveness of the governmental policies enforced to combat the problem of child labor. According to the s tatistical data obtained in the recent decade illustrating the issue of child labor in Bangladesh, a vulnerable figure can be apparently observed with further signifies the issue to be a major challenge not only for Bangladesh but also for other developing nations witnessing similar problems in its socio-economic stance. In this context, it can be recognized that more than 3.5million of children belonging to the age group of 5 years to 14 years are engaged with child labor in Bangladesh. The most number of children are engaged with different worst form of commercial activities including agriculture, domestic servant in the households along with other industrial operations which are further claimed to lead in health hazards among children and therefore making the future of the economy weaker with rising mortality. Moreover, the child labor of the country is often observed in the carpentry, automobile sector, and textiles along with other manufacturing firms within the country leading towards more frequent occurrences of fatal accidents (UNICEF Bangladesh, n. p.). In relation to the Labor Act of Bangladesh, it has been observed that the government has already enacted the prohibition of child labor under the age group of 14 years. Moreover, the Labor Act of the country also prohibits the engagement of children under the age of 18 years in any hazardous working activities. Undoubtedly, the rising concerns of child labor and the increasing rate of children getting engaged with hazardous work in the industrial context, indicates that the policy has failed. The reasons for its failure can be observed on various grounds. For instance, the Act has been found to allow the children above 12 years to be engaged in ‘light works’ that does not cause any risk in their physical, mental or education related interference fundamentally due to the poverty issues in the economy. Moreover, it can be firmly observed that the Act, concerning the prohibition of child labo r does not provide any strong obligation relating to the provision within the country. As a result, a large population of child labor (around 90%) is performed as an informal structure within the country

Peer review Threats to Data Security (Virtual Lab Research Paper

Peer review Threats to Data Security (Virtual Lab - Research Paper Example In such an area, access to such gadgets can easily be monitored. The control not only restricts accessibility to the premises but also data, information and information systems. When such individuals gain access, they may alter network and system settings that may weaken the security system of the organization. Other physical threats not mentioned include direct break in by thugs. In such a case, we require CCTV cameras installed and warning systems to alert the security. The text did not also include the use of biometric systems for authentication to server rooms and rooms containing networking equipment’s (Special issue on trust in cyber, physical and social computer computing’, 2013). For example, authorized persons can have their fingerprints taken so that when they enter such rooms, they only use their fingers as a passkey. In addition, visitors need to be given badges, escorts for them and control entrance for such individuals. Further, it is wise to secure workstations with locks. Although Laptops can have locks, it is important to set alarm systems to restrict unauthorized persons from touching them. Printed documents that are the waste should be shredded to avoid their use elsewhere. It also means that information that is in the paper especially that which is very sensitive to the organization needs securing in cabinets using locks. Only authorized personnel should have accessibility to this

