essay123 Essays - Architecture, Lighting, Stage Lighting

essay123 Essays - Architecture, Lighting, Stage Lighting There are a lot of components that I take into consideration when picking out light and fixtures. Modern styles stand out to me the most because of the city living I choose to live in. City style living is all about maximizing your space as much as possible. Having brighter walls with neutral colors always makes a home feel bigger than what it actually is. I love retro looks because it gives me a sense of sleek, spacious, and cool vibe s to any home I've seen. After reviewing throughthe brand page I found threecompanies that were most appealing to me based strictly offthe appearance . They are Lois Poulsen , Vesoi lighting, andNEXT.I then went to each website to learn more about the products.Louis Poulsen stood out to me because of the unique structureof most of the fixtures. I appreciated the type of bright/white light the company showed on each piece. I visualized someof the lamps and wall lights in my common area for study areas and vanity lighting. The main concern that turned my away from the company was the pricing because I did not find it very reasonable. I then came across Vesoi lighting and was instantly drawn to viewing more of the suspended lighting. The chandeliersand suspension light s are very elegant and visually pleasing to look at. The E1 3 30/so Suspension light is ab s o l ut ely magnificent and my favorite item. I was amazed thatalmos tevery product I loved on site page and thepricing was very reasonable. However,I then quickly realized that I could not personally see these fixtures in my home. I would only purchase these items to use in an area for business and not in ho me. After reviewing all three, it was very evident that NEXT would be my brand of choice. As I stated before, I am a big fan of modern designs and NEXT provide s that look with almost all the pieces on the brand page . As a college student the energy efficiency rating, energy saving, long life span, and eco friendly aspects became a plus. I love white and silver lights and they had the most variation I have seen with a very elegant touch to each item. They had different indoor and outdoor lighting with the same design, which I found very convenient. I reviewed the company's policy on warranty and delivery that was very impressive for the brands customer care. I also read more on smart controls, which I was not previously aware of. It explained that integrates occupancy, daylight, demand response, dimming, and energy saving components which I thought was absolutely stellar. The Alien M Easy Floor Light was amazing to me. I could really see that piece in my home now or any home I choose in the future. The design was very pleasing to look at and I know that it would make a great piece for conversation because most lighting fixtures are not designed that way. The DNA Wall and Ceiling Lamp is absolute a must have. The desi gn is so innovative to me and can real ly add finishing touches to any home design. Sleek, sexy

Three Ways Social Shares Can Mean More Money For Writers

Three Ways Social Shares Can Mean More Money For Writers The statistical value of your work published online (social shares) matters more than ever. Pay attention to how your articles are socially redistributed, shared, and liked. Shivani Sharma, CEO of Firefly Creative Inc. stated in a  Software Advice  article for tech-savvy marketers and business owners  that businesses should look for  freelance writers who know how to write content  that engages the target audience. What does this mean for you as a freelancer? It means its time you leveraged those social shares, or the impact, of your articles to increase your future income. To get started, learn how to collect your social shares data: 1. Use spreadsheets Excel or Google Docs should work fine. In your spreadsheet, list your published articles in the first column, then assign a column for each social media share option, i.e. Facebook shares, likes, Twitter shares, LinkedIn likes, blog comments, Google + shares, and other platforms that show on the share buttons of the site youve published on. Update this document at least monthly. 2. Use Contently.com This free platform for writers can help you showcase a collection of your Now that you have your data, use the data to increase your income: 1. Ask for a raise from current clients Asking for a rate increase carries the risk of losing a client, but now that you have data to back up your demand, you can prove how your articles helped their site and more importantly, their business. For this particular purpose, you could track the articles youve written for that clients site alone and show how your influence becomes theirs. 2. Justify (or negotiate) your rates with potential clients Potential clients will haggle for lower rates. Next time you negotiate your rate, use your social shares data to show the impact of your work on websites and businesses youve already written for. You have the numbers to show your value, proof of what you accomplished for other websites which reflects on what you can do for the potential client. Show them youre a business investment instead of just a writing expense. 3. Attract better paying clients Lastly, use data to analyze which articles did well and why. Review the ones receiving the most engagement. What words did you use in your headline? Did you share personal stories or interview experts? Was the topic unique or controversial? Then pitch a guest post to medium or big sites, writing the post with the same style and tone you used in your most engaging articles. Just remember to follow the guidelines of the site youre guest posting on. The types of post that receive the most shares are almost the same as reported With social sharing we see the effect our words have on readers and use it to improve our craft. But it can also be our means to earning more income.

