2008 Summer (Pics!)

2008 Summer (Pics!) Since I discovered that under my new schedule, I practically have NO classes on Thursday I started writing this entry. =p Summer 2008 was a fruitful one for me. To recap: Late May - Early July: Back in Taiwan, relaxing after a year of MIT. Took a short family vacation to Nagoya, Japan. Went on a volunteer health trip with a medical group (think Doctors Without Borders the Taiwanese version) into the Aborigines villages in Taiwan. Early July - Early August: Back in MIT, working on a UROP dealing with the genetics of Caenorhabditis elegans, a microscopic nematode. Took weekend trips to NYC, Montreal. Saw my first Fourth of July fireworks LIVE. Early August - Late August: Spent 16 days in Central America, traveling from Panama to Nicaragua to Honduras with the same medical group from Taiwan. The medical group is essentially a medical brigade that contained doctors, pharmacists, laboratory technicians (who could chemically analyze blood for components/diseases), and us (volunteers). My primary function was with registration (weight, blood pressure, temperature) and translating for doctors (yay Spanish!) These blog entries may help to explain a bit more. July Fourth My Summer, In Words Whee! Photos! These were generally what the villages that we worked in Taiwan looked like. Most of these were so far into the mountain that there was no cell phone reception, and electricity was only intermittent at night. Saw the Fourth of July fireworks LIVE at Bostons Hatch Shell Went to Montreal for a weekend to visit friends at McGill University. (note: Montreal is a really beautiful city and a great place to get away from Boston if you would like to go on a long weekend trip. Its only one hour by plane from Boston (granted, the plane tickets kind of expensive) and around eight hours by bus. Its such a relaxing city that contrasts so much with Boston! (random fact: did you know that Boston had the fastest pace of life in the United States? Even beating out New York City!)) This is what actual C. elegans look like under the microscope, in case youre curious. Then I went to Central America, and within the brigade, we had dentists A functional lab that could do blood, urine, and feces analysis. Some of the items we would test for include blood sugar, cholesterol, liver function, HIV, syphilis, pregnancy, hemoglobin, C-protein, full blood countetc. Each patients results is generally prepared within 30 minutes (were more efficient than hospitals!). A pharmacy that distributed medicine. General types of medicine that were handed out include painkillers, fever reducers, antacids, worm pills, and vitamins although there were probably around 70 different types of medicine. (yes, all the laboratory equipment, the medicine, the dental equipmentetc. were shipped from Taiwan as checked luggage on the airplane. As a result, each member of the brigade could only bring one duffel bags worth of personal items (clothes, toiletriesetc.) for the 16-day trip because it had to be carry-on. We brought a grand total of over 1000 kilograms of medical supplies/equipment to Central America.) This was really cool. When we arrived in Nicaragua, the Nicaraguan President, Daniel Ortega, had an audience with us. The hour-long meeting was held in the Presidential Office (in reality his house) and was broadcasted live on their national television. Afterwards, President Ortega surprised us by shaking hands with every single one of us! Yes, I got to shake hands with a President!! (note: Later, when we finished our work in Honduras, we also got to shake hands with the First Lady of Honduras.) The kids that came out after our clinic in rural Nicaragua. Since I dont want to flood the entry with pictures, there are actually some more photos here. To summarize, I enjoyed this summer a lot. I got to go back home and visit my family for a month (I even attended the 2008 graduation of my high school!), which provided a very welcoming rest. I was exposed to a deeper level of my UROP that I was working on during the school year in July, and I had the opportunity to travel to Central America and dedicate my time in providing service for the people there. An added bonus is that my UROP and Junction (AP World History class) pay covered my Central America trip plus my weekend trips! A few entries ago, someone asked, How do you get exposed to all of these opportunities? I think the simple answer is just this In college, you have an amazing opportunity to try a lot of new things, and I believe that as long as you look hard enough, you would always find cool things to do. Of course, your idea of whats fun might not entail going to different places or even doing work during the summer, but theres definitely something out there for everyone. Opportunities may not come looking for you, but theyre there you just have to reach out and grasp them. (this also goes for high school!) Random fact: I had lizard meat for the first time this summer! To be honest, it tastes like chicken (just like frogs, rats, and everything else thats exotic) =p

The Artist And The Art Essay - 1146 Words

