Employee Theft

†¢Explain the reasoning behind employee theft. Employee theft could be a result of many issues that arise at the place of employment. Low morale at the workplace is a major reason why businesses suffer from low production and stealing at the workplace, especially if the employee feels that the business or company has wronged or mistreated them in some way. Another reason would be if the employee feels that they are underpaid or under-appreciated for their performance. In sales, lack of control over inventory makes it easier to steal because the employer does not have preventive measures to avoid it. Preventive measures are crucial to reducing the risk of employee theft. If preventive measures are not existent then the opportunity to steal is very high. The best way to control employee theft is to set policies and guidelines regarding the issue. If there are no set consequences to employee theft then employees will continue to steal, because they think that they won’t be punished. †¢Explain ways the culture of our capitalists society encourages attitudes like those Sheehy describes. I would say a culture of technological revolution and an ever expanding ‘action-packed’ business world, along with an image shaped by a culture of video games and action movies has definitely contributed to encouraging attitudes like those Sheehy describes. As it is stated in the text, â€Å" The college students in particular, reports Sheehy, believed that a no- holds- barred, trample- over- anybody, get- what –you- want approach is the necessary and glamorous road to success. This relates directly to the John Rawls notion of justice as fairness. Rawls lists the following among the equal basic liberties: â€Å"freedom of thought and liberty of conscience; the political liberties and freedom of association, as well as the freedoms specified by the liberty and integrity of the person; and finally, the rights and liberties covered by the rule of law. † This notion is characteristic of the capitalist society. There are many contributing factors surrounding employee theft. I think that the desire to steal is a direct result of your moral values. Sheehy stated, employee theft accounts for 50 percent more revenue loss for retailers than shoplifting. So what’s causing the employees to steal? Some employees may steal because the opportunity presents itself, others may steal because it’s part of their DNA, and some may still because they feel that they may be underpaid therefore; they are entitled to more and will compensate themselves. For example, I have a friend that was a Shift Manager at Popeye’s and she was recently fired for stealing money. I asked her to rationalize her actions; she stated that she was getting underpaid and was upset because the company recently hired a new Shift Manager with a higher salary. She also, stated that she was very flexible, worked long hours if needed, and always helped others with their tasks and duties. Bottom line, she felt that the company did not value her hard work and dedication; therefore she stole the money to even the score. She is now looking for a job and her unemployment was denied due to theft. I believe the employees that steals from their workplace, did not take time out to think about the consequences if their caught. In summary, the attitudes Sheehy shared in his report is evident in most businesses today. Some people feel that they will do enough just to get by until something else comes along. Others may feel unappreciated and underpaid, which may cause them to steal from the company to make up the difference. The implications of the work ethics Sheehy reported in the article will have a negative impact on future American businesses, which may cause businesses to close and an increase in corporate fraud. If society does not change the attitudes, we will be a nation without purpose. Having strong work ethics and a mindset of appreciation for the workforce/ environment will help shape our future. Would you report an overpayment to your manager or would you pocket the money if a customer forgot to get his/her change? As mentioned earlier, Sarah reported the overpayment to her manager and coincidently the customer returned back to the store for her change 3 hours later. Sarah displayed a level of integrity and appreciation for her workplace. I believe we still have hope. Sheeny, J. (2010). A New Work Ethic? In W. H. Shaw, Business Ethics (p. 164). http://www. ifpo. org/articlebank/employee_theft. html Explain the reasoning behind employee theft. Sheehy reported that the number cause of employee theft is peer pressures, teenagers are been forced to steal in order to become part of the pack, they feel like they are not been compensated accordingly with their jobs to the nature of their jobs so they feel like it is their given right to get what is owed to them. Also because they can get away with it, it is hard to prove something when no one is willing to tell the truth because they all do it. Explain ways the culture of our capitalists society encourages attitudes like those Sheehy describes. People can actually do what they want to do, if you have a job that you hate, you will not be able to motivate yourself to perform the way you suppose to. On my email signature a work I have a quote saying â€Å"find something you love to and you will never have to work again a day in your life†. It is important that your job should be a hobby, something you are willing to do even if you are not getting paid, but the economy is causing for more people just to take any kind of job in order to survive even if they hate what they are doing.

Patellar Vs Hamstring Tendon Grafts Health And Social Care Essay

Long rubric: Bone-Patellar Tendon-Bone Grafts are a More Efficient Surgical Technique than Hamstringing Tendon Grafts in ACL Reconstruction Surgery Abstraction The paper compares the consequences of multiple published articles about the advantages and disadvantages between bone-patellar tendon-bone transplants and hamstring tendon transplants for the Reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament ( ACL ) . There is much difference on which surgical technique is the best pick. Biau, Tournoux, Katashian, Schranz, and Nizard ( 2006 ) suggest that bone-patellar tendon-bone transplants are still preferred because it offers better stableness over hamstring tendon transplants which have lower morbidity or complications after surgery. Research by Poolam, Farrokhyar, and Bhandari ( 2007 ) found grounds that agrees with Biau et Al. ( 2006 ) that hamstring tendon transplants consequence in decreased morbidity but showed consequences that weakens the grounds that bone-patellar tendon-bone transplants provide better stableness. However, many restrictions for this research subject exist. Some factors include sawboness with more expertness in one of the two techniques, grade of articulatio genus flexure, tenseness applied to the transplant at clip of arrested development, bone to cram versus sinew to cram healing, and rehabilitation. The quality and efficaciousness of each of the tests may be subjective so it is hard to come to a unequivocal decision. This paper will merely show and compare the findings of each of the research articles. The ACL is a really of import ligament which helps link the castanetss of the articulatio genus articulation and is the most often injured ligament of the articulatio genus ( Andrade, Cohen, Picarro, & A ; Silva, 2002 ) . The ACL provides stableness for the articulatio genus and decreases force per unit area on the articulatio genus articulation. It limits anterior interlingual rendition of the shinbone on a fixed thighbone. It besides limits rotational motions of the articulatio genus. A tear to the ACL consequences from pulling of this ligament normally due to a sudden halt and distortion of the articulatio genus or a force to the anterior articulatio genus ( Anderson, Hall, & A ; Martin, 2005 ) . The ligament can be torn partly or wholly. Normally surgery is required to mend a lacerate ACL. There are a figure of techniques to make so but the two most used techniques are the bone-patellar tendon-bone autoplasty, which use the in-between tierce of the patientaa‚Â ¬a„?s patellar sinew, and the hamstring sinew autoplasty, which uses portion of the patientaa‚Â ¬a„?s semitendinosus or gracilis sinew. It is debatable as to which technique yields the best consequences in concern with healing and chronic complications. Research by Aglietti, Giron, Buzzi, Biddau, & A ; Sasso ( 2004 ) was in favour of utilizing the patellar sinew for surgery and found that there was a tendency toward better stableness in the bone-patellar tendon-bone group became significant. A higher rate of articulatio genus instability in the hamstring sinew group was attributed to inadequate transplant arrested development. The patients that had the transplant fixed with a spiked washer and a cortical prison guard had stableness comparable with that of the bone-patellar tendon-bone group. Despite these differences, the consequences concluded that when accurate and proved surgical and rehabilitation techniques are used, both bone-patellar tendon-bone autoplasties and hamstring autoplasties are tantamount options for ACL Reconstruction. Although, with bone-patellar tendon-bone autoplasties, hurting with kneeling and reduced sensitiveness in the anterior articulatio genus was reported. Besides, there was a higher prevalence of femor al tunnel widening with hamstring tendon autoplasties. Harmonizing to Biau et Al. ( 2006 ) bone-patella-bone autoplasties are presently popular becauseAA they are thought to give a higher per centum of articulatio genus stableness with a higher rate of return to pre-injury athleticss. The most common ailment of this process is anterior articulatio genus hurting when kneeling. The consequences showed that hamstring tendon transplants typically have a faster recovery and less articulatio genuss pain with kneeling but may see a lessening in hamstring strength. An article by Andrade et Al. ( 2002 ) which favored bone-patellar tendon-bone autoplasties found that quadriceps strength was ever worse than the uninvolved leg. Thigh perimeter and hamstrings: quadriceps ratio and were besides well lower on the involved leg, 60 % , when compared to the uninvolved leg, 90 % . This damage was attributed to the usage of the patellar sinew for the surgical process because it causes harm and failing in the extensor mechanism of the articulatio genus. Feller, Siebold, & A ; Webster ( 2004 ) suggest that some writers believe ACL Reconstruction utilizing hamstring tendon autoplasties are non every bit good as bone-patellar tendon-bone autoplasties, while still others suggest that hamstring tendon autoplasties are preferred. However, their research found that both methods of ACL Reconstruction give satisfactory consequences but hamstring tendon autoplasties are associated with fewer symptoms, a greater return to pre-injury degree of activity, and higher quality of life tonss. Research by Poolman et Al. ( 2007 ) concluded by sensitiveness analysis that hamstring tendon autoplasties cut down anterior articulatio genus hurting and have lower morbidity. This decision is besides supported by Biau et Al. ( 2006 ) which found that patients who received hamstring sinew autoplasties reported fewer anterior articulatio genus symptoms and extensor failing than patients with a bone-patellar tendon-bone autoplasty. Zelle et Al. ( 2006 ) confirmed through the usage of corpses that ACL Reconstruction utilizing hamstring tendon autoplasties provide better anterior stableness than bone-patellar tendon-bone transplants. The research seems to demo that in the bulk of the instances, utilizing hamstring tendon autoplasties in ACL Reconstruction surgery may be a more efficient surgical technique than bone-patellar tendon-bone autoplasties in some instances. Although the research has been done, bone-patellar tendon-bone autoplasties are the more popular and often used process. Some believe in biological advantages like mending from sinew to cram in hamstring tendon autoplasties takes longer to mend than bone to cram in bone-patellar tendon-bone autoplasties ( Aglietti et al. , 2004 ) . Another ground may be because hamstring tendon autoplasties are a newer technique and the sawbones is more comfy and has more experience with other techniques. A successful recovery depends on more than which surgical process was used. Complications can happen and non every surgery has the same consequences as the following. Even though much of the research tends to be nonreversible, it is hard to do an accurate determination on which process is more efficient in footings of stableness and morbidity, particularly with so many different variables to see. Aglietti et Al. ( 2004 ) stated that it is non possible to clearly demo that one transplant is better than the other. The pick of the transplant should be made on the patientaa‚Â ¬a„?s penchants and on the surgical technique in which the sawbones is skilled. It is more likely that the quality of surgical technique, transplant arrested development, and rehabilitation are more of import than the transplant pick in ACL Reconstruction.