General Electric Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

General Electric - Essay Example Understanding Groups Group is a collection of 2 or more individuals, who interact regularly, exert mutual influence and work in collusion with each other to achieve a common goal (Griffin & Moorehead, 2008). Purpose of a group forms its background and the process through which this is achieved makes it operational. Team is structured, requires coordinated interaction to reach the set goal and all the members stand responsible for its activities. A congregation of individuals qualifies to be called a group based on Kurt Lewin’s parameters, which specify that the members should interact, are interdependent, influence each other, the members feel belongingness, have a structure, work towards a common goal and are recognised as a group by others. Task and relationship-based interactions develop in groups, through which people connect and affect each other. Group Development Bruce Tuckman suggested 4 stages of group development, which consist of forming, storming, norming and perfo rming. Adjourning has been appended later (Griffin & Moorehead, 2008). a. Forming During this phase, individuals mingle with each other and communicate, in an attempt to arrive at their purpose of association. They assess their respective comfort zones. Leaders play a vital role in facilitating this understanding and walking them towards the next stage (Griffin & Moorehead, 2008). In this phase, as we have come from different departments and educational backgrounds, we questioned each other on the relevant details. We have also discussed the past work experience and project records of each of the members. This has helped us in gaining an understanding on the capabilities of every individual of the teams. As a leader, I saw that the team discussions at this phase are directed towards exploring each other, being polite, keeping the communication alive and coordinating them. These conversations created an idea on what would be the ideal roles for each of them within the team and we dec ided on them towards the end of the formation meeting. b. Storming Here, the members share their views, assemble with others sharing similar thoughts and socialise. Leader persuades them to open up and streamlines their ideas, differences etc towards the group goals (Griffin & Moorehead, 2008). This phase has been the challenging one, as the group members started to interact, the differences started to surface. The resource sharing and competition led to substantial friction. However, as a trained and experienced leader, I created the clarity on the jobs and responsibilities; the scope of every person in the team is highlighted. Thus, the importance of every member and his role is clearly understood even by the others and thus, the decision making powers and necessity of the resources to each of them is discussed. Further, the common goals of the team and the focus on productivity of the team, which is only possible through the concerted efforts of all the teammates is stressed. I h ad to support the views of some of the members of the team during such communication, which has planted a doubt in them that I am favoring those members, which was cleared in the due course as the actual work proved my support right. As the team members appreciate the roles and responsibili

Movie REVIEW Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Movie REVIEW - Essay Example He was someone who excelled in almost every task assigned to him and it made Nick jealous of him and then starts the process of how professional jealously actually intervenes with the personal lives and can take its toll on the performance of the employees working at each level. A closer look at the character of Nick Falzone would suggest that Nick was working in a profession which was not only stressful in terms of work requirements but also had relatively higher employee turnover. Due to the difficult work situation, Nick was in a position to respond to the situations in a relatively tensed and stressful manner so that he not only can establish his authority within the department but also establish himself as someone who is high performing and upon which department relies upon when required. It is also clear while watching this movie that competition or professional jealousy between the employees not only hurt their personal lives or also their professional duties and responsibilities. it is evident that when competition between the employees can result into negativity and low productivity if the emotional side of the employees is not managed properly. The role of the organization therefore is of critical nature in such situations to help employees to balance their emotional and personal sides with effective stress management at work and in personal lives. It is clear that Nick was following stress model because underlying his behavior was the stress which was arising from his deep rooted fears that he was working in an industry where jobs were relatively difficult and tough to perform. Apart from this, his personal life also seem to suggest that he was acting under the stress and was willing to do anything to preserve his ego and dominance over others. Underlying the stress model is the basic assumption of our behaviors being driven by the fear and love. It is

The theme of loneliness the most in the novel Of Mice And Men Essay Example for Free