After high school Essay Example for Free

After high school Essay As we get older, more and more problems begin to form. When we reach our teenage years though, it becomes worse. One problem I think the hardest is for young adults is deciding what we want to do for the rest of our lives when we are so young. You can go to college, military or the working field depending on your preference. When we’re in high school, we have to raise our hand and ask to use the restroom, go to the office to make any phone call no matter how important it may be and have ridiculous dress code rules. You are treated like a child from kindergarten all the way up to senior year and yet they expect you to make the most important decision of your life then. One thing that people do straight out of high school is go directly to the work field. Although its normally in most people’s best interest not to, not everyone is made for college. Unless you are extremely lucky, it has been found that people who didn’t advance to other education after high school make 85% less than those with a college diploma. My brother has a roommate in college and his dad dropped out of college after his first year or two and he makes more money than most people will ever see. His wife doesn’t have to work and his kids have it made when it comes to the materialistic things in life. He owns his own real estate company in Pittsburgh and sells and rents houses to people. He does most of his own work so he doesn’t have to pay people to do it, which is very convenient for him. Although most people do not get as lucky as him, that’s okay for some people because money isn’t everything though. Sometimes it’s better to take time off of school instead of wasting all that money when you don’t even know what you are planning on doing for the rest of your life and going straight to college. There are many reasons why people decide to not go to college, not because they just don’t think that they can do it. Sometimes people have kids before they plan, family problems or even they just can’t get help to pay for it so it holds them back from attending. College is an expensive thing that most people don’t want to pay for. You have years of loans to pay back and for a lot of people; they end up miserable at their jobs after a few years. It is also very hard to get help to pay for you college education. When my cousin tried getting help for college, because she had a full time job and no kids she could get barely any money even though she wasn’t getting any help from her parents. If college still isn’t the right thing for you but you don’t want McDonalds to be your only  definite in for a job, the military is a great option. Although you have to work your butt off for it, the military gives awesome benefits. Of course it’s nothing that the NBA players make, which is ridiculous, but it is still a lot just for being in the military. A player in the NBA averages about $5.15 million per year and all the do is dribble and shoot a basketball for a living where people in the military have to work their tails off every single day to fight for our country and they only get about $70 thousand per year. There is a lot of schooling that they will pay for you so you can still get an education while being in the military. Not only will you get your schooling paid for, but also you can even get paid for going. Also, they have programs like ROTC where you can still train for the military but you are in an actual college getting your education. As well as getting your education paid for, you also get free medical care, financial security and you can retire around 20 years before other people do. If you get all of that stuff paid for, is there even anything left to buy? Food and housing. No worries, in the Army, you receive a regular paycheck and free housing including meals. If you live off of base, you will still receive a housing allowance. Even if the amount of free meals and the checks don’t cover all of the food you want, some restaurants and grocery stores offer military discounts, which will also save a lot of money. My dad owns houses and rent them out to people and the first thing he looks at is what kind of job they have to make sure they can keep up with rent. Last summer there was a guy from the Army that tried to rent of my dad and he told him that the monthly paying isn’t going to be a big deal because he gets checks from the Army specifically for his housing so it is totally free for him. Although college isn’t everyone’s best option, I believe it’s more worth it than working forever at a job that barely gets you by. Colleges can really help you out when you aren’t exactly sure what you want to do. Some even make you take a full year of general education classes just so you are sure that you want to be in that major. Nobody should waste thousands of dollars just to change their mind like 50-70% of college kids end up doing. Also, most colleges have classes that help you transition from high school to college and help get good study habits and things like that. For most kids, what they do for the school like sports, music, theatre and clubs is the most important part of high school. Proceeding to college gives you the opportunity to further  your career in things like that where there are plenty of sports, clubs, different bands and also sororities and fraternities. Although that would be going to college for the wrong reasons, a college education in general expands your knowledge base, makes you more organized and exposes you to a whole new world of learning. There are also so many different types of colleges though. Depending on your preference, you can go to school for a few months or 12 years. There are community colleges, tech schools, four-year schools and also schools that are totally based on what you want to do. At the four-year schools, you have to take a certain amount of general education courses where as a college with a certain amount of month program, all of your classes are dedicated for your major. Every school that you go to has a variety of majors to choose from which also make the college option hard. There are some things that people will never even hear of until they go to college and even then, there are thousands of jobs you can do with most majors that people will probably never even know throughout their entire life. A lot of people don’t realize that a really big benefit of going to both college and the military is the life long friends that you make. Of course you’ll always have your friends from high school, but college and the military both give you the opportunity to start over and make new friends. As you can see, there are benefits to every option you decide to do when you graduate high school. There are also a lot of cons to the option that you decide. It all depends on the person and what they are like. It’s just a very hard decision to make when you are barely old enough to stay outside past 11pm. We are very uneducated about the all the different majors in college and the benefits of or other options if we decided to not go to college. We have only lived about a quarter of our life and we are expected to decide what we want to do for three more quarters of our life. This decision is the one that is going to affect you for the rest of your life and I just don’t think that we are educated enough to make it.

