Black Elk Speaks by John G. Neihardt Essay

Black Elk Speaks by John G. Neihardt is the story told by an Ogalala Lakota Sioux of his life in the latter part of the nineteenth century. Yet Black Elk is reluctant to tell â€Å"his† story because he does not separate himself from all life, â€Å"my friend, I am going to tell you the story of my life, †¦ It is the story of all life that is holy and good to tell† (Neihardt 1). Within the Lakota there is a sense of community that is both innocent and refreshing. For Black Elk the community includes all life, â€Å"of us two-leggeds sharing it with the four-leggeds and the wings of the air and all green things; for these are the children of one mother and their father is one Spirit† (Neihardt 9). The community was the earth and everything that lived on it and the great spirit above. Prior to the arrival of the Waischus, the Americans moving from the east, the Lakota life seems idyllic, â€Å"once we were happy in our own country and we were seldom hungry, for then the two-leggeds and the four-leggeds lived together like relatives, and there was plenty for them and for us† (Neihardt 9). Contrast this â€Å"universal community† with that in O! Pioneers by Willa Cather. The community of the pioneers in Nebraska was much more tightly focused into increasingly smaller groups: the community, the neighbors, the family and the individual. This smallness of community did not lead to a community of satisfied people sharing a life together. Instead, it seemed to lead to a desire to compete for more and more land. Yet, when they had worked hard for their land, they didn’t find happiness, they weren’t satisfied, they just wanted more. When people begin to talk about Alexandria’s friend Carl who was staying with her and people are saying that Alexandria is going to give him her money. Her brothers are angry, they had planned that Alexandria would leave her property to her nieces and nephews. â€Å"‘Give him?’ Lou shouted. ‘Our property, our homestead?'† (Cather 142). It wasn’t their land but they wanted it, they wanted if for the money it would make, not because their money and property had made them happy, for it hadn’t, but just because they didn’t want someone else to have it (Cather 140-147). The Lakota did not own property, but they were happy. They lived with it. They took what they needed and left the rest. Despite the prominence of the community in Black Elk Speaks, there is an acceptance of what is different. When Black Elk told his father of his vision, his father accepted it immediately and began helping him develop his power. Contrast this with the treatment of Crazy Ivar in O! Pioneers. Crazy Ivar was a man who chose to live alone in a sod house, wore no shoes, ate no meat and spent his time reading his Norwegian Bible or building a pond where migrating birds could rest. People were afraid of Crazy Ivar because he was different. They were frightened of him and wanted to put him in an asylum (Cather 84-5). Unlike the Lakota, the Waischus wanted to acquire land and they fought to change it and mold it into the way they wanted it to be. Alexandria, in O! Pioneers is an admirable woman. She is strong, courageous, and self-sufficient. Alexandria was in many ways the ideal American pioneer who worked hard and gained her fortune. Even today the American public is much more likely to admire a self-made millionaire than they are a man who leads a simple life and is happy. Despite this attitude, the fast-paced life of the hardworking American today seems to lead to anger, road rage, and frustration. The damage that has been done to the planet in the last century will take years to repair, if it can ever be done. Given these things, one wonders if the Waischus chose the right path. Works Cited Neihardt, John G. Black Elk Speaks. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1932.    Cather, Willa. O Pioneers!. Los Angeles: LRS, 1997.   

HR Governance

HR governance is the practice of making effective decisions regarding the human resources of the organization and the efficient controlling of them. It is interrelated with establishing HR policies, continuous monitoring of their proper implementation and governing the body of an organization. This study explores the HR governance practice of the private sector in Bangladesh and its impact on organization's sustainable human resource development. To investigate this scenario, sample size of 200 from five manufacturing industries and three service industries both sectors were selected to conduct a survey through floating a structured questionnaire on target employees. Here, six independent variables talent management, consolidated HR policy, HR risk management, employee development, compensation benefits, employee welfare and one dependent variable sustainable human resource development have been identified to conduct the regression analysis. The result shows that the f-test value = 34.400 which implies that the model is statistically significant and valid. The significance level of the employee development and compensation benefits at (0.000) which have positive impact on sustainable human resource development. On the contrary, the talent management is insignificant at (0.006) and consecutively consolidated HR policy (0.019), HR risk management (0.063) and employee welfare (0.106). The regression model illustrates that the private sector of Bangladesh is going to be comparatively more concern about the employee development and compensation management but others variables have insignificant but positive relationship for the increasing of sustainable human resource development. Moreover, this study attempts to provide the conceptual and pragmatic insight of the HR governance practices in the private sector of Bangladesh; this might help to emerge new corridors for future research. Keywords – HR governance, talent management, consolidated HR policy, HR risk management and sustainable human resource development.INTRODUCTIONWith the passage of time, HR governance has become an emerging concern where it is esteemed as the backbone of the sustainable human resource development which transforms the human resource into the human capital and all these ensure the incremental growth of an organization. Furthermore, the traditional HR policies and regulations act as the precautionary guard for the organization, but now it is reactive in nature through reducing, transferring and deducting actual and probable HR risks and liabilities. However, it is essential for an organization to become transparent administrative structure to achieve core competitive advantages of human resource enforcing the non-compliance proactive measures. Effective HR governance facilitates compliance with legal and ethical obligations relating to people management practices and having a proper HR governance structure in place which can even impact the way an organization does business and makes decisions at the highest levels-right up including its board of directors. Hence, this structure will ensure that decisions related to personnel management practices are governed at the highest level thereby strengthening HR and management credibility (Kreissl, 2012)[1]. For instance, like other developing countries, Bangladesh has been marked by the inefficiency of the public sector to meet the demand of its citizens, ineffective public services, and unfavorable environment for the proper growth in the private sector, leadership crisis, lack of transparency and accountability in administration, ineffective political institutions and so on. In this regard, it is the best to follow equity at workplace, well-being and employee development and some other five preconditions for sustainable human resource development such as; compliance, governance, ethics, culture and leadership (Cohen, 2012) [2]. Another thing is that the well concern about labor law and consistent HR governance are yet not flourished at macro pace especially in private sector. Because most of the listed companies in Bangladesh are dominated by family members, occupying important posts like CEO or the managing director, leading to inefficient HR governance practices (Brennam, Solomon, Uddin and Choudhury, 2008) [3]. Due to the absence of govt. close monitoring; sometimes they are violating the principles of Bangladesh Labor Law.Moreover, public sector is running under the shelter of legal government compliance and several pivotal research works have been done over this but now private sector is emerging not only in the corporate governance rather good HR governance. In spite of, there is very few research works exist on this context where mostly done on about the good governance practices and its prospects in Bangladesh. Almost there is no instance of such work that can show the emerging essentials of good HR governance and its impact on the sustainable human resource development.Nevertheless, there are some laying challenges so that the private sector can't go ahead as expected in terms of human competencies. For such poor feedback in HR governance, it is essential to examine how far Bangladesh lags behind the HR governance practices. Against all these backdrops, this paper attempts to critically analyze the current scenario of HR governance and also to sketch out the impediments in the way of HR governance to improve the HR competencies in the private sector of Bangladesh. To end, this study shows a set of measures which need to be undertaken as an effort to establish good HR governance and indemnifying sustainable human resource development in Bangladesh.OJECTIVES OF THE STUDYThe fundamental objective of this study is to address the research question; â€Å"Does HR governance affect the sustainable human resource development from the perspective of private sector in Bangladesh?† Some other objectives are:To investigate the response of HR governance in the private sector of Bangladesh.To measure the impact of HR governance on sustainable human resource development.To identify diff erent factors affecting sustainable human resource development.

