Thursday, September 5, 2019
Suitable For Discharge Back Into The Environment Environmental Sciences Essay
Suitable For Discharge Back Into The Environment Environmental Sciences Essay The environment that we live in is our most valuable asset and we must not damage it by polluting the air, water ways and the earth. The concern about our environment has been taken into a serious matter in which all people and industries must play their part in keeping our environment clean and safe to live for a long time to come. The implementation of waste water treatment in private sector was a good effort from keeping the environment from being damage. In general, wastewater treatment is the process of taking wastewater and making it suitable for discharge back into the environment. Blower is one of mechanical devices that play very important role in waste water treatment. Its main function is to supply pressurized air with sufficient oxygen to meet process needs. Air is forced by blower to diffuser provide an aeration to encourage the growth of bacteria/microorganism in the water to break down the pollutants. Blowers come with variety of types; one of them is roots blower which most suitable uses for industrial waste water treatment. However, the disability of roots blower to function will bring major problem to waste water treatment section. The sewage cannot be treating because there is no air supply for aeration process. This disability may due to over-running, age factor and inner parts problem. More than that, whole manufacturing plant also will be affecting where the production line have to stop their operation because the treated discharge waste water unable to comply Standard B, Environmental Quality Act and Regulation. They also have to face loss such as the cost of downtime or shut down. This problem frequently happens in Synthomer Pasir Gudang Plant. More worse, every time the roots blower having problem, Engineering Department especially Mechanical Maintenance branch face difficulties to lift and move out the heavy blower from Blower Room. What burden them over the years is there are no proper ways to lift and move out dysfunction blower from Blower Room to send for servicing and maintenance activities. Since this project is based on my experience from previous Industrial Training, I was given an opportunity and encouragement from Engineering Department, Synthomer Pasir Gudang Plant to study the problem and design suitable blower lifter inside their Blower Room in order to helps them for maintenance works. Problem Statement The current technique used to lift and move out dysfunction blower is by hanging the chain block on the 6(six) inch stainless steel pipeline by using webbing sling. This technique is too dangerous and the possibility of the pipeline to crack and damage is very high because cannot withstand anymore the weight of the dysfunction blower after frequent usage. Besides that, improper technique of lifting heavy loads can cause hazard on workers also damage on equipments due to very low safety awareness. Other than that, the current technique just limited to lift blower itself only. Other equipments such as motor is beyond its capabilities. Fig. 1 below shows the 6(six) inch stainless steel pipeline used as a support to withstand the weight of dysfunction blower in order to lift and move out for maintenance works. H:DCIM102_PANAP1020888.JPGH:DCIM102_PANAP1020894.JPG Fig 1 The 6(six) inch stainless steel pipeline used as support to lift and move out blower These problems have motivate this project to design fully safe of new technique to lift and move out blowers as well as other equipments in order to help maintenance work involve in Blower Room, Waste Water Treatment Section, Synthomer Pasir Gudang Plant. Objective The aims of this project are: To design suitable blower lifter for maintenance activities at Blower Room, Waste Water Treatment, Synthomer Pasir Gudang Plant To propose fabrication of blower lifter Scope of Project The scope of this project will focus on design blower lifter based on problems involve in Blower Room, Waste Water Treatment Section, Synthomer Pasir Gudang Plant. The data and problems are taken directly from Synthomer Pasir Gudang Plant and any related data from others company that have Waste Water Treatment Plant will be neglected. However, if any Wastewater Treatment Plant that have exactly same configuration (Fig.2) as Blower Room in Synthomer Pasir Gudang Plant, the data involve in this project is acceptable to use. In addition, to achieve the project objectives, all information about the structure, configuration of equipments, and maintenance activities in Blower Room area is crucial in this project. C:UsersfasrayDesktoppart 7practikalpictureIMG_5216.JPGC:UsersfasrayDesktoppart 7practikalpictureIMG_5217.JPG Fig. 2 Configuration of equipments in Blower Room Blower Room, Synthomer Pasir Gudang Plant contains 5 units of blower (include motor, silencer, check valve, safety valve and pressure gauge), 10 units of butterfly valve, 2 units of room silencer, pipeline and fittings. Significant of Project The significant of this project can be dividing into two main groups; significant to Safety Maintenance work. 1) Safety The significant this project on safety is to: Reduce accident during maintenance work. Prevent equipments from damage. Provide proper way to lift heavy equipments. 