The Artist and the Art nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; The history of art dates back to ancient times. Artwork can be, and was, found around the world. What makes art interesting is that it can be created in any way, shape or form with any materials. It seems that the artwork can also tell us a lot about the artist. Art seems to be simply, a direct, visual reflection of the artist’s life. Therefore, one can assume that an artist’s life experiences and beliefs directly influence their art. If we look at examples from different periods of art we will be able to see the connection between the artist and the art. One of the earliest examples of beliefs and tradition affecting art can be seen in Ancient art. The ancient Egyptians had a strong†¦show more content†¦This could be true, but it just shows how life experiences also directly influence the outcome of a piece. If we look at periods closer to the present we can also see other strong examples of the relevance between art and the artist. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Impressionism began during the 19th century. An example of an artist’s beliefs influencing his art can be seen in the works of Pierre Auguste Renoir. It is documented that he felt that art should be different from the real world, which can be cold and harsh. He said, â€Å"Why shouldn’t art be pretty?† and â€Å"There are enough unpleasant things in the world.† An example of his attitude towards art can be seen in ‘A Girl with a Watering Can’ from 1876. This picture can easily be interpreted as being beautiful and therefore it proves that his belief of art is true. ‘Dance at Bougival’ from 1883, is yet another example of the artist and the inspiration for the art. By painting an attractive scene with two people dancing accompanied by laughing faces in the background we see a correlation between his quotes above and this piece. Therefore, one can conclude that Renoir painted mostly beautiful and attractive art. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Unfortunately, for some artists, the reality of life isn’t so beautiful. One of the most talented, yet mentally ill artists of all time was Vincent Van Gogh. He was also from the 19th century belonging to the post-impressionists. In order for one to analyze the art ofShow MoreRelatedArtists And The Art Trade2204 Words   |  9 Pages‘While artists and the art trade were in the business of presenting the new, this was a conceptual challenge for museums.’ (Altshuler, 2008, 15). Discuss the challenges that advanced artistic practice presented for museums in the late 19th and early 20th century. The period of the second half of the 19th and the beginnings of the 20th century saw some of the most extensive transformations in the art market and the institution of the art museum in history. 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In the past, famous artists, such as Leonardo Da Vinci, Caravaggio, and Michelangelo, were mostly known by individuals who had the resources to travel and visit their work. In many ways, art was, and is, seen as a form to demonstrate class superiority in societyRead MoreThe Great Artists Of The Conceptual Art Movement1891 Words   |  8 PagesWhen one thinks of Art the most popular image is of great works, famous for their visually pleasing and intellectually rousing qualities. These works, aside from being visually and intellectually stimulating, have been used to challenge and encourage an audience to think about what it’s representing in flexible and open-minded ways, this is usually done by shocking the audience out of their â€Å"complacency† when viewing artworks. The great artists of the Conceptual Art movement especially emphasised

Sylvia Plath, a Poet and Her Depression - 525 Words

When asked about her autobiographical novel, â€Å"The Bell Jar†, Sylvia plath responded that â€Å"the trouble was, i had been inadequate all along, I simply hadn’t thought about it† (Sylvia Plath Quotes). Plath was the editor for her school newspaper and sent in poems to different magazines (PAL). Junior year is when her depression started, as she couldn’t afford her dream college (PAL). Sylvia Plath struggled a lifetime of depression that was reflected in her writings. Sylvia Plath was a troubled young poet who wrote mostly about the difficulties within her family and marriage. Plath was born in Boston, Massachusetts on October 27, 1932 and died on February 11, 1963 in London, England. In her early life she faced many obstacles, one being her father passing away when she was only 8 years old due to complications from diabetes (poets.org). Plath, herself struggled with depression as she tried to kill herself many times. Therefore these feelings of hers reflected in her poetry. 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Financial Performance Analysis of Tesco Plc and J Sainsbury Plc. Free Essays

