Terrorism Debate Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Terrorism Debate - Essay Example Terrorism can be sparked by a group of individuals who do not want to agree with the society or how their countries are being governed by their leaders, so they commit such criminal and inhumane acts to make a statement of protest (Shimko 296). It is whether they want communism, socialism or anarchy in their nation or they want to overthrow their leaders and bring in people who have qualities similar to the ones their ideal leaders are supposed to have. They know for a fact that in order to overthrow a government, the best way is to bring down the economy. And one of the post 9/11 aftermaths engendered economic depression not only in the USA but all around the world. Blowing up harbors of business like that results in depleting jobs, deficiency in funding and a huge international debt. We are well aware of the presence of anti-peace groups around the world, and there are many present in different religions of America. Although these attacks do not necessarily have to be due to religious animosity, we need to keep an open mind and understand that there could be thousands of reasons to motivate people for conducting such acts of monstrosity. However, in this case the reasons became clear when the terrorist took upon themselves accountability for their actions and stated the reasons that motivated such acts, which were rooted in religion (Rubin 349). These people intend to destroy whatever stands in their ways; they consider everyone who does not believe in what they do to be ruthlessly killed. These men are not afraid of dying, and so their objective is to inflict pain and fill their victims with fear. These victims were mostly business people, and each and every person that died in those buildings was innocent. Three thousand of those innocent civilians went to work on the 11th of September, and nobody returned home to their families and friends. Hundreds of

Purposes of Site Investigations

Purposes of Site Investigations The purpose of a site investigation is to identify the ground conditions which might affect the proposed development. It enables better understanding of the site and immediate surroundings, which will enable safe and economic developments. They are a common requirement of the investors as well as the regulatory authorities. In the broadest sense, the ground conditions are understood to include not only the underlying soils and rocks but also the groundwater regime, any contamination and effects of any previous uses of the site The purpose of a site investigation is to identify the ground conditions which ma, any contamination and the effects o 1.1.1 The scale of problem Various reports over the past 25 years have shown that the largest element of technical and financial risk normally lies in the ground. Ground related problems have led to late completions and high cost overruns on the national scale. In an analysis of 8000 building projects, National economic Development office (NEDO) stated that one third of the projects overran by more than a month, a further one third overran up to a month due to delays due to unforeseen ground conditions. 1.2 Why carry out site investigations? The characterization of ground conditions whether for a greenfield or a previously developed brownfield site will include both the geotechnical and the geo-environmental issues. Site investigations can be required for both geotechnical and geo-environmental purposes and for many projects it would be advantageous to combine the investigations with resulting economics in cost, time and site disruption. The investigations should allow a comprehensive risk assessment of the ground conditions to be made from which a programme of risk management can be developed, The risks which may be defined can be health risks (from previous contamination of land), engineering risks (posed by difficult ground conditions), regulatory risks or financial risks, all of which may arise from unforeseen ground conditions and liabilities. The object of the site investigation is to characterize the ground conditions sufficiently to allow safe and economic design to be developed and to reduce, as far as possible, the occurrence and impact of unforeseen conditions. Objectives of Site Investigation The principal questions for site Investigation would be as follows: Suitability: Are the site and surroundings suitable for the project? Design: Obtain all the design parameters necessary for the works. Construction: Are there any potential ground or ground water conditions that would affect the construction? Contamination: Any possibilities of the site being contaminated? Materials: Are there any materials available on site, what quantity and quality? Effect of changes: How will the design affect adjacent properties and the ground water? In addition to these, it is necessary to investigate existing features of the natural ground. http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=8HfURxCjPlkCpg=PP15lpg=PP15dq=site+investigation+case+studiessource=webots=plbbDn_SdMsig=FQLesVN6XE07K92lw2zwKKnXlTQhl=ensa=Xoi=book_resultresnum=1ct=result#PPA3,M1 What does site investigation involve? Site Investigation is the gathering of information about the proposed location of the project.The process of site investigation can be separated into the following areas: Objectives of Site Investigation (SI) Desk study Planning