Genesis 1-11 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Genesis 1-11 - Essay Example Another idea that brought about creation was that God wanted to be worshipped, after six days of working he rested on the seventh day. Adam and Eve had two sons, namely, Cain and Abel. Cain was a hunter while Abel was a herd’s boy. Abel used to give burnt offerings to God, while Cain brought grains God looked in favor of Abel and not of Cain, this shows that God’s intention for the creation was to be worshipped. He gave Adam the power to name every creature, and later on God created a helper for him. He gave Adam instruction to follow, for instance, he gave Adam instructions against eating harvest from the tree of good and evil, and he gave man authority over the living creatures and the earth, which he had created (Genesis 1). In order for them to multiply and fill the world, God created a helper for Adam called Eve. At first God’s intentions were for man to live forever. Seen in Genesis chapter 22, this is where man, banished from eating from the tree of life of which he would have lived forever, if he had not eaten its fruits (Genesis 22). Another intention is that God never tolerated disobedience of any kind this is seen when he curses the serpent for deceiving Eve, curses Eve for eating fruits from the tree and curses Adam for acting under his wife’s words and eating the same fruit from the forbidden tree. In Genesis chapter 6, man married any beautiful girl he chose, as much as he were mortals, God came to reduce a man’s life to one hundred and twenty years, it was Gods intentions for the earth not to be corrupted. When he saw the earth was corrupted, God wanted to wipe out the face of the earth. However, Noah found favor in the sight of God, as God ordered him, to construct a refuge (ark) in which he and his family would find haven when God sends a flood to consume the sinful earth. It was also God’s intention to save animals of different kinds, and so he ordered Noah to bring them in the ark in pairs

The rise of Al Qaeda, religious militancy and terrorism Essay

The rise of Al Qaeda, religious militancy and terrorism - Essay Example According to Marshall McLuhan, one of the pillars of mass media theory, â€Å"without communication, terrorism would not exist.† Certainly, terrorism existed well before mass media; but the latter definitely gave the former a great advantage. Before, terrorism is limited to the area that goons, thugs or soldiers can reach. Today, one can just create a newsworthy event and the scope of exposure is limitless. This was what bin Laden and al-Qaeda exploited. He saw that mass media can be used â€Å"to get attention, to gain recognition, and even to obtain a certain degree of respect and legitimacy†. It can be said that al-Qaeda’s rise to power were determined by how bin Laden used the media to get his message across to the world. He knew that his organization needed an international audience to gain legitimacy; because without it, he would not be able to get funding and recruitment would be more difficult to accomplish. With malicious precision in manipulating the me dia, bin Laden was able to propel al-Qaeda as an organization that the world needs to take seriously. Hoffman states that terrorists, as exemplified by bin Laden, aims to dominate and control by sending a message of fear—and there is no better way to instill fear to the masses than through the media. Bin Laden recognized that when the masses are afraid for their lives, it propagates uncertainty and chaos, not only to a large population, but more importantly, to the nations’ democratic leaders.... 5). Hoffman (as cited in Fiore, 2011, p. 27) states that terrorists, as exemplified by bin Laden, aims to dominate and control by sending a message of fear—and there is no better way to instill fear to the masses than through the media. But why instill fear? Bin Laden recognized that when the masses are afraid for their lives, it propagates uncertainty and chaos, not only to a large population, but more importantly, to the nations’ democratic leaders (p. 27; Soriano, 2008, p. 2). â€Å"This instability can prompt people, and even governments, to think and react differently than they would have otherwise,† making them lean towards making decisions that would favor al-Qaeda (p. 27). Aside from exploiting this strategy, al-Qaeda also became infamous for making good on their threats and doing it in a visual manner that would gain the most attention and implant the most fear and hatred. The organization’s attacks were powerful in that it was grand yet personal, vast yet meaningful. This can perfectly be seen in the 9/11 attacks, in which the entire world was treated to a visual overload of exploding buildings—the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, no less—planes crashing, and hundreds of people dying or jumping to their deaths. Every channel for the next few days—and even years—broadcasted the attacks. The attacks were large-scale, in a country considered to be a world power, against a building that is a symbol of international collaboration, and they came at a time the world least expected them. The attention al-Qaeda got was monumental. If people were not aware of the existence of al-Qaeda, they sure were made aware on the morning of September 11, 2001. And the message was clear and powerful.

London Stock Exchange Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

London Stock Exchange - Research Paper Example This research objective to evaluate and present aim of the Taurus London Stock Exchange Project that is to turn stock trading paperless, with the aim of making transactions smoother and more convenient for London Stock Exchange traders. The Taurus project started in 1986 from the 'big bang', an event at which the London Stock Exchange was turned into a self-regulating operation which was overseen but not fully controlled by the Bank of England. The offshoot of this 'big bang' was that many of the restrictions that were previously placed upon the London Stock Exchange were no longer in place and the Exchange could now enforce rules, regulations and software to improve the service. The United States and Japanese Stock Exchanges were primarily electronic at this time, with the London Stock Exchange taking three to six weeks to complete a transfer and the other international exchanges providing transfers in days. The London Stock Exchange needed to move from this paper-based time-consumi ng style of trading and move onwards into the future, and this was one of the main aims of the Taurus project. Taurus (Transfer and Automated Registration of Uncertified Stock) had the aim of providing a paperless service to the London Stock Exchange and reduce the burden on those in the back office. The project had the aim to move to computerized shareholdings which would reduce both time and cost to the London Stock Exchange. ... The offshoot of this 'big bang' was that many of the restrictions that were previously placed upon the London Stock Exchange were no longer in place and the Exchange could now enforce rules, regulations and software to improve the service. The United States and Japanese Stock Exchanges were primarily electronic at this time, with the London Stock Exchange taking three to six weeks to complete a transfer and the other international exchanges providing transfers in days (Currie, 1994). The London Stock Exchange needed to move from this paper-based time-consuming style of trading and move onwards into the future, and this was one of the main aims of the Taurus project. Taurus (Transfer and Automated Registration of Uncertified Stock) had the aim of providing a paperless service to the London Stock Exchange and reduce the burden on those in the back office (Bergman et al, 2002). The project had the aim to move to computerized shareholdings which would reduce both time and cost to the Lon don Stock Exchange. Taurus was originally planned to be a software database containing a computerized database of all the investors and shareholders plus their stocks and holdings that operated through the London Stock Exchange as a central operator (Keil et al, 2002). The ownership of stocks would be as simple as an entry into this database, something which is represented by the stock markets of today. There were several aims of the project beyond those mentioned above. Firstly, the movement to a paperless system would remove the need for countless jobs and resources and could potentially have saved the London Stock Exchange millions of pounds. This movement was backed by several prominent economists and politicians of the day, as well as by those residing in the City

Answer History question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Answer History question - Essay Example alled Indian Empire and was under the direct governance of United Kingdom and the princely states were ruled by individual rulers under the direct dictatorship of the British crown. It is from these princely states, the imperial England tried and received greatest support and reliability. But ultimately the consequent and considerable resistance and uprising from the natives compelled British imperialism, a setback. Myriad reasons are responsible for the complete agitation or deviation of the native support from the British rule. A thorough survey of many socio-economic factors will consequently open the avenues of hidden queries. The first great uprising or the first step of the Indians for the nationalistic movement was the ‘Sepoy Mutiny’ in the year of 1857. It was literally the first resistance which British Raj in India received. The Sepoy Mutiny can be considered as â€Å"the last upsurge of Indian Feudalism†. There are various causes which led to the detachment of native Indians from the British persons. The British rulers made many strategical mistakes. To establish a quick and powerful imperial aggression they interfered in many cultural and social domains of the natives, which largely hurt their sentiments and they slowly deviated from their foreign rulers. In fact, a sense of alienation acted as a catalyst for the relentless fights and set backs. The fatal decision and implementation of the â€Å"Doctrine of Lapse† by the British greatly contributed for the uprising of the mutiny of 1857. Though this uprising was crushed by the British but it didn’t stop the native Indians to leave their quest for the independence. The fight for the freedom is a long history and the term ‘Indian Independence Movement’ is a wide- umbrella term that encompasses a huge spectrum. It involves myriad political agitation and organization, philosophies and campaigns, both violent as well as non-violent. But all these efforts found their end into one common aim which

Medical surgical on discharge planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Medical surgical on discharge planning - Essay Example Discharge planning is about determining what a patient needs for a smooth move from one level of care to the other, as they shift from a hospital surgical ward to recover at home as an outpatient. It is certainly best to prepare a patient for recovery rather than to leave them in the dark to experience new things all by themselves because not knowing can have negative consequences. This write-up presents discharge planning for a patient who has had Coronary Artery Bypass Graft surgery performed on them in a surgical ward and is preparing to shift to their home. Coronary Artery Bypass Graft surgery (CABG) is a surgical procedure that is performed to open blocked coronary arteries using grafts from a patient’s own arteries or veins located in the leg, arm or chest (Senagore, 2004, Pp. 346 – 352) and (Fuster, 2009, Chapter 65). The grafted arteries or veins replace blocked coronary arteries to restore blood flow to the heart and to present an improved performance by this vital organ, resulting in relief from chest pain, ischemia and an improvement in patient’s quality of life together with expectations of prolonging a patient’s life. However, CBGR is an invasive procedure carried out under general anaesthesia and the patient recovers under intensive care with assisted breathing administered by a mechanical ventilator. Prior to discharge, the patients usually spend a few days under observation in a non-surgical unit and are counselled and prepared for their discharge. Discharge planning refers to the process that is used to determine what a patient needs for a smooth move from one level of care to the other (Birjandi, 2009, Pp. 1 – 2). It is important to understand that discharge planning is not just about assisting patients to arrange for care after leaving a hospital. Discharge planning is about observing, analysing and deciding about how best to assist a patient to continue with their recovery at home after a physician has

