High School and Rizal Elementary School Essay

A week after celebrating the Day of Valor on the fourth month of the Roman calendar in the year of Rat, I was born one evening in a city called the financial capital of the country that was colonized by Spaniards for more than three hundred years after it was discovered by a famous Portuguese explorer. My first name Johanne is a variant of Johanna which means â€Å"God is gracious† and my second name Victoria means victory – hope my life goes well as my name. My parents, Victorino and Wilma, were a hard working couple who works as an employee of a private company. They produced of our own kind six times in eleven years having five boys, leaving me no sister to have a bonding with. Since I’m the only girl, they call me Princess or sometimes Negneg, short for negra, because of my dark complexion. It’s not that dark like people in Africa but it’s the darkest complexion in my family but it’s alright because I have these black tantalizing eyes, a good set of teeth and a slim body that makes me look like a Filipina beauty queen. I spent my seventeen years of existence in a city known for being a major cultural entertainment hub in Metro Manila. I studied my first five years of my primary education in Nicanor Garcia Elementary School, Makati. After my hit-and-run 50-50 accident case when I was in fifth grade, God gave me my second chance to live and finished my elementary course in Rizal Elementary School in Laguna. I have to transfer because of the severe fracture in my right leg causing me to have a hard time going up stairs. I have recovered from what had happened and continued my secondary education in General Pio del Pilar National High School in Makati. In elementary, I always make my parents proud of me by giving them a numerous medals every end of the school year. I’ve been a consistent contestant in Mathematics Quiz Bee and I made my school proud after qualifying twice in Mathematics Trainer’s Guild, a program to train gifted Filipino kids for international competitions. Aside from Math, I’ve also been in various contests regarding Science and Journalism. Considering me as a dynamic student, I was fairly awarded at the end of the year. When I stepped high school, it was the most exciting part of my life. Having crushes, love team ups, courtships, prom night were the things that could really make you giggle. But the most remarkable incident that shaped my character now was improving my leadership skills. When I was in third year, I ran as the president of SMILE (Students Movement for the Improvement of Leadership and Empowerment) Party List for the upcoming Supreme Student Government election. I taught I’m going to win because I’m from the star section but I’m wrong. I lost. I’m so ashamed. Because of that, I don’t feel like going to that school again. But there was a Non-government organization that invites the students to go on camp in Iba, Zambales for free. Of course, I joined and that made me forgot the pain I felt. On the first night of the camping, everything has changed after the moment I received Jesus Christ as my personal savior. When I got back in school, God blessed me so much that He gave the Hi-Y Club (a high school based club of Young Men’s Christians Association) in my lead. From that happening, I really appreciated the quote: â€Å"After the storm, there’s a rainbow. † I taught the door of opportunity to explore more in leading has closed for me, not realizing He has opened the window for me to experience the chance I thought I lost. Because of this club, I learned to balance my mind, body and spiritual aspect of my life. Creating programs, helping community, serving others and volunteering were some of my experiences that really made my heart swollen and would like to share to others to inspire them. Aside of being a Y’er, I’m now a Christian and started serving Him like sharing the good news, being a part of dance and drama ministry, and helping other Christian to grow in their spiritual life. I feel over joy and satisfaction every time I see myself volunteering on the camp where I was saved. After the enjoyment of high school, I took one step forward in the reality of life. I face the truth that my life will rotate in complicated solutions, brain-whacking terms, millions of numbers, struggling calculators, statements to finish, stability of study, life-long practice, thick books to read, rushing late night work, ugly eye-bugs, unbalanced sums, financial reports, constant lack of sleep, accurate solutions, and heart-stopping result after deciding to take Bachelor of Science in Accountancy in the first polytechnic university in our country. I know I can make it through because I believe that â€Å"what the mind can conceive, the body can achieve†. I may not be the cream of the crop in our class but I will manage to pursue my dreams step by step because I cling to God’s promise: â€Å"For I know the plans I have for you,† declares the Lord. â€Å"Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and future. †(Jeremiah 29:11).

Defining a Hero: Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird and Atticus Finch’s Heroism Essay

The definition of a hero is varied and intricate. While there are certain types of heroism such as altruistic heroism, or other machismo bravado this paper will seek to find a definition to the specific heroism as exhibited in Harper Lee’s character Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird. A discussion of the definition of hero according to literary terms (as defined by the Greeks, Aristotle and Plato – especially using his philosophy on morality) will be used to set up the paper in order to discover what makes Atticus Finch a classic hero. Such issues as racism and bravery against prejudice will strongly support this thesis claim. The idea of heroism in the form of a literary character has its roots with Greek drama. This drama expressed heroes as having a major flaw. It was this flaw which at once destroyed them but also allowed them to be human and therefore be able to be labeled as heroes. In finding this definition them the readers of Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird must consider what odds are against Atticus Finch and what flaws or flaw he has in his character that allow him to be a human hero. Aristotle’s definition for a hero is one who is not in control of his own fate, but instead is ruled by the gods in one fashion or another – in the case of Atticus Finch his fate and the fate of his trial is determined by the jury. It is then the jury who exhibit control over Finch’s fate and the fate of his client. Although Atticus is a hero of Lee’s story, he must be considered a tragic hero for his bravery is met by opposition and it is this opposition that ultimately wins the battle of justice versus prejudice in Harper Lee’s novel. The tragic hero for Aristotle is tragic because of their lack of control or will in the face of their predetermined future and downfall – a predetermined future which is well established in the bigotry of the jurors in the court case scenes whereby Atticus is shown to be a hero as well as showing his ultimate downfall in the jury convicting Tom Robinson of rape. A great tragic flaw (hamartia) is the hero’s devil may care attitude at the beginning of each story, and then their despondency and stagnation of hope that meets them at the end of the play. This is shown with Atticus’ belief that justice will prevail in the courtroom and his revelation of Mayella Ewell making sexual passes toward Tom and her drunken father Bob Ewell catching her in the act. Thus, hope seems to be lost for the hero. Therefore, although Atticus Finch may be defined as a hero his heroism character traits in the novel still is marked by failure. While Atticus is defined as a hero, his heroism is determined by subjective narration. Harper Lee tells his story through the voice of Scout, Atticus’ daughter, therefore, the idealism with which a daughter has for their father is already in play in determining the character traits of heroism in Atticus Finch (this can be strongly seen when Scout fights the other kids at the playground for calling her father a ‘nigger lover’). Although there is a sincere amount of idealism in play in the novel in regards to Scout’s viewpoint of her father, there are other elements of the story which aid in defining Atticus’ heroism. In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird racism is ubiquitous with the young culture in the town. Just as Atticus is a lawyer in the book, Scout the narrator and child depicts the scene of racism thusly, â€Å"My fists were clenched I was ready to make fly. Cecil Jacobs had announced the day before that Scout Finch’s daddy defended niggers. † Though Scout continually defends Atticus on the playground and in other parts of town, the racist remarks do not stop. Even Scout’s cousin Francis is overwhelmingly supplied with racist remarks, â€Å"At a safe distance her called, `He’s nothin’ but a nigger-lover’.† In Scout’s defense of her father the reader is already subjected to her viewpoint on Atticus being a hero – and a hero is made that much grander when they are up against the evil majority of a town and they have the support of their family. It is perhaps both of these elements; that of going against the odds and of Scout’s unquestionable devotion to her father’s cause, that make Atticus Finch a hero. It is in racism, and the reality of that prejudice that the entire town’s lives are changed, and the political arena of the courtroom shows itself as discriminatory. It is against this charge of discrimination that Atticus may be defined as a hero, and it is also his failure against this prejudice that makes him a tragic hero. Modern literature juxtaposes a character’s dwindling faith in themselves and reality. Atticus’ reality is that he is trying to save a person in a town wherein they are already found guilty by the color of their skin. There are elements of justice and finding the truth beneath the guise of bigotry that play a major part in support of Atticus’ being a hero. His unwavering pursuit of justice against these odds is what chiefly finds him out to become a hero not in his son’s vision of a father (in that subjective viewpoint) but in a more universal definition: Heroism through moral judgment. In classic Greek drama, Plato’s idea of morality is presented as rational action. Morality isn’t a free will that governs humanity’s actions, but rather it is universal reason (life as a whole) that dictates action, thus in is found Atticus’ heroism. In his moral judgment in defending Tom Robinson and even going against a lynch mob in his pursuit of that justice create in Lee’s story a dynamic force of this moral reality. In Atticus’ is awakened the sense of racial heroism, as Crespino states â€Å"In the twentieth century, To Kill a Mockingbird is probably the most widely read book dealing with race in America, and its protagonist, Atticus Finch, the most enduring fictional image of racial heroism. † (Crespino 9). It is perhaps this one pursuit that most clearly defines the type of heroism found in Atticus Finch’s character, that of a seeker and of a tragic hero. It is in his morality that such a definition can most succinctly be expounded. Human nature is a nature of reason, not strictly adherent to passion or feelings, but rather to a higher calling – it is this higher calling in which readers find Atticus’ heroism, his morality despite an adverse reality. Morality then, becomes the crux of finding heroism in Harper Lee’s novel. Morality is reason. This is not to say that Plato and other classic Greek writers were ascetic; rather they placed passion, and feelings in their plays but the ethics of humanity being tied into the good of a person. Being virtuous, or good leads a character to happiness or release at the end of a story, but it is this lack of release that allows Atticus’ specific type of heroism to exist. He goes into the court case fighting for Tom’s innocence with full knowledge of what his opposition is in that town. The word for this given by Plato is eudemonism, which means blissful and it is the lack of this eudemonism that makes Atticus such a striking and memorable literary character. Atticus was a man filled with faith in human nature; an optimist/realist of some sorts. Plato’s philosophy of human nature doing evil was that a person only does evil in ignorance, for he believed everyone, just as himself wants only what is good, which is Atticus’ attitude in the novel and the quality that makes him a great lawyer is not a hero. In modern literature, the lesson is not about escapism but coming to terms with life and making a fundamental choice, a moral choice. Choices can be broken down into good and evil in modern literature in defining a hero, or to be more exact they can be dichotomized into heroic and a state of succumbing to one’s own humanity. The tragic hero may witness evil deeds and be in a constant state of exposure to them, but in the end of a novel, virtue is heeded. The source of a character doing evil or good is brought about by unlimited desire. Something that goes unmitigated becomes possessive of that person and they in turn want, and want, without satiation which is what Mayella’s character exhibits. This is when the appetitive part of the soul (the part of the soul that wants sex, food, etc. ) overtakes the rational (part seeking truth, and reason) of the soul resulting in moral weakness or akrasia – it is a weakness that does not belong to the character traits of Atticus Finch. By giving Atticus such moral aberrant characters as Mayella and her father, Lee is making Atticus’ heroism that much more pronounced. It is not then self-interest that leads a person to happiness, and there is a definite equilibrium between the allowance of each part of the soul guided by reason, and asceticism. Atticus was a not a Sophist. Without the guidance of moral reason then a state of chaos would ensue entailing an everyman for himself type of attitude which is what the mob in the story renders. Thus, happiness in the novel can only be achieved when that hedonistic attitude is vanquished which occurs when Bob Ewell â€Å"falls on his own knife†. This scene helps in making Atticus less of a tragic hero and more of an altruistic hero. Morality must be shown as adhering to individual interests. Plato did not agree with the type of hedonism exhibited by the Sophists, who thought human nature was an extension of the animal world. Instead, Plato states that the nature of man is reason; and in this reason exists an organized society constructed by reason. This expresses Atticus’ own viewpoint in the story. In understanding this viewpoint and accepting that Atticus strived for reason, that essence of a lawyer to demand justice when there is no shadow of a doubt for a man’s innocence, the reader can better understand the impetus behind Atticus’ moral actions. Happiness for the rational man in modern literature then comes into fruition by governing their more base, animal, desires, which are irrational; it is with Atticus that such states of humanity are more succinctly defined. This morality is extended into the realm of society because of human interaction. Therefore, if a man is to be the pinnacle of reason, and morality, and happiness, then the society that he lives and associates must then also exhibit such a moral temperance. This is the faith by which Atticus bases his lawyer’s argument. If then a society is blinded by hedonism, or pure desire of self, a man in that society has no hope for personal happiness because of lack of morality, reason, and thus fully succumbing to akrasia as can be seen in Atticus and especially Tom’s lives. The concept of good and evil twined together is the elixir of the modern novel; writers breed fears from dreams, the hidden wants of subconscious become known through their character’s actions. Writing and reading novels is a revelation into that unsaid facet of the mind; the mute archetype finally is given voice, and in a way bears witness by both being involved in the action and telling of the story. It is no wonder that lawyers today base their own judgment on that of Atticus’ (a fictional character) moral judgment and decision making. In the arena of heroism, when a character becomes the basis of real life people’s morality, then the status of a hero is cemented. Modern literature is the truth of life and self reflected through plays and characters. Realism is the liquor by which Harper Lee is exemplified. In realism, the writer is stating that circumstances are the focal point of human contingencies. This is especially true for Lee’s Atticus Finch. In this downtrodden representation of everyman the audience is presented with life at its entire naked state, a hero whose battle is lost. That is the promise of modern literature; veracity, despite the overwhelming depression of life and its deception toward everyman. Writers are honest in their writing, and in modern literature realism and not heroic standards of Greek drama but the Achilles heel is what is depicted. Whether or not the novel ends on a happy or sad note, the point is choice – despite Atticus being a tragic hero his strength remains in sticking to that choice. Modern literature gives the audience no illusions about harsh reality, but it also gives the difference between fate and circumstance and makes a hero.

