Science: Tsunami and New York

Dependent Variable: Velocity of wave (wave velocity) Constants: Plastic storage container Piece of wood Height from which the wood is dropped and the way it is held before each time it is dropped Gravel-like substance that creates an uneven bottom—this includes both its physical material and the amount of it that is placed on the bottom of the tank during each treatment Time at which the stopwatch is started after the wooden block is dropped and a wave is created Problem: It is a known fact about tsunamis that if the level of the water is higher, then the velocity of the wave will be greater.How does an uneven bottom affect the velocity of tsunami waves at different water levels? Hypothesis: I believe that an uneven bottom will still result in the velocity of the wave being greater when the water level is higher. 5 MLA References with Annotations: 1. Michelle, Maranowski, PhD. â€Å"The Science Behind Tsunamis: Study the Effect of Water Depth on Wave Velocity. † Science Buddies. Science Buddies, 2005-2012. Web. 13 Sept 2012. http://www. sciencebuddies. org/science-fair-projects/project_ideas/OceanSci_p014. html#background †¢This electronic source inspired my project idea, and provided me with the materials and procedure that I would need to execute my project. In addition, it helped me understand exactly what the original project would be testing, and also how I could make it my own. 2. â€Å"What are Tsunamis? † CBC News. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation/Radio Canada, 29 Sept 2009. Web. 13 Sept 2012. http://www. cbc. ca/news/world/story/2009/09/29/f-tsunami-forces-of-nature. html †¢This electronic source provided me with basic tsunami information.I believe that it is important to have as much information as possible about my topic, so that I am able to get the most out of my project and understand it to the fullest. 3. â€Å"Tsunamis. † National Geographic. National Geographic Society, 1996-2012. Web. 13 Sept 2012. http:/ /environment. nationalgeographic. com/environment/natural-disasters/tsuna mi-profile/ †¢This electronic source was helpful to me by providing me with even more background information on tsunamis and their effects. In addition, a video on National Geographic allowed me to view a real tsunami in action. 4.Luhr, James F. Earth. Smithsonian. Smithsonian Institution. New York, New York: DK Publishing, 2003. Print. (P. 123, 143, 151, 190, 192, 271, 429, 501) †¢This printed source helped me understand the different things that can cause a tsunami. This includes a variety of submarinal conditions, and-although this is rare- those reasons related to meteors. 5. Cramer, Deborah. Ocean. Smithsonian. Smithsonian Institution. New York, New York: Collins Publishing, 2008. Print. (P. 62) †¢This printed source was very helpful, because it showed me a tsunami's effect on the whole ocean.This is an important thing to note, because it helps put into perspective how a tsunami is not only devastating once it hits shore, but also before it hits shore and is still a violent wave uncontrollably speeding across the ocean toward the shore, destroying almost everything in its path. Materials: 1. Plastic storage box (at least 40 cm long x 5 cm deep) 2. Source of water 3. Small gravel or pebbles (to be spread over bottom of storage box as representation of an uneven bottom in the ocean) 4. Piece of wood (2 in thick x 4 in wide x 8 in long) 5. Sharpie permanent marker 6. Metric ruler 7. Digital stopwatch . Bright ceiling light (above location of experiment) 9. Hand towel 10. Volunteer to run stopwatch 11. Lab notebook 12. Graph Paper Procedure: 1. Find a well-lit location at which to execute experiment (favorably indoors and free of commotion) 2. Remove any items away from location that could be damaged by potential splashing water from storage box 3. Place storage box on white sheet and under bright ceiling light with no surrounding lights in order to see waves as clearly a s possible 4. Cover bottom of storage box with layer(s) of gravel/pebbles as needed until bottom of box cannot be seen 5.Fill storage box with a few centimeters (cm) of water 6. Draw small line with sharpie on a shorter end of the box’s exterior, approximately 2. 5 cm below rim of box (this marks the spot from where piece of wood will be dropped) 7. Begin practicing making and tracking waves 8. Line up bottom of wood at marked line and drop, immediately thereafter watching for resulting wave traveling from one end of tank to the other 9. Begin executing real experiment once comfortable creating and tracking waves 10. Empty/fill water tank after practice runs until 1 cm of water is left in tank. Use metric ruler for accuracy.This water depth will be used as the measurement for the first treatment 11. Create appropriate data table in lab notebook 12. Notify volunteer with stopwatch when they should start and stop timing the wave’s path (those times should be as soon as w ooden block is dropped and wave is formed, and as soon as wave returns and hits other end of box) 13. Record the time in data table from lab notebook 14. Repeat step 11 nine more times (nine more tests), always waiting for water to settle before dropping wood again from consistent position each test 15. Fill box with water depth 2 cm (confirm with ruler) 16. Repeat steps 11-13 17.Fill box with water depth of 3 cm (confirm with ruler) 18. Repeat steps 11-13 19. Empty box and repeat steps 9-16 four times so that end result is 5 trials (10 tests per trial) for each of the 3 depths 20. Analyze data for each water depth for each trial across the 10 tests and record data in notebook 21. Average time data across the three trials from the numbers calculated in step 19 22. Measure and record distance between where wave was created (leading edge of mark from where wood was dropped) and other end of box 23. Divide distance by average time it took for wave to move from one end of tank to the ot her for each water depth.The answer recorded in notebook will be wave velocity 24. Plot data (x-axis=water depth, y-axis=wave velocity) 25. Answer the following questions: †¢What is the relationship between the water depth and the wave velocity? †¢Is it a linear relationship? †¢Does the wave velocity increase or decrease with increasing water depth even with an uneven bottom? †¢Does this result make sense to you according to the research that you have done on tsunamis that seems to state that, in general, if the level of the water is higher then the velocity of the wave will be greater? If it does not match, then the conclusion should be that an uneven bottom does affect the velocity of tsunami waves. 26. Equation 1, below, shows the mathematical relationship between the wave velocity in shallow water as a function of water depth. Equation 1 states that velocity is the square root of the product of the acceleration of gravity and the water depth: V = vgd V = Velo city in meters/second (m/s) g = Acceleration of gravity (9. 8 meters/second2) d = Water depth in meters (m) 27. Using equation 1, plot wave velocity as a function of water depth. How does the plot compare to results from the storage box/model-tsunami?

