Chronic Offenders Essays

Chronic Offenders Essays Chronic Offenders Paper Chronic Offenders Paper Chronic Offenders Chronic offenders execute serious crimes repetitively. According to criminal data obtained by the Office of the Legislative Auditor in the state of Minnesota, criminal offenders severely perpetrate different kinds of crimes in different areas of the country. (Yunker, Bombach, Meyerhoff)The build-up of offenses leads to criminal careers. The concept of criminal careers refers to crimes committed by an individual that occurs one after the other extendedly. Moreover, the concept of criminal careers focus on the involvement of individuals to crimes, characterization of offenders and non-offenders, and the regularity of criminal activity by offenders. (Blumstein, Cohen, Roth Visher, 12)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the major reasons why offenders commit crime unceasingly is the lack of an integrated network system within and among states. The presence of a database that should be made available in all states is necessary in order to prevent chronic crimes. This confines justice systems in dealing with chronic offenders. Records of offenders and crimes committed should be made available not only in a nationwide system database, but also networks within states. Access to these databases will allow justice systems to make appropriate decisions for sanctioning chronic offenders. Although this need has been addressed by state governments, the process of establishing network databases still call for appropriation of financial resources. (Yunker, Bombach, Meyerhoff)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Other reasons for â€Å"chronicity† of crimes include is failure of justice systems to acknowledge the fact that imprisonment does not solve the issue of chronic crimes. Most offenders have been in and out of prison, but serving their respective sentences does not eliminate their initiatives to commit crime after leaving prison. Other options should be looked in to as punishment, such as reintegration to society by involving them with community service, socialization programs, work positions, etc. Granting incentives is also an excellent way to encourage chronic offenders to fulfill orders by the justice system and laws mandated by the constitution. (Yunker, Bombach, Meyerhoff)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The government, the justice system, and law enforcement agencies should focus more on the needs of offenders. Chronic crimes occur because needs or issues of offenders are not addressed, causing them to continue executing crimes despite reprimand or imprisonment. Some chronic offenders have been diagnosed with mental illnesses, psychological problems, etc. These conditions are often left unresolved even after imprisonment permitting criminal activities to prolong and extend to even graver offenses. Stakeholders should not only focus on imprisonment, but also the rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders to society. These solutions will ensure that offenders are transformed into healthy and productive members of society. (Oppal)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The chronic offender concept insinuates deficiencies on the part of law enforcement, the justice system, the government, and the community when it comes to dealing with crimes. The growing rate of offenders that commit crime continuously means that law enforcement agencies lack the capacity to foresee criminal patterns and aptitude to strategically prevent crime. (Blumstein, Cohen, Roth Visher, 109) Knowledge of a crime committed by a first-time offender should instantly furnish law enforcement agencies with important facts and details to predict increase or decrease in crime rate. Follow-through and supervision should also be integrated to the responsibilities of law enforcement agencies.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Aside from law enforcement agencies, chronic crimes also indicate deficiencies in the justice system, specifically sentencing policies. Sanctions granted to criminals by the justice system ideally reinforce criminal activities negatively. Sentences should eliminate criminal activity, and not encourage them. Therefore, offenders who have been sentenced but still commit crime after serving their sentence imply that sentencing policies are weak in realizing its purpose in fighting crime and bringing about justice. Absence of the government’s involvement in funding law enforcement purposes and evaluating the justice system and sentencing programs may be inferred from the nature of chronic crimes. Frequent offenses committed means that law enforcement agencies lack resources to improve services, realize full potential, and enact responsibilities competitively. Moreover, the government does not follow evaluation processes that will determ ine the strength and weaknesses of the justice system and sentencing programs. Only by addressing these concerns will chronic crimes be gradually resolved. Blumstein, Alfred, Cohen, Jacqueline, Roth, Jeffrey A., Visher, Christy A. (1986). â€Å"Criminal Careers and ‘Career Criminals’.† Retrieved from National Academy of Sciences. 11 September 2008. http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=922page=12. Oppal, Wally. (2006). â€Å"Crime, Safety and Chronic Offenders.† Retrieved from The Canadian   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Bar Association. 11 September 2008. cba.org/bc/CBA_Publications/bartalk_12_06/guest_oppal.aspx

How to Read George Saunders “Lincoln in the Bardo”