Boldwoods Christmas party Essay Example for Free

Boldwood’s Christmas party Essay Bathsheba Everdene is the main character in a Thomas Hardy novel called â€Å"Far From the Madding Crowd†. Which is set in Wessex. Bathsheba’s character is along with many other things decisive, brisk, vain, businesslike, and independent. However you see her evolve throughout the book, mainly as a result of her marriage to Frank Troy. At the beginning of the story Hardy seems to focus on her bad qualities, though you still see people wishing to be married to her. Some good qualities are shown as well like her thoughtful response to save Gabriel’s life. This trait is mentioned in chapter one, almost everything else follows on from this. Vanity affects the way she behaves in a powerful way. Her vanity makes her annoyed and angry at not attracting Boldwood’s attention. When she meets Frank Troy he plays up to her vanity by paying her compliments and showing her flirtatious affection. By the end of the story she shows that she has grown out of or overcome her vanity. Instead of wanting to stand out and have everyone looking at her, at Boldwood’s Christmas party, she dresses down and wants to merge into the background. You can also see she is not vain because when Boldwood praises her beauty the comments have no effect. Her life experiences have caused this change in her. The main life experience is her marriage to Frank Troy which affected her the most. She transforms from a confident character to a submissive and introverted figure she becomes less and less like her usual self. The first sign you see of independence is fairly near the beginning in chapter three, when we see her riding the horse. Instead of doing it the conventional ladylike way we see her lie flat on her back on top of the horse’s back. This could be showing her independence and unconventional behaviour, this would tie in with an independent spirit â€Å"too wild†. She likes to have independence so later on in the story when this is taken away from her we see her rely on Gabriel Oak. She always had her own independence, but when she got married she lost that independence and we see her seek advice and help from Gabriel Oak. At one point in the story she rejects Gabriel’s advice, but later on in chapter fifty four she asks for it. This shows a big change in her personality. She once would have done her own thing and maybe even sacked Gabriel for his ‘advice’ whereas she now values both him and his opinion. Her independence continues to be shown throughout the rest if the story, even after her marriage to Frank Troy. Independence along with confidence is showed when she goes to the corn market and is the only woman there. Another characteristic shown is confidence with businesslike skills. An example of this would be when she takes it upon herself to sack her bailiff. â€Å"I have formed a resolution to have no bailiff at all†. Bathsheba’s confidence continues to be shown with her decision to pay the workers herself in chapter ten. Bathsheba has a lot of confidence in herself. â€Å"In short I shall astonish you all†. This is said shortly after her decision to have no bailiff when she is convincing the staff that she can manage. The speech shows her self-confidence shining and her belief in her own ability. Towards the end of the novel we see her find an even balance between the overconfidence which she showed through the beginning of the novel which made her appear full of herself, compared with when she had little or no confidence and relied on Frank Troy, to finally become a person who can cope on her own but realises she cannot do everything to the best of her ability without assistance. Before we see her lose her self confidence she shows she believes in herself by going to the Corn Market, making her the only woman present. One thing bothers Bathsheba; the fact that Boldwood is the only person who does not take notice of her. This lack of attention shows us how she craves to be the centre of attention; you could even go as far as calling her an attention seeker. She will do silly antics in an attempt to attract people’s attention. For example the Valentine’s Day card. Bathsheba tries to make herself popular with everyone especially men; this seems to be her biggest desire. In chapter thirteen she mischievously sends a Valentine card to Boldwood to attract his attention. This starts Bathsheba’s change. She wants people to notice her and does not sit around waiting she takes action for herself. The sending of the Valentines card shows her vain characteristic. A big characteristic she shows throughout is impulsiveness, she does things without thinking. The Valentine’s Day card is an example of this; another example of this earlier in the book is when she chases Gabriel Oak after he had been wrongly informed that many men wanted her hand in marriage; though she did not want to accept his proposal. She did not think that her actions would show this until after the conversation her and Gabriel had. Many of her actions are on impulse she doesn’t think things through first. Later on however she takes time to think about Fanny’s grave and she decides to clean it up and replant the bulbs on it. This also shows she can be selfless. When Gabriel gives her advice early in the novel she decides she doesn’t like what he has to say. She sacks him whilst she was angry and acting highly impulsively. This demonstrates how she doesn’t want to face the truth even though she values his opinion; later in the novel after the â€Å"drowning† of Frank Troy she relents asking him for his thoughts. Boldwood’s Christmas party. (2017, Oct 01). We have essays on the following topics that may be of interest to you

Analysis of the Department of Homeland Security Research Paper

Analysis of the Department of Homeland Security - Research Paper Example On November, 25 2002, the DHS was established fully after the enactment of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (Reddick, 2010). The responsibilities of DHS today basically revolve around the security of the country. Securing the borders is therefore one primary role of the department and this has led to close to one million deportations of illegal immigrants per year. In addition, thousands of illegal immigrants are also deterred from crossing the borders into the country. The department also facilitates legal immigration and provides guidance to various organizations in the field concerning issues of employment in order to address illegal immigration. With respect to natural disasters, the department seeks to ensure that the country is always ready to assist communities at all stages in the event of a disaster (Logan, 2010). Organizational Design The current design of the DHS is created to ensure the best service delivery and limit any challenges that might arise as a result of a poor structure. Like other departments in the country, DHS is headed by a secretary in this case the Secretary of Homeland Security. The Secretary is appointed by the President with the approval of the Senate. Second in line is the Deputy Secretary with several Under Secretaries and Assistant Secretaries within different sections of the Department. Currently, DHS has a number of component agencies and divisions charged with different functions. The agencies include: Customs and Border Protection Transportation Security administration Citizenship and Immigration Services Immigration and Customs Enforcement United States Coast Guard Federal Emergency Management Agency United States Secret Service In addition, the Department is further divided into nine divisions. Considering the objectives of the DHS, it is imperative to note that its structure is certainly appropriate in ensuring its core mandate. For instance to enhance the formulation of policies within the department, there is an Unde rsecretary for Policy who is charged with the duty of strengthening this important role. The structure of the organization is much â€Å"flatter† and this is a source of empowerment as agencies with overlapping missions are consolidated while the agencies can directly report to the secretary through the Deputy Secretary (Cackley, 2010). Considering that the primary recipients of the department’s services are the people of the United States, there is a lot of rationalization through the creation of a risk-based mechanism for resource allocation which is effective in responding to catastrophic terrorism. Assessment of Organizational Design In order to ensure better service delivery and address most of the challenges realized in these changing situations, it is important for the department to adopt slight modifications in its present organizational design. Presently, there is little clarity on the subject of bio-defense and cyber-defense despite these two issues becoming a major concern across the world. In line with the department’s commitment to rationalize its activities, there should be an improvement in departmental oversight through the establishment of efficient oversight committees within the department. It is further seen that the department lacks an efficient internal review mechanism to evaluate

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

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

Casestudy Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Casestudy - Case Study Example IAS 16 requires that the recognition principle is applied to all property, plant and equipment costs only at their occurrence. Amongst other things, the costs include the initial costs incurred for either the acquisition or the construction of an item of property plant and equipment and the subsequent costs that are incurred for replacement of parts or service. There exists two types of accounting models under IAS 16. These include the cost model and the revaluation model (International Accounting Standards Board, 2006). While the cost model requires that assets are assessed at costs that are less than the accumulated depreciation and the impairment, the revaluation model requires that the assets be recorded at a revaluated amount hence making its fair value at the date of revaluation less the subsequent depreciation and impairment only with provisions that the fair value can be measured with much reliability. The company that we will be taking into consideration is ING Group N.V., a global financial services firm that is based in the Netherlands (ING Group, 2012). The company applies critical accounting policies that the management believes are not only important to the portrayal of the organizations financial condition and results, but that is also require the most difficult, subjective and complex judgement mainly resulting from the need to make estimations about the various effects of matter and that are also inherently uncertain. Key to note is the fact that various judgements and uncertainties that affect the application of the policies which may result reporting of different amounts that are significantly material under the various different conditions or through the use of different assumptions. The company considers financial reporting and disclosure practice and employs the use of accounting policies quarterly in a bid to ensure there is not only accuracy in the reported information that is not only relative to the prevailing economic conditions, but also the business environment. The company’s property, plant and equipment are reported at a cost that is less the accumulated depreciation. The depreciation realized on property, plant and equipment including even the assets under capital is computed on the straight line method over the estimated useful lives which in most cases range between 30 to 40 years in the case of buildings and 2 to 15 years in the case for equipment (ING Group, 2012). The company immortalizes leasehold improvements over the shorter of the leaseholds estimated useful lives or the related lease life that is mostly not less than 10 years. In the instances where the leases have the options of renewable periods, the company employs the use of original lease term that excludes renewal option periods aimed at determining the estimated useful lives. In instances where a failure to exercise a renewal option results into imposition of an economic penalty to the company, the company may determine at the incept ion of the lease about its renewal being reasonably assured and may include the inclusion of the renewal option period in the determination of the various appropriate estimated useful

English Country House Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

English Country House - Essay Example This essay discusses that people build English Country Houses for spending time in a country side, away from the chaos of city life and its hassles. However, making enormous investments on such mansions, and incurring hefty expenditures on their maintenance, also has a sociological purpose. Owing such houses elevates the social status of the investor and offers that person an aura of belonging to a certain class. The architectural splendour and lush landscapes, coupled with their historical significance make country houses the most popular asset in English society. People cherish such mansions as priced possessions also because of their value in terms of social and environmental aspects. Due to these characteristics, in people consider a country house as an ideal place for spending vacations and getting relaxation from the monotony of their daily routine. However, since the cost towards purchase and maintenance of such houses is exponential, only the highly rich and elite, or people in the higher echelons of power are able to afford such mansions. A large house or mansion having great architectural merit in English country side is commonly known as English Country House, and some people also mention it as stately home. The very purpose of the house is to spend time in a country area without any botheration of city life headaches and to enjoy life. The country houses are known for their architectural, historical, landscapes, social and environmental aspects. In fact a Country House is a spot where you can relax and spend your vacation. ... â€Å"As Mark Girouard points out in his anthology  A Country House Companion, there's a mythology surrounding English country houses that extols them as "magical places" and their owners as wise custodians who tend the land, look after their tenants and servants, devote their lives to public service, fill their galleries with beautiful pictures and their libraries with rare books, and are unfailingly hospitable to friends and guests† (Morrison, 2011). The decline of English Country Houses starts with the rise of taxation, agricultural depression, and financial shortfalls in maintaining such huge houses, and the vast area involved as well. Due to there issues, most of such historical houses have been transferred to private trust, national museums or local museums. Some of the houses are now running the show by giving it on rental for short period activities such as wedding, civil ceremonies, film shooting, and as corporate entertainment venue. The survival of such houses is in jeopardy. Ever since the inception of high rise buildings in cities, and the influx of villagers to cities, and the consequent demand for accommodation in big cities, public interest has been growing in exploring the social values of English country houses. The status they give to the owners, the lifestyle, and also the identity of such houses attracts public attention. With new trends in architectural style and interior designing, the grand old country houses had lagged behind in attracting customers or tourists until a few years ago. Recently there is a reverse trend in the public minds concerning the serenity, charm, prestige and splendor involved in owning a country house or in staying there. Though they are modeled on the 18th and 19th century architectural style, people have an eye on them.