Hate Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Hate - Coursework Example This project will discuss the relationship of hate and psychology as they have been applied to past and current events and how they have been applied to the theories that have been developed. The second section will present how these theories present contradictory evidence whether it is a group or an individual. A short evaluation of this research project will conclude this paper with the writer's personal views of what type of psychology is needed in studying hate. Behavioural Psychology is a theory that all behaviours are gained through conditioning: classical & operant. Conditioning occurs through interaction with the environment. Classical conditioning have two elements, the conditioned stimulus and the conditioned response. Operant Conditioning is the association between the behaviour and the consequence for that behaviour. From this conditioning, the learning theory was developed. Negative behaviour can be eliminated by taking away the benefit. A person's behaviour is learned b y the consequences which can be external forces. His conscious is changed by the rewards he receives. Adolf Eichmann as seen by a behavioural psychologist would have learned a set of rules and been conditioned to have positive consequences. "When these basic, underlying, human standards (behaviours) are cross culture and are human, there are no longer any societal rules for criticising what is good and what is bad. It was considered normal what was going on in Germany. (Goble 110) Social Psychology is focused on the situation. Eichmann's defence was that he was simply following instructions when he ordered the death of millions of Jews. In his 1974 book Obedience to Authority, Milgram posed the question, "Could it be that Eichmann and his million accomplices in the Holocaust were just following orders? Could we call them all accomplices?" One person in history, one concept of hate is compared to two types of psychology. Social Psychology is focused on the situation. Behavioural Psyc hology is focused on the consequences of the reward of the individual. Social Psychology - SSM Theory Behavioural Psychology- Learning Theory Social Psychology in simple terms tells how people act, when they are with other people. Group behaviour, conformity, interaction, perception, prejudice and leadership are all taken into account. In 2003, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) finished an eight year study which has become the universal Seven-Stage Hate Model (SHM) The SHM is a predictive tool that tracks hate groups from inception to full maturity. A hate group, if not stopped, passes through seven successive stages. In the first four stages, hate groups vocalize their beliefs and in the last three stages, they act on their beliefs. There is contradictory evidence in the original study and the universal SHM between the distinction of passing from stage 3 to 4 as they are often interchanged. In 2003, the model was presented by the FBI as: 1. The Haters gather 2. The Hate gro up defines itself 3. The Hate Group disparages the target 4. The Hate Group taunts the target 5. The Hate Group attacks without weapons 6. The Hate Group attacks with weapons 7. The Hate Group destroys the target A transition period exists between verbal violence and acting that violence out. Prior to the groups transition to acting out violence interdiction has the greatest probability of success. The Seven-Stage Hate Model can be used to predict violence before it occurs. Observers can track

Dealing with the Homosexual Condition inside the Christian Church Research Paper

Dealing with the Homosexual Condition inside the Christian Church - Research Paper Example During prime time television, it is ok to see women kissing other women and men â€Å"living together† with their fellow men and many find these shows a reflection of the real world. Many gay couples are now officially married and have a wonderful â€Å"family† together by adopting and giving unwanted and orphaned children homes. A few decades back people would have been thrown into dumpsters for dressing in drag but now it is now common to see gays everywhere and expressing who they are in whatever manner they seem fit. All of us have people we know who are part of the LGBT community and we are even friends with some. Being Christians, we are expected by society and by the Almighty to adhere to certain values and make it the foundation of our decisions and judgments (Article 7). With the outpouring of support for the LGBT community, Christians and the Church are often the target of criticism for not being open and welcoming to homosexuals. Many Christians are labeled a s homophobes and it’s as if the tides have turned for the church and the LGBT Community. The Holy Scriptures serves as our guide in dealing with moral issues including that of homosexuality however, there is still contention on how the church should act with regards to homosexuals who are outside and inside the church. Where does compassion end and where will fortitude draw the line in dealing with the homosexual condition inside the church? What is the right attitude for us Catholics with regards to the acceptance of homosexuals in our communities and other denominations? And for homosexuals inside the Church, how should they see themselves and how should they respond to the redemption given to us by Jesus’ suffering on the cross? I. The Stand of the Church on Homosexuality For the Catholic Church, the practice of homosexuality is a grave sin. That was well established in the Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons (Ratz inger). But it is also stipulated in the document circular that these brothers and sisters should still be treated with respect as is due every person created by God and helped through pastoral care to pursue chastity. The Christian world is considerably a lot kinder to the homosexuals these days but that was not the case in the past. There may have been some actions of the Christian community that promoted stigma and injustice towards people that has this sexual condition. This stigma caused alienation of the homosexual from the faith and does not cater to their spiritual needs (Calimlim 18-19). A. Traditional Means of Dealing with Homosexuality by the Church Contrary to what most supporters of homosexuality might say, the Bible is very explicit in the condemning of homosexual acts as sin. When God created man in His own image He made the distinction that â€Å"†¦man and woman, He created them† (Genesis1:27) – God created only 2 sexes and nothing in between and t he only meaningful, sexual relationship that the Lord sanctified for people is in the context of marriage between man and woman. The Lord’s destructive wrath and judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19 was caused largely by the lust that the men had for their same sex in those cities –

Consumer Behaviour and the Role It Plays in Marketing Term Paper

Consumer Behaviour and the Role It Plays in Marketing - Term Paper Example Channel communications work in a two-way system wherein information transfers to the user and bounce all the way back to the producer (Goldberg and McCalley, 1992). In other words, marketing communications work like a feedback system, which allows company producers to relay information to the customers. In response to the provided information, consumers give certain reactions or behaviors. Marketing theorist, Theodore Levitt (1986) once said, "The purpose of business is to get and keep customers." Indeed, businesses spend a lot of time and money in evaluating customer preferences to be able to retain customer loyalty. For if patronage is granted, profit increase follows. Customer loyalty is about establishing and maintaining a relationship with your customers. (Chow & Holden, 1997) A key to this mutually beneficial relationship is the awareness of customer preference or the present and potential needs and wants of a customer about any aspect of the business, whether it is about products or services because of possible customer turnover which will lead to decreased profits. This is emphasized by Ric Ducques and Paul Gaske (1997) who expressed the need to focus on the reasons behind customers defection as on attracting a new customer. Loyal customers can be easier to convince to try new products or services, charge higher prices and use as a willing referral. According to Michael Lowenstein (1997), any business's most advantageous strategic purpose is to gain customer loyalty. It has a constructive effect on company culture, development, and bottom line. Customers will be able to see that the company is geared towards retaining customers through all business processes from management to staff. Â  

Ecuador Essay Example for Free

Ecuador Essay Ecuador is a very fascinating country. Scientists can use the past information about the geography to figure out the future. For instance, learning how the land has transformed over time in Ecuador may lead to a continuous pattern. Other things that scientists use are tools and techniques. Identifying various rocks and minerals, discovering how the land has been changed, and observing mountain formations and fossils also help to figure out patterns. All of these things allow scientists predict, accurately, what the Earth’s crust will do in the future. Many things about Ecuador’s future landscape can be told through what has happened in the past. When volcanoes are active they erupt and produce lava (called magma when inside the volcano). The lava eventually cools off and leaves a thick layer of igneous rock on the surface. The numerous volcanoes in Ecuador means the soil is very fertile, because the ashes from eruptions act like fertilizer. Therefore it has produced the Amazon Rainforest. Also, volcano lava can create islands. Islands made of lava can be found in Ecuador. Another way Ecuador’s terrain has been transformed through earthquakes. This is because earthquakes cause the Earth’s tectonic plates to crack. Cracks can either create valleys or mountains. These patterns can lead to different kinds of terrain in Ecuador (in the future). Different types of minerals can be used to tell what will happen to the Earth’s crust in the future. By investigating different minerals in your area, you can understand how they were formed. Knowing when and how they, for instance volcanic minerals, were formed, like by a volcano, scientists can tell when the next â€Å"event† will occur. The Moh’s Hardness Scale can help you tell what types of minerals there exist, based on how hard it is to break them. This scale goes from one to ten (one being the softest, ten the hardest). Minerals can also be differentiated by their shape. Some of the shapes are cubic, tetragonal, hexagonal, orthorhombic, monoclinic, and triclinic. Another type of identification is called lustre (shininess). Lustre has two categories. They are metallic lustre (shiny) and non- metallic lustre (dull). The first identification people think of is color. However, this method can be hard to use because there are so many minerals. Streak tests can also be used. This method is when you test the color of the mineral’s powder on unglazed porcelain tiles. Last but not least is figuring out cleavage and fracture. Cleavage and fracture lets you test how something breaks. If it’s cleavage, the break is smooth. If it’s fracture the break has jagged edges. All of these identifications help the scientists figure out what the Earth’s crust will do next. Types of rocks can also help to discover the future land in Ecuador. One type of rock is an igneous rock. Igneous rocks are extrusive rocks. They are made of lava (called magma inside a volcano-magma is intrusive) once it cools down on top of the Earth’s crust. Mountains are most likely to be sedimentary rock because of all of the things that help to build it up. The last type of rock is metamorphic rock. Metamorphic rocks are made when one rock’s form is changed by immense heat and pressure. Evidence of these things is the rock’s appearance, combinations of minerals, and how it looks under a microscope. When figuring out the types of rocks, a pattern may immerge in and on the Earth’s crust. Observations on how Ecuador looked, in the past, and where it was can help scientists to know where it will be and what it will look like in the future. One thousand years ago this region would have been beside Africa. If you look closely you can see where South America of the past was. Like puzzle pieces, many of the continents can be fit together with another continent. Ecuador would also have no islands. There would be very few mountains or volcanoes, a lot bigger plants and more forests, and the temperature would be a little bit warmer than Alberta’s. Then, one hundred years ago, Ecuador was in the same place as it is today. Most likely, there would be a little bit less mountains and volcanoes then there are today. The islands would be about half there size, the temperature would be about the same as now, but there would still be a little bit more forestry. Since the continent moved then, it is hypothesized that it will almost absolutely move more in the future. Ecuador has some very interesting mountain formation patterns and some fossils have been found that are in other continents. When you look at a terrain map, you can see that almost all mountains are near the shoreline. Also most of the mountains are formed in a line or in small groups. Some of the mountain formations in different places even fit together! Scientists are able to figure out, that more mountain formations will be created on other shorelines. Eventually mountains may fill up some regions. The fossils there can also be found in Africa. For instance, if they were filming a Jurassic Park 14 in Ecuador, they could use the dinosaurs’ Kannemeyerid, Lystrosaurus, and Mesosaurus. They could also add the plant glossopteris. All of these plants and dinosaurs are also found in Africa (none of these dinosaurs could swim!!! ). These things let scientists predict even more about the future. The previous information helps scientists with their research. Without these things, people would have a really  Ã‚  hard time trying to figuring out what will happen in the future. All of these methods let professionals predict what the Earth’s crust will do next.