Philosophy of Education Essay

Introduction No doubts that the demand for English language proficiency is high as Malaysians enter the international arena. Ergo, the purpose of this paper is to discuss on one of the hottest issues that perturbs the nation – low English language proficiency among Malaysian students. In order to understand more about the issue, we sought to dig the root causes of the issue and in doing so we discovered that the teaching methods applied by teachers because of the factors are contributing to the issue as well. In other words, the factors are interrelated to the reasons why such ill teaching methods are being applied and all these are resulting in low production of good English speakers in Malaysia. First of all, low English language proficiency is the unsatisfactory ability of an individual to speak or perform in English. The overriding concern with this issue is not unreasonable as we need the language to thrive in this 21st century. On the other hand, teaching methodology refers to a set of different principles and methods that are used to instruct students in a teaching and learning environment. In the educational settings, it is rather important to induce the peak performance from the students. This simply means that, we have to conquer the deterrent (i. e. the factors of the issue), whether we modify them or we eliminate them. Like any other issues, there is no such theory as â€Å"one-size-fits-all† solution to handle it. Therefore, we, as the future English teachers want to bring forth several possible recommendations as ways to overcome this issue in hopes that these approaches can truly be implemented and make a difference in the history of English Education in  Malaysia. Issue The pressing issue with low English language proficiency among Malaysian students has been revolving in the ministry of Education. Most students had no problem coping English Language during preschool whereby they were only exposed to the alphabet and very simple words. The real problem began to exist in the elementary level when most of the students were unable to follow the lessons. Students who cannot master English basic skills in this elementary level will breed more problems during the secondary and tertiary level in schools. In primary education, students are not being placed in a very conducive English language learning environment in which they will be given bountiful opportunities to use the language (Ali, 2003). Students fail to use English on a daily basis and when they are forced to use English to communicate, they speak pejorative English which causes the flow of communication to be stymied. This is probably the main reason why students converse in their own mother tongue more often than they do in English. In the modern age of technology, students with low English language proficiency will not make the most out of the internet because most of the websites are in English. If they cannot understand English used in the websites, they will have a hard time attempting to utilize the device. Not only that, the demand of high English language proficiency is around the globe. We can survive here in Malaysia with national language (i. e. Bahasa Malaysia) and our proud dialects yet we need English Language if we want the whole world to know us. Without a good grasp of the English language, students will be deprived of many opportunities in life since English is the international language. Hence, if we want to make a difference in this situation, we will have to start with the primary education. We believe that this issue shall no longer haunt the Malaysians once the root problems have been improvised or rather, solved. Factors The issue with the low English language proficiency among Malaysian students has arisen because the educators are not aware of the manipulative factors behind this tragic scenario. In this section, we will explore these contributory factors. First of all, the number of students is crucial in determining the quality of teaching and learning process. In Malaysia, most of the schools place 30-40 students in one class. In spite of the level of English standard of each student is different, teacher attempts to teach students in the same way. Due to this large number of students in one class, the teacher often has no choice but to apply the boring method – lecture method. To a certain extent, lecture method is appropriate but if that is the only method the teacher is going to apply in class, it will result in dullness and inefficiency. In addition, the large number of students inhibits the teacher to give attention to every single student thus passive learning ensues. Another factor of impeding the students’ ability in English language is that students themselves fall short of initiative and participation in the classroom (Juhana, 2012). Students show no interest in a so-called foreign language and hence very reluctant to get involved with the teaching and learning session. They are inactive to put their own effort in seeking knowledge. For instance, when a student does not understand a certain word in an essay, he or she expects the teacher to provide the meaning. So, instead of waiting for the students to take the initiative to check on the dictionary (which takes time), teacher simply resorts to spoon-feeding method (i. e. providing every material for the students). In the end, only the teacher is learning and the students will merely passively wait on the teacher for answers. In an English class, the reason students failed to use English effectively also attributes to the Eastern philosophy whereby a teacher has the tendency to criticize students’ mistakes very harshly. It demotivates students, making them fearful of speaking the next time and in the worst scenario, students hate the subject and pass up the opportunity of learning. Teachers are impatient with the students’ slips of tongue and they consider such mistakes as a sign of failure. When the students do speak correctly, the teachers think it is how it should be done and they rarely give any words of encouragement or compliments (Hassan & Jamaludin, n. d. ). This tendency indirectly renders the teacher to apply autocratic teaching style which is not helpful for English language learning. This method emphasizes on the teacher’s authoritative identity hence it is very hard for such strict-and-powerful autocratic image to smile and give compliments. Furthermore, due to the exam-oriented platform, many teachers rush through the year in order to push the students to sit for the examination (Ali, 2003). In the English classroom, many teachers have no time to concern with the understanding of students regarding to the rules of grammar, the structures of the sentences and whatnot. For example, they give students essays and require them to copy and memorize. The way to prepare the students for examination the teachers deem best is by drilling. However, such rote learning will only result in stress instead of meaningful learning experience. Eventually, the students are drilled to become competent only on papers but failed completely in daily usage of English. All these factors are equally pernicious in taking a toll on the second language performance among Malaysian students. As educators, we have to generate the strategies to overcome these factors and make the impossible possible. Solutions Previously, we have discovered many factors that indirectly cause the teacher to implement inappropriate teaching methods and so result in low English language proficiency. These factors sum up in one word: teacher-centered. This explains why the teachers are hardly implementing various innovative teaching methods. Teacher-centered method applied in today’s classroom is not effective anymore. Instead of using teacher-centered method, student-centered method which derived from the Modern and Western philosophies should be implemented. Progressivists believe that education should focus on the whole child, rather than on the context or the teacher. Hence, since the number of students is large, the schools should bring in more facilitators in a class to assist the students. This will help the facilitator pays close attention to the students. With the assistance of facilitators in a classroom, there is no reason why active learning cannot take place. For example, one leading teacher can carry out the group discussion and enable the children to experience hands-on learning. A French philosopher, Jean Paul Sartre, suggested that for youth, the existential moment arises when young people realize for the first time that choice is theirs, that they are responsible for themselves. The nature of reality for Existentialists is subjective, and it lies within the individual. They have the freedom to take charge of their own learning as  they are given the opportunity to manage their own learning process. We as teachers are responsible to facilitate the students in their learning process rather than teaching them what to do. This indirectly helps to provide opportunity for the students to take control of their own learning process. As they are interested in what they have chosen to read or learn, they will be the ones who solve the problem (e. g. meaning of a word) instead of being spoon-fed by the teachers. In this way they will be able to make progress in their lessons and participate more. Western philosophers stress on active participation on their learners but to criticize and demotivate the students is not proper in the western philosophy. Western education philosophy believes that providing compliments to the students is an important task for a teacher as it will motivate the students to strive hard. For example, compliments given to the students when they score well in their examination or did a good job in the task or assignments given by the teacher. However, teachers should not only provide compliment when they excel but also to give encouragement when they are not doing so well in the examination. For instance, during an English class, teacher distributes the test papers after the examination, it is not encouraged for the teacher to read out loud the score as it will demotivate and also embarrass the student. It is better that the teacher gives a word of encouragement so to push them to work harder next time. Furthermore, the education ministers should really abolish the exam-oriented system. Instead, the 50% coursework assessment should enter the system. Coursework can include all kinds of fun activities that require students to apply the language learned. This is to overcome the agonizing drilling method. With that, Western philosophy that emphasizes on understanding the subject matter can be very handy in this scenario. For example, the students should learn by understanding the reasons why each part of speech in grammar has different functions. In a nutshell, according to the Western philosophy, students learn by meaningful learning, they do not memorize what they have learnt but rather understand what they are learning. These philosophical resolutions are only useful provided the government, educators, teachers, parents and students and community at large give their best cooperation into making them a success. If we are serious about improvising the English language proficiency among Malaysian students, nothing can stop us, not even the factors of the failure in the first place. Conclusion In conclusion, teaching methodology contributes towards the effectiveness and success of the teaching and learning process. As what we have explored there are several factors that hinder the English Language proficiency among Malaysian students. Among those contributory factors discussed are the number of students, students’ shortfall of motivation, harsh criticism for students’ mistakes and the exam-oriented education system. All these factors are very much harmful in the process of second language acquisition (i. e. English Language). As such, we have provided remarkably appropriate strategies as the solutions to overcome this issue. They are the implementation of student-centered teaching which focuses on the students’ – their ideas and opinions, providing more teachers as facilitators in class, hands on learning (Progressivism), place importance on individual choice (Existentialism), giving compliments instead of criticism (Western Philosophy), and learn through understanding rather than mere memorization (Western Philosophy). Hence, by utilizing all the four education philosophies in moderation which are Modern philosophies such as Progressivism and Existentialism, also the two Western approaches that focus on students rather than the teachers. We strongly agree with usage of the Modern Philosophies and the Western Philosophies according to the needs and suitability of class as what we have discussed. We believe that we can produce an ideal education transformation to develop individual holistically and thus enhance the English Language proficiency by applying and practicing appropriate teaching methods to encounter the troublesome factors. References Ali, M. S. (2003). English Language Teaching in Primary Schools: Policy and Implementation Concerns. IPBA E-Journal, 2-3. Hassan, A. & Jamaludin, N. S. (n. d. ) Approaches & Values in Two Gigantic Educational Philosophies: East and West. Retrieved on March, 22, 2013 from http://www. oerj. org/View? action=viewPaper&paper=7 Juhana, J. (2012). Psychological Factors That Hinder Students from Speaking in English Class (A Case Study in a Senior High School in South Tangerang, Banten, Indonesia). Journal of Education and Practice, Vol 3, No 12. , 103.