The theme of loneliness the most in the novel Of Mice And Men Essay A guy goes nuts if he aint got nobody. Dont matter no difference who the guy is, longs he with you. I tell ya a guy gets to lonely an he gets sick. This is a very interesting definition of loneliness brought to us by Crooks, one of the pivotal characters, along with Candy and Curleys wife, whom develop the theme of loneliness the most in the novel. Steinbecks novel Of Mice and Men is set at the time of the Great Depression after the stock market crash of 1929. The currency is almost worthless and people can afford little possessions. Due to the situation, many people move from place to place to find work. This means they are never in one place long enough to form any relationships, thus being a very lonely existence: Guys like us, that live on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. George and Lennie are the two main characters of the novel, they find work in a ranch near Soledad: even the name of the small town recalls Solitude, furthermore soledad means loneliness in Spanish. Which emphasises the power and role loneliness has in the novel. Steinbeck infact emphasises loneliness, powerlessness, and isolation, and his hatred for it throughout the novel. He contrasts this with the companionship of George and Lennie. They are the only men who actually travel together,and look out for each other, and this is proved by the way everyone is suspicious of their friendship. The three characters I have chosen to describe the theme of loneliness are very jealous of the two mens friendship. They are: Crooks, Candy and Curleys wife. Crooks is a black man that is isolated because of the racist society of the early Twentieth Century. The loneliness that Crooks feels is created by the discrimination of the white ranchers towards him. Crooks does not know how to relate to other people because he is mistreated, he is disrespected and isolated: he cant participate at the daily events with the other white people, he doesnt know how to control his frustration and therefore is angry at everyone. Cause Im black. They play cards in there, but I cant play because Im Black. They say I stink. Well I tell you, you all stink to me! Moreover, no one likes living in a barn and working with horses all day long, Crooks spends all his nights reading to take shelter from society. Crooks is fascinated by George and Lennies strong friendship Well, spose, jus spose he dont come back. Whatll you do then? Crooks asks such questions, because having no friends he doesnt know how it feels. he tries in every way to seek understanding and to begin friendships with other people, he would do anything to come out of his solitude and depression. If youguys would want a hand to work for nothing Just his keep, why Id come an lend a hand. I aint so crippled I can work like a son-of-a-bitch if I want to. Crooks, too, experiences the emotional bleakness of the majority of the characters drawn by Steinbeck in this story, as shown in his jealousy of George and Lennies friendship and his desire to join in the dream of part-owning their own ranch. Crooks wants to participate in George and Lennies dream not only because he wants to leave the hostile ranch he works in but because he too wants to be involved in their friendship. Candy is an old, physically disabled swamper. He has worked on the ranch for a great part of his life, and it is on this very farm he was victim of a machinery accident which cost his hand, leaving him behind money but loneliness. His old age and his handicap make him feel useless, this thought makes him more handicapped than his missing hand. He feels like a useless old man who is wasting the last few years of his miserable life. He is haunted by the idea of losing his job because he is a cripple and that this will then further lead him to death. I got hurt four years ago. Theyll can purty soon. Jusas soon as I cant swamp out no bunk houses theyll put me on the county Candy thinks that no one wants to be his friend because he has missing a hand. He is often invited by the other people on the ranch to drink and play cards but always refuses because he has a very low self-esteem, so Candy is putting a loneliness tag on himself and not the other people. At the end he tries to make friends joining George and Lennies dream: to have their own ranch. This is one of Candys feeble attempts to make place for himself in society, and to give himself a goal in life. Ill wash the dishes an little chick stuff like that. But Ill be on your own place, an Ill be let to work on our own place. After Candy lost his dog he felt even more lonely than before, his dog was the only possession Candy actually owned and that he could take care of by himself. After his death Candy owned nothing, not one important thing. The relationship between Candy and his dog is the same as that between George and Lennie. While George had Lennie and the other ranchers had each other, Candy on the other hand had no one, and this led him to depression and loneliness. No one else in the book shared the same dreams as Candy. This is why he so desperately seeks attention from George and Lenny. He even offers them money, but as its well known money doesnt buy friendship Maybe if I give you money, youll let me how in the garden even after I aint no good at it. Curleys wife is another pivotal character and her hasty marriage to Curley proves to be another failed attempt of escaping from her own spiral of loneliness. In addition, his failure to satisfy her either emotionally or physically leads her to seek solace in the other men even those at the very bottom of the social hierarchy of the ranch. Curleys wife is a tease to everybody on the ranch. She will dress and act in a provocative way. She uses her beautiful body to attract attention; she does this so she will feel less lonely. These acts make her feel wanted and important, because she always has everyones eyes on her, but at the same it gives her a bad reputation, and so none of the ranchers wants to talk to her. This seek for attention prevents her from getting rid of the sexual image the other men have of her. Maybe you better go along to you own house now. We dont want no trouble. George sees Curleys wife as a very dangerous threat, he soon refers to her as rat trap. This shows us how radical sexism was like in the 1930s and how woman were treated in that society. Although the sympathy we at first feel for her soon diminishes due to her cruelty, and the she treats: Candy Crooks and Lennie referring to them as a nigger an a dum- dum and a lousy ol sheep moreover she dismisses their dream as Balony. Curleys wife notices how simple-minded Lennie is and takes advantage of that situation. She knows that Lennie is the only person, with whom she can discuss her problems. Her type of loneliness is caused when there is no one around you to talk to. This underlines the sexist society of the time, a society that didnt care of a womens opinion; a society that only looked at women in cat houses and brothels. Curleys wife was aware of this and tried to seek attention through her body, Maybe Curleys wife demanded too much of Lennys simple mind, more that what he could give to her: without meaning to, he kills her. Curleys wifes death can be seen both as a tragedy and as something positive because she ended all of her sufferings. All these three characters are very alike even though they have different types of solitude, because everyone tries to solve their problems in some way. All three also try to get closer to George and Lennis friendship. Solitude is an inevitable fact of life, an important phase of growth that not even the strongest people can avoid.

Same Sex Parenting and Adoption Essay -- adoption, homosexuality, fami

Adoption for same sex couples is a very controversial topic in Family Law, and often same sex couples face many unique issues if they wish to adopt. Many states have different laws that apply for gay and lesbian adoption, as opposed to heterosexual couples. Several states also have special rules that apply when a child is born into a gay or lesbian partnership. Gay and lesbian couples may sometimes opt to bring a child into their lives through conception and birth as well. For a lesbian couple, this is usually done through a male donor or a sperm bank and having one of the couple become pregnant. Similarly, gay men may use a surrogate mother and then become a legal parent through adoption. The other parent then can become a legal second parent through stepparent or second parent adoption. However, many states including Virginia don’t allow second parent adoption. The definition of a legal ‘parent’ is (n.) the lawful and natural father or mother of a person. The word does not mean grandparent or ancestor, but can include an adoptive parent as a replacement for a natural parent. Adoption laws vary from state to state, and there are some states that do allow lesbian and gay couples to adopt children as legal, joint parents. Gay and lesbian couples in these states can go through adoption agencies in order to adopt, personally arrange their adoption, or even adopt internationally. In many states, however, stepparent, second parent or even joint adoption is not an option for gay and lesbian couples. Although the Commonwealth of Virginia does not have a law in place that prohibits same sex couples from adopting a child, it is usually a very hostile situation and it may be very difficult in many occasions for gays and lesbians to ... ...he way society will treat the child, the psychological effects on the child and the child’s well being and safety above all are the main factors that the courts should look at when dealing with this issue. As previously stated the issue of same sex adoption is one of the most controversial topics in today’s Family Law across the country and with good reason. Given that this involves the upbringing of human beings who are the future of our society, it is extremely important to make sure that they are given the best care and best influences in their lives in order to make good moral and educated decisions in their future lives. Same sex parenting may not be as bad as society has made it seem but it absolutely has to be socially and scientifically proven before any more steps are taken in this matter because, after all, it is in the â€Å"best interest of the child.†

