Monday, September 30, 2019

History of General Motors

History of General MotorsThe Renaissance Center in Detroit, Michigan, is General Motors' world headquarters. General Motors Corporation, also known as GM or GMC, is the world's second largest car manufacturer based on annual sales. Founded in 1908, in Flint, Michigan, GM employs approximately 284,000 people around the world. With global headquarters at the Renaissance Center in Detroit, Michigan, USA, GM manufactures its cars and trucks in 33 countries. Their European headquarters is based in Zurich, Switzerland. In 2005, 9. 17 million GM cars and trucks were sold globally under the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Daewoo, Holden, Hummer, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn and Vauxhall. Early history General Motors was founded on Wednesday, September 16, 1908, in Flint, Michigan, as a holding company for Buick (then controlled by William C. Durant), and acquired Oldsmobile later that year. The next year, Durant brought in Cadillac, Cartercar, Elmore, Ewing, and Oakland (later known as Pontiac). In 1909, General Motors also acquired the Reliance Motor Truck Company of Owosso, Michigan, and the Rapid Motor Vehicle Company of Pontiac, Michigan, the predecessors of GMC Truck. A Rapid became the first truck to conquer Pikes Peak in 1909. In 1910, Welch and Rainier were added to the ever-growing list of companies controlled by GM. Durant lost control of GM in 1910 to a bankers trust, due to the large amount of debt (around $1 million) taken on in its acquisitions. Durant left the firm and helped establish the Chevrolet Motor Company in 1911, with brothers Gaston and Louis Chevrolet. After a brilliant stock buy back campaign, he returned to head GM in 1916, with the backing of Pierre S. du Pont. Chevrolet entered the General Motors fold in 1917; its first GM car was 1918's Chevrolet 490. Du Pont removed Durant from management in 1920, and various Du Pont interests held large or controlling share holdings until about 1950. In 1918 GM purchased the McLaughlin Motor Car Company of Oshawa, Ontario, Canada, manufacturer of the McLaughlin-Buick automobile, and renamed it General Motors of Canada Ltd. , with R. S. â€Å"Colonel Sam† McLaughlin as its first president. In 1925, GM bought Vauxhall Motors of England, and then in 1929 went on to acquire an 80% stake in German automobile manufacturer Adam Opel AG. Two years later this was increased to 100% and the company remains the core of GM Europe to this day. In 1931, GM acquired Holden of Australia. GM surpassed Ford Motor Company in sales in the late 1920s thanks to the leadership of Alfred Sloan. While Ford continued to refine the manufacturing process to reduce cost, Sloan was inventing new ways of managing a complex worldwide organization, while paying special attention to consumer demands. Car buyers no longer wanted the cheapest and most basic model; they wanted style, power, and prestige, which GM offered them. Thanks to consumer financing via GMAC (founded 1919), easy monthly payments allowed far more people to buy GM cars, while Ford was moralistically opposed to credit. (Nevertheless, Ford did offer similar credit arrangements with the introduction of the Model A in the late 1920s but Ford Credit did not exist until 1959. ) 1933 – 1958 During the 1920s and 1930s, General Motors assumed control of the Yellow Coach bus company, and helped create Greyhound bus lines. They replaced intercity train transport with buses, and established subsidiary companies to buy out streetcar companies and replace the rail-based services as well with buses. GM formed United Cities Motor Transit in 1932 (see General Motors streetcar conspiracy for additional details). In 1930, GM also began its foray into aircraft design and manufacturing by buying Fokker Aircraft Corp of America (U. S. subsidiary of Fokker) and Berliner-Joyce Aircraft, merging them into General Aviation Manufacturing Corporation. Through a stock exchange GM took controlling interest in North American Aviation and merged it with its General Aviation division in 1933, but retaining the name North American Aviation. In 1948, GM divested NAA as a public company, never to have a major interest in the aircraft manufacturing industry again. General Motors bought the internal combustion engined railcar builder Electro-Motive Corporation and its engine supplier Winton Engine in 1930, renaming both as the General Motors Electro-Motive Division. Over the next twenty years, diesel-powered locomotives — the majority built by GM — argely replaced other forms of traction on American railroads. (During World War II, these engines were also important in American submarines and destroyer escorts. ) Electro-Motive was sold in early 2005. In 1935, the United Auto Workers labor union was formed, and in 1936 the UAW organized the Flint Sit-Down Strike, which initially idled two key plants in Flint, but later spread t o half-a-dozen other plants including Janesville, Wisconsin and Fort Wayne, Indiana. In Flint, police attempted to enter the plant to arrest strikers, leading to violence; in other cities the plants were shuttered peacefully. The strike was resolved February 11, 1937 when GM recognized the UAW as the exclusive bargaining representative for its workers. World War II General Motors produced vast quantities of armaments, vehicles, and aircraft during World War II for both Allied and Axis customers. By the spring of 1939, the German Government had assumed day-to-day control of American owned factories in Germany, but decided against nationalizing them. During the war, the U. S. auto companies continued to be concerned Nazi Germany would nationalize American-owned factories. [citation needed] GM's William P. Knudson served as head of U. S. wartime production for President Franklin Roosevelt, who called Detroit as the Arsenal of Democracy. The General Motors UK division, Vauxhall Motors, manufactured the Churchill tank series for the Allies. The Vauxhall Churchill tanks were instrumental in the UK campaigns in North Africa (ironically often being used to attack German logistics units using Opel trucks). Bedford Vehicles manufactured logistics vehicles for the UK military, all important in the UK's land campaigns. In addition, GM was the top manufacturer of U. S. Army 1? ton 4Ãâ€"4 vehicles. 1] Nevertheless, while General Motors has claimed its German (Opel) operations were outside its control during World War II, this assertion appears to be contradicted by available evidence. General Motors was not just a car company that happened to have factories in Germany; GM management from the top down had extensive connections with the Nazi Party, both on a business and personal level. [2] Americ an GM Vice President (later Colonel) Graeme K. Howard was a committed Nazi, and expressed such views in his book, America and a New World Order. Adolf Hitler awarded GM boss James D. Mooney the Order of Merit of the Golden Eagle for his services to Nazi Germany. General Motors’ internal documents show a clear strategy to profit from their German military contracts even after Germany declared war against America. Defending the German investment strategy as â€Å"highly profitable†, Alfred P. Sloan told shareholders in 1939 GM’s continued industrial production for the Nazi government was merely sound business practice. In a letter to a concerned shareholder, Sloan said that the manner in which the Nazi government ran Germany â€Å"should not be considered the business of the management of General Motors†¦ We must conduct ourselves as a German organization. . . We have no right to shut down the plant. â€Å"[3] After 20 years of researching General Motors, Bradford Snell stated, â€Å"General Motors was far more important to the Nazi war machine than Switzerland †¦ Switzerland was just a repository of looted funds. GM-Opel was an integral part of the German war effort. The Nazis could have invaded Poland and Russia without Switzerland. They could not have done so without GM. †[3] Post-war growth At one point GM had become the largest corporation registered in the United States, in terms of its revenues as a percent of GDP. In 1953, Charles Erwin Wilson, then GM president, was named by Eisenhower as Secretary of Defense. When he was asked during the hearings before the Senate Armed Services Committee if as secretary of defense he could make a decision adverse to the interests of General Motors, Wilson answered affirmatively but added that he could not conceive of such a situation â€Å"because for years I thought what was good for the country was good for General