Ground investigation (GI) Trial Pits Boreholes Sampling Reporting The sequence of a site investigation is as follows: Desk Study Site Reconnaissance -Walk-over study Preliminary report or feasibility study Preliminary Ground Investigation Planning of main GI Preliminary report Main Ground Investigation Laboratory testing Final report On-site Groundbreaking Work Trial pits by hand or excavator Lightweight and Heavyweight boring and testing equipment Laboratory soil testing (eg. plasticity of Clays 1.3.1 Desk Study According to the NHBC standards chapter 4.1, all sites must be assessed by a Desk Study and Walkover Survey (Clauses D1-D3). Desk Study should be carried out for every development prior to any intrusive site investigation. The desk study is work taken up prior to commencing the work on site and the Ground Investigation. It should always be the first stage of the Site Investigation and is used to plan the Ground Investigation. The work involves researching the site to gain as much information as possible, both geological and historical. The desk study examines and draws together existing information from a variety  of sources to form an initial appraisal of possible ground conditions and to  consider past uses and current status of a site. This provides a preliminary assessment of the geotechnical and geo-environmental risks which may be associated with the site. Records of Previous SI reports are also helpful in a desk study. The many sources of SI data include previous company reports, Services records are also an essential part of the desk study, necessary to locate hidden services such as electricity cables, sewers and telephone wires. This in formation is usually provided free of charge by the relevant service provider. A suggested list of sources is: Local Authority; British Telecom; Electricity Company; British Gas; Water Companies. It is also essential to check for the location of former mine workings as these can considerably affect construction and lead to cost increases. The location of these mines may be difficult but help can be found from the Divisional Plans Record Offices of the National Coal Board It is essential when conducting a desk study that as much information as possible is obtained. Work at this stage of the Investigation saves much time later and vastly improves the planning and quality of the Investigation. 1.3.2 Walk-over survey Walk -over survey of a site can give valuable insight into potential ground condition problems (for example slope instability or shallow groundwater) and contamination issues. Such site visits often give rise to anecdotal contributions by local residents. The Site Reconnaissance phase of a site investigation is normally in the form of a walk over survey of the site. Important evidence to look for is: Hydrogeology: Wet marshy ground, springs or seepage, ponds or streams and Wells. Slope Instability: Signs of slope instability include bent trees, hummocks on the ground and displaced fences or drains. Mining: The presence of mining is often signs of subsidence and possibly disused mine shafts. Open cast mining is indicated by diverted streams replaced or removed fence/hedge lines. Access: It is essential that access to the site can be easily obtained. Possible problems include low overhead cables and watercourses The combination of desk study and walk-over survey is an extremely cost-effective  first stage in an investigation. It provides early warning of potential problems and a sound basis for the scope of intrusive investigation which is to  follow. The desk study and walk-over survey can also provide early recognition of site issues such as ecology and archaeology which may have profound implications in both programme and financial terms. 1.3.2 Planning a Site Investigation Dumbleton And West2 have discussed the planning and direction of site investigations. They state that the main investigation is the full investigation of the site using boreholes and trial pits and includes the preparation of the site-investigation report with revised plans and sections, interpretation and recommendations for design. They consider that there are two aspects to the site investigation. The geological structure and character of the site and the testing of the soil both in the laboratory and in-situ. They suggest that the planning should consider the following questions. Is the succession of strata known over the whole site and is there correlation across the whole site known? Are the different strata fairly homogeneous over the site or do local variations exist? Are there more complex areas of strata that require investigation or closer examination during construction? Will there be areas where the excavated material will be unsuitable for fill and will need to be replaced? Are there areas where needs to be assessed to ascertain working methods? Will any part of the site be subject to flooding? What contact will there be with water bearing strata and will ground water lowering methods be required during construction? Do requirements for the carrying out of special in-situ tests or the taking of undisturbed samples affect the conduct of the qualitative investigation? For example, with forethought a single trial pit may be made to serve both for examining ground materials and structure, and for the in-situ testing and the taking of block samples. 