2) Maintenance works Blower lifter help to improve and ease maintenance works involve in Blower Room area. This will ease the operators and technician works as this lifter will reduce the time of assembles and dissembles activities as well as reduce manpower/workers used while doing maintenance works. Besides that, the lifter could increase the worker productivity by the elimination of non-value adding material handling tasks from their work scope. Methodology Observation from industrial training Company needs Identify needs and problem define PDS Lit. Rev. Establish Target Specification Brainstorming Generate Product Concept Generate multiple concepts Concept Evaluation Pugh Chart Test against Specification CAD Detail Design FEM Simulation Testing Refinement Propose Fabrication Process Method Identify needs and problem define Ability to generate good engineering specification shows the person really understand the problems [1][2]. The initial stage of design process requires person to select specific client and identify need [3]. In this stage, there are two methods to identify the need: through observation from previous industrial training and need from employees, Synthomer Pasir Gudang Plant especially workers at Mechanical Maintenance branch, Engineering Department. Establish Target Specification Based on the workers needs and problem define from the observation, a list of target specification will establish [2]. The method to generate specification is using Product Design Specification (PDS) diagram and some literature review from existing product in market. Generate Product Concept [1] Ullman [2] epingger [3] paul m educate engineer [v] Filipp0 pds Task Week 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Project title selection Understanding the project title Determined the project objective Brainstorming Collecting data Literature review Report Writing Presentation Lagend: Planning Actual SFSFSF Task Week 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Conceptual Design Identify Need Problem Definition Establish Target Specification Generate Product Concept System-Level Design Select Product Concept(s) Test product Concept(s) Final Product Specification Plan Downstream Development Detail Design Details Drawing Bill of Materials Costing Testing Refinement Presentation Report Submission Lagend: Planning Actual F Methodology CHAPTER 2 Basic Wastewater treatment Process The goal of waste water treatment plant is to protect the environment in a manner commensurate with socio-economic and public health concerns. Wastewater is a combination of water and waste carried water come from homes, industrial and commercial facilities and institutions. Wastewater generally contains high levels of organic material, toxic, numerous pathogenic microorganisms and nutrients that extremely hazards to public health as well as lead to environmental pollution. So, wastewater must be treated appropriately before dispose to surroundings. Treatment of waste water usually carried out in four stages (Fig. 3), commonly referred as preliminary, primary, secondary and tertiary treatment [5]. Preliminary Primary Secondary Tertiaryhttp://www.membrane-solutions.com/img/product/water-treatment-process.jpg Fig. 3 Various treatment levels in a waste-water treatment plant flow diagram 1. Preliminary treatment Preliminary treatment prepares waste-water influent for further treatment by reducing or eliminating non-favourable waste-water characteristics that might otherwise impede operation or excessively increase maintenance of downstream processes and equipment. These characteristics include large solids and rags, abrasive grit, odours, and, in certain cases, unacceptable for organic loadings. Preliminary treatment processes consist of physical unit operations, namely screening and commination for the removal of debris and rags, grit removal for the elimination of coarse suspended matter, and flotation for the removal of oil and grease. Other preliminary treatment operations include flow equalization, septage handling, and odour control. 2. Primary treatment Primary treatment involves the partial removal of suspended solids and organic matter from the wastewater by means of physical operations such as screening and sedimentation. Pre-aeration with chemical additions is used to enhance primary treatment. Primary treatment acts as an earlier step for secondary treatment where the aimed of this stage is to produce a liquid effluent that suitable for downstream biological treatment and separate out the solids as a sludge that can be economically and conveniently treated before ultimate disposal. 3. Secondary treatment Secondary treatment is a stage where removal of soluble, colloidal organics and suspended solids happen after escaped the primary treatment. The process typically done through biological processes, commonly treated by using activated sludge, fixed-film reactors, or lagoon systems and sedimentation. 4. Tertiary or advanced waste-water treatment Tertiary treatment goes beyond the level of secondary treatment with 99 percent of impurities such as significant amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, heavy metals, biodegradable organics, bacteria and viruses is removes from sewage where producing an effluent at almost drinking-water quality. In addition to biological nutrient removal processes, unit operations frequently used for this purpose include chemical coagulation, flocculation and sedimentation, followed by filtration and activated carbon. Less frequently used processes include ion exchange and reverse osmosis for specific ion removal or for dissolved solids reduction. [5] Metcalf and Eddy. Wastewater Engineering: Treatment, Disposal and Reuse. 