A comparison of the performance of Tesco Plc and Sainsbury Plc, both listed on the London Stock Exchange Introduction: This report will compare Tesco Plc and Sainsbury Plc, paying close attention to selected ratios for comparison. The ratios have been chosen to show profitability, efficiency and liquidity of both companies over a three-year period. Both companies operate in the UK grocery sector, with both classed in the big-4 supermarkets. We will write a custom essay sample on Financial Performance Analysis of Tesco Plc and J Sainsbury Plc. or any similar topic only for you Order Now According to the latest Kantar Worldpanel (2014) report, Tesco held 29.6% of the UK grocery market in top place, while Sainsbury held 17% of the market, holding third place after ASDA. In addition to their main grocery business, both companies have business in other services, including clothing, non-food items, banking and insurance services, as well as international operations for Tesco. Of the two, Tesco has more of a focus on its non-food and non-UK business. According to Tesco’s latest Annual Report (2013), sales from non-UK markets represent ?20.8Billion of revenue, with revenue from Asia growing 6% over 2013; while revenue from the UK banking operation is ?1Billion. In comparison, Sainsbury’s total revenue (all-UK) only amounts to ?23.03Billion, with non-food and banking making up a much smaller proportion of sales, Sainsbury’s (2013). Performance analysis of your chosen companies: This section will consider a number of ratios to determine company performance, splitting the ratios up into profitability, efficiency and liquidity. This report will then use the Annual Reports as well as supporting analysis to determine the reasoning behind the results. Liquidity Ratio Liquidity ratios are a sign whether a company has the ability to pay off short-term obligations (debts due to be paid within one year). Generally, a higher value is desired as this indicates greater capacity to meet debt obligations, for example, shareholders may prefer a company to have current assets that are greater than current liabilities, indicating that the company can repay all debts at short-notice if required, (Koller, 2011) The Current ratio measures a businesses ability to repay short-term liabilities such as accounts payable and short-term debt using short-term assets such as cash, inventory and receivables. This would be the value of a company’s current assets that could be converted to cash over the next twelve months compared to the value of liabilities that may mature over the same period, (Peterson, 2012). The Current ratio is useful as it shows whether a company has adequate resources to repay short-term debt or if it will experience cash flow problems in the near term. A ratio of 2:1 is usually considered a benchmark, however, this may vary across industries depending on cash-flow. A ratio of less than one suggests that the company may not have sufficient resources to settle its short-term debt obligations. For a more conservative alternative, Current Assets may be adjusted to remove inventory, as inventory may be viewed as not very readily convertible to cash; for example, to shift inventory fast, the business may have to discount products. With this the value of inventories will be lower than the value recorded on financial statements. This is known as the Quick ratio, (Moyer et al, 2011) The calculations can be seen in Appendix 1. The results are shown below: The results above show that both retailers have low ratios compared with the benchmark mentioned above; however this may be the case due to: There are very few trade receivables on the books, while trade payables are higher suggesting that the business could effectively operate without any cash. Discussed more in Efficiency. Both businesses have a high level of turnover and high level of cash-generation which could be used to meet short-term obligations. Investor confidence in both businesses would allow the ratios to be lower. Investor’s may demand higher ratios from start-up or ‘riskier’ companies. Comparing the two, Tesco plc, has the higher ratio, which may be down to the business having much higher receivables then Sainsbury’s. For example, in 2013, receivables made up 41.7% of total current assets at Tesco, compared with just 15.9% at Sainsbury’s. This may be down to Tesco having a greater focus on higher-value non-food items through its catalogue business. Higher receivables present higher risks, given some consumers may have an in-ability to pay. Profitability Ratio Profitability ratios measure a company’s profitability. As profits are used to fund capital expenditure and pay dividends, these measures will be important to analysts and closely watched in terms of industry comparisons. Earnings per Share (EPS) measures the earnings available of each share, a shareholder may use this calculation to determine the level of earnings available for each share owned; this could then be compared with the actual dividend to determine the payout ratio. Again, this would be important to a shareholder as a company would use income for either dividends or capital expenditure; so, if dividends are low, investors would expect higher capital expenditure in the hope of increasing the future value of the business, increasing share-price, leading to capital gains. Other ratios to be considered are Gross Profit Margin and Net Profit Margin. Gross profit margin considers revenue minus the cost of goods sold. A company’s gross profit margin may also be viewed as a measurement of production efficiency. A company with a gross profit margin higher than that of its competitors, or