1.4 Ground Investigation Ground investigation is taken to be that other than the information available from the walk over survey as discussed previously. There are two principal methods of investigating the ground conditions, trial pits and boreholes. In addition, the reader should be aware of geophysical techniques such as seismic surveys, which are not discussed here. 1.4.1 Trial Pits Trial pits are shallow excavations going down to a depth no greater 6m. The trial pit as such is used extensively at the surface for block sampling and detection of services prior to borehole excavation. Depth Excavation Method 0-2m By Hand 2-4m Wheeled Back Hoe 4-6m Hydraulic Excavator An important safety point to note is that ALL pits below a depth of 1.2m must be supported. In addition care should be taken as gases such as methane and carbon dioxide can build up in a trial pit. Breathing apparatus must therefore be used if no gas detection equipment is available. Support for a trial pit generally takes one of three forms: Timbering Steel frames with hydraulic jacks Battered or tapered sides Three types of sample can be taken from a trial pit: Disturbed Sample Samples where the soils in-situ properties are not retained. Block Sample A sample that is not undisturbed but retains some in-situ properies. Push in tube sample Tube samples of the soil in a trial pit. When preparing a trial pit log, the following information should be included. The location, orientation and size of the pit; sketches of faces; depth scale; root structur; water level; seepage. In addidtion the weather at the time of sampling should be noted as many soils are weather dependant. It is extremely important when finished to reinstate the trial pit as well as possible. 1.4.2 Boreholes A borhole is used to determine the nature of the ground (usually below 6m depth) in a qualitative manner and then recover undisturbed samples for quantitative examination. Where this is not possible, for in gravelly soils below the water table, in-situ testing methods are used. Obviously the information gained from a borehole is an extremely limited picture of the subsurface structure. It is therefore essential to compare the results obtained with those that could have been expected from the desk study. The greater the number of boreholes the more certain it is possible to be of the correlation and thus to trust in the results. The two principal types of boring machine used for Site Investigation in the United Kingdom are light percussive and drilling machines. Light Percussive is the process of making boreholes by striking the soil then removing it and the most common method is the shell and auger. This is a general term to describe various tools suspended from a triangular tripod incorporating a power winch. The tools are repeatedly dropped down the borehole while suspended by wire from the power winch. The different tools used include: Clay Cutter Used in cohesive materials and is raised and lowered, using its own weight to cut into the material. Shell Used for boring in silts and sands. Similar to the clay cutter, but has a trap door at the bottom to catch material. Chisel Used for breaking up hard material such as boulders or rocks. Additional payment is required for chiselling as per the Bill of Quantities and permission is normally required from the Resident Engineer before work can start. Drilling is the process of boring normally by using a combination of a rotating action and a hydraulic ram. There are many different types of rig depending on access and type of ground expected. Hollow drilling rods enable a flush of water, air, foam or mud which is used to carry the cuttings to the surface as well as lubricating and cooling the drill bit. The three main types of drill bit are: Double tube is where the outer tube rotates and allows for the removal of the cuttings while the inner tube is stationary and prevents the core from shearing. There are different designs of tube varying the location of the flush discharge so as to prevent sample erosion. It is necessary for the hole to be bigger than the tube and so the diamond bits are attached to the outside of the hole, thus allowing the flush to return to the surface. Triple tube in corporates a third tube to protect the core even further during extrusion and can have either a split tube, which is removed, or a plastic tube to provide longer term protection. A less effective alternative is to incorporate a nylon liner in a double tube. Retractable triple tube is a variation where the inner tube is attached to a retractor and can extend beyond the cutting edge. This gives complete protection to the core in softer rock whilst in harder rock where this is not necesary, it retracts to become a standard triple tube. This is used in alternating soft/hard rock, typical of a weathered profile. Core bits are usually diamond tipped and are either surface set, where diamonds are mounted into a matrix, or impregnated where a fine diamond dust is used in the matrix. In softer rocks, the cuttings can clog up the matrix so the softer the rock, the larger the diamonds need to be. Tungsten carbide bits can also be used in the softer rocks. Sampling Sampling can be either undisturbed, of which in-situ testing is a form, or disturbed. The principal sampling methods used in boreholes are: SPT test: This is a dynamic test as described in BS1377 (Part 9) and is a measure of the density of the soil. The test incorporates a small diameter tube with a cutting shoe known as the split