Skyscrapers Essays (1350 words) - Structural System, Skyscraper

Skyscrapers The architectural design of the 20th century skyscrapers has been redefined due to the advancement of our modern technology. Benny Louie Humanity 450 Dr. Maureen Schmid 17 May 1999 The architectural design of the 20th century skyscrapers has been redefined due to the advancement of our modern technology. In our modern society, the architectural design of skyscrapers is changing the downtown landscape of metropolitan areas. Due to the change of technologies, it has changed the architectural design of skyscraper dramatically in terms of the its function, design structures, heating and cooling systems and it social status in society. The basic function of the architecture is to provide a roof over peoples' head. The main purpose of architecture is to act as a shelter for people to protect themselves against Mother Nature. As civilization development advances, we increased our knowledge and became more creative. People start to design buildings for means of displaying wealth and social status. The skyscraper fits the criteria to show the social status of such building with great height and elegance to the society. According to O'Gorman, "architecture is a form language, of communication." (P.89) This communication is represented in the forms of texture, shape and style that reflects certain period of time. In the early period, architectures were associated with style and culture. "The Greeks built marble temples with Doric, Ionic or Corinthian columns. Egyptian architecture used heavy lotus columns, massive battered walls and pyramidal forms. The Gothic style used point arch, vast areas of stained glasses, pointed rib-vault construction." (P. 92) Each had its unique characteristic feature to express its message. In the 20th century architectural design, architecture is no longer viewed as simple shelter to provide a roof over peoples' head. Architectures are designed with a more environmental conscious issue like cost, energy conservation and practicality of the structure. The interior environment is designed according to the space function of the structures. For example, "a dance hall, needs a large open-space with sufficient room for the band and a bar and maybe for tables and chairs around the edge so that people can sit and chat." (Conway & Rowan) This concept always applies to real life situations. People don't rent more space than what they needed for. For example, a three person family will not rent a 3 bedroom apartment, unless they are financially well off. In a Victorian house, there are different corridors for different users. The servants don't use the same passage as the owners' family. (Conway & Rowan, P.4) This is similar to large hotels, employees have to use the employees entrance to access the building. These passages are not well maintained as the front of the house. "The interior environment should be safe for working, living or housing objects." (Conway & Rowan, P.17) This means that building should be at a comfortable temperature, with sufficient lighting, ability to control the transmission of noise, provide enough space for pipes, wires and ventilation ducts. Overall the architects has to take in consideration of the climates differences and regional variations of the building in designing a suitable interior environment for today's standard. The skyscraper is defined as a"building with exceptional height completely support by a frame-work, as of girders, from which the walls are suspended, as opposed to a building supported by load-bearing walls." (www.infoplease.com) The function of the skyscraper is serve as a commercial purpose. The Sears Tower is fine example of it, not only the being headquarter for Sears and Roebuck company but it also has an observation deck for the public. The skyscraper has always associated with wealth and power. To the general public, big is good; in terms of building, the taller the better. People had been fascinated with skyscraper ever since the birth of the first skyscraper in 1895. It was a 10-stories high steel frame structure designed by William Le Baron Jenney in 1885, named "Home Insurance Building." (Bennett, P.40) Over the year as steel and concrete production technologies reach a higher level, architects use these new materials to reach greater height in the design of skyscrapers. The improvement of the skyscraper structures starts from 10 floor stories to high as 150 floor stories high. The Reliance Building Chicago, USA, in 1895, 15 stories high used the semi-rigid steel frame. The semi-rigid steel frame was held together with steel beams and connected by rivets. (Bennett, P.42) The 60 stories high First Wisconsin Center, Milwaukee, USA in 1974 employed the steel belt truss with framed shear truss. This structure used the horizontal trusses at the upper and lower stories to enhance