the industry average, is deemed to be more efficient and is therefore, all things being equal, preferred, (Paramasivan, 2009). Net profit margin considers the net income once all costs are removed. With this, the margin could be seen as determined by a range of factors including competition or rising costs. Given the results above, Tesco appears to be in a better position given its margin; however this may be down to Tesco’s exposure to a greater non-food business through its catalogue, where it can achieve greater margins, (Head, 2013) [Online]. To add, a greater online presence may have also benefitted Tesco’s margin, giving the lower overheads involved. However in its latest results, Tesco took a charge of ?1.26Billion for exiting its U.S business, which impacted on net profit margin and EPS, (Tesco, 2013). The figures are surprising given Sainsbury’s perception as a more expensive grocer compared to rivals Tesco Plc. The figures also show a falling margin for both grocers in 2013, which could be down to the intense competition in the sector, and supermarket ‘price war’. Efficiency Ratio Efficiency ratios determine how efficient a company is using liabilities/ assets to generate revenue for the business. Ratios such Sales to Inventory could be used to determine the efficiency of the business compared with peers. From the results above, it appears that Sainsbury’s has a greater control over its stock levels, as the company is able to turn over its inventory at a faster pace, which will be important in the grocery industry to reduce waste. However, it must again be noted that Tesco Plc, has greater exposure to the non-food business, which will then impact on stock levels, in particular for its catalogue business, which sells higher-value items such as electrical’s. Another efficiency to mention could be the difference seen between average receivables and average payables. For example take Tesco in 2011; receivables turnover (sales / average receivables) was 60,455/ 4,457 = 13.56, which translated into 27 Days (365 / 13.56). Payables turnover was 55,330 / 5,786 = 9.56, which translates into 38 Days (365/ 9.56). With this, Tesco receives the all the money from sales in 27 Days on average, whereas it doesn’t have to pay suppliers for the goods sold for 38 Days on average. Effectively, the business could survive without cash. Given less focus on non-food items, Sainsbury’s position is favorable to Tesco. Receivables turnover comes in at just 5 Days, while payables turnover comes in at 34 Days on average. Conclusion: Based on the ratios above it appears that Tesco would be the favoured choice, given higher margins stemming from operations in non-food items and a greater online presence. To add, Tesco has a greater presence on the high-street, and so an ability to take advantage of the UK economic recovery. Tesco’s exposure outside of the grocery market could also be seen as a benefit when rivals from Aldi, Lidl and Waitrose continue to take grocery market share. According to Kantar Worldpanel (2014), over the past 3 years, the 3 grocers above have taken a combined 3.5 share points from competitors, equating to around ?4.4Billion in sales. Momentum continues with Y-O-Y growth at Aldi accelerating to 33.5%, compared with Tesco, who over the six-weeks to February 2nd 2014, experienced a 2.4% drop in sales, (Webb, 2014) [Online]. Increasing competition in the industry has led to another supermarket ‘price-war’, which is expected to knock margins again as retailers vie for market s hare. Again, Tesco Plc will be the favoured choice due to its exposure to non-food business as well as international operations, which have potential to drive future sales. Recently, Tesco has announced it will enter the Indian market, under a 50:50 joint venture with Tata, making it the first foreign supermarket to enter India’s ?330Billion retail sector. Given this, Tesco Plc, could be seen as less risky than Sainsbury Plc, given the greater scope of income streams. When considering an investment, other figures may be considered to do with investor returns. First is dividend pay-outs; dividend growth has been stagnant for both companies over a three-year period, while Graph 1 below shows the share price performance, showing that over a three-year period, shares in Tesco and Sainsbury are down by 32.41% and 19.48% respectively. Tesco Plc. is favoured given its extensive offering of businesses, both UK and international, which are expected to benefit as the global recovery strengthens. The main benefit is the business scope, with potential risk in the UK grocery market mitigated by improved performance from other operations and international sales. Sainsbury’s is more exposed to the growing competition on the UK market given the UK market represents the lions-share of its revenue. Tesco is well-placed to take advantage of improving sediment through its multi-channel business. In its latest Interim Report (2013)1, Tesco mentioned sales were supported by strong growth in online retailing (+13% in UK and +54% Overseas), and strong clothing sales up 8.4%. To add, the report also mentioned that UK margins had been hit since FY2013 results, falling to 5.2% (possible downside for Sainsbury’s