barrel sampler of about 650mm length, 50mm external diameter and 35mm internal diameter. The sampler is forced into the soil dynamically using blows from a 63.5kg hammer dropped through 760mm. The sampler is forced 150mm into the soil then the number of blows required to lower the sampler each 75mm up to a depth of 300mm is recorded. This is known as the N value. For coarse gravels the split barrel is replaced by a 60 degree cone. Core Sample: Core samples must be sealed with parafin to maintain the water conditions and then end sealed to prevent physical interferance. The mpst common of these is the U100 (see below) although other sizes from 54mm to 100mm diameter are used. The standard U100 has a sample area ratio of 30% so large ammounts of soil are displaced. A thin walled Piston Sampler reduces this to 10%. The sample is pushed or jacked into the ground as opposed to a dynamic action. U100: This is a 450mm long, 100mm diameter undisturbed sample. The tube has a cutter at one end and the driving equipment at the other. Behind the cutter is a core catcher, incorporating 3 arms that go into the sample as it is withdrawn, to prevent the sample from falling out. Care should be taken to ensure that the cutting shoe is as clean and sharp as possible. Bulk Samples: Usually taken from trial pits or in soils where there is little or no cohesion. Often called block samples. WaterSamples: Water samples should be taken as soon as water is first struck and the depth recorded. After a suitable period of time (usually 10-15 mins) the depth should be re-recorded and a further sample taken. A final sample should be taken at the end of the borehole and the depth to water regularly recorded. The sample is taken using a device known as a bailer, made from teflon or plastic it incrporates a float to trap the water and should be cleaned after each sample. The sampling procedure varies according to the type of strata in which the investigation takes place. A reccomended sampling procedure is listed below. Clays: Normally need undisturbed samples U100 every 1.5m or change of stratum. Blow count and penetration should be noted. If unable to obtain a U100 then bulk samples as above. If U100 does not full penetrate SPT test is required. Sands Gravels: Undisturbed samples are not practical due to the lack of cohesion. SPT every 1m or change of stratum. Number of seating blows should also be recorded. Bulk samples to be taken between SPTs. Silts: Alternate SPT and U100 samples at 0.75m intervals 1.5 Reporting The Site Investigation report should answer all the questions set out in the planning phase of the Investigation This should include an assessment of the viability of the proposed project. Included in the report should be a location of all the boreholes, trial pits, other excavations and their logs. These logs should give as much information as possible on the soil and rock structure as it is possible to obtain. Case studies http://www.baesystems.com/BAEProd/groups/public/@businesses/@sharedservices/documents/bae_home_market/bae_pdf_pes_pillinglane.pdf Oops Oops http://www.grm-info.co.uk/cgi-bin/casestudies/casestudiescontents.cgi

Euthanasia :: Free Euthanasia Essay

Euthanasia Should we allow Euthanasia in cases where people who are terminally ill request the right to die? People should have the right to control and chose whether they die or not. However I think they should be in a mentally fit state to do so. If they only have a couple of months to live and can feel the pain if they aren’t injected day after day, then I think they should be given the chance to make decisions for themselves. It is after all their life, it belongs to them and the only judge the only decision maker should be the person themselves. I think being given the gift of life is a wonderful thing but being forced to live spoils what should be a joyful and knowledgeable experience of growing. If people are given millions of choices in life why should they be denied the choice of death? Good pain control makes euthanasia unnecessary I think pain control will only block the pain but it will leave the patient a ‘zombie’. People need to understand that although the pain can be stopped for a certain period of time it will never leave the patient. If the patient wishes to die and is in a mentally fit state to make decisions then I think they should be able to. Nevertheless I believe doctors and nurses should make sure the patient is not depressed. As people often go through stages when they feel insecure and miserable, when they feel death is their only option out. On the other hand people may disagree with me because they think if the pain is stopped then the feeling of being terminally ill is lost, it’s gone, it’s forgotten. They will argue that if the right Human beings should never be killed Human beings should never be killed. A statement that has never fit into perspective for me. Innocent Humans are killed all over the. Still governments have never stopped these immoral things. These people never wanted to die. Yet when it comes to Humans who are terminally ill and want to die, they won’t allow it. I agree that life is a gift and should be lived to the full. But people who cannot enjoy their lives should have the right to end them. Death is not always an evil to be avoided Death is not a bad thing. It can be helpful to those who need it those who are suffering each day, and waiting for death to come to them.

