FOUNDATIONS OF OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT Coursework

FOUNDATIONS OF OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT - Coursework Example The office is small as it was the starting point of the business. The company had been trying to find a way to explore the potential clients at the sea side, but had been reluctant to work on a business plan or business strategy due to the presence of a huge number and variety of competitors already operating in that set up. Instead they have been focusing on building a brand name and customer loyalty through exceptional customer care. Due to this strategy the company had been fast in reaching their annual profit goal, in fact they have exceeded it. So, the board has decided that it is time to step in this potential market. The company’s resorts are already present there and are flourishing but research has shown that a small restaurant will attract a lot of foreign tourists and who could say no to a side profit. A business plan has already been made and approved, this plan includes financial planning, restaurant market research, cash flow forecast, competitor’s analysi s, human resource planning and a marketing plan. More than 70% of our surveyed foreigners focus group deduced having a liking to eat their homelands native food rather than trying new things even in foreign land. Due to already being able to deal with a lot of tourists our chefs are already specialized in foreign cuisine. This is a strength as compare to the potential competitors. Client satisfaction with services and the main menu has been and keeps on being of most extreme significance, yet our discoveries demonstrate that the lighting, bar, decor, and different alternatives to enhance the feasting experience are additionally figures in client choices and tourists are mainly attracted to such places. Cash flow for the next two year has been prepared starting from a huge outflow in the first three months in the preparation and setting up of the restaurant. Starting from cleaning of the already present

Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 30

Case Study Example 8). Children rights advocacy in the UK takes the efforts of many stakeholders. Besides the UNCRC, which is implemented in the UK, UK laws recognize the necessity to ensure full protection of children’s rights. A parent serves as the primary caregiver for every child in the UK. There are several organizations together with the government, which ensure that the children live stress-free life. The case entails stressful situations that I undergo as a 16-year-old girl. My mother is in a turbulent relationship that affects the entire family. I rarely contact my biological father. My three siblings belittle me. My mother serves as a nurse at a local nursing home and is rarely available to perform her responsibility as the family’s primary care-giver. Most of the time, I serve as the primary caregiver for my siblings in her absentia. Taking care of my siblings is a challenging task because I must report to the Youth Offending Office every day. The police arrested me for alleged robbery. Besides, I have other duties to perform. Although on a part-time basis, I must attend a specialist educational facility meant for young individuals who exhibit educational and behavioral difficulties. The office arranged for me to start attending a pupil referral unit. I have to balance between the referral unit and my statutory education. I intend to join a catering course after my GSC E, which I am due to complete. At home, I do not get sufficient time for sleep because the house has limited space for the family. I sleep on the sofa, instead. An adult recently raped my sister, Laura, and I feel it is a fundamental concern for me to sacrifice my commitments and help her through the hard times she is undergoing. I, however, have limited support and guidance to help my sister. As the victim, I need help from relevant groups of professionals. CRAE is a key institution mandated to implement the UNCRC and

Macbeth Essay Example for Free

Macbeth Essay In Shakespeares famous play, Macbeth, the themes of murder, guilt, ambition and the ruthless pursuit of power is explored. He does this through the characters of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth who are tied together in an eerie search for absolute power. Throughout the play, Macbeth reveals many traits that have horrible consequences for Macbeth himself and for Scotland. In the beginning of the play, Macbeth portrays himself as a noble, sincere man who would die for his country but as the play moves forward we discover that we may have been misled. At first it seems that Macbeth is a noble warrior, but as time goes on it becomes apparent that he is a cruel, heartless tyrant, particularly when he murders Duncan and Macduffs’ wife and babes. At the start of the play, Macbeth believes the witches’ prophesies which foretell that he will become king. After he tells Lady Macbeth ‘My dearest partner of greatness’ of the witches prophesies, Lady Macbeth hatches a plan to kill the king of Scotland, which eventually results in horrible consequences for Macbeth and Scotland. Lady Macbeth explains her plan to Macbeth and her vision for his accession to the throne which would require the removal of Duncan. She suggests the murder of Duncan. Macbeth begins to feel weary and starts to have doubts. Lady Macbeth is insanely ambitious for her husband to become king, so much so that she states ‘I would, while it was smiling on my face, have pluck’d my nipple from his boneless gums, and dash’d the brains out’ rather than go back on her word like her husband has just done. However, little did either of them know that the repercussions for the killing of the king would lead to their own deaths. The people of Scotland were living in fear of an uncertain future, which influenced them to turn against their new king. Lady Macbeth is the driving force behind the murder of Duncan. She is ruthless. She was prepared to kill Duncan herself but found that he reminded her of her father and failed to go through with it only to find a few hours later, that Macbeth had carried out the deed. From there on it was a downhill slide into insanity for Macbeth as he could not live with the guilt. After murdering King Duncan, Macbeth fears he will never sleep again ‘Methought I heard a voice cry â€Å"Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢. The consequences for Scotland were catastrophic as they lost their noble king and instead found themselves being ruled by a psychopathic tyrant. Macbeth became paranoid and suspicious of everyone around him. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth could never have envisaged the consequences for themselves and their plans for the future began to fall apart. Keeping the murder of Duncan a secret tormented the couple, leading Macbeth to commit further murders. Banquo posed a threat because Macbeth feared he would get in the way of accession to the throne. He decided to hire assassins to kill Banquo and his son Fleance. Banquo is murdered and Fleance flees. That night, Macbeth is crowned and a banquet is held to celebrate. During the banquet Macbeth see’s the ghost of Banquo and has a breakdown. Lady Macbeth comes to his rescue. She tells his guests that he is having hallucinations which he has suffered from since childhood. In this scene we see Macbeth being driven mad with guilt. ‘It will have blood; they say, blood will have blood’. Behind Macbeths back, somewhere in Scotland, Lennox is walking with another lord discussing the consequences the death of Duncan will have on Scotland. Both suspect Macbeth whom they have called a ‘tyrant’, of the murder of Banquo even though Fleance has been blamed. The lord tells Lennox that Macduff has gone to England, where he will join Malcolm in pleading with England’s King Edward for aid. News of these plots prompted Macbeth to prepare for war. When Macbeth realised that Macduff had gone to England, he brutally murders Macduffs’ wife and babes who were left unprotected. All sympathy for Macbeth vanishes and is seen as a cold-blooded murderer. Macbeth reaches his lowest ebb after the murder of Macduff’s wife and babes. When Lady Macbeth commits suicide he is left with no alternative but to face his demons. Macbeth now faces the consequences of the murders alone. He goes into battle defiant and is determined not to give up. Going into war, Macbeth is faced with the prospect that he might die. He then recites his famous last words ‘Yet I will try the last. Before my body I throw my warlike shield. Lay on, Macduff, and damn’d be him that first cried, â€Å"Hold, enough! †Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ and is killed by Macduff in battle. The question remains, was Macbeth a tragic hero or was he in fact an overly ambitious, ruthless tyrant? The killing of Duncan does have terrible consequences for Macbeth and for Scotland, but after Macbeths’ death, Scotland’s reputation was restored. Freed from tyranny, the rightful king, Feance, took Macbeths place and descended the throne.

Causes of Concrete Failure

Causes of Concrete Failure Concrete and steel are materials commonly used in building construction. Concrete is formed by mixture of aggregates which are sand and stone, and bonded together by water and cement with the proper ratio of 1:2:4 or 1:3:6 which is commonly used. Steel is a material that is manufactured under carefully controlled condition by which its properties are determined in a laboratory. Combining concrete and steel gives increased strength to resist heavy loads to increase the lifetime of the structure. Even though concrete and steel give many advantages on building, they can also cause failure to the structure thru the impropriate procedure work, and lacks of efficient control and monitoring mechanism (A.M. Neville, 2002),which happen to the concrete column at the building of University of Technology Mara (Ismail M, 2005). The list of previous dissertation topics by building surveying students shows that there has never been a study or research done on concrete failure in the Industrial Zone. Due to the importance of awareness and understanding of concrete failure, the dissertation topic on The Causes Effects of Concrete Failure on Residential Building Surrounding Industrial Zone is chosen for research and case study. The idea on this topic also came when conducting condition survey on the Shah Alam Commercial building where it is important to understand the effects of the emissions produced from industrial area to the concrete structures in order to prevent concrete failure. The aim of dissertation is to give an insight on the causes of the defects, share what measures are taken by the building authority to prevent it and to find the result on the majority causes of the failure and its effect in real case study. The objectives of dissertations are: To study the causes and effects of concrete failure to the building structure To investigate and study the causes and effects of concrete failure of the real life cases i.e buildings in the industrial areas To come up with recommendations to prevent or minimise the concrete failure The scopes of the dissertation are: Literature review on concrete, type of cement and causes of the concrete failure. Case study on the affected residential buildings surrounding industrial zone at section 25 Shah Alam, Klang Valley, and Petaling Jaya. Produce questionnaire and conduct interviews with the contractors, clients, consultant or building maintenance personnel. Analysis of the results based on site observations, reports and interviews To give recommendations based on the result to prevent or minimise the concrete failure on structure. Below shows the procedures to reach the goal for my dissertation. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY CASE STUDY FINDINGS ANALYSIS RESULT (Goal) RECOMMENDATION The dissertation consists of 6 chapters. The dissertation starts with the introduction of the project which includes scopes, objective, and the aims of the project which are stated as chapter 1. Chapter 2 is a literature review on concrete. This includes description on the history of concrete and cement, different types of cement, sources and causes of concrete failure and the main theories of the concrete failure. Chapter 3 discusses the analysis and results of the interviews and questionnaires on concrete failure. The experiences of the relevant people interviewed will be shared in this chapter. Chapter 4 gives the detailed report of the case study including the site condition surveying results which consists of the study of building condition. The investigation and site observation on the causes and sources of defects and the remedies will be discussed. The analysis of the findings and the results of the case study will be captured in chapter 5 which include graphs and discussions. Based on the results, the effectiveness of the remedies will be evaluated in this chapter. The last chapter will conclude the case study and gives recommendations which includes the procedures on preparation and designing a building. Literature Review Introduction There are several impact which carried to the failure of the building. Basicly, failure to the structure such as piling, foundation, ground soil and etc which end up to the disaster or collapsion to the building where blamed appointed to the engineer in-charge and question that unable to explained. In the end, discussion for solving the problem is issue which has proven to the collapsion of Pulbic Work Department at Petaling Jaya (Star Biz, 2009). Therefore, the problems to the concrete which causes by human error during development procedure can be classified as four (4) categories as follow(Zarina Isnin, 2010) :- Design deficiencies Construction error Material defect Maintenance deficiencies However, the purposed of the study is only concerned on the causes and effects to the concrete failures without any concerning specific on the structure ability. Literature review on this chapter which started with the description on the history of concrete and cement and follow by the classification of cement. The objectives of this chapter is to explained the behaviour of the concrete such as sources of failures and its effects based on the facts of previous study and research. History of Concrete and Cement. In around 2,500 BC, Pyramids was the first recorded structure to used cement. The ancient Egyptian constructed Pyramid by mixing mud with straw to bind dried bricks and by adding gypsum cement and lime.Then, the Greek and the Roman found that by adding lime and water, sand and crushed stone or brick and broken tiles, its produce compressional strength and created the first structural material known as concrete. The Pantheon in Rome, was recorded the first structure used concrete mixture and proven of the success of Roman invention which still standing until today. In 1756, concrete was modernise by the British engineer, John Smeaton by mixing powered brick into the cement and adding pebbles as a coarse aggregate. In 1824, Portland Cement was invented by the english inventor, Joseph Aspdin by burning ground limestone and clay together which change the chemical properties of the materials and produce high quality of cement. It became the first true artificial cement ever produce and re mained its production until today. 20 years later, the parisian inventor, Joseph Monier invented reinforce concrete, which are the combination of concrete and steel which produce the tensile or bendable strength of metal and the compressional strength of concrete to withstand heavy loads (C.L. Page And M.M. Page, 2007). Classification of Cement Cement are categorise as two (2) categories which are Hydraulic Cement and High Alumina Cement. Hydraulic Cement is the cement that set and hardened under chemical reaction. Its can be classified into Natural Cement, Aluminious Cement and Portland Cement. The most used or well known is the Portland Cement (PC) which is high demand in market that are used in the construction and building industries or use as solution to problems for engineer. By changing or reducing or increasing the chemical properties of the compenent can produces another different types of PC and different purposed in construction industry (V.S. Ramachandran, 1984). However, theirs several types of PC are used in malaysia construction industry. Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) at figure 2.3 (a) is the most important type of cement which commonly used in construction and building industries which can be purchase at the local building supply store. The OPC was classified into three grades, namely 33 grade, 43 grade and53 grade depending upon the strength of the cement at 28 days when tested as per IS 4031-1988. But the actual strength obtained by these cements at the factory are much higher than the specifications. In the other hand, the production of Rapid Hardening Portland Cement (RHPC) at figure 2.3 (b) is similar to Ordinary Portland Cement (ORC). This cement develops its strength rapidly which give advantages in construction industry where its development at the age of three (3) days, which give the same strength of seven (7) days development to ORC. Although, the RHPC set its development in short period, it is not known as Quick-Setting Portl and Cement (QSPC), but it is well known as High Early Strength Cement because of its development product. The RHPC are widely used in construction industry as Industrial Building System compenent such as prefabricated concrete construction where the formwork is required to be removed in early stage for other use. In other purpose of RHPC are used for road repair works, and in cold weather concrete where the rapid rate of development of strength reduces the vulnerability of concrete to the frost damage (Dr. Hanizah A.H, 1997). Fact showing that OPC is low resistance of the attack of sulphates which produces in ground