Majority Rule In The Bahamas

59 Novembers ago three men came together and form the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP). They were Henry Milton Taylor, William. W. Cartwright, Cyril St. John Stevenson. They began meeting regularly discussing the pros and cons. They invited 7 men to join them but only 6 accepted the invitation. Henry Taylor was the Chairman, William was the treasurer and Cyril became the secretary. The party progressed in Nassau and decided to include the outer islands. When sir. Lynden Piddling came home from law school he joined the PLP party and that was the beginning of the road to majority rule.Sir Lynden Pindling, Randol Fawkes, Auther Hanna, Sir. Milo Butler Sr, Clarence Bain, Samuel Isaacs, and many other women and men planned and strategized to free there people from colonize. At that time racial segregation was a way of life in The Bahamas. The ‘blacks’ were referred to as coloured people. They were schools were coloured children were not allowed to enter. They were places like hotels, shops, and restaurants were colour people were not allowed to dine. There were also churches where coloured people were not allowed to sit in the same pews as the whites.In January 1954 the PLP held its first public meeting. In 1956 there was the first election. The Bay Street Boys started to get scared that they were going to lose so they called the U. S. A policemen saying a Negro colonist party was trying to take over The Bahamas. A group of woman led by Jorgina Symonette and others fundraised to raise funds for the PLP. The PLP did not have enough funds to have fish fries, grocery baskets, free liquor and parties to try and bribe the people like the Bay Street Boys did. The PLP would pass around hats at meetings to try to raise funds but it was not enough.The Bay Street Boys gave out free money to the people for their votes. They would tear the money in half and give half before the election and the other after if they voted freely. On election eve the white candidate fo r Grand Bahama from the UBP paid the black candidate 1000 pounds to drop out. In the 1965 election 6 PLP candidates were elected. They were Sir. Lynden Pindling, Randol Fawkes, Samuel Isaacs, Sir. Milo Butler, Cyril Stevenson and Clarence Bain; they were called the magnificent six. In 1958 a dispute broke out over the carrying of visitors from the new Nassau airport at Windsor field.Tour companies had been formed by the Bay Street Boys edging out the Taxi drivers. On January 12 1958 there was a strike that broke that was very dramatic and successful. On November 1st 1957 the taxi cab union under the leadership of Sir, Clifford Darling and others blocked all traffic to and from Nassau’s international airport for hours while the commissioner officers looked on helplessly. Struggle To achieve Majority Rule On January 13 1958, every hotel and business was closed down completely. The PLP led a boycott along Bay Street. The workers went on strike and cried out â€Å"Not a sweat un til our demands are met†.On January 19, 1959 Doris Johnson had asked to address the House of Assembly and lead a group of woman to declare to vote. They were denied sir Stafford Sands by him saying â€Å"over his dead body’. On July 31 1961 the grant of the Woman’s Suffrage Movement was passed and women were able to vote. The PLP government began the dynamic thrust for educational change in The Bahamas by making secondary education available to all Bahamians in 1967. This was key to removing the scales of ignorance from eyes of a people through a massive commitment to educate.The late Sir Cecil Wallace Whitfield, one of the members of the first majority rule Cabinet, was given the task to improve and Bahamianize the educational system. Huge capital expenditures were made to multiply and upgrade primary and secondary schools, to institute technical education and train new Bahamian teachers. The government’s White Paper on Education provided for the impleme ntation of broad parameter involving teachers, parents and students, and was supportive of the high ideals with the government advocated – self-help, equality, the dignity of labour and service responsibility and co-operation.The establishment of the PLP government also brought about a new outlook on economic development. The objective was directed towards opening up greater economic and social opportunities for the citizens of The Bahamas and for greater flexibility of the economy. One of the major battles to achieve this objective was making Freeport Grand Bahama, safe and desirable for all Bahamians. During the 1970s, the PLP government launched the â€Å"Social Revolution,† which included the introduction of the National Insurance Scheme, a system of social security, which is continuing with a massive low cost housing programme.The PLP government also moved to improve the delivery of health care by adding an extension to the Princess Margaret Hospital, upgrading an d building new polyclinics throughout New Providence and the Family Islands. On April 27th 1965 was Black Tuesday. A crowd of PLP supporters lead by the PLP chairman marched from Windsor Park to Bay Street and assembled in the front of the House of Assembly. Inside the House the PLP members lead by Pindling strongly opposed the revision of the bounties draft order. He advocated a national registration of voters.Outside the House of Assembly the PLP supporters cried out â€Å"Amend, Amend â€Å", â€Å"Shame and Scandal in The House†. Sir Lynden, then Leader of the Opposition, during the heated debate over the issue of boundaries but in a carefully orchestrated move got up and threw the Mace, the Speaker’s symbol of authority, out of the window of the House of Assembly. He declared â€Å"The authority of this Island belongs to the people â€Å"and threw the mace out of the window. â€Å"Yes, people outside and mace belongs outside to. † He shouted. After that Sir Milo Butler got up and threw the two hour glass that were used to time to speakers out of the window.The UPB watched surprisingly. Sir Lynden Pindling then led the crowd singing the song â€Å"We Shall Overcome†. ACHIEVEING Majority Rule An election was then called on January 10th, 1967. This was because in the Bible in the book of Exodus the Lord said he will free the children of Egypt on the tenth day of the first month. January 10th, 1967 was neither an end nor even a beginning. Instead, it was an important milestone in a journey that was begun centuries ago when some anonymous slave struck a blow for freedom for the first time. We pause to pay homage to the personalities and players in this epic struggle.In a hard fought and competitive election in 1967, the PLP delivered the following 18 members to a 38-member House of Assembly. They were: Lynden Pindling, Preston Albury, Clarence Bain, Milo Butler, Clifford Darling, Elwood Donaldson, Arthur Foulkes, Carlton Francis , Arthur Hanna, Warren Levarity, Curtis MacMillan, Uriah McPhee, Maurice Moore, Edmund Moxey, Jimmy Shepherd, George Thompson, Jeffrey Thompson and Cecil Wallace Whitfield. Randol Fawkes who successfully ran as Labour in 1962 and 1967 with the support of the PLP threw his support behind the PLP and became a member of the first Majority Rule cabinet.He figured prominently in the movement toward Majority Rule. Successful Independent candidate Sir Alvin Braynen threw in his lot with the PLP and accepted the post of Speaker of the House. These two warriors for justice and freedom tipped the proverbial scale in favour of the PLP and the first Majority Rule cabinet was formed: This distinguished group consisted of Cecil Wallace-Whitfield, Milo Butler, Arthur Hanna, Clarence Bain, Jeffrey Thompson, Carlton Francis, Randol Fawkes, Warren Levarity, Curtis McMillan, Clement T. Maynard and Lynden Pindling.

New Labour claims to be ‘tackling domestic violence on every front’ (Home Office 2000)