Torsional, Axial and Lateral Bottom Hole Assembly Vibrations

Torsional, Axial and Lateral Bottom Hole Assembly Vibrations Experimental investigation of torsional, axial and lateral bottom hole assembly vibrations 1. Introduction Introduction The oil and gas industry is one of the largest and the most globalized industry in the world. Petroleum products include plastics, fuels, ointments and many more. With increases in world population, consumption and demand of petroleum products have increased. Primarily petroleum products are used as energy sources. With an increase in demand, different, unconventional sources are being explored. Drilling in itself is a complex process due to the unknown formations in the earth. A hole is drilled in the earth with a bit, and tubulars are attached to it to provide axial force and rotation. The tubulars are hollow through which the drilling fluid is circulated to extract the cut rock. Once the hole is drilled, the bit and tubulars are taken out, and a larger tubular is pushed down the hole and cemented around the annulus to stop the hole from caving in. The process is the same as drilling a water well but with greater depth, pressures, temperatures and complexities. Some of the oil and gas sources are too deep or too complex to be explored, but with advanced technological development in drilling, extended reach, multilateral and horizontal wells, it is now possible to extract unconventional oil and gas. Vibrations When an entity oscillates around its equilibrium point, the entity is said to be in vibration. In most of the cases vibrations are undesirable, as they cause harm to the system and dissipate energy. When force or energy is imparted to a system, vibrations occur. In absence of external excitation, the vibrations are called free vibrations. Systems in state of free vibrations oscillate with natural frequencies, which are dependent on the properties of system. With the presence of external excitation, vibrations experienced by the system are called forced vibrations. Vibrations become increasingly large and are most damaging when the excitation frequency is close to one of the natural frequencies. This phenomenon is called resonance. When there is an energy dissipation from the system in terms of heat, sound, friction or any other method, the resulting vibrations are called damped vibrations. The drillstring assembly is a very long, slender system prone to excessive vibration due to the various forces acting on it. Primary forces on the BHA are torque due to rotation and bit rock interaction, axial forces due to gravity and lateral forces due to bending of the long pipe and hitting the walls of the borehole. Types of Drillstring Vibrations Drillstring vibrations are categorized based on the forces acting on it, which are Torsional, Axial and Lateral forces. These forces correspond to the three types of vibration: 1) Torsional vibrations, 2) Axial vibrations and 3) Lateral vibrations. Torsional Vibrations: Drillstring is rotated from the surface to provide torque or shear force to cut the rock. 3. Experimental Setup A lab-scale drilling rig was constructed for the purpose of competing in Drillbotics International Student Competition. OU Drillbotics team participated and won the competition in 2015. The budget restrictions limited the quality and quantity of sensors mounted on the rig. The rig was upgraded in 2016 with the additional budget. The following sections describe the rig setup and sensors installed, dividing them based on the systems: (i) Rig Structure, (ii) Hoisting System, (iii) Rotary System, (iv) Circulation System, (v) Measurement, Instrumentation and Control System and (vi) Drillstring Assembly. Rig Structure Rig Structure consists of three major parts: substructure, mast and travelling block. Rig Substructure In-house built structures have been found to be significantly cheaper than readymade structures in the market. Moreover, the former provides flexibility in the selection of dimensions, load ratings and design styles. This substructure was designed to pass through doors, so the rig could be used for future educational purposes. The rig substructure was constructed using 1ÂÂ ½ square-iron tubing with overall dimensions of 84 x 27 x 36. To allow rig mobility, five commercial grade caster wheels were installed, each with load capacity of 1000 lbs. A 47 x 27 shelf made of ÂÂ ¼ thick iron sheet was added for installation of circulation system and electrical box. This left the rig with a space of 37 x 27 x 36 to accommodate the rock sample. 3.1.2 Mast A mast of cantilever design was constructed out of Aluminium, as shown in Fig. 3.1. Figure 3.1: Rig mast laid down on the substructure top Constructing the mast with aluminium reduced the weight by 2.5 times to that made by steel. A 10-inch-wide C-Channel was supported by two 90 angle bars. The base was attached to the table with hinges for reclining and easy transport of the rig. 3.1.3 Travelling Block The travelling block slides on a pair of linear guide rails attached to the mast. Linear roller bearings or pillow blocks attached to the back of the travelling block provide near smooth motion. Two horizontal plates were bolted on the vertical plate. The upper plate acted as a mount for the AC motor and lower plate supported the swivel. A torque sensor was placed in between motor shaft and swivel. The total weight of the travelling block was measured to be 77.72 lbs. Figure 3.2: Travelling Block Assembly 3.2 Hoisting System Hoisting system components include a double acting air cylinder, pneumatic lines, a couple of pneumatic convertors (Fig. A.1 and Fig. A.2) and a compressed air supply line. Regulated compressed air-line up to 130 psi was hooked up to the pneumatic convertors. Two pneumatic lines from the convertors of maximum capacity 120 psi controlled the air flow and connected to the inlet ports of the dual acting piston. Dual acting air piston has a 1.125 inch bore and a 36-inch stroke length. The system has a capacity to hoist a load of 119.28 lbs. 3.3 Rotary System A top drive system was installed with a 1 HP motor and a maximum RPM of 1170 on the motor mount of the travelling block. The motor shaft is connected to the omega torque sensor via a spring coupling. The torque sensor has a rotating shaft to shaft configuration with an operating speed of 5000 RPM. The torque sensor is connected to the swivel via another spring coupling. The swivel was designed and fabricated in-house with pressure rating of 300 psi and brass outer body for corrosion resistance. The chrome plated rod is wear-resistant to the abrasion of the seals. Swivel rod is attached to an adapter at the base of the bottom plate. A four bolt flange mounted ball bearing prevents any load from being transmitted to the rotary assembly. 3.4 Circulation System It is important to remove cuttings from the hole to drill further ahead. To accomplish this, water, oil and foam based drilling fluids were taken into consideration. Water from the city line without any additives was chosen as drilling fluid after taking cost of a closed loop system for recirculation and cost of additives and base fluids into account. It was also assumed that the effect of drilling fluid on drillstring vibrations was negligible. A roller pump with a pressure rating of 300 psi was installed to circulate the water down the drillstring assembly. A 1.5 HP 3-phase motor powers the pump. The Omega digital display flow meter, which was installed after the pump, can monitor flowrate up to 15 GPM. Pressure monitoring is done by a pressure transducer of rating 500 psi. Pressure fluctuation of up to 50 psi was observed due to intermittent flow supplied by the roller pump. A pressure dampener was built with spare couplings and installed upstream to the flow meter. This provided smooth and stable flow. An analog pressure gauge was mounted atop the dampener to monitor fluctuation. Rubber hose with a pressure rating of 300 psi connects the flow meter with the swivel. Drilling fluid from the swivel then flows into the drillstring and comes out of the bit nozzles and out of the hole through the annulus. As the drilling fluid is just water, it is passed down the sewer line along with the cuttings and not recirculated. 3.5 Measurement, Instrumentation and Control System The Measurement, Instrumentation and Control system is the most important system in the automated rig. The sensors are mounted on the rig at various places for different functions. They provide analog data to the data acquisition module Omega DAQ-3001. An electrical box is mounted at the bottom shelf for shielding the card and other signal conditioners from electrical interference. The data from the DAQ module transfers into the desktop computer, which is installed on the rig structure for control of the automated rig and storage and display of data. Excel-based VBA program is used for the operation of the rig. 3.5.1 Measurement Sensors Following are the sensors installed on the rig to monitor performance of the rig and drilling process. 3.5.1.1 Displacement Laser Sensor An aluminum strip is attached to the top of the travelling block with a reflective tape stuck on it. A Banner laser sensor is mounted about 0.5 inches above the travelling block on the mast. It can measure maximum displacement up to 3.93 inches with an accuracy between 0.019 inch to 0.039 inch. 3.5.1.2 Lateral Vibration Laser Sensor To measure lateral vibrations of the drillstring, an xyz laser sensor is used. It can measure distance from 1.57 inch to 6.29 inch with an accuracy of less than 20 micrometer. The sensor was earlier mounted on an aluminium plate attached to the travelling assembly. But the strip was long and excessive vibrations due to bit rock interaction caused the strip to vibrate at high amplitude, providing inconclusive and erroneous data. Hence the mounting structure was made of a square iron tubing to give a sturdier structure. The vibration amplitude was then reduced and could be observed only at excessive vibrations due to higher RPM and WOB. 3.5.1.3 Optical RPM Sensor An LED-based, reflective type optical RPM sensor, which can measure up to 15000 RPM, is mounted on the cage of swivel. Reflective tape is stuck on the spring coupling between the swivel and torque sensor. The sensor is mounted at an angle so that the reflective area increases for better measurement. 3.5.1.4 Torque Sensor It is assumed that torque measured by the torque sensor is the torque due to bit-rock interaction. An Omega rotating shaft to shaft torque sensor has been mounted above the swivel with a torque rating of 64 inch-pounds. 3.5.1.5 Axial Vibration Sensor An axial vibration senor is installed at the bottom plate of the travelling block adjacent to the flange mounted ball bearing. The VBT-1 vibration sensor has a micro-electro-mechanical system which sends a voltage proportional to the vibration velocity to the data acquisition module. It measures vibration velocity from 0-25 mm/sec. 3.6 Drillstring Assembly The drillstring assembly comprises of 3 parts, Aluminum pipe, bit sub and bit. The pipe is made of Aluminum 6061 with an OD of 0.375 inch and a thickness of 0.035 inch. Both ends of the pipe have 3/8 NPT male compression fittings attached on it. It is connected on one end to 3/8 NPT female brass adapter which is connected to the swivel rod and other end is connected to 3/8 NPT female bitsub. The bit sub is made out of stainless steel for corrosion resistance. It has 3/8 female NPT threads on both ends. A roller sleeve with OD of 1.1 inch and ID of 0.9 inch is slide upon the bit sub to act as a stabilizer and provide smooth rotation. It has a counter bore to place constriction of various sizes to change pressure drop in the system. The bit is fabricated in house using stainless steel round bar and machined to replicate the baker huges bit provided for the competition. The cutters were bought from vendors and the OD of the cutters available was 0.5 inch. They are made out of carbide as opposed to the diamond cutters provided and also wears down faster. The cutters are screwed on the cutter faces and are replaceable. 4. Methodology This chapter describes the procedure of the experiments performed and the data collected. It also talks about some assumptions, sensor calibration and data analysis. 