The New Combination

The movie, The Obama Deception, and the readings from Dyer-Witheford’s the New Combination have become a popular narration of the reality of who the new president of the USA, Barrack Obama, really is.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The New Combination specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More They have been used by their authors to represent the facts they have collected about the life of the then newly elected president and all the evidence they had about any reasons that may have motivated citizens of his country into voting for him and allowing him to become the leader of the number one super power in the world. These authors also try to give evidence related to the fact that president Obama was actually on the way to breaking his promises to his country and to the whole world (Dyer-Witheford 1). There is a lot of evidence that relates to the fact that the president is not in power as an individual, talented ru ler but rather as a representative of several powerful individuals, organizations and groups. Of more concern is the fact that all these powerful set-ups are behind the power and fame that Obama gained and that led to his election as the president. In fact, there seems to have been little real effects of the public to the election of then president than there was in the forces behind him. One main group that was viewed as being key to the election of Obama as the president of his country was the group popularly known a ‘the elites’, which was a combination of different groups and individuals who held both power and financial control in the country. The group consisted of the council on foreign relations (CFR) and the Tri-Lateral Commission among other groups. There was a relationship between the main leadership of the country and the group, the elites. This was the same case that led to the election of the president since the group had already shown interest in Obama as their candidate and representative in the government. The group was immensely involved in financing of the main campaigns for the president as well as offering a lot of advice and support for the president. When Obama became the president of USA, therefore, there was a lot that he could do in line with the requirements of the organizations that were behind his success and consecutively the president was already submitting to a higher authority at his duties and overall as a president. Obama could not be able to fully become independent and self-sufficient in a manner that he could be able to carry out his normal duties at his expense and also make decisions on his own.Advertising Looking for essay on political sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More On the other side, though Obama had a strong and admirable personality, he had to bow to a higher authority that dictated much of his principles, goals, objectives and strategie s. For example, there was a need for Obama to make very many promises during his campaigns. This was a strategy that helped him to capture the attention of all the citizens so they could vote for him. However, the implementations of all the strategic plans as he had promised were hampered by the organizations that were above him. He had to be directed on the course that he could take as a representative of those groups and hence performed duties as one under some force or power (Dyer-Witheford 17). One of the main reasons that led to the failed delivery of the promises Obama made to the citizens was the main mission of the elites group that required him to aid them in achieving their mission which was summarized into a global agenda. The agenda involved strategizing for new and more effective ways of delivering globalization to the citizens of the country and all the other countries hence leading to a point where all the involved countries could be placed under one ruler and a simil ar order. There is hence a lot of evidence that supports the fact that Obama is not just a world figure and a leader but rather a representative of greater and more powerful forces behind him. Work Cited Dyer-Witheford, Nick. The New Combinations: Revolt of the Global Value-Subjects. New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin, 1951. Print. This essay on The New Combination was written and submitted by user Christina U. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Why Teeth Turn Yellow (And Other Colors)

Why Teeth Turn Yellow (And Other Colors) You know teeth can turn yellow from staining due to coffee, tea, and tobacco, but may be unaware of all of the other causes of tooth discoloration. Sometimes the color is temporary, while other times there is a chemical change in the composition of teeth that causes permanent discoloration. Take a look at the causes of yellow, black, blue, and gray teeth, as well as how to avoid or correct the problem. Reasons Why Teeth Turn Yellow Yellow or brown is the most common tooth discoloration. Any intensely-colored plant matter can stain teeth, as the pigment molecules bind to the surface layer of enamel. Chewing or smoking tobacco darkens and yellows teeth. Dark, acidic drinks like coffee, tea, and cola do a double-whammy as the acid makes teeth more porous, so they pick up the pigment more readily. Surface staining doesnt have to be yellow. Depending on the cause, it could be orange or even green. The good news about this type of stain is that it can be removed with