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Liberal Arts Education - Essay Example The true meaning of positive aspect can only be understood when one knows what the negative aspect is. Even by the spiritual considerations, the march is from ‘darkness to light.’ Without darkness, light has no existence. However, Liberal Arts offer a genuine challenge to the formal graduation courses. Liberal Arts Education permits a student to do want one wants, to pursue his choices, and to achieve in life the desired goal. Success or failures do not matter much and the process of living with your own crafted discipline with which you challenge your ambitions is really important. The Liberal Arts teach us as to how to be who we really are. This education process is like self-realization in the vocation of one’s choice. Many courses taught in the universities are just the suffixes after the names of those students who make them. There exist numerous Universities that proudly own directionless and destination-less courses, which are of no use in real-life situations. For example, a MBA in business management will not be able to run a corner shop selling hamburgers successfully! With the exception of accounting, business school is an absolute fraud. Mark Edmundson argues, â€Å"Education has one salient enemy in present-day America, and that enemy is education—university education in particular. To almost everyone, university education is a means to an end. For students, that end is a good job. Students want the credentials that will help them get ahead.†(116) He will be a successful MBA if he is able to outsmart another MBA in the competin g organization. Means, whether they are fair or foul, are of no consequence in the race for profiteering! A divorce in marriage spoils personal lives, besides that of children. A divorce in career destroys the inner world of an individual, as one is required to do something, which one does not really like. Most students who go to the College

An invertigation of influence of procurement methid in construction Essay

An invertigation of influence of procurement methid in construction industry in Hong Kong - Essay Example On the other hand, it is negatively correlated with D& B. Years of existence of the company in the industry is significantly and positively correlated with importance scores of the Traditional Method. On the other hand, it is negatively correlated with D&B. Turnover of the company is not significantly correlated with importance scores of the Traditional Method. However, it is negatively correlated with D&B. Companies with higher turnover tend to rate D & B importance lower. Size of projects handled (in terms of project cost) is not significantly correlated with importance scores of the traditional method. However, it is negatively correlated with D&B method. Companies who handle bigger projects tend to rate D &B importance lower. I would like to seize this opportunity to personally thank to the module leader, Professor David Proverbs and my supervisor, Dr. Rod Gameson. I cannot express the extent to which their support and understanding allowed me to reach the end of this journey. His encouragement, support, understanding and, above all, his prompt, constructive and greatly appreciated criticism and feedback, were invaluable to the research, writing and completion of this study. Once again, my sincerest thanks. Recognizing that students have an ethical and moral obligation to ensure that all work that they submit in their name is, indeed, their own and free of plagiarism, I exercised caution throughout the writing process. When writing the dissertation, I made sure that all my sources were meticulously acknowledged. Even so, there remained a fear that I might have, inadvertently, plagiarism sections of my study or paraphrased something without referencing it correctly. Therefore, following the completion of the study, I have checked it through http://www.articlechecker.com/checker.php. The plagiarism reports received from plagiarism detection engines indicated that the work was, indeed, original

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The old Canadian Land - Essay Example However, there are no reasons to believe that he could be a bad man looking for trouble. It was because he did not bother people along his constant travel expeditions. He travelled by water. His travel machine was a canoe that he used to tour all the waters of the rivers and seas that he came across. No water body was too scarify to make him stop a journey. The people believed that he was a brave man, who would look out for anyone in harm. Everyone in the lands knew him as a man without fear. Thus, many respected him as he was a hero amongst them all. From his appearance, it was difficult to know much about him. He carried with him everything from all the places he went to. Physically, he dressed as an Indian. One could argue that he had Indian traits in him. Apart from the manner of dressing, his character had much do with the Indian lifestyle. Indians were just as courageous men as he was. They were known to be the most troublesome people to deal with during trade. They would settle every slight issue with a fight. In fact, they were ready to die. The same characteristics could be evident in Pasquinel. It was in his nature to walk into a dangerous place without thinking. He was ready for any attack. In fact, he always fought his wars alone. Apart from being a brave man, he was a good negotiator. Negotiation is a skill important when dealing with strangers, who need to be convinced on one intended purpose. As a trader, negotiation skills were important to convince new traders on certain items. Even without speaking the language of the traders, Pasquinel could convince them on his intended purpose and avoid unnecessary confrontation. The story of Pasquinel could be real or a fiction one. The reality of the story could be because of the use of known physical places. For example, the narrator uses known water bodies and ancient places such as France and New Orleans. In addition, the trading activities outlined in the story represent the lifestyle of the