4.1 Experimental Procedure The rig and all its components are powered on and the Excel program initiated. The program has a separate sheet which takes the variables of the experimental run as an input. The only variables changed for the set of experiments are RPM and WOB. Another variable, which is the height at which the string starts to rotate was also been varied but it did not have any effect on the data. A pilot hole of 1.25-inch diameter and 1-inch depth was drilled into the rock sample using a coring bit and hammer-chisel to insert a guide shoe in the hole. The 6-inch long guide shoe acted as a borehole wall and prevented bit walking. Using a level indicator, the rock sample was adjusted to be horizontal. The drillstring was the attached to the swivel adapter and rig was then slid over the rock to align the drillstring and the guide shoe. Using the leveling screws the rig was jacked up to be horizontal. The inlet air pressure line and water line were opened up. Once all experimental variables were set, the program was initiated using the Start button. The first step of the program was to hoist the travelling block to the topmost position. At this point a safety bar used to keep the travelling block hoisted was taken away. The travelling block slowly lowered down and once the bit was inside the guide shoe, top-drive motor and pump motor got activated and string started to rotate along with water pressurized inside the pipe. The bit gradually touched the rock and drilling process began. A trial run was carried out to check if the systems were working properly and data was being collected. A couple of millimeters were drilled during the trial run so that the hole got initiated. After a trial run, experimental runs were carried out. Each experiment was run for 6 min and stopped using the Stop button in the program. The pump stopped pumping fluid and drillstring stopped rotation. Travelling block was gradually lifted up to the topmost position. After that new experimental variables were set and the next run was carried out. Experiments were performed on 2 different rock samples. First set on a very hard and compacted sandstone and the other on a very soft unconsolidated sandstone. UCS of the hard sandstone ranged from 6000 to 9500 psi while UCS for the soft sandstone ranged from 2000 to 5000 psi. 4.2 Data, Collection and Analysis Data was continuously collected by Omega data acquisition system module and stored in an excel sheet. The data of interest were WOB, RPM, Torque, Axial Vibrations, Lateral Vibrations and ROP. Different plots were generated against variables of interest to observe dependency and behavior of the variable under investigation. 4.2.1 WOB and RPM Data WOB is an independent variable with respect to our investigation. WOB was measured using a load cell attached to the back travelling block connecting the piston. The calibration of WOB was carried out in the following procedure. The rig was slid on a weighing scale. A set number of values were entered for voltage sent to the bottom pneumatic convertors. A constant voltage of 2 volts was sent to the top pneumatic convertor to provide a constant pressure of 20 psi resistance against erratic bouncing and to provide a constant friction between piston and cylinder walls in either direction. Reading on the weighing scale was recoded as WOB. Initially the WOB calibration was performed in a static condition. It was observed that WOB reading during the experiment was different than the expected values based on calibration. It was assumed that the change of conditions from static to dynamic was the cause of difference. Hence to simulate dynamic conditions while calibration, rig was constantly hammered down with a mallet to cause the rig to vibrate and negate static friction. The stabilized reading on the scale was used for calibration. But hammering still did not replicate the vibrations happening during the drilling process and hence the WOB measurement by the load cell was different from expected based on the calibration. Hence average value of the WOB was calculated for complete experimental run and considered as the WOB which is being exerted on the rock for cutting process. The average WOB observed had a change of 19.9 % to -20.6 % from the expected input values. In actual drilling process, the WOB is never constant. As the drilling proceeds the WOB decreases and driller lowers the drill string to increase and maintain the set WOB. Hence a ÂÂ ± 20 % change from the set point is acceptable. RPM data was obtained from the optical RPM sensor which was calibrated using a handheld RPM sensor. At lower RPM the error was around 8 % and at higher RPM it lowered down to 0.5 %. So at lower levels the set point was decreased by 4 to compensate for the error. 4.2.2 Torque, Axial and Lateral Vibration Data A rotating shaft to shaft torque sensor was placed in between the motor and swivel with a spring coupling on each end. Torque was calibrated using a torque wrench. When run at idle conditions without any drilling action, torque reading obtained was assumed to be friction. That extra torque of 1.114 inch pounds was assumed to be a side force or the friction inside the swivel and other rotating parts such as the flange mounted ball bearing. A laser displacement senor was attached to the mast to detect the magnitude of lateral vibrations. It was aimed at the center of the drillstring such the pipe was always in range of the laser. The laser sensor was kept 4 inches away from the center of pipe. NPT connections are inherently non concentric and causes non-alignment of pipe. The pipe wobbled due to non-alignment and it oscillated far and near to the sensor. Hence there was a negative and a positive value for displacement. The most negative value of the displacement was used as a reference zero and complete data was shifted towards positive with -0.24165 inch as a reference zero. Greater the magnitude, pipe travelled farther away from the sensor indicating higher lateral vibrations. An axial vibration sensor was attached to the bottom plate of the travelling block. It had micro-electro-mechanical system inside to detect the vibration speed and send a proportional voltage signal for measurement. The sensor came calibrated from the manufacturer and it had a direct vibration-velocity to voltage relationship provided by the manufacturer. 4.2.3 ROP data ROP was directly calculated by the program by dividing the depth drilled by the time it took to drill and stored in the Excel sheet. As the Hard sandstone was difficult to drill the sensor could not measure any significant change in drilled depth along with the vibrations of the assembly and the error in measurement. Hence ROP data for Hard sandstone is not taken into consideration. Soft sandstone data was collected and analyzed for effect of vibrations and other parameters. 4.3 Data Analysis Data was collected from the point where the bit touches the rock to the point when the program was stopped. All experiments were run for 6 minutes in which an average of 100 data points were collected in an excel sheet. An average of those data was calculated and stored. Average values of torque, axial vibrations and lateral vibrations were plotted against RPM and WOB separately. A trend of data was analyzed based on the plots. With increase of RPM, change of torque, axial and lateral vibration was observed. Same practice was carried out for WOB. The plots are shown in Appendix B. 5. Results and Discussions Torsional Vibrations Hard Sandstone: Looking at the plots (Fig. 5.1), with an increase in RPM at constant WOB, torque gradually increases. At around 300 RPM, there is a sudden increase in some cases which then decreases. This behavior is unexpected and no conclusion has been found for the reason for the abnormality. It can be assumed that there would be some abnormally hard layer during drilling due to which such an increase is observed as no such trend was observed in the uniform soft sandstone. But general trend is a gradual increase in torque with an increase of RPM at constant WOB. No oscillation of torque was observed indicating absence of stick-slip. Figure 5.1: Torque vs. RPM plot at constant WOB for experiments on hard sandstone At constant RPM, with increase in WOB there is a gradual increase in torque (Fig. 5.2). No specific trend for RPM is observed as some of the low RPM cases also have higher torque than high RPM cases. Figure 5.2: Torque vs. WOB plot at constant RPM for experiments on hard sandstone Soft sandstone: Observing the plot for soft sandstone (Fig. 5.3), a gradual increase in torque was observed with increase in ROM at constant WOB. No oscillation of torque was observed indicating absence of stick-slip. Figure 5.3: Torque vs. RPM plot at constant WOB for experiments on soft sandstone There is a clear and distinct trend for increase in torque with increase in WOB at constant RPM (Fig. 5.4). Figure 5.4: Torque vs. WOB plot at constant RPM for experiments on soft sandstone Lateral Vibrations Hard Sandstone: Plot (Fig. 5.5) shows that there is a gradual increase of torque with increase in RPM at constant WOB. Figure 5.5: Lateral Vibrations vs. RPM plot at constant WOB for experiments on hard sandstone No general trend is observed for initial low WOB experiments (Fig. 5.6). With increase in WOB the lateral vibrations decreased in low RPM case and increased in high RPM cases. Figure 5.6: Lateral Vibrations vs. WOB plot at constant RPM for experiments on hard sandstone Soft sandstone: There is a general trend of increase of lateral vibrations with increase in RPM (Fig. 5.7) but it is not as significant as in hard sandstone. Figure 5.7: Lateral Vibrations vs. RPM plot at constant WOB for experiments on soft sandstone The data is too scattered to find a general trend for effect of WOB on lateral vibrations at constant RPM (Fig. 5.8). However, the trend at higher WOB shows a decrease in lateral vibrations. This can be attributed to the stiffening of the pipe due to higher axial load OR the pipe is bent and misaligned is making it bend more on the sensor side decreasing the deflection. Figure 5.8: Lateral Vibrations vs. WOB plot at constant RPM for experiments on soft sandstone Axial Vibrations Hard Sandstone: Axial vibrations follow a similar trend to torque (Fig. 5.9). With an increase in RPM, axial vibrations increased. Similar to the trend for torque, some cases have abnormally high vibration magnitude at 300 RPM which can be attributed to abnormally hard layer of formation. Figure 5.9: Axial Vibrations vs. RPM plot at constant WOB for experiments on hard sandstone Following the general trend axial vibrations increased with an increase in WOB at constant RPM (Fig. 5.10). Figure 5.10: Axial Vibrations vs. WOB plot at constant RPM for experiments on hard sandstone Soft sandstone: With increase in RPM, axial vibrations increased (Fig. 5.11). However for soft sandstone the trend do not resemble the trend in torque. In fact, it resembles more to the trend in ROP (Fig. B.10). There is a sudden increase in axial vibrations at 700 rpm and then it decreases gradually. Figure 5.11: Axial Vibrations vs. RPM plot at constant WOB for experiments on soft sandstone The data is too scattered to find a general trend for relationship between WOB and axial vibrations (Fig. 5.12). Figure 5.12: Axial Vibrations vs. WOB plot at constant RPM for experiments on soft sandstone 5.4 Effect on ROP Hard Sandstone: No significant data available for any analysis. Soft sandstone: ROP increases with an increase in RPM at constant WOB (Fig. 5.13). It peaks at around 700 RPM and then it decreases. Figure 5.13: ROP vs. RPM plot at constant WOB for experiments on soft sandstone At higher RPM, higher WOB has an increased effect on ROP (Fig. 5.14). But no dependence of WOB can be seen at lower values of RPM. Figure 5.14: ROP vs. WOB plot at constant RPM for experiments on soft sandstone 6. Conclusions and Recommendations Conclusions At constant WOB, with increase in RPM, increase in lateral vibrations in hard sandstone is higher than in soft sandstone which indicates that lateral vibrations also depend on type of formation. Axial vibrations are highly dependent on torque. No matter what RPM, WOB or the formation type is taken into account if there a change in torque, corresponding change will be observed in axial vibrations. WOB has less effect on excitation of axial vibrations in soft rocks and more effect in hard rocks. Hence the setpoint WOB should be decreased for drilling into hard rocks. RPM of 700 is the highest RPM which can be used to obtain highest ROP without taking the increased vibrations into account. Increase of RPM further lowers the ROP which can be attributed to such increased vibrations and velocities that the bit does not get enough time to contact and drag the rock surface. 6.2 Recommendations and Future Work Although the design of the rig was optimized, there is always room for improvement. With an increase in budget and limited design constraints, the rig can be constructed better. Following are the recommendations for upgrading the rig. The software program used for the control algorithm can be upgraded to Labview or Dasylab which are more user friendly for programming the automation and control architechture. Using Labview or Dasy lab will allow to operate on a faster computer with a recent operating system which will help in faster data collection and storage. A vibrating element can be attached to the travelling block when WOB calibration is performed so that error due to change in friction values can be negated. The spring couplings attached to the torque can be upgraded with a higher torque rating to prevent failure at higher vibrations. A stable support structure for the torque sensor and laser deflection sensor can be provided. If the bit can be obtained or manufactured with diamond coated cutters, then a set of experiments can be designed where relationship could be examined between RPM, WOB and the depth of cut. Forward and backward whirl characterization experiments could be performed with improved sensors for detection of whirl rates. Hammering action can be included in the drilling action and its effect on ROP, lateral vibrations, torque and axial vibrations could be analyzed. References Braun, Simon G. Ewins, David J. Rao, Singiresu S.. (2002). Encyclopedia of Vibration, Volumes 1-