How to Read George Saunders' â€Å"Lincoln in the Bardo† Lincoln in the Bardo, the novel by  George Saunders, has become one of those books everyone is talking about. It  spent two weeks on The New York Times bestseller list, and has been the subject of numerous hot takes, think pieces, and other literary essays. Not many debut novelists get this kind of adulation and attention. Not all debut novelists are George Saunders.  Saunders has already made his reputation as a modern master of the short story- which explains his low profile, even among avid readers. Short stories usually don’t get much attention unless your name is Hemingway or Stephen King- but the story has been having a bit of a Moment in recent years as Hollywood has discovered that you can base entire feature films on shorter works, as they did with the Oscar-nominated Arrival (based on the short story Story of Your Life by Ted Chiang). Saunders is a delightful writer who combines a sharp intelligence and wit with science fiction tropes and a keen understanding of how people live and think to produce unexpected, unusual, and often thrilling stories that go in directions no one can possibly claim to have predicted. Before you rush off to buy a copy of Lincoln in the Bardo, however, a word of warning: Saunders is deep stuff. You can’t- or at least you shouldn’t- just dive in. Saunders has created a novel that really is different from any other that has come before, and here are a few tips on how to read it. Read His Shorts This is a novel, it really is, but Saunders honed his craft in the field of short stories, and it shows. Saunders divides his story up in smaller stories- the basic plot is that Abraham Lincoln’s son, Willie, has just died of fever in 1862 (which really happened). Willie’s soul is now in the Bardo, a state of being in-between death and what comes later. Adults can remain in the Bardo indefinitely through sheer willpower, but if children don’t shuffle off quickly they start to suffer horribly. When the President visits his son and cradles his body, Willie decides not to move on- and the other ghosts in the graveyard decide they must convince him to go for his own good. Each ghost gets to tell stories, and Saunders further divides the book into other snippets. Essentially, reading the novel is like reading dozens of interconnected short stories- so bone up on Saunders’ short work. For starters, check out CivilWarLand in Bad Decline, which is not at all what you think it is. Two others you can’t miss would be 400 Pound CEO (in the same collection) and The Semplica Girl Diaries, in his collection Tenth of December. Don’t Panic Some folks might be tempted to assume this is too much for them- too much history, too much literary trickery, too many characters. Saunders doesn’t hold your hand, that’s true, and the opening of the book is deep, lush, and extremely detailed. But don’t panic- Saunders knows that what he’s done here might be overwhelming to some, and he’s structured the book with alternating waves of energy- highs and lows. Make it through the first few dozen pages and you’ll start to see how Saunders offers up a moment to catch your breath as he slides in and out of the main narrative. Watch for the Fake News When Saunders dives out of the narrative, he offers up the personal stories of the ghosts as well as glimpses of Lincoln’s life before and after his son died. While these scenes are offered up realistically, with the dry tone of historical fact, they’re not all true; Saunders mixes real events with imagined ones pretty freely, and without warning. So don’t assume that anything Saunders describes in the book as part of history really happened. Ignore the Citations Those historic snippets are often offered with citations, which serve to both burnish that sense of realism (even for the imagined moments) and root the story in the real 19th century. But a curious thing will happen if you simply ignore the credits- the veracity of the scenes ceases to matter, and the voice of history becomes just another ghost telling its tale, which is a little mind blowing if you allow yourself to sit with it a while. Skip the citations and the book will be even more entertaining, and a little easier to read. George Saunders is a genius, and Lincoln in the Bardo will no doubt remain one of those books that people want to talk about for years to come. The only question is, will Saunders come back with another long-form story, or will he go back to short stories?

Benchmarking Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Benchmarking - Assignment Example The intention of this study is benchmarking as an improvement process which is mainly used to discover as well as incorporate the best practices in operation. It is the most preferred process which understands and identifies the elements of world class performance in work process. There are four processes in benchmarking which includes planning, analysis, action and review. There are three different types of benchmarking which includes internal, external and best practice. About 70% of the fortune 500 companies goes for benchmarking companies like Ford Motor Company had benchmarked its function of account payable against Mazda Motor. Studies have shown that top management usually does not support the benchmarking. Mangers should not be discouraged from the process of benchmarking. It provides managers to know their goals through the data. According to Betts, there are people who perceive that their individual performance is better than actually it is which is also termed as the Lake Wobegon effect. Betts have conducted a research to seek if these phenomena are also present when the employees are asked to give their views on the performance of the organization. Overestimation of performance is common in organization as well as in individuals. Individuals rate themselves better than they actually are projected with the help of an example. Around 87% of MBA students at Stanford rate their performance to be at top in comparison with their peers, about 90% of the students believed that were above average and only 10% thought they were below average. Similar is with organizations. Thus benchmarking is important in order to escape from the Lake Wobegon effect as the consequences of this performance may not result to be effective for organizations or mangers. According to Alfred North Whitehead, it is not ignorance but ignorance of ignorance which leads to the death of knowledge. The performers who are below the average and are ignorant of the fact that they are poorer performer usually are not motivated to improve (Betts, Croom & Lu, 2011, p.734). Lake Wobegon effect or benchmarking revolves around perverse dynamic. The mangers believe that they are above average performers. But in reality not all mangers are above average neither does all of them deserve to get a performance bonus. Therefore establishing an appropriate peer group and benchmarking is the only option to establish a competitive edge over the competitors (Lipman & Hall, 2008, p.33). Therefore it has been proved that overestimation of performance is common in organizations and individuals. As per a survey conducted by Betts, it has been proved that overestimation of performance is common as 75 % of the employees reported above average performance, 20 of them reported average performance and only about 5% reported to be below average performance. The people are bad at understanding the average performance basically when they are to evaluate the performance of organization in which th ey work. Therefore the consequence of over estimating is likely to bring about a change and so a greater effort should be put on benchmarking performance and also in spreading awareness in respect to benchmarked to the organization (Betts, Croom & Lu, 2011, p.740). Thus creating a need for change is must in the organization but as seen the management decision of benchmarking usually creates a resistance in the employees. Change is an important aspect and should be done on regular intervals. Manager’s use benchmarking to compare the performance of employees on some given dimension in comparison with other organizations performance so that it can be decided how successful the change has been. For example, when Xerox was