good dental hygiene and a whitening toothpaste.Mouthwash can stain your teeth. Products containing the antibacterial agents chlorhexidine or cetylpyridium chloride cause surface discoloration. The color is temporary and can be bleached away.Medications may also yellow teeth. Antihistamines (e.g., Benadryl), drugs for high blood pressure, and antipsychotics typically cause surface discoloration, which may be temporary. The antibiotics tetracycline and doxycycline become calcified in developing enamel. While th e antibiotics wont noticeably stain adult teeth, these drugs can cause permanent discoloration and sometimes disfigurement of teeth if the drugs are administered to children under age 10. Pregnant women are advised against taking these antibiotics because they affect fetal tooth development. It isnt just the color of the tooth that is affected. The chemical composition of teeth is altered, making them more fragile. Bleaching wont solve these problems, so the usual treatment involves crowns or replacing teeth with implants (in severe cases). Yellowing is part of the natural aging process, as tooth enamel becomes thinner and the natural yellowish color of the underlying dentin layer becomes more visible. Thin tooth enamel also occurs in people who have a dry mouth (produce less saliva) or who routinely eat acidic foods.Chemotherapy and radiation can change the color of enamel, giving it a brownish cast.Sometimes a yellowish color is genetic. Inherited yellow enamel can usually be bleached to become brighter using over the counter whitening products.Poor dental hygiene can cause yellowing since plaque and tartar are yellowish. Brushing, flossing, and visiting the dentist are steps to address this issue.Ingesting fluoride from fluoridated water or supplements usually causes splotches in developing teeth more than overall yellowing. Too much fluoride can also disfigure teeth since the chemical structure of enamel is affected.Dying teeth appear more yellow than young, healthy teeth. Physical trauma, poor nutrition, sleep depr ivation, and stress can all affect the health of underlying dentin and make it appear darker and more yellow. Causes of Blue, Black, and Gray Teeth Yellow isnt the only type of tooth discoloration. Other colors include blue, black, and gray. Dental amalgams made using mercury or sulfides can discolor teeth, potentially turning them gray or black.A severely damaged or dead tooth may have black spots as the internal tissue dies, similar to the way a bruise appears dark under the skin. Trauma can affect tooth color in both adults and children. Because this discoloration is internal, it cant simply be bleached away.There are two main causes of blue teeth. One is that a white tooth may appear blue if the tooth has a mercury-silver filling, which shows through the enamel. Damage to the root of a tooth may also show through as blue. The other main cause is when the root of a tooth fades away. This is more commonly seen in children losing their deciduous (baby) teeth​ when their teeth are otherwise very white. Enamel is crystalline apatite, so either dark underlying material or a lack of any material may make it appear blue-white.

When henry the VIII became head of church of england was power Essay

When henry the VIII became head of church of england was power confered or confirmd on him by the parliament - Essay Example The Act in Restraint of Appeals partially accepted the Kings position as Supreme Head of both church and state, although it also upheld Cromwells idea that the king- through Parliament controlled the church. Supremacy was a formal recognition of a supremacy which already existed, whilst Cromwell believed that Parliament was needed to create a royal supremacy. Henry now showed his grand pretensions by stating that he was restoring his imperial rights that had been deprived from him and his predecessors by the Papacy itself.2 The nature and effect of the supremacy is of fundamental importance to obtain an understanding of how the English church was to develop. This was and would not be a Reformation from the bottom up or inspired by religious radicals. It was officially sanctioned Reformation from the top to the bottom. For anybody wishing to advance it further or halt it completely against official government policy was brave, devout or foolish. 3 With the Act of Supremacy Henry had gained the right for himself and his heirs to have political, social and religious control over the Church in England. The pace and direction of reforms thus came under the control of the state. The government therefore would only introduce reforms it considered politically expedient. An Act of Succession was also passed placing the children of the Boleyn marriage in the line of succession. Much to Henrys disappointment Anne had given birth to Elizabeth and not the son he wanted and changed so much to obtain. He was not to know that Elizabeth would reign longer than either Mary or Edward, and whilst maybe not as great as her reputation was certainly the most successful of his children. It became treason to deny the Supremacy, the order of Succession and Annes position as Queen, this legislation punished some devout Catholics both high ranking and low ranking.4 The passing of the Act of Supremacy in