Examining Perfectly Competitive And Monopoly And Oligopoly

Examining Perfectly Competitive And Monopoly And Oligopoly For the cause of enlarging our knowledge of Economics, we did this assignment. There are three main parts in it. They are Perfectly competitive, Monopoly and Oligopoly, which are really important in Economics. But not simple to learn in Economics study. The questions need us to draw graphs and use calculations for them. These questions would help us have a better understanding of them. Finding: 1.A number of markets are developing on the Internet. One of those market is eBay. Check out eBay at www.eBay.com and explain whether you believe that the eBay Internet auction market is perfectly competitive. Be sure to explain which of the six conditions of a perfectly competitive market are met and how. A: eBay is an online auction Website. Consumers use the Internet to research the goods they desire, then they look for bargains of the same products on eBay. If the products are available, a bid is entered and the winner of the auction eventually pays with her credit card. In addition to regular mail, vendors also use express-mail service to send the purchases to buyers if they choose that option. eBay is different from Amazon.com, another popular e-commerce Website, in that prices on eBay are set by the negotiation between bidders and sellers, whereas Amazon.coms prices are mostly determined by sellers. It is likely to Taobao, which is a well-known shopping website in China. ( http://baike.baidu.com/view/7777.html?wtp=tt, 2010) I believe that the eBay Internet auction market is perfectly competitive. Because it possess these four characteristics: There must be many and sellers in the market, none of whom is large enough to influence price. eBay have kinds of sellers to satisfied distinct demands in goods of consumers. No big firms control small firms. There is freedom of entry to and exit from the industry. Firms must be able to establish themselves in the industry easily and quickly. eBay sellers can entry and exit the business depend on their wishes. Buyers and sellers posses perfect knowledge of prices. They know the market and price well. They gain lots of information about that. All firms produce a homogeneous product. For example, there are many sellers in eBay have the same product, you can choose one base on service or else.  ¼Ã‹â€ Marcouse, 2008) Perfect competition requires that the following six conditions be fulfilled. In such a market, prices would normally move instantaneously to economic equilibrium. Atomicity An atomistic market have small producers and consumers on a given market, so that its actions have no important impact on others. Firms are price takers, which means that the market decide the price that they must choose. Homogeneity Goods and services can substitute perfectly, so all firms sell the same product. There is no difference. Perfect and complete information All firms and consumers understand the prices decide by the whole firms. Equal access All firms have entryed to production technology. If they wanted, they could free to entry or leave. Individual buyers and sellers act independently The market cannot have scope for buyers or sellers get together to have a overall view about the market price. (http://www.statemaster.com/encyclopedia/Perfect-competition#Requirements, 2010) Draw marginal revenue ¼Ã…’marginal cost and average total cost curves for a typical perfectly competitive firm and indicate the profit-maximising level of output and total profit or loss for that firm. Is the firm in long-run equilibrium? Why or why not? Figure1 This is a typical perfectly competitive firm firm graph. It is loss. Figure 2 Yes. It is long-run equilibrium. Because there is a point that LRAC line, ATC line, MC line and MR line intersect. The United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulates interstate and international communications, including merger activity within industry. Go to the FCC website at www.fcc.gov and search communication companies and answer the following questions: What reasons do consumers and producers have for opposing the merger? What reasons do consumers and producers have for supporting the merger? Does the theory of a monopolist discussed in class and the textbook support the reasons stated in your answers to a and b? A: a). 1.A monopolist charges a higher price and produces less output than a perfectly competitive firm. 2.Consumers have less choice, because one product only be produced bu one firm. 3.High barriers to entry means other firms cannot enter the market. 4.Governments can earn heavily tax through monopolies. 5.Governments can nationalise the monopoly (make it public) and therefore can keep prices too high. 6.Government can decline entry barriers (which is not good for the monopolistic firm). 7.The economy may suffer as less consumer spending may happen because of high prices charged by monopolistic firms. 8.Exploitation of consumer price discrimination 9.Potential for inefficiency complacency over controls on production 10.costs because there is no competition 11.May lack motivation and innovation because there is no competition To sum up, these 11 disadvantages of monopoly. Consumers and producers have for opposing the merger for their own profit. (Marcouse, 2008) b). 1.A monopoly may produce at a lower cost than a competitive industry. This is due to economies of scale, which a monopoly is able to exploit more than a competitive firm, as the monopoly is the sole provider of that good. The ability to set prices at a higher level in order to gain an abnormal profit. However, monopolistic firms are not simply able to charge a price they deem fit for the product, since it is constrained by its demand curve. A higher price will result in a fall in demand, and that may subsequently lead to a fall in revenue (depending on elasticity). The majority of monopolies are belonging to government, so tax will be higher. It can give more money to perfect public goods. Consumers may like price discrimination as it could be in their favour. There can be more control and stability in an industry if a monopoly is present. If it is a natural monopoly, it would be suitable an necessary. Encourages spending on RD which may create better products. Some products and services are not likely to be produced without some guarantee of monopoly protection. Economies of scale can be gained consumer may benefit from a lower cost In conclusion, consumers and producers supporting it, because of these several advantages. c). In general, I think monopolist discussed in class and textbook support the reasons stated in my answers to a. Because from a and b we can know disadvantages of monopoly are greater than advantages. It harms consumers through charging a higher price and producing a lower quantity than would be the case in a perfectly competitive situation.And a monopolist is inefficient because resources are under distributed to the production of its product. ( Smith, 2010 ¼Ã¢â‚¬ ° Draw demand, marginal revenue, marginal cost and average total cost curves for a typical monopolistic firm and indicate the profit-maximising level of output and total profit or loss for that firm. Is the firm in long-run equilibrium? Why or why not? How does the profit-maximising position differ from that of a perfectly competitive firm? A: This is a typical monolistic graph. It is a loss. Monopolist can make a profit in the long-run. If the position of a monopolists demand and cost curves give it a profit and nothing disturbs these curves, it can make a profit in long-run. But there is no need to distinguish between the short run and long run for a monopolist. - a monopolist can make a profit in the short run and long run. - it can make a loss in the short run and long run.  ¼Ã‹â€ Smith, 2010 ¼Ã¢â‚¬ ° From these two graphs we can see, the Demand and Marginal cost curves of the monopolist are downward sloping. In perfect competition they are horizontal. But the maximizes profits point are the same, when MC=MR.(graphs from Smiths PPT, 2010) Oligopoly The organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is an international cartel. Go to its home page at www.opec.org to answer the following questions: What are OPECs objectives of OPFC? How does it meet those objectives? What countries are members of OPEC? What percentage of world oil production comes from these nations? In what way is OPEC a cartel? What significant oil-exporting countries are not members? What has OPEC done to limit the effect of nonmember production on its own pricing decisions? A:a)1.In accordance with its Statute, the mission of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is to coordinate and unify the petroleum policies of its Member Countries and ensure the stabilization of oil markets in order to secure an efficient, economic and regular supply of petroleum to consumers, a steady income to producers and a fair return on capital for those investing in the petroleum industry.OPECs objective is to co-ordinate and unify petroleum policies among Member Countries, in order to secure fair and stable prices for petroleum producers; an efficient, economic and regular supply of petroleum to consuming nations; and a fair return on capital to those investing in the industry. In a word, OPEC organization is assorting with members oil policy, and unify them. Then decide to use the most suitable way to protect their own or personally benefit. (http://www.opec.org/opec_web/en/about_us/23.htm, http://www.opec.org/opec_web/en/about_us/24.htm, http://baike.baidu.com/view/24477.htm?fr=ala0_1, 2010) (1)The member countries delegates of OPEC in the OPEC meeting seek unity of oil policy. And contribute to prosper the oil market. These countries aim at the international situation and marketing trends of oil. They have a discussion and analysis to decide the increasing rate of economics. And also control the demand and supply of oil. (http://baike.baidu.com/view/24477.htm?fr=ala0_1, 2010) b) 1. Angola, Algeria, Ecuador, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela and the United Arab Emirates. OPEC nations still have 2/3 of the worlds oil reserves. In April 2009, 33.3% of the worlds oil production, affording them lots of controlling in the global market. The next largest group of producers, members of the OECD and the Post-Soviet states produced only 23.8% and 14.8%, respectively, of the worlds total oil production.Since 2009, OPEC has ordered a production ceiling of 24.84 million barrels per day. At the end of 2008, OPEC had twice reduced the output quota by a total of 4.2 million barrels to 24.8 million barrels per day. In 1996, the members countries have 76.6% of oil, 69.7% in 2007. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OPEC, http://www.hxen.com/englishnews/world/2010-03-18/103865.html, http://www.qqkqw.com/html/cyclopedia/ziyuanzhanlve/ziyuanxingshi/2010/02/23/152105199.html, 2010) Definition:1Cartel is a group of firms formally agreeing to control the price and output of a product.(Smith ,2010) In some markets, producing firms or producing countries band together, usually to restrict supply; this allows them to raise prices and increase their profits or revenues; the best known cartel is OPEC which restricts the supply of oil onto world world markets. OPEC countries, with less than half of current world output but with most of the worlds oil reserves, manipulate the price of oil by restricting supply. Overall, these evidence proves that OPEC did act as a cartel.(Marcouse, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OPEC#Economics,2010) c). 1. The oil-exporting countries which are not memebers also produced great amount. For example, Russia have the second oil produced in barrels per day, just less than Saudi Arabia, 9,810,000 bbl a day in 2009. United States are the third, 8,514,00 bbl a day in 2008. China is the fourth, which is 3,795,000 per day in 2008. ( https://www.cia.gov/liabrary/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2173rank.html, 2008) 2.OPEC cannot control the international oil market. Draw demand,marginal revenue, marginal cost and average total cost curves for a typical oligopolistic firm and indicate the profit-maximising level of output and total profit or loss for that firm. Explain why prices are stable or sticky in this model. What are the characteristics of oligopoly? This is a typical oligopolistic firm. The graph shows total profit. A: 1.No incentive for price increases; Total Revenue will fall No incentive for price decreases; Total Revenue will fall 2.Mutual interdependence is a main characteristic of oligopoly and it may cause prices to be sticky. The market price incline to remain stable, or rigid, at the kink in the demand curve. 3.To maximize profits, oligopolistic firms operate where MR = MC. Because of the kinked demand curve, there is a range of MC curves which equal MR at the same price: price rigidity.( Smith, 2010) 1.Industry dominated by small number of large firms, but many firms may make up the industry; mutual interdependence among the large firms High barriers to entry Products could be highly differentiated each large firm producing a branded product Non-price competition(e.g 4 Ps) Price stability within the market-kinked demand curve Knowledge of market is not perfect,but there is potential for collusion among firms ( Smith, 2010)