too), however reported a 6% margin from Asian operations and 17.7% margin from its banking operations, showing that expansion is paying off for the company, (Tesco, 2013)1. References: Bloomberg (2014) [Online]: Company Share Prices, Available at http://www.bloomberg.com/markets/stocks/, Accessed 25/03/2014. Financial Times (2014) [Online]: Tesco Plc, Available at http://markets.ft.com/research/Markets/Tearsheets/Financials?s=TSCO:LSE, Accessed 25/03/2014. Financial Times (2014)1 [Online]: J Sainsbury Plc, Available at http://markets.ft.com/research/Markets/Tearsheets/Financials?s=SBRY:LSEsubview=IncomeStatement, Accessed 25/03/2014. Head, R (2013) [Online]: This is why I’m considering buying J Sainsbury, Available at http://www.fool.co.uk/investing/2013/10/07/this-is-why-im-considering-buying-j-sainsbury-plc-today/, Accessed 25/03/2014. Kantar Worldpanel (2014): Unprecedented changes in grocery retailing in the UK, UK, Kantar Worldpanel. Koller, T, Goedhart, M and Wessels, D (2011): Valuation; Measuring and managing the value of companies, US, McKinsey Company. Moyer, C, McGuigan, J and Rao, R (2011): Contemporary Financial Management, USA, South-Western Cengage Learning. Paramasivan, P (2009): Financial Management, USA, New Age International. Peterson, P and Fabozzi, F (2012): Analysis of Financial Statements, USA, Wiley Finance. Sainsbury’s (2013): Annual Report 2013, London, J Sainsbury Plc. Tesco (2013): Annual Report 2013, London, Tesco Plc. Tesco (2013)1: Interim Report 2013-2014, London, Tesco Plc. Webb, S (2014) [Online]: Supermarket price war looms, Available at http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2566542/Every-little-helps-Tesco-slash-prices-attempt-boost-sales-losing-ground-rivals.html, Accessed 25/03/2014. Appendices: Appendix 1 The following tables provide calculations for the chosen ratios. Figures obtained from Financial Times (2014) [Online] and Financial Times (2014)1 [Online]. How to cite Financial Performance Analysis of Tesco Plc and J Sainsbury Plc., Essay examples

Japan Tsunami 2011 free essay sample

As one plate subducts below another (moves underneath), pressure builds for many years resulting in a section of the mega-thrust giving away. As this section gives away, it ruptures the ocean floor, resulting in a massive displacement of water, causing a tsunami. Tsunamis are barely felt as a ripple on the ocean’s surface, but as the waves reach land, they increase in size as the water becomes shallower. Japan earthquake and tsunami At 2:46pm Japanese time, on March 11th 2011, an earthquake with the magnitude of 9. 0 took place 100km of the coast of Japan, and was the 5th most powerful earthquake ever recorded. It was caused by the Pacific plate and the Okhotsk plate. The Pacific plate has always been moving under the Okhotsk plate at a speed of 8. 9cm a year, building up pressure (destructive plate boundary – continental and oceanic plate moving towards each other). Pressure being released caused the Pacific plate to snap back, releasing the pressure as an earthquake that lasted 5 minutes, and also causing a massive displacement of water, the result of which is a tsunami. We will write a custom essay sample on Japan Tsunami 2011 or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The tsunami travelled at 500mph towards Sendai, and went up to 10km inland in the Sendai area, reaching a height of about 33ft. It reached Tokyo in 90 seconds from its original point 232 miles away. Tokyo had 60 seconds warning. Ofanato was hit 20 minutes after the earthquake, Onagawa and Sendai were said to be the most effected places. There were two other earthquakes after; one 26. 6km off the coast of Hokkaido at 6:08pm local time. It measured 6. 9 on the Richter scale, and was followed by a 20cm tsunami. The other occurred almost 3 hours after the first earthquake. It measured 5. 7 on the Richter scale, and struck 90km east of Tokyo. Outcomes: 9,079 deaths, 2,628 injured, over 12,000 missing. The final death toll was 15,883. Coast line lowered over 1 metre, rendering the sea walls at Miyako useless. Moved portions of northeast Japan closer to North America by 7. 9ft. Earthquake shifted the Earth’s axis 25cm, and sped up the rotation, shortening the day by 1. 8 microseconds. Towns such as Ofunato and Kuju are said to have been â€Å"swept away†. Cities such as Miyako, Onagawa, Namie, and many more had been destroyed. Early estimates put the economic loss at about $14. 5 $34. 6 billion from the earthquake alone. Full economic loss estimated at $171 – $183 billion. At least 3 nuclear power stations faced explosions; the energy released was equivalent to 9. 