In 1999, the Government published ‘Living Without Fear: An Integrated Approach to reducing domestic violence', outlining their commitment to reducing the incidence of violence against women and the strategy for accomplishing this. Safe housing is a basic human need. As many women are dependent upon a man for this necessity, the choice between unsafe housing or homelessness is often unrealisable. The majority of safe accommodation for women escaping violent relationships is provided by the voluntary sector with little support from the state. Safe housing is a crucial element for women leaving violent partners. ‘The need for both temporary and permanent secure accommodation for women and children who have left home because of violence must be paramount' (Harwin and Brown 2000 p219) In this essay, I plan to review the history of safe housing provision for women in the UK and look at the influence of the Women's Aid movement, the role of local authorities and the influence of the Conservative governments. Then I will assess the welfare needs of vulnerable women and children – what housing support do women escaping violent relationships need? Do different ethnic groups have different needs? Following that, Labour's focus upon domestic violence will be analysed and I will assess whether this emphasis has produced any real changes for women in terms of housing and homelessness. In term of housing, Dobash and Dobash (2000) developed four conditions under which an abused woman is able to be safe: 1. Her male partner ceases his violence and lives peacefully; 2. The woman escapes to refuge where she can live free of violence, albeit only temporarily; 3. The man is successfully evicted from the matrimonial home, remains away and does not harass her, or; 4. The woman is safely rehoused in another home and is not pursued or harassed in her new location. (Dobash and Dobash 2000 p200) The Government's pledge represents significant statutory commitment to this issue for the first time – do Labour's promises reflect real change? Firstly, to look at the history of safe housing provision for women in the UK. Traditionally, it has been thought that the state ought not to interfere in family life; domestic violence therefore raises questions about the position of the state in the private sphere of the family (Wasoff and Day 2000). Even relatively recently, the prevalence of this attitude can be identified. During the thirteen years of Conservative government during the 1980s and 90s, an emphasis was placed upon the important role played by the nuclear family unit and policy encouraged ‘traditional family values' and stigmatised groups such as single parents. Policy objectives of the time were directed at ‘tackling the problem' which tended to express a ‘problem family' orientation towards reducing recurrences of abuse of violence. Consequently, this approach underplayed policies aimed towards prevention or the enforcement of victim's rights. The feminist refuge movement was established in the 1970s, previous to this there was no provision and women leaving a violent partner had to rely on the informal sector for support from family or friends. Domestic violence was not regarded as a sufficient reason for homelessness and any input from statutory agencies such as the police or social service departments was geared towards reconciliation (Morley 2000). The women's refuge movement began with a few houses offering sanctuary to women organised on ‘self-help' principles. Somerville (2000) notes the influence of the movement upon public perceptions of domestic violence that led to major changes in public policy. Consequently, there has been a huge amount of legislative change. This began with the Domestic Violence Act (1976) which allowed a woman to obtain a court order to excluded her violent partner from the home and the Housing (Homelessness) Act (1977) made it a duty for local authorities to house women made homeless as a result of domestic violence. However, whilst this was an enormous step forward, in reality women had a difficult time ‘proving' violence. Due to the nature of domestic violence, there are rarely witnesses. The wording of the1977 Act was ambivalent and open to misinterpretation, less than half of refuge groups felt that it had improved women's housing prospects (Morley 2000 p233), this was largely due to inconsistencies in legislative interpretation. Surveys such as Jayne Mooney's study into domestic violence in North London (1994) revealed high levels of domestic violence, this put pressure on the government to make more legislative changes. Changes in policing emphasised the importance of protecting the victim and taking strong positive action against the perpetrator. Similarly, social service departments made an ‘about face', recognising the importance of empowering mothers, rather than threatening them with the removal of their children. However, whilst the 1990s have been regarded as a period of significant development in terms of public awareness of domestic violence (Hague 1999), The Housing Act (1996) has been seen by some as a step backwards. This legislation removed the right of those defined as ‘statutorily homeless' to be housed permanently. Local authorities can only offer permanent accommodation to those registered on the council housing list; those escaping domestic violence are now merely entitled to temporary accommodation. The legislation gave local authorities the power to refuse housing to any person believed to have suitable accommodation elsewhere, this especially affects women from ethnic minority groups who could be assessed as having access to housing in another country (Harwin and Brown 2000). Obviously, this had consequences for many made homeless as a result of violence. Section 180 of the 1996 Act made local authority funding for refuges a duty. As a result, an average 37% of refuge income is received from this source but has brought with it its own disadvantages. Women's Aid (2000a) note that some local authorities fail to comply or set conditions which ‘undermine strategies for ensuring the safety of abused women and children' as well as putting pressure upon refuges to only take local women. That aside, as mentioned earlier, the trend towards appropriate intervention and support for those escaping violent relationships has been upwards. A 1992 Home Office Enquiry resulted in a co-ordinated national response and emphasised multi-agency co-operation. There are now over 300 refuges throughout the country offering a wide range of services with specialist provision for women and children from differing ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Before I move on to examining the role New Labour have played in terms of safe housing provision it is important to look at exactly what it is that is needed by women and children escaping violence from men. The Conservative government's introduction of the ‘right to buy' programme has resulted in depleted council housing stock and social renting has developed into a residual sector (Conway 2000). Local authority housing has increasingly catered for a smaller range of people marginalized from mainstream society. Combined with the fact that households headed by women are at a disadvantage as a whole in the UK this results in further social inequality for those escaping domestic violence. Women need good quality housing in a safe environment with a responsive housing management. Access to suitable housing would include: ? A sensitive response to all applicants ? Day-to-day management support ? Specialist support staff ? Liaison with other services and agencies ? Benefits advice/debt counselling (Adapted from Conway 2000 p102) McGee (2000 p91) identified three main areas of support wanted by women escaping domestic violence: 1. Easily accessible information regarding sources of support. 2. Counselling. 3. Help for mothers in supporting the children to deal with their experiences. This final point is a particularly important one. Refuge financing does not take into account the numbers of children using refuges. There is no recognition of the existence of children, and the cost of providing for children, when there may be up to 18 children in a six-bedroom project (Women's Aid 2000a). Additionally to this, children are often extremely disturbed by the violence they have witnessed and the disruption in their lives, yet a quarter of all refuges have no funding for a specialist children's worker. Women from minority groups can face increased difficulty when escaping a violent partner. Racism especially plays a large part in dissuading black women from taking action to address violence from a partner. The reputation of the police is a significant factor in this. Mama (2000) notes that the police appear more ready to investigate cases of illegal immigration than to respond to cases of domestic violence. Despite attempts to challenge racism within the police force, officers on the ground have still been found to perpetrate the abuse via racism. The belief that violence against women is part of the black culture is one that appears especially resistant (Mama 2000). In terms of housing it is imperative for black women to be housed in an area which not only places her in an area away from the perpetrator but also ensures her safety from racism. Women, especially those with children, are more likely than men to be dependant upon social housing; for women from ethnic minority backgrounds this is even more so. The most crucial need of women, overwhelmingly in evidence, is that of safe permanent housing. The refuge movement has improved service provision for women considerably, but is limited by their ability to solely provide temporary housing for women and children. Only by statutory provision can this need be met. This would necessitate significant statutory change. Women who continue to live with a violent partner often give their fear of being homeless as their reason for remaining (Mama 2000), a valid one as evidence suggests. If New Labour is ‘committed to tackling domestic violence on every front'; this is the key area they need to be addressing. So, to evaluate the progress being made. Since coming to power, Labour have been keen to adopt a more progressive stance towards domestic violence than the Conservative rhetoric for supporting traditional families that arguably promoted male control over women. Publications such as ‘Living Without Fear' (1999) and the ‘Break the Chain' (1999) campaign were some of the platforms used by the Government to address this issue and encourage people to access help and support. Early evaluations of Labour's policy response to domestic violence have been cautious in supporting the Government's proposals. Hague (1999) acknowledges that both before and after election, Labour have been clear in their commitment to improving services for victims of domestic violence. However, she notes that there have been contradictions and lack of consistency in policy. Both Hague (1999) and Harwin and Barron (2000) draw attention to the fact that there are discrepancies between local authorities in terms of practice guidelines. There is no national policy to govern their practice and whilst many local authorities have recognised the serious nature of domestic violence, some less liberal authorities adopt a harsh view of the law, leaving many women and children in insecure and vulnerable positions in terms of housing. There is no single government office directly responsible for policy in this area; it falls between the Home Office, the Department of Environment and the Department of Health. A clear example of this is the research discussed later in this essay. This reiterates the findings published by the Government in ‘Tackling Domestic Violence' (1998) which considered how local authorities dealt with domestic violence and partnerships with other agencies. Based on evidence from local authorities it discovered evidence of inadequate funding and incomprehensive coverage (Wasoff and Dey 2000). In the publication ‘Government Policy Around Domestic Violence', little attention is paid to housing and accommodation despite the actuality it is recognised as a key issue. The key point states the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions has worked with other Government agencies to commission research into accommodation and support services available to those suffering domestic violence. Harwin and Barron (2000) assessed the research in terms of accommodation provision; their key findings, published by the Home Office, include: ? Leaving the family home is a last resort and some would have stayed if security was improved ? Good practice by local authorities needs to be examined and assessed ? Problems with service provision still exists ? Official figures on homelessness due to violence are inaccurate and underestimate the extent of the problem ? In term of temporary accommodation, much is not appropriate for women with children and the length of stay in temporary accommodation is unacceptable The paper concludes that monitoring of domestic violence need to be improved in terms of how many applicants for housing as a result of violence are rejected and support services need to be improved, particularly resettlement services. A key area only to be addressed this year has been that of the Housing Act 1996 in relation to homelessness. Hague stated ‘If it [the Housing Act 1996] remains on the statute book under Labour, [it] is a license for less liberally-minded authorities to adopt harsh measures.' (Hague 1999 p144) With the Homelessness Act 2002, Labour has brought major changes to the statutory program of help for women who are homeless as a result of domestic violence (Delahay 2002). Whilst it makes no new environment for homelessness or housing allocation, the Act does contain some tangible revisions to the terms of the Housing Act 1996. Introduced is a new category of priority need for housing for ‘a person who is vulnerable as a result of ceasing to occupy accommodation by reason of violence from another person or threats of violence from another person which are likely to be carried out' Homelessness Act 2002 s10 Additionally, the proposed Code of Good Practice emphasises the safety of the applicant and maintaining confidentiality. The need to ‘prove' violence has been repealed and it has been accepted that the impact of violence or threatened violence can be cumulative. The impact of this legislative change is impossible to evaluate at present but it does represent a significant shift towards supportive measures for those experiencing violence. The Government has placed a great deal of focus upon developing a co-ordinated response towards domestic violence in terms of multi-agency partnerships. ‘Our overall goals are†¦to see effective multi-ageny partnerships operating throughout England and Wales' Living Without Fear (1999) Local authorities have been particularly responsive to these initiatives (Hague 1999) Examining the wider picture, increasing women's eligibility for housing will not have a real impact if this is not backed up by addressing the problem of residualisation. Labour is doing little to address this (Morley 2000) and could even be seen as exacerbating the issue by announcing in Autumn 2002 their intention to grant housing association tenants the right to buy which will further deplete social housing stock. In conclusion, there have been huge improvements in terms of support for women experience violence in the home, much of this directly attributable to the work of Women's Aid and other feminist groups. The Government's commitment to addressing this issue can only be positive but the overall picture remains one of ambivalence and lack of consistency in policy implementation. Continued lack of funding appears to remain the key issue in terms of housing and is holding back comprehensive intervention. Domestic violence is about control over women, a sentiment that thrives within the larger system of patriarchy within our society Our social order is antagonistic to the female gender. If domestic violence is about control, then our society enables men's control over women. As a whole, Labour's policy has a tendency towards liberalism (with a small ‘l'!), thereby neglecting policies that might encourage equality. It is important to acknowledge the increased prominence of domestic violence, however, fundamentally the Government falls short on its claim to be ‘tackling domestic violence on every front'. When a woman makes the important step of leaving an abusive relationship she faces a society that opposes her at every turn – lower pay, little accessible childcare, and significantly inadequate housing – no wonder the relationship begins to look attractive again.

Intremodal Transportation Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Intremodal Transportation - Term Paper Example This essay discusses that some people argue that safety and security issues are not the real challenge for intermodal transportation.     They claim that the real challenge is to have an effective partnership between the private and public sectors to deliver quality service and improve the efficiency of the various transportation modes and create a successful linking of these modes.The objection raised regarding the argument presented that safety and security issues are the major concerns in intermodal transportation is valid.   However, it must be realized that without measures that will ensure the safety and security of intermodal transportation, the industry will not continue to prosper and quality service will not be delivered.This essay discusses that some people argue that safety and security issues are not the real challenge for intermodal transportation.     They claim that the real challenge is to have an effective partnership between the private and public sectors to deliver quality service and improve the efficiency of the various transportation modes and create a successful linking of these modes.The objection raised regarding the argument presented that safety and security issues are the major concerns in intermodal transportation is valid.   However, it must be realized that without measures that will ensure the safety and security of intermodal transportation, the industry will not continue to prosper and quality service will not be delivered. In the future, the economy will see an unprecedented growth in intermodal transportation.   Intermodal transportation is highly beneficial to the economy of any country.   But as it becomes more important, the security and safety concerns also become a priority.   The interconnectivity between the different modes of transportation makes its infrastructures and facilities attractive to terrorist attacks and other security threats(Boyd & Caton, 2001).   To address the issue of security, it is expected that there will be more involvement from the government in terms of instituting standardized rules and regulations.   To date, the government has established several legislations and programs which tackle the security and safety issues.   Some of these are the Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA), US Customs and Border Protection â€Å"Smart Box† Program, Operation Safe Commerce (OSC) and the Custom-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT)(Pillai, 2006). The private sector, on the other hand, will continue to discover ways towards the advancement in information technology which will allow for a better, safer and more secure management of the intermodal movements from multiple handlings by numerous groups (Transportation Research Board, 1998).Private companies need to strengthen their partnerships by practicing information sharing and profiling with overseas parties.   In the end, what is essential is that both the government and the private secto r continue to have an effective working collaboration whose objective is to ensure the safety and security of the intermodal transportation sector and the people that they serve.