3rd ed. New York: McGraw Hill, 1991. Process Flow Diagram The high organic load wastewater stream from the production plant is transferred to Equalization tank #1 (EQ-1) where organic and hydraulic Loading is equalized. Air is supply to the equalization tank for mixing and to prevent the wastewater from septic condition. When the accumulate wastewater reach to the set point level, the EQ pump will transfer the wastewater to Equalization tank #2 (EQ-2) and to mix with the other composite wastewater from the production plant. The organic and hydraulic loading is equalized again for further biological treatment. The composite wastewater from EQ-2 shall be transferred and pumped for Secondary Treatment, an aerobic treatment system namely Alternative Intermittent Cyclic Reactor (AICAR) via neutralization tank. pH of the wastewater is adjusted to ensure the aerobic digester operates at its optimum efficiency. All chemical dosing pumps are synchronized with the level switch. The pH is monitored and adjusted according to the set points by an automatic dosing pump system. Three (3) AICAR reactors are designed to handle the wastewater at an average flow from EQ-2. Each AICAR consist of two sub-reactors. AICAR operates in continuous mode on alternatively feeding and discharging wastewater from the reactor. One AICAR is allowed to stop for maintenance at one time while the others shall be at maximum operating efficiency. AICAR operates at 3 cycles per day per reactor in normal operation . During maintenance, only two AICAR reactors are set for running mode . When AICAR-1 is in feeding mode, first half of the reactor is in aeration while second half of the reactor is in settling and decanting mode. The circulation/sludge pump will be turned on to equalize solids content in aeration tank and at the same time, the sludge pump will operate as sludge wastage pump. At this stage, AICAR-2 3 are fully in aeration basis where the blower BL-02 and BL-03 are operating against the dissolved oxygen level in the reactor. The blower-diffuser system is provided to maintain the oxygen requirement in the aerobic treatment system. The air supply system is controlled by the online dissolved oxygen (DO) meter and the frequency of the blower motor is varied against DO content in water during normal aeration cycle. However, there will be a fix blower operation frequency during the feeding cycle to ensure sufficient oxygen provided for high organic load during feeding. The secondary treated wastewater is collected in the weir compartment of all AICAR and distributed into BioNET (Biological New Environmental Technology) reactor as tertiary treatment system. BioNET will act as a biological polishing system for refractory COD and at the same time will function as an ammonia nitrogen removal system BioNET reactor consists of two parallel lines (Figure 5). The reactors are filled with porous PU foam or non-woven fibres as reactors carriers that offer a large surface area for micro-organism adherence and growth. Wastewater will flow from the bottom of the BioNET reactor and in contact with the organism which attached to the BioNET carriers. BioNET will be backwashed to release excessive bio-growth to maintain the efficiency of the bacterial digestion. The SOP for the BioNET operation is shown in Table 1. All AICAR and BioNET operation will be prefixed with PLC system. After tertiary treatment, the treated wastewater will then flow into a Clarifier for solids separation. Patented Settling Tube is used in the modified clarifier to separate solid/biomass and supernatant or clear water is discharge to main drain as final discharge treated water. Electromagnetic flowmeter, pH The final discharge water. Flow and pH monitoring is to fulfil the regulatory requirement by the DOE. Wastage sludge from AICAR and settled sludge from Clarifier shall discharge to the drum thickener for thickening purposes before transferred to sludge holding tank. Wastage sludge from sludge holding tank is conditioned with polymer prior for dewatering.
Wednesday, September 4, 2019
Essay --
The importance of cultural context within any type of text is essential in order to elucidate a distinct argument. In Joseph Conradââ¬â¢s Heart of Darkness, a novella starring the experiences of an ivory trader in Central Africa named Charles Marlow, various themes of racism and human cruelty are discussed in relation to its contextual features. The film ââ¬Å"Apocalypse Nowâ⬠by Francis Ford Coppola adapts this idea of implementing a correlation between its central ideas to a specific cultural context as well. The central research question this extended essay focuses on is how do different features used in Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad and the film version of "Apocalypse Now" by Francis Ford Coppola help criticize imperialism? In Heart of Darkness and ââ¬Å"Apocalypse Now,â⬠the struggle between the barbaric nature of the natives and the oppressive nature of Imperialism is questioned through the use of characterization of various factors. Before Kurtz, the main antagonist in both texts, is even introduced in either the novella or the film, details are revealed about him through Marlow and Willard, the protagonists of the two texts. The gruesome nature of imperialism is revealed through Marlow and Willard journey through the jungles. The inhumane state in which the slaves are illustrated opens Marlowââ¬â¢s eyes to the cruelty of slavery. Similarly, Willard witnesses the torture the locals experience on a daily basis, such as the way they are treated. The journeys of both protagonists project the overall negativity associated with imperialism, which helps the audience in understanding the soldiersââ¬â¢ psychological states before Kurtz makes an appearance. Although Colonel Kurtz is the antagonist in both texts, he is admired by the two protagonists,... ...h is not restrained by social conventions, Imperialism attempts to justify its savagery. The very fact Imperialists claim to be ââ¬Ëfighting to the sanity of the worldââ¬â¢ demonstrates the corrosive effects it has not only in a confined area, but also to neighboring cultures. By delving deeper into the charactersââ¬â¢ subconscious and the true nature of Western Imperialism, the absurdity of what really is considered ââ¬Å"true evilâ⬠is questioned by both Conrad and Coppola. Despite the fact colonization in various parts of the world officially ended in the 60ââ¬â¢s, different systems of indirect rule were put in place because of continued interest in some parts. Both Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad and ââ¬Å"Apocalypse Nowâ⬠by Francis Ford Coppola are aware of this continued, albeit unfortunate practice, and represents the futility of expecting the eradication of imperialistic values.