Reflections of what happened in early childhood center of early Essay - 2

Reflections of what happened in early childhood center of early childhood education in NZ as in order 509071 - Essay Example I realize I need to learn how to help children resolve conflicts between children whether or not there is a parent present resolve conflicts Analyse: I have learned from my studies and my experiences that young children are very egocentric (Piaget & Inhelder, 1969). The think the world revolves around them and that they can get anything they want. Perhaps that may be true in their homes especially if they are pampered little children who have their parents at their beck and call but when they enter into another social system like joining a children’s centre, they become aware that there are other children like them who are likewise egocentric and that they need to adjust to each other. In doing so, they learn the basics of socialization, sometimes the hard way, such as the fight I witnessed between the two boys wanting the same toy. Although I know that the situation is an opportunity for me to help them learn sharing, I myself was unsure of what to do. Theorise: Play is a goo d avenue for children to learn how they should behave with others. Sharing is one thing they learn when they have prolonged interactions with other children. They also get to learn socially acceptable behavior like not hurting others and playing fair. Most importantly, they get to know themselves better- how they react to certain situations in the play setting. Te Whariki promotes these through its principle of Relationships and its strands of Mana Tangata (Contribution) and Mana Reo (Communication) (Nuttall, 2003). In terms of conflicts that usually ensue during play sessions, children need to learn how to resolve them on their own. However, as toddlers, they would need adults to help them out due to their lack of social and language skills. As they grow, they need to develop the confidence in managing their own conflicts. By having a healthy self-esteem, sound decision-making skills and emotional intelligence, children develop confidence in the management of conflicts. They also n eed to be cognitively capable of processing information in order to solve simple problems. Act: Whether there is a parent around or not, I should learn to help toddlers in conflict with each other. I may be able to provide them both with a toy they both like or introduce a new game altogether. I can also teach them to delay their gratification by waiting for their turn in playing with a toy they both want. I will give each one a toy and one child can play with the preferred toy while the other counts to 10 and at the count of 10, they can switch toys. Not only will they learn to rote count but they will get to enjoy both toys and learn to wait for their turns. Enjoining the parent who is parent to encourage both children to share is one thing I can also do. I will get to see how the parent reacts with my strategy and at the same time I can also get feedback if it works. Reference: Nuttall, J. (Ed.). (2003). Weaving Te Whariki: Aotearoa New Zealand &early childhood curriculum documen t in theory and practice.Wellington, New Zealand: New Zealand Council for Educational Research. Â   Piaget, J. & Inhelder, B. (1969) The Psychology of the Child. New York: Basic Books Reflection 6 LEARNING OUTCOME: Describe: Each day during mat time is a time for the teachers to inculcate in the children their Maori culture. The teachers teach songs in Maori and English, let them count or teach colours in