Social Media Metrics Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Social Media Metrics - Research Paper Example From the discussion it is clear that  Home Depot recently presented a massive check of $250,000 to the Reno’s Veterans Guest House during the company’s Aprons in Action contest. During the contest, which began in early 2011, the Facebook page of the company served as the platform for up to 44 non-profit companies to earn funding totaling to up to $1 million as a result of Facebook votes and to develop more awareness of their community engagement and efforts. The social media strategy adopted by Home Depot is managed by the corporate communications department, headed by Mr. Brad Shaw. The company’s corporate team in charge of social media is tasked with responsibilities of reviewing content and posts that are developed by associates. They also manage the company’s social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Youtube.As the essay stresses  defining the R  in the company's ROI -  For the purposes of proving the ROI, it is important for the co mpany to have a tangible business goal with which to begin with. This refers to the return that the company is looking forward to deliver. The company should also consider the objectives of doing this as well as the problem that it is trying to solve.  Home Depot determines its share of positive sentiment in the midst of all positive sentiment in its marketplace. On the other hand, if Home Depot operates in any controversial area, it should gauge its relative share of the negative sentiment.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Defining the audience – This refers to the market the company’s campaign is trying to reach. It is important for the company’s social media campaign to go out and attempt to reach fifty million people; however, that is not very important if the fifty million people are not really its target market. The company can reach the world with its social media presence; however, if the closest company store is a

Communication and Learners Essay Example for Free

Communication and Learners Essay Much of my research was carried out online and I have included my written research notes and sources. Teacher net (2010) says â€Å"Adopting an approach to your teaching which draws on research and evidence should help you in reviewing and developing your practice†. With this in mind I considered Maslows Hierarchy of Needs motivational model which we often refer to in teaching, although the original model was designed as a business motivational tool. Maslow claims that needs 1-4 are deficiency motivators and are generally satisfied in order when the previous need is fully or partially satisfied (Businessballs, 2010). If the lower level needs of the model are met then I can begin to help the learner gain the top level and realise their own potential however, in order to help others reach this level I must first achieve this myself, by researching I am furthering my own knowledge and developing myself on an ongoing basis. 1a Negotiating With Learners – 753 words Gravells and Simpson state that â€Å"Initial assessment of you learner’s skills, knowledge and preferred learning styles should take place before you begin teaching the programme content.† (Gravells Simpson, 2010, P17). Here they are saying ‘before the program content’, so an initial assessment is valid even if it is at the beginning of the session itself. I do however slightly disagree with the necessity to always know the learners preferred learning style from the outset. If we accept that learners are different then we must accept that we will be teaching learners during each session with differing learning styles, and must therefore accommodate those differing styles. I usually do not get chance to assess my learners for learning styles before a session so I must compensate using a progressive style of assessment, this enables me to adjust my teaching methods and styles to suit and include my learners. It is therefore not so important to know what the learning style of an individual from the initial assessment but, it can assessed as the teaching progresses. Learners enter the learning environment with varying needs and expectations; it is my responsibility as the teacher/tutor, through processes such as initial assessment, to ensure that the learner is on the correct path/course or at the right level. Failing this then I should be able to help the learner choose a more appropriate path. According to Walklin â€Å"It is important to assess all people seeking access to education and training opportunities, the purpose being to help them to plan their future education and training programme. Initial assessment helps the provider and the learner sort out what it is they wish to achieve†, (Walklin, 1993, p.290). The initial assessment is a way of evaluating what the learner will need to achieve the goals set and indeed a way of setting future goals with the learner. I have recently experienced this myself when an experienced teacher found that I was in fact following an unsuitable path, he was then able to change the course I had appl ied for, to a more suitable and achievable course. Having an understanding of a learners previous experience is also beneficial to the teacher, I myself train professional drivers who often have many years experience within the industry. Using a short pre-session initial assessment which consists of an informal one to one chat and note taking, and group introductory sessions allows me to make a connection with these more experienced learners, who often feel disgruntled by the