Tuesday, September 3, 2019
Contrasting Shakespeares Richard with the Historical Figure Essay exam
There are two Richards: the Machiavellian monster created by Shakespeare and the historical figure who many historians claim is a much-maligned innocent man. So is Richard the sinner or the one sinned against? How can we decide? Is a decision even possible? In Shakespeare's play Richard III, Richard describes himself as a deformed malcontent in the opening soliloquy. (Shakespeare often uses physical deformity to mirror an evil mind.) I, that am curtail'd of this fair proportion, Cheated of feature by dissembling nature, Deformed, unfinish'd, sent before my time Into this breathing world, scarce half made up, ... And therefore, since I cannot prove a lover, To entertain these fair well-spoken days, I am determined to prove a villain And hate the idle pleasures of these days. (1.1.18-31) Many historians, on the other hand, have a different view of the man. For instance, in the 1956 biography Richard the Third, Paul Murray Kendall describes Richard based on contemporary writings and two well-known portraits of the King. Most contemporary descriptions bear out the evidence of these portraits that Richard had no noticeable bodily deformity, and establish him as a thin, frail man of a little less than normal height. (537) The most heinous crime that the Tudors (the kings who succeeded Richard to the throne) accused Richard of committing was the murder of his nephews-Edward V and Richard, Duke of York-the sons of his brother, the former king, Edward IV. How seriously should we take this accusation? What evidence supports it? Kendall writes, "If we take 'evidence' to mean testimony that would secure a verdict in a court of law, there is no evidence that he [Rich... ...ing skills that will lead to success both in school and in life. Works Cited Fields, Bertram. Royal Blood: Richard III and the Mystery of the Princes. New York: ReganBooks, 1998. Kendall, Paul Murray. Richard the Third. New York: Norton, 1983. - - - . Richard III: The Great Debate. New York: Norton, 1992. Looking for Richard. Dir. Al Pacino. Perf. Al Pacino, Alec Baldwin, Aidan Quinn, Winona Ryder, and Kevin Spacey. Videocassette. Fox, 1996. The Missing Princes of England. Dir. Melissa Jo Peltier. Narr. David Ackroyd. Videocassette. New Video Group, 1998. Shakespeare, William. Richard III. Ed. Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine. New York: Washington Square Press, 1996. Tey, Josephine. The Daughter of Time. New York: Scribner, 1988. Weir, Alison. The Princes in the Tower. New York: Ballantine Books, 1995.
Monday, September 2, 2019
John Steinbecks East of Eden - The Character of Adam Trask :: East Eden Essays
The Character of Adam Trask in East of Eden In Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language, the word love is defined as a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person. Love can bring two people together but it can also have a person be rejected by another because of love. In the novel East of Eden by John Steinbeck, the main character, Adam Trask, confronts a feeling of love throughout the whole book but he either rejects the love of people who care about him or has his love rejected by the people that he cares about. When Adam was a young man in the beginning of the novel, his father, Cyrus Trask loved him but Adam did not love him back and when Adam went into the army he did not come back home until his father's death. Later on in the story Adam really loved his wife, Cathy, but she didn't love him back and so when she tried to leave him and he would not let her, she shot him. Even though Adam survived he was demoralized for most of his life because he still loved her. Through Adam's ex periences of love in the novel, John Steinbeck shows that Adam Trask has an inability to handle love. When he first appears in the novel, Adam Trask is a young man who is not loved by his brother or mother but only by his father. Cyrus had punished Adam before and had tried to teach him to be a soldier and so Adam hated him for that and when Cyrus told him he loved him, Adam did not accept his love. Cyrus tells Adam, "I think you're a weakling who will never amount to a dog turd. Does that answer your question? I love you better. I always have. This may be a bad thing to tell you, but it's true. I love you better. Else why would I have given myself the trouble of hurting you?" (Steinbeck 28). Cyrus is telling Adam that he has always loved him and that the only reason that he punished him is because he loved him. He wants Adam to go into the army because he knows that Adam would be courageous and since Cyrus was in the army, he wants to pass on the legacy. When Adam came home from his discharge, his brother and him were talking about their father and Adam told him the truth.