Language changes during the play Essay Example for Free

Language changes during the play Essay Sheila takes the inspectors lessons to heart, and appears changed by the incident. In Act Two, Sheila sums up the whole familys reactions to the Inspectors questions. She reminds them of the greed, jealousy and selfishness they have all shown. It means we have no excuse now for putting on airs. This is just the start of the speech and she admits responsibility but is very frustrated that the others dont. She has clearly changed.  The audience will have noticed a dramatic change in her personality. She has been affected a lot by the death. She has changed from a jolly and self-centred person to a conscious and very guilty person. If any of the characters were going to change, or learn from the mistakes it would be Sheila. She shows a great deal of interest in Eva Smith/Daisy Rentons death right from the start and throughout. She also feels a lot of guilt and is the only character that is sorry. Her maturity during the interview is much higher than any other character as she is the only one to accept responsibility. Sheila is also the only one who emphasizes her mistake by saying she was very jealous.  Sheilas language changes during the play. She starts off speaking like a child, using words like mummy. She also typically squabbles with her brother. Her language begins to mature and become much more serious during the questioning and after. She begins to take control with the Inspector, trying to help them understand their part in the girls death. Priestley wants the audience, again to understand that honesty is very important. But also that everybody is responsible for each other. Society depends on responsibility for others and Sheilas character should highlight this.  Eric is a spoilt, moody and irresponsible man. (Sulkily) Im all right. Eric is sulking when he utters this line and it gives the impression that he is very young. This is because a lot of children sulk when they are unhappy and Eric is being very childish in doing this. This shows immaturity. I dont give a damn now whether I stay here or not. This suggests his immaturity and selfishness. He isnt in the best of moods after what happens and gets very moody and out of control. Eric lacks self-discipline. His immaturity during this encounter shows much more than the rest and so does his lack of self-discipline. He is old enough to know better.  (Almost threatening her) You dont understand anything. You never did. You never even tried you. This is the worst of Erics anger he does end up calming down. Eric is very distressed by the situation and cannot handle it. He is also very guilty and he does understand the mistake he has made. This is a rare bit of maturity from Eric. Though he is not a pleasant character, we may feel that he has learnt a lesson, that he is sincerely ashamed of his behaviour and he is capable of changing for the better. (Unhappily) My God Im not likely to forget. Eric is aware of the mistake he has made and feels a lot of shame and guilt. Like Sheila, Eric has learned his lesson and they both will learn their lesson. However, their parents dont feels the way they do and dont think anybody has done anything wrong, and this is what really frustrates Eric. Eric is the youngest child in the family and this is fairly noticeable because he speaks with great immaturity. He is rude and very hard to get on with. He uses demanding but very childish words, as if to draw attention. But his attitude and language change when the inspector questions him, and unlike most of the others, feels a lot of guilt, shame and wants to learn from his mistakes. Even when they find out the Inspector might have been a fake he still remained remorseful and full of pity. Priestley may have used Eric to represent the idea that nobody is perfect. Learning from mistakes will make you a much better person. Eric has done a lot of things wrong during his life, being rude and impolite to family members and also thieving and deceiving others. He has without doubt the worst history but he is mature enough to learn from this. Priestley may have also used Eric to represent the emotions that, if the audience were in a similar situation, might act like. He gets frustrated that his parents wont accept his guilt and does tend to lash out. Priestley uses the Inspector to convey his own ideas about morality to the audience. Rather than representing a real person, his character represents the abstract idea of human conscience, which ensures consideration and responsibility for others. He calls himself Inspector Goole. The word Goole has connotations of being ghostly, spiritual and non-human. Priestley could have wanted the inspector to be a kind of ghost and play on the characters conscience. We get the sense that he is some kind of supernatural force. Being called Goole gives the audience some idea he may not be real but he manages to control the situation and dominate the situation. He gets into the characters conscience and makes them reveal all. He does this by asking demanding short questions. Well? This question is very short but has so much power to it. He speaks as though he was a boss talking to an employer, or as if he was a teacher speaking to a student. He gets so much out of the characters by asking one-liners like this. This also shows confidence, Inspector Goole now believes he has taken control, which he Cleary has done, and starts to use these demanding questions. He is not afraid to contradict and be rude to his social superiors. (Cutting in) Never mind about that. The quote shows the inspector interrupting the flow of the conversation. The family would obviously not approve of butting in as they are supposed to be such a polite and well-bred family. By inspector Goole showing no fear in doing this it shows his dominance. He sets himself up as the boss in the whole situation right from the start and this is something Mr and Mrs Birling find hard to deal with.  Priestley wants the audience to ask themselves how responsible are we for others in society? He uses five different characters with five very different reactions to the situation. Mr Birling feels he has nothing to do with the death and the girl is at fault. Mrs Birling doesnt want anything to do with it and she doesnt have the time. Sheila on the other hand reacts totally differently from Mr and Mrs Birling, she is very sorry for what she has done. She seems very interested in the whole situation. She shows a lot of emotion and promises she will learn from her mistakes.  Gerald makes it quite clear that he is sorry for what he had done but shows little emotion. He does remain very honest throughout. Though when he finds out the inspector was a fake he starts to show less and less guilt and much more relief. Eric is certainly the most emotional of all the characters. He is very sorry and upset by the whole situation. We can tell by his reaction that he is the youngest in the family, as he becomes very moody and frustrated, at some point he almost breaks down. Its like the whole thing is too much for him to handle. Like Sheila he definitely learns his lessen and is willing to change. Now, the audience can look at each character and think, which one am I most like? Would I feel guilty? Would I be emotional and very sorry? Would I remain very honest? These are all questions Priestley wants the audience to ask themselves. Overall, the main question is, how responsible are we for others in society?  In my opinion Priestley succeeded in getting this moral question across. He certainly encouraged me to ask myself these questions.

Nestle: Operating in a Global Economy Essay -- strategic management ca

Nestle is a large company with over 150 years of history. The company deals with global production and competes around the world in an effort to achieve steady growth and profit. Competing in the global economy requires dealing with many challenges to meet production goals and market products to different cultures. Nestle also markets to third world countries that need nutritious food at a reasonable price. The company is a market leader in numerous product lines that have provided a solid foundation for sales and profit. Nestle has strong brand recognition that provides a competitive advantage to get into new markets and expand in existing markets. Operating in the global market means embracing numerous opportunities while avoiding various threats. The strategic management Nestle exhibited serves as an excellent case study in operating in a global economy. History The Nestle company traces its roots back to 1866 when Henri Nestle began searching for a healthy and economical alternative for mothers who were unable to breast feed their infants. Nestle’s first customer was a premature infant that could not tolerate the mother’s milk or any other substitutes available at the time (Nestle). The new product saved the babies’ life and people quickly recognized the value of the new product. By 1900, the company expanded to other products including powdered soup, bouillon cubes, sauces and flavorings. Through the early 1900s, production expanded and factories were operating in the United States, Britain, Germany and Spain. In 1904, Nestle added chocolate to its product line by reaching an agreement with the Swiss General Chocolate Company. The company continued to expand and began manufacturing in Australia and e... ...nclusion Nestle is a market leading company and serves as an excellent case study for illustrating strategic management in the global economy. The companies roots go all the way back to 1866 and the established history have created a strong company tested by the ups and downs of the world economy. Establishing a strong market base and vision for health and nutrition provide Nestle a positive reputation. The company has weathered two world wars and has continue to refine the corporate strategy. This flexibility and adaptability have enabled steady growth and success through these changing market conditions. Nestle can continue this success by establishing new markets and creating new products. In particular, continuing research and development to expand health and nutrition focused products will facilitate the ability to achieve above-average returns.

Tata’s Takeover of Jaguar and Land Rover: Bumpy Road or Smooth Ride?