process of having to train within an industry they feel they already know. It is important then to be aware that experience will affect learning and that it may have a positive or negative influence. After an initial assessment I can ascertain what the learners knowledge and skills will be to date and a learning action plan can be completed, this plan is specific to each individual leaner to ensure their needs as a learner are met. A tutor should spend time with each individual learner and agree learning goals and further actions. Further actions may include additional help that may be needed, for a student with learning disabilities for example. Once the learners needs have been identified and agreed the trainer would focus on the teacher/training cycle, Kolb (1984) which is made up of the following 5 points, keeping in mind that this is an ongoing cycle. * Identify needs and planning * Designing * Facilitating/deliver * Assessing * Evaluating Further actions that should be agreed prior to the course commencing is the establishment of ground rules. Ground rules are commonly referred to as, â€Å"the minimum necessary conditions for getting learning work done in the class.† (Atherton, J S 2009). I agree with Atherton here and would add that, establishing ground rules in a learning group can also be negotiated between the learners and the teacher. WestOne (2010) discusses various strategies for negotiating with learners, it suggests that It can often be effective to give learners some responsibility for rules, such as what time breaks and dinner is taken, these small items of negotiation will give learners a sense of control within the environment and encourage them to take part in the learning process as they will begin to have shared ownership of it. I would say though that to give too much away to learners may lead to a loss of control for the teacher, one must always consider the fine balance here. I looked at a company called Novadata, they provide training similar to mine but also have a larger portfolio of courses. Their main initial assessment is carried out over the telephone or via an online internet form. While I will consider the option of the online form in the future I do think it may be a little impersonal and I would have doubts about getting the right quality of information, telephone based initial assessment is however a possibility that would allow me to connect with learners better. 1b Inclusive Learning – 748 words Gravels Simpson discuss inclusive learning and suggest that â€Å"inclusive learning is about recognising that each of your learners is different from other learners in many ways†, and â€Å"you should plan your teaching and learning sessions to enable all of your learners to take part†. (Gravells Simpson, 2010, P25). There are various methods to ensure this, we can for instance use different teaching methods to appeal to the different learning styles, for instance VAK or VARK(Visual, aural, reader and kinaesthetic), kinaesthetic learners prefer to touch whilst visual learners will prefer to see demonstrations and, aural learners will be more attuned to a discussion while readers prefer the written word. In all of these cases it should be noted that any given learner may have a preference for learning but will to differing degrees have traits of all styles. I use this as the basis for any planning but keep myself aware that it is just that, a basis or starting point f or a flexible plan. It is once we begin to understand that learners are individuals with varying needs that we realise that relying on the VAK descriptions alone is inadequate in order to be inclusive. Inclusion UWE states â€Å"The aim is not for students to simply take part in further education but to be actively included and fully engaged in their learning† (2008). It may be that a particular learner is a kinaesthetic learner but for one reason or another cannot take part in an exercise. In order to agree with the UWE statement I had to recently change the way I carried out a practical exercise as one of my learners could not look at a small computer screen for very long, by pairing him with another learner and allowing them to use a projector connected to the computer they were able to complete the exercise together thus ensuring inclusivity. But inclusivity goes further than just planning sessions and resources. Huddleston and Unwin discuss how teachers must no longer be concerned with their own subject and transmitting knowledge but, â€Å"as managers of learning, teachers will need to seek the help and support of other professionals in their college, including non-teaching staff.† (Huddleston and Unwin,1997, P117). While I do agree in principle with what they are saying, for example, a student with problems of childcare can easily be helped by being pointed toward crà ¨che facilities within the learning establishment, I would also have to point out that it is important to facilitate a solution rather than be the solution. I think a teacher must maintain a certain distance from the student, so it is better to offer information on transport subsidies than to offer a lift. Another example of how we can be flexible to promote inclusion recently happened to me, When I arrived at a site to carry out training many of the delegates found that in order to start for their working shift the following day, they would have to finish 45 minutes early, as the requirements for the training to be completed meant they had to carry out a full 7 hours of training I could not legally cut the course short. We then came to an arrangement whereby tea breaks would be taken as we carried out practical exercises thus allowing for the full session to take place. By making this small adjustment I was able to cater to the individual needs of a few of the learners which again placed them in a position where they did not have to worry about working the following day and, could continue the learning process. Preparing to Teach Inclusively states â€Å"There are many issues to consider when identifying a students needs, but it is important to remember that they may fluctuate from day to day. As the course progresses, try to review with students whether you are meeting their needs.