Motors and vice versa†. Later this statement was often misquoted, suggesting that Wilson had said simply, â€Å"What's good for General Motors is good for the country. At the time, GM was one of the largest employers in the world – only Soviet state industries employed more people. In 1955, General Motors became the first American corporation to pay taxes of over $1 billion. [4] 1958 – 1983 While GM maintained its world leadership in revenue and market share throughout the 1960s to 1980s, it was product controversy that pl agued the company in this period. It seemed that, in every decade, a major mass-production product line was launched with defects of one type or another showing up early in their life cycle. And, in each case, improvements were eventually made to mitigate the problems, but the resulting improved product ended up failing in the marketplace as its negative reputation overshadowed its ultimate excellence. The first of these fiascos was the Chevrolet Corvair in the 1960s. Introduced in 1959 as a 1960 model, it was initially very popular. But before long its quirky handling earned it a reputation for being unsafe, inspiring consumer advocate Ralph Nader to lambaste it in his book, Unsafe at any Speed, published in 1965. Ironically, by the same (1965) model year, suspension revisions and other improvements had already transformed the car into a perfectly acceptable vehicle, but its reputation had been sufficiently sullied in the public's perception that its sales sagged for the next few years, and it was discontinued after the 1969 model year. During this period, it was also somewhat overwhelmed by the success of the Ford Mustang. The 1970s was the decade of the Vega. Launched as a 1971 model, it also began life as a very popular car in the marketplace. But within a few years, quality problems, exacerbated by labor unrest at its main production source in Lordstown, Ohio, gave the car a bad name. By 1977 its decline resulted in termination of the model name, while its siblings along with a Monza version and a move of production to Ste-Therese, Quebec, resulted in a thoroughly desirable vehicle and extended its life to the 1980 model year. In the 1980 model year, a full line of automobiles on the X-body platform, anchored by the Chevrolet Citation, was launched. Again, these cars were all quite popular in their respective segments for the first couple of years, but brake problems, and other defects, ended up giving them, known to the public as â€Å"X-Cars,† such a bad reputation that the 1985 model year was their last. The J-body cars, namely the Chevrolet Cavalier and Pontiac Sunfire, took their place, starting with the 1982 model year. Quality was better, but still not exemplary, although good enough to survive through three generations to the 2005 model year. They were produced in a much-improved Lordstown Assembly plant, as are their replacements, the Chevrolet Cobalt nd Pontiac Pursuit/G5. 1983 – 2008 Under the controversial leadership of Roger B. Smith throughout the 1980s, a multitude of well-intentioned initiatives seemed to go awry at every turn. GM was losing money for the first time since the early 1920s as the legacy of poor management of the previous decade was taking its inevitable toll. Poor product quality, lab our unrest and lawsuits over unsafe vehicle designs were affecting sales volumes, which meant that GM was losing market share at an alarming rate, mostly to foreign automakers. Recognizing the superiority of the Japanese quality and production procedures and practices, Smith set out to infuse their methods into the GM culture. He formed joint ventures with two Japanese companies (NUMMI in California with Toyota, and CAMI with Suzuki in Canada). Each of these agreements provided opportunities for GM managers to work alongside Japanese managers, thus learning their approaches, and taking this knowledge back to GM. Unfortunately the GM bureaucracy that opposed change influenced from outside was too strong and â€Å"inbred,† so the efforts of these managers as they returned to GM were essentially ineffective. Apparently anticipating this reaction, Smith also launched the Saturn Corporation, in which these managers could institute the Japanese system in a fresh non-GM environment. While all three of these facilities were, and still are, moderately successful, the net result for GM was failure to accomplish Smith's ambitious goals. GM's profits remained inconsistent and its share of the U. S. market continued to fall. Ironically it was another Smith, not related to Roger, who took the reins of GM in the early 1990s, and succeeded where Roger had failed. Like Roger, his tenure began when GM was in dire straits, having just endured a very close brush with bankruptcy. Its losses were much deeper than they had been a decade earlier and â€Å"Jack† Smith was burdened with the task of overseeing a radical restructuring of General Motors. Sharing Roger's understanding of the need for serious change, Jack undertook many major revisions, of which the most visible to the public in general was the demise of the Oldsmobile division, an effort that took in total a full decade. Reorganizing the management structure to dismantle the legacy of Alfred P. Sloan, instituting deep cost-cutting and introducing significantly improved vehicles were the key approaches. These moves were met with much less resistance within GM than had Roger's similar initiatives as GM management ranks were stinging from their recent near-bankruptcy experience and were much more willing to accept the prospect of radical change. By the late 1990s, many archaic remnants of GM's history were falling away, such as the Oldsmobile complex in Lansing, Michigan and Buick City in Flint. This also meant a large reduction in the work force. After GM's massive lay-offs hit Flint, Michigan, a strike began at the General Motors parts factory in Flint on June 5, 1998, which quickly spread to five other assembly plants and lasted seven weeks. Because of the significant role GM plays in the United States, the strikes and temporary idling of many plants noticeably showed in national economic observations. In the late 1990s, GM had regained market share; its stock had soared to over $80 a share by 2000. However, in 2001, the stock market drop following the September 11, 2001 attacks, combined with historic pension underfunding, caused a severe pension and benefit fund crisis at GM and many other American companies and the value of their pension funds plummeted. A weak U. S. dollar and private health care (as opposed to nationalized health care in other countries) costs also put GM at a disadvantage to its Japanese, Korean, and European counterparts In successive moves, GM responded to the crisis by fully funding its pension fund; however, its Other Post Employment Benefits Fund (OPEB) became a serious issue resulting in downgrades to its bond rating in 2005. The company expressed its disagreement with these bond rating downgrades. In 2006, GM responded by offering buyouts to hourly workers to reduce future liability; over 35,000 workers responded to the offer, well exceeding the company's goal. GM has gained higher rates of return on its benefit funds as a part of the solution. Stock value has begun to rebound – as of October 30, 2006 GM's market capitalization was about $19. 19 billion. GM stock began the year 2006 at $19 a share, near its lowest level since 1982, as many on Wall Street figured the ailing automaker was bound for bankruptcy court. But GM remained afloat and the company's stock in the Dow Jones industrial average posted the biggest percentage gain in 2006. [5] In early 2007, GM fell to be the world's second largest auto company, behind Japan's Toyota, but regained the lead during the summer. Also, in June 2007, GM sold its military and commercial subsidiary, Allison Transmission, for $5. 6 billion. Having sold off the majority, it will, however, keep its heavy-duty transmissions for its trucks marketed as the Allison 1000 series. During negotiations for the renewal of its industry labor contracts in 2007, the United Auto Workers (UAW) union selected General Motors as the â€Å"lead company† or â€Å"strike target† for pattern bargaining. Late in September, sensing an impending impasse in the talks, the union called a strike, the first nation-wide walkout since 1970 (individual plants had experienced local labor disruptions in the interim). Within two days, however, a tentative agreement was achieved and the strike ended.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Catholic Church so successfully in the years 1517-1525 Essay