Prosecutorial Misconduct Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Prosecutorial Misconduct - Research Paper Example Then, in the proceedings of the case, a prosecutor presents legal facts to the judge aimed at convincing him or her to prove the guilty of the suspect (Lawless, 2008). In a court case, therefore, the prosecutor ought to apply some professional moral codes in his/her course of prosecutions. Sometimes, the prosecutors can fail to reveal evidence that proves the suspects’ innocence since their motives are always to convict the suspects. Prosecutorial misconduct has been witnessed in many cases where the suspects who are innocent serve sentences in prison whereas the guilty ones are left free. Prosecutors should be charged in law courts in case they act inappropriately like when they are discovered harassing the defendant. In case the defendant is mistreated by the prosecutor in or outside the courtroom, he or she can seek disciplinary action or file a civil suit against the prosecutor. In a court case, the trials against the suspect can be politically motivated and this means that, consideration of such misconducts is important in order to find justice in that case (Siegel, 2010). Prosecutorial conducts can arise from misconducts in the courtroom, failure to reveal the evidence that favors the defendant and harassment of the defendant. These behaviors ought to be stopped since many innocent persons have served imprisonments supposed to be served by others. The criminal justice system ought to put in place some measures to curb such misconducts because they not only oppress the victims but also contributes to the loss of public confidence in the judiciary system (Lawless, 2008). Imagine a businessman convicted of murdering his wife and the judge passes 20 years sentence in jail. After 15 years, police investigation reports are revealed showing that the DNA tests of bloody clothing found on the crime scene matches with another man serving life imprisonment for other murder cases. In such a case, it seems that, either the prosecutor failed

International Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 21

International Business - Essay Example Australia has certainly performed quite remarkably from Asia’s rise. The recent decades have witnessed a dramatic economic progress. According to Meredith and Dyster (1999, 319), the economic growth rates of Australia have surpassed the economic performance of almost all highly industrialized countries and it has prevented three financial slumps that have seriously impacted Japan, Europe, and the United States. Australia is currently placing major emphasis on Asia. It has the benefits of highly literate citizens, advanced infrastructure, and growing Asian immigration that carries with it Asian ties. Furthermore, Australia is a destination for a large number of wealthy Asians who are looking for quality education. In addition, Australia is striving to maintain its position as a location for the regional headquarters of multinational companies (MNCs). Also, Australia is a strategic site for value added operations (e.g. services, distribution, marketing), but certainly not for manufacturing (Meredith & Dyster 1999, 319). In the meantime, the costs of its labor are at present competitive with Asia’s advanced economies, making it more and more appealing for non-manual or professional operations demanding well-educated executive, administrative and employee skills. Moreover, Australia provides accessibility and strength to newly developed and technologically sophisticated goods. On the contrary, the attention of Australian firms is drawn to Asia by geographic proximity, the continuously advancing economies, and the massive population. A number of Australian firms have encountered problems due to their inability to understand the diverse cultures and practices of conducting business in Asia (Czinkota, Ronkainen, & Moffett 2008, 114). Thus, more Australian firms are currently building joint enterprises as a favorable entry approach toward Asia. In addition, numerous of Australia’s major firms, like Lend Lease and Brambles, have adopted

Do we think for ourselves or does society determine what we think (the Essay - 1

Do we think for ourselves or does society determine what we think (the social construction of reality) - Essay Example Society determines us; the life of an individual and how he/she thinks is determined and moulded by the society the individual lives in: this form the thesis of my paper. An analysis of different stereotypes and concepts will be carried out to help prove this statement. A critical society is one with individuals who value critical thinking as well as value those who are practicing it.   Its most distinguishing feature is that it stresses on thinking as central to the emancipation of mind, to the development and preservation of the species and to the establishment of just practices. Unfortunately, no critical society exists in the world.   The concept represents an ideal that is yet to be achieved and actualized.   However, there are some professions and culture on earth in which critical thought is the characteristic of everyday social and personal life. The world is occupied by superficiality, bias, prejudice, distortions, manipulation, lies, deception, short sightedness, hypocrisy, close-mindedness, righteousness, on and on, in each culture in every part across the world.   These problems in our thinking occasion untold negative implications such as fear, sadness, anxiety, hopelessness, suffering, pain, injustices of every thinkable kind. People have an incredible capacity for reasonability and rationality.   The history of our accomplishments, achievements and contributions, initiated and shaped by our society well documents this fact.   Nonetheless, for the better part, this capacity should be actively developed by the mind.   It is our second nature determined by our society. What is more natural to our mind, whatever comes first concerning human tendencies, and habitually takes priority, is an orientation emphasized on self-gratification, self-protection and self-interest.   This perspective is inborn, and most people would say it`s necessary for survival. To visualize that our societies are critical

Strategic Sourcing - Assignmet Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Strategic Sourcing - Assignmet - Case Study Example A quality analyst should have a high level of training and have exceptional analytical abilities along with broad knowledge. He should also be creative and be a quick learner in order to solve problems easily. The quality analyst is always supposed to work with other people as an analysis of the process of production entails an analysis of the people involved along with the technology. The applicant should demonstrate that he has an ability to cooperate and interrelate with other employees efficiently. Â  This question aims to understand whether the candidate has the necessary skills that are needed to report and make effective presentations that associated with the position through oral or written communication. The candidate should be able to demonstrate that he can make effective presentations of problems and proposed means of dealing with them. He should also show that he can freely interact with the rest of the employees and clients with exceptional oral and written skills The candidate should broadly explain how he would be able to efficiently use his skills and experience if he is selected for the job. He should demonstrate his motivation, abilities to deal with challenges and be flexible in handling challenging situations. The ideal candidate should possess a bachelor’s degree in quality control a related field so that he can demonstrate competency with essential skills that provide a wide range of knowledge for success as a professional. The candidate should be able to demonstrate that he possesses exceptional analytical skills that are needed to perform the tasks associated with the position efficiently. He must also show an ability to rely on his skills in the various responsibilities associated with the position. The ideal candidate should be one that is willing to learn from his mistakes and one who regularly seeks to get more knowledge on his field through seminars and workshops as well as other forms

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American football - Essay Example The game evolved as new of rules were set including the introduction of the snap, the downs concept, the neutral zone and legalization of the forward pass. The introduction of the snap caused the unexpected development of the â€Å"block game† where a team would keep hold on the ball indefinitely to keep the other team from scoring. To prevent this practice from becoming the norm, a rule change was necessary. There was the introduction of three downs or tackles to advance the ball five yards or forfeiture of ball control to the other team. The rule probably stopped the game from becoming boring and fading into the confines of other less popular sports. Rules were also developed to specify field size and a scoring system to be used by teams during play. It clear from the evolution and revision of the rules and guidelines of the game that American foot was growing to be a popular sport among many people. Professional football was first recorded when William heffelfinger was paid 500 Dollars to play a game in 1892. After that, it became apparent that there needed to be rules to govern how people handled this aspect. Fortunately, there was the rise of the NFL that has reigned over the game for a long time. Despite its disadvantages, professional play may have improved the standard of the game by making sure that only the best players compete professionally. In a team, there are three major backfield positions, namely the quarterback, the halfback and the fullback. The quarterback leads the offense and calls the plays. He usually takes the snap and may hand off the ball, throw it or run with it. Consequently, quarterbacks have sometimes been seen as the most important players in the team. The halfback or tailback usually carries the ball during running plays. He may also be a receiver. A fullback primarily acts as a blocker but may sometimes act as a runner the for short distance situations. The center leads the

The Akita Ranga artist Essay Example for Free

The Akita Ranga artist Essay â€Å"Dutch Learning† results to the proliferation of the Akita Ranga art school in Japan (Johnson 2005). The artists of the Akita Ranga tradition are influenced by the illustrations found in western books. The prevalence of Western books happened during the Tokugawa period wherein Japan undergone a national isolation. Nevertheless, trade with the Dutch are permitted. The Dutch bring with them books and information from the western world. Hiraga Gennai, a multitalented individual and has a wide variety of Dutch books collections was invited by Satake Shozen to Akita. This invitation led to a meeting between Odano Naotake, a resident of Akita, and Gennai. Gennai â€Å"taught Naotake techniques of Western-style painting, particularly chiaroscuro and the technique of shading† (Freedman and Hernandez 1998). Also, Hiraga Gennai thought Odano Naotake â€Å"how to delineate objects by lightness and darkness of color, rather than by line alone as was customary Japanese painting† (Keene 1969). Naotake succeeded in incorporating Western-styles and Japanese traditions in his artworks. Naotake studied human proportions in the book Groot Schilderboek by Lairesse. He learned about the Western perspective through looking into science books’ illustrations. Thus, upon the production of the first Western book translated to Japanese, â€Å"The New Book of Anatomy† by Sugita Genpaku and coworker, Naotake was chosen to illustrate the anatomical charts (Keene, 1969). Works Cited: Johnson, H. Western Influence on Japanese Art: The Akita Ranga Art School. Hotei Publishing. 2005. Freedman, K. J. and Hernandez, F. Curriculum, Culture, and Art Education: Comparative Perspectives. SUNY Press. 1998 Keene, D. The Japanese Discovery of Europe, 1720-1830. Stanford University Press. 1969.