soil and other particular action. Sulphate Resisting Portland Cement (SRPC) at figure 2.3 (c) give protection to the concrete from chemical attack. Therefore, it is high demand cement which hardly found at the local store rather then OPC. Their normally used at the high concentration of sulphate such as at marine condition area, in foundation and basement, fabrication of pipes which likely buried in sulphate bearing soils, and in sewage treatment or repairs works. Sulphate attack occur during the frame work of hardened cement paste which results the expansion on the paste and produce defect such cracks and subsequent disruption. Attack of the Sulphate is greatly accelerate by alternate wetting and drying which normally takes place before and after the building development which result in the future (Dr. Hanizah A.H, 1997). Quick Setting Portland Cement (QSPC) at figure 2.3 (d) indicates sets very early where setting of property is brought out by reducing the gypsum content at the time of clinker grinding. It is required to be mixed, placed and compacted at early stage and mostly used under water construction and repair work where pumping is involved which has been use during the construction of smart tunnel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia figure 2.3 (f). Use of QSPC in such conditions reduces the pumping time and makes it economical. QSPC may also find its use in some typical grouting operations. For manufacturing various Colored Portland Cements (CPC) at figure 2.3 (e), either white cement or grey Portland cement is used as a base because of white cement is costly. Basicly, the CPC is generally use as decorative work and its production is from mixing several percentages of pigment with portland cement which form to grey or red or brown (Dr. Hanizah A.H, 1997). Theories about concrete failure Knowledge and understanding the behaviour of the concrete or in other words Durability of Concrete are most important to the engineer or developer to prevent the concrete fail to serve its purpose as durable material. Durability of concrete is defined as its resistance to deteriorating influences which may through inadvertence or ignorance reside in the concrete itself, or which are inherent in the environment to which it is exposed.(Wood H, 1968). Previous study, proved that their are several theories causing the concrete to reduce its strength and its capability which can be either external or internal factor. The behaviour can be either physical, chemical, or mechanical which can damaged the concrete indirect or direct processes (A.M Neville, 2002). Therefore, the physical theory which causes the concrete loss its performanance which either by the effect of the high temperature or differences in thermal expansion of aggregates. Infact, the alternating freezing and thawing of concrete and the associated action of de-icing salt are the combination of physical and chemical processes which likely as contraction and expansion process where normally takes long periods of time to give its result. However, the chemical process normally take places at external area where the chemical attack mainly from the aggressive ions likely as chlorides, sulphates, or carbon dioxide, which mainly produces by the natural or industrial. Other theory was the mechanical process which either made by the abrasion, erosion, cavitation or loads impact (A.M. Neville, 1995). But however, sources of the concrete failure can be considers into two (2) factors (C.L. Page And M.M. Page, 2007):- The environment factors The production factors. The Environmental factors The environment is one of the sources which something that cannot be controlled by human or in other words known as the act of God. Therefore, these factors can be categorise as (Edward A. Noy, 2005) :- Abrasion and Erosion, Climatic Condition, Atmospheric Pollution, Biological Attack, and Chemical Attack. Abrasion and Erosion Abrasion is the running surface or namely as landslide that cause by rain which are either direct or indirect fall to the unprotected surfaces which happen on high land area. However, the definition for the erosion is commonly similar with abrasion but different in process where it occur on force motion. Therefore, these two factors can occur either by human action or forces of nature (Edward A. Noy, 2005). Climatic Condition Commonly, the most effected surface on concrete are at the exterior area on building. Therefore, the design of the concrete at exterior area must be able to withstand the conditions that produced such as the weather or temperature changes, both daily and seasonal. The processes normally end up with cracking and spalling that may cause by expansion and contraction where the process takes long period of time to produce its result(Edward A. Noy, 2005). Atmospheric Pollution Atmospheric Pollution is one of the environment source which is not a new problem where the prevention was made since King Edward II of England in 12 century until today. Therefore, world new era of technology for economical purposed which made rapid growth of industrialized buildings for instance, factories where developed without realizing the impact to the environment such as emission of acidic and alkaline agents into atmosphere that is pollutant. These two compenent can cause failures to concrete where the aggressive reaction of both agents can overtake the compenent of the concrete which result in reducing the value of the concrete and causing corrosion problem in reinforced concrete bar. These problem not only effected the failures to concrete, but its also effected the human health which can cause illness, athsma, running nose, red eyes, and also can cause death (Harris,Samuel Y, 2005). Biological Attack Generally, every building will produce this type of problem which result in the growth of algae, fungi and bacteria to the concrete. These cause by the temperature different between internal and external of building where the temperature meet at dew-point and produce