Metaphysics Is the Branch of Philosophy Essay

Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy that deals with abstract concepts. These abstract concepts include things like being, knowing, substance, cause, identity, time, and space. Over the years I have asked myself numerous questions pertaining to metaphysics. Things such as what is real? How do things such as our souls or even fate work? Do we determine our own fate or is it predetermined for us? Most people, including myself, ask a majority of these questions when they leave the nest. When I was graduating high school, I had no clue what the â€Å"real world† was like. My parents paid the bills, provided for me, and put the roof over my head. As we graduate, you ask who are your â€Å"real† friends? More importantly what is real in general? What’s a real job? As you grow older, you can reflect on what was real as a child, and I have come to the conclusion that everybody’s idea of real changes along with your age and lifestyle. For example when somebody passes away and you’re young, you don’t question if it’s real, but as you age you can’t believe when something so tragic happens and you question it. People do this every day, and for reasons that only they can explain. People talk about the spiritual world openly, but most have never experienced it. So, with that being the case it is hard to determine whether or not it is more or less real that the physical world. That’s one of those questions that as of right now I don’t have the answer to. I believe in the spiritual world whole heartedly, but to say it’s any more or less real is hard for me because I have only experienced the physical world. As of right now, I would say that they are equally real, but that is just my opinion. Going along with that, everyone has a soul, but does it live outside the body before we pass? I don’t believe so. As a Christian, we pray for the Lord to take our soul when we pass, and to protect it while we are alive. Our soul exits the body when we are done on Earth. Fate is a very complex subject. I believe that everyone has an idea of their ultimate fate. This doesn’t mean however that that is how it will end up, or that the step along the way will line up with your plan. For example, when someone dies, people say it must have been fate. I think that things like this are determined by Him, not us. When people say that when they fall in love that it’s fate, but that is determined by us making it free will. Therefore, I believe that our lives are determined by our own free will and fate. Epistemology is basically how we determine if something is a belief or an opinion. Some things are taught to us after they have been investigated, but other things are made up in our minds or families. If you ever look at the actual definition for knowledge it is pretty loosely written. Therefore, knowledge doesn’t have to be true. Your knowledge is determined by you. There are universal examples of knowledge in my opinion. However, since knowledge can be false it’s hard to say if others would believe the same. For example, 2+2=4 that seems like it would be true everywhere, might not be. Someone might be think 2+2=something other than 4. 1. Epistemology: * Is all knowledge subjective, or are there some universal truths? * What is the relationship between faith and reason? * What can artificial intelligence teach people about knowledge? * What are the limits of human understanding? 2. Ethics: * What is the right thing to do? * What does it mean to be a good person? * Does virtue lead to happiness? * Do the ends justify the means, or is a virtuous action virtuous in and of itself? * How does living in a society affect morality? * Is morality culturally based, individually based, or is there a universal morality? 3. Aesthetics: * What is beautiful? * Is beauty truly in the eye of the beholder, or are there some things that all cultures find beautiful? * What is the purpose of art? * How can a piece of art be successful or valuable? Does beauty matter? 4. Political philosophy: * What is the best kind of government? * How much power should the government have? * What kind of people should be in power? * How involved should the common citizen be in government? 5. Social philosophy: * How should humans behave in a society? * Do people give up certain rights when they choose to live in a society? * How do social values affect individual beliefs? Do people behave differently in a crowd than they would individually? * How does society affect language and other types of communication?