32 teratons of TNT. Tsunami was equivalent to 1 million swimming pools being emptied on Japan. The Fukushima nuclear disaster. Said to be the worst atomic accident since Chernobyl 1986. The tsunami knocked out the cooling system’s power supply. Resulted in 10,000 tonnes of contaminated water going into the sea. Massive atmospheric emissions hit peak on March 15th and remained high until March 19th. Surrounding areas were evacuated and was only deemed safe on December the 16th. How did they try and stop it? 10 metre high sea walls in Miyako. The people of Miyako are used to tsunami drills. Hawaii research centre sent out pager messages when detected. Warnings shut down the nuclear reactors. However, the reactors need time to cool. Tectonic Plates. The Earth is made up of 4 layers: inner core, outer core, mantle, and the crust. The crust is made up of Tectonic plates that are constantly in motion. The inner core is the centre of the Earth. It’s a solid made from mostly iron and nickel. The outer core is the liquid layer surrounding the inner core. The mantle is the widest section of the Earth. Made from a semi molten rock called magma. The crust is the outer layer of the earth. It’s fairly thin and made of solid rock. There are two types of crust: continental crust which carries land, and oceanic crust, which carries water. The Earth’s crust is broken up into plates. Heat rising and falling in the mantle creates convection currents, generated by the radioactive decay of the core. The convection currents move the plates. Where the convection currents diverge near the Earth’s crust, the plates move apart. Where the currents converge the plates move together. The movement of the plates and activity inside the Earth is called Plate Tectonics. Plate tectonics cause earthquakes and volcanoes. The point where two plates meet is called a plate boundary. Earthquakes and volcanoes are most likely to occur on or near plate boundaries. Different kinds of plate boundaries. At a constructive plate boundary, the plates move apart. At a destructive plate boundary, the plates move together. At a conservative plate boundary, the plates slide past each other. Constructive. As the plates move apart (very slowly), magma rises from the mantle. The magma erupts to the surface of the Earth. This can also be accompanied by earthquakes. When them magma reaches the surface, it solidifies to form a new crust of igneous rock. Eventually the new rock builds up to form a volcano. Constructive boundaries tend to be found under the sea, e. g. The Mid Atlantic Ridge. Here, chains of underwater volcanoes have formed along the plate boundary (where the tectonic plates meet). Underwater volcanoes, over time, can grow large enough to become volcanic islands, e. g. The Hawaiian islands. Destructive. At a destructive plate boundary, the plates move towards each other. This usually involves and continental and an oceanic plate. The oceanic plate is denser than the continental plate, so when they move together, the oceanic plate is forced underneath the continental plate, the point at which is called the subduction zone. As the oceanic plate is forced under the continental plate, it melts into magma, and the earthquakes are triggered. The magma collects to form a magma chamber. This magma then rises through the cracks in the continental crust. As pressure builds, a volcanic eruption may occur. Destructive plate boundaries can also form mountains. As the plates move together, the continental crust is squashed together and forced upwards. This is called folding. The process of folding creates Fold Mountains. Fold Mountains can also be formed when two continental plates push together. This is how mountain ranges such as the Himalayas and the Alps were formed. Conservative. At a conservative boundary, nothing’s formed and nothing’s destroyed. The plates lock together and pressure builds. As the pressure is released, earthquakes are triggered. An example is the Pacific plate (faster moving) rubbing against the North American plate. This causes earthquakes along the San Andreas Fault line, disturbing cities such as Los Angeles and San Francisco. Earthquakes. Earthquakes are caused by the release of built up pressure in the Earth’s crust. An earthquake’s power is measured on the Richter scale using an instrument called a seismometer. An earthquake is the shaking and vibration of the Earth’s crust. Plates don’t often move smoothly together and sometimes get stuck. When this happens pressure builds up. When pressure is finally released, there is generally and earthquake. Earthquakes can happen along any type of plate boundary. The point inside the Earth’s crust where the pressure is released is called the focus. The point on the Earth’s surface above the focus is called the epicentre. Earthquake energy is released in seismic waves. These waves spread out from the focus. The waves are felt most strongly at the epicentre, weakening as you get further away. Most of the severe damage caused by an earthquake happens at the epicentre. Effects of an earthquake. Earthquakes can destroy settlements and kill many people. Aftershocks can cause even more damage to an area. We can classify the impacts of an earthquake by taking the following into account: Short-term (immediate) impacts. Long-term impacts. Social impacts (impact on the people) Economic impact (impact on the areas wealth) Environmental impacts (the impact on the landscape) Social Economic Environmental Short-Term Deaths and injuries, homes destroyed, transport and communication links disrupted, water pipes burst – water contaminated. Shops and business destroyed, looting, damage to transport. Built landscape destroyed, fires, landslides, tsunamis. Long-Term Disease spreading, people re-housed (sometimes in refugee camps) Have