Tata's Takeover of Jaguar and Land Rover: Bumpy Road or Smooth Ride? In June 2008, India-based Tata Motors Ltd. announced that it had completed the acquisition of the two iconic British brands – Jaguar and Land Rover (JLR) from the US-based Ford Motors for US$ 2. 3 billion. Tata Motors stood to gain on several fronts from the deal. One, the acquisition would help the company acquire a global footprint and enter the high-end premier segment of the global automobile market.After the acquisition, Tata Motors would own the world's cheapest car – the US$ 2,500 Nano, and luxury marquees like the Jaguar and Land Rover. Though there was initial scepticism over an Indian company owning the luxury brands, ownership was not considered a major issue at all. The takeover has been greeted with jubilation, especially in India, because of the prestige of these marquee brands. On the other hand, sceptics have also been wondering how this acquisition fits in with the Tata Group's overall strategy. What can the Tata’s do differently than Ford to ensure that the acquisition pays off?What major challenges will Tata Motors face in integration and marketing? I personally find it a very fascinating deal. It's clearly not a deal that is trying to build economies of scale in just one business and just reach into new markets. It's quite a differently motivated deal. For Tata it's not the first time that they've reached for a brand with some prestige value as part of expanding their global visibility. So I think viewed as an acquisition that they intend to learn a great deal from, it could very well make sense.