An Analysis of Characters in Jane Austens Pride and Prejudice Essay

An Analysis of Characters in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice An author will often give his or her work a title that reflects the overall theme or meaning of the piece-this is certainly the case in Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice. A title may set the mood or describe a situation which otherwise might require several paragraphs to develop. Pride and Prejudice is a combination of humor, irony, and twists of events. Austen entitles her work Pride and Prejudice to emphasize subtly the fact that most characters in the work have a certain degree of pride or prejudice. Among the characters who display these traits are Mr. Collins, Mr. Wickham, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, Miss Bingley, and, of course, Darcy and Elizabeth. Although Darcy and Elizabeth are the two central characters, and are the ones who are proud and prejudiced respectively, there are several others who are plagued with character flaws. At the opening of the story, Mr. Collins is introduced as the cousin of the Bennets who is coming to Longbourn for a visit. Mr. George Wickham is an officer introduced toward the beginning of the novel. Lady Catherine de Bourgh is the rich influential aunt of Mr. Darcy who tries to sabotage his engagement to Elizabeth. Miss Bingley is the person who thinks ill of the Bennets from their first meeting. These characters all have the problem of being either proud or prejudiced. Elizabeth most aptly describes Mr. Collins when she says he is "conceited, pompous, narrow-minded, [and] silly" (Austen 129). Austen says of Collins: the respect which he [feels] for [Lady Catherine's] high rank, and his veneration for her as his patroness, mingling with a very good opinion of himself, of his authority as a clergyman, and his right... ...orks Cited Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. Franklin Center, PA: The Franklin Library, 1980. Joseph, Gerhard. "Prejudice in Jane Austen, Emma Tennant, Charles Dickens-and Us." Studies in English Literature 40.4 (Autumn 2000): 679-694. Online: lt;http://triton.libs.uga.edu/cgi-bin/galileo.cgi> Kliger, Samuel. "Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice in the Eighteenth-Century Mode." Twentieth-Century Interpretations of Pride and Prejudice. Ed. E. Rubinstein. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, 1969. 54-57. Mansell, Darel. The Novels of Jane Austen: An Interpretation. New York: Harper & Row, 1973. Pinion, F. B. A Jane Austen Companion. London: Macmillan St. Martin's, 1973. Satz, Martha. "An Epistemological Understanding of Pride and Prejudice: Humility and Objectivity." Jane Austen: New Perspectives. Ed. Janet Todd. New York: Holmes & Meier, 1983.

The Health Risks of Smoking Essay -- Cigarette Smoking Health Nicotine

The Health Risks of Smoking Every year nearly one in every five US deaths are related to cigarette smoking, that means that every year 440,000 people alone die from cigarettes. Deaths caused by alcohol, car accidents, suicide, AIDS, homicide, and illegal drugs combined are actually less than the number of deaths caused by cigarette smoking. Being the grandchild of a grandpa who died of lung cancer from smoking, I know and understand what cigarette smoking can do. Tobacco smoke is a mixture of gases and of small particles made up of water, tar, and nicotine. The tar is a mixture of thousands of toxic chemicals, many of which are known to cause cancer. Many of the gases in tobacco smoke are harmful to the human body. These include carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, hydrogen cyanide, ammonia, and other toxic irritants such as acrolein and formaldehyde. Due to the high temperatures of over 1400 degrees F, the burning end of a cigarette is like a miniature chemical factory. Aside from the tar in cigarettes there is also another very potent and harmful carcinogen called Nicotine. Nicotine causes addiction to cigarettes that is similar to the addiction produced by using heroin and cocaine. Almost 80 percent of people who try smoking become addicted and only 1 in 5 smokers who try to quit succeed on the first try. A person can become addicted to nicotine in the first few weeks of trying it. Most people are unaware that nicotine is a psychoactive drug. A psychoactive drug is... The Health Risks of Smoking Essay -- Cigarette Smoking Health Nicotine The Health Risks of Smoking Every year nearly one in every five US deaths are related to cigarette smoking, that means that every year 440,000 people alone die from cigarettes. Deaths caused by alcohol, car accidents, suicide, AIDS, homicide, and illegal drugs combined are actually less than the number of deaths caused by cigarette smoking. Being the grandchild of a grandpa who died of lung cancer from smoking, I know and understand what cigarette smoking can do. Tobacco smoke is a mixture of gases and of small particles made up of water, tar, and nicotine. The tar is a mixture of thousands of toxic chemicals, many of which are known to cause cancer. Many of the gases in tobacco smoke are harmful to the human body. These include carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, hydrogen cyanide, ammonia, and other toxic irritants such as acrolein and formaldehyde. Due to the high temperatures of over 1400 degrees F, the burning end of a cigarette is like a miniature chemical factory. Aside from the tar in cigarettes there is also another very potent and harmful carcinogen called Nicotine. Nicotine causes addiction to cigarettes that is similar to the addiction produced by using heroin and cocaine. Almost 80 percent of people who try smoking become addicted and only 1 in 5 smokers who try to quit succeed on the first try. A person can become addicted to nicotine in the first few weeks of trying it. Most people are unaware that nicotine is a psychoactive drug. A psychoactive drug is...

Plea-Bargains: Currency of the Courts An Examination of the Effectivene

â€Å"Rahim Jaffer case heads for plea-bargain†; former Alberta MP Rahim Jaffer was being charged on cocaine possession and drunk-driving charges; his case was likely to be resolved with a plea-bargain agreement (Makin, 2010). This is but one case of many that are settled though a plea-bargain agreement. Plea-bargaining can take the form of a sentence reduction, a withdrawal or stay of other charges, or, a promise not proceed on other charges, in exchange for a guilty plea by an accused. During discussion of a potential plea bargain agreement, the Crown Attorney and defence lawyer will look at 4 distinct sections of a plea negotiation: charge discussions, sentence discussions, procedural discussions, and agreements as to the facts of the offence and the narrowing of issues in order to expedite the trial ("Plea bargaining," 2011). According to the Department of Justice, approximately 90% of criminal cases are resolved each year by use of plea-bargaining (â€Å"Findlaw,† 2012). Despite what appears on its face to be rampant use of the plea agreement, plea negotiations are incredibly helpful to our court system. First, plea agreements serve to diminish the overload of cases and avoid lengthy trials, thus avoiding appeals of trial decisions and allowing greater access to the justice system. In turn, a less burdened court system can focus its efforts on the most serious of criminal offences thereby ensuring that such cases are handled in the manner with the greatest likelihood of securing a conviction. Overall, this judicial efficiency results in a cost savings and better allocation of resources. This paper will explore these two main benefits and also discuss potential criticisms of the plea bargain system. Plea-Bargaining has become... ..., 2012, from http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/pi/icg-gci/pb4-rpc4.html Plea bargaining. (2011, February 28). Retrieved from http://www.victimsofviolence.on.ca/rev2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=378&Itemid=197 Plea bargaining in canada. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/pi/rs/rep-rap/2002/rr02_5/p3.html Romaniuk, T. (n.d.). Centre for Constitutional Studies - R. v. Askov.Faculty of Law Home - University of Alberta. Retrieved April 19, 2012, from http://www.law.ualberta.ca/centres/ccs/rulings/Ask Tappscott. (2012). street directory. Retrieved from http://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/14026/legal_matters/plea_bargaining_pros_and_cons.html Young, R. (2011, November 16). Cutbacks have some courts dismissing criminal cases. Here & Noe. Retrieved April 19, 2012, from http://www.hereandnow.wbur.org/2011/11/16/budget-cuts-court

Essay About Literature Essay

Literature is timeless, it endured all the changes of the past and is still is being appreciated till the present time and will still be as time goes by.  Literature exists in every country, in every language, and in every period but each has its own uniqueness that stands out for their styles. It exceeds time; literary works of famous people regardless of what period in time they came from is still being appreciated, if not more than when the period it is from. Literary works from the early periods had undergone different adaptations by the later periods to preserve the author’s great work, the ideas, and the creativity they instil in every words to make it live through time. There is a purpose for reading literary works – to entertain and educate its readers or audience. Reading, for example, a novel is just like watching a movie in a very slow pace; reading can make you cry, laugh, smile, get angry and whatnot just like watching a movie; reading lets us imagine the characters, the settings, and what happens in the story. As it entertains us, it also educates us and teaches us about life experiences that we might encounter, and the morals that we should possess. Other literary works inform us about happenings in daily life which also falls in educating the readers. There are different types of literary works, it doesn’t just end with reading materials, and it can also be in a form of a song and a play. It can be performed in front of people or just enjoyed by oneself; it has different genres to offer to different interests of people. Literature is everywhere and in any time and it knows no bounds.