Objective of Punishment

Objectives of Punishment There have been many rules throughout history some choose to follow those rules and some choose to break the rules. The big question is the product to those who should break the rules. There was a day when parents could spank their children freely and accepted as simply normal. As the years went on, society started to see how people would take it too far. Therefore, laws had to change. It is the same within today’s prison system. Individuals are in prison because they broke the rules and would have to serve their time. Some go to federal prison and some go to state prisons. It depends on the type of crime that a person commits; because these prisons harbor different types of criminals they also have different guidelines to follow in terms to punishing the inmates. How does sending one person to state or one person to federal prison affect the correctional system altogether? The State of California’s main goal of sentencing is to match the community sanctions with the offender. The types of community sanctions include: Criminal offenders who benefit from prevention services and are at risk of committing more crimes include: juvenile offenders with learning difficulties, high school dropouts, and urban youth gang members. Prevention services may include activities such as special education programs, and big brother programs. Criminal offenders who have received and benefited from these early intervention services are mostly first time offenders. Early intervention programs can significantly decrease the offender’s chances for committing crimes in the future. Offenders need substance abuse and alcohol counseling-related services, work skill development, and education, (Nieto, 1996). Offenders eligible for these programs are people in prison who can divert to alternative services and programs. The convicted offenders can be a second time or even a third time offenders who failed probation and even convicted of several of nonviolent offenses. California's â€Å"three strike's law,† can result in convicted felon sentenced to prison for life if the convicted offenders first two felonies were violent crimes and the third felony committed by the repeat offender is also a violent crime, (Nieto, 1996). The main goal of these sentencing guidelines is to put the targeted offenders with appropriate community sanctions. However, there are some differences and variations in the California sentencing guidelines, which include the punishment by the nature of crime committed, frequency, and severity. A good example took place in Michigan. If an offender is arrested for burglary, which is a class ‘C' felony in the state of Michigan, and a previous drug arrest, which are also a class C crime. The Michigan sentencing guideline rates provide sentencing options from alternative community corrections to a two-year prison sentence, (Nieto, 1996). The community correction’s alternative gives the judge the option of sentencing the criminal offender to a community-based and secured substance abuse treatment program for a period of six months. Upon successful completion of the treatment program, the offender must complete a probationary period. The discretion of the judge comes from a vast array of options. However, if an offender is found guilty of a serious felony and has prior nonviolent felony, sentencing guidelines provide community corrections and alternatives are not authorized and a minimum two-year prison sentence may be requisite, (Nieto, 1996). Until 1975, the federal bureau of prisons operated under the principles of the medical model of managing inmates. The medical model entailed educational, vocational, and treatment programs that attempted to transform criminal behavior into a positive and productive behaviors that would benefit society. The medical model utilized the federal inmate classification system to manage the inmate population and promote individualized treatment, (Miller, 2011). By 1975, the federal bureau of prisons had a much greater inmate population than it had several decades earlier during its inception, and they adopted the balanced model to manage those inmates. The balanced model no longer promoted individualized treatment. The balanced model was a composite model that focused on a combination of the principles of rehabilitation, deterrence, retribution, and incapacitation, (Miller, 2011). Several other major changes over the last few decades have affected the sentencing of those convicted of violating federal laws. The U. S. Sentencing Commission of 985 limited the use of probation for federal offenses, particularly for drug offenses and violent crimes. The Sentencing Reform Act of 1984 limited the amount of time the prisoners could reduce from their sentences for good behavior. This new law mandated that federal prisoners must serve a minimum of 85% of their sentence. The Sentencing Reform Act of 1984 also abolished the use of parole for federal p risoners, (Miller, 2011). Federal prisons manage their inmates within the guidelines of a Prisoners Bill of Rights. The prisoner’s rights include clean and decent living environments. Prisoners also have the rights to develop and maintain skills as a productive worker and have the rights to maintain and reinforce family and community ties, (Miller, 2011). The adoption of prisoner rights has helped the federal prisons avoid much of the legal turmoil that has embroiled the state prison systems. Most of the United States economist believed that in today’s times, the USA experiences the most drastic crisis in decades. All states in the United States report about significant budget shortfalls. As the results, the state governments significantly have to reduce their spending for correctional system. For the last two decades of the 20th Century, the spending for state and federal penitentiaries increased 600% because of the growth of measured requiring economic expenditures, for example, mandatory minimum sentences, truth in sentencing laws and three-strike legislation, (Carlson, 2008). Although economic trends started affecting the consideration of sentencing policy, the public attitude toward crimes has greatly changed. Polls show that more people think that it is necessary to address the root causes of crimes and less support the use of strict measures toward criminals. The attitude toward mandatory sentencing also underwent a change. The pool conducted in 2005 showed that 38% think that mandatory sentencing is a good idea whereas 45% of respondents prefer judicial discretion. This radical change in the attitude can be causing significant drop in the crime rate registered in the country, (Carlson, 2008). State and federal governments respond to the impact of the economic crisis on the correction system in a number of ways. The nature of problems varies, depending on the state, and so varies the strategies used. The most popular measures are as follows: prison closings, cuts of the staff in corrections, reviewing the budget of corrections concerning nonessentials, reconsidering sentencing schemes, establishing sentencing committees and commissions. Everything in life changes all the time and will always be that way, which is why everything about the past be called history. The rules and regulations for punishing the wicked and wrong doers always have been around. Many past mistakes made; consequently, the rules had to have either adjusted or completely erased altogether to fix these mistakes. The system of punishment is not a design to humiliate or degrade individual in any way, it is an intention to teach the difference between what is right and what is wrong according to the guidelines set forth by government officials. As the rules and regulations change, it affects the state and federal prison systems. They have had to become more lenient and tolerant with the individuals punished for their crimes. Still they have to try to maintain order within the walls of the confinement even though tougher laws outside the walls are making it easier to put individuals behind bars causing overcrowding and less money for security. References Carlson, Peter M. (2008). Garrett, Judith Simon, Prison and Jail Administration: Practice and Theory, Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Miller, Whitehead (2011). Report Writing for Criminal Justice Professionals, 4th Edition, p140, Chapter 6, State and Federal Prisons, Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database. Nieto, Marcus (May 1996). Community Correction Punishments: An Alternative To Incarceration for Nonviolent Offenders. http://www. library. ca. gov/crb/96/08/#RTFToC6.