Sunday, September 1, 2019
Two poems by Archbishop Jien
Two poems by Archbishop Jien (Carter, p. 171, poem 327; p. 172, poem 330) and two by Shunzei's Daughter (Carter, p. 175, poem 341; p. 176, poem 342) ââ¬Å"plumb the depths of your intent without laying it [the situation] bareâ⬠(Kamo no Chomei, p. 3, No. 6) to depict mankind's paradoxical approach to the moon: seeking reassurance and companionship in its permanence and predictability, despite it being an uncertain mystery, inaccessible directly and impossible to control nor fully understand. The poets merely provide a stark glimpse of the situations in which the speakers find themselves, so that the reader must fill in with his or her resonance to complete the poetic experience. The speakers' attempts to escape their predicament by seeking fulfillment in the deceptive permanence of the moon are left hanging incomplete, creating in turn for the reader an atmosphere embroiled with lack of fulfillment and the mystery of the moon, which probes the reader's depths of intent to understand as best he can. The sense of lack of fulfillment upon which the poems end creates a vacuum into which any careful reader fills to restore the equilibrium. The lingering sense of incompletion creates an atmosphere that ââ¬Å"hovers over the poemâ⬠(Fujiwara no Shunzei, p. 3, No. 7), ââ¬Å"plumb[s] the depths of [their] intentâ⬠, thereby extending the reader's frame of mind into a realm ââ¬Å"distinct from its wordsâ⬠(Shunzei, p. 3, No. 7). All four poems possess this quality. In Jien's poem 327 (Carter, p. 71), the moon sets before a lone traveler has had enough of the moon's company and beauty manifested in its reflection in the mountain spring water he was drinking, as his cupped hands suggest. As honkadori from Ki no Tsurayaki's poem 171 (Carter, p. 105) on ââ¬Å"Parting, composed upon bidding farewell to someone with whom he had talked near a spring on a mountain roadâ⬠, it reaffirms the instinctive human desire for any type of company, human or not-Monk Saigyo even makes a companion of solitude: ââ¬Å"If not for solitude,/how dismal my life would be! â⬠(Carter, p. 167, poem 318). In this case, the floating, unanswered to last line ââ¬Å"leaving me still wanting moreâ⬠conveys the speaker's loneliness and desire for his trustworthy but only temporarily graspable (through reflection) companion the moon. The consciousness of such emotional attachments and desires indicates the timelessness of the emotions, perceptions, and aesthetic sensibilities of past poets, to which humanity has been responding even till now. Furthermore, the experience is not restricted to one specific context; Tsurayaki's speaker was not satisfied with the brief human contact, but Jien's speaker made do with the inanimate moon. That the experience transcends not only minds but also contexts reinforces it. All this was not laid out bare. The speaker in Jien's other poem (Carter, p. 172, poem 330) calls out for someone to understand his sorrow and looks to the moon for an answer. His exposure to the indiscriminate, sharp and harsh ââ¬Å"bright gleamâ⬠of the moon suggests through a heightened monochromatic contrast and the fact that no one responds to the speaker's resounding question spoken out loud in this darkness delineates the individual alone in the stark, empty world, on a clear, dark night. Whether or not he answers his question remains ambiguous until one recalls that the moon shining in the darkness has long since been a symbol of Buddhist enlightenment within this transient world of suffering and sorrow. He wonders till he gazes up and his senses seem to drown in the bright gleam of the moon. The reader can imagine that he will follow the gleam of the moon-the moon which is always there, but still subject to mutability and likely to bring sorrow until one arrives at the point of detachment. In Shunzei's Daughter's poem 341 (Carter, p. 75), a lover departs such that his bodily absence creates a vacuum for which the lady tries to compensate by opening the door to let the moonlight stream into the room. The man has his attachments elsewhere, so despite being ââ¬Å"reluctantâ⬠to leave, there is nothing he can do, and his body allows him to be only at one place at one time. In stark contrast, right after he leaves, the moon floods the lady's room, detached, impartial and fair to all, sharing its infinite light with all beings everywhere. The moonlight automatically streams in through open doors-there is no need to wait, as a woman then had to wait for a lover who might not come. Hence, in place of any explicit sadness the lady might harbor due to her lover's absence, the moon in the sky at the break of day (as well as the lover's absence) creates a sense of aware that anticipates the sun's drowning out of the moon with the start of another day. This quiet, stark morning atmosphere, again distinct from the words of the poem and was not laid out bare, invites introspection before the day wakes up the rest of the living beings. Lastly, Shunzei's Daughter's poem 342 (Carter, p. 176), the speaker, with ââ¬Å"wait! â⬠calls for the autumn moon not to proceed into the course it follows as autumn deepens and winter approaches. Familiarity with the moon has made the speaker comfortable with personifying the moon as if it is a friend. However, the constant upon which the speaker has always relied-the moon's nightly cruise through the sky-will now change with the seasons. The speaker is thus confronted with the difficulty of reconciling the uncertainty of the future with the comfortable familiarity of the past. This foreboding uncertainty of the future is embodied in ââ¬Å"Now I cannot be so sure/ of seeing you travel/through the same old sky again/as I did so long agoâ⬠which is left hanging with no suggested solution. The only constant is change, and every change results in more uncertainty. That the poem does not lay everything bare points toward the uncertainty it embodies. In all four poems, the tendency to search for a resolution in the seemingly permanent and dependable moon is a paradox the speakers in the poems face. The moon's circular shape is itself symbolic of its predictable cyclical patterns, rising and setting, waxing and waning at specific times. Appearing nightly in the sky, people know that it is always there, and is the same one seen from anywhere, anytime. In fact, despite its predictability, it is still mutable and hence subject to unpredictable changes, for instance, in its course (poem 342). In addition, the moon cannot be grasped tangibly, only accessed indirectly through its reflection in the water (poem 