Logistics and Supply Chain Management Case Study

Logistics and Supply Chain Management - Case Study Example This discussion stresses that a supply chain may not be used to only cut costs. Instead, it could also be used to increase revenues and hence profits. The costs could still remain the same. It gives an organization a competitive advantage against its competitors. It does not allow any sale to be lost. When the customer wants something, an effective supply chain would ensure that it is available. This increases the customer’s interest in the company and encourages brand loyalty. It also helps keep a close contact with the suppliers which ensures that maximum advantage can be gained out of doing business with them.This paper highlights that Zara is one of the largest brands, by the Inditex Fashion Retail Group, that has 723 stores in 56 countries making sales of Euro 3.8 billion. Zara has a very high product turnover. It makes more than 11,000 products annually. The annual report of Zara (Inditex) for the fiscal year 2006 covers all activities from February 2006 to January 2007. Zara opened 138 new stores during the past year, increasing its selling area by 15%. The sales were an increase of 21% at Euro 5,352 million. It earned net profit of Euro 1 billion an increase of 25%, was in contrast to last year’s profit. The sales in Europe, with exception to Spain, were 40.6% of the total. After considering all this impressive data and the number of shops, it is clear why a widespread company like Zara needs a supply chain which is efficient.... When the customer wants something, an effective supply chain would ensure that it is available. This increases the customer's interest in the company and encourages brand loyalty. It also helps keep a close contact with the suppliers which ensures that maximum advantage can be gained out of doing business with them. Zara is one of the largest brands, by the Inditex Fashion Retail Group, that has 723 stores in 56 countries making sales of Euro 3.8 billion (India Supply Chain Council, 2006). Zara has a very high product turnover. It makes more than 11,000 products annually. The annual report of Zara (Inditex) for the fiscal year 2006 covers all activities from February 2006 to January 2007. Zara opened 138 new stores during the past year, increasing its selling area by 15%. The sales were an increase of 21% at Euro 5,352 million. It earned net profit of Euro 1 billion (Safe G., 2007) an increase of 25%, was in contrast to last year's profit. The sales in Europe, with exception to Spain, were 40.6% of the total. (Inditex Annual Report, 2007) After considering all this impressive data and the number of shops, it is clear why a widespread company like Zara needs a supply chain which is efficient. Zara's fashion is based on imitation; it copies designs from the catwalk and other spots and brings them to their customers at low prices in as little as a couple of weeks. Since this is all the time that is given to them, the whole process of designing, ordering, producing and delivering the clothes to the stores must be quick and timely. If this is not done, Zara will not have enough new items to bring to the shelves (which is its technique) every two weeks. Since Zara does not advertise, this is the only way it can attract customers. When the

USING CHEMICALS IN TERRORIST ATTACKS AND ON THE BATTLE FIELD Coursework

USING CHEMICALS IN TERRORIST ATTACKS AND ON THE BATTLE FIELD - Coursework Example Since its inception in 2003 by the Congress, the Department of Homeland Security (in conjunction with The National Academies) has been instrumental in educating the masses and the media about various attacks associated with Bioterrorism. They have provided information concerning the characteristics, effects and dangers associated with Biochemical attacks. This information has gone through thorough evaluation process by experts at the National Academies to ensure that they are authentic. (Department of Homeland Security, 2003) Chemical attack fact sheet. With such information at their disposal, the general public can act without panic until professional help is sought. The reason why the Sarin Gas attack was catastrophic was because of panic and general confusion among people and professionals, making it easier for the terrorists to strike again resulting in more havoc. Since it is the public which is always targeted by these extremist groups, then it would make sense to educate them on how to respond to such a situation. Furthermore, there have been tremendous developments in the health sector to ensure that American citizens are catered for. There have been massive improvements in surveillance of diseases, storing of pharmaceuticals for emergencies and training of medical practitioners how to respond to such emergencies and how to identify the victims affected. (LM Davis, 2010) Are local health responders ready for biological and chemical terrorism? Despite these weapons being extremely dangerous, USA and the former USSR were busy stockpiling chemical weapons. During the First World War, Russia was shocked to learn that the US had atomic bombs that were far much superior to their armory; this prompted them to carry out extensive research in chemical warfare. As the tension between the two countries grew stronger, the US was forced to stockpile and manufacture as precautionary measure in case of an attack and also to outdo its opponent. The US and Russian

Why Is Gatsby so Memorable to the Reader Essay Example for Free

Why Is Gatsby so Memorable to the Reader Essay The Great Gatsby was first published in 1925 and was one of Fitzgerald’s most well-known novels. Many aspects of this book caused this mass popularity, however the main reasons are his use of romantic modernism and most importantly, his portrayal of the different character. The different portrayals of the characters across Long island manipulate the reader’s opinion. One of the most famous examples for this is Gatsby. Gatsby is a very memorable character for many different reasons, such as the portrayal of him by Nick, his mannerisms, his reactions and doings. Each of these reasons helps him become memorable, however another important aspect of this memorability is the effects the Fitzgerald uses, romantic modernism, imagery, atmosphere, descriptions. One reason why Gatsby is memorable to the reader is because of Gatsby’s role as an exception in Nick’s, the narrator of this story, newly formed opinion on the people in Long Island. While Nick has a strong negative reaction to his experiences in New York and eventually returns to the Midwest in search of a less morally ambiguous environment, even during his initial phase of disgust, Gatsby stands out for him as an exception. Nick admires Gatsby highly, despite the fact that Gatsby represents everything Nick scorns about New York as he merges n with the crowd of West Egg, ostentation, garishness and flashy mannerisms, Gatsby clearly poses a challenge to Nick’s customary ways of thinking about the world, and Nick’s struggle to come to terms with that challenge inflects everything in the novel. One example of this is; ‘ â€Å"I wouldn’t ask too much of her,† I ventured. â€Å"You can’t repeat the past. † â€Å"Can’t repeat the past? † he cried incredulously. Why of course you can! † ‘ This quote shows us how motivated and dedicated Gatsby is to relive the past, with his ‘lover’ Daisy. His undying, untameable passion for her is constantly emphasised throughout the book. However, the most unusual feature of this affair, in comparison to the other various affairs of characters is that Gatsby wants to relive the past. Althoug h his ideas and morals highlight everything that Nick’s contradict, he still always has a sense of dedication towards Gatsby, such as being the only person at Gatsby’s funeral. Nick’s attitudes toward Gatsby and Gatsby’s story are ambivalent and contradictory. At times he seems to disapprove of Gatsby’s excesses and breaches of manners and ethics, but he also romanticizes and admires Gatsby, describing the events of the novel in a nostalgic and elegiac tone. This opinion formed by the narrator of this story now means that Gatsby is more memorable because of the sometimes contradictory opinions on his character but also because of the narrator’s reaction to Gatsby. A second reason why Gatsby is memorable to the readers is because of the use of mystery and withheld information throughout the beginning aspects of the book. This mystery is initially triggered when the readers first see Gatsby. ‘He gave a sudden intimation that he was content to be alone — he stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way, and, far as I was from him, I could have sworn he was trembling. Involuntarily I glanced seaward — and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far away, that might have been the end of a dock. When I looked once more for Gatsby he had vanished, and I was alone again in the unquiet darkness’ In this extract Gatsby is initially portrayed as a very mysterious and enigmatic character and interestingly stands in stark contrast to the other denizens of West Egg. Although Nick is unsure of this green light’s origin or even what significance it represents for Gatsby, the inner yearning which is visible to Nick, mainly because of Gatsby’s posture and emotional surrender to this green light makes him seem the opposite of the previous surrounding, the sarcastic Ivy League set at the Buchanans’. Gatsby is a mysterious figure for Nick, since Nick knows neither his motives, nor the source of his wealth, nor his history, and the object of his yearning remains as remote and nebulous as the green light toward which he reaches. This imagery creates a tense atmosphere for the readers initial perception This use of mystery surrounding Gatsby helps him to become more memorable because he is the character who leads the reader’s curiosity and is always indirectly at the center of everything. This helps Gatsby become more memorable by the use of withheld information and mystery. Fitzgerald delays the introduction of most of this information until quite late in the novel. Gatsby’s reputation precedes him—Gatsby himself does not appear in a speaking role until Chapter three. Fitzgerald initially presents Gatsby as the aloof, enigmatic host of the unbelievably lavish parties thrown every week at his mansion. He appears surrounded by spectacular luxury, courted by powerful men and beautiful women. He is the subject of gossip throughout New York and is already a legendary celebrity before he is ever introduced to the reader. Fitzgerald propels the novel forward through the early chapters by shrouding Gatsby’s background and the source of his wealth in mystery. As a result, the reader’s first, distant impressions of Gatsby strike quite a different note from that of the lovesick, naive young man who emerges through the later part of the novel. This also helps him to be more memorable. An alternative reason why Gatsby is memorable is his effect on other characters, although he is a stark contrast in many ways, this helps the audience to warm to him. Some of the defining characteristics of Gatsby are his theatrical quality as a character and also his charisma. Chapter three is when Fitzgerald creates a close examination on Gatsby and allows the reader to form an opinion alone. ‘He had one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life. It faced, or seemed to face, the whole external world for an instant and then concentrated on you with an irresistible prejudice in your favor. It understood you just as far as you wanted to be understood, believed in you as you would like to believe in yourself. ’ This description of Gatsby’s smile captures both the theatrical quality of Gatsby’s character and his charisma effectively within its essence. Additionally, it encapsulates the manner in which Gatsby appears to the outside world, an image Fitzgerald slowly deconstructs as the novel progresses toward Gatsby’s death in Chapter eight. One of the main facets of Gatsby’s persona is that he acts out a role that he defined for himself when he was seventeen years old. His smile seems to be both an important part of the role and a result of the singular combination of hope and imagination that enables him to play it so effectively. Here, Nick describes Gatsby’s rare focus—he has the ability to make anyone he smiles at feel as though he has chosen that person out of â€Å"the whole external world,† reflecting that person’s most optimistic conception of him- or herself. This synecdoche of Gatsby’s smile also makes the reader remember Gatsby a lot more than they may not have done as it represents his whole character as an unusual but yet enigmatic person. Another reason why Gatsby is memorable to the reader is because of the various comparisons and parallels drawn between other famous characters in stories. These are effective because they help the reader to further challenge their initial opinion on Gatsby but in an unusual, unfamiliar manner. ‘The truth was that Jay Gatsby, of West Egg, Long Island, sprang from his Platonic conception of himself. He was a son of God—a phrase which, if it means anything, means just that—and he must be about His Father’s business, the service of a vast, vulgar, and meretricious beauty. So he invented just the sort of Jay Gatsby that a seventeen year old boy would be likely to invent, and to this conception he was faithful to the end. ’ In Chapter six, when Nick finally describes Gatsby’s early history, he uses this striking comparison between Gatsby and Jesus Christ to illuminate Gatsby’s creation of his own identity. Fitzgerald was influenced in drawing this parallel by a nineteenth-century book entitled The Life of Jesus. This book presents Jesus as a figure who essentially decided to make himself the son of God, then brought himself to ruin by refusing to recognize the reality that denied his self-conception. Renan describes a Jesus who is â€Å"faithful to his self-created dream but scornful of the factual truth that finally crushes him and his dream†Ã¢â‚¬â€a very appropriate description of Gatsby. Fitzgerald’s devising of this metaphor allows Gatsby to be compared more thoroughly and also provides an association to the other characters throughout the rest of the book. Though the parallel between Gatsby and Jesus is not an important motif in The Great Gatsby, it is nonetheless a suggestive comparison, as Gatsby transforms himself into the ideal that he envisioned for himself (a Platonic conception of himself) as a youngster and remains committed to that ideal, despite the obstacles that society presents to the fulfillment of his dream, such as the fact that Gatsby wants to repeat the past but the situation has changed completely. The final reason why Gatsby is so memorable is his impact throughout the novel. An initial factor of his memorability is that the book is called ‘The Great Gatsby’. Before the readers have even heard of this character they already start to question various aspects of him. However, the biggest impact he had was the dedication he created within Nick for him. ‘Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter—tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther. . . . And then one fine morning— So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past’ These words conclude the novel and find Nick returning to the theme of the significance of the past to dreams of the future, here represented by the green light. He focuses on the struggle of human beings to achieve their goals by both transcending and re-creating the past. Yet humans prove themselves unable to move beyond the past: in the metaphoric language used here, the current draws them backward as they row forward toward the green light. This past functions as the source of their ideas about the future, epitomized by Gatsby’s desire to re-create 1917 in his affair with Daisy, and they cannot escape it as they continue to struggle to transform their dreams into reality. While they never lose their optimism, â€Å"tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther . . . , they expend all of their energy in pursuit of a goal that moves ever farther away. This apt metaphor characterizes both Gatsby’s struggle and the American dream itself. Nick’s words register neither blind approval nor cynical disillusionment but rather the respectful melancholy that he ultimately brings to his study of Gatsby’s life. Therefore overall Gatsby is a memorable character mainly because of his portrayal by Nick and Fitzgerald’s use of imagery to be described. Throughout, Gatsby changes the atmosphere and always clings to the mind of the reader.