The Small Things in Life That We Own Are the Most Precious

Argumentative Writing- Oct/Nov 2012 Paper 33- ‘The small things in life that we own are the most precious’. Do you agree? How many of you have an award sitting on the dusty shelf in the front of you, reminding you of your previous achievements? Or a framed certificate hanging on the wall of your room? These memories mean so much because they represent a proud moment in your journey. The small things we own in life is what we hold nearest to our hearts. In our daily lives, we throw many things away: worn out clothing, used stationery, and torn footwear, but never will you see the traces of a trophy or a certificate lying in the trash bin.Why? Because these mementos, which date back to our childhood, represent an occasion, a symbolic moment. I remember when I received a blue ribbon for participating in an All Summer Gymnastics Club, and I kept it all these years, as a reminder of what I have accomplished, and as a memory of all the fun times I had been through. As humans, memories are the most important to us, because they only live within the recesses of our mind. In line with obtaining tokens of our personal achievements, we also possess certain items of sentimental value. A pearl necklace or a well-kept diary that is passed on to you acts as a mark of love and warmth.The smallest things we have acquired and collected over the years are the ones we cherish our whole life. It is often thought only the big moments in life are looked back upon, however this is a false impression, as small things in life: the ribbons, pictures, medals, and mementos all reflect on a memory or moment in life, which should be given equal value or even more than the bigger ones. To sum up, I feel the smallest gifts hold the most importance. They carry our values and our honor within them thereby making them our most precious possessions.