† (2006). Students needs do change constantly, it may be that a bus service is delayed and a number of students will be late by 10 minutes or another may have employment difficulties, while it is not the job of the teacher to fix these problems, it is the responsibility of the teacher to make provision for them and to suggest agencies or information that can help. A solution can be as simple as asking another learner to take extra copies of handouts and pass them on, whatever the action, the aim is always to enable the student to return to a successful learning environment. 1c – Integrating Functional Skills – 557 words QCDA says that â€Å"Functional skills are practical skills in English, information and communication technology (ICT) and mathematics. They allow individuals to work confidently, effectively and independently in life† (2010). Functional Skills are often given different names such as â€Å"Key Skills† or â€Å"Minimum Core†, but they all amount to the same thing, the basic integration of Maths, English and Information Communication Technology. Petty states â€Å"The alternative to integrating key skills is to teach them separately. The problem with this approach is that students tend to see them as an irksome irrelevance to their main course of study†.(G Petty, 2009, P538) Whilst I agree with his point and I agree with the methods and reasons for teaching Functional Skills in this way, I also believe that this statement pays little attention to those of us who would thrive in a situation where those key skills are taught separately, people such as myself, I trained as a chef when I was young, attached to this course I did a CG in communicating and in computer programming. I enjoyed having a separate learning session for this and was able to gain another certificate to be proud of; in conclusion I would say that this is again an area where we can see how people differ in so many ways. Gravells and Simpson state that â€Å"As a teacher, you should be able to demonstrate your own competence in the areas of literacy, language, numeracy and ICT.† (Gravells Simpson, 2010, P59). As a teacher I believe it is important to have a good understanding of Functional skills, spelling and maths mistakes within a handout or presentation will be transferred to learners, why should they not believe you if you are the teacher. To this end it is important as a teacher to continually give consideration to improving my own Functional skill on an ongoing basis. The embedding of these skills within a teaching session is not difficult but should be given careful consideration at all times, for instance, I recently had a learner who was dyslexic, I try where possible to provide printed material on different coloured papers as this can often help people with this condition. It turned out that this was the first time this particular learner had come across this aid to reading, so instead of just ignoring the reading exercise he became interested enough to ask about further help. I was able to give him a contact at Learndirect. This particular learner now has the confidence to learn to read and write at higher standards than he thought possible. It is this gaining of confidence and belief in oneself that will cause the attitude change that is conducive to learning. In order to integrate Functional Skills into any given session you could consider exercises such as multiple choice quizzes for reading, discussion sessions for language skills. By adding in maths questions to a PowerPoint presentation you can elicit answers from learners, by watching the reaction of other learners it is often possible to see if anyone is struggling with these concepts thus allowing you to go over the question in more detail until you are sure the learner has grasped it. ICT can be integrated in just as many ways, for instance asking learners to find and print a particular style of picture for the next session. 