China Town

1. 0 Introduction During the 19th century, Malaya had been colonised by the British and many Chinese and Indian had migrates to Malaya. As a city, Kuala Lumpur had become the most crowded and fast development place. Many colonial and migrations stay at Kuala Lumpur. Through colonisation and migration, both knowledge and methods of house construction had been adapted to the Malaya architecture during that time. Therefore there are many heritage buildings especially the Chinese shop houses had been influence by the foreign design. In this essay, I had make a field trip to Petaling Street to collect photographs of shophouses. Through the characteristic of the design of the shophouses I need to identify the Malaysia and foreign design influences of the traditional shop houses in Petaling Street. Description and contrast had been made of the influences of the shop houses by comparing the buildings which the structures had been influence by. 2. 0 Background 2. 1 British Colonisation In Malaysia During 19-20 Century Figure 1: Tin mine Tim mining, a popular activity amongst there and they increases many Chinese workers to migrates to Malaya (figure 1). Chinese migrates brought their tradition dwelling design where the two storey Chinese shop houses becomes common. â€Å"During British colonise Malaya, many public and private building had been built by the British which contain the mixture of architecture styles such as Renaissance, Palladia, Neoclassical and revived Gothic because Kuala Lumpur has become the Federal Capital and Headquarters of the Resident General. † (Mohammad Iza,(2010),p. 45. ) 2. 2 Shophouses Before 1880's Chinese shophouses was a very simple construction of one storey houses which only use wooden parts supporting on attap roof which is open to the street. While the rear section of the shophouses was usually built on piles over a river to facilitate the delivery of goods. Most of the construction is use the locally available materials combine with Chinese architecture influence. Therefore curved gable are glazed ornamental tiles are some of the Chinese shop houses characteristic. Moreover the stucco decorations is the intention of which was to emphasis the character and background of the owner. The early shophouses are build in rows with uniforms facades and a continuous, covered five-foot way in front (figure 2). There are also jack roof on the shop houses which rise above the main roof to allowed accumulated hot air in the house to escape (figure 3). Besides that, there is also low rickety, shuttered window on the front of the first floor. Figure 2: Five-foot way Figure 3: Jack roof â€Å"Before World War II, the commercial centre of every Malaysian town was featured by one or more streets lined with usually two storeys high shophouses, where trading were occurred at the lower floor and the upper floors as residential accommodation area. † (Anon,(2008),p. 44. However, the position of the shop and residential space might be different depending on the number of floors of a shophouse. For an example, a single story shophouse tends to include residential area behind the shop; while for the shophouses of two or more storeys have residential space typically located above the shop. Early masonry shophouses were often built around 6-7 metres wide and 30 metres deep occasionally extended to 60 metres according to its location. They were often built in rows with uniform facades and a covered five-foot way in front of the shophouse. The five-foot way was first imposed by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, a British colonial administration that founded the city of Singapore in 1822. †(online,www. wikipedia. com). It is an old practice specifying that all shophouses should include a minimum five-foot-wide veranda on the ground floor. This building tradition addressed the extremes of the tropical sun and rain, and created pedestrian linkages at ground level. These shaded areas were conducive to the shopkeepers by providing an extra space area to displaying their products (figure 4) . Apart from that, the typical Chinese shophouse was built in rows with a common wall between each unit. The walls that separate the shophouses are generally constructed by local manufactured baked clay. They are structural, load bearing walls to transfer the weight of the roof and upper floors down to the ground. Besides, the front of the shophouse on the ground floor has no walls, enabling goods to be displayed along the full width (figure 5) . Since the shophouse has no front walls, the front will be boarded up with fitted timber panels and secured with horizontal bars to lock up the shop. In addition, to ventilate the shophouse, a central courtyard can be found inside, which was later reduced to an airwell when space became more precious (figure 6). It was built to cool the building before the air-conditioning was invented. Courtyards were typically for residence all over China especially in the less densely populated areas of the north where they were located at the central of the layout, which often surrounded by high walls. Besides, a lane was also allocated at the back of the shophouse as a sanitary lane. It is a space found in between two rows of shophouses that faced back to back. This lane allows bullock carts to collect night soil as well as for safety purpose, for example, allow access for a fire truck when required. Figure 4: Displaying their products at the five-foot way Figure 5: Ground floor of the shophouses has no front walls Figure 6: Airwell found in one of the shophouse 2. 3 Foreign architecture and design influence There are five types of shophouses, Traditional, Neoclassical, Dutch Patrician, Art Deco and Modern. There are three principal varieties of shop houses during 1930's to 1940's which are Utilitarian design is made by simple wooden shutters and a minimum of decorations. While the Neoclassical design had elaborate the Greek and Roman columns and arnately decorate the Greek and Roman columns and arnately decorated window frames, pediments, paraprets and cornices. However Art Deco is the simplest design which only use simplified lines and geometrical patterns to decorate. The Noeclassical style can by recognised by a Grecian pediment (figure 7) , columns (figure 8) and moulded plasters swags decorated the facade. Besides, some of the Neoclassical style include a parapet and the top of the building and ornate window frames. Different from the Neoclassical, Dutch Patrician design as a Dutch-inspired gable was adopted for the front facade of the shop houses. Figure 7: Neoclassical pediment Figure 8: Original style Neoclassical column Art Deco was started during 1930's. The design only contain geometrical shapes and simplified lines were departure from the 1920's style. The ground floor and windows are not original. This is because it is from traditional vernacular and Western Neoclassical styles to Early Modernism and International style. Art Deco style had marked the transition from traditional vernacular and Western Neoclassical styles to Early Modernism and International style. 3. 0 Analysis 3. 1 Compare and contrast between Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown shophouses to the original foreign Neoclassical styles Figure 3. 1. 1: High ceiling found in Petaling Street shophouses(left) and St. George Hall, London(right). One of the special feature in Neoclassical architecture is high ceiling. High ceilings (Figure 3. . 1), tend to help to ventilate the air in the building through convection process, where the hot air rises and cool air sinks, as a result, the house will be cooling. The shophouses these days have a standard height of 8 metres, where space had become more precious besides saving cost. Figure 3. 1. 2: Petaling Street shophouses(left) and Rue De Rivoli, Paris(right) painted in white o r pastel colours. Apart from the high ceiling, Neoclassical buildings are often painted in white or pastel colours (Figure 3. 1. 2). White and pastel colours are bright and attracts people’s attention. Furthermore, these colours are poor conductor of heat, they helps to reflect more of the visible light spectrum, causing the particular building to be as cooling as posible. This may be the reason why the buildings in Neoclassical period painted in this series of colour. Figure 3. 1. 3: Petaling Street shophouses(left) and Arc De Thriump, Paris(right) with parapet on the top. Parapet (Figure 3. 1. 3) is a wall-like structure at the edge of a roof, which served as a fire wall, that prevents the flames from coming up to the exterior of the building, igniting the roofing membrane. In addition, it also modifieds the wind flow over the roof so that the pressure exerted is distributed evenly to prevent it from collapsing. Figure 3. 1. 4: Petaling Street shophouses(left) and Madeleine Church, Paris(right) with pediment. A pediment is a classical architectural element which consist of the triangular section found on top of a building, supported by the columns. It is founded in the classical Greek temples, Renaissance, and Neoclassical architecture. The pediment of Madeleine Church, Paris is filled with relief sculptures while the one found in Petaling Street shophouses are filled with floral sculptures (Figure 3. . 4). Figure 3. 1. 5: Petaling Street shophouses(left) and New York City Hall(right) columns. A column is an upright pillar which supports a beam or a roof, sometimes it might just simple for decoration purposes. There are 3 types of columns which is doric (oldest and simplest of classical orders), ionic (more complex than doric, with a scroll on top) and corinthian (with most ornate). Ionic order is found in the Petaling Street shophouses, while New York City Hall contained the doric order (Figure 3. 1. 5). Figure 3. 1. 6: Petaling Street shophouses(left) and New York City Hall(right) are symmetrical. Symmetry and balance are the most pedominat characteristic of Neoclassical buildings. This feature is recognizable easily as the left and the right portion of the building is the same to maintain the balance of the building so that it does not fall (Figure 3. 1. 6). 3. 2 Compare and contrast between Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown shophouses to the original foreign Art Deco styles Figure 3. 2. 1: Petaling Street shophouses(left) and Caisse Nationale d'Economie, Monteal (right) with flag pole. Concrete flagpoles are one of the common feature of Art Deco buildings (Figure 3. 2. 1). The flagpoles are stretched from the top of the building with bands or motif sculptured at the base of the poles as if it is attached to the wall of facade. Figure 3. 2. 2: Petaling Street shophouses column(left) and Patel’s Building, Durban’s column(right). On the other hand, Petaling Street shophouses and Patel’s Building (Figure 3. 2. 2) both have geometrical shapes running down the column, which is also a common feature of Art Deco architecture. Nonetheless, Petaling Street’s column has a mixture of both Art Deco and Neoclassical styles as on top of it’s column, since there’s some swirls on it which belonged to Ionic order. Figure 3. 2. 3: Petaling Street shophouses(left) and Caisse Nationale d'Economie, Monteal’s (right) mouldings. Furthermore, plaster moulding is another characteristic of Art Deco architecture. Shanghai plaster is commonly used as it provides the same visual effect as stone and it’s a cheaper building material. This finished plaster was usually left in it’s original colour, sometimes painted in the pastel colour of the era. The fine vertical lines plaster moulding at Petaling Street shophouses and Caisse Nationale d'Economie, Monteal are easily recognizable (Figure 3. 2. 3). Figure 3. 2. : Petaling Street shophouses(left) and Thorp Coffee House(right) stated the year it was built. To the contrary, Art Deco buildings usually state the year that it was built on the top of the building. For example, the particular Shophouse in Petaling Street was built in the year 1910, therefore, the figure 1910 is placed on the top of the building as well as for Thorp Coffee House (Figure 3. 2. 4). Figure 3. 2. 5: Petaling Street shophouses(left) and Louis Hay’s Office(right) with air vents. Lastly, Art Deco buildings have horizontal air vents usually located above the windows (Figure 3. 2. 5). The air vent is placed above the window to cool down the interior of the building as hot air are less dense and rises up, thus, escaping through the air vents. 4. 0 Conclusion Through compare and contrast of the different style of the shop houses, we able find out that the different style of the shop houses was influence by different background. From the 18th century until now we can see that the style of the Chinese shop houses change according to the place the shop houses was built. Beside that, the structure of the shop houses also depends to the need of the owner and the period of time those shop houses was built.