Introduction To Air Asia Company

Introduction To Air Asia Company AirAsia was established in 1993 and started procedures on 18 November 1996. It was primarily founded by a government-belongs to conglomerate, DRB-Hicom. On 2 December 2001 the very powerfully indebted airline was came by previous time Warner boss Tony Fernandess business melody air Sdn Bhd for the token supplement of one ringgit with 40 million Malaysian Ringgit worth of debts. Fernandess turned the business round making earnings in 2002 and commencing new path from its hub in Kuala Lumpur by cutting Malaysian Airlines with promotional fares as reduced as 1 RM. AirAsia is one of the award winning and largest budget airlines in the Asia increasing rapidly since in 2001, they have fleet of 72 aircrafts all airbus A320-200. AirAsia is recognized by its lowest fare, quality services and their tagline Now Everyone Can Fly. AirAsia serves 51 national and international destinations with 108 routes and operates 400 flights daily from hubs in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. Until now AirAsi a has flown 51 million customers with their believes in the no frills without hassle low fare business concepts and feels that keeping cost. The vision and mission for AirAsia is: Vision: To be the biggest reduced cost airline in Asia and assisting the 3 billion persons who are actually underserved with poor connectivity and high fares. Mission: To be the best business to work for whereby workers are treated as part of a large-scale family, conceive a globally identified ASEAN emblem, To attain the smallest cost in order that every individual can go by plane with AirAsia, Maintain the largest value merchandise, adopting expertise to decrease cost and enhance service levels. 1.2 Activities: Their main activities are to provide air transportation services worldwide. The primary undertakings of subsidiaries are supplying inflight repasts, trip functioning enterprise, supplying airplane leasing amenities, newspapers proprietor with announcing division. Their secondary activity is tune budget hotels for their flyers they can book hotel and tour packages along the ticket with AirAsia Go. they provide sponsor ships to various event held at their destination country but most in Malaysia, they also organize big events and customers can buy ticket from their website along flight tickets. The primary undertakings of subsidiaries are supplying inflight repasts, trip functioning enterprise, supplying airplace leasing amenities, newspapers proprietor with announcing division. 1.3Airline Industry: AirAsia is in airline industry, airline industry it consists of different air transportation services for travelling passengers and freight. Airlines usually lease or own their aircraft to supply these services and it can be partnership or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit. Usually airline businesses are identified with an air operating logy to decrease cost and enhance service levels.. AirAsia falls in LCC a low-cost carrier (also renowned as a no-frills, discount or allowance carrier or airline) is an airline that boasts usually reduced fares in exchange for eradicating numerous customary traveler services. Analysis Of Customer Relationship Management Strategy AirAsia being in the low cost aircraft carrier model where they operate in budget airline services they have to formulate strategies to keep the existing customers for longer period of time and attract more new customers. One of their strategies is providing passengers with customization on what he/she prefers like meals or no meal, extra baggage and other customized services which bring in revenue for Airasia. Airasia utilizes social networks and mailing to reach customers and inform them about new destinations, promotions and other merchandise. Airasia has expanded its business from airlines to hotels and mobile services as they identify their customers demands and try provide it themselves. AirAsia has even started a frequent flyer program which provides free value added services to loyal customers who use AirAsia to travel frequently. Installation of customer answers response system from a European provider which answers to questions by customers instantly on the Airasia website. 2.1 Situation Analysis: We will now analyze the strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats which Airasia faces Strengths: Being the only budget airlines in the Asia region and flying to more than 100 destinations gives them advantage of being the only reliable low cost carrier. Customers who use the airline frequently to travel day to day remain loyal. Low operating cost results in cheap tickets and promotions which make other hard to compete with Airasia. Joint ventures with other carriers and aircraft in other countries help provide easy transit, affiliated flights and lounge privileges Weakness: Poor customer services support. Complains not answered and feedback not taken into consideration. Selling the service the only concern as per customers view on Airasia. Cancellation of flights, delays of flight and poor service from flight crew. Opportunities: Diversification of the business to other ventures. Gaining new customers by adding new hot spot destinations. Increase in fuel prices can have little effect on Airasia but due its low operating cost it still will remain the cheapest while other airlines will find it hard to keep up with the cost and operating expenditure. Threats: Airasia will certain airport policies when entering different airports which could increase cost of operating. Increase in fuel prices is still a concern. New entrants to the low cost airline industry which will compete with Airasia. 3.0 Segmentation and Customer Profile 3.1 Group Flyers and Discounts: AirAsia segment their travellers by giving discount to group traveller more than 9 passengers or other offers to specific groups e.g.: school trip, wedding, and etc. this helps them to exposure their business to new customers resulting high sales. AirAsia put group discounts in their online booking also which makes customers to purchase easily the ticket. Their main target markets mostly are internet based customers. 3.2 Foreign workers strategy: AirAsia goal most foreign employees from Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, China, Macau employed in Malaysia who may not pay for the costly air journey dwelling and offer them bargain fare which will appeal most of the clients in this market class as they wont yield much and will be in their dwelling very often. 3.3 AirAsia Go: AirAsia go is a package of booking hotel and flight both together for business and leisure travelling customers. They mainly focus on promotions on this in school holidays, public holidays and other celebrations eve. Which attracts the business man travelling can book hotel and flight in one place and with customer reviews. They have points also to redeem while booking in AirAsia go for frequent flyers. 3.4 AirAsia X: Airasia X is usually used in Long Haul flights with the fleet of A330. They segment their customers in 2 parts economy and premium flatbed. In economy they have hot seats which are like be the first to get board in the jet and get relax with extra legroom and second is standard seats which is comfy and made from leather. The business class is usually for leisure class which is of course higher in price but cheaper than the other airlines business class; they provide benefits like complimentary meal, pick a seat option, priority check in, flatbed seats and many more. Their usually target on frequent flyers for long haul. 4.0 Customer Relationship Issue faced by AirAsia The main issue which is having a negative impact on Airasia customer relationship management are service complains, delays and cancellation of flights. The first issue is customer feedbacks such as suggestions and complains are ignored; customers feel Airasia only wants to sell the ticket to them and dont care after that onwards. Complains have to look and corrected so that it does not happen again. New suggestions should be taken into consideration and appreciated. The other main issue is that passengers face delays frequently as they are left stranded in the airport for hours to board the aircraft and in worst cases flights are cancelled frequently by Airasia due to technical issues and other various reasons. Customers lose loyalty toward AirAsia due to the factors. Airasia needs to rectify these issues to maintain better understanding between customers and provide better satisfaction to the customers. The main objective is to make a CRM strategy to correct these issues. Strategies have to be planned and implemented in order to achieve the objective; from the situational analysis we have performed now we have to develop the strategy which will be discussed in the next part. Question 5 Airasia has multiple issues which they have to correct so multiple strategies will be required in order to rectify. The main weakness are complains are ignored, Delays and cancellations of flights. First main issue where a strategy is needed is to correct the delays and cancellations of flights. The reasons for the delays and cancellations could be natural reasons which cannot be avoided like bad weather, storm and etc. Technical faults, maintenance repairs and cancellation of flights due to insufficient number of passengers to travel can be corrected by a strategy. Airasia cancels flights because of insufficient passengers to travel for the certain time flight because it is not profitable. This can be avoided by reducing the number of flights to a certain destination in one particular day. Example Airasia travels 4 times a day to Singapore reducing it to 3 times a day if the particular destination has cancellation due to insufficient amount of passengers can solve. Airasia uses only type of aircraft the A320 but have more than 120 fleets of this type to reduce cost of having multiple types of aircraft making them also easy to repair and maintain only type of aircraft but still delays occur. A daily check of each aircraft can be carried out to avoid these issues The next issue is that complaint and feedback from customers are ignored; Air Asia needs a strategy to improve the customer relationship. The customer service department will have to be trained to handle customers with temperament and understanding. Complains, feedback, suggestion should not be ignored but welcomed as it can improve the customer service. Complains should go through a panel and should be addressed back to the customer negative or positive based on the rules, policies and guidelines of Airasia. Mistakes or inconvenience caused by Airasia should be compensated through free tickets, Upgrade to business class and lounge facilities. New suggestions and feedbacks should be considered if beneficial should be implemented. Question 6 The strategy of reduction in flight has to be evaluated based on the destination and the amount of flights. Most importantly the amount of cancellations of flights to each destination over a month has to be evaluated through and check which destinations have the highest number of cancellations due to insufficient passengers has be checked a frequency of flights to that particular destination should be reduced. The reduction in flights will lead to customers fearing that Airasia could terminate services to that particular destination and other assumptions such as profitability, political pressure and other rumours can affect the brand name. New contract and rescheduled flight time table has to be given to the destination airport and this process could turn costly as new fleet parking charges and rates will be given based on the Airport Example busy airport like Changi, Singapore can charge more for landing and parking of fleets. The Strategy of reduction in flight has a high rate of w orking to avoid cancellation The other strategy to avoid delays and cancellations is through daily maintenance checks and service; Airasia has a more than 120 fleets inspecting every aircraft daily is very costly and a long process. Airasia being a low cost carrier it has to be sensitive about cost as these inspections will lead to increase in prices. The inspections will still not stop delays as major faults and issues will take more long period to fix. Airasia can collaborate and negotiate with other airlines incase there is delays passengers can be switched to different Airline so their journey and plans will remain unaffected. The strategy of collaborating or forming alliance with other Airline services can avoid delays and jamming of schedules. The other strategy of retraining staff to better assist customers and their complains will have an effect on cost but most importantly a panel to decide on feedback, complains and suggestions is vital for use as complains will not be ignored replying or addressing them back is important even if the suggestions or complain are meaningless. Evaluating complains, suggestions have to be implemented if it brings satisfaction to majority if airasia customers and profitability is not affected due to the change implemented. Airasia has multiple ways to address the problems in the customer relation management but they can overcome the issues by some simple strategies to correct them and have the resources and power which provides more alternative method strategies to overcome the problem. Airasia has been hit by two main weaknesses which through evaluation on why, how this problems occur the root cause can be found. Correcting these issues not only improves the relationship between the customers but also adds customer value and satisfaction.