Critical introduction to law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Critical introduction to law - Essay Example Poe takes a unique approach to the detective story and takes the reader from the end of the mystery to the beginning. By taking this approach, Poe presents an exercise in logical reasoning.3 Certainly, Poe’s The Purloined Letter has been the subject of considerable attention by literary critics, jurists and even psychoanalytical evaluation since its publication in 1845.4 Essentially, Poe masterfully interjects what is described as the â€Å"hermeneutic enterprise† by taking the meaning attached to a concealed item and revealing its meaning and significance.5 In this regard, the power of logic reasoning is explored and the struggle is therefore not between a criminal and law enforcement as is typical of detective fiction, but within the human mind. This paper will offer a critique of The Purloined Letter by first setting out the relevant historical factors and secondly, by presenting a synopsis of the text and commentary by critics on the text. I. Historical Background C ommentary inserted under The Purloined Letter in a collection of Poe’s works titled Thirty-Two Stories, notes that there were more significant and drastic changes in Western countries during Poe’s lifetime than at any other â€Å"brief period in human history†.6 Technological advances in communications, transportation, photography and other technologies occurred and had an â€Å"impact within Poe’s short life†.7 The commentary further notes that: Industrialization and other aspects of modernized society tore apart traditional assumptions and altered the structure of families, the nature of work, and the â€Å"feel† of life itself.8 These changes brought with them a threat to conventions in which artist perceived that they had special authority and were knowledgeable. However, changes brought about by advances in technology significantly reduced the special power and knowledge attributed to artists. The artists were reduced to a creator of pu re entertainment or beauty. In The Purloined Letter, Poe challenges these perceptions and promotes the wider significance of the artist. For instance the Prefect of Police may have a narrowly defined job, but the artist is not so narrowly defined. The systematic investigative techniques of the Perfect of Police fall short of the criteria necessary for finding the purloined letter.9 The fact is the Prefect of Police needs Dupin who is not only educated and experienced but also happens to be an artist: a poet. As the commentary notes: The Purloined Letter can be read as Poe’s version of that argument one sees in so many Romanic authors: the world needs â€Å"inspired† artists for their power and their wisdom.10 It is against this background that Poe’s The Purloined Letter is examined and critiqued. While Poe is said to have been defending the role of the artists in a rapidly changing world, it has also been suggested that Poe was demonstrating the flaws associated with humanity and institutions. An examination of the text will bear this out. II. Synopsis and Analysis of The Purloined Letter A. Synopsis The Purloined Letter centres around a letter that is presumably damaging although the contents of the letter are not revealed. The letter is presumably from a secret lover and was sent to the queen. Both

Microeconomic Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Microeconomic Theory - Essay Example Now, if there is a PBNE where player one chooses either to play B or C, or randomizes between the two, his expected payoff has to be greater than ? from such a move. Player 1’s expected payoff on the other hand depends upon player 2’s strategies and whether he randomizes and with what probabilities. Now, player 2’s expected payoff from playing D is PB-(1- PB) and that from playing E is -PB+(1- PB). He will pick D iff PB-(1- PB)> -PB+(1- PB)4PB>2 PB>1/2.He will be indifferent between playing D and E if PB=1/2 (and hence randomize between the two) and will pick E if PB1/2 is invalidated. Thus, we cannot have a PBNE with Player 1 choosing to play C and player 2 choosing D since this invalidates the required belief criterion. Similarly it can be shown that there cannot be a PBNE where 1 chooses B and 2 plays E that is consistent with the required beliefs for player 2. Finally, if player 2 randomizes, the maximal expected payoff for player 1 is 0 as well. Thus, in all PBNE, player 1 picks A. Since in the equilibrium path 2’s turn never comes, he can pick either D or E or choose to randomize in this equilibrium. So we can have the following PBNE: 1. (A, D) with PB>1/2, 2.(A,E) with PB v2. This is true since by bidding b2= v2 he has already won the auction and the final payment he has to make depends only on player 1’s bid. On the other hand, bidding less than v2 doesn’t change anything as long as the bid is greater than player 1’s bid = player 1’s valuation. However if b2

Section 2 Video Report Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Section 2 Video Report - Movie Review Example The culture that was shown is our wanton disregard to the environment and the call to change this culture of abuse and neglect to restore the health of our plaent. The culture’s economic strategy and social organization shown in the film depicts how economic activity and big business contributed to the rising temperature because of its industrial waste. Big business is not to be entirely faulted because, us, the consumers propelled them to be manufacture goods to satisfy our wants to the point of being destructive. The film can be likened to Al Gore’s documentary An Inconvenient Truth that discussed the ill effects of climate change that we should act now and change our ways before we see a different planet. At present, the ecosphere is already out balance and it is being destroyed beyond its restorative capacity. There is however a difference with regard to the dominant theme compared to the previous documentary An Inconvenient Truth, in this documentary, it stated that our planet in itself is just fine. It can heal itself and balance had always ruled her. The problem is us. We are too many and consumed too many goods that we do not even need. Our population over the last two hundred years has finally taken its toll on mother earth she is already nearing a point where the damage done to her would be irreversible. This problem is aggravated by the lack of political will of current leadership to implement policies that will drastically change our ways to cut carbon emission and prevent further destruction of the planet. Instead, current leaders are blocking these changes. Personally, I see the film as a documentary of our helplessness. I mentioned helplessness because cannot do anything significant despite knowing the problem. Everybody knows that mother earth needs to be healed and that there is something wrong with her. Even those who do not care cannot deny the destructive force of nature now compared

Managment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Managment - Essay Example Managers also need to draft a comprehensive time schedule over which the project implementation process will strictly follow. This will ensure that activities are all executed within the specified periods. This will also ensure that the project is completed within the set time schedule. Proper allocation of resources is also required, in planning, to ensure that workers are not pushed around departments in search for resources (Pinto 57). Proper allocation of resources, in a different department, will also ensure that different departments exist independently, but co-exist with other departments for mutual benefits. In addition, constant rewarding of workers is a necessity in improving their efficiency and performance. A functional organization, planning to transform into a supportive and interactive culture from adversarial culture, needs to consider a number of factors. In the first place, the organization should begin by setting up a corporate wide vision, which aims at motivating and uniting workers (Pinto 58). Secondly, they have to establish a punishment or reward system that is in accordance with their vision. Lastly, such firms need to formulate unambiguous policies that are in line with communication and authority (Pinto 59). This is significant in making fast and efficient

Final writing exercise Essay Example for Free

Final writing exercise Essay There are three phases whereby each has a different crystal structure at three different temperatures. At room temperature (298K), Phase III is present whereby Cs3H(SeO4)2 has a crystal structure of a monoclinic with a space group of C2/m. At 400K, Phase II is present whereby Cs3H(SeO4)2 has a crystal structure of a monoclinic-A2/a symmetry. At 470K, Phase I is present whereby Cs3H(SeO4)2 has a crystal structure of a trigonal with a space group of R3-m. In Phase III, as we can see in Figure 2(a), the positioning of the tetrahedrons is parallel to the a-axis, and in between these SeO4 tetrahedrons are the hydrogen bonds. Looking at a 2dimensional perspective, we can also see that there is a translation movement of the SeO4 tetrahedrons along the a-axis; hence the symmetry operator would be a glide line parallel to a-axis. In a 3-dimensional perspective, we can see that Phase III has a 2-fold rotation axis and contains glide planes. In Phase II, from Figure 2(b), we can see that the positioning of the SeO4 tetrahedrons are along the approximate direction [310]. Observing the schematic of the crystal structure in Phase II, we can see that there is a vertical mirror line in between the SeO4 tetrahedrons. There is also an a-glide reflection vertically. In Phase I, from Figure 2(c), the positioning of SeO4 tetrahedron is similar to that of Phase II, however the difference is the crystal structure and the hydrogen bonding. Comparing both Phase II and Phase III crystal structures of the compound, Phase II contains two-fold screw axis, inversion center and a two-fold rotation axis, which is the sole reason for Phase II to be twice of that of Phase III in terms of geometrical  arrangement of hydrogen bonds. From the above analysis of the symmetry of the crystals structures in different phases, we can tell that Phase III has the most symmetry operators and hence achieving the highest crystal symmetry generating a low geometrical arrangement of hydrogen bonds. Due to the low geometrical arrangement of hydrogen bonds, the mobility of protons decreases giving the result of ferroelasticiy. The drastic change from superprotonic conductivity to ferroelasticty happens when there is a change from Phase II to Phase III. The major difference between theses 2 phases is the hydrogen bond arrangement. Paragraph 2 Under the optical microscope, we can observe that the polymorphic domains will alter at each phase transition to a different extent. We can see in phase III that the domains in the Cs3H(SeO4)2 crystal are made up of polydomains separated by two kinds of domain boundaries. The two kinds of domain boundaries are categorized as the planes of {311} and {11n}, where n is determined by the strain compatibility condition. The domains at the sides of each domain boundary are related to the reflective symmetry or the rotational symmetry on that boundary itself. Furthermore, we can observe that the angle between any domain and its neighboring domains is approximately 120 °, which is very close to the theoretical values calculated using the lattice parameters. As we move on from phase III to phase II, we can observe that the domain structure alters slightly by the phase transition of TII–III. Similarly, the reflective symmetry and rotational symmetry also changes at the same phase transition. However, the kinds of domain and domain boundary remain the same as those in phase III despite a change in domain pattern. This could be due to the slight change in alignment of hydrogen bonding between the SeO4 tetrahedrons when the existing hydrogen bonds were broken to form new weaker  ones. This might explains why their lattice parameters a and b do not really change appreciably. Compared to phase III previously, the angle between any domain and its neighboring domains in phase II is also approximately 120 ° and is justified by the theoretical values determined from the same equation we used for phase III. Hence, this suggest a slight change in the Cs3H(SeO4)2 crystal structure at the phase transition of TII–III. From phase II to phase I, the domain boundaries is observed to have disappear just before the curie temperature of the phase transition of TI–II and the crystal structure changes from  optically biaxial to optically uniaxial. This could be due to an external stress caused by the atomic rearrangement of the SeO4 tetrahedrons in the Cs3H(SeO4)2 crystal as a result of breaking the hydrogen bonds between them. Paragraph 3 Higher temperatures for most material will enable atoms to move to low energy sites, fitting into a perfect crystal symmetry. Cs3H(SeO4)2 however behaves differently. As the temperature increases (above 396K), its crystal symmetry decreases when it changes phase from III to II. The orientation of the hydrogen bond for phase II and III differs. For phase II, the orientation is along [310] and [3-10] direction whereas for phase III, it is parallel to the aaxis. As the transition from phase III to II occurs, the precursor of the superprotonic conductivity is observed. In order for movement of proton to occur, the breaking and then recombination of hydrogen bonds are required. For phase III, in order for the movement of one proton, the breaking of 2 hydrogen bonds is needed. The reason as to why 2 hydrogen bond is needed to be broken and recombined again is because for the movement of one proton to occur, it must break the hydrogen bond it resides in and then change its orientation, recombining at another site; the mirroring effect of opposite hydrogen bond is required to maintain the crystal symmetry i.e. to say that the another hydrogen bond parallel to the previous hydrogen bond site needs to be broken and recombined at other site parallel to the newly  recombined hydrogen bond. In this way, in phase III, the recombination of two hydrogen bonds is simultaneously needed for one proton transport. Phase II however, behaves differently. The movement of the proton is independent of the other protons at other hydrogen site. The crystal structure allows for this flexibility of the proton motion, which the superprotonic conduction takes place. The mechanism in which proton transportation occurs in the polymorphs is by the diffusion of protons through a hydrogen bond network, by the cleaving and formation of the hydrogen bonds. However, in certain phases, the cleavage and formation of the hydrogen bond might differ. The fuel cell works on the basis of the movement of protons. The movement of electrons should be disallowed as it would short circuit the fuel cell. Hence, a membrane is used to allow only the movement of protons across and not electrons and gases. On top of that, in order for a superprotonic effect to occur, the flexibility for proton motion must be allo wed. Hence, the lesser symmetrically patterned the phases the protons reside in, the higher this flexibility.