to rebuild everything, income lost, all money spent on repairs. Important landmarks lost. Effects are classified as primary and secondary impacts. Primary effects occur as a direct result of the ground shaking e. g. buildings collapsing, liquefaction etc. Secondary effects occur as a result of primary effects, e. g. fires due to ruptured gas mains. Factors effecting the impact. Distance from the epicentre. How severe the earthquake is. Areas level of development (MEDC or LEDC) – MEDCs are more likely to have the resources and technology for prediction, monitoring, and response. Population density (rural or urban), the more densely populated, the more likely deaths will be. Communication – access to rescue. Time of day – at night people will be in bed, unprepared. Time of year – climate influences survival rate and the rate disease spreads. In LEDCs Undeveloped communication systems. Population uneducated on precautions. Poor construction standards. Evacuation difficult due to lack of funds and resources. Cleaning and repair difficult due to lack of funds. Measuring earthquakes. The power of an earthquake is measured with a seismometer. A seismometer detects vibrations caused by an earthquake. It plots these vibrations with a seismograph. The strength or magnitude of an earthquake is measured on the Richter scale. The Richter scale is numbered 0-10. Earthquakes measuring 1-2 are very common and people don’t even feel them.

How Not to Be an Outcast in College

How Not to Be an Outcast in College Being an outcast, or socially inept in college is rather costly. It translates into a less productive and memorable college experience. Whatever, but if that’s something you would rather learn to avoid, then this article is for you. Though it’s a subjective topic, here’s a step by step breakdown of your typical anti-outcast college strategy. 1. Work on You First The only thing that separates you from anything, any goal or objective, is you. Within reason of course. But there are no real walls between you and a robust social life in college. The only thing in your way is your unique â€Å"narrative† that you define yourself with. Change that first. Work on you first. If your attitude is horrible, nothing else you do will help all that much anyway. 2. Read Some Dale Carnegie If you’re a college student today, chances are good ol’ Dale is a bit before your time. Whether you buy it as an eBook or paperback, read this: How to Win Friends and Influence People. If this were the only book you ever read for personal gain, it’s the perfect choice. Odds are just like the countless millions before you, you’ll not only read it again, but take notes and memorize his simple concepts as well. If readin Dale Carnegie is too much for you at the moment, at least read our article on how to deal with having no friends in college. 3. Be the Good Servant At all times be looking for ways to be of service to people without causing them to lose face in any way, or put yourself in a position where you end up getting taken advantage of. When you do get the chance to be of service, go above and beyond 100% of the time. Both Dale Carnegie and Napoleon Hill are big fans of the parable (New Testament). Seriously: If you develop this practice into a habit and stick to it, you will undoubtedly live a prosperous life and make many friends throughout your life. Though many people think that making friends after college is a struggle it is not really so. No matter what it is, go above and beyond without asking for extra pay or recognition. 4. Grow Up â€Å"Grow up† could mean all kinds of things. In this context, we’re referring to how you choose to project yourself to other people via your outward appearance. It doesn’t mean caving in completely, or totally selling out. It just means telling the world around you that you respect yourself. By all means sport some personality in your style, but make sure it’s clean. If you don’t take yourself seriously, hardly anyone else will. 5. Say These Two Things All the Time Let’s be clear, these are affirmations and there’s absolutely no question that they work miracles. Successful and worldly well-connected people use them every day of their lives. However, when you say these two things to yourself on a consistent basis (10 times a day in the beginning) embody them. Get into it! Make it real! Every day I meet the perfect people for me. No matter what I choose to do or say, the right people see and hear me. 6. Remember This Statement Check this out, and no, we haven’t the slightest clue who the quote originates from: â€Å"I am not what I think I am, and I am not what they think I am. I am what I think that they think I am.† Once the depth of that statement hits you and you really get it, you’ll never be the same. What you think people think about you (if they think about you at all) is almost complete rubbish. Yet, how much of what we say, do and think every day is influenced by this self-imposed illusion? Get it straight because this is reality: people really care about just one thing (themselves) no matter how you slice it. Regardless of how noble or righteous, at the end of the day all we really experience in this life is ourselves and no one else. 7. Play to Your Strengths In light of the last statement, you should obviously play to your own unique traits (strengths). You’re the only thing that sets you apart from everyone else, so express you and be unafraid. If it’s respect you want, this is the most direct route. When you play to your strengths and stand as yourself, unafraid before the insecure eyes of your peers, they will not only be drawn to you but regard you as a â€Å"really cool person† in that neutral sense that appeals to everyone. 