Why was Luther able to challenge the Catholic Church so successfully in the years 1517-1525? Various reasons contributed to Martin Luther’s success in challenging the Catholic Church from the years 1517-25. The five key reasons behind Luther’s success were his protection by Frederick the Wise, the fact his ideas were appealing and popular, his passion and determination, the failures of the Church itself and finally, the timing of his challenge. Some of these factors also affected each other and these links provide the strength which allowed Luther’s revolt to be so successful. This is because one of these factors alone would not have been sufficient in preventing Luther gaining the same fate as those who attempted a reformation before him. Conversely, some reasons can also be considered as having a larger and more widespread effect than others, meaning they were more significant in contributing to the final outcome. Frederick the Wise, Elector of Saxony and founder of the University of Wittenberg was the most powerful early defender of Luther. He played a large role in helping Luther keep his message spreading and on several occasions used his authority to benefit Luther’s revolt. For example, The Papal Bull of Excommunication was never carried out in Saxony and neither were the terms of the Edict of The Worms. Also, Frederick persuaded Charles V to carry out the Diet of Worms in German, instead of Rome, so that Luther could defend himself safely. Another way Frederick defended Luther was in 1521 when he had him ‘kidnapped’ on his way back from Worms and taken to the Wartburg for his safety. The significance of Frederick the Wise’s protection is that he ultimately prevented Luther from being killed or persecuted by those who disagreed with his motives. This in turn allowed his message to carry on spreading and to be developed. Therefore, Frederick the Wise had a fundamental effect on the Lutheran movement because although he never converted to the religion, he contributed to its development and influence over Saxony. The main reason Wise supported Luther was because Luther was a teacher at his University and Wise did not want it to gain a bad reputation. However, other reasons can also be considered such as the fact that Luther’s ideas proved popular and therefore Frederick was happy to support him. Essentially, Luther’s success relied upon his ideas being popular and the reason for this was due to the fact his ideas appealed to people of all classes. He addressed his message differently to both the princes, in Address to the Christian Nobility, and the peasants, by creating sermons and woodcuts. This allowed his message to spread among everyone. His ideas appealed to the different classes; peasants interpreted his message of ‘priesthood of all believers’ as supporting social equality and used it as a basis for the Peasants War in 1525 thus showing they supported Luther up until this point. The nobility also joined the reform movement as they believed it would strengthen their political position and remove papal influence in their territories. His popularity is shown by the fact his publications were of the most popular at the time. The fact his ideas were popular were vital to his success as his argument had to be seen as valid for him to gain support. Moreover, the fact he had support from a variety of everyday Germans was crucial for keeping his message spreading. A significant reason for his ideas proving popular is due to the church’s failures which at the time was becoming increasingly less tolerated and gave a clear example of the faults he was trying to highlight. The lack of tolerance towards the church was due to the fact that many Germans saw the Pope as a foreigner who did little to benefit Catholics, despite the high papal taxes they had to pay to him. These taxes were used to pay for the rebuilding of St Peter’s Basilica in Rome thus not being advantageous to the Germans who were paying the tax. However the intolerance was not only towards the papacy but also parish priests who were not fulfilling their pastoral duties. Many also committed clerical abuses such as pluralism and simony. As a result, people generally had the growing feeling they were being exploited for their money and faith. This feeling over anticlericalism was further developed from Luther’s ideas. It is also a reason for the fact Luther’s ideas were popular, because they could be related too and agreed with. Failures of the Church were not a directly significant reason for Luther’s success, it allowed him to gain more support but only because his ideas were popular. Anticlericalism had been around for a long time, and only enhanced the popularity of his message as it coincided with a time when intolerance towards church failures was increasing. Another reason for Luther’s ideas proving popular was due to his personality and passion for making a change. This passion is seen through his obsession with finding salvation. In addition, he was fearless in putting his point across regardless of consequences such as in 1519 in his debate with Johann Eck where he argued his ideas confidently and 1521 at the Diet of Worms, where he claimed that by recanting, he would be promoting tyranny and his conscience would not allow him to do so, therefore he would not be silenced. Luther’s determination also relates to why his ideas proved popular, he had the power to make people believe and support him. This determination meant he was the catalyst for the reformation in Europe. He not only believed there was corruption in the Catholic Church, but spoke out publicly about his ideas that salvation would be found through faith alone. It also links to Frederick’s choice to defend him because his passion earned him the role as a lecturer at Wittenberg University which meant Frederick was more willing to support him. Luther’s personality was important for his success, he was determined to change the system of the Church and this prevented him from giving up, and instead keeping his message extending across the Empire. The final factor that can be considered and linked to the others is the timing of Luther’s movement. It coincided with the return of the Renaissance era which invited new thinking about education and society that came from ancient Greek and Roman teachings. These secular, humanist ideas believed that the Church should not rule civic matter but only give guidance in spiritual matters, which Luther also emphasised in his teachings. In other words, he agreed with the Renaissance way of thinking, focusing on the present, and seeing that change was desperately needed in the Catholic Church. This was significant as it ran parallel to his beliefs and helped in the development of his own ideas, as well as making them more relatable to everyday Germans, therefore having a similar effect to that of intolerance towards anticlericalism. In addition, his ideas were spread quicker by the invention of the printing press. His Ninety Five Theses was printed, meaning his word was spread rapidly. Previous to the printing press, people with ideas had no effective way to spread them. Therefore, the printing press also links to the fact his ideas were seen as popular because they could be seen by many. On the contrary, the fact that less than 10% of the population could read or write was a limiting factor to the spread of his message. Therefore, the fact his revolt began at a time when society and technology was also changing means it was carried along with the flow of new, revolutionary ideas, which helped his message to be heard by more people. In conclusion, many of these factors link together to produce the same outcome – that Luther’s revolt was a successful one. However, the most important factor was that his ideas proved popular. This was because they, to an extent, were radical, new and well-liked. Martin Luther was one of the first to think outside of what the church taught him. He began to question the church’s authority and what was going on inside the Church – what he found was corruption, greed and malpractice. But this alone would not have made him so successful. His personality played a role by making him determined to speak up about it and therefore gain more support, making his ideas even more popular. Without these two factors working together, he never would have gained strong enough support to form a fully fledged reformation. However, more importantly than his personality was the protection he acquired from Frederick the Wise; this kept him from Harm’s way and allowed his message to carry on spreading. Additionally, to this was the significance of the timing of his actions. It turned what would have been a small rebellion into a national reorganization of the Church, due to the printing press and Renaissance era. Finally, but with less slightly less importance, was the Church’s own failures. On one hand it was important to his success because it emphasised the corruption he was describing, making it more relatable. On the other hand, anticlericalism had been around for a long time, it only emphasised his message but did not contribute to its successfulness. In summary, all five factors played an important role however the most important were that his ideas proved popular , due to his personality, and his protection by Frederick the Wise. The other elements played lesser roles but were still important in helping his message spread to a wider audience.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Crowdfunding