Criminology Research Methods

Criminology Research Methods Using examples from published research, critically consider that way that choice of study design might influence research findings and conclusions.   A study design is a fundamental component of any piece of research, providing a structure within which to implement a suitable methodology for the collection and analysis of information and data. The choice of study design employed in criminological research will inevitably influence the findings and conclusions drawn, which may subsequently be used to shape the direction of future policies and interventions within the sphere of criminal justice. This is particularly the case in relation to domestic violence, which remains a socially and politically contested area with regards to the extent to which it merits and requires criminalisation. I therefore intend, with reference to published research, to critically examine how choice of study design may yield different findings and contributions to contemporary understandings of domestic violence. Before considering the various types of study design, it is necessary to provide a brief account of the nature and context of domestic violence. Academics highlight that it is a distinct phenomenon from other forms of conventional violence, often characterised by a series of ongoing violent episodes as opposed to one discrete event and a typical reluctance on the part of victims to recognise and voice their victimisation (Mirrlees-Black, 1999). Criminological research in this area has assumed heightened importance in recent years due to shifts in Government policy towards criminalisation  [1]  . It is therefore vital that any research in this area necessitates an appreciation of the contextual circumstances within which perpetrators and victims operate. A number of study designs are available for the purposes of criminological research, the primary distinction existing between experimental and non-experimental designs; which include randomised control trials, quasi-experiments, cross-sectional and longitudinal designs as well as ethnographic studies. The choice of design will affect the strength of both the internal  [2]  and external  [3]  validity of the findings and conclusions. Bryman notes that the study design chosen reflects a decision about the priority being given to an array of dimensions. These include articulating causal connections, generalising the findings, understanding behaviour in a specific context and having a temporal awareness of social phenomena (2008:35). In addition, certain designs may lend themselves more easily to quantitative or qualitative data, which may impact upon a researchers choice of design given the fundamentally diverse characteristics of both.  [4]   The true experimental design is often referred to as the gold standard (Bryman, 2008:38), despite being rarely employed in criminological research (Wesiburd, 2000:181) due to its potential to yield findings with strong internal validity, particularly if randomised control trials are employed. The experimental design involves the manipulation of the independent variable in order to elicit variation in the dependent variable, a classic example being Bushmans (1995) investigation into the impact of violent films on those pre-disposed to aggression. In randomly assigning subjects to control and experimental groups, he was able to control for rival causal factors, resulting in findings with strong internal validity. True experiments may be either laboratory experiments  [5]  or field experiments  [6]  , although it can be argued that conclusions drawn from laboratory experiments may not have the same level of generalisation due to their artificial setting. However, it is argued th at it is the theoretical principles that are being generalised, not the specific characteristics of the sample, setting or measure (Anderson and Bushman, 1997:22). The experimental design was utilised by Sherman (1984) in investigating the specific deterrent effects of arrest on perpetrators of domestic violence, whereby three types of police response (arrest, mediation ad separation) were randomly assigned to legally eligible cases. The dependent variable, in this case recidivism, was measured over the course of 6months following police intervention using both official data and victim reports. The studys conclusion, that swift imposition of a sanction of temporary incarceration may deter male offenders in domestic violence cases (Sherman, 1984:270), is often cited in support of mandatory arrest policies. However, given that experimental designs are notorious for their weaker external validity  [7]  , it is questionable whether Shermans findings lend themselves to such a sweeping generalisation. Indeed, follow up studies in other US cities revealed more mixed results, with some concluding that arrest had negative effects for victims (Garner et al. 1995). The findings and conclusions by Sherman have been attacked on a number of grounds. Dobash contends that the experiments were designed and carried out with little knowledge of existing and theoretical positions regarding violence against women (2000:254). Indeed, it can be argued that the failure to appreciate the possibility that the reason the arrest of perpetrators resulted in lesser recidivism was not due to its deterrent effects but a result of the victim failing to call the police again or to report their victimisation to interviewers due to fear of a repeated retaliation by the perpetrator that might have followed the initial arrest. This is particularly since qualitative studies have revealed the extent to which victims reluctance to involve the police are a direct product of their fear that an arrest will lead to an escalation of the violence (Felson et al.2002). In addition, Fagan highlights that the short follow-up period of 6months failed to take into account the episodic and cyclical patterns of family violence (1989:382). It therefore appears that Shermans pre-occupation with experimental form, in this case a randomised control experiment, precluded a proper consideration of the nature and contextual characteristics of domestic violence. A variation of the true experimental design is the quasi-experiment, commonly employed in the evaluation of criminal justice interventions due to the ethical difficulties associated with random assignment. Such experiments have been used to research the effect of rape law reforms on the number of rapes reported to the police.  [8]  However, due to the absence of random assignment, such a design may not yield findings that are considered as strong in terms of their internal validity due to the lack of control over intervening causal variables. The Violent Men Study (Dobash, 2000) employed a non-equivalent control group design to evaluate the impact of different criminal justice sanctions on domestic violence, involving the matching of subjects within the different groups. The qualitative data revealed much higher rates of re-offending than the quantitative arrest records portrayed, leading the authors to remark that these stark differences cast grave doubt on the veracity of criminal justice statistics as indicators of the levels of violence or of the effectiveness of interventions (Dobash, 2000:267). In addition, in contrast to the experimental study of arrest that merely speculated the reasons for reduced levels of recidivism following arrest (Sherman, 1984), the Violent Men Study was able to contribute to an understanding of both how and why certain interventions could lead to a cessation of violence (Dobash, 2000). Such findings were arguably facilitated by the fact that the study design was more attuned to the context and dynamics of domestic violence, such as the fact that it was longitudinal in nature, tracing victims experiences and perpetrators criminal involvement over a period of 12months at regular intervals and drawing a comparison between the two sets of data  [9]  . The advantages associated with this design have led to a replication of it in subsequent research.  [10]   An example of a non-experimental study design is the cross-sectional, involving the collection of information and data relating to a designated phenomenon at a particular instance in time. A classic example is the investigation of the effects of visible public and social order on evolving crime rates in Chicago (Sampson and Raudenbush, 2001). However, the problems associated with such a design relate to both the internal validity and the ambiguity of the direction of causality, which may therefore significantly influence any conclusions drawn, as was the case in the Chicago study which could not establish whether the high crime rates resulted before or after a variation in social control (Bachman and Schutt, 2007:154). A study by Hoyle and Sanders (2000) of victims within Thames Valley police force areas utilised a cross-sectional non-experimental design to investigate victims perceptions of the value of various criminal justice interventions. The non-experimental dimension facilitated a more in-depth exploration of victims experiences and beliefs and a deeper contextual understanding of the nature and effects of domestic violence, with the authors highlighting that the more powerful the controlling behaviour of their partners, the less likely it is women will seek to involve the criminal justice system (2000:21). However, a significant drawback of the cross-sectional design is that it results in findings that inevitably fail to capture the recurring and ongoing nature of domestic violence. By contrast, a longitudinal design, involves the collection of information and data at several points in time, which can also resolve any ambiguity concerning the direction of causal influence. Thus, academics assert that the value of longitudinal data is so great that every effort should be made to develop longitudinal research designs whenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦appropriate (Bachman and Schutt, 2007:155). A study by Sullivan and Bybee (2004) interviewed 278 women, who has just left a domestic violence shelter, at various intervals for three years. By collecting and analysing data over a substantial period of time, the study was able to provide a greater understanding of the unique trajectory of domestic violence. However, the problem of attrition is particularly salient for longitudinal designs, with Bachman and Schutt highlighting that those in greatest need are often the most likely to drop-out (2007:159). This has obvious implications for the validity of findings, since a drop-out of the most domestically victimised subjects could mask the extent and seriousness of domestic violence. An interesting study design that is rarely employed, but could nevertheless provide a valuable insight into the phenomenon of domestic violence, relates to ethnography. The purpose of which is to look more in-depth at the mechanisms underlying a social process and to gain an insight into the interpretations and perceptions of actors (Crow and Semmens, 2008:37). Such an approach was taken by Websdale, who provided a critical ethnography of how rural patriarchy shapes the perpetration and policing of domestic violence (Adelman, 2004:135). Although such findings and conclusions cannot obviously be generalised, ethnographic designs serve to reveal important details about the experiences of particular sub-groups of the population, which may not be adequately reflected in the findings of more conventional study designs. In conclusion, it is apparent that choice of study design in criminological research can have a marked influence on the findings and conclusions drawn. In relation to domestic violence, whilst it appears that true experiments yield results with the strongest internal validity, they nevertheless fail to account for the dynamic processes operating which trigger the variation in the dependent variable. The context-specific approach taken by other designs may have the potential to fill this gap by affording a greater emphasis on process as opposed to outcome. In addition, longitudinal designs are vital in capturing the intrinsic trajectory nature of domestic violence which is often ignored by cross-sectional designs. However, it is apparent that a deeper and proper understanding of domestic violence, in order to implement effective policies, necessitates the exploitation of the various strengths of both experimental and non-experimental study designs. To conclude otherwise would be to ig nore the inherent nature of domestic violence and to relegate it to the status of any ordinary violent crime, from which it is clearly distinct. Word Count: 1992