8. Understand the 6 Human Needs The more you know about what every human being needs, the more equipped you are to use this knowledge to your benefit (and theirs). Comfort Uncertainty/Variety Love Growth Contribution Love/Connection As you can see, 99% of what it takes to avoid being an outcast in college is psychological in nature. And no, that doesn’t mean we think you should be a psych-major. What do you think, did we nail it? Tell us in the comments!

What do you need to become a good architect

What do you need to become a good architect Hashtag: #architectureMW What Do You Need to Become a Good Architect? The recent architectural competition at the British Museum revealed over 130 stunning architectural design and structures from around the world. One of them is the reconstructed Chicago Stock Exchange Trading Room (left image). The architecture according to German architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe is the self-conscious act of building with artistry. For this reason, the architect must be knowledgeable of not one but many branches of study and continually learning from theory and actual practice theory. Primarily, an aspiring architect needs a college education and strong focus on art, drawing, and design. He or she may also engage in non-academic activities such as exploration of the built environment, visit architecture firms and schools, and if possible obtain an internship with established architecture firm or get involved in design-related organizations such as a museum. After-school programs can also help an aspiring architect know more about his or her future profession. Good architects have more than passion and patience. They continuously build at whatever scale to enhance their understanding of design and assemblies. Moreover, they often seek opportunities where they can best use their education and talents and fulfill their aspiration to grow. However, since the profession and the role of architect according to study are changing, a good architect often approach his work from this perspective. More interesting information here: Twelve Angry Men: Democracy with Its Flaws Is the Use of Animals for Research Purposes Justified? Art Essay Writing Guide Should You Believe Every Word in an Infomercial? Developing Students Creativity Changes and Trend in Architectural Education Architecture nowadays is gradually becoming a purely design-oriented profession. It is according to literature is reverting back to its traditional â€Å"Master Builder† role as director of shape, form, and organizer of society that operate within the built environment. Choosing a school that can satisfy your interest in design, urban planning, sustainability, and preservation is an important step. Take all relevant classes that can give you adequate knowledge and skills in freehand drawing, painting, sculpture, arts and crafts, sculpture, and furniture design. Moreover, since architect role in today’s practice changed from someone remote from building activity to designers that offer complete building design and construction services, architectural schools are now offering construction studios and classes for building works for architects who want to maintain parity with other professionals. In the United States, continuing education and professional development of architects are mandatory. This is because architects are professionals that affect the health, safety, and welfare of the public or HSW. Unfortunately, such mandate was largely overlooked in traditional architecture education and therefore resulted in licensure and liability issues. For instance, many architects avoid designing condominium because such building type demands knowledge of HSW. In light of these educational needs, architecture schools with urban planning classes include additional housing type specialization classes to cover government’s HSW requirements. Building construction technology is another area that made today’s architectural practice difficult. New building systems in large building types for instance demand general knowledge of the system thus many architects hire qualified consultants for evaluation and solutions. Another challenge for architects is the rapid developments in building materials and construction methods. For instance, architect often fails to specify compelling new product or finish, provide cost considerations, lea times, and so on because of they do not have enough knowledge about new products. Consequently, many architects according to study used the Internet to educated themselves about new products and building types, modern project delivery methods and fast-tracked construction scheduling, and take control of the entire design and construction process.