Drum And Bass History In Context Film Studies Essay

Drum And Bass History In Context Film Studies Essay Drum and Bass is an electronic music genre that that developed out of Jungle music. A shift of UK Breakbeat Hardcore and the rave scene of the mid-1990s. Drum and Bass has seen many transformations in its style, taking elements from, Hip hop, dancehall, funk, house, and techno. The genre is characterized by heavy bass and sub basslines as well as fast Breakbeats (a sampling of a percussion section as a drum loop), usually played between 160 and 180 beats per minute.The most renown break is known as the Amen break, a four bar sampled drum solo of the song Amen Brother by funk and soul band The Winstons. It has been extensively used in Hip hop as well as sampled based music and also became the basis for Drum and Bass and Jungle music. Drum and Bass was seen to have a more melodic form, differing from the rough style of Jungle. While Jungle seared to the unyielding sonic boom of Ragga another style was gently maturing behind closed studio doors. A soft more textural form of the Jungle equation which cross- matched spliced breaks with an ethereal ambience, cool jazziness and soulful twists. The complete antithesis to the jump up sonics of the rugged and raw Junglist soundtrack, this new home listening version or Drum and Bass as it was simply referred to by artists involved. However promoters and journalists soon added the word, ambient or intelligent to the depiction. The insinuations of the intelligent label caused ramifications throughout the scene. With Junglists arguing that the name implied that the jump up style of jungle was in some way brainless music for dim-witted people. It also had racial implications since the majority of jungle raves were largely dominated by black youths. However this new genre was t hought to be targeted towards a more middle class white audience. Ironically Drum n Bass was simply trying to keep the original ethos of jungle. Concerned with pushing the parameters of sound while engaging influences from the entire spectrum of music, Drum n Bass represented the very spirit of jungle since its earliest house incarnations.  [1]   Drum and Bass development of Breakbeat can be seen as far back as 1991. As T-Power has already suggested, Drum n Bass and Jungle were developing side by sideall along, although very much in the minority, the more mellow style of Drum n Bass was showing itself even during the Dark period.  [2]   One of the better known DJs to explore this development was L. T. J. Bukem. Alongside Fabio and Grooverider Bukem is known as one of the pioneering DJs of the rave scene. His tastes can be traced as far back as the jazzier endeavours of Giles Petersons Dingwall sessions. However by the time rave had hit Bukem was Djing a rare selection of Jazz Funk and prime House tracks to a growing mass of fans. In 1991 Bukem released his 3rd LP Demons Theme pressing up a dub plate to drop in his set; the track gripped the attention of the crowd immediately. Its mellowing vibes along with the rushing breaks and plush ambience created a fresh outlook within the dark ambience of rave. Early 1994 saw a tirade of people coming together to join forces with Bukem. Artists such as La Bello Blanco and Omni Trio began push forward the smooth vibes as established by Bukem. This more ambient style seemed equally at home in clubs as it did on a personal stereo. One of the scenes most influential labels came in the shape of Reinforced Records. Formed by Iain Barouille, Dego McFarlane, Gus Lawrence and Mark Clair who also created music as a collective under the name 4Hero, the label brought about a new level of sound. Boasting a roster of the scenes most influential figures Lemon D, Doc Scott, Goldie, L Double and Grooverider, together they fashioned a collection of tracks which would range from the other-worldly contortions of Peshays Protà ©gà © to the fractured Breakbeats of Doc Scotts Last Action hero.  [3]  Reinforceds approach to music resulted in a continuous ability to predict the next sonic development in Breakbeat science. This display of sound shifts of the future would redefine the Drum and Bass scene. By June 1994 4 hero unleashed their debut album Parallel Universe this was to be a cutting-edge. Dabbling with experimental Jazz, the album draw upon b-boy roots whilst incorporating strings, layered with clear-cut breaks. The album helped to coin a term which exposed the scenes incessant attraction with Jazz. Jazzstep becoming ever more prevalent towards the end of 1994 saw complex Breakbeat structures sounding increasingly similar to the rhythms of Jazz Fusion bands. The adoption of Jazzier vibes by Reinforced Records created a stir at the epicentre of the Drum and Bass scene. Artists such as Fabio would take very opportunity to weave together the jazzier tracks with his Breakbeat sets. Now with the arrival of this new Jazz element within Drum and Bass sound. However for fans of Drum and Bass this new sound could only be enjoyed via the experimental shows of pirate radio stations. This was until October of 1994, Fabio, Bukem, Kemistry and Storm along with an assortment of guests saw a creation of a Monday night session at Mars Bar in Londons west end. The night was proclaimed Speed, it was to become one of the countrys most important club nights. It not only gave a meeting place for likeminded Djs and producers it was also to be the new creative centre of Drum and Bass. However this particular night was far flung from the raging crowds of the old Jungle raves which often saw gatherings of up to 5000 people. Mars bar only had a capacity of a few hundred, paving the way for a whole new generation of Drum and Bass heads, Jungalists and Breakbeat enthusiasts. These were people who listened to Drum and Bass through pirate stations. Indeed Speed was to Drum and Bass what Roast had been to Jungle and Rage to Hardcore. Each week saw Fabio play their smooth and rolling breaks, Bukem on the oceanic tip, washing the crowd with lush string drive epics while Fabio took he vibe deeper into Jazz land. Intricate beats intertwined with strolling bass lines, counter tempos and off key refrains. Speed also saw the clothing style move away from the flesh-revealing lycra and designer casual chic. In its place was a style more in line with hiphop. 1995 finally saw the sound come to the forefront. As this new melodic style of Drum and Bass progressed it became progressively more supported by the media. That years Goldies Inner City Life had been released to universal acclaim, suddenly everyone wanted a piece of Drum and Bass. Some definitions Ambient jungle  Drum and bass tracks with an atmospheric feel/mood/style to them. Some have long intros or ambient breaks. The most popular example is  Bukems Horizons. Artcore / Intelligent  These were the tracks that were initially written in a backlash against the big ragga jungle scene. The term was used most famously for the series of React Compilations, which have included mixes by  Kemistry  andStorm. This was and still is a favourite style for  Good Looking Records   a label that was initially ignored as it did not base its music on the dancefloor. Darkside  The exact opposite to the optimistic and catchy hardcore anthems. Darkside takes in samples from horror movies, deep, dark basslines and screams. Has undergone some serious developements but an ever-present style throughout drum and bass history. Still popular with todays producers i.e.  Blue Sonics   Devil Inside. It is not so much characterised by the samples now but more by the general sound and feel of the beats and synths. Happy hardcore  This is what remains of the original hardcore style, after jungle split off in 1991/92 some DJs and ravers remained loyal to the manic pianos, cartoon samples and sped-up vocals. The music self-destructed to some extent by becoming stagnated and too repetitive, as a result it would appear to be fading fast in the UK but still retains a large following in other countries. Hardstep  A term borne out of Grooveriders seminal 1995 LP Hardstep Selection. Usually simple tracks with deep grinding basslines and minimal or simple Breakbeats. Jazzstep Another sub-genre for those artists who took in jazz influences for their productions. Originated with Alex Reece  but more recently publicised by Bristols  Roni Size Reprazent  and  4 Hero. Still a style going strong. Jump-up  The style for the dancefloor. Big, bad drums and strong basslines. Often utilise vocal samples so once you hear some tracks you never forget them. Most at home in a club or event and guaranteed to get people moving (even if its only head-nodding.) Ragga-jungle  The style of the originators. Many of the early jungle tunes took in ragga influences spawned one of jungles greatest chart successes: M-Beat feat. General LevysIncredible  and Shy FXs  Original Nuttah. The influence has died right down with the  Tribe Of Issachars Tribal Natty being a lone example of recent years.