moisture to the concrete which to the growth that be solve by maintenance or temperture controlled (Edward A. Noy, 2005). Chemical Attack Chemical attack is the source that made the failures to concrete where the process involve the changing of the concrete compenent either by adding or increasing or reducing its compenent. The chemical attack which produce by rain and ground soil are carried acids and sulphate compenent. Chemical attack normally react during development where reaction of acids and soft water with the hardened cement, reaction of sulphates with aluminates in concrete, and reaction of alkalis with reactive aggregates in concrete (Ransom W.H, 1981). The Production Factors The production factor is involvement of human to controlled the concrete quality. To produce quality concrete, it can be categories as followed (Edward A. Noy, 2005):- Type of cement Type of aggregates Degree of compaction Water / Cement ratio. Type of Cement At chapter 2.3 are the several types of cement and its charactistic which are use in malaysia. The proper choice of cement use is important to produces concrete to protect its compenent from overtake by other deficiencies. However, by accurate measurement or calculation, can help the concrete to serve its ability without concerning its maintenance. Table 2.1 below show the measurement or calculation of cement which has been done by previous study (Edward A. Noy, 2005). Type of Aggregates Researcher proven that durable concrete can produced by good quality aggregates that are clean and free from impurities. Aggregates is used to decribe the gravel, crushed stones and the other materials which are mixed with cement water to make concrete. These can be classify as High Density aggregates, Normal aggregates and Light Weight aggregates. High-Density aggregate are classified as high specific gravity which are likely required in exceptional circumstances. However, Normal Density Aggregate specificed gravity between about 2.5 and 3.0 such as crushed rock, sand and gravel and broken bricks which happened in natural (Concrete Society, 1989). For the Light Weight Aggregate are the partical density or dry loose bulk density of less than 2000 kg/m3. Therefore, materials which can be considers as light weight aggregate are pumice, foamed lava, volcanic tuff and porous limestone which happened naturally. However, materials required processing which occurs naturally such as expanded clay, shale and slate are also consider as light weight aggregate. Other material which still consider as ligth aggregates such as sintered pulverised fuel ash (fly ash) aintered slate and colliery waste, foamed or expanded blast furnace slag that produce from industrial (Edward A. Noy, 2005). Degree of compaction Compaction or Vibration to the mixing concrete before drying process in progress are very important to prevent the failure not only to the concrete which also to the structure. The purposed of these method are to reduce the air which trapped during placing the concrete and to prevention of honeycomb on the concrete surfaces. Air contained inside concrete is about 5% every 75mm slumped and concrete with a 25mm slump may contain as much as 20%. If fully compaction or proper vibration procedure is made, concrete can result in strong, impermeable and durable otherwise, durability will be drastically reduced due to air voids in the concrete. As calculation was made, every 1% air contain in the concrete can reduce more than 5% loss of strength to the concrete and also reducing the bonding between concrete and reinforcement (A.M Neville, 2002). Water/Cement ratio As the engineering done the practice on the workability which are commonly conducted before applying it to the building as it compenent. One of the workability factor was water cement ratio which proven the most improtant part in producing quality concrete. Mixing of concrete should be applyed with lowest w/c ratio as possible and tested with compaction methods as mention previously inorder to produces durable and ability concrete. In engineering researches in german labratory, the practicles of the ratio give different spaces. The higher w/c ratio give more workability to the concrete compared to the lowest w/c ratio. Although, the high w/c ratio gives advantage on workability but it can reduce the concrete ability and effecting the hardening process at the early stage which can produce deficiencies to the concrete in the future. Therefore, figure 2.5 shows the differences spacing between cement practicles in different w/c ratio. Defect on Concrete As mention before, the sources of the concrete failure are from the environment factor and the production factor that been described at 2.4 and 2.5. The effects of these factor gives defect to concrete which are majority resulting in cracks. Some of the defects can be identified immediately and some cannot be recognised. As building surveyor, recognising defect and decision making on the problems are difficult part mostly to unidentify defect or unexplainable problems. Some of the solving method can be costly such as defect occured on foundation which effecting the structure compared to the defect occur to the concrete which can be easily done by owner himself. Figure 2.6 shows the identification of typical types of cracking to concrete surfaces which cause by this factors which has been study before. Deformation of the Surface Three defects cause deformation of the concrete surface, but may not exhibit any other symptoms. The first is curling or warping. This is the deformation of the edges and corners of a slab-on-ground in the absence of any loads. When caused by moisture, this deformation is called warping; when caused by temperature, it is called curling. The second defect is the delamination of surface mortar from underlying concrete. It is difficult to visually observe a delamination before it becomes dislodged from the surface. However, in small discrete locations, the surface may exhibit convex rising called