1d – Communication – 677 words Just out of interest I typed into a leading search engine â€Å"verbal non-verbal communication†, within the first five listings I found the following (MinorityCareerNet, 2010): â€Å"Nonverbal Communication According to A. Barbour, author of Louder Than Words: Nonverbal Communication, the total impact of a message breaks down like this: 7 percent verbal (words)   38 percent vocal (volume, pitch, rhythm, etc) 55 percent body movements (mostly facial expressions)† This is a misquote that can be found time after time in books, on websites, and more worryingly within training courses. In fact, this statement is based on the work of Professor Albert Mehrabian in the mid to late 1900’s. The research actually concentrated on the communication of feelings and attitudes, it has since been misquoted to define all types of communication. It is somewhat ironic that his message has been so misused and misunderstood. I raise the point of this because I am guilty of using it in the incorrect context, assuming that because those that have taught me use it, then it must be so. It really does not matter how I contort my face wave my arms in front of learners, unless I explain verbally or with written instructions very few of them will understand what I am trying to communicate. Different people respond to different forms of communication, when we teach we give consideration to the varying types of learners, Visual, Aural, Readers, Kinaesthetic (VARK), we try to design our lessons to include all of the styles. I asked myself the question, â€Å"Why do people learn in these different ways?† My research results led me to investigate a condition known as synaesthesia, in which one sensory input produces unexpected results for example, a synaesthete may see the colour red when they see the number 2 and blue if they see number 3, in some cases sound caused a visual effect for the synaesthete. It occurred to me that this may go some way to explain why one person responds better when information is given in a verbal format, another responds better if it is visual and so on. The connections between these different sensory areas of the brain mean that we all have our own unique way of perceiving what is being taught or communicated (please refer to my micro teach for more information). For me the advantage of this seemingly odd line of research had the effect of allowing me to empathise with learners of different styles and gave me meaningful reason to consider how I communicate to learners with differing learning styles. â€Å"Communication is the art of successfully sharing meaningful information with people by means of an interchange of experience. The important word is ‘successfully’, which implied that a desired behaviour change results when the receiver takes the message† (Walklin, 1993, p.164). I think what Walklin is trying to tell us is that it is not enough to communicate the instructions, it is also important to deliver praise or constructive criticism in order to encourage and guide the learner into new discovery, if you ask the learner to complete a task a feeling of accomplishment will encourage behaviour conducive to further learning. This is important to me when teaching as my own learners can often be hostile to the learning process, feeling it has been imposed upon them. It is also important to listen to the students, if you set tasks that are above the student’s current abilities then you are likely to create a barrier to communication whereby the student will close in on themselves not wishing to admit they cannot continue and the learning process will cease. Achieving two way communications with our students is not straightforward. Barriers can often present themselves. It is crucial that a teacher can identify barriers and help students overcome them. Petty (2009) suggests that inappropriate level of work, jargon, vocabulary and other use of language, environmental factors, fear of failure and an inapproachable teacher can be barriers to students learning experience. Whilst I agree in principle to this, I also believe that introducing new vocabulary and language usage is essential to the student’s further development. ATHERTON J S (2010) Learning and Teaching; Ground rules for the class (Online) Available: http://www.learningandteaching.info/teaching/ground_rules.htm (Accessed: 03 January 2011) Anne Gravells and Susan Simpson (2010) Planning and Enabling Learning (2nd Edition), Learning Matters Businessballs (2011) Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, (Online), Available: http://www.businessballs.com/maslow.htm , (Accessed: 15 February 2011) Inclusion Further Education (2008)(Online) Available: http://inclusion.uwe.ac.uk/csie/tmlnsn.htm (Accessed: 10 January 2011). Minority Career Network Inc. (2011) Non Verbal Communication, (Online), Available: http://www.minoritycareernet.com/newsltrs/95q3nonver.html , (Accessed: 15 February 2011) Open University (2006) Preparing to Teach Inclusively (Online), Available: http://www.open.ac.uk/inclusiveteaching/pages/inclusive-teaching/preparing-to-teach-inclusively.php (Accessed: 20th January 2011) Prue Huddleston and Lorna Unwin (1997) Teaching and Learning in Further Education (2nd Edition), Routledge Farmer. Petty G (2009) Teaching Today (4th Edition), Nelson Thornes. QCDA (2010) Introduction to Functional Skills (Online), Available: http://www.qcda.gov.uk/qualifications/30.aspx, (Accessed: 11 January 2011). Teachernet (2010) (online), Available:http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/research/Learning_about_research/ (Accessed December 15 2010), (Note-now removed) Walklin, A. (1993) Teaching and Learning in Further and Adult Education. Cheltenham: Stanley Thornes (publishers) Ltd. West One (2010) How to negotiate learning (Online) Available: http://www.westone.wa.gov.au/toolbox8/taa/elearn/toolbox/resources/e_space/e_sources/quickguides/interaction/negotiating/howto.htm (Accessed 03 January 2010)

A Comparison Of Concrete Steel And Timber Construction Essay