Literature Review of Methods for Earthquake Analysis

Literature Review of Methods for Earthquake Analysis CHAPTER 2 2. REVIEW OF LITERATURE 2.1 INTRODUCTION Earthquakes result from the sudden movement of tectonic plates in the earths crust. The movement takes place at fault lines, and the energy released is transmitted through the earth in the form of waves that causes ground motion many miles from the epicenter. Regions adjacent to active fault lines are the most prone to experience earthquake. As the ground moves, inertia tends to keep structure in place, resulting in the imposition of displacements and forces that can have catastrophic results. The purpose of the seismic design is to proportion structures so that they can withstand the displacements and the forces induced by the ground motion. Seismic design has emphasised the effects of horizontal ground motion, because the horizontal components of an earthquake usually exceed the vertical component and because structures are usually much stiffer and stronger in response to vertical loads than they are in response to horizontal loads. Any learning process has different components through which learning takes place. School learning may be based on book knowledge, theoretical explanations and study, but most people learn more from real examples and learning by doing. Seeing is also much more educative than just reading, reason for which the illustration of a topic is of great importance to the learning process. Analysing post earthquake pictures does vividly teach about what designs were faulty and why. Unfortunately, that cannot be said from the structures that were not damaged because from the outside little can be seen. Only the study of the drawings and calculations can determine why a certain structure did not fail, and while neighbouring structure were damaged or totally collapsed. In particular those constructions that are at the point of total failure are interesting because they present themselves as a freeze frame during the process of collapsing. Earthquake engineers in recent years have emphasized the need for performance-based seismic analysis. An essential element in many seismic evaluations is the determination of ultimate inelastic response of the structure. Performance-based methods require reasonable estimates of inelastic deformation or damage in structures which are better quantities to assess damage than stress or forces. The performance based analysis is based on quantifying the deformation of the members and the bridge structure as a whole, under the lateral forces of an earthquake of a certain level of seismic hazard. Existing codes are based on elastic analysis which has no measure of the deformation capability of members of bridges. The performance based analysis gives the analyst more choice of ‘performance’ of the bridges as compared to the limit states of collapse and serviceability in a design based on limit state method. Flexibility of soil causes lengthening of lateral natural period due to overall decrease in lateral stiffness of the structural system. Such lengthening of lateral natural period may considerably alter the seismic response of the building frames resting on isolated foundation. Considerable amount of works have been carried out in the above said areas by researchers. In the present work, a few literatures related to these areas are reviewed and reported. 2.2 CODAL PROVISIONS FOR PERFORMANCE BASED ANALYSIS The FEMA-273 (1997) document provides technically sound and acceptable guidelines for the seismic rehabilitation of buildings. The guidelines for the Seismic Rehabilitation of Buildings are intended to serve as a ready tool for design professionals, a reference document for building regulatory officials, and a foundation for the future development and implementation of building code provisions and standards. This document provides different Seismic performance levels of buildings for structural and Non-structural components in detail. It also gives different analysis procedures used for Seismic rehabilitation of buildings. The FEMA-349 (2000) action plan presents a rational and cost effective approach by which building stakeholders: owners, financial institutions, engineers, architects, contractors, researchers, the public and governing agencies, will be able to move to a performance based design and evaluation system. The plan recognizes that there is a strong demand from stakeholder groups for more reliable, quantifiable and practical means to control building damage. It also recognizes that there is not a focused understanding among these groups as to how these goals can be obtained. This Plan describes how performance based seismic design guidelines can be developed and used to achieve these goals. It engages each of the groups in the development of these guidelines, by which future building design will become more efficient and reliable. The FEMA-356 (2000) standard is intended to serve as a nationally applicable tool for design professionals, code officials, and building owners undertaking the seismic rehabilitation of existing buildings. The procedures contained in this standard are specifically applicable to the rehabilitation of existing buildings and are, in general, more appropriate for that purpose than are new building codes. Advancement of present-generation performance-based seismic design procedures is widely recognized in the earthquake engineering community as an essential next step in the nation’s drive to develop resilient, loss-resistant communities. FEMA 445 (2006) program plan offers a step-by-step, task-oriented program that will develop next-generation performance-based seismic design procedures and guidelines for structural and nonstructural components in new and existing buildings. This program plan is a refinement and extension of two earlier FEMA plans: FEMA 273 Performance-Based Seismic Design of Buildings – an Action Plan, which was prepared by the Earthquake Engineering Research Center, University of California at Berkeley in 1997, and FEMA 349 Action Plan for Performance Based Seismic Design, which was prepared by the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute in 2000. The state of practice for performance-based assessment, performance-based design of new buildings, and performance-based upgrades of existing buildings will all be significantly advanced under this Program Plan. ATC-40 (1996) document provides a comprehensive, technically sound recommended methodology for the seismic evaluation and retrofit design of existing concrete buildings. Although it is not intended for the design of new buildings, the analytical procedures are applicable. The document applies to the overall structural system and its elements and components. The methodology used here is performance based: the evaluation and retrofit design criteria are expressed as performance objectives, which defines desired levels of seismic performance when the building is subjected to specified levels of seismic ground motion. Acceptable performance is measured by the level of structural and/or non-structural damage expected from the earthquake shaking. Damage is expressed in terms of post yield, inelastic deformation limits for various structural components and elements found in concrete buildings. The analytical procedure incorporated in the methodology accounts for post elastic deformations of the structure by using simplified nonlinear static analysis methods. IRC 6 The object of the Standard Specifications and Code of Practice is to establish a common procedure for the design and construction of road bridges in India. This publication is meant to serve as a guide to both the design engineer and the construction engineer but compliance with the rules therein does not relieve them in any way of their responsibility for the stability and soundness of the structure designed and erected by them. The design and construction of road bridges require an extensive and through knowledge of the science and technique involved and should be entrusted only to specially qualified engineers with adequate practical experience in bridge engineering and capable of ensuring careful execution of work. IS 1893 (Part 3): 2002 The standard (Part 3) deals with the assessment of earthquake forces and design of new bridges on highways, railways, flyover bridges, pedestrian bridges, submersible bridges, utility bridges and aqueducts. The earthquake effect on retaining walls and bridge abutments are covered. The hydrodynamic effect of water on submerged substructure and method of assessment of liquefaction potential of soil is also included. The methodology of estimation of seismic forces given in the code can be employed for seismic evaluation of the existing bridges and retrofitting of such structures.This standard deals with the earthquake resistant design of regular bridges in which the seismic actions are mainly resisted at abutments or through flexure of piers, that is, bridges composed of vertical pier-foundation system supporting the deck structure with/without bearings. However for all special and major bridges, detailed dynamic studies should be undertaken.This standard does not deal with the construction features relating to earthquake resistant design of bridges. RESPONSE SPECTRUM ANALYSIS Greg Griffin and M. Saiid Saiidi, have made a study to better understand the bridge response due to site response effect. Several methods are available to predict bridge response to incoherent ground motions, but are typically cost prohibitive to implement in standard bridge designs. To simplify the analysis and understand the pseudo-static displacement and acceleration behavior, they developed a response history computer model for a two degree of freedom (DOF) system. A super structure of a bridge is represented by shear beam connected both DOF. They used Superposition of the pseudo-static and acceleration response in order to determine the total DOF response. The site response effect was predicted by a SDOF, nonlinear ground response model. An iteration scheme using the Newton-Raphson method was implemented and it has been verified with an equivalent linear stiffness method. Later Parametric studies were conducted on different structure masses and shear beam stiffnesses. For varied soil depths at supports, they used three different earthquake ground motions. A stiffness parameter defined as Coupling Ratio (CR) varies from 0 (each DOF responds independently) to 1 (rigid body response) has been observed. Then the magnification factors were calculated as the ratio of the relative displacement at each DOF due to the incoherent ground motion to the uniform base motion response. They observed from the study that magnification factors could be used to account for ground motion incoherency by modifying the response of a two DOF system subjected to uniform base motion. Said M. Allam and T. K.Datta , studied on response spectrum method of analysis for suspension bridges subjected to multicomponent, partially correlated stationary ground motion. This analysis conducted is based on the relationship between the power spectral density function and the response spectrum of the input ground motion and fundamentals of the frequency domain spectral analysis. They said that analysis duly takes into account the spatial correlation of ground motions between the supports, also the quasi-static component of the response, and the modal correlation between different modes of vibration. They have analyzed the suspension bridge under a set of important parametric variations to study (1) The comparison between the responses obtained by the response spectrum method of analysis and the frequency domain spectral analysis; and (2) To investigate the behavior of suspension bridges under seismic excitation. The parameters defined in analysis include the spatial correlation of ground motion, the ratio between the three components of ground motion, the angle of incidence of the earthquake, the nature and number of modes considered in the analysis, and the nature of the power spectral density function of ground motion. They finally concluded that the response spectrum method of analysis provides a fair estimate of responses under parametric variations considered in the study. TIME HISTORY ANALYSIS Yong Deng, a senior structural engineer has made a research on seismic issues over structures. He studied that Non-linear Time history Analysis simulates the structure behavior under severe Earthquake movement exactly than any other methods. In his paper, Non-linear time history analysis has been presented with one of the world famous project. Yerba Buena Island (YBI) West-Bound (WB) Ramps are portion of San Fransisco-Oakland Bay Bridge Project. The ramps are touched down to Yerba Buena Island from YBI WB widening by hinges. . This project is located at a 0.627g Site Specific Response for Safety Evaluation Earthquake (SEE). YBI WB On-ramp is a highly horizontally Curved Bridge with radius of 38.8 meters. He mentioned that Seismic behavior is very important for the project. In order to understand structural non-linear behavior, especially highly horizontally curved bridge behavior under severe earthquake events, YBI WB On-ramp stand-alone bridge is analyzed by non-linear time history analysis method. A analysis software SAP 2000 with Hilber-Hughes-Taylor ÃŽ ± direct integration method is used for Non-linear Time History Analysis. Seismic Modeling is also discussed in this paper. Then he has used six sets of acceleration time histories for Non-linear Time History Analysis by SAP 2000. Also a program developed by University of California-Berkeley is used to verify Non-linear Time history Analysis accuracy in this paper. Site Specific Response Spectra ARS is also used for liner analysis and compared with results of Non-linear Time History Analysis and with the program developed by California-Berkeley University. Later the Non-linear push-over analysis is performed to determine the structural capacity and ductility under severe earthquake events. Finally, discrepancies between different program analyses are discussed and recommendations are presented. R. K. Dowell, has studied on a new method for finding member forces for statically indeterminate bridge frames. He said that the unique aspect of this new method is that it produces exact member-end-moments for statically indeterminate bridge frames from simple closed-form equations, without the need to setup and solve a system of simultaneous equations, as required in the stiffness method. Also the result shows that new method is 1000 times faster than any of the currently available methods that depend on matrix manipulation. He presented the incremental form of the closed-form approach and nonlinear time-history results for a typical bridge frame subjected to earthquake loading are compared with the results obtained from stiffness method. Finally he concluded that new closed form approach is based on modified classical analysis techniques and is so fast and stable that bridge designers may now consider using nonlinear time-history analysis for the seismic design of typical highway bridge structures. PUSHOVER ANALYSIS Mark R. Capron, he made a study on pushover based seismic evaluation of a 2,164 m long bridge located near the New Madrid Seismic Zone in southeastern Missouri. His research includes the existing structure, and the substructure retrofitted with column jackets, cap-beam modifications, and seismic isolation bearings. The research shows that the existing structure has 30% to 40% of the displacement capacity required for the 500 year design level, and significantly less than required for the 1,000 and 2,500 year levels that retrofits can improve performance to the 500 year level and that isolation bearings can improve performance of the main spans. Ima Muljati and Pennung Warnitchai, has studied the performance of Modal Pushover Analysis (MPA) in predicting the inelastic seismic response of multi-span concrete bridges. Considered bridge is subjected to lateral forces distributed proportionally over the span of the bridge in accordance to the product of mass and displaced shape. Later the bridge is pushed up to the target displacement determined from the peak displacement of the nth mode inelastic Single Degree of Freedom System derived from Uncoupled Modal Response History Analysis. Then the peak response from each mode is combined using Square-Root of Sum-of-Square (SRSS) rule. Results shows that the use of SRSS rule is not appropriate in this bridge and the displaced pattern is shifted from the elastic shape due to yielding, Modal Pushover Analysis can predict well the total peak response of the bridge in inelastic range. P.S.Lande and A.D.Yawale, they studied that the structures within elastic range have quiet high displacement forces. Therefore it requires linear methods for analysis. He said that the bridge being a special type of structure requires higher load carrying capacity due to introduction of ductility in design requiring the design for lesser forces as compared to the forces obtained in elastic range. To evaluate the Non-linear behavior and consequent failure pattern in different components of the bridge, Pushover analysis is an effective tool. In his study, he deals with nonlinear pushover analysis at a specific bridge structure with elastic foundation in urban area. The procedure recommended in ATC 40 (Capacity Spectrum method) is adopted for analysis under various seismic demands. The hinge formations for expected performance level are recorded. The response parameter like base shear roof displacement are studied. Performance point for bridge under consideration is determined. Jasmin A. Gadhiya and Anuj K. Chandiwala, has made a study on pushover analysis of bridge after 2001 Gujarat Earthquake and 2005 Kashmir Earthquake, and said that there is a nation-wide attention to the seismic vulnerability assessment of existing important structures. There are so many literatures available on the seismic evaluation procedures of multi-storeyed buildings using pushover analysis. Its known that bridge is a very important structure in any country but there is no much effort available in literature for seismic evaluation of existing bridges. Bridges extends horizontally with its two ends restrained and that particular characteristic make the dynamic behavior of bridges different from building. Modal analysis of a 3D bridge model reveals that it has many closely spaced modes. Participating mass ratio for the higher modes is very high. Therefore, pushover analysis with single load pattern may not yield correct results In order to address this problem, the aims of their s tudy was to carry out a seismic evaluation case study for an existing RC bridge using nonlinear static (pushover) analysis and upper bound push over analysis and suggest whichever is better to understand bridge structural behavior. They considered a 12-span existing RC bridge for the case study. Standard pushover analysis using FEMA 356 (2000) displacement coefficient method and an upper bound pushover analysis method is used to analyses the bridge in which they have considered higher mode effects. And they concluded that evaluation results presented are shows that the selected bridge does not have the capacity to meet any of the desired performance level.