Mechanisms of the Immune System: An Overview

Mechanisms of the Immune System: An Overview When the human body is attacked by microbes or pathogens, it defends itself using certain mechanisms. There are two types of mechanisms one which is non-specific and the other which is specific to the attack. The non-specific mechanism is similar no matter what attacks the body and is again sub divided into external and internal defences. The first line of defences The bodys first line of defense against pathogens is mostly physical. It involves sweat, skin, tears, mucus and stomach acid. Our skin and mucous membraneswhich line the body passages, are fairly effective in keeping most pathogens out of the body. They act like a protective barrier, defending against viral and bacterial invaders. The skin cannot be penetrated by bacteria or viruses under normal conditions. It has a pH range of 3-5 which is acidic enough to prevent the growth of bacteria. The clotting of blood near open wounds prevents an open space for antigens to easily enter the organism by coagulating the blood, and Lysozymes are an enzyme found in tears and saliva that have powerful digestive capabilities, and can break down foreign agents to a harmless status before they enter the body. Mucus in the nose traps pathogens, which are then washed away or destroyed by chemicals. The respiratory tract also has its own line of defense. Invading microbes and debris are trapped in layers of mucous or they are filtered by tiny hair like structures called cilia. The cilia move in waves, sweeping the debris towards the entrance where they can be extracted through coughing or sneezing, so dont hold your sneezes in!AndCorrosive acids in the stomach and protein digesting enzymes destroy most of the invading organisms carried in by food. The first line makes a very powerful line of defence, but sometimes intruders can find their way past this wall. Thankfully we have a second line on the inside! The second line of defence The second line of defence is immobilized when invaders enter in the body. A nonspecific internal defence mechanism is the process of phagocytosis; the ingestion of invading bacteria by certain blood cells. There are many phagocytic responses used in the body. When foreign particles penetrate the skin; like in cases of injury, certain leukocytes known as monocytes move to the blood tissues where they develop into eaters called macrophages. Using pseudopods, the macrophages engulf and destroy the bacteria with their enzymes. Another phagocytic response: white blood cells. Neutrophils are attracted to chemical signals sent off by cells that have been damaged by microbes. In the process of called chemotaxis, neutrophils move towards infected tissue. The neutrophils then engulf the microbe and release lysosomal enzymes that digest both the microbe and the leukocyte. The remaining fragments of protein, dead white blood and digested remainder are called pus. Tissue damage which is caused by physical damage also initiates an inflammatory response. An inflammatory response is a non-specific immune response which results in swelling, redness, heat and pain. Pus and inflammation are signs that the second line of defence is at work. That is how your body responds to a small localized injury. The body can also respond to severe injuries with a system-wide defence. Injured cells emit chemicals that simulate the production of phagocytic white blood cells and increase their release into the bloodstream. Bone marrow, the source of all blood cells is found in the inner spongy part of the upper leg bone, upper arm bone, breastbone and shoulder blades. A fever is a good example of the bodys system-wide response to infections. When infectious organisms spread through the body like in cold or flu, neutrophils and macrophages digest the invaders and release chemicals into the bloodstream. These chemicals cause your body to reset its thermostat to a higher temperature such as 40 degrees Celsius. These conditions in the body make it difficult for the harmful bacteria to survive; so essentially, the fever helps you recover. People often take medication like aspirin to reduce fever; this however may actually prolong the infection. If the temperature is above 40 degrees Celsius however, it can be unsafe. Keep in mind human cells themselves cannot survive over 43 degrees Celsius. THE IMMUNE SYSTEM The immune system is made up of cells, protein, tissues and organs. It defends us from germs and bacteria every day. The immune system is usually very successful but sometimes when there is a problem we can get infections and illnesses. About the Immune System The immune system is the bodys defense against infectious organisms and other invaders. Through a series of steps called the immune response, the immune system attacks organisms that invade body systems and cause disease. The immune system is made up of a network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to protect the body. The cells involved are white blood cells called leukocytes. Leukocytes are large opaque blood cells that engulf invading microbes and produce antibodies.They combine to seek out and destroy disease-causing organisms or substances. All leukocytes are produced in bone marrow. There are approximately 6,000,000,000 leukocytes in the human body. They are rather colorless because they dont contain hemoglobin which makes red bloodcells red. They have a life expectancy of 2-3 days and therefore the body is constanlty making large amounts of leukocytes all the time. Picture this: there is half a million white blood cells per very drop of blood! Leukocytes are produced or stored in many locations in the body, including the thymus, spleen, and bone marrow. This is why they are called the lymphoid organs. Leukocytes are also located in clumps of lymphoid tissue all around the body. They have asymetrical shapes which can change enabling them to get around all obstacles. The leukocytes circulate all around the body between the organs and nodes through the lymphatic vessels and the blood vessels. By doing so, the immune system works in a coordinated way to constantly monitor the body for germs or substances that might cause problems. There are 2 basic types of Leukocytes: They are phagocytes and lymphocytes. Phagocytes are cells that chew up invading organisms and lymphocytes are cells that allow the body to remember and recognize previous invaders and help the body destroy them. There are different types of phagocytes. The most common type is the neutrophil, it primarily fights bacteria. They are the most common type of white blood cell, neutrophils make up 50-70% of white blood cells in the body. They are the first to arrive at infected areasand kill intruders by ingestion. This process is called chemotaxis. Once the pathogen is swallowed the neutrophil dies. The process of neutrophils killing bacteria involves them releasing a net of fibers which traps the cell. This is called neutrophil extracellular trap (N.E.T). Some people have neutrophil difficiencies and as you can imagine it leads to severe problems and a compromised immune system. Other types of phagocytes are besophils, Eosinophils, Monocytes and Macrophages. Besophils are very rare in the body, they make up less than 1% of white blood cells. They d not do much as a result and simply help respond to infections. Eosinophils help ingulf parasites and discharge destructive enzymes to damage invading cells. They also kill parasitic eggs and worms. Monocytes are also very rare in the body, the less monocytes in the body the better. They replenish Macrophages and also help against infection. Finally we have Macrophages. They are cells that eat invaders and are involved in primary and innate immun response. For example they can be found in the lungs where they clean foreign debirs so they do not cause any problems. They usually remain stationed at specific posts in the body where foreign materials often enter. Anything that passes by the macrophages is scanned and if something is suspicious they engluf it. Once englufed the macrophage cereates an enzyme that neutral izes the invader so it becomes harmless and connot replicate and they preserve the antigen so that in the future it can be recognized and dealt with faster. The two kinds of lymphocytes are B lymphocytes and T lymphocytes. Lymphocytes start out in the bone marrow and from there they either stay and mature into B cells or they leave for the thymus gland, where they mature into T cells. B lymphocytes and T lymphocytes have different functions. B lymphocytes are like the bodys military intelligence system, they seek out their targets and send defenses to lock onto them and track them down. T cells on the other hand are like the soldiers, destroying the invaders that the intelligence systems (B cells) have identified. Antibodies are very specific Y-shaped proteins. For example an antibody produced against the influenza virus is not effective against HIV. These Y-shaped tails of the proteins are very similar, no matter which type of anti-body. Variation may only be produced in the outer edge of each arm, the area where the anti-body combines with the antigen. Antigen markers are different depending on the virus, for example the antigen marker of the influenza virus is different from that of the HIV virus. Each antigen is accompanied by its own antibody, shape wise. The markers of an antigen are located on the membrane of the virus or bacterium. After each attachment of an antibody, the antibody-antigen combination makes it more conspicuous, making it easy to be destroyed by wandering microphage. Antibodies prevent poisons and toxins from destroying cells with receptor sites, found on different cells. This might explain why some poisons affect the nervous system, while others affect digestive or circulatory systems. This receptor site is designed to hold either a hormone or a specific nutrient. Specialized geometrical structures allow toxins and poisons to become attached to the receptor sites on cell membranes. After bring attached, the poison is ingested by the cell, which the receptor site mistakes for hormones or nutrients, absorbing the poison. Antibodies then interfere with the poison so that the structure created is not recognized by the receptor cell. Receptor sites are also used by viruses as entry ports. As the virus injects its hereditary material into the cell, it leaves an outer protein coat in the entry port. The outer coat allows the virus to rest in different locations. For example the cold virus has the geometrical shape to allow it to attach the lung cells. How the Body Recognizes Harmful Antigens As the T-cell scouts, it looks for foreign bodies posing a threat to its survival. The macrophages then attack the invader, engulfing it. As the macrophage presses the antigen into its cell membrane, it couples with the T-cell, also known as a helper T-cell. The T-cell then reads the shape of the antigen and releases a chemical messenger called lymphokine. The B-cells divide into clones because of the lymphokine. A second message is then sent from the helper T-cell to the B-cell, allowing the production of antibodies. A specific type of antibody is produced by each B-cell. Antibodies are attached to their cell membranes by the time the B-cells enter the circulatory system. The Killer T-cell is an activated additional defender if the helper T-cell. These lymphokines go out for one purpose, which is to destroy. After being activated, the killer T-cells puncture through the cell membrane of the invader, which may differ from a protozoan parasite to a bacterium. Viruses are very different from the rest, as they hide within the structure of the cell. As the viral coat is found attached to the cell`s membrane, the T-cell attacks the infected cell. Killing the infected cell prevents the reproduction of the virus. Mutated cells are also destroyed by Killer T-cells. This process is extremely important as some of the altered cells may be cancerous. Getting cancerous virus or not depends on the success of the Killer T-cell. The bodys` rejection of organ transplants depend on Killer T-cells. Antigen markers on the organ will be recognized as foreign, sending the Killer T-cells in. Immunosuppressant drugs such as cyclosporine can slow down the Killer T cells. After the battle is done, and won, a different type of T-cell, the suppressor T-cell, signals the immune system to shut down. Communication between Suppressor T-cells and Helper T-cells is vital, allowing the immune system to know how many antibodies to produce to contain the antigens. Phagocytes clean the area, removing the dead and injured cells, and tissue begins to repair and replace. As previously mentioned, helper T-cells must read a blue print of the invader before the B-cells can produce antibodies. This information is stored so that later infections can be destroyed before the microbe can cause any harm. Immunity is based on maintaining a good number of antibodies. Its believed that memory-B cells are generated during the infection to hold an imprint of the antigen or antigens that characterize the invader. Most b and t cells produced die off within a few days; but memory B-cells remain. It can identify the enemy and quickly mobilize antibody-producing B-cells to defeat invading pathogens before they can establish themselves. As long as the memory B-cell survives, a person is immune to the disease, which is why a person cannot catch chicken pox more than once. Proteins also play a role in the bodys line of defence. When foreign organisms are present in the body, antimicrobial plasma proteins called complement proteins are activated. There are about 20 known types of complement proteins. Under normal conditions these