Killer Charles Ng - A Master of Legal Manipulation

Killer Charles Ng - A Master of Legal Manipulation (Continued From Profile of Sadistic Killer Charles Ng) Ng Changes His Identity to Mike Komoto As investigators uncovered the grisly crime scene at the bunker, Charles Ng was on the run. Investigators learned from Leonard Lakes ex-wife, Claralyn Balasz, that Ng contacted her shortly after running from the lumberyard. She met with him and agreed to drive him to his apartment for clothing and to pick up a paycheck. She said he was carrying a gun, ammunition, two fake I.D.s in the name of Mike Komoto and that she let him off at the San Francisco airport, but did not know where he was going. Busted On Shoplifting In Canada Ngs movement was traced from San Francisco to Chicago to Detroit and then into Canada. The investigation uncovered enough evidence to charge Ng with 12 counts of murder. Ng managed to avoid authorities for over a month, but his poor shoplifting abilities landed him in jail in Calvary after he fought with the arresting police and shot one of them in the hand. Ng was in a Canadian jail, charged with robbery, attempted robbery, possession of a firearm and attempted murder. U.S. authorities became aware of Ngs arrest, but because Canada had abolished the death penalty, extradition of Ng to the U.S. was refused. U.S. authorities were permitted to interview Ng in Canada at which time Ng blamed Lake for most of the killings at the bunker but admitted to being involved in the disposal of the bodies. His trial for the robbery and assault charges in Canada resulted in a sentence of four-and-a-half years, which he spent learning about U.S. laws. Cartoons Drawn By Ng Tell All Ng also entertained himself by drawing cartoons depicting murder scenes, some that contained details of killings that replicated those that went on at Wilseyville that only someone involved in the murders would have known. One other factor that sealed little doubt of Ngs involvement in the pairs killing spree was one witness who Ng had left for dead, but survived. The witness identified Ng as the man who attempted to kill him, rather than Lake. Ng Is Extradited To The U.S. After a six-year battle between the U.S. Justice Department and Canada, Charles Ng was extradited to the U.S. on Sept. 26, 1991, to face trial on 12 murder charges. Ng, familiar with American laws, worked relentlessly to delay his trial. Ultimately, Ngs case became one of the most costly cases in U.S. history, costing taxpayers an estimated $6.6 million for the extradition efforts alone. Ng Begins To Play With The U.S. Legal System When Ng reached the U.S. he and his team of lawyers began to manipulate the legal system with endless delay tactics that included formal complaints about receiving bad food and bad treatment. Ng also filed a $1 million malpractice suit against lawyers he had dismissed at various times during his pre-trial hearings. Ng also wanted his trial to be moved to Orange County, a motion that would be presented to California Supreme Court at least five times before it was upheld. Ngs Trial Finally Begins In October 1998, after 13 years of various delays and $10 million in costs, the trial of Charles Chitat Ng began. His defense team presented Ng as being an unwilling participant and was forced to take part in Lakes sadistic murder spree. Because of the videos presented by the prosecutors showing Ng forcing two women to engage in sex after threatening them with knives, the defense admitted that Ng merely participate in the sexual offenses. Ng insisted on taking the stand, which allowed prosecutors to submit more evidence that helped define Ngs role in all aspects of the ghoulish crimes that went on in the bunker, including murder. One significant piece of evidence presented were pictures of Ng standing in his cell with the telling cartoons he had sketched of the victims hanging on the wall behind him. A Fast Decision From The Jury After years of delays, several tons of paperwork, millions of dollars, and many of the victims loved ones deceased, the trial of Charles Ng ended. The jury deliberated for a few hours and returned with a verdict of guilty of the murder of six men, three women, and two babies. The jury recommended the death penalty, a sentence that trial Judge Ryan imposed. The List of Known Victims Other pieces of bone found on the property indicated that over 25 other people were killed by Lake and Ng. Investigators suspect that many were homeless and recruited to the property to help build the bunker, then killed. Kathleen Allen and her boyfriend, Michael Carroll.Investigators believe that Kathleen was lured to the cabin when Lake told her that Michael had been shot. Kathleen was one of the two women who appeared on the video as Lake and Ng mentally and physically tortured her, eventually raping and killing her. Michael was a suspected drug dealer who at one time was a cellmate of Ngs at Leavenworth.Brenda OConnor, Lonnie Bond and baby Lonnie Jr.Brenda and her common-law husband, Lonnie, were next door neighbors of  Leonard  Lake. Brenda was shown on the video begging for knowledge of her babys welfare while the two taunted her and threatened her and the life of her baby if she failed to cooperate with their sexual demands. It is believed that at the time the video was made, Lonnie and Lonnie Jr. had already been killed.Harvey Dubs, Deborah Dubs and baby Sean Dubs.It is believed that the family was murdered after Lake answered an advertisement for camera equipment that Harvey was selling.R obin Scott Stapley Randy JohnsonCharles The Fat Man Gunnar - Leonard Lakes best man.Donald Lake - Leonards brother.Paul Cosner - The owner of the Honda. Charles Ng sits on death row at San Quentin prison in California. He advertises himself online as a dolphin caught inside a tuna net. He continues to appeal his death sentence and it may take several years for his sentence to be carried out. Return to Profile of Charles Ng Source:Justice Denied - The Ng Case bu Joseph Harrington and Robert BurgerJourney into Darkness by John E. Douglas