How to Make Black Snake or Glow Worm Fireworks

How to Make Black Snake or Glow Worm Fireworks Black snakes, sometimes called glow worms, are small tablets that you light, using a punk or a lighter, that burn to produce long black snakes of ash. They produce some smoke (which had a characteristic, probably toxic odor), but no fire or explosion. The original fireworks used to contain salts of a heavy metal (such as mercury), so while they were marketed for kids to play with, they really werent that much safer than conventional fireworks, just dangerous in a different way. However, there is a safe way to make black snakes. You can heat baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) with sugar (sucrose) to produce carbon dioxide gas that puffs up black carbon ash (see a video). Black Snake Materials SandAlcohol or fuel oil (High-proof alcohol or lighter fluid works well for this  project)Baking sodaSugar (Powdered sugar or you can grind table sugar in a coffee grinder) Steps to Make Snakes Mix 4 parts powdered sugar with 1 part baking soda. (Try  4 teaspoons sugar and 1 teaspoon baking soda)Make a mound with the sand. Push a depression into the middle of the sand.Pour the alcohol or other fuel into the sand to wet it.Pour the sugar and soda mixture into the depression.Ignite the mound, using a lighter or match. At first, youll get a flame and some small scattered blackened balls. Once the reaction gets going, the carbon dioxide will puff up the carbonate into the continuously extruded snake. You can also make black snakes without sand mix baking soda and sugar in a metal mixing bowl, add the fuel and light the mixture. It should work fine. These will have a distinct, familiar smell... of burnt marshmallows. Finally, rest assured that if you use pure ethanol, sugar, and baking soda, there is nothing toxic about this project. One caution: Dont add fuel to the burning snake, since you risk igniting the alcohol stream. How Black Snakes Work The sugar and baking soda snake proceeds according to the following chemical reactions, where sodium bicarbonate breaks down into sodium carbonate, water vapor, and carbon dioxide gas while burning the sugar in oxygen produces water vapor and carbon dioxide gas. The snake is carbonate with black carbon particles: 2 NaHCO3 → Na2CO3 H2O CO2 C2H5OH 3 O2 → 2 CO2 3 H2O These instructions were adapted from a tutorial given on Boing Boing which in turn came from a defunct Russian site. The Russian site suggested two additional ways to make chemical snakes: Ammonium Nitrate Black Snake This works the same way as the sugar and baking soda snake, except using ammonium nitrate (niter) instead of sugar. Mix one part ammonium nitrate and one part baking soda. This recipe is more like what you would see in commercial black snake fireworks, which are supposedly composed of soda with nitrated naphthalenes and linseed oil. Its another very safe demonstration, though not safe enough to eat, like sugar and baking soda. Ammonium Dichromate Green Snake The green snake is a variation on the ammonium dichromate volcano. The volcano is a cool chemistry demonstration (orange sparks, green ash, smoke), but its a chemistry-lab-only demonstration (not safe for kids at all) because the chromium compound is toxic. The green soda snakes are made from: Two parts of ammonium nitrateOne part of powdered sugarOne part of ammonium dichromate Mix the ingredients, add a small amount of water, and roll the result into a snake shape (using gloves is strongly recommended). Allow the snake to dry (the tutorial suggests using a hairdryer to speed the process). Light one end of the snake.  Its worth knowing how to do this demonstration if you have ammonium dichromate and ammonium nitrate on hand, otherwise, let the Russian photos suffice and play with the sugar and baking soda snakes instead.  In this case, an orange snake burns to green ash.  Another (spectacular) form of black carbon snake results from reacting sugar and sulfuric acid. Disclaimer: Please be advised that the content provided by our website is for EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. Fireworks and the chemicals contained within them are dangerous and should always be handled with care and used with common sense. By using this website you acknowledge that ThoughtCo., its parent About, Inc. (a/k/a Dotdash), and IAC/InterActive Corp. shall have no liability for any damages, injuries, or other legal matters caused by your use of fireworks or the knowledge or application of the information on this website. The providers of this content specifically do not condone using fireworks for disruptive, unsafe, illegal, or destructive purposes. You are responsible for following all applicable laws before using or applying the information provided on this website.