Cellulose and Hemicellulose Essays

Cellulose and Hemicellulose Essays Cellulose and Hemicellulose Paper Cellulose and Hemicellulose Paper When A.niger has been starved for 6 hours, CreA repression is alleviated and it releases a subset of scouting enzymes to find a carbon source to breakdown [2]. From six to nine hours, the scouting enzymes (or degradative enzymes) look out for complex polysaccharides which will release inducing sugars (such as xylose). The release of xylose triggers a subsequent induction of hydrolases by XInR and from nine hours plus, degradation of complex polysaccharides takes place. Other bacterial and fungal models suggest that the induction of these enzymes is from a basal level of expression of degradative enzymes[16]. Transcriptional changes are seen in A.niger in association with growth on wheat straw compared to growth on simple sugars (e.g. glucose). With growth on wheat straw, it was observed that levels of free glucose increased indicating that degradation had begun on wheat straw polysaccharide. In addition, increases in xylose levels and arabinose in comparison to increase in glucose showed that hemicellulose degradation is the primary activity of A.niger at this point [2]. Degradation of Cellulose and Hemicellulose  The plant cell wall is composed of polysaccharides; cellulose, hemicellulose, and pectin (in order of abundance) [17] and lignin.  The most famous and abundant polysaccharide is cellulose or ÃŽ ²-1,4-glucan, in both primary and secondary cell walls. The cellulose content in cell walls vary but can be up to 45% in particular primary cell walls[17]. It is a linear polymer made up ÃŽ ²-1,4-linked D-glucose residues, existing in four polymorphic crystalline forms and is closely linked to xylan (a hemicellulose). In the cell wall, monomers are ordered to become fibres to give rigidity to the cell wall. Additionally, there are two types of cellulose; the native type and regenerative type[18]. To breakdown cellulose through Trichoderma and Aspergillus species, three main classes of enzymes are involved: endoglucanases (EG), cellobiohydrolases (CBH) and ÃŽ ²-glucosidases (ÃŽ ²-GD). EG hydrolyses cellulose to glucooligosaccharides followed by CBH degrading crystalline cellulose to produce cellobiose. Finally, ÃŽ ²-glucosidase degrade the oligosaccharides to glucose[19]. However, as a results of different enzyme studies, exoglucanases have been seen to release glucose from cellulose and glucooligosaccharides however, it is not a clear distinction from the role of cellobiohydrolases[20]. Lastly, expression of cellulolytic genes in Aspergilli is observed in the presence of various monomeric and polymeric carbon sources. Hemicelluloses are heterogeneous polysaccharides. They are used as a flexible cell wall support for plants and are able to bond to cellulose microfibrils through hydrogen bonding[13, 21]. However, the composition of this polysaccharide is different between plants and between species. There are many types of hemicelluloses but predominant types are xylan (in cereals) and xyloglucan (in onions). Xylan is a polymer consisting of a ÃŽ ²-1,4-linked D-xylose backbone and a side group. In wheat straw, the side group to the xylose backbone are D-glucopyranosyluronic acid at position 2 and L-arabinofuranosyl and D-xylopyranosyl groups linked at position 3 on the backbone[22]. To degrade the xylan backbone, endoxylanses are used to cleave the backbone down to oligosaccharides and further degradation by ÃŽ ²-xylosidases produces xylose [20]. For the degradation of xyloglucan, EGs and ÃŽ ²-GD are used. Finally, pectins are a group of heteropolysaccharies. The backbone of pectin is compost of ÃŽ ±-1,4-linked D-galacturonic acid residues[20].  A non-polysaccharide component of the cell walls is lignin. In trees, lignin’s role in the cell wall is to support xylem cell and is covalently link to hemicellulose [23, 24]. However, in terms of advanced biofuel production, one of the key issues with the breakdown of wheat straw is lignin as it cannot be hydrolysed and monolignals are not involved to bioethanol production. Consequently, pre-treatment is a crucial step to allow access to cellulose and hemi-cellulose[25] which can be thermal, chemical or fungal. A chemical pre-treatment is to degrade lignin in wheat straw, is using a mixture of acetic acid–nitric acid or using white rot fungi [26, 27]. An aim for future biofuels is to reduce the amount of pre-treatments required since stronger pre-treatments reduce the availability of polysaccharides. Cellobiohydrolase (CBH) A and B are involved in the breakdown of ÃŽ ²-1,4-glucan down to glucose, particularly the breakdown of the crystalline cellulose. These two enzymes are encoded by the genes cbhA and cbhB respectively and belong to the fungal family CBH 7. The modular structure of cbhB contains a cellulose binding domain or carbohydrate binding module (CBM) domain which is linked to a catalytic domain by a Pro/Ser/Thr-rich linker peptide but cbhA has just the catalytic domain[28]. The modular structure of CbhB can be seen across a number of species and in T.reesei, over half of the protein secreted is cellobiohydrolase I (CBHI) which has the exact same structure is seen cbhB[11]. It must be noted that the lack of a CBD in cbhA only affects its cellulase activities with insoluble cellulose but not with other soluble substrates[29]. The regulation of many cellulases is at the transcriptional level. Transcriptional repression of these genes can be seen in T.reesei in the presence of glucose by CreA whereas transcriptional activation is induced by XInR[30]. Furthermore, the expression of cbhA and cbhB are activated by XInR, xylanolytic transcriptional activator in the presence of D-xylose.[28]  Carbohydrate-Binding Module (CBM) Domain  The CBM domain catalyses the inefficient attack on glycosidic bonds of polysaccharides by GHs[31]. Glycosidic bonds do not always fit in the active site of GHs therefore to overcome this, many GHS use catalytic and non-catalytic CBMs to promote their association with their substrate.  CBMs are mainly involved in to the hydrolysis of plant structure polysaccharides such as cellulose and hemicellulose. They also contain protein domains within a carbohydrate-active enzyme which is separate from a catalytic domain with carbohydrate binding activity[32]. A.niger has a subtype of CBM called the starch binding domain (SBD) which is found at the many amylolytic enzymes. The CBM domain was previously defined as cellulose binding domain (CBD) because initial studies on these domains found these modules bound to cellulose [33, 34]. However, it can now be seen that modules appear to be bound to other carbohydrates. CBDs, in particular in T.reesei, are essential in cellulases performing the beginning steps of cellulose degradation as most of the substrate is still insoluble. However, not all cellobiohydrolase contain a CBD, such as cbhA in A.niger [28, 35]. Expression of Xylanolytic Enzymes Xylanolytic enzymes breakdown xylan into xylose and are produced on xylose (monosaccharide), xylan (polysaccharide) or substrates containing these sugars[20]. However, xylanolytic enzymes are not induced by other monomeric or polymeric substrates such as glucose and cellulose. Some are cellulases are induced by xylose suggesting the presence of xylose may activate transcription genes encoding cellulases[28]. There is a separate regulatory control of synthesis of cellulases and beta-xylanases. In certain species such as A.terreus, xylanolytic enzyme, ÃŽ ²-xylanase was induced by cellobiose and cellulose (which are structurally related to xylobiose and xylan) as well as a heterodissachride of glucose and xylose[36] [37]. Studies of the genes encoding xylanolytic enzymes (from A.niger and A.tubingensis) have shown that these enzymes are expressed in the presence of D-xylose, xylobiose, or xylan by XInR (transcriptional activator) however, when xylose concentration is too high or glucose is present, thee genes are repressed by CreA(catabolite repressor protein)[38-40].