View of Toledo by El Greco Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

View of Toledo by El Greco - Essay Example However after moving into the Spanish town of Toledo in 1577, where he spent the rest of his life, a spiritual dimension entered his works and a sublime aura of divinity can be seen in all that he was commissioned to paint. The View of Toledo cannot be stared at or its significance understood in a single glance, for it is to be contemplated upon and the seemingly dark spectrum riot of colors should be twirled within the mind, just like how several concoctions of heady liquors are tossed into a smooth cocktail. The storm that is about to break over the town is immanent with the deep spiritual force that seems to breach the heavens and take over the earth. There is an aesthetic element of how the lightning and thunder is not clearly seen or heard, yet brings about an electric tension over the horizon, where the sky is the darkest. The content of this painting maybe a simple landscape, but to what extent the painter's imagination has been affected is clear in the perception of a deep mystery surrounding the emptiness of the town, and from the feeling of vastness and volume, of space and time blending into the ethereal brink of an explosion. There is a three-dimensional quality to the picture plane because of the richness in color tone gradually increasing from left to right.

General Electric (GE) Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

General Electric (GE) - Assignment Example There are numerous core competencies and capabilities of the company which act as the major drivers of success and sustainability of the business in the global corporate segment. The success of General Electric has been rooted to the use of effective corporate and strategic management systems in the business. The company has also been revitalised from time to time through the induction of adopting and self-confidence tools like Change Acceleration Process (CAP) to different types of business units in the various industries of operation for the segments of the conglomerate (Chaffee, 2005). General Electric was the first ever company in the global frontier which systematically applied multiple strategic and corporate management concepts and strategies simultaneously within the business verticals. The success and strong performance of GE has also been driven by other factors like strong corporate portfolio management functions, management of talent and movement of ideas (Cameron, 2012). The adoption of three key companywide performed and growth initiatives including Six Sigma Quality, services and globalization have enabled GE to integrate higher levels of sustainability in the business. Another core capability of the company is that many of the large business segments of the business are able to differentiate their outputs with the production of high quality goods and services while at the same time controlling the costs of operations incurred for per unit of the produced goods.

Tourism and Western Influence on the Sherpa Culture in Nepal. A brief Research Paper

Tourism and Western Influence on the Sherpa Culture in Nepal. A brief history of Sherpa society and how today's tourism to Mount Everest affects and influences their culture - Research Paper Example They practiced high attitude farming in a region known as Khumbu. This was home for the Sherpa who practiced subsistence farming and animal herding in high attitude, for example, raising yak for their products such as hides, dairy and wool. The children would be sent to collects yak dung that would be used as a source of fuel. Women dug potatoes in the snow and this could be due to peaks could not be of interest to them apart from the few sacred mountains (Furze 24). The Sherpa became involved in climbing at around 1020s. This could be due to the mountain climbing expeditions planned by the British. This led to the involvement of the Sherpa in mountain climbing as they would be hired as porters. Mountaineering became the Sherpa’s culture around 1950 during the time Nepal could be exposed. Countless climbers began flocking at the Khumbu Village which was the Sherpa home and together with Mount Everest; it later became the Sagarmatha National Park (Haimendorf 72). Mountaineering and trekking business became the cultural phenomena of the Sherpa community. The Sherpa themselves acted as a tourist guide for Westerners and also as cooks and base camp staff. They would be referred to as porters which resulted from their ability to climb and assist the westerner in climbing the tallest peaks in the world (Furze 68). This became part of their culture as many of them welcomed the changes as it provided employment opportunities, which led to the increased standards of living and comfortable lifestyles. The transformation of Sherpa’s culture led to the development of the region such that they shifted from the previous harsh life to the prosperous one. This could be brought by the establishment of trekking and mountain climbing. Trekkers brought steady income, which could sustain shops and guesthouses owned by the Sherpa along the route, the porters, guides and cooks who assisted