327), its visible presence in the sky (poems 330, 342) and its moonlight filling in the room (poem 330, 341). As a result of all this, its fluidity of movement and appearance across time and its inaccessibility contradicts the widespread believed-in permanency of the moon's being. Furthermore, due to its inaccessibility, the moon was to past peoples an object of mystery they could neither control nor fully understand. Nevertheless, many, as illustrated by the speakers in the poems, turned towards it for answers and understanding. The moon does not argue, frustrate, or make you wait. Visible from anywhere in the world, its constancy, predictability and amorality make it an easy source of solace, reminiscent of Izumi Shikibu's ââ¬Å"What am I to do/if the man I have waited for/should come to me nowââ¬â/not wanting footsteps to disturb/the snow of my garden courtâ⬠(Carter, pp. 23, poem 218). The empty hands (327), empty mind (330), empty room (341) empty future (342) in all four poems respectively, and the prominent, mystifying, quiet figure of the moon-the paradoxical emblem of mutability and permanence-prove that without ââ¬Å"laying it bare,â⬠a lingering bareness distinct from the words ââ¬Å"plumb[s] the depths of your intentâ⬠, invoki ng a reaction. An experience may be eternalized in the words of a poem, but it is what has been left unsaid that triggers the common biological response that ties all humanity. It is the collective resonance by readers across temporal, spatial and situational contexts to the experiences depicted in the poems, and to the universal, ironic attraction to the all-embracing moon that demonstrates the timeless universality of these emotions amongst humanity these past poets illuminate.
Saturday, August 31, 2019
Stratman
Experiential Exercise 3A Developing an EFE Matrix for Walt Disney Company Purpose This exercise will give you practice developing an EFE matrix . An EFE matrix summarizes the result of an external audit . This is an important tool widely used by strategists . Instructions Step 1Join with other two students in class , and jointly prepare an EFE Matrix for Walt Disney Company . Refer back to the cohesion case and to Experiential Exercise 1A . If necessary , to identify external opportunities and threats . Use the information in the S&P Industry Surveys that you copied as part of Experiential Exercise 1A . Be sure not to include strategies as opportunities , but di include as many $ââ¬â¢s , %ââ¬â¢s , #ââ¬â¢s , and ratios as possible . Step 2 All three-person team participating in this exercise should record their EFE total weighted scores on the board . Put your initials after your score to identify it as your teamââ¬â¢s Step 3 Compare the total weighted scores. Which teamââ¬â¢s score came closest to the instructorââ¬â¢s answer ? iscuss reasons for variation in the scores reported on the board . Experential Exercise 3C Developing an EFE Matrix for my University Purpose More colleges and universities are embarking upon the strategic-management process . Institutions are consciously and systematically identifying and evaluating external opportunities and threats facing higher education in your state , the nation , and the world . Instructions Step 1Join with two other i ndividuals in class and jointly prepare an EFE Matrix for your institution. Step 2 Go to the board and record your total weighted score in a column that includes the scores of all three person-teams participating . Put your initials after your score to identify it as your teamââ¬â¢s. Step 3 Which team viewed your collegeââ¬â¢s strategies most positively ? Which team viewed your collegeââ¬â¢s most negatively ? Discuss the nature of the differences . Opportunities â⬠¢Ã à à Move into different segments â⬠¢Ã à à Proper inventory management â⬠¢Ã à à Market development in untapped countries. â⬠¢Ã à à Reduction in operating costs. â⬠¢Ã à à Disney music channel à à à Benchmarking to improve management practices. â⬠¢Ã à à Disney school of management and training â⬠¢Ã à à Online Websites â⬠¢Ã à à Develop more attractions for theme park. Threats â⬠¢Ã à à Security Threats due to terrorism â⬠¢Ã à à Employee retention â⬠¢Ã à à High compe tition in Media Industry. â⬠¢Ã à à Facing fierce competition from Paramount Parks, Universal Studios and Six Flags Theme Parks. â⬠¢Ã à à Social and ethnic groups. â⬠¢Ã à à Government policies â⬠¢Ã à à High demanding market in terms of innovation. â⬠¢Ã à à Increasing salaries and labor cost. â⬠¢Ã à à Recession à à à Maintain product differentiation. â⬠¢Ã à à Tight competition in national and international markets. â⬠¢Ã à à Searching, paying and retaining innovative people. â⬠¢Ã à à Piracy Recent changes in U. S. , global, or regional economic conditions could have a continuing adverse effect on the profitability of some or all of our businesses. Changes in public and consumer tastes and preferences for entertainment and consumer products could reduce demand for our entertainment offerings and products and adversely affect the profitability of any of our businesses. Changes in technology and in consumer consumption patterns may affect demand for our entertainment products or the cost of producing or distributing products. The success of our businesses is highly dependent on the existence and maintenance of intellectual property rights in the entertainment products and services we create. A variety of uncontrollable events may reduce demand for our products and services, impair our ability to provide our products and services or increase the cost of providing our products and services. Increased competitive pressures may reduce our revenues or increase our costs. Sustained increases in costs of pension and postretirement medical and other employee health and welfare benefits may reduce our profitability. Our results may be adversely affected if long-term programming or carriage contracts are not renewed on sufficiently favorable terms. Changes in regulations applicable to our businesses may impair the profitability of our businesses. Labor disputes may disrupt our operations and adversely affect the profitability of any of our businesses. Provisions in our corporate documents and Delaware state law could delay or prevent a change of control, even if that change would be beneficial to shareholders. The seasonality of certain of our businesses could exacerbate negative impacts on our operations. The Companyââ¬â¢s acquisition of Marvel is expected to cause short term dilution in earnings per share and there can be no assurance that anticipated improvements in earnings per share will be realized.