blistering. Blisters are generally isolated, but may be closely spaced and can combine to form a large blister or delamination. A third defect occurs when isolated low spots on the surface collect water and have no means of drainage. These surface water pools are known as birdbaths. Cracking of the Surface Cracks appear in concrete for many reasons. Some cracks can appear as secondary symptoms of other defects, such as a long rounded crack following the structural failure of a warped slab. Discussed here are cracks that are primary symptoms of distress, caused by volume changes and structural failure. Shrinkage cracks have many different looks and can be e difficult to distinguish from cracks caused by other mechanisms. Discreet, parallel cracks that look like tearing of the surface are caused by shrinkage while the concrete is still fresh, called plastic shrinkage. Fine random cracks or fissures that may only be seen when the concrete is drying after being moistened are called crazing. This defect may also become evident when a translucent coating is applied to the concrete surface. Cracking that occurs in a three-point pattern is generally caused by drying shrinkage. Large pattern cracking, called map-cracking, can be caused by alkali-silica reaction within the concrete. Structural failure cracking may look like many other types of cracking; however, in slabs they are often associated with subsequent elevation changes, where one side of the crack is be lower than the other. Disintegration of the Surface Disintegration of the surface is generally caused by three types of distress. When laitance forms on the surface, it is called dusting. This can be caused by a number of reasons, which include carbonation of the surface by unventilated heaters or by applying water during finishing. Raveling or spalling at joints occurs when aggregates or pieces of concrete from the joint edges are dislodged. The last form of disintegration is the breaking of pieces from the surface of the concrete generally caused by delaminations and blistering. Popouts are conical fragments that come off the surface, typically leaving a broken aggregate at the bottom of the hole. Popoffs, or mortar flaking, is similar to popouts, except that the aggregate is not broken and the broken piece is generally smaller. Flaking of the concrete surface over a widespread area is called scaling. Types of cracks Popoffs, or mortar flaking, is similar to popouts, except that the aggregate is not broken and the broken piece is generally smaller. Flaking of the concrete surface over a widespread area is called scaling.

A Deadly Realization Essay -- essays research papers

A Deadly Realization I walked into school around 8:25, rolling out of bed only a half hour before. I wiped the rain from my face, I hate when it rains. As usual, I strolled in with a casual walk, like I was the coolest, because I could come in late every morning since I had no first period class. The first person I saw as I walked through the cafeteria toward the staircase was Louise. Usually an outgoing and crazy person, she strikes many as being on crack. She calmly and quietly said "hey", with her face to the floor, not even looking at me. On my way up the staircase to my locker, I passed my good friend Mike. He looked me in the face and said, "Did you hear?" I replied with intense wonder of what the latest gossip at Shoreham-Wading River High School could be. "No", I replied, "what happened?" "You'll find out at the assembly." I had a few minutes before second period began, so I walked to the library, and pulled up a seat across from my friend Ke vin. "What's up, I heard we have an assembly this morning." "Yeah, I think two juniors got in an accident last night, but I heard they're all ok." I jokingly responded, "Well, at least periods are shorter." He gave me a tiny smirk, silently telling me we shouldn't be laughing over such a horrible thing. The bell rang, and first period ended. Dr. Hayward the principal came over the loudspeaker, "All students please report to the auditorium." Kevin and I got up, and joined the crowd slowly squeezing into the auditorium through the two open doors. I looked around and saw a group of my best friends sitting together. Katie had her head on Louise's shoulder, and Mike and Kyle sat there with a blank stare on their faces. I made my way into a seat, and looked at everyone, "Hey guys." No one responded, not even a look. By this point, I was scared at what news I might hear. I didn't know what to be thinking. For everyone to be so upset, it must be really serious. I looked around. Everyone had a look of wonder on their face, or they were crying, or just didn't know what to think. I didn't know what to think. I had never seen my friends like this before. Never have I seen Mike so serious, he would laugh if I got run over by a car. But this time was different for sur... ...ast person I knew that would take their own life. He always seemed happy, never missed a good laugh, and always walked around with a smile on his face. On the last day of school, the senior class planted a tree in his honor. It was strange, only about twenty kids showed up. Those that felt really close to Wes. I think to those few, Wes will never really die, and he'll always be there. Often times, when I'm upset about something, I remember what happened to Wes, and realize, things can be much, much worse. That night, I drove down Wes's street with a bunch of my friends. We each began to talk of our fondest memories of Wes, of all our memories of Wes. His smile was unforgettable, and his personality the kindest. I'll never forget that last thing Wes told me. "I'll see you on Monday." I never saw Wes that Monday, and I'll never forgive myself for not making more of that night with him. I think one really important thing that I learned from Wes, is to treat everyday of your life as if it may be your last. I've heard that line so many times before, I never really thought about it, but now, I hope to never forget it.