Finding Wisdom in Jonathan Swifts Gullivers Travels :: Essays Papers

Finding Wisdom in Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels A wise man once said, "That which does not kill us only makes us stronger". Jonathan Swift obviously made good use of the moral of this quote when writing his book, Gulliver's Travels. In this book, Swift tells of Lemuel Gulliver's travels to fantastic nations that exist only in Swift's own imagination. However, as Gulliver journeys to these new places, his attitudes about the state of man and his morals gradually change. In every stage of his travels, Gulliver sees a new side of mankind that makes him pity the state of his kind, while allowing him to see the light and become a better individual himself. So as Gulliver progresses from Lilliput, to Brobdingnag, to Laputa, and finally to the Land of the Houyhnhnms, he learns different facets of the human character that depress him somewhat but cause him to emerge as a stronger person. On his first voyage, Gulliver learns the corruption and pettiness of humans and how these emotions can lead to distress. When he first lands on the island, he seen as a threat to the security of the people residing there and thus is treated accordingly as a prisoner. However, as the people of Lilliput become accustomed to the "man-mountain", he becomes somewhat accepted into their society and thus he sees all the disadvantages of their moral character. The people of Lilliput are corrupt and very materialistic. People earn places in the government by performing tricks on a rope not by using their merits and qualification for the job. Gulliver sees the petty differences between the Lilliputians emerge into full-scale wars that result in many deaths. However, Gulliver sees something else that causes the main sorrow in his heart. He sees the similarities between these characteristics of the Lilliputians and the people of his beloved England. Though he doesn't come out and say it he knows that the argument between the Big-Endians, and the Little-Endians, is no different than the differences between Whigs and Tories, and Catholics and Protestants. Though seeing his culture's petty differences illustrated in front of him made Gulliver see the error of his ways and this realization allowed him to be ready to benefit from the Utopia he would visit next. In Brobdingnag, Gulliver is in sorrow because he sees what people can become if only they try.

General Categories of Sexual Harassment

As more and more women have entered the workforce in the last several decades, there has been a heightened awareness of the problem of sexual harassment. The recent spate of successful employee litigation in this area, combined with tan extension of an employer†s liability for acts of its supervisors and often its rank-and-file employees, has created an area of serious concern to employers. This is particularly so given the heightened awareness to the issue inherent in the U.S. Supreme Court confirmation hearing of Justice Clarence Thomas. It is important for supervisor and manager to be familiar with the laws of sexual harassment. Their knowledge and actions will not only legally bind the company, but may also make themselves personally liable for violation the law. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which enforces federal prohibition against sexual harassment, defines sexual harassment as â€Å"unwelcome sexual advances, request for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.† The California Fair Employment and Housing Commission (FEHC), which enforces state law, further defines sexual harassment to include: Verbal harassment, such as epithets, derogatory comments or slurs; Physical harassment, such as assault or physical interference with movement or work; and Visual harassment, such as derogatory cartoons, drawings or posters. Two General Categories of Sexual Harassment Over the years, the courts have separated sexual harassment into tow main categories: 1. â€Å"Quid pro quo† occurs when a supervisor or manager conditions an employment benefit or continuing employment on the employees acquiescence in the form of sexual behavior. 2. â€Å"Hostile† or â€Å"offensive† work environment sexual harassment. No employment benefits need be lost or gained, and this type of harassment may be engaged in not only by management, but also by coworkers or persons who are not even employed by the employer. An offensive work environment occurs where sexual jokes, suggestive remarks, cartoons, physical interference with movement such as blocking or following, and sexually derogatory comments create an offensive working environment. In determining when conduct is unwelcome, it†s important to determine is whether the victim indicated by his/her conduct that the sexual advance or conduct were unwelcome, not whether any participation was voluntary. The victim†s conduct may be totally passive, such as not laughing at sexual jokes. In determining whether a work environment is hostile, the conduct must be sufficiently severe and pervasive so as to alter the condition of the employee†s employment. Trivial or merely annoying conduct is not enough. A pattern of offensive conduct is generally required also. Unless severe, a single incident or isolated incident of sexual conduct or remarks will not be sufficient to show environmental harassment. Finally, the conduct will be evaluated from the objective viewpoint of a reasonable person facing the same conditions. The victim†s perspective will be used, not community standards or stereotypes of acceptable behavior. In California, an employer is strictly liable for the sexual harassing conduct of managers and supervisors in both the â€Å"quid pro quo† and â€Å"hostile environment† situation on the common law theory that holds an employer liable for injuries committed by employees during the course of their employment. The assumption is made that if the manager/supervisor did it, then the manager/supervisor knew about it, and therefore the company knew about it. The employer is liable for harassment of an employee by a co-worker and possibly even of non-employees, if the employer knew, or should have known, of such conduct and failed to take immediate and appropriate action. Sexual harassment also may occur where employment benefits are granted because of one employee†s submission to a supervisor†s request for sexual favors, but where other employees equally or better qualified to receive the benefits are denied them. If the employer did not know of the conduct, the FEHC will consider that the employer had notice unless the employer can establish that it took reasonable steps to prevent the harassment from occurring. Such reasonable steps may include having a sexual harassment policy in place, as well as providing sexual harassment training to supervisors and managers. Supervisors, managers, and employees must know and follow the company†s policy against sexual harassment. If a violation of company policy is found, a prompt and effective remedy should be provided to the complaining employee and disciplinary action taken against the harasser. The company can only determine whether company policy was violated. Supervisors and mangers should avoid making any statements or conclusions that illegal sexual harassment has taken place.