Grounding is a virtual phenomenon that aims to promote the realization of projects as varied as possible through the financial contribution of people who are interested in the implementation of such initiatives, motivated by several factors. To better understand the concept, we can break down the name in that crowd, in English, means â€Å"crowd†; and funding, ‘financing† Thus, it can be considered that are projects carried out by financing of a crowd of an audience. But is not based on â€Å"public† in â€Å"public money†, but money invested by the public itself.The various projects such as, for example, ultra nature, such as the production of a CD of a band or the publication of a book, are hosted on a site geared to attract collective donations towards the realization of the submitted work. â€Å"(OCTET , Fluvial – Libber – So Paulo v 15, n 29, p 135-144, June 2012) The history Of Grounding in the Brazilian market: The pioneering the use grounding in Brazil was the Vagina site, which enables any type of project, from cultural to staff personal projects, such as buying a mobile phone or even a car.This idea has been widespread and well accepted by the domestic market, is a new way of achieving a project, wrought the collective funding, the taxpayer donates because there is an identification with the project, and there are various forms of return, for example, an audiovisual production company is in need of 40,000 areas for the post production of a documentary on Iris's velars January, from that are created various mechanisms for attraction of such a taxpayer as videos of the creators of the project inviting people to donate and be part of the project, establish quotas, up to a certain value the taxpayer can download the documentary before the release, the other value win tickets to watch the commentary in theaters, finally there are several ways to attract that donor. Reception: My perception is that the Groundi ng is only a reflection of the new project finance models, drawing a parallel with the current state of the music industry, where there are 10, 20 years ago the artist was completely dependent on a record company to manage to get a album released on the market, recording studios were very expensive, and with the evolution of technology that has changed, anyone can pay your own album with little investment or even at home recordings. Grounding is only a new way, a espouse to former entertainment chain in which the artist was dependent on labels or sponsors today with people who identify with the project, there is a good chance enables you through the collective funding. Example Grounding: catharsis: The Catharsis is an exchange space between individuals that together enable the realization of creative projects. We believe that connecting people who share value as to a cause, an idea, a project is one of the best ways to make them come true. Be very welcome!This space is as yours as o urs, after all, Catharsis happens every day the adhering of people looking for new ways to give life to more initiatives of society itself. We understand that this is a alternative to government resources, by sponsors and not the banks. Legal barriers: Another point to be discussed are the legal barriers that grounding can face, as is a new method, there are no laws regulating the practice in the Brazilian market, same problem faced by group buying sites. One example is that all capital made by donors can not leave the country, the project has to happen in the domestic market, many foreign companies grounding can not enter our market because of this barrier.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Company policy for safety cell phone use in cars Essay