Sterling Price - American Civil War - Major General

Sterling Price - American Civil War - Major General Sterling Price - Early Life Career: Born September 20, 1809 in Farmville, VA, Sterling Price was the son of wealthy planters Pugh and Elizabeth Price.   Receiving his early education locally, he later attended Hampden–Sydney College in 1826 before departing to pursue a career in law.   Admitted to the Virginia bar, Price briefly practiced in his home state until following his parents to Missouri in 1831.   Settling in Fayette and then Keytesville, he married Martha Head on May 14, 1833.   During this time, Price engaged in a variety of enterprises including tobacco farming, a mercantile concern, and operating a hotel.   Gaining some prominence, he was elected to the Missouri State House of Representatives in 1836.   Sterling Price - Mexican-American War: In office two years, Price aided in resolving the Mormon War of 1838.   Returning to the state house in 1840, he later served as speaker before being elected to the US Congress in 1844.   Remaining in Washington a little over a year, Price resigned his seat on August 12, 1846 to serve in the Mexican-American War.   Returning home, he raised and was made colonel of the  Second Regiment, Missouri Mounted Volunteer Cavalry.   Assigned to Brigadier General Stephen W. Kearnys command, Price and his men moved southwest and aided in the capture of Santa Fe, New Mexico.   While Kearny moved west, Price received orders to serve as military governor of New Mexico. In this capacity, he put down the Taos Revolt in January 1847.    Promoted to brigadier general of volunteers on July 20, Price was appointed as military governor of Chihuahua.   As governor, he defeated Mexican forces at the Battle of Santa Cruz de Rosales on March 18, 1848, eight days after the ratification of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.   Though reprimanded for this action by Secretary of War William L. Marcy, no further punishment occurred.   Leaving military service on November 25, Price returned to Missouri.   Considered a war hero, he easily won election as governor in 1852.   An effective leader, Price departed office in 1857 and became the states banking commissioner.    Sterling Price - The Civil War Begins:        Ã‚     Ã‚   With the secession crisis following the election of 1860, Price initially opposed the actions of the southern states.   As a prominent politician, he was elected to head the Missouri State Convention to debate secession on February 28, 1861.   Though  the state voted to remain in the Union, Prices sympathies shifted following Brigadier General Nathaniel Lyons seizure of Camp Jackson near St. Louis and arrest of the Missouri Militia.   Casting his lot with the Confederacy, he was appointed to lead the Missouri State Guard by pro-Southern Governor Claiborne F. Jackson with the rank of major general.   Dubbed Old Pap by his men, Price embarked on a campaign to push Union troops out of Missouri. Sterling Price - Missouri Arkansas: On August 10, 1861, Price, along with Confederate Brigadier General Benjamin McCulloch,  engaged Lyon at the Battle of Wilsons Creek.   The fighting saw Price win a victory and Lyon killed.   Pressing on, Confederate troops claimed another victory at Lexington in September.   Despite these successes, Union reinforcements compelled Price and McCulloch, who had become fierce rivals, to withdraw into northern Arkansas in early 1862.   Due to the conflict between the two men, Major General Earl Van Dorn was dispatched to take overall command.   Seeking to regain the initiative, Van Dorn led his new command against Brigadier General Samuel Curtis Union army at Little Sugar Creek in early March.   While the army was on the move, Prices major general commission was finally transferred to the Confederate Army.   Leading an effective attack at the  Battle of Pea Ridge on March 7, Price was wounded.   Though Prices actions were largely successful, Van Dorn was beaten the fo llowing day and forced to retreat. Sterling Price - Mississippi: Following Pea Ridge, Van Dorns army received orders to cross the Mississippi River to reinforce General P.G.T. Beauregards army at Corinth, MS.   Arriving, Prices division saw service in the Siege of Corinth that May and withdrew south when Beauregard elected to abandon the town.   That fall, when Beauregards replacement,  General Braxton Bragg, moved to invade Kentucky, Van Dorn and Price were left to defend Mississippi.   Pursued by Major General Don Carlos Buells Army of the Ohio, Bragg directed Prices enlarged Army of the West to march from Tupelo, MS north towards Nashville, TN. This force was to be aided by Van Dorns smaller Army of West Tennessee. Together, Bragg hoped  this combined force to would prevent Major General Ulysses S.  Grant from moving to aid Buell.         Ã‚   Marching north, Price engaged Union forces under Major General William S. Rosecrans on September 19 at the Battle of Iuka.   Attacking the enemy, he was unable to break through Rosecrans lines.   Bloodied, Price elected to withdraw and moved to unite with Van Dorn at Ripley, MS.   Rendezvousing five days later, Van Dorn led the combined force against Rosecrans lines at Corinth on October 3.   Assaulting the Union positions for two days in the Second Battle of Corinth, Van Dorn failed to achieve victory.   Angered by Van Dorn and desiring to take his command back to Missouri, Price traveled to Richmond, VA and met with President Jefferson Davis.   Making his case, he was chastised by Davis who questioned his loyalty.   Stripped of his command, Price received orders to return to the Trans-Mississippi Department. Sterling Price - Trans-Mississippi: Serving under Lieutenant General Theophilus H. Holmes, Price spent the first half of 1863 in Arkansas.   On July 4, he performed well in the Confederate defeat at the Battle of Helena and assumed command of the army as it withdrew to Little Rock. AR.   Pushed out of the state capital later that year, Price ultimately fell back to Camden, AR.   On March 16, 1864, he took command of the District of Arkansas.   The following month, Price opposed Major General Frederick Steeles advance through the southern part of the state.   Misinterpreting Steeles objectives, he lost Camden without a fight on April 16.   Though Union forces had won a victory, they were short on supplies and Steele elected to withdraw to Little Rock.   Harried by Price and reinforcements led by General Edmund Kirby Smith, Steeles rearguard defeated this combined force at Jenkins Ferry in late April. Following this campaign, Price began advocating for an invasion of Missouri with the goal of reclaiming the state and endangering President Abraham Lincolns reelection that fall.   Though Smith granted permission for the operation, he stripped Price of his infantry.   As a result, the effort in Missouri would be limited to a large-scale cavalry raid.   Moving north with 12,000 horsemen on August 28, Price crossed into Missouri and engaged Union forces at Pilot Knob a month later.   Turning west, he fought a string of battles as his men laid waste to the countryside.   Increasingly hemmed in by Union forces, Price was badly beaten by Curtis, now leading the Department of Kansas Indian Territory, and Major General Alfred Pleasonton at Westport on October 23.   Pursued into hostile Kansas, Price turned south, passed through the Indian Territory and finally halted at Laynesport, AR on December 2 having lost half of his command. Sterling Price - Later Life: Largely inactive for the remainder of the war, Price elected not to surrender at its conclusion and instead rode to Mexico with part of his command in the hope of serving in the army of Emperor Maximilian.   Turned down by the Mexican leader, he briefly led a community of Confederate expatriates living in Veracruz before growing ill with intestinal issues.   In August 1866, Prices condition worsened when he contracted typhoid.   Returning to St. Louis, he lived in an impoverished state until dying on September 29, 1867.   His remains were buried in the citys Bellefontaine Cemetery. Selected Sources: Civil War Trust: Major General Sterling PriceHistory of War: Major General Sterling PriceEncyclopedia of Arkansas: Major General Sterling Price