proteins are inactive. When invading microbes trigger them however they in turn work as messengers. The complement proteins gather and initiate an attack on the cell membranes of the foreign organism. The proteins will then form a protective coating around the invader; this seals the invading cell immobilizing it. A second group punctures the cell membrane, this causes water to rush in and burst the cell. The tiny microbes become less soluble and more susceptible to phagocytes by leukocytes. All of these specialized cells are parts of the immune response system that offer the body protection against disease. This protection is called immunity. The Several Types of Immunity Innate Immunity Innate immunity is often called natural immunity, everyone is born with it, it is a general protection. It refers to basic resistance to germs or diseases that other species possess. For example, if a human has HIV their dog wont get HIV because it has innate immunity to that disease. Innate immunity works in both ways something that makes us sick wont get another species sick and something that gets another species sick wont get us sick. The Responses in innate immunity are Broad and non specific. The molecules used have a limited repertoire of recognition. It is a first line of defense. Innate immunity includes the external barriers of the body, like the skin and mucous membranes, which are the first line of defense in preventing diseases from entering the body. If this outer defensive wall is broken, the skin attempts to heal quickly and the second line of defence becomes involved. Adaptive Immunity The second kind of protection is adaptive/active immunity, it develops throughout our lives. Adaptive immunity involves the lymphocytes and develops as people are exposed to diseases or immunized against diseases through vaccination. With all kinds of diseases constantly exposed we adapt out bodies by taking vaccinations to become immune to them. Passive Immunity Passive immunity isan immunity borrowed externally from another source and it is temporary. For example, antibodies in a mothers breast milk provide the baby with temporary immunity to diseases. This helps protect the baby against infections during childhood when the babys body is still in early stages of development and not very strong. Everyones immune system is different. Some people never seem to get infections,while others seem to be sick all the time. As we grow older, we gradually become more immune to more germs as our immune system comes into contact with more and more of them. Matching tissues for organ transplant The main challenge is the immune response of the recipient- their immune systems ability to distinguish between self and non-self. The donor organ is often identified as an invader by distinct markers on its cell membrane, MHC or Major histocompatibility complex. MHC is a protein fingerprint unique to each person so the recipient will make antibodies to destroy what it thinks is a foreign invader. To reduce rejections, attempts are made to match donor MHC with that of the recipient as closely as possible. For living donor transplants, physicians usually look to close relatives because the MHC is genetically controlled. The better the match, the greater the chances of long term success. To help reduce rejection factor in deceased donor transplants, (because deceased donor transplants cannot usually have as close of an MHC as relatives) immunosuppressant drugs can be given, but it will also reduce the immune systems ability to fight off invading viruses and bacteria; placing these patients at risk of infections. Malfunctions of the immune system: Abnormal functions of the immune system can give rise to two types of problems: immune deficiency diseases and inappropriate attacks of the immune system against nonthreatening agents. Immune deficiency diseases may be caused by a foreign agent, such as the HIV virus which attacks t-cells, or a hereditary condition such as the severe combined immune deficiency SCID. Inappropriate or exaggerated immune response can also create problems. Hypersensitivity or response is where the immune system attacks normal cells in ones own body, which can destroy tissues and organs. Allergies Allergies occur when the immune system mistakes harmless cells for harmful invaders. If youre allergic to peanuts, your body recognizes one of its proteins as dangerous. Although its safe, your body immobilizes the antibody strike force against it. Increased tissue swelling, mucous secretion, and sometimes constricted air passages are all part of the immune response. Dust, ragweed and strawberries, do not pose any threat to life but the immune response can be so severe that it becomes life threatening. A sever food allergy is called an anaphylactic reaction which involves the respiratory and circulatory systems accompanied by hives, itching and swelling. When you eat a food to which youre allergic, the cells that believe they are in danger release histamine. It changes the cells of the capillaries, increasing permeability. The enlarged capillary causes the area to redden. White blood cells leave the capillary in search for the invader altering osmotic pressure. Proteins in extracellu lar fluids create another osmotic force to oppose it. Anaphylactic shock can occur very quickly and weakness, sweating and difficulty breathing indicate the condition. Medial precautions include carrying a kit with adrenaline (Epipen). Autoimmune Disease The immune system can make mistakes and launch an attack on the bodys own cells. Mutated T and B cells are capable of attacking the body but are usually held in check be suppressor T cells. The failure of suppressor T cells can cause diseases such as arthritis and rheumatic fever, all of which can scar the heart muscle. Drugs and serious infections can weaken suppressor T cells leaving the body vulnerable to autoimmune disease. The number of suppressor T cells also declines with age, and this explains the commonness of arthritis in the elderly. Stem cell research: The answer for replacing damaged tissues may lie in stem cell research rather than transplantation. Stem cells can differentiate and develop into a variety of different tissues such as epithelial tissue, muscle tissue or nerve tissue. Stem cells in the skin continuously replace cells that are sloughed off, give rise to a wide range of blood cells that protect against foreign invaders and identify human cells that have mutated, such as cancer cells. Stem cells are pluripotent cells that can give rise to different types of body cells. Precast Concrete: Advantages and Disadvantages Precast Concrete: Advantages and Disadvantages Jump to: Advantages of Precast Concrete Construction  | Disadvantages of Precast Concrete Construction 1.1 Introduction Precast concrete is a form of construction, where concrete is cast in a reusable mould or â€Å"form† which is then cured in a controlled environment, transported to the construction site and lifted into place. By producing precast concrete in a controlled environment (precast plant), the precast concrete is provides the opportunity to properly cure and be closely monitored by plant employees. There are many different types of precast concrete forming systems for architectural applications, differing in size, function and cost. The advantages of using precast concrete is the increased quality of the material, when formed in controlled conditions, and the reduced cost of constructing large forms used with concrete poured on site. It is used mainly in the construction of buildings with repetitive design and elements, such as schools and apartments. Every construction material system has its own characteristics which influence the layout, span length, construction depth, stability system, etc. This is also the case for precast concrete. Not only in comparison to steel, wood, masonry structures, but also with respect to cast in-situ concrete. Precast concrete members may be solid or may contain hollow cores. Many precast components have thinner cross sections than cast in situ concrete. Precast concrete may be either normal or lightweight concrete. Theoretically, all joints between the precast units could be made in such a way that the completed precast structure has the same concept as a in-situ one. However, this is a wrong approach one, which is very labour intensive costly. If the full advantages of precast concrete are to be realized, the structure should be conceived according to its specific design philosophy: Long spans, appropriate stability concept, simple details,etc. Designers should from the very beginning of the project consider the possibilities, restrictions advantages of precast concrete, its details, manufacturer, transport, erection service stages before completing a design in precast concrete. Architectural precast concrete provides architects with an exciting medium when designing facades for a wide range of buildings, from healthcare facilities to shopping malls, commercial office buildings to sports stadiums. 1.2 History of IBS Concept of IBS in not new and can be traced back to as early 1624. In 1624, panellised timber houses were shipped from England to the new settlement in North America. In 1851 Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, London and 1889 Eiffel Tower, Paris are the well-known examples of buildings which uses the method of precast in constructing the structure of the building itself. 1.3 Precast building system Precast building system is divided into 3 main parts: Precast concrete frame Precast concrete wall Precast concrete floor 1.3.1 PRECAST CONCRETE FRAME Description Precast concrete frames involve an entire structure being fabricated off-site. In addition, structural components can be supplied for incorporation into a structure on-site. Frames can simultaneously achieve both structural and decorative design requirements. A variety of mixes, colours and finishes can be used too. The precast frame is composed of precast column and beam. Process Precast concrete frames are cast in the same way as precast concrete cladding, but as they are designed as structural elements they have heavier reinforcement than required for non-structural cladding. Elegant connections are required between columns and beams to transfer considerable forces without affecting the visual appearance of the frame. 1.3.2 PRECAST CONCRETE WALL Description Many precast concrete walls are cast in a flat position at the building site. But they are still classified as precast, not sitecast. When the concrete is strong enough, the wall panels are lifted and placed in the desired positions for the building. This method is commonly known as tilt-up construction. Today such walls are lifted and placed with cranes, so that casting can make repeated use of single forms. Some wall units are cast in factories, where the form, quality of materials, and finishing can be more controlled. Because of their large size and weight, these walls cannot be transported to long distance from the factory. Thus, their use is limited to a short distance from the precast factory. Precast units for roof and floor structures are usually prestressed. However, precast wall units are usually conventionally reinforced with inert steel bars. Precast wall are used for internal external walls, lift shafts, central cores etc. Precast wall systems are mostly used in domestic construction, both for individual housing for apartments. The solution can be considered as the industrialized from of cast in-situ walls or classical brick or block masonry walls. 1.3.3 PRECAST CONCRETE FLOOR SLAB Precast concrete floor slab is the most fully standardized precast concrete elements. They are used for making floor and roof slabs. The principle advantages of precast floors are speed of construction, absence of scaffolding, large variety of types, large span capacity, economy. Precast floors can also be classified according to their manufacture into totally partially precast floors. Totally precast floors are composed of units, which are totally cast at the plant. After erection, the units are connected to the structure the longitudinal joints are grouted.In some cases a cast in-situ structural topping screed is added. Partially precast floors are composed of a precast part a cast in-situ part. Both parts are working together at the final stage to achieve the composite structural capacity. The main totally precast floor roof types are described hereafter. Pre cast hollow core slab Most widely used type of pre cast flooring highly efficient design and production 1.4 Advantages of Precast Concrete Construction Some of the advantages of using precast concrete construction are as follows: 1.4.1 Reduced Construction Time and Cost Precast concrete construction will save valuable time and helps to reduce the risk of project delay and possible monetary losses. Precast design and production of elements can be started while the construction site is under survey or earthworks. Production are also unaffected by weather conditions due to the controlled environment of the casting area. Also, the usage of large precast panels will reduce the time taken to complete the structural works. Therefore, other trades such as painting and electrical wiring can begin work sooner. In conventional construction method, time-consuming works such as formworks, scaffoldings and curing are needed to produce a structural element. In precast concrete construction method, structural elements are produced in manufacturing plants while other activities at the construction site proceed. When the structural elements are needed, they are immediately sent to the site and assembled continuously, forming the structural frame and enclosing the building. In precast concrete manufacturing plants, modern machineries are utilized with several technicians attending to certain production process. This greatly reduced the number of unskilled requirements. 