Harry Houdini Essay

Harry Houdini (1874-1926), whose real name was Ehrich Weiss, was one of the greatest American magicians, escapologists, illusionists, and stunt performers who has influenced generations of magicians around the world for almost a century. He was also an actor and film producer, although his career in the cinema was not as successful as his magic career (Harry Houdini). However, few people know, for example, that Harry Houdini, being fascinated with aviation and airplanes, was also one of the pioneer pilots in the world and became the first aviator to successfully make a controlled flight in Australia in the presence of nine witnesses, an event that was documented on film (An Aviation Timeline). Houdini’s fascination with airplanes Houdini’s interest in aviation began in 1909, at a time that was a crucial period in the history of world’s aviation. Six years earlier the Wright brothers demonstrated to the world that flights in airplanes with humans aboard were quite possible. Houdini, being a rich person, decided to buy his own aircraft for $5,000. It was a Voisin biplane with a sixty horsepower engine which weighed 1,350 lb (Mulvany). The aircraft resembled a huge version of a box kite with which a famous Australian aviator Lawrence Hargrave had experimented a dozen of years earlier (Early Australian Aviation). The great magician had his name painted on the plane’s tail and side panels (Harry Houdini). While performing escapology shows in Germany, Houdini was reported to be trained to pilot his biplane. During that training he crashed once and then succeeded in making his first flight on November 26, 1909 in Hamburg (Harry Houdini). The Australian Aerial League organizes a contest In 1909, Australia’s Aerial League on the part of the Australian government that planned to start using planes for military purposes was ready to offer ? 5,000 for an aircraft that would be made in Australia, would be able to fly at the speed of at least twenty miles an hour, and would also take off and land safely with two people aboard. The machines presented for the contest were all â€Å"Page # 2† declared as unsuitable by the government which considered importing overseas planes (Early Australian Aviation). As Houdini announced his plans to visit Australia to perform escapology shows there, the Aerial League decided to invite him to ship his plane with him. The Voisin biplane was dismantled and then brought to Australia where Houdini came for his Melbourne Season. An interesting fact: researchers such as Sloman and Kalush believe that Houdini did not bring his biplane to Australia simply for the record books. In fact, they suggest, he had another secret mission, namely, the promotion of the use of airplanes for the country’s defense (Barrell). Houdini also had two serious competitors that came to Australia approximately at the same time as he did. One of them was Ralph Banks from the United States who brought with him a Wilbur Right machine and claimed that he would beat Houdini in the air. Another competitor was Fred Custance with his Bleriot monoplane powered by a twenty-four horsepower rotary engine. It had been purchased by a local businessman who sought publicity for these machines because he planned to sell them in Australia (Early Australian Aviation). Houdini’s competitors fail Fred Custance made his flights in Bolivar, a small town situated nearby Adelaide. As far as we know, Custance had never flown an airplane before that. On March 17, 1910, he taxied his Berliot machine around a local paddock many times. Some witnesses reported that on one occasion Custance managed to successfully take off, made a short flight, and then landed safely. However, after making another attempt his monoplane crashed and seriously damaged the wheels, undercarriage, and propeller. The Berliot machine was brought back to Adelaide to be repaired where it was completely destroyed several months later when the garage where it was stored caught fire (Early Australian Aviation). The historic event in Australian aviation took place in early spring of 1910 nearby the Diggers Rest Railway Station situated just some twenty miles north of Melbourne. Two huge tents â€Å"Page # 3† erected on a paddock owned by Mr. Cook housed Houdini’s Voisin biplane manufactured in France by the Voisin Brothers, and a Wilbur Wright airplane piloted by Mr. Banks (Mulvany). Heavy winds made any attempts to try flights impossible for almost a month. However, Banks unwisely decided not to wait for better weather conditions and on March 1, 1910 he took off in his Wilbur Wright machine. His flight did not last long because shortly after he lifted his aircraft up into the air a strong gust of wind caused his machine to dive downwards and it crashed onto the ground after doing a somersault. Miraculously, Banks survived the crash without being seriously injured, but his Wilbur Wright machine was damaged to such an extent that it could not be used for further flying (Mulvany). Houdini the flying hero Being in love with the Voisin biplane and wishing to prevent its damage or destruction, Monsieur Antonio Brassac, the magician’s engineer, was reported to curse in French all the time because of the winds. He advised Harry Houdini to wait until weather conditions improved. When high winds stopped blowing, Houdini tried taking off several times but all of these attempts turned out unsuccessful as the pilot experienced some mechanical