History of the Marines Essay -- American History Military

History of the Marines What do Drew Carey, Gene Hackman, and Lee Harvey Oswald all have in common? They are all, The Few. The Proud. The Marines. Like these young men, many people after high school join one of the many branches of the military. From the U.S. Bureau of Labor, nine out of ten high school graduates go into the military. However with the Marine Corps being the smallest of the branches, only one-fifth of them become Marines. In 2006, according to the Recruit Depot Parris Island for Marines, 99.9% of the students there were high school graduates. Of the 4,420 recruits in 2006, the average age for a Marine was 19.6. Since the branches were formed, the Marine Corps has developed into a military branch that is greatly respected for its achievements and responsibilities. The Marines As A Whole Unquestionably, the marines were very basic and underdeveloped in their earlier days. The USMC, or better known as the United States Marine Corps, is one of the five main branches of the United States military. The Marines Corps started out being known as the Continental Marines ("United States Marine Corps" 4). The Continental Marines were born November 10, 1775 at Tin Tavern in Pennsylvania. Due to the act of July 11, 1798, the Marines were formed in place of them under the constitution. They were first formed because of America being in debt. At the time, the United States was in a naval war with France (Metcalf 343). The marines have many allies and foes throughout the branches of military. The United States Navy is said to be the "big brother" of the U.S. Marines out of the other military branches. Most of the support that the Marines get is from this fine group of men. Early marines served as gunners, mechani... ...g ("United States Marine Corps" 20). Since the day the Marines were formed, they have developed into a highly respected military branch, where they have accomplished many achievements and took on many responsibilities. The Marines have, and will always play an important role on how Americans fight in wars today. With all the help the United States gets from the Marines, it helps guide troops through ferocious battles like many they have gone through but faster and with more force. There are many famous and infamous people out in the world that served a good purpose fighting and helped them get where they are today. Last and foremost, the Marines take on far more responsibility than people can accredit for. Many people should be grateful for what they have because if it wasn't for, the few, the proud, the Marines, they might not have made it to where they are today.

Locke’s teachings on economic growth and material prosperity Essay

According to Locke, God gave man common ownership of everything under the sun (10). God at the same time gave man the reason, which He intended him to use so as to convert what was owned communally into individually. Man went ahead in using his God given reason and he reasoned that he can put in some labor – which is his by right, and in so doing, he attached the common property with his own property (reading labor) and in the process converted the ownership from communal to individual’s (Locke12). Man created ownership so as to make what is communally owned useful and at the same time avoid the process of gaining consent of all the other owners. One was only considered a rightful own if the item in his possession was for his enjoyment and not to be spoilt. This does not apply to plants and animals alone, but the same can be put in practice when dealing with land. To avoid conflict between men, God gave every man ability to work, so the piece of land one improved through labor was his for the taking, and the limit of how much one can own was to be determined by how much he can work and the number of his needs. Labor became something very important in that, it was through it that the value of land was measured against and also the more one labored the more his living standard improved. That is the reason as to why Locke proposed that the England day laborers lived well than American King, because the former knew how to increase the value of land through labor and this translated to a better life. What Locke is highlighting is that, among the three: land, nature and labor, the latter comes on top of the former two (16). Skills and inventions are the offshoots of labor and they came to make life even more comfy. With the increase in number of people and animal and the use of money, scarcity of land emerged which drove the value of the land up. Man decided to put some policies so as to avoid conflict that would have arisen due to scarcity of the land the same role played by industry and labor there before (17). To avoid wastage, man came up with the idea of trading of things which would otherwise spoil if not consumed fast and in the process of looking for something durable and valuable. This is how money came in being. The qualities of valuability durability and scarcity made money to be even more important than labor and it did what the latter could not have done: enabling man to expand his possessions. So it is true to say that reached his goal of economic growth and material prosperity through the advert of money. But this is not the only ingredient. As from the above discussion, land, government policies, nature and labor are other requirement. For one to be set on the way of wealth creation, it is paramount to balance all these factors. I do agree with all of Locke arguments for he is capturing the reality of today. The only important ingredient that he has not elaborated in a detailed way is market, which is another important pillar of wealth creation. Without the above ingredients, wealth creation will remain but a pipe dream. All these factors have contributed to unequal ownership of property. This situation has brought forth some challenges, one of it being the emergence of social classes: proletariats, bourgeoisies and aristocrats all of which are in constant conflict. This contributes to high crime rates, prostitution, corruption just to mention but a few vices. Works Cited Locke, John. Second Treatise of Government. 9 Mar. 2008. 11 Aug. 2010. http://www. earlymoderntexts. com/f_rights. html