Friday, August 30, 2019
The reaction to Boris Johnson’s article about Ken Bigley and resulting implications for the media
When Boris Johnson's article in The Spectator1 caused controversy a week ago, it raised questions not only about the ethical position of politicians involved in journalism, but also about the freedom of the media and its relationship with regulators and governmental bodies. Boris Johnson is a much- derided figure, often attacked for his looks and manner rather than his views and actions. In a radio interview for the BBC, for example, Paul Bigley (Ken's brother) accused him of being a ââ¬Å"self- centred, pompous twitâ⬠2 and belittled him for his appearance and waffling manner despite the valid points in the article, and subsequent apology. This tact was followed by newspapers almost without exception; The Times, for example, started their article with a quote from Michael Howard denouncing Johnson's writing as ââ¬Å"nonsense from beginning to end,â⬠4 a comment in the Liverpool Daily Post recommended that he ââ¬Ëgot life insurance,'5 and an article on the BBC website6 provided quotations only from those against the MP. This is in direct contrast to what the same website suggested was the general public opinion. On the ââ¬ËYour Views'7 section, nineteen out of twenty- two comments support Johnson's opinion, ranging from those in general support to people from Liverpool criticising their fellow Liverpudlians; suggesting that the media was either being sensationalist or deliberately opposing a Conservative- who, it should be noted, did not even write the article. The true author, Simon Heffer, was barely mentioned and has ââ¬Ëno plans to issue an apology;'8 further evidence that it was the character of Johnson rather than his article that caused so much disagreement. This is supported by a comment in The Independent which noted that Johnson was not the first social commentator to challenge Liverpool's reaction to the beheading. On Sunday the 10th of October, Dr Anthony Daniels challenged the town's reaction for an ââ¬Ëestranged son ââ¬Å"whose attachment to Liverpool was so great that he was planning to live in Thailand. ââ¬Å"ââ¬Ë9 Dr Daniels, however, was not featured in any newspaper or criticised for his comments. This calls into question the role of MPs in the media; whether it is possible for them to be both decision makers and public commentators. Though not the first editor to become an MP- Iain Macleod and Dick Crossman have both managed it in the past- as both the Financial Times and The Guardian Student pointed out, in ââ¬Ëbowing down to Mr Howard's edict'10 Johnson put political ambition over journalistic independence. This not only undermines Johnson's validity as a public commentator but also the doctrine of press freedom. Enshrined in the US Constitution in the First Amendment and by ââ¬ËSupreme Court precedent,'11 the press is often perceived in America as the ââ¬Ëfourth branch of government,' providing a check and balance to the judiciary, executive and legislative. Though in Britain the branches are less divided, the same principle should stand to provide effective restraints; hence the ongoing debate over the Lord Chancellor's position in all three branches of Government. When an MP becomes involved in the media, therefore, its independence is called into question. It seems unlikely, for example, than an MP could comment fairly on the actions of a body he or she works for. The reaction to Johnson's article proves that MPs working as journalists do not have the same freedom as journalists not also working as MPs. This challenges the validity of a ââ¬Ëfree media' that can be influenced so easily despite supposedly having complete freedom of speech. Often heralded as an indicator of democracy, Britain's press is perceived to be one of the freest in the world. ââ¬Å"Freedom,â⬠however, can be interpreted in many ways. In the United Kingdom, for example, though the media can in theory print anything there are moral and bureaucratic restrictions. Seven companies, four of which account for 90% of sales, own the entire national press and media ââ¬Ëmoguls' such as Rupert Murdoch control many publications. Murdoch himself owns the News of the World, The Sun, The Times and The Sunday Times. This may have influenced their synonymous attack on Johnson's article which was published in The Spectator, owned by one of Murdoch's rivals the Barclay brothers- who, as commented upon in The Times, have ââ¬Ënot raised the Liverpool editorial'12 with Johnson, revealing their ongoing faith in having a politician as an editor whilst others are questioning it. The ownership of chains of newspapers has implications on their bias and impartiality. Murdoch's politics, for example, are generally right- wing, though he apparently favours republicanism over monarchy and is said to have refused a British peerage. His influence is apparent in the papers he owns. In February 1998, for example, The Sun, which had consistently attacked Labour's plans for the Millennium Dome suddenly changed tack and threw its weight behind the project. It seems no coincidence that Murdoch's BSkyB had recently made an investment in the Dome. 13 It is, however, impossible for any form of media to be truly unbiased. Humans, by their nature, are influenced by what they read and who they see, and inject personal opinion into articles or reports without intending to. In