freedol Noras Freedom in Ibsens A Dolls House Essay -- Dolls House

Nora's Freedom in A Doll's House        Ã‚  Ã‚   Perhaps we have all felt the urge to "escape" to some tropical paradise. However, as individuals we have responsibilities and obligations to school, friends and family. These responsibilities and obligations usually keep us from "escaping". It is difficult to balance our personal need for freedom with our responsibility to others.   In Henrik Ibsen's play, A Doll's House, the character of Nora Helmer had suffered greatly to achieve her personal freedom.    A woman of the Victorian period, Nora Helmer was both a prisoner of her time as well as a pioneer. In her society women were viewed as a inferior to men and were not provided full legal rights. Women of that era were expected to stay at home and attend to the needs of their spouse and children. Nora was a free spirit just waiting to spread her wings; her husband Torvald would constantly disallow the slightest pleasures that she aspired to have, such as macaroons. (TEACHER COMMENT: THIS STATEMENT WOULD HAVE A BETTER EFFECT IF IT WERE DIRECTLY QUOTED FROM THE PLAY.)    Nora lived a life of lies in order to hold her marriage together. She kept herself pleased with little things such as telling Dr. Rank and Mrs. Linde, "I have such a huge desire to say-to hell and be damned" (Ibsen 59)! She did this just so she could release some tension that was probably building inside her due to all the restrictions that Torvald had set up, such as forbidding macaroons. The need for her to consume these macaroons behind her controlling husband's back was a way for her to satisfy her sense of needing to be an independent woman.    Upon the arrival of her old friend Kristine Linde, Nora took it upon herself to find her friend a job... ...ority says, or what's written in books. I have to think over these things myself and try to understand them (Ibsen 111).         In her leaving and the abandoning of her family and the memories that coincide with them, Nora was able to gain her freedom as an individual and was now in search for new responsibilities. We all have wanted to go out on our own and fulfill our responsibility to ourselves. However our need to find our individuality can lead to our downfall, or our success. In Ibsen's play, A Doll's House, an estranged wife, Nora Helmer; suffered to become an individual in her own right and took accountability for her actions to achieve her freedom.    Work Cited: Ibsen, Henrik. A Doll's House. Introduction to Literature: Reading, Analyzing, and Writing.2nd ed. Ed. Dorothy   U. Seyler and Richard A. Wilan. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice, 1990.

Banal Evil

Murder often makes a persons blood boil and ask the question, â€Å"How can someone do that to someone else? † Most of time when a gruesome act of violence happens people wonder, â€Å"What kind of human being does it take to do something like that? † Truman Capote’s book, In Cold Blood, is about such an act of violence; a murder that, when the reader walks away, only registers a banal. The killing of the Clutter family, which happened in 1959 in the town of Holcomb, Kansas, blew most people away with its senselessness and horror. Capote, however, writes the story with personal background on the killers, making them human and giving the reader, something most people do not get to hear or even care to know, a reason to the mindless murders. Evil is easily banalized when there is a story to go along with it. At the beginning of In Cold Blood the Clutters murderers, Perry Smith and Dick Hickock, are â€Å"persons unknown† elevating them to a state of inhuman, mythical form. The town of Holcomb, a small quite place where nothing happens, is suddenly shaken and view Smith and Hickock as motiveless evil that has come down to destroy the peaceful life the community has. This hitherto peaceful congregation of neighbors and old friends had suddenly to endure the unique experience of distrusting each other; understandably, they believe that the murderer was among themselves† (88). This quote shows the havoc that is wreaked on the security of town, fragmenting the community into suspicion. They, as the town, fall from grace, a loss of their former innocence, as they are forced to confront the reality of the killers and the world they represent. However, as the book moves on so does the readers point of view, from one of the townspeople to that of the killers. Capote replaces the simplistic view to a more sensitive interpretation exploring the physiological, material, and environmental circumstances that are the catalyst for Smith and Hickock to commit murder. Smith, the reader is told, is the child of an extremely abusive household in which is subjected to alcoholism, the suicidal deaths of his two siblings and mother, abandonment, no formal education, etc. Describing his father Smith says, â€Å"But no education, because he didn’t want me to learn anything, only how to tote and