Abraham Lincoln Essay -- essays research papers fc

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln was born on Sunday, February 12, 1809. His parents were Tom and Nancy Hanks Lincoln. When he was seven, he and his family moved to southern Indiana. His mother had died recently of a disease and his father eventually remarried. While growing up, his nature was that of someone who wanted to learn and read rather than help with the farm. Even at an early age he showed signs of being an intelligent person with insight into the world around him. Later on, he moved to New Salem, Illinois, where he lived until he was about 28 years old. He worked several odd jobs during his time here and even earned the famous nickname â€Å"Honest Abe† during his stay. Eventually he made a run for the Illinois legislature and lost the first time he tried. However, he won the next four times after that first one. At first, Lincoln was a member of the Whig party, but later changed to Republican. Another endeavor during his time there included studying in his spare time and he eventual ly became a certified lawyer. In Springfield, Illinois, he met his future wife, Mary Todd. They became fast friends and about three years later, they wed. During the next eleven years, they had four children, all boys. Sadly, all but one died before the age of 18. Lincoln himself had to go through the misery of burying two of them. He became a very successful attorney and grew to be very wealthy. It was in the year of 1846 that Lincoln decided to continue his political career and decided to run for the United States House of Representatives. To no one’s surprise, he won. He was widely known for his advocacy against slavery. Lincoln felt that slavery was a great evil within a great nation. â€Å"For him, slavery and freedom were incompatible; for one to live, the other must die.† (History Book, 512). He also strongly opposed The Mexican War. After his term was over, he decided to go home and continue with his law practice. In 1850, he decided to join the Republican Party and ran against Stephen A. Do uglas for his spot in the Senate. In 1858, at one of his speeches in Illinois, he made a quite informative speech about his and the Republican party’s point of view on slavery. â€Å"We have in this nation the element of domestic slavery. The Republican Party thinks it wrong - we think it is a moral, a social, and a political wrong. We think it is wrong not confining itself merely to the... ...omb at Oak Ridge cemetery. To this day, people remember him not only as a one of the greatest presidents ever, but also as a great human being. His dedication and courage throughout the war helped make The United States whole again and made sure that something like this would hopefully never happen again. His face is seen every day on a five dollar bill, on a penny and even on Mount Rushmore. He did something not very men have ever done. He brought an entire nation together again and guided it through the most devastating experience that this nation has faced. Works Cited Books - Mason, Lorna C, William Jay Jacobs, and Robert P Ludlum. The History of the United States. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1992. Donald, David H. LINCOLN. New York, New York: Touchstone Company, 1996 Guelzo, Allen C. Abraham Lincoln. Boston: Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1999 Internet –   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3a8334a50e83.htm, Why was Lincoln Shot?, Unknown, 05-16-01 http://home.att.net/~rjnorton/Lincoln75.html, Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, Unknown, 12-1-03 http://www.britannica.com/eb/article?eu=114491&tocid=0, Abraham Lincoln, Brità ¡nica.