1.4.2 High quality and aesthetical value of products Precast products are manufactured in a casting area where critical factors including temperature, mix design and stripping time can be closely checked and controlled; and this will ensure that the quality of precast products are better than cast-in-situ concrete. A huge sum of money will be saved by not having to do rectification works. Also due to factory-controlled prefabrication environment, many combinations of colours and textures can be applied easily to the architectural or structural pieces. A vast range of sizes and shapes of precast components can be produced, providing a great deal of flexibility and offer fresher looks to the structures. 1.4.3 Cleaner and safer construction sites Usage of precast elements eliminates or greatly reduces conventional formworks and props. Precast construction also lessens the problem of site wastages and the related environmental problems. The prefabricated products also provide a safe working platform for workers to work on. Workers and materials are also greatly reduced at the construction sites. Using Just-in-Time principles, the precast elements are kept at the factory yard until the site is ready for installation. Also, as elements are produced in the plant and mostly designed to be repetitive, minimal wastage will be experienced at both factory and construction sites. 1.4.4 Greater unobstructed span The usage of prestressed precast solutions such as the Hollow Core slabs and Double-T beams offer greater unobstructed span than the conventional reinforced concrete elements. Having lesser beams and columns, will provide larger open space. It is very ideal for the construction of places of worship, warehouses, halls, car parks, shops and offices. 1.4.5 Lower total construction costs All of the above simplify the construction processes and increase productivity, quality and safety. As a result, the total costs of construction are reduced. More often than not, most of the opponents of precast construction only use the costs of materials in comparing the in-situ and precast construction without realising that there are hidden costs to the traditional methods. Also a contributing factor to the low usage is the fact that Malaysia has always been able to source cheap labours from neighbouring countries. Therefore, the industry players are very reluctant to change to the new construction methods. As a result, the country is faced by problems of low quality, productivity and safety in the construction industry due to high dependency of manual labour. The country also suffers from the outflow of monies as well as social problems. If the labour supply experience sudden reduction while demand remains the same, labour costs will definitely be increased and produce more prob lems to the industry. 1.4.6 Increased Quality of Structural Elements Precast concrete elements produced in plants using modern techniques and machineries. Raw materials such as concrete, sand, and reinforcement bars are under high level of quality control. Formworks used are of higher quality than those used at construction sites. This allows truer shapes and better finishes in precast components. Precast components have higher density and better crack control, offering better protection from harsh weathers and sound insulation. High density is achieved by using vibrating table or external vibrators placed on formworks. Precast concrete also provide better fire resistance for reinforcement bars. When compared to in situ concrete, this reduces the amount of long-term movement, which needs to be recognized in building design. 1.4.7 Increased Durability and Load Capacity of Structural Elements Prestressed precast concrete components have high structural strength and rigidity, which are important to support heavy loads. This allows shallow construction depth and long span in structural components. Fewer supporting columns or walls result in larger floor space, which allow more flexibility in interior design. Dense precast and prestressed concrete components are cast-in with smooth steel, concrete or fiberglass. This result in components with smooth surfaces which resist moisture penetration, fungus and corrosion. High density concrete reduces the size and quantity of surface voids thus resisting accumulation of dirt and dust. Precast concrete components are more durable to acid attack, friction, corrosion, impact, abrasion, and other environment effects. Precast concrete structures have longer service years and require minimal repairs and maintenance. 1.5 Disadvantages of Precast Concrete Some of the drawbacks of using precast concrete construction are as follows: 1.5.1 High Capital Cost A large amount of resources must be invested initially to set up a precast concrete plant. Sophisticated machineries are expensive and require heavy investment. Percast concrete is mainly used in construction of high-rise buildings and flats, which are atleast 5 storeys high. Precast concrete is also utilized in construction of housing estates where the design of houses is uniform. Other projects where precast concrete is suitable are large stadiums, halls, factories, awrehouses, airports and hangars. The scale of the construction projects using precast concrete must be large enough to ensure sufficient profit to offset the initial capital cost. 1.5.2 Sophisticated Connection Works The behaviour of connections determines the performance of precast concrete structures. When assembling of precast concrete structures, connections between precast components must be supervised and done properly. This way, the intended behaviour of a connection (simple, semi-rigid, or rigid) can be achieved. Apart from that, a good sound insulation can be provided and water leakage problem can be avoided. Skilled and well-trained labours are required to ensure proper connection is produced during erection stages, which lead to additional cost. 1.5.3 Transportation, Handling Difficulties and Modification Limitation Workers must be careful when handling precast concrete components to avoid damage. Precat components are manufactures in plants, which are not always situated in the area of the construction sites. Precast components must be carried from the plants to the sites using trailers. Usually, precast components are large and heavy, creating difficulties in transportation. Upon arrival at the sites, portable cranes or tower cranes will lift the precast components into place for erection. Usually, to increase the speed of construction, several cranes are used requiring large space. Proper construction planning and site management is a must. Workers be well trained to ensure that precast components are positioned and connected properly to avoid cases where the columns, beams, walls, or slabs are not well aligned, dislocated or out of plane. Precast concrete system is not flexible when future modification is taken into account. For example, the walls of a flat built using load bearing precast w alls cannot be demolished for renovation purposes, as this will affect the stability of the entire precast structure. 1.6 Precast Concrete Construction in Malaysia The usage of precast building system is gaining popularity in Malaysia because of its many advantages such as high quality structural finishes, less labour force, shorter time of completion and saves cost. In the construction industry today, the usage of cast in-situ method is not so practical and effective especially when it is in a large scale construction. Therefore, the usage of precast components is the best alternative to fulfill the needs in large scale constructions. The precast concrete concept is ideal to suit the future demands of higher specifications and performance for the commercial, industrial, civic and domestic buildings. Precast building system or commonly known as IBS (Industrialized Building Systems) in Malaysia has many advantages if it is compared to the traditional cast in situ system. Production of precast components such as beams, columns and slabs were done in the factory thus ensuring high quality control for each component. Structures of precast building can be quickly erected on site and the delays due to concrete curing and concrete formwork removal can be reduced resulting in shorter completion time of construction. Besides that, precast system requires lesser amount of labour force. 1.6.1 Development of IBS in Malaysia IBS in Malaysia has begun in early 1960s when Ministry of Housing and Local Government of Malaysia visited several European countries to learn about precast concrete construction and evaluate their housing development program. After their successful visit in 1964, the government had started first project on IBS aims to speed up the delivery time and built affordable and quality houses. Precast concrete construction started in Malaysia with the production of 7 blocks of 17-storey flat, 4 blocks of 4-storey flat and 40 units of shop house opposite the Kuala Lumpur General Hospital at the intersection of Jalan Pekeliling and Jalan Pahang. This project used the Larsen-Nielson system from Denmark. The second construction project, which used precast concrete, was the construction of 6 blocks of 17-storey flat, 3 blocks of 18-storey flat and 66 units of shop house along Jalan Rifle, Penang. This project used the Frenchs Estior system. Since then, numerous precast structures such as high-ris es, car parks, warehouses, factories, housings and retail units have been built all over the country. Some latest examples are the Telekom Headquarter in KL, townhouses in Cyberjaya, City Square in Johor Bahru, Putra Mosque in Putrajaya and Metal Pak Factory in Shah Alam. Today, the use of IBS as a method of construction in Malaysia is evolving. Many private companies in Malaysia have teamed up with foreign expert from Australia, United States and Japan to offer precast solution to their project. In addition, more and more local manufacturers have established themselves in the market. Precast, steel frame and other IBS were used as hybrid construction to build national landmark such as Bukit Jalil Sport Complex, LRT and Petronas Twin Tower. It was reported that at least 21 of various manufacturers and suppliers of IBS are actively promoting their system in Malaysia. Nevertheless, the government of Malaysia still feels that the usage of IBS is low despite the possible potential. From the survey conducted by CIDB of Malaysia in 2003, the usage level of IBS in local construction industry stands at 15%. The total registered IBS contractors in Malaysia stand for 1,993 in year 2007 and registered IBS manufacture in Malaysia until 2007 is 138 producing 347 IBS products available in the market. Most of the local developed products are based on traditional materials such as reinforced concrete and the most innovative materials are based on imported technology. Previously in the RMK-7, the country intend to construct about 800,000 units of houses for its population using the IBS and 58,500 units planned for the low medium cost houses. However the achievements are disappointing with only 20% completed houses reported due to use of conventional construction method. 1.6.2 IBS as Mass Construction Method The term IBS is often misinterpreted with negative meaning as it is always linked with industrialized buildings that were built in 1960s. These buildings are normally associated with prefabricated mass construction method, low quality buildings, leakages, abandoned projects, unpleasant architectural appearances and other drawbacks. Due to the poor architectural design, the old prefabriacted buildings have given the pbulic bad impression about precast concrete. There have been quiet a number of cases where the use of IBS had lead to such drawbacks. For example, in the case of Pekeliling Flats in Kuala Lumpur and Taman Tun Sardon, Gelugor, Penang. These 2 early prefabricated flats were constructed in mass to produce low cost accomodation for lower income groups. However, the design was very basic and not considering the service aspects like the need for wet toilets and bathrooms. Lacking in this design consideration leads to problems of leakage that becomes the common issue with precast buildings. In addition, in many cases the low cost housings are not maintained properly, thus contributing further to the poor image of IBS buildings. 1.6.3 Characteristics of IBS Industrial production of components though prefabrication. Reduced labour during prefabrication of components and site works. Modern design and manufacturing method using CAD/CAM. Systematic Quality Control i.e ISO 9000. Open Building System i.e permitting hybrid applications. 1.6.4 Why IBS Budget Speech 2005: The Government is determined to ensure that every Malaysian will have access to affordable homes. During the period 1971-2003, the Government constructed 490,000 units of low-cost houses. The government intends to provide an additional 100,000 units of affordable homes to be implemented through the Industrialised Building System (IBS).This system will ensure quality, save cost, create a safer and cleaner working environment as well as reduce the dependence of foreign workers 1.6.5 Social Problems Currently 75 foreign workers out of 100 construction workers. There are 318,000 foreign workers in Malaysian Construction Industry Let say one foreign worker gain RM400 per month; RM400.00 x 12 months = RM5,000 per year, 318,000 x RM5,000 = RM 1.59 Billion per year It shows the High outflow of Ringgit 1.6.6 Types of IBS The construction method can be classified into 4 categories:

Morals and values learnt in Under a Ramshackle Rainbow Essay -- Engli

Morals and values learnt in Under a Ramshackle Rainbow " Under a Ramshackle Rainbow", is a very deep poem in which the poet uses dark and morbid images and symbols to get across morals and values to the reader. The underlining theme of the poem is how one should treat their surroundings and what the consequences to their actions will be. From the immediate start of the poem, a creepy and eery atmosphere is created by casting a dark image in the reader's mind. ' A dead tree. On a rotten branch sit two wingless birds.' The words 'dead' and 'rotten' show the sincerity of the issue. The mentioning of two wingless birds is very significant as they portray the poet's first message to the reader. The wingless birds basically defy their objective in life. Birds need wings to fly and without wings not only do they not have their freedom, but they have no means of survival; they cannot avoid predators or catch prey. Therefore death is inevitable. After only reading the first two lines the reader may feel confused to why the birds are wingless and why their habit is in such an unusual state. The ending to the first stanza clarify the confusion. ' Among leaves on the ground a man is searching for his hands. It is fall. By this, the poet is explaining the cause of the dead tree and the wingless birds. When saying that the man is ' searching for his hands', it is made clear that the search is a pointless exercise as the reader is told that it is fall and therefore the pile of leaves would be extremely deep. Although the man still has his site, he does not have his hands which are essentially needed to search through the leaves. The poet uses this description as it is symbolizes man searching ... ...re successfully receiving compensation for man's behaviour is secured by the last line of the poem. ' The ants gather on the shore. ' It is as though the ants represent nature and are the audience that witness the death of the man. After reading " Under the Ramshackle Rainbow" the reader understands perfectly, the aim of the poem. The aim of the poem is to get across a message that one should respect their surroundings and instead of neglect or abuse them, giving back to them what you take. If one should act in greed and only take from nature, they will have to suffer the consequences. The aim of the poem is put forward effectively by using methods such as patheticfallacy, irony and dramatic twists. The poet also uses enjambement to give the poem a more distorted rhyme and structural appearance that emphasises the destruction and ruin of the poem.