Current Air Quality Trend In Malaysia

Current Air Quality Trend In Malaysia Dimitriou and Christidou (2007) mentions air pollution is one of the most pressing global environmental problems that threaten the wellbeing of living organisms, leading to a loss of biodiversity or disrupting the function of the environment as a system. Air pollution occurs as a consequence of natural processes as well as human activity (anthropogenic). Examples of natural causes of air pollution include volcanic eruptions, forest fires and windblown dust. Anthropogenic air pollution from sources like motor vehicles and industries continues to be a serious harm to human health and welfare is more likely, namely the more densely populated urban areas. The health effects of air pollution have been reported in research studies over the past 30 years. These effects include respiratory diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases, changes in lung function, and death. Colls (1997) reported particles in the atmosphere primary or secondary, solid or liquid. They come into the atmosphere, and leave it again by a wide variety of routes. Particulate matter is characterized by its physical and chemical properties Nader (1975). In addition, particle size and particle composition are characteristic that play a significant role in the assessment of health effect. In response to this information, regulatory agencies with a mandate to protect public health must now consider how to implement monitoring networks that will allow measuring the particulate matter concentration. In recent years, a increasing of number of monitoring system for particulate matter (PM) are available and are wide ranging in type, cost, flexibility and accuracy. According to Kingham et al. (2006), accurate and reliable monitoring of PM aerosol in the respirable size fraction ( In 2001, Chung et al pointed about traditional monitoring networks (Continuous Aerosol Mass Monitor, Integrating Nephelometer, Tapered Element Oscillating Microbalance) for airborne particulate matter. A small number of past studies have evaluated the tapered element oscillating microbalance (TEOM) and a series of manual gravimetric methods (Allen et al., 1997, Ayers, 2004, Cyrys et al., 2001, Hauck et al., 2004, Williams et al., 2000) but fewer still have compared other commercial monitors (Baldauf et al., 2001, Chung et al., 2001, Heal et al., 2000, Monn, 2001, Salter and Parsons, 1999). CURRENT AIR QUALITY TREND IN MALAYSIA There are 52 National Air Quality Monitoring Stations (AQMS) in Malaysia, function to monitor continuously 5 major pollutants, namely Particulate Matter (PM10), Ozone (O3), Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) and Carbon Monoxide (CO). For the northern region of Malaysia (Perlis, Kedah, Pulau Pinang and Perak), the overall air quality levelwas lies between good to moderate. However, there are curtain places (Tanjung Malim, Alor Star and Sungai Petani) recorded unhealthy level of the day especially in the mid of the day till late afternoon due to high concentration of ground level ozone (O3). In tanjung Malim, one unhealthy day was recorded due to high level of particulate matter (PM10) Air Pollutant Index (API) system were used in reporting the air quality status in Malaysia. The API compute from the monitoring of Ground level Ozone (O3), Carbon Monoxide (CO), Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) and Particulate Matter of less than 10 microns in size (PM10). Air quality status can be categorized in five main level (good, moderate, unhealthy, very unhealthy and hazardous as in Table 1.1. Table 1.1 Malaysia : Air Pollution Index (API) (Malaysia Environmental Quality Report 2011, DoE) API Air Quality Status DoE in Malaysia Environmental Quality Report 2011 highlights the annual average of PM10 was 43m3 , but was slightly increased compared to 2010 (39m3 ). However, for both year (2010 and 2011) value still below the Malaysian Ambient Air Quality Guidelines value (50m3 ). The trend of the annual average levels of PM10 concentration in the ambient air between 1999 and 2011 complied with the Malaysian Ambient Air Quality Guidelines as shown in Figure 1.1 and Figure 1.2 shows the trend based on land use categories (Urban, Sub Urban, Background and Rural). MONITORING METHODS AND INSTRUMENTS The underway monitoring of airborne particulate matter in the ambient atmosphere is mainly for determination of the mass of the particle. The methods used for monitoring of concentration of PM can differ and are very dependent upon the aim of monitoring, sites, monitoring problem and resource that available during monitoring period. Usually, monitoring is to determine the concentration of total suspended particulate (TSP) and suspended particulate matter (SPM) have become outdated with the awareness that PM effects varies depending on sizes of the particle. QUARG (1996) pointed that the latest method of monitoring (gravimetric and direct reading method) are designed to determine the concentration of particle in the different sizes (PM10 and PM2.5). Table 1.2 displays the examples of the instrument for PM10 monitoring and the detection methods. Table 1.2 Examples of instruments used in PM monitoring Instrument Principle of detection Beta Attenuation Monitor (BAM) The beta ray sources used in BAM are 14C. Directly measured the particle based on relationship between beta ray attenuation to particle mass. Depends on the near exponential decrease in the total number of beta particle transmitted through a thin sample as the density increase (William et al., 1993) The gravimetric method that only the mass of particle can be affect the detector not by the size of distribution, physical size, shape or either by chemical composition (Chow et al., 1996) Tapered Element Oscillating Microbalance (TEOM) Tapered hollowed channel will act as a gateway where the particles are collected on a filter. For minimum thermal expansion that occurred at the tapered channel, the sample area is maintained at 50 °C. Thermal expansion may affect the oscillation frequency and might be reduce the total amount of particle bound water. DustTrak 8520 Hands carry instrument and highly portable direct reading monitor. Using light scattering laser to detect the particles. Particles scattered the light which is from laser diode drawn through a constant stream. Liu et al., (2002) mentions the amount of light scatter find out the particles mass concentration. PROBLEM STATEMENT In Malaysia, PM10 monitoring was conducted by Alam Sekitar Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. (ASMA). Md Yusof et al (2010) lists two instruments used for monitoring are high volume sampler (HVS) and beta attenuation monitor (BAM). BAM is the standard instrument used by Department of Environment (DoE) to measure particulate matter in 51 monitoring station in Malaysia. Air quality of these new areas cannot be monitored and observed due to the lack of monitoring stations of air quality. To develop these new monitoring stations, definitely it will be costly and need good maintenances. Additionally, air quality at the rural areas also cannot be monitored. Therefore, a new alternative instrument such as Direct Reading Monitors (DRM) will enable air pollutants to be monitored more comprehensively. Even though DoE has set up their monitoring station, the number of monitoring stations is limited. With the use of simple instruments and cost effective, the air quality in areas without monitoring stations can be monitored and assessed. For this study, direct reading monitor (DRM) was used to monitor PM10 concentration at selected stations. However, PM10 concentration recorded using DRM and BAM was different. This is due to different detection method between both instruments (DRM used laser and BAM used beta ray) and response time for DRM was set to one minutes, while BAM records hourly PM10. In addition, the mobile factor that is owned by DRM is also affecting the reading. Therefore, an appropriate coefficient needed to make sure the reading obtained from the DRM is the same as the reading derived from the BAM. OBJECTIVES The objective of this project is:- To estimate coefficient that relates DRM and BAM by using regression techniques. To investigate the best coefficient based on performance indicator. To determine the influence of meteorology on PM10 concentration. SCOPE OF STUDY In Malaysia, Beta Attenuation Monitor (BAM) is the standard instrument used by DoE to measure particulate matter in 52 monitoring stations. This instrument automatically measures and records hourly particulate mass concentration in ambient air. It uses beta ray attenuation to calculate collected particle mass concentration units of  µg/m ³. For this study, Direct Reading Monitor (DRM) was used to monitor PM10 concentration at Air Quality Monitoring Station (AQMS) conducted by Alam Sekitar Malaysia (ASMA). The station selected for this research is Prai and Seberang Jaya. Both stations are situated in the north part of Peninsular Malaysia. They are many researches comparing the mass concentration results of the BAM and gravimetric methods. Salminen and Karlsson (2003) reported the agreement between PM10 concentration measured by BAM and gravimetric method. PM10 concentration recorded by the DRM was compared with data monitored using BAM provided by DoE. Three method of linear regression was used to investigate the relationship between the DRM and BAM monitoring record which is method of ratio, method of quartile and method of quantile. Performance indicators were used to evaluate the goodness of fit for the ratio,quartile and quantile method to determine which method is the best. THESIS OUTLINE This thesis has a five important parts and brief outlines of this thesis follows. Chapter one gives an introduction about air quality monitoring in Malaysia, sources of air pollution in Malaysia. This thesis also stated the problem statement, objectives, scope of study and concludes with thesis outline. Chapter 2 discussed about the literature review of the research area (particulate matter 10, measurement for PM10), and also review that determines to what extent the issues or research part has been investigated. From this chapter, a good view and knowledge about research area can be undertaken. Chapter 3 describes the methodologies that have been used in this research. The area of study, setting and sitting of instrument, monitoring of PM10 using DRM and BAM, and method to analyzing the monitoring records also discussed in this chapter. Chapter 4 presents the result from data analysis in the form of graphical techniques and table, for all three methods, performance indicator and meteorological effect with the discussion. Chapter 5 gives a general discussion of this research. The comparison of three methods was discussed and to determine which method is the best using performance indicator. This chapter also discussed the best conclusions of this research and listed of recommendations for future research. CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 INTRODUCTION Sherman (2003) defined air pollution as the presence of undesirable levels of physical or chemical impurities. Many organization such as the World Health Organization (WHO, 1999) recognized particulate matter (PM), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone(O3), lead (Pb) and sulfur dioxide (SO2), as classical pollutants presenting a hazard to sensitive populations. Air pollution now becomes an increasing source of environmental degradation in the developing nations of East Asia (Alles, 2009). The air pollution in Malaysia has not reached a critical level as in other metropolitan areas in Asia, like Jakarta or Manila. (Malaysian German Technical Cooperation, 2000). However; even outside extreme haze periods, pollution levels increased despite tight regulations and this is added by the increase in the number of vehicle, distance travelled and growth in industrial production. Air quality in Malaysia is a major concern as the nation forged ahead to become an industrialized nation by the year 2020. The Malaysian Air Pollution Index (API) is obtained from the measurement of PM10 and several toxic gases such as SO2, CO, NO2, and O3. The air quality status in Malaysia is determined accordingly to API which indicates the level of pollution in the atmosphere. The API system of Malaysia closely follows the Pollutant Standard Index (PSI) system of the United States of America. According to Department of Environment, based on the Air Pollutant Index (API), the overall air quality for Malaysia in 2010 was between good to moderate levels most of the time. The overall number of good air quality days increased in 2010 (63 percent of the time) compared to that in 2009 (56 percent of the time) while remaining 36 percent at moderate level and one percent at unhealthy level. However, peatland fires resulting in transboundary air pollution that occurred in the Southern Asean region in the month of October resulted in a short spell of haze episode in the southern part of Peninsular Malaysia (DoE, 2009 DoE, 2010) DoE also reported that the overall air quality of the northern region of the West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia (Perlis, Kedah, Pulau Pinang and Perak), was between good to moderate most of the time. However, Tanjung Malim and Tasek recorded four unhealthy days and one unhealthy day, respectively. The pollutants of concerned were ground level Ozone (O3) and PM10. 2.2 AIR QUALITY MONITORING IN MALAYSIA In order to ascertain the quality of the environment in Malaysia, the Department of Environment (DoE) regularly monitor the air quality. The air quality monitoring, which involves measurements of total suspended particulates, atmospheric lead and dust fallout, are conducted at 52 monitoring stations (Figure 2.1 and 2.2) categorised as industrial, urban and sub urban areas (DoE, 2010). In addition to the 52 stations in the National Continuous Air Quality Monitoring Network, manual air quality monitoring stations using High Volume Samplers were also established at 14 different sites for measuring total suspended particulates, particulate matter (PM10) and heavy metals such as lead. A continuous automatic monitor which gives instantaneous measurements of gaseous pollutants such as CO, SO2, oxides of nitrogen and ozone, as well as suspended particulate matter and total hydrocarbon used as the monitoring equipments by the DoE to assess air quality (Abdullah, 1995). The air quality status is reported in terms of Air Pollutant Index (API). The air pollutants used in computing the API are ground level ozone (O3), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulphur dioxide (SO2) and particulate matter of less than 10 microns in size (PM10). The API is categorized as good, moderate, unhealthy, very unhealthy and hazardous. 