Company policy for safety cell phone use in cars - Essay Example Based on the policy: You should avoid using your cell phone held in your hands while driving, especially during dangerous driving conditions such as snow, sleet, rain or ice. All sales representatives should place their cell phones in easily accessible places in the car to ensure easy and faster reach. You should not shift your eyes and attention from the road while getting your mobile phone. Every sales representative is expected to be familiar with all the important features of their mobile phones such as making speed dial and voice calls among others in order to ensure efficient and swift use when there is need. Do not take notes or concentrate on looking at your phone while driving. Pull over in case you cannot avoid taking the call and turn off your engine or let your voice mail do the receiving if the call is not urgent. This will also be applicable for hands-free devices. This policy aims at ensuring your safety in the course of duty. Therefore, let us all observe the proposed rules as we use our mobile phones. I hope you all find this information important rather than restricting and support its course. Thank you for your support as we look into a safer future.

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Tribute Money by Masaccio Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Tribute Money by Masaccio - Essay Example Matthew, kneeling in the far left, deliberately replies strangers. The tax collectors confront the group of holy men. Masaccio’s purpose was to create a realistic painting that contained natural aspects of the environment as well as the human composition. He focuses on directing the viewer’s eyes to the vanishing point of the painting, the head of Christ. Masaccio used atmospheric perspective, making all the mountains in the background hazy and Peter to be paler than the figures in the foreground. This technique created a depth within the painting to render Realism. It is difficult to see the cuts of the mountains in the background but the folds of the robesin the foreground are easily distinguishable. Masaccio, unlike earlier artists like Giotto, did not use a flat, neutral light from an unidentifiable source. He used light from a specific location outside the painting to create a chiaroscuro effect, the representation of form through light and color without outlines. There is no light source visible within the picture but if the viewer notices the shadows of the figures, they are al l cast away from the chapel. This makes the viewer believe the figures were lit by the light through the chapel window. Masaccio proves this belief by creating the front two columns brighter than the rest of the chapel. Furthermore, the tax collector on the far right and the chapel wall is extremely dark. In general, all figures and objects become gradually dimmer as the viewer looks to the right. Masaccio uses the composition of his figures to create a three-dimensional world to depict reality. Masaccio’s figures in the foreground are large, solid figures that dominate the natural setting before the lake and mountains. In contrast, he uses soft hand gestures and facial expressions rather than swift actions to show movements within the painting. This emphasizes

Economy in Italy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Economy in Italy - Essay Example S&P revised its estimates based on the GDP in Italy which show only an average growth of .7% between 2011 and 2014 which is much lower than what was projected in previous information that the growth would be somewhere around 1.3%. With the upward pressure on the funding costs in private and public sectors and a dampened external demand, in addition to austerity measures that have been put into place by the government, it is likely that the growth will far less than was previously predicted (Ellis). Italy appears to be in trouble and this does not bode well for the next three years. The nation has a great number of resources where its history is concerned, but it appears that its present is in a conflicted state that might make visiting the nation a more difficult or less appealing prospect. With the turmoil in the government, it might be wise to assess the current state of affairs before visiting the country as well as assess the stability of the Euro as it is used in the nation. Showing that the news is ever evolving and connected, Dominic Rushe wrote an article about the economic conditions in Italy in relationship to the way it will affect the entire European economic situation. The credit rating service Moody’s has been the second service in a few weeks to downgrade the Italian rating, creating problems for the idea of lending to the nation and increasing the costs of borrowing for the state. Moody’s stated that it cut the rating because â€Å"sustained and non-cyclical erosion of confidence† (Rushe). An interesting point was made by Italy’s Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi who â€Å"criticised Moodys rival Standard & Poors when it cut Italys credit rating last month, saying the ratings agencys action was "dictated more by newspaper stories than by reality" (Rushe). This commentary furthers the idea that much of the economy is

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

A Critique of Plato's Just Society Using the Notion of Fairness From Assignment

A Critique of Plato's Just Society Using the Notion of Fairness From John Rawls - Assignment Example The most explicit discussion of the tripartite part of the soul and the primacy of reason therein occurs in the fourth book of the Republic (435b). One of the first preliminary aspects of the soul is that although the parts of the soul are distinct in their virtues, Socrates also stresses that in the functioning of these parts, the soul must be considered as a â€Å"whole† [Plato, 1992, p. 436a]. What is implied by this, is as follows? If for example, one desired food, and this desire originated in the appetites, it would still require reason both to discern the means of satisfying this desire, but also it would require reason to know when one has had enough for the sake of health in which case, reason would act upon the ‘will’ to suppress desire, so to speak. This is a ‘chain of command’, so to speak, which will be explored both as it is outlined in this section of the Republic, but also in terms of how this is established in the three classes of the state [Haworth, 2004, p. 13]. Further, it is important to similarly stress that the appetites are as necessary for the reason for the sake of surviving. In other words, someone who had no appetite would starve, just as someone who had no ‘will’ or ‘spirit’ would have no discipline to stop eating or drinking. Thus, Socrates stresses that although the reason is given privilege within the scheme of the soul, he also stresses that all three aspects constitute the ‘whole’, and this ‘whole’ is necessary for surviving. In some ways, his position on the soul can be said to be a refutation of Thrasymachus position from the beginning of the dialogue where he argues that the just society is the one ruled by the â€Å"stronger† [Adams and Dyson, 2003, p. 4].  Ã‚  