Managerial Decision Making Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Managerial Decision Making - Essay Example I have also been asked to perform a self evaluation of the decisions made and to evaluate them myself as to whether I think they were a success or failure for the organization. My supervisor has asked me to email him this evaluation as part of my own yearly evaluation which will be used to decide my yearly bonus, so I have decided to make it as professional as possible. Discussion In posting my self evaluation regarding some recent decisions that I have made for the college, I have decided to evaluate each decision in terms of the six steps mentioned by Bazerman and Moore (2008) in their text and use this as a guide to determine whether each decision was a success or a failure. In this context I would like to define success as being an outcome where it has resulted in a reduction of effort on the part of staff or automated a process or reduced cost or improved the quality and efficiency of the college and its staff. If it did none of these things, I would regard it as a failure. The Office of Fiscal Affairs where I work is responsible for receiving and allocating funds for college use, as well as safeguarding financial assets. We must also conform to all Federal and State laws as well as maintain adequate internal control over the assets with which it has been entrusted. As the Senior Accountant, my objective has always been to minimize burdensome and time-consuming procedures in order to affect the flow of business transactions as smoothly and conveniently as possible. In this post, I will share with you some of my findings from the audit and how I intend to fix them as well as avoid repetitions of these errors in the future. Finding 1: Grant Expenditures Coded to Operating Expenses During my audit I noted that there were no set procedures for the invoicing of grant expenditures. Many costs that were allowable as Federal and State grant costs were recorded as general costs instead. The Finance Director and the Grants Manager did not coordinate and review the e xpenditures for inclusion as Federal or State grant expenditures. The current invoicing practice has contributed to the College’s delay in recording revenue in a timely and accurate manner. The optimal decision would be to correctly code allowable costs to the proper Federal and State grants so as to increase cash collections and better maintain the accuracy of the Grants Receivable balance. I strongly suggest that management investigate this problem and I further suggest that a formal policy and procedure be adopted to classify revenues, costs and expenses so that accounting personnel have a clear responsibility and involvement in the approval of invoices sent to the College’s grantors. In fact the College has procedures in place for processing grant expenditures. The previous administration elected not to use these processes which include collaboration with the grants department, administration and the business office. The College is reviewing this process and taking appropriate action to ensure that clear responsibility for the approval and classification of expenditures are understood in expenditures of Federal and State grants. The review process includes more involvement of the Grants Office and the Accountant in the Business Office that is responsible for accurate expenditure and billing for

The Godfather by Mario Puzo, A Comparison of novel and film Essay

The Godfather by Mario Puzo, A Comparison of novel and film - Essay Example There are numerous schools of thought on what made this novel and film appeal to the American public. Some critics are of the view that it was all about the timing. Firstly, Barra (4 & 5) argues that the novel lacked the literary merit to warrant its popularity and goes on to base the novels success on the fact that it was produced at a period when easy-reading books, that he refers to as novelizations, were a hit. However, when it comes to the films, The Godfather  and  The Godfather Part II were realised in 1972 and 1974, which was a time that the US was experiencing much turmoil and change. Critics attribute the films’ leanings towards the New Left and its exposure of the hypocrisy of institutions of power, such as corruption in the police force and politicians, gave the public what they desired to see and hear. However, the theme that pundits agree on that may have contributed to the success of both the novel and the film was that the story was really about the exper iences of American immigrant families, specifically Sicilian-Americans, adapting to their new environment. Barra (6) states that if we take away the gambling and the murder, the story becomes a straightforward depiction of how Italian-American families were assimilated into American culture. This we believe superseded the notion that it was the film that made the novel famous because historical data shows that the book had already sold millions of copies before the first film was  ­released in 1972. This common theme therefore is what we believe to be bearing the underlying relevance of the both the novel and the films: assimilation of immigrant families into the American society and its resultant consequences. The original plot and the film adaptations The Godfather novel is set in the 1940s and revolves around the family of a Sicily-American immigrant. Don Vito Corleone, the head of the Corleone family is referred to as the Godfather because he embodies what every man aspires to be. He is strong, powerful, cunning and a loving family man. This is depicted where we see Amerigo Bonasera coming to him to seek justice for his daughter’s rape (Puzo 10) and also by Virgil Sollozo who seeks Vito’s partnership to engage in the lucrative drug peddling business. The Don refuses to take up Sollozo’s offer, which leads the â€Å"Turk† to send assassins to kill the Don. Vito Corleone survives, but needs to stay away from the direct running of the family business. Sonny, his hot-headed son, takes up leadership of the Corleone family, convinces Michael, his younger brother to kill Sollozo and Captain McCluskey in vengeance for his father’s failed assassination attempt. This act results in a full scale war between the five mafia families in New York. The all out mafia war leads to the death of Sonny and Michael’s ascension to the head of the family. Michael initially tries to legitimize the Corleone business empire, but fails. Michael who erstwhile wanted nothing to do with the family business changes into a ruthless Don, who eliminates all the heads of the other mafia families in New York. He later sells all the Corleone property in New York and moves the family to Lake Tahoe, Nevada. In contrast to the novel, the movie is made of three sequels. The Godfather, Part I is the film whose plot most closely resembles the novel’s bar the elimination of several character backstories