Essay --

When we analyze a work, it is easy to judge the characters by the standards of our time, but this is not very fair to them. They do not follow our rules; they follow the standards of their societies. In addition, unless the characters’ thoughts are revealed to us in soliloquies or asides, we cannot tell if the person knows of his or her actions’ consequences. To determine if a character is â€Å"good† or â€Å"bad,† we must set a standard and evaluate it for each text we examine. We shall define â€Å"goodness† as performing actions whose outcomes are net positive, intended or not, and â€Å"badness† as the opposite. Through this lens we shall examine King Claudius of Hamlet, discovering that while Claudius might be a good King, he is definitely not a good person. When we first meet Claudius, he is holding court and giving a very long and eloquent speech with frequent use of the â€Å"royal we.† He begins by unifying himself with the audience in grief over â€Å"our dear brother’s death† (1.2.1) and then explains he will marry Queen Gertrude to both solidify his rule and bring â€Å"mirth to funeral† (1.2.12). However, it is odd that King Hamlet’s son, Hamlet, did not inherit the throne. Claudius explains, referring to his near marriage, that the nobles â€Å"have freely gone / With this affair along† (1.2.15-6), so it is likely that he convinced the nobles to vote for him as King instead of Hamlet, who was away. Instead of taking the crown by force, which Laertes and Fortinbras will later attempt, Claudius became King without any harm whatsoever, excepting the murder of King Hamlet. His ease with the royal court and the trust he places in the nobles are signs of his good Kingship, however much hidden blood there may be. Claudius is not just friendly with the nobles. ... ...m; the poisoned goblet makes Hamlet realize Claudius’s plan and results in Hamlet killing him with the same goblet. Although we quickly see through Claudius’s sham, his â€Å"bad† qualities might be the reason for his â€Å"good† Kingship. After all, a King who is ambitious, manipulative, and selfish would want to keep the throne, and since Claudius dislikes confrontation, he has evidently decided to remain in power by being a just and wise ruler. He might have had the wrong motivations and a terrible character, but royal policies were, on the whole, good for Denmark. But we must not forget his terrible choice; instead of giving up his sins’ rewards, he chooses to keep them and kill Hamlet to assure his crown. Make no mistake, Claudius was a bad person, but Denmark had experienced an extraordinary King, ended with poisoned drink in his throat and poisoned sword in his chest.

Country Music Essay

Country music is one form of music that has both an extensive history and also has a prominent place in the public consciousness right now. It is one of the most interesting types of music because of the fact that many people completely misunderstand where it came from and its roots. Though much of the history country music can be traced to many southern venues, it has since grown to be a much more â€Å"national† type of phenomenon, with influence stretching from Bakersfield, California to the Atlantic coast of the United States. Performers now come from all over the world to take part in the country music phenomenon and in recent years the, country music has gained a much more mainstream following than it had in the past. By both celebrating its roots and being willing to branch out to reach new listeners, country music as a whole has positioned itself for much greater success in the future, as well. In order to truly understand the origins of country music, one has to look as far back as the turn of the twentieth century. Though country did not truly get its start until later, the groundwork for the industry was being laid by musicians who probably did not even know what country music was. Old jazz musicians and church gospel singers provided the original motivation for what would become the country music movement. Singers would later draw influences from those old styles in order to develop the characteristic country sound that is so popular and prevalent in today’s music world. Country officially got its start in 1921 in Bristol, Tennessee. Before that time, people had been singing songs in order to pass down stories and to fill the idle time, but there had never been an organized country music industry. According to Roughstock’s History of Country Music, â€Å"Although musicians had been recording fiddle tunes (known as Old Time Music at that time) in the southern Appalachians for several years, It wasn’t until August 1, 1927 in Bristol, Tennessee, that Country Music really began. There, on that day, Ralph Peer signed Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter Family to recording contracts for Victor Records† (Roughstock). Those two popular acts laid the framework for country to come, and they are both remembered for their innovation and their ability to connect with singers of that time. Over the course of time, country music has seen many different movements that have all helped to shape the sound that is prevalent today. The Bluegrass movement, headed up by the famous Bill Monroe of Kentucky was a type of music where people relied heavily on the banjo, the acoustic guitar, and the mandolin. Before Monroe starting experimenting with these instruments, people had never thought to use the guitar as a lead instrument before. This Bluegrass sound would prove to be a characterizing sound and it has influenced many of today’s most popular singers, including women like Allison Krause. According to Jeri Rowe of The News and Record, the Bill Monroe movement is something that almost all of the famous musicians have felt over the course of time. According to Rowe, â€Å"Ask anyone familiar with bluegrass music and they’ll probably have a Bill Monroe moment† (Rowe, 1996). Other movements have become popular in country music, including the innovations that came along with the Bakersfield sound. Though country music had long had its roots in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia, young people out in California changed the way that people thought about the country music industry by expanding the sound to include something of an â€Å"Outlaw† movement (Encyclopedia of Country Music). Among those people who led this popular movement were Merle Haggard, who became a spokesperson for the common man during his time. His songs like â€Å"Long Haired Country Boy† and â€Å"Okie from Muskogee† made him famous. Another famed musician that was a part of the progressive country movement, as it came to be called, was Willie Nelson. Nelson is known as a popular singer and songwriter today and he has worked alongside dozens of extremely popular musicians during his career. He sang songs like â€Å"Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain† and â€Å"Mommas, Don’t Let your Babies Grow up to be Cowboys† that were able to really connect to fans on a very personal level. One of the unique things about the country music industry is that all of these different movements have helped to create the sound that characterizes country music today. Starting with the Outlaw movement, the Bluegrass movement, and things like the Nashville sound, people have begun to combine all of these different elements to create a very real sound of today. The Nashville sound is something that came about, as one might guess, in the heart of country music located in Nashville. This came about when Roy Acuff made the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville a popular thing. It started out as just one of the many barn shows that played country music across the powerful radio airwaves. Over time, the Grand Ole Opry became much more than that. It came to characterize the Nashville sound, which was a new sound that included things like the old steel guitar and drums in the background. The Nashville sound changed the way people felt about country music, as musicians like Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs brought their unique methods to Nashville and gained popularity. All in all, the Nashville sound represented a brand new vision for country music, where people could experiment with different things on the highest level at the Grand Ole Opry. The Opry gave legitimacy to these acts and people began to quickly respond to the new techniques and new sounds that they were hearing up on the stage (Hemphill). Today, the country music world has moved even more into the mainstream than it was in the past. It is safe to say that widespread radio is what helped country music take off and now people are enjoying it in different ways. When things like TNN and CMT came about, country music was put on television for the world to see. Though this made some people in the country music world mad because the networks opted for the new styles and neglected some of the older heroes of country music, it helped the industry at large. People could not watch country music as much as they wanted and they could begin to put faces with the voices that they had heard on the radio. The innovation of music on television really helped the country music industry as much as it helped all of the other music industries. More records are sold today than ever before, as people like George Strait have sold hundreds of millions of records. Strait owns the record for most number one hits for a singer, while the South Carolina-based group Alabama owns the record for most number one hits for a group. Other acts that have become popular today are people like Garth Brooks, who helped change the way country music was looked at in a sense of live performances. Brooks turned the country music world into something of a rock show and made the shows more appealing to younger people. In the past, country music had been looked at as something that was a little bit boring when seen in concert. People went to see country music shows because they liked the sound of the music, not because they wanted to be entertained. This all changed when Brooks came about in the late 1980s. He added things like lights and great technology to his shows. The sound was impressive and finally the country music world was able to compete with the rock world at least on some level. This was a very important change for country music and predictably, more and more artists starting picking up where Brooks left off. It is fair to say that the country music world has not been completely embraced by the media at large, but the media has at least picked up on the national importance of some of the acts. In the past, the country music world might have been pushed off to the side with the rock and roll world taking center stage a little bit more. People are now coming to realize that rock and country are much more inter-connected than they might have originally imagined and that country music deserves to be recognized for its huge following. With country music selling at high rates in record stores and television channels getting great ratings, there is no choice in the national media but to pick up on the new and changing times, even if they do not totally believe everything that is being said. There is some perception out there that country music is a music based in the south and for southern people, though evidence has been provided to the contrary. One media controversy worth remembering happened with the popular group The Dixie Chicks, who were ostracized by the media and the mainstream country music world for their comments about President George W. Bush. Their political talk earned them a place on the proverbial country music blacklist. A Gazette Newspaper article speaks to the fact that the controversy may have been overblown by some media outlets, as country music singers are certainly not the first musicians to speak out in a political way. In fact, music has always been an avenue for this type of free speech. That article says, â€Å"Even entertainers have a right to say whatever they want to about U. S. foreign policy and politics – and in fact, many have been doing so for decades, getting rich and famous while thumbing their noses at the nation that makes them so† (Gazette). One of the concerns of many country musicians today is that the media is willing to give time to the current stars, but no one will recognize the people who laid the framework for the country music movement. One People Magazine article quotes popular country music star Alan Jackson talking about living legend George Jones and how no one is willing to recognize him. The article writes, â€Å"Jackson spokeswoman Kay West said Alan was inspired by a visit to Jones earlier this year in the hospital after Jones was involved in a near-fatal car wreck. â€Å"Alan said that had George Jones died there, there would have been a 10-minute tribute to him on the show,† West said. â€Å"But he lived, and they wouldn’t give him three minutes† (People). All in all, country music seems to be growing at a faster rate than it ever has. Helped along by more coverage in the media and the fact that more and more types of musicians are currently getting involved in country music, the industry has taken off at a higher degree than most might have imagined in the past. Though the roots of country music are strong and many people seek to preserve and celebrate those roots, there is no denying that the industry in branching out in a desire to incorporate new fans and new acts alike going into the future. With that in mind, the future of the industry is strong and as stable as it can possibly be. Works Cited Hemphill, Paul. The Nashville Sound. 30 September 2005. Everthemore Press. Kingsbury, Paul. The Encyclopedia of Country Music. Oxford: 2004. People Magazine. Country Music Controversy. 2008. < http://www. people. com/people/article/0,,616549,00. html> Roughstock’s History of Country Music. The Beginnings. < http://www. roughstock. com/history/begin. html> Rowe, Jeri. The News and Record. 12 September 1996. BILL MONROE’S INFLUENCE FELT BY MUSICIANS IN THE TRIAD; AREA BLUEGRASS FANS REMEMBER BILL MONROE, THE â€Å"FATHER OF BLUEGRASS MUSIC. † The Gazette. 7 May 2003. Whistling Dixie Freedom of speech not at issue in country music controversy.