2.3 SOURCERS OF PM10 The US EPA defines particulate matter (PM) as a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air. PM can be in sizes or colors large or dark enough to be observed or it can be so small that an electron microscope is required to distinguish it. According to Fierro (2000), coarse particles (PM10) have an aerodynamic diameter between 2.5 µm and 10 µm. They are formed by mechanical disruption (e.g. crushing, grinding, abrasion of surfaces), evaporation of sprays, and suspension of dust. PM10 particles are small enough to be inhaled and accumulate in the respiratory system (Colls, 1997). Particulate matter can come from many sources. Generally, any activity which involves burning of materials or any dust generating activities are sources of PM. Some sources are natural, such as volcanoes and water mist (Bates, 1995). PM is introduced to the air through both natural and human causes (Harrisonu Yin, 2000). PM from specific sources typically follow short term and long term (seasonal) trends (Yatin et al. 2000). For example, space heating generates more combustion related PM emissions during the cold seasons while, at the same time, snow cover can inhibit PM emissions from the soil. Quality of Urban Air Review Group (1996), published the report in which they describe that primary particles are those directly emitted to the atmosphere from sources such as road traffic, coal burning, industry, windblown soil and dust and sea spray. On the other hand, secondary particles are particles formed within the atmosphere by chemical reaction or condensation of gases, and the major contributors are sulphate and nitrate salts formed from the oxidation of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides respectively. The primary sources of PM in Malaysia, are motor vehicles diesel trucks, industrial emissions, agricultural, slash and yard waste burning, and even exhaust from lawn mowers and boats (Department of Environment, Malaysia, 2010). PM concentrations tend to be especially high in area with greater population density, nearby industries or agriculture, or where local topography or weather conditions contribute to air stagnation. 2.3.1 Traffic Vehicular particle emissions are the result of a great many processes, an example combustion products from fuel and oil, wear products from brake linings, tyres, bearings, car body and road material, and the resuspension of road and soil dust (Laschober et al. 2004). Traffic is an effective source of both fine and coarse mode primary particles, condensable organic gases, and a major source of nitrogen oxides that then form secondary nitrate aerosols. Particles of condensed carbonaceous material are emitted mainly by diesel vehicles and poorly maintained petrol vehicles (Vardoulakis et al. 2003). Diesel exhaust particles have been shown to display a multimodal size distribution (Kerminen et al. 1997) and are mainly carbonaceous agglomerates below 100 nm in diameter, whereas particles emitted by gasoline vehicles are also mainly carbonaceous agglomerates but considerably smaller, ranging from 10 to 80 nm (Morawska and Zhang 2002). Particulate matter originating from traffic can be pres ent at elevated concentrations especially during high traffic density and poor dispersion conditions, e.g. in street canyons, which can lead to high human exposures to traffic-related pollutants (Vardoulakis et al. 2003). Identification of traffic related particulate matter in source apportionment studies has become difficult due to phasing out of Pb as an additive to gasoline. Elements that have often been associated with vehicular emissions include Cu, Zn, Pb, Br, Fe, Ca and Ba (Huang et al. 1994, Cadle et al. 1997, Kemp 2002, Morawska and Zhang 2002, Sternbeck et al., 2002). Emissions of many metallic elements from vehicular sources are mainly due to non exhaust emissions, examples from the wearing of tyres, brakes and other parts of vehicles (Sternbeck et al. 2002, Adachi and Tainosho 2004, Laschober et al. 2004, Lough et al. 2005). In addition to road traffic, emissions from the main and auxiliary engines of ships can be a significant source of particulate matter and associated elements such as V and Ni (Lyyrà ¤nen et al. 1999) at certain locations (Ohlstrà ¶m et al. 2000, Colvile et al. 2001, Isakson et al. 2001). 2.3.2 Stationary sources The most significant stationary combustion sources include energy production facilities such as municipal power plants, waste incineration, and residential combustion. Several industrial processes, such as iron and steel production, also involve combustion of fossil fuels or biomass for generating power and heat needed for the process. Most of these sources are considered point sources, although smaller and more widespread sources such as residential combustion could also be considered as an area source. Physical and chemical characteristics of the particles emitted from these source categories depends on the combustion process itself, and the type of fuel burnt (solid, liquid, or gas). Combustion processes and properties of particulate matter emitted from these sources have been comprehensively reviewed by Morawska and Zhang (2002). The major industrial processes include factories processing metals and chemicals, materials handling, construction and mining. Particulate matter from t hese sources are partly released as fugitive emissions, which are not collected and released in a controlled manner, but emitted from a variety of points and areas connected to a process (Seinfeld and Pandis 1998). Chemical and physical properties of fugitive emissions depend on the processes by which they are emitted. Since the bulk of most trace metals are nowadays emitted from industrial processes, their concentrations are spatially heterogeneous and subsequently, their measurement is quite sensitive in terms of location; however, the reported concentrations of trace metals in major cities demonstrate rather similar levels of trace metals (Harrison and Yin 2000). PM10 CHARACTERISTIC. PM is characterized by its physical, chemical and optical properties. The quality of air that we breathe in every second determine by the amount of particulate matter in it. These particulate matters measure by their particles size. Those with the particles size less than 10 micron (PM10) is used to monitor the air quality which in turn is related to the health problems of the workers or public at large (Alias et al., 2007). The most important characteristic of particulate matter (PM) is the particle size. This property has the greatest impact on the behavior of particulate matter in control equipment, the atmosphere, and the respiratory tract. Particles of importance in air pollution control span a broad size range from extremely small (0.01 micrometer) to more than 1,000 micrometers (US EPA, 2010). As a frame of reference, a human hair has a diameter of approximately 50 micrometers. The suspended particles vary in size, composition and origin. It is convenient to classify particles by their aerodynamic properties because, (a) these properties govern the transport and removal of particles from the air, (b) they also govern their deposition within the respiratory system and (c) they are associated with the chemical composition and sources of particles (WHO, 2003). 2.4.1 Physical Characteristic The physical attributes of airborne particulates include mass concentration and size distribution. the size is from a few nanometers (nm) to ten of micrometers ( µm) in diameter. Size is the single most important determinant of the properties of particles and it has implications on formation, physical and chemical properties, transformation, transport, and removal of particles from the atmosphere. Ambient levels of mass concentration are measured in micrograms per cubic meter (ÃŽÂ ¼g/m3), size attributes are usually measured in aerodynamic diameter. Particulate matter (PM) exceeding 2.5 microns (ÃŽÂ ¼m) in aerodynamic diameter is generally defined as coarse particles, while particles smaller than 2.5 microns (PM2.5) are called fine particles (World Bank Group, 1998). Particles of any substances that are less than 10 or 2.5 micrometres diameter. Particles in this size range make up a large proportion of dust that can be drawn deep into the lungs. Larger particles tend to be tr apped in the nose, mouth or throat. The concentration and other characteristics of suspended particulate matter are determined by the presence and activity of sources. Once formed, particles change their size and composition by condensation or evaporation, by coagulating with other particles or by chemical reactions (Seinfeld and Pandis 1998). Pohjola et al., (2000), found that meteorological factors such as wind speed and direction, temperature, amount of precipitation, and the height of the atmospheric boundary layer, are most important in governing the concentration variations of particulate matter. The highest PM concentrations are often reported during stable meteorological conditions such as inversion with low wind speeds (Pohjola et al. 2004). Also the physical and chemical processes affecting the particles are regulated to a great extent by meteorological factors. 2.4.2 Chemical Characteristic The chemical composition of the particulate matter is also important. The chemical composition of PM is highly variable due to pollution sources, chemical reactions in the atmosphere, long-range transport effects and meteorological conditions. Absorption and heterogeneous nucleation of vapor phase pollutants onto existing particles can create toxic particulate matter (US EPA, 2010). The chemical properties vary depending on sources of particles. It is important to note that particulates are not one particular chemical substance but a classification of particles by size rather then chemical properties.The acid component of particulate matter, and most of its mutagenic activity, are generally contained in fine particles, although some coarse acid droplets are also present in fog. Particles interact with various substances in the air to form organic or inorganic chemical compounds. The most common combinations of fine particles are those with sulphates (World Bank Group, 1998). The rela tive abundance of the major chemical components, termed as bulk chemical composition and also about trace element and strong acid contents was reviewed in the studies of Harrison and Jones (1995) and Harrison and Yin (2000). In addition to the bulk composition, Harrison and Yin (2000) also discussed trace element and strong acid contents. In the United States, sulphate ions account for about 40% of fine particulates and may also be present in concentrations exceeding 10 ÃŽÂ ¼g/m3 (US EPA, 1982). 2.5 PARTICULATE MATTER HEALTH EFFECT There are a very limited number of studies that relate air pollution to its health impact in Malaysia. The lack of data gathering for environmental epidemiological analysis makes it difficult to estimate the health impact of air pollution (Afroz et al., 2003). Whilst epidemiological studies have consistently demonstrated adverse effects of particulate matter exposure on human health, the mechanism of effect is currently unclear (Harrisonu Yin, 2000). The US Environmental Protection Agencys 1996 Air Quality Criteria for Particulate Matter reviewed the physiologic, toxicology, and epidemiologic studies related to the inhalation, deposition and health effects of PM exposures (US EPA, 1997). Some research has identified several plausible biological mechanisms for both the initial pulmonary injury and the consequent systemic effects (Neas, 1999). The respiratory system is the major route of entry for airborne particulates. The deposition of particulates in different parts of the human respiratory system depends on particle size, shape, density, and individual breathing patterns (mouth or nose breathing) (World Bank Group, 1998). In adults, PM exposure was associated with increased incidence of respiratory symptoms, transient decrements in pulmonary function levels, and the onset of chronic pulmonary disease in adults (Neas, 1999). Seaton (1995), has identified several plausible biological mechanisms for both the initial pulmonary injury and the consequent systemic effects following PM exposure and the initial pulmonary injury may be related to one or more properties of PM and its constituents including physical, chemical and biological characteristics. Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain the path physiology of PM induced health effects. The most obvious mechanism involves the reduction in pulmonary function in response to the pulmonary inflammation. In the hypoxia hypothesis, the susceptible population consists of individuals with severe respiratory disease whose pulmonary reserve capacity is already near the minimum compatible with life. Exposure to PM further lowers their pulmonary function le vels and results in emergency hospitalization and death (Neas, 1999) Children are especially susceptible to particulate matter pollution for several reasons, their respiratory systems are still developing, they breathe more air (and air pollution) per pound of body weight than adults and theyre more likely to be active outdoors. Older adults are also more likely to be affected by particulate matter pollution, possibly because they are more likely to have chronic heart or lung diseases than younger people. In addition, people who have heart or lung disease, such as congestive heart failure, angina, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema or asthma, are likely to experience health effects earlier and at lower particulate matter pollution levels than healthy people (American Lung Association, 1996). The capacity of particulate matter to produce adverse health effects in humans depends on its deposition in the respiratory tract. Particle size, shape, and density affect deposition rates. The most important characteristics influencing the deposition of particles in the respiratory system are size and aerodynamic properties. In Malaysian Ambient Air Quality Guidelines (MAAQG), the level of PM10 concentrations are, 150 micrograms per cubic meter ( µg/m3) for 24 hour and 50 micrograms per cubic meter ( µg/m3) for the annual (Department of Environment, Malaysia, 2010). Some tiny pieces of particulate matter, PM10, are small enough to pass from our lungs to our bloodstream. PM can alter the bodys defense systems against foreign materials, damage lung tissues, aggravate existing respiratory and cardiovascular disease, and can lead to cancer. In some cases, PM exposure can even lead to premature death. Adverse health effects have been associated with exposures to PM over both short periods (such as a day) and longer periods (a year or more). The people who are most at risk are people with asthma, influenza, lung, heart, or cardiovascular disease, the elderly, and children. The human immune system developed in a time and environment where dust was made of large particles. Humans have developed a means of protecting themselves against these large particles. Particles larger than 10 microns generally get caught in the nose and throat, never making it as far as the lungs. Unfortunately, more recent human activity has created many particles that are much s maller, which can make it past our natural defenses, and can enter our systems (Fierro, 2000). The size of particles is directly linked to their potential for causing health problems. Most concerned about particles that are 10 micrometers in diameter or smaller because those are the particles that generally pass through the throat and nose and enter the lungs. Once inhaled, these particles can affect the heart and lungs and cause serious health effects. EPA groups particle pollution into two categories: Inhalable coarse particles, such as those found near roadways and dusty industries, are larger than 2.5 micrometers and smaller than 10 micrometers in diameter. Fine particles, such as those found in smoke and haze, are 2.5 micrometers in diameter and smaller. These particles can be directly emitted from sources such as forest fires, or they can form when gases emitted from power plants, industries and automobiles react in the air. (U.S Environmental Protection Agency). 2.6 MEASUREMENT FOR PARTICULATE MATTER (PM10) 2.6.1 Reference Method The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has designated a handful of instruments as Federal Reference o