carry for him. Dumb. Ignorant. That’s the way he wanted me to be. So that I could never escape him† (185). Smith clearly hates his father and blames him for the situation he is in now; not having an education is something that Smith seems very occupied with and resents in people around him. Hickock on the other had seems to come from a poor, but good family. Being the star athlete in high school, with good grades to boot, Hickock seems to have had a normal life. However, he is in the constant mindset of envy of money/power. Envy was constantly with him [Hickock]; the Enemy was anyone who was someone he wanted to be or who had anything he wanted to have† (200). The Clutters, in contrast, were â€Å"the perfect family†. Extremely wealthy, well to do, and educated they were a symbol of everything the murderers wanted. With the envies in toe, Smiths being education and Hickock's being money/power, the Clutters were the perfect family for the two murders to let their rage out o n. Knowing Hickock's and Smiths backgrounds, the reader now has something to empathize with and to mold into some type of understanding. The killers are being transformed from heartless, cold-blooded murders to frightful and pitiful individuals. The crime itself is boiled down to pure emotional responses. Stephen J. Whitfield compares the emotions of the Clutter murders to that of Adolf Eichmann, the man who â€Å"directed the transportation of the Jews of Nazi-occupied Europe to their death (496)†, in the book The History Teacher. â€Å"Between such multiple murders and Eichmann, some parallel can perhaps be traced in terms of the absence of any human connection, any remorse, any emotional weight to be attached to their crimes. They were frighteningly estranged form the rest of the human race† (473). Whitfield brings up any interesting point, which Smith brings up latter in the book. The fact that Smith and Hickock are so separated from the human race is something that not only scares the reader, but also puts the murders in a different light. Though remorse is thought of as the road to forgiveness, Smith makes a point that most do not think of. â€Å"Just remember: I only knew the Clutters maybe an hour. If I’d really known them, I guess I’d feel different†¦But the way it was, it was like picking off targets in a shooting gallery† (291). Capote does not mean to excuse Smith and Hickock from their action, but he does show how ordinary feelings of frustration and despair can erupted into vicious acts of murder. Smith explains it by saying, â€Å"And it wasn’t because of anything the Clutters did. They never hurt me. Like other people. Like people have all my life. Maybe it’s just that the Clutters were the ones who had to pay for it† (290). In fact, during the murders, Smith even talks about his frustration and self-loathing that finally lead him to kill Mr. Clutter. â€Å"I knelt down beside Mr. Clutter, and the pain of kneeling-I thought of that goddam dollar. Silver dollar. The shame. Disgust. And they’d told me never to come back Kansas. But I didn’t realize what I’d done till I heard the sound† (245-246). The murder comes as an automatic response to the memory of other frustrations and insults Smith has endured, of which the Clutter house is a symbol of. Another idea that Capote makes the reader take into fact is that Hickock and Smith were not inspired to murder due to literal hatred of the Clutters, but a misdirected frustration and resentment that finds a symbolic object in the Clutters and the values that they represent. â€Å"I [Smith] didn’t want to harm the man. I thought he was a very nice gentleman. Soft-spoken. I thought so right up to the moment I cut his throat† (244). The family is unlucky enough to be on the receiving end of this furry, but they are by no means the source. The fact that Capote also brings in the psychologist goes to further legitimize that the murders had no control over their actions. â€Å"When Smith attacked Mr. Clutter her was under a mental eclipse, deep inside a schizophrenic darkness† (302). Smith was acting out of his medical incapacity to manage his emotional response. However, though Capote throws all of these ideas and images at us he tries to humanize the murders and make their crimes seem ordinary because he feels that this situation could have happened to him. If one reads Capotes history, his life was not that much different from Smith. Capote touches on a human question of what people are capable of put in the right situation and the right environment. Saying that his event could happen to anyone, Capote places the readers brain on high alert and makes him or her consider his or her own situation. The evil of this crime, and of the criminals themselves, becomes banal due to Capote’s willingness to make it that way. He humanizes them in a way that no one else would. When the reader sees Hickock and Smith, they also see their past and motivations. The reader sees more then what they bargain for and, sometimes, even see themselves.