difficulty in controlling the aircraft (Mulvany). It all happened on March 18, 1910, when early in the morning Harry Houdini made three successful flights over Mr. Cook’s paddock (Mulvany). The speed at which Houdini’s Voisin biplane took off in his first flight was tremendous and allowed the machine to rise in around a hundred yards. Shortly after that, the onlookers got shocked when they saw the aircraft rushing straight at a huge gum tree. Disaster seemed imminent. However, the great escapologist perfectly controlled his machine and by moving the elevating lever he flew over the obstacle like a bird. He performed a circle over the paddock at the speed of fifty miles per hour and then descended and landed gracefully and with apparent ease. After that followed another successful and quite confident flight (Mulvany; Wacks). â€Å"Page # 4† In the process of making the third flight which was the longest one, Houdini covered a distance of around two miles. Brassac started the Voisin by twisting the eight foot propeller behind the pilot. Houdini left boldly the paddock and succeeded in achieving an altitude of approximately a hundred feet, and then flew away over the neighboring stone fences and rocky areas. He performed a great circle moving in curves and leaning over from time to time, and then by confidently straightening his plane, Houdini descended faultlessly and landed safely. His machine came to rest not far away from the place where he had taken off. That faultless flight lasted for around three and a half minutes (Mulvany). Houdini made his first three flights in the presence of a small group of witnesses who signed and issued a short statement to the press in which they testified to the magician’s successful flights, their heights and duration (Mulvany). Houdini made a much longer flight on March 20, 1910, during which he covered approximately four miles in the presence of a larger group of witnesses which included around 120 persons. On the next day, a large photograph showing Houdini’s Voisin biplane up in the air and spectators beneath was published in â€Å"The Argus†, a local newspaper, making the aviator more popular in Australia. Among the spectators that witnessed Houdini’s flights at the Diggers Rest Railway Station, was Harry Hawker who rose to prominence just a few years later and was one of the greatest figures in the history of world’s aviation (Mulvany). On March 21, 1910, Houdini added to his records another successful flight in his Voisin biplane at Diggers Rest which lasted seven and a half minutes. During that flight he reached an altitude of about a hundred feet and covered around six miles. Made in the presence of thirty witnesses, this flight excelled the magician’s previous flying performances and constituted the Australia record (Harry Houdini). Houdini the newsmaker In an interview that he gave in Melbourne after his flights, Harry Houdini, not hiding his fascination with airplanes, compared his Voisin with a gracious swan calling it a dandy. He also â€Å"Page # 5† said that as an aviator he was quite confident of his control of the machine and felt relaxed, free, and exhilarated while making the flights. When asked why he had not disclosed his plans about making the flights before his performances, Houdini replied that he did not like to be compared with a parrot which â€Å"talks best and flies worst†, but wanted performances first and fame later (Mulvany). Harry Houdini was aware of the importance of publicity which was integral to his success. Before making his famous flights, he was already known thanks to his fantastic escapology shows. While Custance’s attempts at flying received little publicity, Houdini’s achievements at the Diggers Rest Railway Station were widely reported in local newspapers. Houdini received good training in Germany and, without a doubt, was able to pilot an airplane in controlled flight. Although his Voisin biplane was not as advanced and complex as Custance’s Bleriot machine, it flew a considerable number of hours in Europe and was capable of flying steadily when piloted by an experienced aviator (Early Australian Aviation). Interesting facts In Australia the great magician decided to teach himself how to drive a motor car which he used to go to and from the airfield. After his extended tour there he never flew a plane nor drove a car again (The life and times of America’s greatest magician). Houdini admitted the Bleriot monoplane’s technical superiority over his Voisin biplane and on one occasion he emphasized that in these matters a lot depended on a pilot’s experience and skills. He confessed that it was possible to do much more with the Bleriot machine than with his own aircraft on condition that an aviator had learned enough how to handle it. Did Houdini mean by that remark that Custance might have been able to beat him if he had been better prepared for flights? Perhaps, but we do not know it for sure (Mulvany). Some researchers and aviation experts still debate about whether it is Harry Houdini who should be considered as the first aviator to have successfully flied an aircraft over Australia or Custance who made his first flight in the Bleriot monoplane a day earlier in Adelaide (Mulvany). BIBLIOGRAPHY: 1. An Aviation Timeline. Retrieved March 27, 2008 from the World Wide Web: http://www.ctie. monash. edu. au/hargrave/timeline5. html 2. Barrell, T. (2006, July 30). And For My Last Trick. The Sunday Times. Retrieved