The Effect of Walking on Blood Pressure Essay -- Health, Diseases

The Effect of Walking on Blood Pressure Walking is one of the oldest means of transport known to mankind as well as a more physical activity undertaken by the majority of people in their lives. Walking has become an interest field for researchers, where there is evidence to show how walking can help in the prevention and treatment of many chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, renal diseases, hypertension, breast cancer, colon cancer, depression, stress and obesity. It has also become a major recommendation of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the Center of Disease Control (CDC). It is suggested that brisk walking for 30 minutes, 5 days a week, at 3-4 miles per hour for adults is a form of moderate intensity physical activity which can prove effective as a useful prevention and treatment model (Lee and Buchner, 2008). Many studies have provided evidence that walking is an effective approach for decreasing blood pressure in both hypertensive and normotensive, and that there is an inverse relation between them (Kelley et al, 2001). A recent systematic review, which involved 27 randomized controlled trials, showed a reduction in either systolic/diastolic blood pressure, or both, in response to a walking programme. This reduction was significantly statistically shown in 9 trials. Of these 9 trials, three studies reported that the decrease was significant for both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, four showed a significant decrease only in systolic blood pressure, while two studies found a significant reduction in diastolic blood pressure. The mean difference between walking groups and control groups was found to range from -5.2 to -11 mmHg for systolic blood pressure, while for diastolic ... ...s too long, participants may be unwilling to follow or complete it. Thus, it has been found that a walking programme which is more than 12 months long is less effective than a 6 month programme, and that the explanation for this is due to a decrease in the participants’ adherence to the programme (see Lee et al, 2010). It seems that the longer the programme, the less likely it is that the individual will keep to it. It was found (by Lee et al, 2010) that the way in which the time spent walking each day was divided up made no significant difference in terms of reduction of blood pressure response. The study measured the effect of walking on blood pressure by dividing the daily session of walking into three short bouts of 10 minutes; and it was found that this had the same effect on blood pressure as a continuous uninterrupted daily walking session of 30 minutes.

Placing English Language Learners in Special Education Essay -- ELLs a

When do English language learners need to be placed in special education? In the United States, there has been an increase in in the number of children from Spanish speaking backgrounds. The English Language Learners, commonly known as ELL’s, are being placed in Special Education without being properly tested for a learning disability. However there are a large number of ELL’s with learning disabilities in elementary grades that truly have a learning disability and are over looked. Many school districts have problems placing ELL’s. As a result these students end up in special education whether they have a learning disability or language impairment. Teachers are also indecisive when dealing with ELL’s. Most teachers recommend that ELL’s be placed in special education from day one. It is not because the child has a learning disability, it’s because most teachers are not properly trained to interact with ELL’s. Teachers also find it difficult, due to lack of training, having ELL’s with learning disabil ities in their classrooms. More teachers would find their selves comfortable if they had training in dealing with ELL’s and ELL’s with learning disabilities. This paper discusses the issues and the concerns teachers have in dealing with ELLs and ELLs with disabilities, the challenges of identifying individuals with learning disabilities, and what type of assessments classify English Language Learners as having a learning disability. First, teachers are rarely prepared to handle the challenges of assessing students who have a learning disability coupled with limited English proficiency (Haung, Milczarski, Raby, 2011). Teachers usually have trouble distinguishing between a learning disorders and acquiring a second language. Eve... ..., K., Milczarski, E., & Raby, C. (2011). The Assessment of English Language Learners with Learning Disabilities: Issues, Concerns, and Implications. Education, 131(4), 732-739. Kapantzoglou, M., Restrepo, M., & Thompson, M. S. (2012). Dynamic Assessment of Word Learning Skills: Identifying Language Impairment in Bilingual Children. Language, Speech & Hearing Services In Schools, 43(1), 81-96. doi:10.1044/0161-1461(2011/10-0095) Wagner, R. K., Francis, D. J., & Morris, R. D. (2005). Identifying English Language Learners with Learning Disabilities: Key Challenges and Possible Approaches. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice (Blackwell Publishing Limited), 20(1), 6-15. doi:10.1111/j.1540-5826.2005.00115.x Sullivan, A. L. (2011). Disproportionality in Special Education Identification and Placement of English Language Learners. Exceptional Children, 77(3), 317-334.

Koreanovelas: Now a Better Media than Local Teleseryes?

Eventually, some would start to watch every episode of these shows, seeing it as â€Å"something new'. In contrary, Korean dramas, locally known as Cornflakes, have been aired in our country for more than a decade now. In fact, a lot of people grew up watching them. These shows are really nothing new to us, but why do we patronize them? Why do a lot of people prefer them over our own shows? It's mainly because we're seeing something different, better and fresh in Cornflakes.Cornflakes are undeniably one of the latest trends in our country, making us one of the places greatly hit by the throng current of the so-called Halley wave or Korean wave, that refers to the rapid spread of Korean entertainment in Asia. The Halley wave consists of mainly Cornflakes, Korean pop (Kop) music, fashion, cosmetics and home appliances, though it is believed that Cornflakes are the ones that started it all. Cornflakes have reached our country in the year 2003, Bright Girl being the first show of this t ype to be shown.Cornflakes aren't an instant hit here in the Philippines. It only reached the first peak of its popularity through the show entitled Endless Love. The said drama is greatly known through the say recognition of the names Johnny and Jenny, the Pipelined names of the characters of the story. This was greatly followed by the success of Lovers in Paris, Full House, Jewel in the Palace, Stairway to Heaven, and many more. Since then, Filipinos have been keeping an eye out for the next Cornflakes to be shown in the country.Though we are greatly aware of the popularity of Cornflakes in our country, there has been no concrete idea or concept on why these have gained a great number of Filipinos patronizing them. (For You In Full Blossom, 201 1) There are two possible reasons behind the fast entry ND widespread patronizing of Cornflakes in the Philippines: (1 ) Cultural globalization of Korea and (2) Cultural neo-colonialism of Korea in the Philippines.According to weeklies , cu ltural globalization is the rapid movement of different ideas, attitudes, and values across national borders that results to the standardization of cultural expressions in different countries. The Halley wave is one example of cultural globalization. Now that it is considered as a big part of Koreans export materials, their culture and ideas involved in the wave are rapidly spread all throughout the globe, specially in its neighboring Asian countries. Neo-colonialism, on the other hand, refers to an extension or maintenance of influence of a country over another (Merriam-Webster, 2014).In a study conducted by Aimer Associable and Johnson Eosin of the Mindanao State University entitled â€Å"Koreans Philippine Invasion†, it stated that the Philippines is now under the neo- colonization of South Korea. It is described as a form of colonialism that uses diverse art and culture to influence another country or area. Such colonialism is described as enjoyable and exciting and not b loody r catastrophic and that is the reason why Filipinos are not fighting against it, but instead are patronizing it. (Associable, Eosin, 2013) As part of our culture, Filipinos are very accommodating, not only towards new people but also towards new ideas.This is one of the reasons why we welcome the perspectives of other countries easily and without hesitation and thus forming the idea that â€Å"anything foreign is good†. Even before Cornflakes reached the Philippines, there has been a number of foreign TV shows that have been aired here in the country, such as Marimba (1996) from Latin America, and Meteor Garden (2003) from Taiwan. For You In Blossom, 2012). Popularity in our country mainly refers to the number of viewers of the show, and the shows mentioned were considered successful due to the high number of followers that watched them.In the same way as people in the Philippines welcomed Marimba and Meteor Garden, we accepted Cornflakes with open arms, even though the ideas from their shows are very different from ours and new to us. For example, Philippines was never an imperial country and the idea of a kingdom or an empire was not ordinary to us. But Cornflakes have offered to us stories of Koreans different misdoings and dynasties. Since this concept was not ordinary, it lead to people becoming more curious of it, budding questions like, â€Å"What does it look like? ‘ and â€Å"How does it work? ‘ and they watch the new shows to gain answers.In terms of new people, Cornflakes have offered to us new actors and actresses to idealize. Idealization refers to the excessive admiration of or devotion to a person (Merriam-Webster, 2014) and it has been a part of the behavior of Filipinos who love watching television to idealize. Idealization, in simple terms, means imitating their idols' way of dressing and speaking and itching their every move and this is very evident nowadays, especially to the teenage generation. We can see people now on the streets wearing clothing and (sometimes) hair with cheerful colors, imitating their Korean idols.Not only are those, but people also are now very fond Of eating Korean food and some also learn the Korean language, also known as Handful, which are commonly seen and heard in Cornflakes. In this whole process of cultural globalization and neo-colonization, Koreans striver to improve a lot of aspects in their dramas. Now, its not only because Cornflakes are a part of the Halley wave. It is now about having the high quality sets, artists and plots that piques the interest of the eyes of the Filipinos.Though both of the dramas from Cornflakes and our local telemeters are good sources of entertainment and cultural knowledge, Korean dramas are better than Filipino dramas in terms of the different elements involved in the production of these television series such as the story line and pace, staging and blocking of scenes, and the actors and actresses that portray the drama's char acters. Despite the growing popularity of Cornflakes, their ratings on our local Hansel have remained low, relative to our local telemeters.