Cesar’s Mourning Essay

The book subject of this paper is the classical literary work of Oscar Hijuelos titled: â€Å"Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love†. The book revolves around the lives of two musically inclined brothers who migrated to America from Cuba. The brothers were Nestor and Cesar. As found in the book’s title the central theme was â€Å"love†. The book has expressed different forms of love for different kinds of relationships. It expressed unconditional love for a brother, like what Cesar and Nestor had for each other. It expressed love for the woman you married, like how Nestor felt for Dolores. It expressed love for a woman you know you can never have, like how Cesar felt for Dolores or how Nestor felt for Maria. These interplay of emotions provided for the central theme of the book which also made way for the resolution of the question why Cesar can’t mourn for Nestor. This paper will seek to answer such question through the use of a structured argument. In order to be able to support its contention that Cesar cannot truly mourn for Nestor for two reasons: because unconsciously or consciously he knew he was better of without Nestor and because Cesar was responsible for making Nestor unhappy (Thesis Statement). The line of thinking pursued by this paper may be dark and offensive to some. Still an open mind will find that when they look closer this contention is in fact meritorious. Cesar cannot truly mourn for Nestor. One cannot truly mourn for someone else if he knows that he is better off without him. This is easy to see. Imagine the life of Cesar if Nestor had died. The woman he loved, Dolores, will be his for the taking. He would no longer have to deal with pulling the weight of a younger brother who had no ambition but to open a bar and come back to his Maria. True that the book never expressed that Cesar felt like this. However, a careful look and examination of the story itself will show us that this line of argument is very much tenable. The loss of someone when beneficial to us denies us from the emotion of mourning. It is true that when one experiences joy when another one passes away is devious and callous. However not mourning for someone is not necessarily devious and callous. Let us presuppose that Cesar was sad that Nestor passed away. He may indeed be sad that the brother he loved so much passed away. But can he mourn for him? No, because consciously or unconsciously he knew that the death of Cesar would benefit him. This is a sadistic and cruel interpretation of the emotions of Cesar. Sadistic and cruel it may be but tenable and meritorious it still is. One of the statements in the book that professed this fact was: â€Å"The deepest urge in human nature is the desire to be important to be great the rare individual who satisfies this angle will hold people in the palm of his hand. So even the undertaker will regret his death† (Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love, Hijuelos) The second reason why Cesar cannot truly mourn for Nestor is the fact that Cesar was the reason why Nestor ended up that way. Cesar was very ambitious and for everything he wanted to do he needed Nestor to be there. On the other hand Nestor was more laid back and simple. Nestor only dreamt of a simple life a small bar in Cuba would have been enough for him. However Cesar’s ambition was insatiable. Cesar’s insatiable ambition caused Nestor’s unhappiness. In the book to quote Cesar said: â€Å"There’s no dream, it’s our life† (Mambo Kings Plays Songs of Love, Hijuelos). This is one of the reasons why Cesar cannot truly mourn for Nestor. Cesar cannot truly mourn for Nestor because he knew that Nestor was not happy. Cesar knew that when Nestor died his life was empty and incomplete. Considering this fact is it possible for Cesar to feel mourning for Nestor? No, because the emotion that lingered with Cesar on Nestor’s death could not have been mourning. The emotion that lingered with Cesar is guilt and not mourning. He felt guilty for driving his brother to unhappiness. He felt guilty for leading his brother to a life his brother never wanted. Carrying these kinds of emotions will not allow us to mourn for anyone. If anything this kind of guilt will drive us to anger for ourselves. However these kinds of emotions will not elicit mourning. Mourning is a word we often carelessly use to describe someone’s feeling when someone important to them passes. However, as argued and contended by this paper just because someone we love dies does not necessarily imply that the emotion we feel is mourning. There are a lot of other emotions one may possess when someone passes away. More often the emotion that we feel is not mourning. This argument however does not devoid or considers that one does not feel mourning when someone close to them dies. On the contrary it submits that mourning is indeed an emotion felt by anyone of us for the loss of someone but does not necessarily apply for all cases. The story of Cesar and Nestor is one example where a brother cannot truly mourn for another because of envy and guilt. The clearest expression of guilt instead of mourning was when Cesar said: â€Å"I would trade places with him right now, if I could.. † (Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love, Hijuelos) Works Cited Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love, Oscar Hijuelos

Monastic spirituality in the 21st Century Essay

In the 21st Century, it could be said that monastic spirituality in an outdated concept. In the contemporary world we live in today, it has become increasingly difficult to live obedient to the Churches teaching. Some people would argue that there should be no real set of moral codes, and that the Church should not have such high authority. This contrasts to the Celtic Monks belief that â€Å"Nothing must be refused in their obedience; to be Christ’s true disciple†¦it will not be pleasing to the Lord.† In society today, people don’t see a need for a moral code. They make their own subjective decisions about what is right and wrong from them, and don’t accept religious or government law. Grove argues â€Å"People do not see the Church as having a real relevance in their everyday lives, and therefore do not recognise its authority in everyday matters.† Some sociologists have said that it is this belief that has led to religious organizations â€Å"watering down† their beliefs to accommodate many beliefs, in the hope that this would make their religion more popular. However, in actual fact this can often lead to the religious organization becoming less popular, as they may lose the devoted members, who aren’t looking for a watered down religion. Pope Benedict said that â€Å"relativism†¦does not recognise anything as being certain†¦its highest goals are one’s own ego and desire.† Relativism is the belief that concepts such as right and wrong, goodness and badness, or truth and falsehood are not definite and that they alter in different cultures and situations. It could be described as the â€Å"cherry picking† for faith. An example of this would be ignoring the rule of no contraception, for promiscuous reasons. An other common example would be the issue of sex before marriage. The Celtic monks had a huge sense of Divine Will that had to be obeyed. Saint Columbanus reminded us of this by saying â€Å"by strict obedience shall the monk show his love of God.† Many of these traits, that the monks found so admirable, have been lost in today’s society. Monks believed that community was better than the individual, and that when we do something, it should be for the sake of the community, rather than for the sake of the individual themselves. The monks saw obedience as responding to God’s call. We can see a huge lack of obedience to God by looking at the large decline in vocations in recent years. In 2008, in Dublin, only three people were ordained into the priesthood. There are many reasons for this, a main possibility being the recent scandal the Church has been involved in in recent years. In 1968, 95% of Catholics went to mass. By 2004 this amount had dropped to a mere 50% (BBC Newsline). These figures support the view that as Christians, we no longer feel compelled to be obedient to God. This can relate back to what Pope Benedict described as â€Å"The Culture of Relativism.† Another debated issue is the importance of chastity and sexuality in our society today. Saint Columbanus said â€Å"a monk’s chastity is indeed judged by his thoughts.† He said that they were not only judged by sexual relations, but by the purity of the mind, and the sexual desires that they experienced. This view contrasts greatly to the view of society today. In our modern society, people are often sexually objectified. An estimated average of 75% of prime television shows include content of a sexual nature, and in soap operas it is estimated that extra-marital sex is referred to two out of three times every hour. This is because the television company’s know that in today’s society, sex sells. It is no longer thought of as a big deal, and there has been a massive increase in sexual promiscuity. This has led to a big increase in sexually transmitted diseases, which are becoming increasingly difficult to control. It also meant a big increase in the amount of unwanted pregnancies. Unlike monastic living which promoted the selfless giving of ones self to the community, we have adopted a hedonistic, narcissistic attitude. We have become our own lust. Michael Maher points out that the standards in Celtic monasteries are â€Å"severe, particularly in the area of sexual morality†. For many today, the idea of chastity is an outdated concept and is problematic for the future of the priesthood in the Catholic Church. This would lead me to believe that in regard to this aspect of monastic life, monastic spirituality could very easily be perceived as outdated in the 21st Century. Brigid of Kildare had a preferential option for the poor. She vowed to the king of Leinster, â€Å"If I had all your wealth, I would take it and give it away to the poor,† So Brigids monastery in Kildare, became known as the â€Å"City of the poor.† Aidan of Lindesfarm also expressed solidarity to the poor, when he gave away the kings’ gift of a horse to the first beggar he met saying â€Å"Surely this son of a mare is not more important to you than that son of man.† However, the Church didn’t always share the same view. Leondardo Boff argues that â€Å"the Church became an abstract speculation removed from the original spirit of the Gospel message, and out of touch with real life.† The Church has been criticised for siding with the vested interest, and in its history has even been involved in colonisation and the removal of land from the peasantry, in its commitment to obeying the laws of the land. Richard Woods reminds us that â€Å"justice and chastity were the main hinges of Celtic social action.† This is another way, in that it could be said that monastic spirituality is an outdated concept in the 21st Century. Views that should be had today have slowly died off, and have left places worse off. However, Bishop Casadaliga reminds us that â€Å"as long as there are poor people in the world, and as long as there is a God who cares for the poor, there will be a need for a theology of Liberation.† The spirit of Liberation Theology is very much evident in Celtic Monasticism in many ways, from the care of the poor and the sinner, to the welcoming of the stranger. Hospitality was always extremely generous in the monasteries, and any stranger who came was very well looked after. In 2004, 19% of asylum seekers were allowed to find refuge in Britain, while 78% were turned away. The Celtic monks in their openness to all, especially the weakest turned no one away. This shows another way that Monastic Spirituality could be considered an outdated concept in 21st Century life. In conclusion, it would appear that Monastic Spirituality is in fact an outdated concept in 21st Century living, with our lackadaisical views on chastity and sexuality, and our selfish views on poverty, it seems that Monastic Spirituality has been lost, and I believe it would be in the Catholic Churches interest to try and retrieve some of this monastic spirit.