What are the differences between the SAT and ACT

What are the differences between the SAT and ACT SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Are you curious about what the differences between the SAT and ACT are? If you want a summary, click here to see quickly whether you would be better at the SAT or ACT. But if you want the nitty gritty details about the differences, read on below! 1. What are the content differences on the SAT vs ACT? Take a look at the content difference below. Are there any items that you love or hate? If so, then give the relevant test an extra point. Tally up the points at the end to see which is ahead: 1A. Math The SAT and ACT are very similar in terms of math, but the ACT has more and harder math. Both Tests Cover: Properties of Integers and Rational numbers Sequences Linear and Quadratic Equations: Word problems: Functions Basic Geometry, including Lines, Triangles, Polygons, Circles, 3-D and Coordinate geometry Data Interpretation, Statistics and Probability The ACT Also Covers: Matrices Complex numbers Trigonometry Logarithms Conic Sections 1B. Writing/English Like the Math section, both tests cover the topics below and the ACT also covers the topics listed at right. Both tests cover: Faulty ModifierParallel ConstructionSentence FragmentsPronounsVerb FormsConciseness and RedundanciesNumber AgreementIdiomsAdjective vs Adverb The ACT also covers: comparison/descriptionword choice (non-idiom)transitional logic: which words are best to move from one idea to anothermacro-logic: how to order sentences and paragraphsauthor’s formality and tone 1C. Reading The main difference between the SAT and ACT Reading sections is that the SAT includes fill-in-the-blank questions and the ACT’s Reading is only passages and questions about them. The SAT covers: Passages: main point, identifying details, inferring information, vocabulary in context, and the function of specific parts Sentence Completion: relationship between 2 words and vocabulary-based questions The ACT covers: Passages: main point, inferring information, vocabulary in context, and the function of specific parts Fact Finding: without line number references, find and explain a phrase or sentence Comparisons/Contrasts Cause-Effect Author Method 1D. Science The SAT does not have a Science section, so if you like science, the ACT has a huge advantage for you. Basic Science Knowledge (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) Data Representation: analysis, interpreting trends, and calculations based on data Research Summaries, including: Experimental design/Researcher intent Hypothetical Experimental changes Interpreting experiments Understanding of viewpoints Comparing viewpoints 2: What are the rule differences on the ACT vs SAT? Guessing: On the SAT, there is a  ¼ point penalty for each wrong answer (each correct answer is worth 1 full point). There is no penalty for omitting (just not answering) a question. On the ACT, there is no guessing penaltyguessing wrong and omitting are the same. Passages:While SAT passages do tend to follow the same basic patterns, they are not labeled by type or topic. The ACT, on the other hand, always labels its 4 passages (that are always in the following order): Literary Narrative, Social Science, Humanities, and Natural Science. Sections:The SAT doesn’t title its sectionsMath is obvious, but Reading and Writing have to be differentiated by question type. The ACT titles its sections in huge bold letters. Questions:The tests have very similar question styles in Math and Reading; the English questions in both tests involve students choosing how to replace underlined parts of sentences and paragraphs. However, they differ in how they apply this format. The easiest way to understand this is to compare the English section of the ACT to the Writing section of the SAT. You can download a PDF of each test here:SAT,ACT. Test Structure:The SAT alternates between Math, Reading and Writing sections, and until thechange in 2016, the essay is always the first section (in 2016 it will be the last section and optional.) There are always 10 SAT sections: 3 math, 2 writing, and 3 reading, and 1 experimental section that is not identified (it looks like all the other sections) or scored. They don’t go in any particular order, but you’ll never see 2 math sections back-to-back. A sample order of SAT sections might be: Essay Math Writing Reading Experimental Math Reading Math Reading Writing So, in the end, on the SAT, you’re scored on 8 sections and the essay. The organization of the ACT is much simpler: it has 4 sections that are always in the following order: English, Math, Reading and Science. Sometimes there is an experimental section, but it’s always Section 5, so you know which one it is. 3. How can I see these differences myself? Take a look at three real ACTs from the past, and three real SATs from the past. Examine the real tests themselves and see how they feel different! Also, check out our article on whether the ACT or SAT measures your IQ better. What's next:Are you better on the ACT or SAT? Use this one surefire method to find out. Read about whether you'll be better on the SAT or ACT.

Advantages of E-commerce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Advantages of E-commerce - Essay Example Another advantage involves closeness to remotely located stores. Unlike offline platforms that are usually situated in different geographical areas, e-commerce is only a click away. It suggests customers from all parts of the country or a certain geographical region can access the goods and services without problems. On that account, it creates new markets that generate employment for individuals who are tech-savvy. Similarly, because e-commerce requires no physical store, it reduces the cost on overheads that often burdens most retailers. Overall, it ensures all persons involved profit directly from the online sales.   Lowering of prices online is equally an interesting advantage when dealing with e-commerce. It means there is availability for both deals and coupons that help the buyer. On the other hand, vendors usually find an opportunity for bidding businesses when using the electronic method. The website achieves that through listing of its crucial requirements online for most ly suppliers. Consequently, customers can buy and sell from one another by listing favorable sites as done by eBay.com. Likewise, of consumer to consumer mode of e-commerce has encouraged sales of digital products. Meanwhile, instantaneous purchasing is increased by electronic media especially with music and movie products through downloading.   E-commerce gives the products the liberation of limitless shelf life. Therefore, different products are sold on websites that still appeal to customers found in numerous geographical areas.  Ã‚