the United Kingdom The Times is typically seen as a left- wing paper, The Telegraph as right- wing, and The Independent as the most unbiased paper. These stereotypes rarely hold true, however, with The Times' editorial often being more lenient towards the Conservatives. This may have more to do with the fact that the media often opposes whoever is in power, whoever they are, with no regards to traditional stance. Of the articles about Johnson, the most balanced viewpoint was from The Guardian Student. From the very start it offers views for and against the article; even the headline, ââ¬Å"Boris is ââ¬Ësorry' for tactless own goalâ⬠14 presents Johnson as apologetic whilst also implying he made a blunder. Throughout, it keeps this balanced viewpoint with quotations from those supporting him followed by those against; contrasting articles in The Times15 which present tirades of criticism. The Guardian Student article is an exception, however. Though often not as transparent as headlines in tabloids such as The Sun or The Daily Star, broadsheets in the Western world show clear bias without obvious governmental controls. This may be seen to affect politics. In a poll conducted in America in 1992, for example, 89% of 1400 members of the national media surveyed voted for Clinton in that same year. 16 Though it is certain this would have influenced the journalists' articles, it is debateable whether the media dictated the public's mood or vice versa. In 1997 when The Sun declared ââ¬Å"It's The Sun Wot Won Itâ⬠due to its support of the Labour party, it was questionable whether they actually influenced the public or merely responded to what the public was urging them to print. Despite the obvious bias, however, the media of the Western world is still typically liberal in viewpoint, with it rare for an outlet to present controversial or minority views. The views of the BNP, for example, are rarely, if ever, supported in the media. The reason for this comes down to money. The public are unlikely to buy a paper if it is known to publish racist, xenophobic or controversial views, even if they are just the expression of free speech (though The Sun comes close on occasion, printing sensationalist headlines with unsubstantiated evidence17). Constantly looking for ways to increase revenue, papers are therefore unlikely to publish minority views if it is the majority that they are aiming for. Minority views are more often only heard when their exponents, such as Abu Hanzar, are being persecuted or when comedians are chastising them. Billy Connelly and Doug Stanhope, for example, as criticised in the Warwick Boar18, regularly use controversial, politically incorrect material under the guise of jokes. Connelly joking about Ken Bigley, for example, did not receive the criticism that Johnson did despite being more tactless and insensitive. Freedom of press, however, is not truly understood unless compared to non- Western countries. In ââ¬ËLast Seven Days' (a Warwick- based informal political discussion group), for example, both a Russian and a Chinese student commented that the freedom of the press is not appreciated in Britain. In Russia, using restrictive legislation and exerting financial pressure through the government and government- related companies, the Kremlin ââ¬Å"gained nearly total control of the broadcast media in 2003. ââ¬Å"19 Many Russians, as commented upon in the World Press Review, support restrictions on the press. 20 This has resulted in a media consistently supporting the Russian government and President, as evident in the translation of articles from Moscow News which celebrate nuclear weapons test launches as ââ¬Ëlandmark events. An article on the same event in the USA or the UK is likely to have included criticism of the demand and use of nuclear weapons. The general perception of the media in much of the Western world is that they have a great degree of freedom. Whilst this is true if compared to countries such as Russia, China or Iraq, there are still pressures on journalists to produce articles with a particular slant or viewpoint. It could be said, for example, that the restrictive policies typical of countries ruled by dictatorship have been replaced by the ââ¬Å"dictatorialâ⬠media barons such as Rupert Murdoch and the Barclay brothers. The governmental restrictions, meanwhile, are more likely to be whips or party leaders trying to pander to public opinion rather than imposing party policy, as was displayed by Michael Howard over Boris Johnson's article. I also witnessed this during work experience at the House of Commons, where there were daily meetings for all opposition MPs to discuss the previous day's press coverage, and the majority of Theresa May's (MP, Windsor and Maidenhead) work was to attract the attention of, or respond to, local and national media. The relationship between the press and politicians is complex, with politicians trying to get in the media, and journalists often only willing to cover a minority of issues for personal, political, or financial reasons. When politicians, such as Boris Johnson, become directly involved in the media, further restrictions and pressures are placed on the medium. Therefore though the media, in particular in Britain, is supposedly free from constraints, in reality there are numerous limits on what journalists are willing to write.
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