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

The Idea Behind All Power to The Soviets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Idea Behind All Power to The Soviets - Essay Example In relation to the viewpoint of Trotsky in ‘Results and Prospects’ identified in the ‘Preface to the Re-Issue of this Work,’ the uprising characters in the Russian Revolution was the most prominent question in terms of forming ideological trends and building a strong movement group upholding the political organizations in the movement. The uprising character in the Russian Revolution had also stirred towards serious contentions from the perspective of social-democratic movement, which further turned into a practical character. Kautsky also realizes that the differences amidst the uprising characters and disagreements of the social-democratic movements had shaped two central movement trends, namely the Menshevism and Bolshevism. In relation to the viewpoint of Menshevism, the revolution was being shaped as a bourgeois movement by transferring adequate power to the bourgeoisie and form conditional aspects for ‘parliamentarism’ of the bourgeois. On the other hand, in a Bolshevism standpoint, the strong establishment of the democratic republic through proletariat and peasantry dictatorship was the prominent object in the form of ‘all power to the Soviets.’ The Bolshevism viewpoint regarding the statement is formed due to the inability of the bourgeois as the uprising character in the revolution.

Monday, September 23, 2019

Future of Human Factors in Aviation (capstone paper) Thesis

Future of Human Factors in Aviation (capstone paper) - Thesis Example Human factors are the major contributors in accidents associated with aviation industry (Helmreich, 2000). Flight Standards (AFS) Human Factors Specialists’ primary activities include: â€Å"Develop and update FAA regulations, policy, and guidance about human factors issues for aircraft operations and procedures, aircraft maintenance, pilot training, and other functions; Support projects that involve human factors assessments of aircraft operations, procedures, and maintenance; Develop tools to assist the FAA Flight Standards Service; Sponsor and supervise human factors research to support Flight Standards† (FAA, n. d.). FAA and NASA have spent a huge amount of R&D budget in understanding these factors. In an attempt to determine the path for future development in the field of human factors and aviation industry, a thorough investigation was carried out with the help of secondary sources that included books, research articles, and official report. With various technolog ical developments the influence of human factor in aviation has been mitigated to some extent, however, there is still a room for improvement. The need at the moment is to develop error tolerant systems, that not only monitors human factors, but also use automation to an extent where equipment become task centered as well as human centered. Aviation industry is one of the most prosperous industries. The expected annual growth of the industry is around five percent. The number of people utilizing these services continues to increase as well. With such a large customer base, it is tough to maintain standards in performance. Moreover, the slightest of errors may end up in causing loss of millions and affecting several hundred lives at the same time. Safety and efficiency of operations are the two most vital components. These components rely directly on organizations and their crew members. Despite, the advances in technology, it

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Marine General Brute Krulak Essay Example for Free

Marine General Brute Krulak Essay In writing the book First in Fight, the legendry Marine General Brute Krulak has submitted an unparalleled assessment of the US Marines. The book gives details of the fighting on the battlefield as also a detail of the Marine’s life when not at war. He has skillfully blended autobiography with history, analysis with action and separated facts from legend. General Krulak has touched upon the core qualities of the Corps in narrating the implications of being a Marine and the reasons for its outstanding and consistent performance. The general has also addressed the most pertinent and challenging issues regarding the Corps. A thorough analysis has been made about how the Corps manages to survive and to prosper despite the awesome political hurdles and the adversities it has to face in a routine manner. In explaining the unique characteristics of the Corps, General Krulak has delved into the core structure on which it has been built. What emerges is a system that is intensely loyal to God, the country and to other colleagues. A close look has been taken at the war practices of the Marines whereby stimulating details of their actions and experiences have been outlined in regard to World War II and the wars in Vietnam and Korea. Additionally, he has also described the relationship that the Corps enjoys with other services by giving special reference to the battles of unification that were fought in the aftermath of World War II. New insights have been offered in regard to the processes of decision making during times of emergency. First in Fight is a book that makes for appealing reading. It covers details of General Krulack’s personal experiences while he was engaged in the battle for the union of the armed forces. The book also explains very effectively how the entire chain of command of the US Military is set up and managed (Victor H. Krulak, 1999). References Victor H. Krulak, First to Fight: An Inside View of the U. S. Marine Corps, 1999, US Naval Institute Press

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Design and cost analysis to build a 3 storey new offices with construction