Chinas Grand Canal

Chinas Grand Canal The largest canal in the world, the Grand Canal of China, wends its way through four provinces, beginning at Beijing and ending at Hangzhou.   It ties together two of the greatest rivers in the world - the Yangtze River and the Yellow River - as well as smaller waterways such as the Hai River, the Qiantang River, and the Huai River. History of The Grand Canal Just as impressive as its incredible size, however, is the Grand Canals remarkable age. The first section of the canal likely dates back to the 6th century BCE, although Chinese historian Sima Qian claimed that it went back 1,500 years earlier than that to the time of the legendary Yu the Great of the Xia Dynasty.   In any case, the earliest section links the Yellow River to the Si and Bian Rivers in Henan Province.   It is known poetically as the Canal of the Flying Geese, or more prosaically as Far-Flung Canal. Another early section of the Grand Canal was created under the direction of King Fuchai of Wu, who ruled from 495 to 473 BCE.   This early portion is known as the Han Gou, or Han Conduit, and connects the Yangtze River with the Huai River. Fuchais reign coincides with the end of the Spring and Autumn Period, and the beginning of the Warring States period, which would seem to be an inauspicious time to take on such a huge project. However, despite the political turmoil, that era saw the creation of several major irrigation and waterworks projects, including the Dujiangyan Irrigation System in Sichuan, the Zhengguo Canal in Shaanxi Province, and the Lingqu Canal in Guangxi Province. The Grand Canal itself was combined into one great waterway during the reign of the Sui Dynasty, 581 - 618 CE.   In its finished state, the Grand Canal stretches 1,104 miles (1,776 kilometers) and runs north to south roughly parallel to the east coast of China.   The Sui used the labor of 5 million of their subjects, both men and women, to dig the canal, finishing work in 605 CE. The Sui rulers sought to connect northern and southern China directly so that they could ship grain between the two regions.   This helped them to overcome local crop failures and famine, as well as supplying their armies that were stationed far from their southern bases.   The path along the canal also served as an imperial highway, and post offices set all along the way served the imperial courier system. By the Tang Dynasty era (618 - 907 CE), more than 150,000 tons of grain traveled the Grand Canal annually, most of it tax payments from southern peasants moving to the capital cities of the north.   However, the Grand Canal could pose a danger as well as a benefit to the people who lived beside it.   In the year 858, a terrible flood spilled into the canal, and drowned thousands of acres across the North China Plain, killing tens of thousands.   This catastrophe represented a huge blow to the Tang, already weakened by the An Shi Rebellion.   The flooding canal seemed to suggest that the Tang Dynasty had lost the Mandate of Heaven, and needed to be replaced. To prevent the grain barges from running aground (and then being robbed of their tax grain by local bandits), the Song Dynasty  assistant commissioner of transport Qiao Weiyue invented the worlds first system of pound locks.   These devices would raise the level of the water in a section of the canal, to safely float barges past obstacles in the canal. During the Jin-Song Wars, the Song dynasty in 1128 destroyed part of the Grand Canal to block the Jin militarys advance.   The canal was only repaired in the 1280s by the Mongol Yuan Dynasty, which moved the capital to Beijing and shortened the total length of the canal by about 450 miles (700 km). Both the Ming (1368 - 1644) and the Qing (1644 - 1911) Dynasties maintained the Grand Canal in working order.   It took literally tens of thousands of laborers to keep the whole system dredged and functional each year; operating the grain barges required an additional 120,000 plus soldiers. In 1855, disaster struck the Grand Canal.   The Yellow River flooded and jumped its banks, changing its course and cutting itself off from the canal.   The waning power of the Qing Dynasty decided not to repair the damage, and the canal is still not entirely recovered.   However, the Peoples Republic of China, founded in 1949, has invested heavily in repairing and reconstructing damaged and neglected sections of the canal. The Grand Canal Today In 2014, UNESCO listed the Grand Canal of China as a World Heritage Site.   Although much of the historic canal is visible, and many sections are popular tourist destinations, currently only the portion between Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province and Jining, Shandong Province is navigable.   That is a distance of about 500 miles (800 kilometers).