A Comparison Of Concrete Steel And Timber Construction Essay Composite construction is a method whereby a concrete floor slab is utilised as part of the beam system. The slab acts as a concrete flange to the beam. As the beam and slab are of different materials, the size of the concrete flange is scaled down using a modular ratio where the youngs modulus of steel is divided by the youngs modulus of concrete. When these two elements bend, the top of each element is in compression and the bottom in tension. Because the bottom of the concrete is in tension of the top of steel is in compression this causes shear along the interface of the two materials. To overcome this a steel stud is welded through the metal deck. The stud is designed to take the shear force. The composite system consists of a concrete slab cast on profiled steel decking acting compositely with glue-laminated timber beams. Composite action is achieved with coach screw shear connectors between the beams and slab. The connectors have been tested in push out shear tests and a three-point bend test of a full-scale floor slab has been completed. The composite system is more than three times as stiff and almost twice as strong as the same beam/slab configuration without composite action. Richard Persaud, Dr Digby Symons The Structural Engineer 21 February 2006 Euro codes are a full set of structural design codes for building and civil engineering that used across Europe to open up trade boundaries allowing designers, and manufacturers to supply designs and products to other countries across the continent. Conceived over 30 years ago, the Eurocodes are now landing on the desks of engineers, and are expected to be fully adopted in 2010. For this reason, the Eurocodes were used for the design comparisons. In 2004, The Steel Construction Institute published a study comparing the costs and construction programme of various methods of steelwork and concrete framing solutions that reflect modern construction techniques to determine which is the most cost effective. The study looked at two types of buildings, costing and programming each of them. The study also looked at other aspects of the building, which can be affected by the choice of framing solution such as foundations, external elevation treatments and mechanical/electrical services. The study was motivated by the Egan report, which looked at the construction industry and how to lower costs. The report encourages offsite construction to improve speed and quality on site. People are starting to use tree planting as a way of offsetting carbon emissions. This is because of trees absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. One of the problems is that once a tree reaches maturity it stops absorbing CO2, then the next problem is when it dies and decays it starts to release CO2 back into the atmosphere. One solution round this is to store the carbon in materials, by using the timber as a construction material. The way in which timber is used us also key in reducing CO2 emissions. Timber should be dried before it can be used as a material, and it must be. One method is by kiln drying. Kiln drying is an artificial method of drying the timber by heating it up and in turn using fossil fuels, emitting CO2. This defeats the point of the object. The sustainable alternative is to allow the timber to dry naturally under cover. The ideal situation would be for people to use natural unaltered timber and design buildings within its limitations. However, due to human nature and the endeavour to improve, we are going to build higher and wider buildings that are filled with more objects and fewer supports. For this reason, we must come up with more innovative and sustainable solutions to overcome these challenges. We must harness timbers ability to lock CO2 into its structure and adopt methods to manipulate its properties. One of these engineered lumbers is Glue Laminated Timber, commonly abbreviated to Glulam in the industry. Timber in the UK as a building material is widely used, but not so much as for major building components such as beams and columns. In our history, we used to use great oak timbers for roofs and beams, but due to time it takes to grow these massive timbers, it was not long until demand outstripped supply. Moving into the 21st Century with the use of high strength glues, we are able to utilise fast growing tree species and mechanically bonded the timbers to form sizes and strengths that rival the oak timbers. These mechanically glued timbers are referred to as Glued Laminated Timber, which has been abbreviated to Glulam. In sustainability, the social impact on an area cannot be discussed without also discussing the environment and economics. The introduction of an industry can create an economic wealth for the local population that can lift certain areas out of poverty. This can be balanced against the environmental impact on the are by such industries. Industries can create noise and vibration, dust, local climate, ecology, soils, heritage, and archaeology as a by-product of the manufacturing process. Initially I thought that the timber would have a great depth of construction as compared to steel. The depth of steel beams were indeed shallower than the timber beams but because the steel beams require a concrete slab needs to span from beam to beam, the overall construction depth of the steel beam plus the slab is only marginally shallower than the overall timber floor construction. The shallowest overall floor construction is of the concrete flat slab because you do not require a beam as such; the slabs span directly to the columns.