Design and cost analysis to build a 3 storey new offices with construction 1.0 INTRODUCTION This report is presenting two vacant sites which are located at Aberdeen City, Grampian (the edge of the city) and the other one at Edinburgh City, Scotland (city centre). This report content is the design and cost analysis to build a 3 storey new offices with construction to start as soon as possible. This new office will be approximately 1,500m ² which included offices, reception area, all ancillary spaces to accommodate staff, a board room to sit 50 and five meeting rooms to sit 10 15 people. The facilities required is air- conditioning offices and CCTV protection, and the proposed construction is steel frame with pitched roof. 1.1 Aim This report is to: Ø Decide whether city centre or outskirts which more suitable for cost saving. Ø Provide an outline cost plan for the project site mentioned. Ø Advice on sustainability aspects of the proposed project. Ø Provide breakdown by comparing few location before any decision taken. Ø Achieve a firm price by looking into the design of the offices. Ø Recommend the strategic location to the client. 2.0 BACKGROUND OF PROPOSED OFFICE BUILDING Proposed 3 storeys high quality offices block together with external works including reception area, a board room to sit 50, five meeting rooms to sit 10 15 people, services, security and CCTV protection and site lighting. Besides, solar heating panels are proposed for this project. Slimdek steel system is selected for frame work with steel pitch roof with aluminium standing seam cladding is proposed. 3.0 BCIS DATA DISTRICT PROFILES Based on BCIS historical data, analysis and the details of selected six (6) similar project of (new office building) are as below: i) Elemental analysis number 24828, A-3-1,253, this is 3 storey office block together with external works including precast concrete and macadam paving, steel mesh fencing, brick walls, landscaping, services, drainage, site lighting, cycle racks and bollards at Wilmslow, Cheshire, Massclesfield. ii) Elemental analysis number 23877, 3-7,600, this is 3 storey office block together with external works including paving, enclosures, landscaping, services, drainage and minor buildings at Merthyr Tydfil, Mid Glamorgan, Merthyr Tydfil. 3.0 BCIS DATA DISTRICT PROFILES (Contd) iii) Elemental analysis number 25344, A-3-2,045, this is 3 storey office block together with external works including block paving, fencing, walls, landscaping, services drainage, site lighting, cycle store and bat roost at Banbury, Oxfordshire, Cherwell. iv) Elemental analysis number 25163, A-3 (2) -718, this is 2 and 3 storey office block together with external works including landscaping, services and drainage at Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, Aylesbury Vale. v) Elemental analysis number 22434, A-3 (4) -3,887, this is 3 storey office block together with external works including access roads and car parking, landscaping, services, drainage, bin and cycle stores at Oxford, Oxfordshire, Oxford. vi) Elemental analysis number 22437, B-3-6,652, this is 3 storey office block together with external works including macadam and block paving to provide 167 parking spaces, extensive landscaping, services and drainage at Uxbridge, Greater London, London Borough of Hillingdon. Item Location Analysis Index/yr quarter Original Cost per m ² ( £) Preliminary (%) Contingency (%) GFA (m ²) /Storey Location Factor 1 Wilmslow, Cheshire, Macclesfield 247 / 2Q2008 1,125.98 21.68 2.93 1,253 / 3 Storey 0.97 2 Mid Glamorgan, Merthyr Tydfil 221 / 1Q2005 1,607.93 14.52 3.04 7,600 / 3 Storey 0.98 3 Banbury, Oxfordshire, Cherwell 246 / 3Q2008 1,482.95 19.24 1.06 2,045 / 3 Storey 0.99 4 Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, Aylesbury Vale 241 / 2Q2007 1,726.46 16.93 6.88 718 / 3 Storey 1.06 5 Oxford, Oxfordshire, Oxford 195 / 4Q2003 1,211.53 12.53 3,887 / 3 Storey 1.07 6 Uxbridge, Greater London, London Borough of Hillingdon 200 / 1Q2004 1,290.13 15.79 0.37 6,652 / 3 Storey 1.15 3.0 BCIS DATA DISTRICT PROFILES (Contd) Note: i) Cost per m ² excluding contingencies. ii) The cost plan of the above 6 projects are enclosed in Appendix (I) and (II) (Analysis 1 and 2). iii) The detail specifications are enclosed in Appendix IV. 4.0 COST PLAN ANALYSIS AND PROPOSAL Based on this report, location factor below 1.00 is considered as outskirt of city and above 1.00 is considered as city centre. One of the BCIS data Merthyr Tydfil Mid Glamorgan, Merthyr Tydfil is banned in this report for analysis and comparison due to the following reason: i. The cost per m ² is too high comparing to others project and the location factor is only 0.98. ii. Many element cost is undefined in details, example floor finishes, wall finishes, ceiling finishes, internal and external doors, roof, etc. iii. The preliminary is only 14.52% of the contract sum (excluding contingencies) compare to others 5 projects. Therefore, this elemental cost is not analytical. Price Design Risk is assumed as 7.0% and contingencies assumed as 2.5% for the two proposed project. 4.1 Element cost adjustment The rational adjustment for element cost as below: i. 2A Frame Proposed steel column and beam frame for this building. This element is cost 5.36% of the project and 2.30% lower if compare with Merthyr Tydfil project. ii. 2C Roof Proposed steel pitched roof with single ply waterproofing membrane for this building. This element is cost 4.43% of the project and 1.44% lower if compare with Merthyr Tydfil project. iii. 2G Internal Wall / Partitions Proposed metal stud and cubicle partitions is because a board room and two meeting room are required by client. iv. 2H Electrical Installation The percentage distribute to this element is 12.43% and is the highest compare to other five projects. Therefore, we proposed to cut down the uses of electricity to this building by 5.97%. 4.2 Cost analysis plan for city centre Edinburgh City, Scotland Refer to the above BCIS data, location factor above 1.00 is Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, Aylesbury Vale, Oxford Oxfordshire, Oxford and Uxbridge, Greater London, London Borough of Hillingdon. According to the current cost index of 212 (1Q2010) for the Proposed 3 Storey New Office Block at Edinburgh City and location factor is 1.09. The updated cost per m ² for Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, Aylesbury Vale is  £ 1,561.69, Oxford Oxfordshire, Oxford and Uxbridge is  £ 1,341.77, Greater London, London Borough of Hillingdon is  £ 1,296.19. Oxford Oxfordshire, Oxford and Uxbridge and Greater London, London Borough of Hillingdon is not selected because the updated cost per m ² is lower than Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, Aylesbury Vale. The low price for these two areas may be due to the location that nearby the edge of the city and it is unable to achieve a high class office building. However, the updated cost per m ² of  £ 1,561.69 for Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, Aylesbury Vale is selected for budgeting purpose only and this is current cost and not includes construction inflation and interest rates. The current cost limit is  £ 2,322,729 and the projected tender amount is  £ 2,300,817 as apply  £ 1,401.38 as current cost per m ² in analysis 3. 