March 27, 2008 from the World Wide Web: http://www. timesonline. co. uk/tol/life_and_style/article690366. ece? token=null&offset=0 3. Early Australian Aviation. Retrieved March 27, 2008 from the World Wide Web: http://www. aarg. com. au/Aviation-EarlyAustralian. htm 4. Harry Houdini. Retrieved March 27, 2008 from the World Wide Web: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Harry_Houdini 5. Mulvany, M. Harry Houdini Flies near Melbourne. Retrieved March 27, 2008 from the World Wide Web: http://member. melbpc. org. au/~mulvany/mulv2. html 6. The life and times of America’s greatest magician. Retrieved March 27, 2008 from the World Wide Web: http://www. magictricks. com/houdini/bio. htm 7. Wacks, M. Aviation Centennial Coin Series Honors Wright Brothers, Charles Lindbergh and Houdini. Retrieved March 27, 2008 from the World Wide Web: http://www. pandaamerica. com/NEWS_aviation_centennial_12_16_03. ASP

Employee Rights in the Workplace Worksheet Essays - Free Essays

Employee Rights in the Workplace Worksheet Essays - Free Essays University of Phoenix Material Employee Rights in the Workplace Worksheet Complete each section below. Be sure to cite your sources when necessary (including all uses of the textbook). 1.Laws affecting employee rights Identify three laws that affect employee rights. Include a description and the impact each has on a Human Resource Manager. LawDescriptionImpact it has on HRM Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)Establishes the amount of the federal minimum wage, which is revised on a periodic basis. Also require all covered employees to be paid overtime for any hours worked over 40 in a workweek.HR should constantly review the amount paid to employees. Hr managers should also ensure employees are classified appropriately for their positions, failure to comply with FLSA can lead to penalties and back pay, Americans with Disabilities ActProhibits an employee from discriminating against employees on the basis of disability or perceived disability.Hr must train managers on what information they should, or should not, require regarding an employees medical situation. The federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)Provides eligible employees with the ability to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave in a 12-month period for a variety of circumstances.HR managers need to be trained on the eligible reasons for leave. 2.Employee rights issues What are three current issues regarding employee rights in the workplace? Explain each and provide examples. IssueExplanationExample Age DiscriminationUnequal treatment due to his or her ageAn employee being denied a promotion or project because employee is over 40, but work shows they are equal or better than younger employees. DiversityRacial discrimination, unequal treatment due to ones ethnic background or skin colorRacial discrimination in the work place often consists of derogatory statements, unfair policies, dismissals and conditions of employment. ReligionReligious discrimination is the unequal treatment of employees based on their religious beliefs. Usually consists of unwarranted dismissals, harassment, segregation or unequal pay. An employee being forced to not actualize his religious beliefs in the workplace. 3.Employee Discipline Identify at least five factors that should be considered when disciplining an employee. 1.Seriousness of the problem 2.Duration of problem 3.Frequency and mature of the problem 4.Extenuating Factors 5.Degree of socialization Identify three best practices to use before disciplining an employee. 1.Check the handbook 2.Get the facts before taking action 3.Maintain a record 4.Personal Experience What personal experience do you have that relates to any of the above? Be specific in the situation, but do not use names or the company name. I personally have experienced age discrimination in the work place. Mostly today you hear about companies discriminating against employees over 40 because they want younger employees that are more up to date on education and technology. For me I had the opposite experience. I worked at a store that got bought out and the new owner slowly started cutting back all the employees hours that were in high school and hiring only new employees in college. He eventually one by one fired all employees that were in high school for absurd reasons. It was unprofessional and not fair to any of us that worked very hard.

How to Conjugate the French Verb Rendre

How to Conjugate the French Verb Rendre The French verb  rendre  (pronounced ren-dre) means to return and is frequently used in idiomatic expressions such as to give thanks to. This chart will show you how to conjugate this regular verb in present, past, subjunctive, and other tenses. Present Future Imperfect Present participle je rends rendrai rendais rendant tu rends rendras rendais il rend rendra rendait nous rendons rendrons rendions vous rendez rendrez rendiez ils rendent rendront rendaient Pass compos Auxiliary verb avoir Past participle rendu Subjunctive Conditional Pass simple Imperfect subjunctive je rende rendrais rendis rendisse tu rendes rendrais rendis rendisses il rende rendrait rendit rendt nous rendions rendrions rendmes rendissions vous rendiez rendriez rendtes rendissiez ils rendent rendraient rendirent rendissent Imperative (tu) rends (nous) rendons (vous) rendez Verb conjugation patternRendre is a regular -RE verbExpressions with rendre