Jade Peony

Belonging When someone is said to be Canadian, it does not just mean being one who lives on this land, or has lived on this land long enough to obtain this citizenship, it means living the Canadian life, it means waking up in the morning wearing a ton of layers and going outside in the freezing cold to do whatever a person needs to do during the day, to be Canadian it also means to belong. Canada is known for the diversity of culture, religion, color, and beliefs, as well as our ability to be able to create a status acceptable to everyone, making Canada, despite our individual diversity and differences, to be united as one. However, what we don’t realize is that Canada has not always been this way; this is the perspective that Wayson Choy expresses through his novel â€Å"The Jade Peony†. His text and word play emphasizes on a world so unknown, yet so important to not only our history, but to our understanding of what our ancestors of our various ethnic origins fought through every day of their lives to create the world in which every day we take for granted. Where he lays his emphasis on our history is not from the point of view of the adult, but through the eyes of the children who, today, are our fathers and grandfathers. Divided into three major chapters, Wayson Choy begins the narration of his history through the eyes of Jook-Laing, a five year old beautiful girl of Chinese origin born in Canada after her family immigrated to Canada. Isolation is slowly starting to become a major theme in the novel, not only created by the Canadian Government, but by her very own family. The Canadian Government in the 1940's, the time period the novel takes place, created harsh laws against immigrants, making it near impossible to live happily: one was never to leave the household, as immigrants must live within the same household even when one becomes married, as well as harsh laws on illness, where, if one were to become sick with any illness- even as innocent as a cold- if the government found out, â€Å"The Vancouver Health Inspection Board†¦ posted on our front door, a sign boldly visible from the street: condemned† (p. 32). However, Jook-Laing's family's old heritage and Chinese beliefs create the deepest isolation as they shun the idea of traditional Canadian society, where Poh-Poh, elder and Jook-Laing's Grandmother, describes this life as â€Å"poison to young China girl-child† (p. 17). Jook-Laing's young and highly dream-filled spirit inspires her to dream of the perfect world- a perfect world she never gives up on as play and her â€Å"movie-star daydreams† (p. 37) have caused her heart to grow and know that, deep, inside, Canada is a better place than China, no matter what Poh-Poh says to her about her heritage. However, despite her strong instinct, conflict arises as person versus person/society is introduced when her powerful instinct and her Grandmother's words â€Å"You not Canada. You never Canada. You China. Always war in China† (p. 37) make her isolated from becoming her own person and trapping her in a world she knows is not true to her heart. As a major authority figure of the household, Poh-Poh is never corrected or disagreed with, causing Jook-Laing to feel alone in her internal battle between what she is told and her faith in Canada. Further, Jook-Laing, along with her other two step-brothers, are strongly looked down upon by their strict, old heritage grandmother, who constantly reminds them of her feelings towards them: â€Å"This useless only-granddaughter wants to be Shirlee Tem-po-lah; the useless Second Grandson wants to be cow-boy-lah. The First Grandson wants to be Charlie Chan. All stupid foolish! † (p. 40). With Poh-Poh's interrogance towards her grandchildren's play, it creates further isolation from the norm of society and themselves, along with isolation from their desire to be a child. Despite her Grandmother beginning to shape the role of the antagonist of the story, Jook-Laing makes a deep connection with an old family friend, Mau-lauh Bak, who not only understands the importance of play, but embraces and cherishes Jook-Laing for her ability to be free in a world so sour towards them. that connects Jook-Laing to the theme of belonging. The second part of the story speaks about Jung-Sum, the kid who was adopted due to the fact that his parents have died from a young age â€Å"I TAKE CARE OF MY SELF’ (p. 2). Jung also starts off in the novel isolation for as he doesn’t want his new family to take care of him. But Jung started to box and that is where he found a sense of belonging. Sek- Lung also fell into the same isolation theme from Canada and as well from his family, he was in belief that Poh-Poh was still coming to visit after she had died, and the whole family did not believe the fact, that’s when Sekky fell into the same pattern of isola tion. But it was Sekky that had the most sense of belonging to Canada towards the end of the book, because Canada is a multicultural community there is all kinds of races that live in this great country, and Sekky was a big hater of the Japanese â€Å"I have to remember they are the enemy† (p. 189) but when he meets Meiying, and she introduces him to Kaz her Japanese boyfriend, he gets to like him. This shows that the world revolves around hate but once you get to know people, a person’s perspective might change. Sekky finally found his belonging in Canada.