4.3 Cost analysis plan for outskirts of city Aberdeen City, Grampian Refer to the above BCIS data, location factor below 1.00 is Wilmslow Cheshire, Macclesfield, Merthyr Tydfil Mid Glamorgan, Merthyr Tydfil and Banbury Oxfordshire, Cherwell. According to the current cost index of 212 (1Q2010) for the Proposed 3 Storey New Office Block at Aberdeen City and location factor is 0.96. The updated cost per m ² for Wilmslow Cheshire, Macclesfield is  £ 956.47, Merthyr Tydfil Mid Glamorgan, Merthyr Tydfil is  £ 1,510.97 and Banbury Oxfordshire, Cherwell is  £ 1,239.27. Wilmslow Cheshire, Macclesfield and Banbury Oxfordshire, Cherwell is not selected because the updated cost per m ² is lower than Merthyr Tydfil Mid Glamorgan, Merthyr Tydfil. The low price for these two areas may be due to the market condition and the competitive between them make the tender price on lower side for this two projects. Nevertheless, the updated cost per m ² is adjust to  £ 1,510.97 for Merthyr Tydfil Mid Glamorgan, Merthyr Tydfil is selected for budgeting purpose due to the market condition is buoyant and not competitive that mean the tender price will on high side. The current cost limit is  £ 2,045,718 and the projected tender amount is  £ 2,026,419 as apply  £ 1,234.25 as current cost per m ² in analysis 3. 4.4 Cost comparison for city centre and outskirts of city Based on the cost plan for this 3 storey new office building at Edinburgh City and Aberdeen City, the projected tender amount for 2Q2010 is  £ 2,300,817 and  £ 2,026,419 respectively. The cost between this two distinct is  £ 274,398 or 13.54%. 5.0 SUSTAINABILITY OF BUILDING Building owners, designers and builders face a unique challenge to meet demands for new and renovated facilities that are accessible, secure, healthy, and productive while minimizing their impact on the environment. The main objectives of sustainable design are to avoid resource depletion of energy, water, and raw materials; prevent environmental degradation caused by facilities and infrastructure throughout their life cycle; and create built environments that are livable, comfortable, safe, and productive. In UK, Green Building, also known as green construction or sustainable building, is the practice of creating structures and using processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a buildings life-cycle: from sitting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and deconstruction. 5.1 Reduce Carbon Dioxide Emission In UK, annual CO2 emission is 568,520 in thousands of metric tons. Buildings are responsible for more than 70 percent of electricity use; therefore, reducing electricity use in buildings directly affects carbon emissions in electricity production. Therefore, solar panels and heat exchange system are proposed in this project for space heating and air-conditioning. 5.2 Whole life cost of the building Solar energy is renewable and essentially free. There are two factors that influence the amount of money solar panels will save you on your electricity bills: 1) the amount of money you spend on your current electric bill, and 2) the amount of electricity your solar panels will be providing. The demands of solar energy get well known because of the high prices for electricity bill using conventional source. The worldwide of demand for solar energy is greater than its supply. This is due to it will cut energy consumption and pollution sources like they have lower heat loss, less air leakages, warmed window surface that improve comfort and minimize condensation. Automatic lighting and air conditioning control system is proposed, example it will automatic off and / or change to some low voltage lighting after working hour. 6.0 COST SAVINGS PROPOSAL The cost plan is for estimation budgeting only but not final contract sum for this project, so to control the final cost within budget and / or gain additional profit from the saving, the following cost savings for this project are proposed: i. Proposed Slimdek extends the range of cost-effective steel options for modern buildings. Ease of planning and servicing, combined with a reduction in building height, gives significant cost and speed of construction benefits. Slimdek is especially economical for highly serviced buildings. Flexibility of routing services without constraint and the ability to accommodate services between the ribs can lead to substantial savings in the cost of services. ii. Proposed to commence work at month April 10 because the frame work and roof covering able to finish when winter season, this help to save additional cost when construct in winter season, examples heating for curing concrete, protection of new work (concrete and brickwork), etc. This assist contractor to save additional cost and will reflect to overall development cost for client. iii. Solar heating panels is a the usage of solar energy to provide process that depends on the solar radiation, surface area, surface reflectance, surface emissivity, ambient temperature, and thermal convection from wind. 7.0 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO ACHIEVE A FIRM PRICE We required additional information which will have impact on costs in order to prepare a firmer estimation cost as below: i. Ground condition ii. Site topography iii. Site existing structure, accessibility and protection iv Market condition v. Type of contract for the project 8.0 CONCLUSION / RECOMMENDATIONS The quality of the building is more important for offices than for other development like retail. It should provide necessary services and enable flexible sub-division of floor space. While location (address) is important, congestion is reducing efficiency and encouraging out of town office parks. Therefore, Proposed 3 storey office block at Aberdeen City, Grampian instead of Edinburgh City due to the following reasons: i. Based on the comparison, the cost is too high build at city centre, i.e.  £ 274,398 or 13.54% higher rather use the money for upgrade the building quality. ii. Office building is encouraging to build at outskirts of city due to the congestion is reducing efficiency and the quality of office building is more important than location. iii. The land value at Edinburgh City is more expensive compare with Aberdeen City, Grampian. This 3 storey small office cant fully utilize the land value at Edinburgh City. iv. according to CB Richard Ellis, Market View Scottish Office H1 2008, completion of office at Edinburgh City are set peak in 2009 when 611,400 sq ft (56,799 sq m) is anticipated to be delivered mean the market of office development at Edinburgh City is competitive. 9.0 COST PLAN SUMMARY Appendix I Aberdeen City, Grampian (Proposed to develop) Appendix II Edinburgh City, Scotland Note: Each Appendix including Analysis 1, 2 3. Cost comparison for Aberdeen City, Grampian and Edinburgh City, Scotland