Cortés :: History

Cortà ©s Cortà ©s, Hernà ¡n or Cortez, Hernando (1485-1547), Spanish explorer and conqueror of the Aztec Empire of Mexico. Cortà ©s was born in Medellà ­n, Extremadura. He studied law at the University of Salamanca, but cut short his university career in 1501 and decided to try his fortune in the New World. He sailed for Santo Domingo in the spring of 1504. In 1511 he joined the Spanish soldier and administrator Diego Velà ¡zquez in the conquest of Cuba, and subsequently became alcalde (mayor) of Santiago de Cuba. In 1518 he persuaded Velà ¡zquez, who had beco1me governor of Cuba, to give him the command of an expedition to Mexico. The mainland had been discovered the year before by the Spanish soldier and explorer Francisco Fernà ¡ndez de Cà ³rdoba and subsequently by Juan de Grijalva, nephew of Velà ¡zquez. On February 19, 1519, Cortà ©s, with a force of some 600 men, fewer than 20 horses, and 10 field pieces, set sail from Cuba, despite the cancellation of his commission by Velà ¡zquez, who had become suspicious that Cortà ©s, once in a position to establish himself independently, would refuse to recognize his authority. Cortà ©s sailed along the coast of Yucatà ¡n and in March 1519 landed in Mexico, subjugating the town of Tabasco; the artillery of the Spaniards, the ships, and particularly the horses filled the natives with awe. From the natives of Tabasco Cortà ©s learned of the Aztec Empire and its ruler, Montezuma II. Cortà ©s took numerous captives, one of whom, Malinche (baptized Marina), became his mistress; out of loyalty to him she acted as the interpreter, guide, and counselor for the Spaniards. Finding a better harbor a little north of San Juan, the Spaniards moved there and established a town, La Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz (now Veracruz). Cortà ©s organized an independent government, and renouncing the authority of Velà ¡zquez, acknowledged only the supreme authority of the Spanish crown. In order to prevent those of his small force who opposed this movement from deserting him and carrying the news to Cuba, Cortà ©s destroyed his fleet. After negotiations with Montezuma, who tried to persuade Cortà ©s not to enter the capital city of Tenochtitlà ¡n, Cortà ©s started his famous march inland. He overcame the native Tlascalans and then formed an alliance with them against the Aztecs, their enemies. From that time until the conquest was achieved, the Tlascalans continued to be the most important of all the native allies of the Spaniards.

Comparing Daisy Miller and The Beast in the Jungle by Henry James Essay

  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Henry James' Daisy Miller and "The Beast in the Jungle" are first and foremost powerful tragedies because they employ such universal themes as crushed ambitions and wasted lives. And the appeal of each does not lie solely in the darkening plot and atmosphere, but in those smallest details James gives us. Omit Daisy's strange little laughs, delete Marcher's "[flinging] himself, face down, on [May's] tomb," and what are we left with? Daisy Miller would be a mere character study against the backdrop of clashing American and Euro- pean cultures and "The Beast in the Jungle," a very detailed inner diary of a completely self-absorbed man who deservingly meets his fate in the end. It is only when we consider the unfulfilled social ambitions of Daisy Miller and the hopeless, empty life of John Marcher as tragedies that we begin to feel for these two works and discover the unmistakable depths that make them so touchingly, and sometimes disturbingly, profound. Their tragic conclusions are about the only thing these stories share, though; there is a stark difference in the way Henry James approached his narrative and characterization technique to convey most fully the underlying tragedies. And yet, despite such differences, which draw mainly from the use of opposing tones of voice in the two stories, the bleakness of the stories of Daisy and Marcher is unmistakable.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Edith Wharton proposes an interesting theory as to what makes a tragedy, and it has very much to do with our reading experience. What we know about the events slowly unfolding before us, or what the author allows us to know, heavily influences the way we feel about the story and its characters, ... ...knowing that comes from reading is sometimes also granted to the characters we are reading about. Despite the differences in narrative techniques, the two stories do converge here. It is sad to leave these stories knowing that part of the blame for the fates of the two main characters must actually be put on themselves, but even sadder to see that they are not allowed to remain ignorant forever, to know that they, too, finally realize how they have become their own worst enemies. And herein lies the essence of their tragedies: this "illumination" (54), "this horror of waking" (673).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Works Cited James, Henry. "The Beast in the Jungle." The Story and Its Writer: An Introduction to Short Fiction. Ed. Ann Charters. Boston: Bedford Books, 1995. ______. Daisy Miller. New York: Dover Publications Inc., 1995.